PRETENDING TO LIVE~ {The Lestrange Daughter #2}

𝟕𝟐. Sectumsempra

She sat across from Snape as she had countless times before but very little about the image was familiar. They weren't in his office, neither his new one nor old. The desk was between them but the space surrounding them seemed to be nothing but black emptiness.

Snape was speaking, his mouth moving in a way that clearly formed some type of speech but no sound came out, or rather Valentine couldn't hear any of the words he seemed to be saying. 

He didn't seem to notice this, or maybe just didn't care, hands folded on the desk, staring at her plainly as he spoke.

"Professor?" Valentine asked.

His mouth stopped moving for a moment and he arched a brow at her in question. Then the image seemed to warp, stretched out oddly and becoming blurry. Then everything was normal again. Snape was talking. There was no sound.

This bothered Valentine. She was confused, concerned. She had to figure out what was happening here. What just happened? Why couldn't she hear what he was saying and why did he appear to not realize that something was wrong here?

"Sir." She spoke again. "What's happening?"

Snape paused for a moment to roll his eyes at her and then continued on again.

Why wasn't he listening to her?

The black expanse behind him seemed to grow darker, somehow darker than black. It was almost creeping forward, ready to swallow the man whole.

Valentine felt as though it already had her and was festering in her stomach. She felt sick as the darkness rose like bile in her oesophagus.

Then a small, sleek head popped over Snape's shoulder, flicking its tongue at her. Snape didn't seem to notice it.

"Professor." She tried to say in warning, but the dark spilled out into her mouth from the back of her throat.

She clamped her hands over her mouth but it was too late. The darkness forced its way through her finger, dripping down her forearms and into her lap.

She looked over at Snape. The snake was gone now and he seemed to be eyeing her with light concern that didn't match the situation.

She opened her mouth to try and speak again but more darkness spewed from her, choking her. She thought it might kill her.

She clutched at her throat in a panic as if that would stop. It didn't. Soon her lap was drenched and all she could do was dry heave as her body tried to expel the vile substance.

She looked up at Snape one last time. He appeared to scoff. Then he stood and turned from her, walking away into the endless shadow.

She made an attempt to leap up after him, but more darkness erupted from her mouth and she hacked it up all over the floor.

~~~

Ugh. Why do I always have such freaky dreams? Puking up black stuff? What the actual fuck?

Valentine sat forward with a groan, pushing the hair from her face. She'd had that same dream three times in concession during her last week of Easter Break. She was utterly sick of it and the way her skin prickled when she woke up.

She threw a glance out the compartment window, looking out at the forest rolling by, the night painting the trees dark green and blue. The train would be reaching Hogsmeade Station soon enough.

Valentine was glad to be getting back. Just glad to be away from Malfoy Manor in general. She missed her friends. She missed Draco. She missed not having to breath the same air as murderers.