Mendacity: Book One (Severus Snape)

Chapter 1

Pompous.

Pompous, blue outfits that undeniably made the girls of Beauxbatons look elegant and all-around beautiful, but they were only eyecatchers to make the school look as magnificent as it really wasn't.

To say that I was glad to be leaving Beauxbatons would be an understatement. I was different, and they didn't like that. Not Fleur Delacour and her friends, not even my own friend. Could I call her that?

Sarah was my only friend at that school. She said she'd mail me sometime, but I was doubtful. The only time we spent together was in lessons or in our dorms, and she'd never once asked me how I was or cared to hear my story. She was uninterested in me personally.

I wasn't always bothered by making friends, but I supposed that Hogwarts should have been a change for me. So as soon as I got on the Hogwarts Express, I tried to catch somebody's, anybody's interest. Unfortunately, my efforts were to no avail.

"Looking for someone, are we?" A slow, monotonous voice spoke from behind me.

I jumped, and turned to see a man with somewhat long, black hair and intrigued coal-coloured eyes. He stood out from the rest of the people on the train - he wasn't a student.

"No! I'm new here, and I was just looking for a carriage-"

"Oh," he replied, suddenly uninterested, "There are a few this way, Miss..."

"Winters. Verita Winters."

The man looked at me in surprise for a second, eyes wide, "As in, Veritaserum?"

"That was the idea, but that's not my actual name," I chuckled.

"Professor Snape," he introduced himself, a hint of pride clear in his voice. It was if he were getting back at someone with his success.

"Thank you, Professor," I said as he held a carriage door open for me. He didn't say anything as he walked back to where we came from, the door slamming behind him.

I decided to make myself comfortable, so I stuck my feet up on the seat, earning grunts from people who walked past in search of a carriage. I began to read through Hogwarts: A History, a book I figured I'd need as it was my first year here.

As I read about houses and the bewitched ceiling in The Great Hall, I became intrigued.

This school seemed a lot more interesting than Beauxbatons, and seemed to treat magic as a luxury to be used to our advantage other than something we just had to be taught because we were witches and wizards.

At Beauxbatons, we were supposed to be proper and dainty, feminine and polite. I wasn't interested in that.

I was interested in potions and using them to heal and save people. I supposed that meant I wanted to become a mediwitch.

After all, I was named after a potion itself.

I smiled as I left my carriage to get changed into my robes. I was swift, enjoying the feel of the thicker, heavier fabric compared to that of the flowing, thin Beauxbatons uniforms.

I arrived back at my carriage around the same time as we approached Hogwarts. I could tell that we were close because a handful of students began to crowd outside, nearing the train's exits.

I followed the crowd, and as I began to follow them, I got held back by a firm hand.

"You'll be coming with me, Miss Winters."

I knew the velvet-like voice instantly. It was Professor Snape.

Without saying a word, I followed him to a carriage which instantly took off. The odd creature pulling the carriage took off immediately, poking at my curiousity.

"Professor, what are those?"

"Threstrals," Snape replied coolly.

"There's nothing pulling the carriage, Harry!" I heard someone say loudly.

"What are they on about?" I muttered under my breath.

"They can only be seen by those who have seen death."

I turned to Snape in surprise, "You have?"

"Of course I have, you insolent child!" He snapped.

"I'm sorry," I said, looking down at my hands.

He didn't say anything for the rest of the ride. I just watched as students looked at the castle completely unfazed, as if they didn't notice its beauty and intricacy.

Then I remembered that I was probably the only one who had never attended Hogwarts before. I was the only one who was dumbfounded by the appearance of the school.

"You will be sorted into your house in Professor Dumbledore's office. He has asked me to escort you there," Snape told me, lacking any emotion whatsoever as he jumped out of the carriage.

He turned to watch me struggle out myself, and didn't offer a hand when I almost fell when climbing out.

"Let's go," he said tiredly, leading me towards the front of the sea of students, walking at a pace I didn't think humanly possible.