Descendant of Merlin (Severus Snape) Book 1: Anger and Awe

A Christmas Potion

I decided to go see if Salmissra was awake since there was nothing else to do so early in the morning.

When I entered the hospital wing I saw Salmissra sitting up in her bed playing with a paper bird she had charmed to act like the real thing. I smiled when she looked at me. She returned the gesture as more of a kind grimace. Obviously, I wasn't who she expected to see.

"How do you feel?" I asked politely. She shrugged.

"I'm in the hospital on Christmas, but other than that I'm not bad. Snape has been bringing me potions every few hours to help with the pain. Apparently I broke it so badly that even magic will take time to heal it fully so I'll have to get a cast like a muggle," she frowned.

"Surely Teague or Corbin will bring you your gifts once they wake up," I said trying to cheer her up. It succeeded in making her smile slightly.

"Yeah, they're great. Speaking of the time though, why are you up so early?"

       I shrugged.

"I went to bed early yesterday. I woke up at midnight and have been wide awake since then," we both laughed a little. Salmissra came off as curt bordering on severe, but she wasn't half bad really.

"You aren't like most Slytherins," she commented. Her eyebrows knit together just a bit, "maybe the sorting hat made a mistake putting you in that house." I laughed a bit harder now.

"I am a Slytherin through and through, Salmissra. I can't deny that. The thing is, if you're my friend I'm as good as any Gryffindor; if you're my enemy though then I'm a snake in the grass. To be honest I am just like a snake." She cocked her head to one side.

"How so?" she asked.

"A snake slithers silently in the grass where you can't see or hear it. I do the same for the most part. I blend in and work in the background without drawing attention to myself—except in quidditch but that doesn't count," I shook my head to refocus. "If a snake thinks it can kill its enemy it will strike, but if it isn't confident it will win then it slips away without being noticed.

"Frankly, I am not going to start a fight I don't think I can win. Finally, a snake's bite is worse than its hiss. I'm the same way," I left the last part vague. The fact is I'm one hell of a duelist, but people didn't really need to know that. Salmissra nodded slowly.

"I suppose so, you just don't seem venomous."

       I smiled at her response. I stayed and visited with her for a couple of hours. We were well on our way to becoming friends which made me happy. She was a half-blood, but I told her it didn't really matter to me. That shocked her.

When the sun was just peeking over the horizon and pink light started filtering in through the windows, Professor Snape entered with a small vial in his hand. He gave it to Salmissra and she downed it quickly. I couldn't help but snicker at her face. Snape turned to me with a glare.

"Miss Fellstone, if you would come with me," he said in a droning superior tone. I nodded and followed him out of the hospital wing. I noticed Salmissra shot me sympathetic looks as I left. I smiled faintly at her to let her know it was no big deal.

We walked in silence until we reached the dungeons. It was still very early, and we passed no one in the halls.

"Dumbledore has requested I allow you to observe me today as you are such an adept student in my class. However," he rounded on me with a hard look that made me feel very small, "I am brewing this potion in my own private quarters.