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

Late Nights

       "How old are you?" he asked with slight emphasis on the word 'are'. He chose to let my bold statement pass without comment.

       "I'm seventeen," I responded without hesitation. My chin rose just a bit in defiance. I am a legal adult and can choose who I like. Snape looked at me strangely.

       "That's a bit old for a sixth year," he commented almost as if he thought I was lying.

       "I know," I said a little glumly. "I am the oldest in my year. I started school a year later because my father needed to teach me how to properly control my power," I explained. This seemed to get his attention for some reason.

       "Most children come here to learn to control their powers. Why is it you should be considered special?" he asked cynically. I half smiled, but it didn't really reach my eyes. I knew Snape was taking in every move I made and every word I said.

       "Well," I debated telling him the truth but doubted a lie would ever pass. "I am a direct descendant of Merlin himself, so I'm a bit more powerful than most. When I was younger I had a huge problem with accidental magic because if I got the least bit upset I was liable to accidentally blow something up. I blew a tree half apart when I was six because my cat died," I told him with a slight laugh. His face remained unreadable.

       "That could be," he searched for the right word, "problematic..I wasn't aware there were anymore direct descendants of Merlin," he stated.

       "Well my father and I are the last ones. His mother died a few years ago leaving just the two of us. If I don't have children then Merlin's line ends with me. We mostly keep our heritage to ourselves," I explained. He nodded his head once in understanding.

       "How old are you, Professor?" I asked thinking it a fair question.

       "That does not concern you," he barked making me jerk a bit in surprise.

       "I'm sorry," I apologized quietly. It irritated me that he had asked a question of me that he wasn't willing to answer himself, but I knew better than to call him on it. I studied the floor for a minute while he studied me. "I suppose I should be going now," I turned and headed to the back of the classroom. I was just about to reach the door when he spoke.

       "Miss Fellstone," I turned to find he was sitting behind his desk again.

       "Yes?" I asked. Sadness was audible in my voice. I hated it. I didn't want Snape to feel guilted into anything. I also didn't want him to know how much power he had over my happiness.

       "I'm twenty-six," he said looking down at the papers stacked high on the desk. I smiled brightly.

       "That's only a nine year age difference," I said in consideration. The rumors of him being the youngest professor in Hogwarts history must have been true. He sat back heavily in his chair, exhaustion threatening to take over.

       "That's not the big problem, and you know it," he said closing his eyes.

       "But—" I started but he cut me off.

       "Look, I am tired. I haven't slept in three days, and I have several hours' worth of papers to grade tonight so sleep doesn't look like an option yet again. Let's not talk about this now at least. I can tell that you will not let it go at this, but please drop it for now," he opened his eyes and they were pleading. I was shocked. I had never heard him say please before. The focused part of me wavered and empathy took over. An idea came to my mind.

       "If you'd like, I could help you grade those papers so you could get done quicker," I offered without hidden agenda. I could see an internal conflict flash through his eyes. I was noticing he was much easier to read when on the verge of passing out from lack of sleep.

       "You need your sleep," he said selflessly.

       "No more than you do," I countered lightly. He rolled his eyes and held out a stack of papers a few inches thick. With a small smile I walked to his desk to retrieve them. I sat down in my usual spot and began grading the endless essays. Most of them were so poor I wasn't sure how the students would ever pass their OWLs.

       We graded in silence. It was a comfortable silence neither of us felt the need to break and it was nearly eleven when we finally finished with everything. I got up to hand them in to Snape. When he took the stack his hand overlapped mine, and we both froze with our eyes locked.

       Terror and confusion flickered across his face. I wasn't sure what mine showed. It wasn't one of those cliché moments where the man and the woman fall in love at first sight. It was more like we both knew what that moment indicated. We both understood what makes the world stop when two people look into each other's eyes. At that moment I desperately wished I had worn my new cloak, but it was tucked away in my dorm.

       The moment seemed to last forever until he snatched the papers from my hand and ripped his eyes from mine. For some reason it didn't bother me though. I get what I want, Professor, I thought to myself. At that exact moment he must have sensed what I was thinking because he gave me his famous death glare/scowl combination. I knew he hadn't read my mind with magic, but sometimes you don't need magic. I gave him a soft smile and headed for the door.

       "Goodnight Severus," I said over my shoulder casually.

       "Goodnight Isabella," he sighed tiredly. I heard him growl in frustration as soon as he realized what I had just done. "Ten points from Slytherin!"I couldn't help but laugh as I walked out of the classroom.

       I always get what I want, Professor, and I want you, I thought evilly to myself. He could fight it with everything he had, as I was sure he would do, but I would win him somehow. It did strike me that I had turned very determined very quickly, but once I realized how I felt it's like all my ambition focused in on him.

 

       When I'd made it to my dorm last night Lynx had been dozing in and odd position on her bed but woke up when I came in. Her eyes took in the time on the clock and she turned to me in a conspiratorial way.

       "That was an awfully long detention," she said groggily.

       "Yeah," I yawned trying to rub the sleep from my eyes. "I would've been done a few hours ago but Snape looked like he was ready to fall over at any minute and still had a huge stack of papers to grade. I offered to help get them done faster," I explained. She nodded.

       "You always have been too nice," she said with a tired smile. I giggled softly. We'd become friends because I helped her through the death of her brother. He had been older than her and was killed in the war against Voldemort. I shrugged as I pulled off my robes and tugged on my pajamas.

       "So, when are you going to tell me what seems to be going on with you? Did something happen while I was away?" she asked lightly. She was closer to me than my own sister. I trusted her and would tell her everything—eventually.

       "Soon," I said with a torn expression. "I have to see where it's going a little better first, but I promise I'll tell you as soon as I know what exactly there is to tell." I crawled into my bed and snuggled under the blankets. Lynx did the same, and before I knew it we were both passed out.

~This chapter has been edited from the original. I had written that Snape was 24, however this chapter would take place in January of 1986 which would mean our dear potions master has just celebrated (or not) his 26th birthday. The original age difference of 7 years must be adjusted to 9 years :) sorry for any confusion for those of you who have read the story before. Thank you very much!!~