Chamber of Love

Chapter 15

  Juliette was rocking back and forth on her heels as she waited in front of Snape's desk in the now empty classroom. It's been a while since students left the room for the Great Hall and Snape thought it was okay to give Juliette a silent treatment and make her uncomfortable as he organised the bottles he used to demonstrate the Calming Draught in class.

"What did you want to talk to me about?" Juliette finally asked after she came to the conclusion that she was tired of waiting and listening to empty bottles clinking to each other.

Snape put the last material on a shelf and turned around to face Juliette. His face was blank, not giving his thoughts away. "I'd like to know what happened during your detention. I hope you weren't trying to run away from your task."

Juliette's eyes involuntarily widened at the accusation. "No, of course not!" She said with a defensive tone. "I was just... I felt dizzy."

Snape raised an eyebrow, not believing her unconvincing excuse. "I'm surprised that you managed to make someone like Mr. Malfoy quite concerned. That must have been some serious... dizziness." His words had the hidden meaning under their sleeves, telling her that she was lying.

Juliette couldn't help but squeeze her fingers into a fist, feeling trapped under his careful eyes. "What are you saying?" She asked, trying to avoid telling him the truth. What was she supposed to say? That she saw a... a snake? And what reason did Snape have to believe her?

"I'm simply trying to understand." He answered, pressuring Juliette with his calm demeanour.

"Understand what? It was nothing. I just—" She let out a breath, not knowing what to do. "I just—"

"Miss Avery." Snape took notice of her nervous and anxious face. Her fingers were tightly grabbing her robe, creating wrinkles on the black fabric. "I advise you to tell me what's going on so I can offer my help."

Juliette carefully looked at him. She knew he didn't mean any harm. He was close friends with her father. Her father trusted him. She should too.

"I think I saw something." She blurted out, deciding that Snape is the right person to talk about her strange vision.

"You think?" He looked slightly confused but extremely interested.

"I mean, I know I saw something. It was like a vision." She helplessly looked into his eyes. "I felt it. It was in my head."

Snape frowned and his eyes became distant as if he was lost in his thoughts. "And what did you see exactly?"

"Just a snake." She shrugged, still remembering its every detail. How it crawled silently like a ghost under the pale moonlight.

She examined his features and tried to see his reaction but he looked indifferent even after learning about Juliette's vision. Was it really that unimportant that he didn't even react? Was she exaggerating it?

"I see." He said, silently humming to himself. "Have you received any letter from your father?" He asked out of nowhere, confusing Juliette.

"I don't understand why you would ask that." She said without answering him. She was wearing a faint frown.

"I was just wondering since he didn't respond to my previous letter." He walked around his desk and sat down on his chair.

Juliette fiddled with her robe. "No, I didn't receive anything." She decided to be honest with him, thinking it would be best if she wanted to learn what was going on.

Snape looked at her with a thoughtful expression before holding up an open book, hiding his face from Juliette. "You may leave." He said, motioning the door with his empty hand.