¤It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves.
The love, life, and lies of Cassiopeia Vulpecula Rosier
"The Dark Lord took a particular interest in me I couldn't have escaped his service if I had tried....
...I must apologize, for I...
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The rest of February, passed in a blur, and then with it the first few weeks of March. The cold winter months gave way to spring storms. The snow that covered the mountainsides washed away, and the brown earth started to turn green again.
It was on one such stormy night that my owl delivered a letter that had me hurrying out of the castle, and braving the hurricane-like weather. The storm was so fierce that I was soaked within seconds of setting foot outside. Wind ripped through the valley, tearing at my clothes, and uprooting trees. It was a fight to stay upright, and I tumbled down the path to Hogsmeade, trying desperately not to slip over the rain slickened cobblestones.
The letter hadn't left me much time to prepare. But I had intel, a few safe houses to hand over, as well as a report on Dumbledore's comings and goings. Anything was of interest to the Dark Lord.
Snape was going to be at the Hog's Head and The Dark Lord wanted me to pass the information I had gathered along through him. It was less likely to fall into the wrong hands than if I sent it through the post.
I understood the logic, but it didn't stop me from cursing having to leave the castle on such a night.
But that didn't matter. My own comforts didn't matter anymore. Not as I walked into the Hog's Head, my cloak soaked through, my hair drenched and windswept.
I scanned the pub, searching silently for Snape. Always dressed head to toe in black, he tended to stick out a little. But not at the Hog's Head. There, everyone seemed to be dressed in dark colors. They all blended in together.
It was only his hook shaped nose that stuck out of his dark traveling cloak that alerted me to his presence. Unsurprisingly, he was seated in the furthest, darkest corner of the pub.
Thick heavy smoke hung in the air, almost choking me as I quickly crossed the room.
"Do you have it?" He asked impatiently, before I was even fully seated.
"Hello, nice to see you too, Severus." I answered, sweetly smiling at him, despite his brusque manner.
He took one look at me and rolled his eyes, obviously already irritated. I'd always seemed to have that effect on him.
"I don't have time for this." He snapped. But what could he do? He was here to collect what I had, and couldn't leave until I had given it to him.
"Yes you do." I shot back. "Have a drink with me." It wasn't a question.
He looked like he was going to disagree and tell me to sod off for wasting his time. But something softened a little in his gaze almost as if he could tell how utterly lonely I was. Almost as if he could read the silent desperation in my gaze. He got up, his black cloak swirling behind him, but instead of heading for the door, he went to the barkeep behind the counter.
