Shadows || A Severus Snape Fanfiction

Chapter 38 - Fairy lights

A/N: Concupiscent is a fancy way of saying horny. Just thought you ought to know. *faints*

(I don't know why after I wrote that first statement, my mind went straight to Quirrell, but there you go, I went with it)

This yule ball night just seems to go on and on (for three whole chapters, like 14,000 words to be exact) and I kinda wanted to spend hours editing the whole thing till it felt right but then I thought nah lets just keep updating, I can always change it later. Lemme know what you think. Part of me figured it didn't matter if it was long cause there's a bunch of Severus in it heheh

Sorry for the delay btw - I did procrastinate by writing a Jason Nash one-shot ahahhahaha wtf. But im planning on uploading it for lols so follow me 😂

Shit I was supposed to be keeping my A/Ns shorter ffs

I hope you enjoy the chapter :-{P

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Making her way out into the Entrance Hall, Asha saw the castle doors were wide open, yet no icy breeze rushed inside. She soon realised why. As she passed beneath the huge arched doorway and down the front steps, her senses buzzed with the magic of what must've been a surrounding heat barrier charm. It was like a ginormous bubble stuck to the side of the castle, keeping the freezing night at bay.

She followed the main pathway around to the left, before coming to a stop. Marking the entrance to the courtyard was a magnificent tunnel grown entirely out of rose bushes. As she wandered through it, she looked in wonder at the many pink and white flowers which bloomed then closed as she passed.

The courtyard had been transformed to the point where it was unrecognisable. Fairies of every colour lit up the wondrous garden and winding ornamental paths. The splashing sound of a fountain could be heard and over top of the bushes, Asha could spot the tips of sparkling jets of water. There were only a few people scattered around the place - mostly pairs huddled on carved benches, or the occasional couple, half-concealed in the shadows (and who appeared to be quite busy).

Asha waited until she had walked around several turns of a secluded path, before taking a seat on a stone bench. She then took out her wand and concentrated hard.

Over the past few weeks, she had been working on a difficult form of magic - a sort of combination of the Accio charm, and object apparition.

She closed her eyes and vividly imagined the unopened bottle of gin currently locked in her trunk. Before leaving for the Ball, she had laced it with the receiving wards required for this spell. She flicked her wand three times, then tapped it next to her on the bench. When she opened her eyes, there sat her prize.

Then, without warning (or perhaps Asha had simply failed to hear the hammering footsteps, given her absolute concentration on the summoning charm), none other than Durmstrang Headmaster, Igor Karkaroff, came striding around the corner. He had appeared so fast, Asha didn't get a chance to do anything except look like a deer in headlights. The bottle of hard liquor stood beside her in full view.

Karkaroff stormed towards her, his goatee askew and a fearsome look on his face - a look which made even Asha a little afraid. She opened her mouth and made to stand up, ready to plead her case, but Karkaroff stomped straight past her, not even bothering to glance in her direction. Utterly bewildered, but relieved all the same, Asha dropped back on the bench once more. What the hell had just happened?

After a few confused, apprehensive minutes, Asha decided she was in the clear. She conjured a crystal tumbler (a much easier piece of magic than apparating the gin) and poured herself a glass. The burning, bitter taste in her mouth was contrary to the sweet relief it gave her. Within ten minutes, the alcohol had successfully dulled her inner turmoil, making it easier to temporarily forget the demons of her past.