Within the Wings of a Storm

A Great Dark Wing

A little tease for my Severus fans. So much tension between these two...

Chapter title from "Sara" by Fleetwood Mac.
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A Hogwarts house elf named Olwen delivered their meal that evening, the silver-domed trays containing a rather disappointing, scaled back version of what Severus was used to enjoying in the Great Hall. It dawned on him that when term started in two days he would be once again enjoying the feasts in the Great Hall, while Miss Aspenfell would largely be forced to dine alone. It would be awfully conspicuous for him to be missing from the staff table every night, but he would have to construct some sort of plan for periodic absences. The girl would go mad eating alone in the dungeons every night, although he was sure she didn't think his company much of an improvement. It was just an all-around unfair and inconvenient arrangement, as Dumbledore's schemes often were.

Rhiannon joined him at exactly the requested time. Snape had already assumed he would have to lecture her about punctuality in order to set the proper expectations for their time together, so he was pleasantly surprised. He took a moment to assess her now that she was here, in his space, instead of in passing at Grimmauld Place. She had clearly freshened up since their unsteady landing on the grassy knoll, securing her hair half up in a braided bun, the rest falling in waves down her back. She had changed into a simple off-the-shoulder dress the same color as her hair, the overall effect a golden aura in the amber lantern light. Within the aura of gold shone orbs of bright green, the biggest clue to her seemingly unique brand of magic. Surrounded by the energy in Hogwarts they shone brightly, almost unnaturally, and Severus was intrigued by the phenomenon. Her lips were stained an faint autumn apple red and curved into a small smile as she nodded her head to him.

Severus returned the nod and assisted with her chair. His keen nose caught a whiff of her perfume and analyzed it immediately: bergamot, citrus, neroli, geranium, lavender, violet, passion fruit, sandalwood, and amber. Now that the girl was here in his space he already found it difficult to maintain the domineering detachment he'd mastered at Grimmauld Place. He would have to try harder.

The girl was ravenous, seeming halfway finished with her meal when he'd barely started. He decided he would catch up on his own food while leaving her answering his questions. He needed to know her background and more about her connection to the Dark Lord.

"Miss Aspenfell, did you have any awareness of your father until you came to England?"

Still chewing, she shook her head. "No. All I was ever told about him was that he was 'gone.' No one would ever say his name or tell me anything about him. I always...well...I always assumed it was Dumbledore. Not that I knew Dumbledore," she added hurriedly. "But I would sometimes hear my mom talk to a man in the fire that I now know was him, and we would receive letters with instructions, sometimes with money, asking questions about my life and my activities. So naturally, I just assumed he was my dad."

"And your mother? She was not a witch?"

"Well...no, not really. Ms. Pearl, the lady who owned our building, my mom's boss, and she helped take care of me— she was a voodoo priestess and shop owner in New Orleans. She and my mom kind of raised me in all that. I grew up thinking that's what magic was, until I went to Ilvermorny."

"It is, it's just not the kind that is formally taught." Severus sat back and crossed his leg over the other, his mind too busy to worry with food. "Many would consider it dark. Do you?"

Rhiannon seemed to consider before answering. "I think all things can be considered both light and dark, depending on one's experience with it. But no, I never felt our magic was dark."

He nodded. "You mentioned Dumbledore sent money. What was your mother's occupation?"

She hesitated. "She worked at Ms. Pearl's shop. They were adherents to the old ways, but in New Orleans, with all the tourists, you can use it to make a living too. And...she was very beautiful, you see, and magical, so the men would come in, and..."