to abide the law

Chapter two

Chapter 2

Down, down, down they went. It was a very long way from the top of the castle,

where Dumbledores office lay, to the very bottom, the dungeons, where the

Head of the Slytherin lived.

The only sound one could hear were the tap tap tap of her steps and a barely there swishing

sound of his robes.

Never had the way down seemed longer and far to short at once.

Professor Snape halted abruptly. They stood in front of a massive Snake, carved from the

very stone on which the castle was built.

„Give me your hand", bellowed the man and grabbed her arm.

Amanda flinched away panicky.

His eyes looked coldly down on her, only a very astute observer

could have seen the flicker of hurt in them.

„Silly girl!, he sneered, „I need to press your hand on the stone

to adjust the wards, or would you like to camp out here?"

Angrily she took a deep breath, before she let him press her palm on the cool stony snake.

Surprisingly his hand felt warm and dry.

The guardian gave way to a spartan, dimly-lit living room. The walls were bare, except

for a few torches and shelves around the room, from the floor to the ceiling, loaded with books.

Books, tomes and scrolls were everywhere, on the small coffee table,

and even in stacks on the ground, which was covered with a big,

but simple carpet, to fight back the cold.

Two wing-back chairs stood before a big fireplace.

But the young woman didn't see anything of it.

Apprehensively she still stood at the entrance.

„Well, come in", said the potions Master impatiently.

Tentatively Amanda stepped inside and the door, -well it was a boulder really,

closed with a loud thud, that startled the witch.

„Jumpy, are we", he examined her questioningly.

„Don't touch the books without my permission.

The door to your right would be your room.

Severus opened the door and showed her a small bedchamber with a canopy bed

in dark blues, on the floor laid a thick plush creme coloured carpet which begged

to sink your toes in.

The stonewalls were covered with clay. The earthen hue and the thick tapestry thereover

gave the chamber a much warmer feeling.

Even a little hearth was at the right wall. There was a drawer,

a davenport and a chair. On the left was another door that led to a small bathroom.

Amandas trunk already stood at the end of the queen-sized bed.

„You may, of course, change anything to your liking."