California Love

Chapter 8. The Dress

Potter Manor

It had been one week since Euphemia gave Severa her challenge, "Design a gown using two distinct fabrics, with pink as the primary color," and Severa had been working her bum off to get this gown done.

And let me tell you, it was one hell of a ride getting it done, with all this shit going on around this manor. Potter's little hissy fit, catching Pettigrew in his feelings, all too damn much to deal with.

But she could say she handled herself fairly well amidst the chaos. Despite the distractions, Severa remained focused on her task, pouring every ounce of creativity and determination into crafting the perfect gown. 

Late nights spent sketching, endless fittings, and a few choice words exchanged with the bickering house elves—it was all part of the process.

But now, as Severa stood back to admire her creation, draped elegantly over the mannequin, she couldn't help but feel a surge of pride. The gown was a masterpiece, a testament to her talent and perseverance. And as she prepared to present it to Euphemia, she knew that all the trials and tribulations of the past week had been worth it. After all, nothing worth having ever came easy.

The sound of a pop brought her out of her thoughts. She turned around to find Letty, one of the two house elves who had been assigned to her.

"Miss Severa, it's time fo-" she watched as Letty's eyes went from her to the dress, widening as they went. "Oh my, Miss Severa, the dress is amazing!" Letty's big green eyes shined with awe. "Letty wish Letty was that size!"

Severa couldn't help but break into a smirk. It felt nice to have someone, even if it was a house elf, appreciate her dress that much. Letty's genuine admiration warmed her heart, reminding her of the passion and dedication she had poured into every stitch and seam.

"Thank you, Letty," Severa said with a rare genuine smile, her pride in her work evident in her voice. "Your kind words mean a lot."

Letty beamed, her excitement palpable. "Oh, Miss Severa, you are the best!"

Severa chuckled softly, touched by Letty's enthusiasm. As the house elf hurried to get a better look at the dress, Severa couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Despite the challenges she had faced, seeing the joy her creation brought to others made it all worthwhile.

"Oh, Miss Severa," Letty exclaimed, breaking Severa out of her reverie. "Letty forgot to tell you, Lady Euphemia wants you in the drawing room."

Severa's eyes widened slightly at the news. She threw a white sheet over the dress and rushed out the door, Letty scurrying along behind her. In her haste, she didn't notice the shadowy figure lurking at the end of the hall.

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James was pissed. All he wanted was to have a good summer with his friends, and Snivellus just had to come and ruin it. Now he was grounded for calling her "rude names."

Rude?! How the hell was calling her what she was, a bitch, being rude?!

James knew his parents were old, but he never knew them to be dumb. I mean, only a crybaby Hufflepuff would fall for one of Snivellus's little tricks. It wasn't fair. Snivellus always played the victim, but everyone knew she was just as conniving as they came.

As James stormed through the halls of the manor, frustration boiling inside him, he couldn't shake the feeling of injustice. He had been looking forward to this summer for months, only to have it ruined by that insufferable witch.

But James wasn't one to stay down for long. Oh no, he was going to make a plan, a way to turn the tables on Snivellus and show her who was really in charge. With a determined glint in his eye, James set off to put his plan into action, determined to reclaim his summer and put Snivellus in her place once and for all.

He was brought out of his thoughts by the sound of shoes hitting the floor like someone was in a rush. James looked around the corner to find Snape rushing out of a room followed by one of the house elves.

Where was she going? James made his way around the corner, intending to follow her, when he glanced at the door she had just come out of, and he smiled. This was perfect! He could find out what Snivellus was doing in that room, tell his parents, and then kick her out without a second thought!

With a mischievous grin spreading across his face, James opened the door and poked his head inside. The room looked like his, minus the posters and personal things. He took a step inside, closing the door behind him as he looked around a bit more.

The room was eerily quiet, save for the faint sound of voices coming from somewhere nearby. James crept further into the room, his curiosity piqued. What secrets was Snivellus hiding in here? He scanned the room, searching for any clues that might reveal her true intentions.

As he rifled through drawers and peeked behind curtains, James couldn't shake the feeling that he was onto something big. Whatever Snivellus was up to, he was determined to uncover it and put an end to her scheming once and for all.

He was looking under the bed when he noticed something human-sized under a sheet. Bingo!

James quickly made his way over to whatever it was and prepared himself. He reached his hand out, gripped the sheet, and yanked.

His huge smile faded as soon as the sheet was off. It was a dress?

No, there had to be something wrong about this. He leaned in and searched for anything wrong, maybe some runes or just anything to get Snivellus out of his house!

The dress was... amazing. When he first pulled off the sheet, it looked like just another dress his mum bought, but now that he was up close, he could see so much more. There was a flower at the waist of the dress and tiny little rhinestones sewn into the fabric.

His mother had never worn anything like this, at least not to his knowledge. So how the bloody hell did Snivellus get such a dress?

James's mind raced with possibilities. Could she have made it? No, that didn't seem likely. Snape may be many things, but talented wasn't one of them.

He glanced around the room, searching for any clues that might shed light on the mysterious dress. But the room revealed nothing, leaving James even more angry than before.

"AHHH!" James screamed, his frustration boiling over. "This is fucking crazy!" He threw the sheet across the room in a fit of rage. 

"All I wanted was a fun summer, and Snivellus had to come and fuck it up!" He collapsed onto the bed, pulling at his hair in frustration.

This couldn't—no, wouldn't—keep going on. He would do anything to get that bitch out of his home and away from his friends and family. She had already snatched Peter away from him and into her fucking claws.

As he sat there, seething with anger and resentment, his eyes landed on a pair of scissors lying on the dresser. A wicked idea began to form in his mind.

Slowly, James got up from the bed and made his way to grab the scissors. As soon as they were in his hands, he looked back at the dress.

"A witch like Snivy doesn't deserve a dress like this," he muttered, his grip tightening on the scissors as he contemplated his next move. It was time to take matters into his own hands and put an end to Snivellus's reign of terror once and for all. 

He raised his hands, the scissors open and ready, a twisted smile forming on his lips. "This is for fucking up my summer," he muttered through gritted teeth.

With a determined glare, James brought the scissors down, cutting away at the delicate fabric of the dress. Each snip felt like a small victory, a step closer to reclaiming the summer that had been stolen from him.

Take that you bitch.