Descendant of Merlin Book 2: Darkness and Desire (Severus Snape)

Bottom of the Bottle

       The next morning I awoke long before anyone else would be up and found myself incapable of falling back to sleep. My father would be here today. Naturally Dumbledore had felt the need to send him an owl about Severus and me. Part of me wanted to curse the old codger for it, but Severus said Dumbledore had mentioned that my father wasn't angry. Still, with my father you never really know what will happen.

       I got up and took my time in the shower and getting dressed for the day. I didn't know exactly what time my dad would arrive. I hoped he wouldn't be too long because it's a Hogsmeade weekend and I want to go into town.

       I was ready by six thirty, but butterflies whirled around my stomach making me feel sick. What would my father say? Better yet, what would Severus say to my father? I decided to see if Severus was up and about to ease my mind.

       "Yes?" I heard through the door to his office after I knocked. I quietly opened it and stepped inside. He was sitting at his desk reading; his hair fell in his face like always. With an exasperated sigh I flitted across the room and brushed it back out of his eyes.

       "If you're going to read or grade papers you should tie your hair back. I know it annoys you," I told him sitting on his desk. He closed his book and sat it down so he could devote his attention to me. It made me feel special.

       "You're awake early," Severus commented lightly. I tried to smile but failed.

       "I couldn't fall back to sleep." Severus nodded his understanding. We both sat in pensive silence brooding over the meeting to come.

       "Are you worried?" he asked after a while. I shook my head.

       "Not really. I'm more nervous than anything. My dad's unpredictable, but he is pretty level-headed and it's not like we've done anything..." I blushed. I didn't know why that last statement had slipped out. I hadn't meant anything by it. Severus seemed taken off-guard by it as well.

       "How—fortunate," he said gruffly, shifting uncomfortably in his chair. I couldn't help myself; I started laughing. Severus glared at me, but I couldn't stop. He rolled his eyes and stood up. From a cabinet in the back corner he withdrew a jug of fire whiskey and a couple of small glasses. He sat the glasses on the desk and filled them with the murky liquid.

       "I think we could both use a good drink to calm our nerves," he said sitting and taking a glass for himself. I'd never had firewhiskey before and it burns. I took a sip and started coughing like crazy. Severus looked at me like I was crazy. Finally I recovered and wiped the tears from my eyes.

       "I'm dying in front of you and you couldn't care less?" I quipped. Severus rolled his eyes and threw back the rest of his glass's contents just to spite me.

       "If you're so close to death then how do you have the time to come up with clever remarks?" he asked coolly.

An evil smirk played at my lips. "You do sort of resemble the Grim Reaper."

       Severus growled and picked up the jug and his glass. He reached for mine to put it away to but I snatched it out of his grasp. "I'm not done yet!" I snapped. He raised one eyebrow in frustration.

       "By all means, drink it then," he drawled with sadistic pleasure. I gulped and readied myself before throwing back the painful liquid. It wasn't as bad this time; I managed to pull it off without choking at least.

       Severus grunted and returned the items to their place. About that time there was a knock at the door. Severus and I exchanged a look before he responded.

       "Yes?" he sounded just as bored as when he had said it to me. The door opened and in stepped my father. He seemed just as surprised to find me there as I was to see him standing in the threshold. He recovered immediately and shut the door behind him.

       "Hello Sweetheart," he greeted me with a calculated smile. I returned it as best I could.

       "Hullo Dad, how are you?" I asked. I noted a few more white hairs had cropped up since I'd last seen him over summer holidays.

       "I'm tired, very tired, but I'm doing well," he then turned his attention to Severus. His expression became more serious. "Severus," he nodded. The potions master nodded in return.

       "I actually came to your office to speak with you alone Snape. I didn't expect there to be anyone else here. Izzy, will you wait in the classroom for a few minutes?" my father asked politely, but I knew there was to be no refusal. I slipped off the desk and exited past my dad.

       My stomach hurt so bad I couldn't stand up straight as I waited for the door to Severus's office to reopen. I strained my ears to hear what was being said but silence was all I got. Knowing my father, he would have cast a charm around the room so that I couldn't eavesdrop. Smart man. He knew me far too well.

       After what felt like forever the door opened. I pushed myself off of the wall I'd been leaning against so fast I nearly tripped. What I saw was quite unexpected however.

       Severus and my dad were walking out together. My dad was laughing and clapping Severus on the back with a full glass of firewhiskey sloshing in his other hand. Severus looked smug and quite pleased with himself. Somehow I felt like the butt of some sort of joke. I looked at my tipsy father and the love of my life as if they were a new species of insect with twelve legs and rainbow colored hair.

       "Ummm okay...Not what I imagined would happen," I said slowly not sure what to make of the scene. Severus smirked. My father gave me a big toothy grin. Oh no...He's more than tipsy. I groaned mentally.

       "I offered your father a drink, and we started talking. He told me some of his concerns as a father and I did my best to put his mind at ease. Then he thought it would be interesting to see who could drink more," Severus began explaining with a wicked glint in his eye.

       "Sev'rus here can 'andle his alcohol! Not sure 'ow I feel about that since you're datin' him an' all, but it's a quality I admire," my dad chimed in. I huffed a sigh.

       "Dad, you nutter! You've never been able to hold your drink! That's why Mum doesn't allow alcohol in the house," I scolded crossing my arms.

       "Don' take that tone with me young lady!" my dad retorted still slurring a little. Then he started laughing again. "Sev'rus here is a a'right guy. He's younger than I thought which is a relief. I still wan' to talk to you later, but for now—I think I'll go to the infirmary."

       "Why do you want to go to the infirmary?" I demanded without patience. My dad scoffed.

       "To sleep! Why else?" he said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. I rolled my eyes and took his arm.

       "I'll go with you to make sure you get there safely," I told him. He protested and tried to pull away, but I would have none of it. Glaring at Severus I led my great Unspeakable, Descended-of-Merlin father to the infirmary to sleep off his drunkenness.

       Dumbledore was waiting when we arrived. I was surprised at first but shrugged it off. Dumbledore knows everything that happens in the castle.

       "I've already asked Madame Pomfrey to prepare him a bed," Dumbledore said falling into step beside me as we entered. "Many good men have fallen to the bottle." A mirthy glint lit the Headmaster's eyes.

       My father dropped contently onto the bed and started shucking his boots off. Then he began removing his shirt with no regard to the others in the room.

       "Dad!" I shrieked snatching the curtains closed around him. He ignored me and started humming an unctuous song as he undressed, but soon he was asleep and snoring peacefully.

      ~Simon Baker is cast perfectly as Isabella's dad :D Picture at the top~