Bewitched: A Severus Snape Story

Liquid Luck

My body felt as if a thousand nails had been driven into it. I was shaking involuntarily. I found a vial lying next to me next to my pillow.
See you after breakfast. - A.D.I unscrewed the bottle and gulped it down and felt slightly more normal.
...
I was vaguely aware of a blonde girl putting on her shoes next to me.
She looked up.
"Oh good you're awake! Scary Snape said not to wake you because you were pretty exhausted. Breakfast is about over, you'd better hurry if you're hungry." The girl smiled.
"Oh, thank you. My name is-"
"Anastasia. You're Dumbledore's great niece. I want to hear all about Ilvermorny later! I'm Sarah." Her blonde braids bounced as she talked animatedly.
"I'd better hurry. I'll join you at lunch? Sorry if I'm not very talkative, I'm usually better company. I'm still half-asleep."
She smiled, understanding.
"Find me at lunch. I'll introduce you to my friends. I'm sooooo glad you got out in Slytherin. We all are. We could use someone like you on our side. See you!" She skipped away.
I wasn't that hungry. I wasn't in the mood for food or talking or people or existing, but I had to keep moving. If I stopped it would all come back to me. I couldn't handle that.
I took some green and black robes that had been placed in my trunk out. They were a lot different than my old robes, but I liked them. I had fallen asleep in my Ilvermorny robes that I had changed into for my hearing where I was expelled. I felt the burning need to get those off me. I found my wand and tucked it into the waistband of my skirt. I twirled Julius's wand around, unsure of what to do with it. I didn't want to leave it so I twisted my messy hair up and used it as a hairpin.
I glanced at my tired reflection in the mirror. I charmed myself clean since I didn't have time to take a shower and charmed my makeup on too. It was something I'd learned out of laziness, but now it was necessity as I was barely going to make it to Dumbledore on time.
When I arrived in his office he smiled at me and motioned for me to sit down at a desk he'd summoned.
"Miss Dumbledore, this shouldn't take too long. We just received your grades from Ilvermorny and we have to say we are impressed. Just answer a few of these questions so we can best place you in your classes to prepare you for your future career, since this is your graduating year."
I nodded.
That is our Transfigurations Professor, Minerva McGonagall.
I nodded in Dumbledore's direction as I began working on the twenty question paper.
I finished quickly and gave it to her.
She smiled and stifled a laugh.
"Let me see that." Dumbledore was handed the paper. He let out a hearty chuckle.
"Cheeky." He commented as he kept reading.
"Potions Master or an Auror like your parents... you're at least honest about your strengths and weaknesses, though you should give yourself credit where credit is due, Anastasia. You're a powerful little witch, and I like your sense of humor, it's written all over this questionnaire."
He smiled.
McGonagall shook her head and laughed.
"I'm going to talk to Severus about your Potions class. You'll be in his advanced class, but I think even that is too easy for you. If you are considering a Potions track, I want you to have something additional. You'll be in advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts, which I am teaching currently, Draughts and Poisons with Snape, Advanced Charms with Flitwick, and Advanced Transfigurations with Minerva this semester. Your books are in your room." He scribbled all of this along with directions and Professor names on the parchment before handing it over to me. I smiled at him.
"I'm terribly sorry you don't have time to decompress and heal like you should, but the ministry is all for keeping up appearances like nothing ever happened until their investigation is closed. I sent for Severus to make you more of that potion. Owl me if you need anything at all. You're holding up better than I would have. Orion is at the Owlery I had him brought for you." I smiled at the mention of Orion. He was the only remnant of my family I had left. I thanked them and then I ran back to my room to grab my books for Potions.
I took my seat in the front as I usually did so I could best pay attention.
Snape glided into the room, his robes billowing behind him giving him an unintended gracefulness. The room fell silent as he began the lecture on a potion I'd brewed a hundred times with Thornwood. I pretended I was taking notes, when in all actuality I was drawing. I stuck my tongue out the corner of my mouth as I was concentrating.
Something hit my foot. I bent down to retrieve a piece of paper wadded up.
I opened it.
New girl's got a nice ass. I wasn't in the mood to deal with boys at the moment. Day one and I was already on the menu here. They smelled fresh blood in the water and the frenzy had begun.
I wasn't in the headspace to even think about boys. The young Auror that I used to date back in America had been killed by death eaters three months before my parents. I didn't know which ones, but the Carrows might have even been the culprits for all I knew.
I felt that familiar ache in my chest for Jack, as I felt the paper tugged from my grasp. Snape held it up to read it and I heard several nervous murmurs behind me.
Snape squinted at the note as if he was rereading it.
His face turned menacing.
"Whoever just interrupted my class to pass this piece of utter garbage is about to land themselves in detention and will see me after class." He pulled out his wand and tapped the paper once and it flew into the hands of a muscular brown haired boy. The class gasped and watched him.
"Mister Hexwell, ten points from Ravenclaw. See you after class. You too, Anastasia." The class turned to me.
"Sure, no problem." I half-smiled up at him.
"Why would there be any problem, Miss Dumbledore, is it?" He spat out my fake name like he knew it wasn't mine.
"There isn't any. I'll be there, Professor. You can lecture again. Sorry." He rolled his eyes and began again. I finished a sketch of a plant he had in a jar on the shelves. I labeled it and then flipped to another page to start on another sketch. Finally it was time to brew something. The rest of the students began pairing up. I felt a hand on my shoulder. It was the Hexwell guy.
"You know, I meant that as a compliment." He smirked.
"Eat shit." I said a little louder than I wouldn't liked. The classroom was in an uproar laughing at what I'd said. I walked into the supply closet while the others were frantically trying to consult their books for ingredients and find a partner.
I started grabbing jars off the shelves.
"I'm Eric Hexwell captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team and you're going to pay for that comment ...." he looked around before he slipped his arms around my waist. I stomped on his foot. He yelped.
"Oh you are so paying for that, I'll have you, Anastasia. I will."
"Oh go fuck yourself." I snarled, as a black-clad figure appeared in the doorway.
He arched an eyebrow at me.
"Detention, Miss Dumbledore. And what are you doing in the supply closet with Mr. Hexwell?"
"Sir, I was gathering ingredients for the potion."
He smirked.
"You don't even have your textbook or notes, you expect me to believe that?"
I looked down at the jars in my arms then back up at Snape. He walked over and picked up the jar from my hand.
"These appear to be the correct ingredients..."
"They are. I don't need a list, thank you very much. I've brewed this one before many times, Professor." I shoved past him in the doorway and plopped down at a cauldron and burner and started working before anyone had finished making a supply list. I was almost halfway done by the time most of them had just gotten started. the classroom was quiet save for a few whispers. Students were hard at work. Snape was pacing the room, but kept walking by me more than anyone else.
I waved my wand over the potion in a figure eight.
"Ha-ha! Yes! Felixempra!" I grinned as I poured some of the golden liquid into a bottle. A ginger Ravenclaw gasped in jealousy that she'd been bested in academics by a Slytherin.
That's right. There's a new queen in town, get used to it. BITTCH.
Snape smiled at me. I forgot to block my thoughts from him I realized and blushed. He walked over to me and stood in front of my cauldron.
I smiled up at him. Potions were an escape for me. Whatever had happened in the day, when I came into a potions classroom it all melted away. I didn't need a partner-they'd just be dead weight. I needed focus. I knew I had brewed a flawless potion from memory.
"I'm feeling lucky, Snape, how bout you?" I grinned. He glared at me and took the bottle from my hand, bringing it up to his nose to sniff.
He swished it around a few times before he put a cork on the bottle and pocketed the potion.
"You like? I saw you sniff? What do you think? Tell me." I wiggled finger guns at him, half the class shot nervous glances and half giggled.
Snape turned to walk away. I frowned. That was it? I just blew that out of the water and that's all I got?
Back the fuck up, ya soggy lampshade.
He froze.
BALLS. I did it again.
He didn't say anything but there was no doubt in my mind he heard my thoughts. My cheeks burned red.
Class ended and I stayed at my desk waiting for everyone to leave.
Eric waltzed up beside me and winked at me. I flipped him off discreetly under the desk.
"Detention later, Hexwell. I'll deal with you later."
Hewell nodded and scampered out of the room.
"Explain to me what the hell happened, Dumbledore." He growled.
I cleared my throat.
"I brewed a perfect specimen of liquid luck is what happened!" I wiggled my eyebrows. Snape was looking at the wand I had pinning up my hair. He gave me a 'you gotta be kidding me' look.
I shrugged.
"Start from your arrival. Why are you covered in bruises?" He knitted his eyebrows together in concern.
"Accidents happen?" I fake chuckled.
He rolled his eyes.
"He asked me to make more of that healing draught. It has post-curse properties, adrenaline, a sleep tonic, and bone mending properties among other things...it's a hospital visit in a bottle. I know it's for you." He pulled one out of his pocket.
"I-I-I...." I stuttered.
"You can't tell me? Is that what it is?"
I nodded.
"Well. Just come to me next time you need anything, I am your head of house. Let me see that bruising. Why aren't you in the hospital?"
I removed my robe and looked at him warily before I pulled up my shirt up to my ribcage. The bruising was all over my stomach and ribs and part of a slice mark could be seen that continued up to my chest. I couldn't show him that unless I took off my bra and I didn't think he'd ask for me to do that.
He set his jaw, looking upset.
"And they have you walking around acting like you're just fine?!" He sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I'm as fine as I can be." I said flatly.
"I suppose you are... No detention. Leave." I stood there stunned for a moment before exiting the classroom.
...
"You are fucking kidding me? You turned down Eric? THAT IS RICH." Sarah was cackling. I smirked.
"I get he's an arse sometimes, but he's the best looking in our year. Word is he might go pro Quidditch." Tracy, another seventh year Slytherin interjected.
"I just am not in the mood to date. And the way he acted, like he owned me, it pissed me off." I crossed my arms.
"Alrighty then, so I can have him?" Sarah asked.
"Go for it. He's all yours." I smiled and she clapped and hugged me.
"I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship, Stasia." She smiled.
I felt my mind being tampered with and I looked up at the faculty table to see Snape staring at me.
I met his gaze without hesitation, he looked down. I win. I licked my lips and stabbed a piece of ham.
As I swallowed I felt the pain return. I looked for Dumbledore at the table, but I couldn't find him. I stared at Snape until he met my gaze again, this time looking irritated. I waved at him awkwardly. He rolled his eyes and got up and motioned for me to follow him to the adjacent hallway.
I caught up to him and started coughing. Drops of blood spattered on the floor in between us.
"Oh shit...." I started to sway.
He fished around in his pocket for the potion and poured it into my mouth.
"If I knew exactly what happened I could make you a better one....Speed the healing up." He put his arm around my shoulders and helped me walk to his office.
He sat me down on a black leather couch and lit a fire under a cauldron.
"Give me specifics."
I wiped blood on my sleeve.
"Cruciatus curse... so many times.... then he....I mean...." I started sobbing uncontrollably and I was having trouble catching my breath. I coughed up more blood. Snape ran over and knelt beside me.
"When was this?"
"Two....days...."
"This just happened?! And you're here?! Walking around....like it's nothing....just you know GOT TORTURED and...." he trailed off, anger filling his eyes.
I pulled my knees up to my chest and tried to steady my breathing. He knew I was trying to stop crying.
"You can cry. I'm going to be nice, I didn't know...I didn't know how bad it was and I still don't to the full extent....you need to be at St. Mungos in all honesty...."
"Where-where's Dumbledore?"
He sighed.
"Had some important business to attend to." His expression softened.
"So you like potions?"
I nodded.
"You really like potions? What are you wanting to do when you graduate?"
I started to calm down.
"Well I was raised up to be an Auror, but I always loved potions...I'm not sure, Sir. I'm decently good at both, if I'm being honest"
"No doubt." He picked up Julius's wand from where it had fallen out of my hair and held it up in the light.
"Because how else would you have brewed that potion flawlessly....and gotten this?" A smile played at his lips.
"It's just a hairpin."
"A hairpin with a dragon heartstring core?" He flicked it and red sparks shot out of it.
He chuckled.
"It's allegiance is to you."
"I know." I looked up at him.
He met my gaze and I felt him push on my mind.
"Hey, stop that. I don't feel like fighting you off right now."
"Then don't fight it." He was waging a mental battle and winning.
"Stop. Now. You don't know who I am."
He chuckled.
"Now I'm getting somewhere...."
He frowned.
It took all of my energy, but I won. I was panting and hugging my knees to my chest. I buried my face in them.
"You really want to hide something. I'll make a deal with you, girl."
"I don't want anything from you." I spat at him.
"You might. Just listen. Dumbledore suggested you and I work out some sort of potions arrangement to enrich your learning. You can be my assistant just like Thornwood and I'll stay out of your head for a little while...but you have to answer one question."
My eyes lit up. I needed something to live for. To look forward to and distract me. I needed that position.
"What do you want to know?" My stomach did a somersault.
"Your name." The velvet bass of his voice almost purred the phrase.
I swallowed and without thinking replied.
"Anastasia Victoria Sayre".
He'd won. I had let him win. But his smug smile vanished into sympathy and concern.
"I'm so sorry...."
I knew what he meant. He knew. Somehow that was enough to tell him what he wanted to know. Somehow he knew. He took my hand in his and squeezed it.
"They're all gone." I stared at the wall behind him. I didn't blink.
"I'm gone."
"You're right here. You're where you need to be. You're not gone." He squeezed my hand.
"I know but I should be." I got up and pulled my hand away from him. Without looking back I left him in his office.
When I got back to my room I was glad that it was lunch and I was the only one in there. I stripped down to my underwear and examined all the cuts and bruises. I had charmed the ones that were visible with clothing on...most of those were hand shaped...the shape of his hands... I shuddered and heard someone come in. I threw on my robe just in time. A dark haired girl had forgotten a book and came in to rummage through her trunk.