Uncanny Snake

I - Runaway

Parties were not my definition of fun, wearing an overzealous dress, to impress the masses, dancing around like a buffoon while getting drunk on wine and champagne, watching men and women torture muggles. I suppose that wouldn't be the definition of an ordinary party though, to the death eaters crawling down below me, however, this was more than pleasing. Their definition of fun relied on how much agony they could inflict on a person before they died, and even though the screams often echoed through the mansion, I took no pleasure in listening to them.

Every so often parties would be held in this mansion, the Slytherin name had a lot of baggage, and Tom being the bastard that he was, utilized that to his every advantage. Along with the pureblood bearing, we were known to be very wealthy, and I could not deny that Salazar had assured the coffers were full before his death. I never liked death eaters, and I never would, the same could go for my father, but when driven back into a corner, sometimes all one can do is surrender. After losing his wife and my mother to those bastards, I knew the thought of losing me too would break his heart. Yet there wasn't a single thing I could do. Well, that's not entirely true, I had tried to do something once, but my plan had a few loose screws, that's all I had to say.

I sighed, rereading the page I was stuck on for the millionth time, my mind couldn't think straight at the moment, it never could, not when I knew more than a dozen bloodthirsty killers were violating my house. It always put me on edge, and no matter how I tried to distract myself, my thoughts still wandered back to the past. I threw my book across the bed in frustration only to look up as the door creaked open slightly, Severus standing in the doorway holding a glass of wine in one hand. He raised a brow, his eyes trailing to the open book awkwardly resting on its side, more than a few pages probably bent.

"What?" I barked sending him a nasty glare. A scream echoed through the mansion's walls, and I thinned my lips averting my eyes. Sev took a step into my room shutting the door behind him as he recast the incantation and strode to the windowsill, peering out into the distance before glancing back towards me.

"Your father asked me to check up on you," he whispered his complexion growing solemn.

"He doesn't have to," I mumbled resting my head on the backboard staring at the man's chest. Even tonight, he was wearing his black robes, I had rarely seen him without them, except for that one night when my father had invited Severus for dinner. A very awkward experience that we all agreed never to speak of again. "What are they doing down there?" I asked clutching the edge of my dress.

"You're free to go have a look," he answered bringing the edge of the glass to his lips, but before he could take a sip, he stopped lowering the glass, taking a good look at the crimson liquid. "I would not recommend it."

"Did you partake?"

"Yes," he answered bluntly, the very sound of my question gnawing on his patience. He took a seat in one of the armchairs overlooking the balcony, and with the curtains drawn back, the moonlight beamed down on his pale face.

"Is that why you came here?" I asked sliding off the edge of my bed. It was rare for Severus to make an appearance, ever since our unfortunate accident, he made it one of his personal goals to interact with me at most once a month. I had a feeling tonight, was less about me, he looked weary, his eyes dozing in and out of reality as his hues darkened recalling memories of past days.

"Perhaps." He set the glass of wine of the table, and I strode over to the empty armchair across from his taking a seat, slipping one leg over the other. I slid the wineglass over to my side and firmly took hold of it lifting the glass to my lips. "I would not," he said dully, his eyes taking a quick peek at me. The smell of blood wafted through my nostrils, and I quickly pulled the glass away, setting it back on the coffee table, staring at it with mild disgust.