Uncanny Snake

VI - Troll

A black mist enveloped me as I tried to walk, wrapping itself around my limbs, I struggled and tugged, hoping to break free but it was no use, I could not move. Voices whispered in the dark, laced with venom, but none I could comprehend, they overlapped each other, merely spiteful curses filtering through the air like music. The mist began to shift, time quickly ticking away as the world around me spun, the voices whispering loudly, drawing closer, echoing and pounding against the walls of my head. I closed my eyes, trying to drown them out, to close off my mind, but I could not dispel the voices, ringing back and forth mercilessly. 

I struggled against the mist, kicking and screaming as I couldn't break free. Finally, the fog let me go, and I dropped into the void, darkness surrounding me as the mist vanished, leaving me to my own demise. Like a canvas being painted, my feet touched the ground covered in patches of grass, a scenery forming before me, as I looked upon the familiar house, my breath hitching in my throat. A cloaked figure walked through the darkness wand in hand as it approached the front door, unlocking it with ease, a faint glow emitting from afar. It took me a while to realize what was happening, but my body moved before my brain had the time to decipher the events taking place. "No Tom, stop!" I cried, my feet carrying me as fast as they could, but I didn't make it in time, my vision blinded by a gleaming green light. "Tom!" 

Light filtered in through the bank of windows, much to my displeasure as I sat up running a hand through my untamed curls. I groaned staring blankly at the mirror before me, but oddly enough, it showed me only an exact reflection of myself. I shook my head, wiping the corrupted dream from my memory and rose to my feet opening the door absent-mindedly. I paused and stared at my hand, still resting on the handle of the open door, and I was certain I had locked it the night before, unless the charm wore off without my knowing, but as far as I was concerned, that's not how incantations worked. I caught Albus staring at me from the other side of the corridor, and my brows furrowed as I gently closed the door behind me. 

By the way he was standing, I could tell the headmaster had been waiting for me, how long? I did not know, nor did I bother asking. "Wonderous artifact, is it not?" Albus inquired. 

"The mirror, you mean?" I questioned back falling in step with the headmaster, toying with my hair, hoping it would magically fall back into place. 

"The Mirror of Erised," he trailed off. "It reflects one's deepest desire." I hummed in acknowledgment, my mind trailing back to when I first saw Severus in that mirror. It didn't surprise me to find that I desired for my love to be returned, I knew my feelings for the cold, condescending man would never truly vanish, but I didn't mind. "Would you ever go back to wallow in those desires?" I thought about it for a split second and then shook my head. 

"I'm a simple woman with simple desires," I chuckled. "I saw Severus in the mirror, but he was different, not in a bad way, but seeing him in a different light, it felt odd. And looking back to last night's events, I wouldn't want Severus to change." Albus gave me a satisfactory nod as he gently patted my shoulder, a twinkle in his eyes, and with a wave, he excused himself parting ways with me. 

The bullying had come to a steady halt, except for the occasional bad comment, but life was getting a lot better. Once Igor freed Viktor from his leash, and after going over the boundaries I established, we became good friends. From time to time, we spent our evenings strolling around the castle, talking. Severus was not fond of Viktor and found every way to make him as uncomfortable as possible, but after a while, Viktor got used to it and became accustomed to Sev's frigid personality. At least once a week, I would question why Severus had to be so stuck up about Viktor, and every time, he would retort with the same excuse he gave me that night Viktor and I almost kissed, and frankly, it got on my nerves.