Tarnished | Severus Snape [Book One]

Chapter Eight | Decision

I followed Snape through the bustling crowd. He was faster than I was, each step he made was two for me. I had to skip around through witches and wizards to catch up with him. We finally made our way to the Leaky Cauldron where I finally caught my breath. He opened the door for me as we made our way inside.

The Leaky Cauldron was half full of witches and wizards, sitting on tables eating the lunch soup specials or at the bar for their early drinking. The place was wide and shabby, the tables lined in different directions which made the place cramped. Snape ushered me to a small corner of the pub, where it was excluded from many others. It was two wooden chairs and a round table in between. I sat slowly, straightening out my dress as Snape took a seat across from me.

"Have you been here before?" He asked.

"Yes, couple times with my Nana. Spent a night here when our home was flooded from the a neighbor's toilet." I replied.

Then, the barmaid came to us with a floating quill and an aged old note pad beside her and said in a Scottish accent, "how may I help you? Oh, Severus, the usual?" She turned to Snape and he nodded with a. Small smile. "How about you, lass?" I straightened my back and said, "Just water. Please."

The barmaid's quipl started scribbling as she walked away.

"So, what tales has Lupin been feeding you?" Snape said, seeming cool and collected as he sat back in his seat, laying in arm on the table and other on his lap.

I didn't want to reply to him. I felt like he cornered me up to interrogate me. Or that's exactly what he just did. I didn't want to lie, but if I tell him the truth, what would he do? The barmaid came bustling by with two glasses; a dark brown liquor for Snape and my water. I said my thanks and the barmaid strolled off.

Liquor. It's two o'clock.

He took a small swig of it and put it down and I did the same with my water. "Remus," I started, "Said that you were.... A Death Eater." I was prepared to recoil from his next remark or action, but all he did pick his glass up to his lips and took another sip. He kept calm and I started to calm myself.

He spoke, "It is true that long ago I had my allegiance to the Dark Lord after I left Hogwarts, but after the first war, I switched my allegiance with Albus Dumbledore."

"You switched like that?"

"I have my reasons and none of it should concern you or your well being," he hissed, his voice laced with venom.

Sure. Right.

I mentally rolled my eyes in my head and faced the opposite way from him, sipping my water. I gave him a quick glance. He downed the rest of that fire whiskey and lifted his glass, making glances to the barmaid. His glass was immediately list from his grasp as it zoomed across the room to her as she filled it up with more fire whiskey and it flew back to him avoiding a spill.

Oh how I wish I was a witch, a magical barmaid than a simple squib that worked at an ill mannered muggle pub.

I put my glass down, gazing at Snape while he took another harsh sip of that liquor. "Why were you in Knockturn Alley?"

"Supplies. For Hogwarts this year." He said shortly.

"Potions."

"No, the dark arts." My eyes widened. He looked back at me and gave a devilish smirk. He continued, "This year, I will be taking up the Defense Against The Dark Arts class." The way he said it, he sounded very highly of himself.

"Oh," I blinked then smiled generously, "Congratulations! What did you buy? You don't have any thing."

"It's all sent straight to Hogwarts."