Snivellus

33

She frantically got up and put her drink down. 'I've gotta go.'

'What?' Draco got up with her and tried to calm her back down. 'The party has barely started.'

'I know but- what is Snape doing over there?' She couldn't stop herself. She was so curious.

Draco looked over Darah's head. 'Oh, yeah he's here for business with my father.'

Darah panicked a little more.

'Is that what you're scared off? Snivellus Snape?' He began to laugh. 'Not done your homework yet?' But he stopped once he saw Darah's serious face.

'Ok well I'll just tell him to go back upstairs if you're that bothered.'

'No, I've gotta go. My house elf can just pick me up. Er, tell Pansy and Millicent I said bye and erm, I'll see you on the first day of school. She walked over to behind a sofa a muttered, 'Pooky.' Suddenly Pooky appeared by her side and began to ask her a question but she stopped him and told him to take her home instantly.

'Sorry.' Darah's last words trailed off as she disapperated out of the Malfoy Manor.

Before she knew it, Darah was back at home.

Pooky shook himself like a wet dog. 'Miss Darah, what have you done to your hair?'

'I, er.' Darah was not thinking straight. She almost forgot she had even dyed her hair. 'Oh no, Dad's gonna kill me!' She panicked, knowing Rose was meant to turn it back.

Darah ran up to her bedroom, leaving Pooky behind. She pulled out her suitcase from under her bed which contained her textbooks.

She grabbed the transfiguration textbook and skimmed through it frantically.

'Ugh! No reverse spell!' She slammed the book shut. She got up and looked in her tiny mirror. 'Maybe I can hide it?' She tried tucking it behind her ears but it was unsuccessful.

She moaned with anger and face planted onto her bed. She laid there for a while until she finally got up and decided to change into her pyjamas.

Eventually she fell asleep, not able to stop time from passing and having to, in the end, reveal her hair to Snape. She just needed an excuse.

***

When Darah had woken up she could smell a waft of eggs and bacon coming from downstairs.

She followed the smell into the kitchen, tucking her two strands of hair behind her ears to at least attempt to make it discreet.

'Morning.' She yawned to Pooky who was stood on a tall stool, half tippling over, trying to cook the food.

'Darah?' Snape's voice called her name from the living room. She winced and went forwards.

'Did you behave well last night-'

Snape cut himself off as he turned to face Darah and noticed the strands of blonde hair that fell out from behind her ears.

'What have you done to you hair?' He said slowly and sternly.

Darah quickly flicked it back behind her ear. 'N-nothing.'

Snape got up from the sofa and went to inspect her hair. He pulled out the blonde sections. 'Do you really want me to use the truth serum on you, Darah?'

'No.' She shook her head quickly and apologetically. 'I just... remembered a spell last year Professor McGonagall was talking about and I tried it.' Then she gestured to her hair.

'Get rid of it.' Snape commanded.

'What? Why?' She clenched her teeth together.

'Why? Because I said so, Darah, do I make myself clear?'

'Yes but... I kind of don't know the spell to change it back.' She trailed off and saw Snape's face grow more wrinkled and quickly said, 'I like it though! I want to keep it.'

'It's disgusting, Darah.'

'No it isn't.' She remembered how Draco had said she looked cute with it. 'Anyway, you're not one to talk.' She murmured under her breath.

'What did you just say?' Snape spoke through clenched teeth.

'Nothing, don't worry about it, Dad. I'll fix my hair later. You always say practice makes perfect anyway.' She finishes quickly and heads up to her room before Snape can talk back to her.

***

A couple weeks had gone by and Darah still hadn't changed her hair back. Snape had gotten tired of her excuses on why she wouldn't change it and so decided to drop it all together, even though he could have easily done it himself.

There was only one week left of Summer now and Darah had occupied her time with last minute homework, which Snape refused to help her with as he thought she should have been taught everything she needed to know so far, which was not the case at all.
She kept asking Pooky what the answers were but he had no idea; he was only a house elf.

After she had half completed her homework, she spent the last days of Summer planning her third year at Hogwarts. Hopefully this time it would be less eventful in the danger aspect. She especially was not planning on taking another trip to Aragog's den.

On her final day she went out to Diagon Alley with Pooky to get any books she might need for the new year.

'Master Snape said he wanted us back in an hour.' Pooky squeaked to her as they wondered up the street, towards Flourish and Blotts.

Darah nodded, not really caring about her father's instructions too much.

They entered the shop and there stood Draco Malfoy.