Armilla

Chapter 16

As the sound of Snape's footsteps died away, I moved closer to the ring, where Snape had been standing.

"That went well," I commented dryly.

Mother pursed her lips. She did not seem angry, but merely thoughtful. "Indeed," she said softly. "Still much the same," she said, more to herself than to me. "Doesn't like to not be in control of his world at all times..."

We were both silent for a few moments. I was thinking about what Mother had just said. Snape did seem to be one of those people who did not react well to surprises or changes that might affect their day-to-day living. Some people loved the way life was full of unexpected twists and turns. Certainly not Snape. Though, admittedly, this was a rather large surprise.

Suddenly Mother gave a little chuckle. Her eyes were shining and she seemed to be staring wistfully into the distance. At my questioning look, she opened her mouth to speak.

"I was just thinking about the birthday party I threw for Severus when he turned six. It was a surprise party and when all the little children jumped up when I brought Severus in, the poor dear was so startled he hexed them all! The parents certainly were not impressed," Mother laughed. "But to this day, I'm sure Severus does not regret that he did it."

"I wouldn't think so," I said, smiling. Mother certainly had a way of lightening the mood. But I couldn't seem to appreciate that as much as I would have liked. My thoughts were so jumbled up.

The image of Snape storming out kept replaying in my head. I didn't know why his reaction bothered me so much. It was not like I had expected to him to open his arms wide and say "Dear sister! What time we have lost! Let us go and have tea - I have much to acquaint you with!" Actually, I would have been more worried if he had said something like that. I mean, I hated the guy. He could be unnecessarily nasty and...and...well he was just a git. A git who just happened to be my older brother. I guessed I would have been confused with any reaction I got from Snape.

But where to go from here? It was clearly my mother's intention to have Snape be my guardian and let her spirit be released. But evidently, Snape wasn't fussed with the idea of even having a sibling, let alone playing parent. And I couldn't entertain the idea either of "playing happy families" as Snape had so eloquently put it.

It seemed as though I was stuck in the same rut as before. Dumbledore only had temporary guardianship of me and had to find a suitable person to take me in. I bet once he found out he'd try and convince Snape to take on what my mother felt to be his brotherly duty. I didn't want that. I didn't want to be taken in by anyone who was being forced to. Snape would have a permanent grudge against me for eternity. My head was starting to hurt.

"Don't worry, Lucia," said Mother. "Severus wouldn't leave you to starve, now would he?"

"Of course not," I muttered. "As my teacher he wouldn't let that happen. But as my brother he would want nothing more than to hand over responsibility to anyone else and wash his hands of the entire situation." By the time I had finish speaking, my voice had grown louder, not to mention increasingly bitter.

My mother stared at me for a long moment.

"I take it he is not a popular teacher here? He does not like you?"

"It's not just me. There are few people he might actually have a civil conversation with. He's awful to all the students and handing out detentions appears to be a favourite pastime of his."

"I see," Mother looked thoughtful. "Severus is, and always has been, a very complicated person, Lucia. His disposition always struck many a person as taciturn and cold. That was how he was raised to be by his father. As his mother though, I will tell you that Severus does feel. He feels deeply beyond the exterior you see everyday. I give you my word that, though not always at once, Severus will always do what is best where it matters."

o o o o o o o o o o

As I walked back to my room about half an hour later, I was extremely wary of meeting Snape. I was afraid that he might be waiting for me to rant and rave that as far as he was concerned, he had no sister. Not that I was willing to openly acknowledge the bond that had suddenly sprung up between us, but I didn't really want to feel the rejection, even a rejection from Severus Snape.

There was silence in the hallway and I found my bedroom to be empty. I briefly wondered why Snape had returned so early to the wing anyway. I supposed he had returned to the dungeons for now, and I hoped he would stay there for a long while.

I spent the rest of the morning on schoolwork, though I wasn't in the mood or state of mind. Lunchtime came and went and I saw no sign of Snape. I supposed Snape thought it a suitable first punishment (for being related to him) to rob me of my lunch. I wasn't hungry anyway.

I spent the early part of the afternoon on more schoolwork. By three o'clock I had nothing to do. I supposed I could have studied for my OWLs, but I knew I wasn't about to let any more information sink in today. For a long while I just laid on my bed, staring at the ceiling, letting thoughts crash into each other in my head. Snape, Dumbledore, Mother, Merle, Aurelius...My head was really hurting by late afternoon.

Dinnertime came and went and still Snape didn't show. By eight o'clock my head was pounding from lack of food and the previous headache. My stomach was still churning and I felt sluggish. I got up and took a long shower.

At nine I decided to just turn the light out and go to bed. I stayed awake for what seemed like another hour before I started drifting off...

I was walking into the Great Hall for breakfast. All of a sudden there was silence as everyone looked at me. Eyes from all direction followed me as I made my way to my place and sat down between Lisa and Terry. Terry looked appalled and Lisa looked nervous. The silence around me was broken by muffled whispers. Terry was edging away from me and Lisa was refusing to meet my eye. I looked down the table towards the first years, all of whom gave frightened squeaks at my gaze and turned away.

I looked over at the Hufflepuff table. Many were still looking at me, some with trepidation and many with pity. I snuck a glance at the Gryffindors. The Weasleys looked utterly revolted and Harry Potter was looking at me with a sort of anxious look on his face. When our eyes met, he looked away quickly and fixed his gaze on Cho Chang instead.

The anxious feeling in the air was too much to bear and I didn't feel like eating breakfast. I got up and began to make my way out again. I stopped when I heard cheering and clapping to my right. The Slytherins were standing on their chairs, whistling and clapping, all of them looking at me. Draco Malfoy yelled out, "Come and join Slytherin, Armilla! It's where all Snapes belong!"

I started to run. I had to get out of the hall. I didn't want to be a Snape. I was Armilla Kemp, no one else. Lucia Snape didn't exist anymore. The Great Hall doors slammed shut before I could get out. I screamed and flung my arms out in exasperation and-'

"Ow!"

I was in my bed, not the Great Hall. And from the looks of it, I had just struck...Snape.

Lovely. He did not look happy. He was sitting in the chair next to my bed and was rubbing his upper arm, glaring at me in the dim light which he must have put on when he had entered. I groaned and rubbed my eyes.

"What did you dream this time, Miss Kemp? Trying to attack someone?" Snape glared at me.

"I wouldn't have hit you if you hadn't been in here," I said angrily.

"No," he said silkily. "It does appear that your temperament is a rather violent one whilst sleeping. I'll be on my guard in future."

"What did you want?" I asked, still angrily, sitting up so he wasn't looking down at me.

"Watch your tone with me," he said darkly. "I came to give you the last of your healing potions. You are to go back to school the day after tomorrow and so I can return to my own quarters." He held out the first vial to me. I didn't take it.

"Shouldn't it be taken with food, sir?" I glared at him. I hadn't taken the potions with food before, but I wasn't going to let the skipped meals pass.

Snape thrust the vial into my hand and uncorked the next one.

"Drink it," he hissed.

I glared back at him.

"I don't want it. I'm fine without it."

Snape's nostrils flared. The look he gave me was absolutely deadly, but he was in the wrong. We both knew that.

"You will drink these when I tell you to, Miss Kemp," he spat. "Then I will get you something to eat."

"It's late," I said quietly. "I don't want food anymore."

"That is not for you to decide," he said curtly. "Drink the potion or we shall begin discussing appropriate detentions for your disobedience."

Stupid git. I sighed, and then downed the potion and all the others Snape handed to me. Then he got up and walked out with them, leaving the dim light on.

I lay down and drifted off to sleep again.

"Miss Kemp!" Someone was shaking my shoulder. I opened my eyes blearily to find Snape, once again, glaring down at me. I didn't bother sitting up this time. Snape had other ideas.

"Sit up and eat your dinner. You are not going to sleep until it is all eaten." He put a plate holding a cheese sandwich on my lap. Clearly, he hadn't liked me having a go at him and he had to win at this. Of course.

Snape sat down next to me and opened a Potions journal. I looked down at the sandwich. My stomach was screaming at me to eat it, but all I really wanted to do was hurl it at Snape. The moment would be funny while it lasted but I was not sure the year of detentions that would follow would be entirely worth it...

So I ate it. And I felt better. Snape didn't look up at all the whole time. I thought of Terry and Lisa and what they would think if they happened to walk in now. The sight of me sitting in bed, finishing a cheese sandwich with Snape reading a Potions journal right next to me must look really weird. I dreaded telling my friends about the whole ordeal.

I put the plate on the table next to me.

"Can I sleep now, sir?" I muttered quietly. "Is that allowed?"

Snape lowered his journal and looked over at me. He had opened his mouth, obviously to say something cutting and to tell me to be careful what I said to him. But he abruptly closed it again.

We sat looking, or rather glaring, at each other for a few moments. Eventually Snape got up and made for the door. He turned around in the doorway.

"Tomorrow, you are to stay in here. No wandering about to visit-" he stopped short again. I guessed he didn't feel comfortable saying "your mother" when she was his mother too. I found that unsettling too.

"Be warned," he continued. "I shall know if you move out of your delegated area. It is not...safe for you to be exploring this wing, especially on your own. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir," I said, meeting his gaze indifferently. So he didn't want me to see my mother. Maybe he was afraid I would find out all sorts of things he didn't want me to know...including surprise birthday parties.

I would tell Dumbledore at first possible chance. He was my guardian for now after all. It was he who had the right to say what I could or couldn't do.

Snape said nothing more. He waved his wand, spelling the light off and left, closing the door behind him.

I lay down again and for the third time that night, drifted off to sleep again.