Armilla

Chapter 22

As I knocked on Snape's door, butterflies found their way into my stomach. The smile that had been on my face had vanished as quickly as it had come. I felt so uncomfortable at thought of spending the night in Snape's classroom discussing family issues. I would rather have made a potion sitting in silence like I had been doing the previous nights.

I supposed the fact that Snape and I would be discussing our father really hit me over the head with the truth. I mean, I knew that Snape was my brother and everything but...I guessed the time I would spend in the dungeon that evening would be spent as Snape's sister, not Snape's student. Tonight he was in the role of brother. I thought that was what brought the butterflies into my stomach. I knew what Snape was like as a teacher - a total git. But I didn't know what he would be like as my brother. He was one of my guardians as well. Would he try and exercise all this power over me and forbid me to talk to Gryffindors, or would he rarely talk to me at all?

Thinking about other girls who had older brothers didn't make me feel any better. Ginny Weasley had loads of brothers who could drive her crazy at times, but they loved each other all the same. Lisa had an older brother, Michael, and she rarely saw him because he lived in New Zealand with his wife. All families were different and Snape and I were certainly an unusual one.

My stomach muscles tightened when I heard Snape say "Enter" in a low voice.

I slipped quietly into the room and stood by the door, having no idea what else to do. God, I was nervous.

Snape must have been too. He had glanced up at me briefly from his desk when I had entered, and had then busied himself stacking the parchments he'd been marking. He took rather longer than necessary.

Finally he swept towards me, his billowing robes making him seem even more intimidating than usual.

"We'll talk in my office," he said. "Come."

I followed him out of the classroom and walked beside him on the way to his office. I saw Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Pansy Parkinson coming the other way. Malfoy and Pansy smirked at me when they saw us coming.

"What have you done, Kemp?" Malfoy whispered as we passed.

I ignored him, staring straight ahead of me instead.

"Must have been caught snogging Boot," Pansy giggled, not as quietly as she may have intended. "She's not pretty enough to get anyone else."

The stuck-up poodle. Snape had slowed his pace next to me, clearly having overheard Pansy's words.

"I don't know," said Malfoy, "I think she's pretty attra-"

Snape whirled around, catching Malfoy off guard.

"Back to your common room!" he snapped. "Now!"

At first the four of them didn't move. They all looked so taken aback that I supposed Snape generally never yelled at them.

"Did you hear me?" said Snape in a low, biting voice. "Move!"

They didn't need to be told again. Within a few seconds they were out of sight. Snape began walking again and I trotted along beside him feeling utterly sickened.

Malfoy thought I was attractive? Yuck. I didn't want Malfoy making any observations about my appearance. I wondered if people would start saying that Snape and I looked alike once they found out. I thought about this as we walked along in silence. We were certainly not the same height - I only just came past Snape's shoulder. My hair, which hung halfway down my back, was very dark, but not as dark as Snape's. The same went for our eyes - mine weren't dark enough to do the 'endless tunnel' look that Snape's could. As far as facial features went I couldn't see a strong resemblance. Thank God I didn't have his nose. You could say we shared the same mouth and had a similar eye shape but that was about it.

I hoped Pansy wouldn't start a rumour about Terry and I. We had never snogged. I didn't feel that way about him and I was sure the feeling was mutual. That kind of rumour could put strain on a friendship. I knew Pansy would make me pay though now, because of what Malfoy had said, or had tried to say before Snape had cut him off. Pansy's picture appeared alongside the word 'jealousy' in the dictionary.

Once we were standing outside the office, Snape muttered a password and opened the door, gesturing for me to go in before him so he could shut the door after he entered. He waved his wand, making light appear in the room through torches on the walls.

I had never been in Snape's office before. There were many jars full of weird things on shelves lining the walls. His large desk was opposite the door and it was covered in stacks of parchment, quills and ink bottles, as well as a few silver ornaments with serpents on them that added a Slytherin touch to the room. It was extremely cold in the office and I thought longingly of the warmth of the Ravenclaw common room.

I shivered by the door as Snape swept towards his desk. Sitting down, he gestured for me to take the seat opposite the desk. God, this was going to be like an interview.

Snape watched as I moved forward and sat down silently. Then he picked up his wand again and pointed it at the fireplace which was to my left. Immediately a great roaring fire appeared and warmth was spreading through the room. I wasn't sure if he had done that for my sake. Maybe he was cold too.

Snape put his wand down and interlaced his fingers in front of him on the desk, watching me closely again.

"I hardly need say that what we will talk about is to remain between us," he began, his voice hard. "My being your brother and guardian may mean that at times we will have to share personal information. I will respect your privacy and I insist you respect mine."

"Of course," I said, looking him in the eye.

He gave a small nod, apparently satisfied at my promise. He looked down at his hands on the desk. I thought he must have been thinking about how to begin the conversation about our father. After a moment he looked up again.

"I spoke to our mother in Dumbledore's office this morning. I have yet to give her the details of how all this was resolved because I know she will not be satisfied with it. To know that your father is one of your guardians will give her a great deal of stress and I'm sure there is more than enough stress shared by living people in regards to this situation, you and I included."

I gave a small nod. I hated thinking that I was causing all this stress for everyone involved.

"It would have been a much easier situation if I had full custody of you or if another carefully selected family did," he went on, still watching me. "But our father is an entirely different matter. He is high up in the ministry, having an influence over many departments, though he doesn't splash his name about. I suppose you could say that he gives his orders behind the scenes. He is extremely proud, so keeping up appearances is always a priority and I guarantee he will lecture you on this. Money has never been an issue for either of our parents and so you will inherit a large sum from him." He paused.

I shifted in my seat uncomfortably. "You should be inheriting it over me," I said quietly.

"But I am not," Snape replied, smoothly, "and nor do I want it. I inherited the Merrigan Estate and so I am in no need to beg for my father's money. You will inherit the Merrigan Estate upon my death, but for now both the Snape and Merrigan estates are your home. I for one will try my best to make sure your time spent at the Snape Estate is limited."

"Thank you," I said softly. I was feeling worse and worse about the prospect of spending time with Aurelius Snape.

Snape, however, shook his head. "I'm not doing this to be thanked. I may have been in doubt about being your guardian, but from experience I know our father is not fit to be a parent. He will use any means to make sure he is feared and respected and he will expect you to comply with his every command without question. Compassion is not a quality he possesses."

Wonderful. The man was a saint.

Snape leaned back in his chair, moving hair away from his face. "I have been looking at your grades from the past few years. It is good for you that you do well in Defence Against the Dark Arts. You can be sure that our father will...test you."

I swallowed. "Test me, sir?"

Snape leaned forward again. "He feels that the most powerful of witches and wizards should be more than competent in this area. I have no doubt he will want to teach you a great deal of skills, and I daresay you will learn from experience."

I gripped the arms of my chair. Learn from experience? What the hell?

"Can't you just tell the ministry that he's abusive?" I asked, trying to keep the panic out of my voice.

Snape shook his head. "I told you the position Father holds at the ministry. It is common knowledge that our relationship is not...a happy one. He tends to get what he wants, Armilla. At the moment, what he wants is his daughter."

I looked up at Snape, biting my lip.

"He has many methods of covering his tracks, child," Snape went on. "He is an intelligent man. Trust me, I would dearly love to expose him for what he is, but you are aware of my position with the Dark Lord."

I nodded. If I kicked up a huge fuss about Aurelius Snape I would be compromising Snape's position and consequently the triumph of Light over Dark.

"Like I said, I will do my best to make sure you spend little time with him. But you will need to be prepared for the time you do spend at the Snape Estate. I am going to start teaching you Occlumency, not just to use against Father but for the visitors he may have to the house."

"What visitors?" I asked quietly.

"He has a large circle of friends, many of them members of the Dark Lord's inner circle. A few of them may try and delve into your mind for information and that is where Occlumency comes in. Of course, while you are with Father you must believe that I do work for the Dark Lord and make no mention of the Order."

"Of course. What if I fail at Occlumency?" I was panicking that I would leak information to Death Eaters.

Snape pursed his lips, as if trying not to smile. "You are a Snape now, Armilla. Snapes do not fail."

"Oh." Ah, so the expectations were high.

He stood up. "I will have to teach you a few more defence skills. Umbridge is doing her best to make you all backward. After this weekend I will draw up a new timetable for you for extra lessons. I will teach you both here and at home. We do not want Umbridge's interruptions."

"Yes, sir." I got up too.

Snape walked around from behind his desk. "The papers will be signed tomorrow and so your name will change, as will your life. I'm going to take you to meet your father on Sunday so meet me down here at ten o' clock."

"Yes, sir."

Snape pursed his lips again. "And...also, on Sunday, you should begin calling me by my first name in front of our Father. He will think it strange if you don't."

"Alright."

Snape nodded and moved towards the door. He placed his hand on the knob, but didn't turn it. Instead, he turned around to face me.

"Before long, all the students and staff will know about this. I would prefer it if you have as little to do with the Slytherins as possible. I believe they will find this the most interesting of all the houses, including your own. More than anything else, I would appreciate it if you limit your communication with Draco Malfoy."

"Alright," I said. "I never really communicate with Malfoy anyway."

"The Malfoys have been friends with our father for years. Both Lucius and Draco will be very interested in this revelation. Even if you don't communicate now, Draco will certainly be eager to once he finds out. Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if he already knows."

"Oh," I muttered more to myself than to Snape.

Snape nodded again and opened the door.

"Always be on your guard, no matter who you're talking to. You never know what connections people have or who is eavesdropping." He looked down at me as I moved past him into the doorway.

"I will see you on Sunday."

I nodded.

"Goodnight then."

"Goodnight, sir."