Armilla

Chapter 28

All the way up to the Ravenclaw Common Room I tried to keep the steel arm in my mind. It was hard to keep it there because my mind would drift off to other thoughts and the arm would fade from my focus. I tried to imagine that the front of my mind was like an empty room and after fifteen years I had decided to put a piece of furniture in it. I had to carry on living in it, getting used to the new, but permanent feature.

I passed a number of students along the way. The students who were on a friendly basis with me nodded at me said hello. I returned the greeting each time and was pleased that I kept the steel arm up the entire time. At least if Snape checked, he could see that I had been practising.

The last thing I felt like doing was homework. I felt really tired, though I hadn't been doing that much, really. But then, it wasn't everyday that I let strangers explore my deepest memories. No, not strangers. My brother. After all that had happened, at times I still couldn't comprehend the fact that Severus Snape shared the same parents as I.

I soon quashed the little voice in my head that suggested that I put my homework off for another night. It was very un-Ravenclaw of me to even have that little voice in my head. Lisa would be horrified at the thought of not doing it right away. She lived by the "don't put off for tomorrow what you can do today" saying. So when I entered the common room, I immediately looked around the room in search of my friends. I spotted Lisa sitting alone at a small table, hunched over her books, with one hand playing with the end of her long brown plait.

"Hey," I said, sitting down across from her. "Nearly finished?"

"No," she grunted. "I can't find any decent references for that damn Potions essay." She suddenly looked up at me, horrified. "Oh, sorry," she stammered, "I didn't mean...that is, I um...sorry."

I laughed. "Just because he's my brother it doesn't mean you can't insult the homework he sets. Anyway, I think it's probably been a tradition for the students to complain about Snape's homework since he started teaching here."

She gave me a sheepish smile.

"Where's Terry?" I asked, looking around the room.

Lisa snorted. "Oh, I certainly don't know what Terry does with all his time. Apparently, I'm not entitled to know."

I stared at her, trying not to smile. "Did you two have a row?"

"Yeah, you could say that. He was sitting here working with me one minute and then he was jumping up the next, saying he had a study group meeting."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Study group meeting?" Lisa scoffed. "I know about every study group meeting there is!"

I smiled. "I don't think that's what's upsetting you."

Lisa folded her arms on her open Potions textbook. "He could have told me what he is really up to," she said, bitterly. "Every so often, he leaves the common room at night with Michael Corner and a few others. Sometimes I see Cho Chang and Marietta Edgecombe with them. They always look happy when they leave, and they look really happy when they come back."

"Really happy?" I asked, laughing. What was the girl on about?

Lisa nodded. "Really happy." She leaned forward and indicated that I do the same.

"You know," she whispered. "Maybe they're doing something illegal, like drinking illegal potions and stuff. Terry knows I wouldn't be apart of that. He certainly wouldn't tell you because Snape might find out."

"I don't know, Lis," I said slowly. "That's sound a little too outrageous to me."

"Outrageous!" said Lisa, in a loud whisper. "You haven't known who you are all your life. Your guardian just died, you got attacked by your neighbour, you found your mother...sort of, you found out how your bracelet works, and you discovered that Professor Snape, the Head of Slytherin of all people is your brother! You also found out that your father is still alive and thus you became the subject of a custody argument, now you have private lessons with Snape in case your dad attacks you and you tell me that YOU find it too outrageous that Terry could have joined an illegal potion-drinking group?" Lisa stopped to take a breath, her face turning pink.

"I do," I said coolly. "Whatever Terry is doing is his business and as his friend, you shouldn't question it, no matter how curious you are."

Lisa glared at me. "But-"

"No buts," I interrupted. "That's how awful fights can start. When he's ready to tell you, he will. If not, don't bug him about it. People keep secrets for a reason, Lisa."

"And you would know about that, would you?" she snapped. "Can't I be trusted or something. Friends are meant to share things, aren't they?"

"Of course they're meant to share things," I sighed. I really didn't want to turn this into a huge quarrel. "It's just that sometimes things are a little too personal, or sometimes it's in the best interests of the friends not to tell them something."

Lisa shrugged, looking grumpy. Personally, I thought she had been working too long.

"Fine," she said, simply. She gathered up her books. "I understand that. I'm going to bed. Goodnight."

"Night," I replied, starting to feel grumpy myself. I had enough to worry about without having to tiptoe around Lisa's sensitive emotions all of a sudden.

I pulled my books out and began to work...and work...and work. It seemed the teachers thought that the fifth years could function without sleep.

At around 9:30 pm, Terry and a group of other Ravenclaws returned. The common room was still pretty crowded, so not many noticed their return. Lisa was right, though. They did certainly look happy. They were all grinning and chatting animatedly with each other. I didn't try to get Terry's attention and he disappeared to the boy's dormitory, deep in conversation with Anthony Goldstein.

I leaned back in my chair, yawning. I still had Transfiguration and Charms homework to finish.

It was 11:30pm by the time I finally fell into my bed. I had a splitting headache by then, but I still wanted to examine my new timetable before sleeping. Making sure all the other girls were well and truly asleep, I pulled the hangings around my bed and whispered Lumos, pointing my wand at the parchment. I picked the parchment up with my other hand, remembering what Snape had said about touching it, and said Revelate.

Black ink began to form lines and letters across the parchment. It formed a table, in which all my current subjects were listed, but it also listed new meetings with Snape. Or at least, I knew that they meant meeting with Snape. As a security precaution, the meetings said things like Extra Potions lesson and An enhanced understanding of Potions seminar. A little picture of a frog near these words told me that I had to consult my chocolate frog card for more information. I had lessons with Snape on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday evenings. Saturday mornings was delegated to homework, while Saturday afternoons were to be spent in lessons with Snape. Sundays were free, though I knew those could be spent with Snape still, depending on my progress.

My attention was suddenly diverted by a soft tapping on the window pane. Pulling my bed hangings aside, I glanced towards the window. A dark owl was sitting just outside, clearly waiting to be let in. I hopped up and opened the window, and the owl flew straight in and circled the room before settling on my bedside table. It gave a low hoot and held out its leg, to which a letter had been tied. As I undid it, it nipped at my fingers crankily.

"Sod off, you nutter," I muttered when I had finally released the letter. The owl hooted pompously and flew out the window again.

Shutting the window, I sank into my bed again, shutting the hangings around me. Who would be writing to me? Matilda? She certainly owned a cranky bird, but it was a tawny one. I opened the letter and saw handwriting that I was not familiar with.

Dear Armilla,

As I understand it, your true identity is now well known up at the school. I take this opportunity to make it clear to you that no matter what your brother might say, you have a reputation as a Snape to uphold. I believe that the following requests are reasonable and if I find that you disobey any one of them, you will be severely punished.

1. You will not speak ill of any of your relations ( I have my own reasons for speaking ill of Severus)

2. You will not speak ill of any of our strong family connections. You will not insult or be rude to any member of a family I regard as close. Generally, these families descend from Slytherin House.

3. You will conduct yourself in a lady-like manner at all times, showing the highest degree of decorum.

4. You will not receive a fail in any of your subjects. I do hope that Severus is monitoring this himself, but you should be receiving an 'Exceeds Expectations' at the very least.

5. You are not to associate with any 'lesser' members of the student body.

If I have any further requests I will contact you. I will say that I recently discovered that you are not on friendly terms with Draco Malfoy. I regard his father as a close friend and I will not tolerate you being rude to his son. I do hope you understand this. Rather, you WILL understand this.

A green liquid suddenly spurted out of the parchment and hit me in the face. Bits of it dribbled off and splashed down onto my arm. I gasped. It stung like hell. I grabbed a box of tissues and madly wiped the stuff off me. I could feel three welts growing on my left cheek. Several smaller welts had started to grow on my arm where the substance had splashed.

My eyes were stinging with tears I was holding back, not from a want to cry, but a want to shriek with pain. But I needed to hold it back. The others in the room couldn't find out. I didn't know what to do. As if the answer would be on the letter, I suddenly looked down at it again.

I hope you have learned your lesson. Politeness is a virtue, Armilla.

On a lighter note, I have enclosed some spending money. Put it to good use on your next Hogsmeade weekend. By that I mean, do not spend it on Zonko's or Honeydukes products.

Three galleons appeared on the parchment and fell down into my lap.

I expect a reply, giving me your word to comply with my requests.

With fondest regards,

Your loving Father

Loving father?!? What the? Forget the owl, this man was the nutter! What kind of father made a letters spray weird substances at his daughter to cause painful welts?

Your father said a voice in my head. Right, so was I supposed to accept this sort of thing as the norm?

I had to get rid of the welts before the morning. I didn't want to be the talk of the school again. I grabbed a small mirror from my bedside table.

"You look terrible, dear," said the mirror. I certainly did. The welts had made my left cheek swell, making my face look oddly distorted. I had no idea how to heal them and I wasn't about to try. I didn't want my whole face to swell because I botched up a healing charm. I knew I couldn't go to Madam Pomfrey. I didn't want to go running down to the dungeons at this time of the night. It was nearly midnight after all; I didn't think Snape would be that sympathetic anyway.

But he would be annoyed at me if I didn't tell him. He would be able to heal the welts, even if I was embarrassed to go to him in my current state. I needed him to help me reply to my father's letter anyway.

I got out the chocolate frog card. The wizard on the front was sleeping. I turned the card over and stared at it. I had no idea how to put a message there. Snape had only intended to send me messages. But I really needed to contact him. I tapped the name with my wand. Nothing happened.

A tear from the pain ran down my face; my cheek and arm felt like they were on fire. Feeling quite desperate, I repeatedly tapped my wand against the name. Nothing happened. Quite deflated, I was about to give up when a message appeared towards the bottom of the card.

What is it?

My heart must have skipped a beat. I had made a connection. But I didn't know how to reply.

"I got a letter from Father," I whispered, wondering how I would get those words onto the card. I didn't have to wonder long. A split second later, there they were on the card.

A moment later I had another response.

I take it the letter has caused you some anxiety?

"Mentally and physically," I replied.

Physically?

"He thought I was rude to Draco Malfoy, so he charmed the letter to spray some sort of substance at me. I don't know what it is, but it hurts like hell."

Don't say 'hell'. I will charm the card to transport you to my quarters. It will be ready when you see the place of the next meeting change. Bring the letter with you.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I laid back against my pillows. I concentrated on every breath and the steel arm as a means to subdue the pain. Lord, if I copped that for being rude to Draco Malfoy then I didn't want to know what would happen if I back-chatted my father.

I glanced at the card in time to see the meeting place change from Professor Snape's Office to Professor Snape's Rooms. I pulled on my dressing gown and slippers and picked up the letter and money. I pressed my index finger against the card.

The sensation was a little bit like a portkey. The tug behind my navel wasn't so forceful but it didn't stop me feeling a bit dizzy. The trip was over in a matter of seconds and I felt two strong arms reach out to steady me as my feet hit the floor.

Snape muttered an oath when he caught sight of my face. He kept one arm on my own and used his other hand to tilt my head back so he could see the welts in the light, which was coming from sconces on the walls. I unsuccessfully suppressed a gasp as Snape lightly ran a finger over one of the welts.

"Come," he said, leading me over to a dark green sofa. We were in a sitting room, richly decorated with mahogany furniture. The fact that there were no windows told me we were in the dungeons. The sitting room was fairly large. It had one large sofa and two armchairs positioned around an ornate coffee table. At the side of the room there was a round dining table to seat four. There were bookcases lining two of the walls. A hallway behind the sofa showed three closed doors.

Snape conjured up an icepack and told me to hold it against my face until he returned. He left me on the sofa and went to retrieve a potion from what I supposed was another lab or office. He disappeared into the room on the right off the hallway. A minute later he returned carrying a small bottle containing a purple liquid and a piece of cloth. He uncorked the bottle and let it soak a bit of the cloth.

"I do hope we won't have to do this often," he said quietly, as he took the icepack away and pressed the soaked cloth to my cheek. Pain, worse than before burst through my body and it was all I could do not to scream.

Snape watched me shudder. "He uses the darkest curses he knows to punish people," he said. "It takes the most powerful charms or potions to heal them. Consider this a small dose of what he's capable of inflicting."

I held my breath. The pain was so bad, but I could actually feel the swelling going down. I kept shuddering. I couldn't help it. I tried instead to focus on the steel arm.

Snape soaked the cloth again and pressed it onto my face. A fresh burst of pain emerged. Steel arm...steel arm.

"That's it," he whispered. "Focus on something else. Put all your energy into it. Concentrate."

Steel arm...steel arm...

Every time the cloth was soaked again and pressed to my face, the steel arm threatened to disappear. But I tried to keep focusing. I was so tired...

By the time Snape was satisfied my face was healed and he moved onto my arm injury, I thought I would fall asleep with exhaustion. But when the cloth was pressed against my arm, I perked up again immediately with the shock of the pain. This time, Snape took my hand in his.

"Just squeeze me hand," he ordered. "Concentrate on that. Keep squeezing."

I squeezed his hand so hard I thought I would break it. But the man was stronger than he looked. He didn't even flinch.

Finally, after what seemed like ages, Snape corked the bottle again, satisfied that the welts and swelling had been healed. I felt like I was going to collapse, but I was willing myself not to. Not in front of Snape. I didn't want to appear even weaker.

Snape sat back in the sofa next to me and took the letter from my other hand. His face grew harder as he read through its contents.

"Well, I suppose we had better draft a reply at your next lesson," he said through gritted teeth when he had finished. He held out his hand. "The money?"

I handed it over.

He scowled at it.

"I don't want you spending any money you receive from him," he said, bitterly. "I will give you money when you need it, but you are not to ever go to him for anything. Is that clear?"

"Yes," I said. I was so tired. "I didn't ask him for money in the first place."

"I know," he replied, scowling at the coins in his hand. He looked down at me. "It is well past the time you should have been in bed." He stood up. "Come."

Expecting him to alter the chocolate frog card so I could be transported back to my dorm, I was surprised to be led down the hallway instead. Snape opened the door on the left. Inside was a small room with a bed, bedside table, armoire and desk in it. A door at the opposite end led to a bathroom.

"I want you to stay here tonight," said Snape. "This is your room while you stay down here. Dumbledore had the rooms down here altered." He waved his wand and the bedcovers rolled back for me to get in.

"Go on then," he said, giving me a small push into the room. "I'm in the room at the end of the hall if you need me. Knock first."

I nodded as I got into bed. The bed had already been charmed to be warm. That was thoughtful. I welcomed the warmth and my eyelids became heavy as I lay down. I was already half-asleep when Snape moved to spell out the lights. I must have been asleep before he even left the room.