Nocturne Grim

Nocturne Grim

Chapter Five

Notes: Apologies for the delay on this chapter, but my inner-Severus refused to co-operate and then, it got barricaded by Fractured Triangle, which had an chapter ending that has been screwing with my brain for weeks. Now, though, FT 12 is done and I can work on this! Yay! And Legacy! And Eighth! And Little Red! And Cha... oh, I give up. I can work on everything! Although, I should be doing that thingie for uni... oh, what was it called? Oh yes. Dissertation :P Nine days to go...

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"You know this place is wicked creepy, right?"

Severus Snape looked down at the girl walking beside him, a trace of amusement curling his lip. "To hear such a statement from a young woman who professionally slew demons strikes me as slightly incongruous."

"Huh?"

"You are a Vampire Slayer and spent the best part of a year fighting in demons and monsters that terrorise most children in cemeteries at the dead of night and yet, you find the basements of a castle somewhat unsettling," he translated with a chuckle. "It is amusingly ironic."

Faith pulled a face at him and he was sure he heard her mutter something along the muffled lines of 'stake', 'ass' and 'cranky jerk'.

Side by side, they were descending down into the belly of the school, where his own rooms were. Minerva McGongall had apparently taken the liberty of moving one of the other suites on the floor to the empty dungeon next to his own room.

It had taken a great deal of effort on the part of the Head Mistress to convince the castle to juggle two rooms, but the Potions Professor was wont to admit that he trusted her to have made suitable arrangements.

As Faith had observed, the halls were dark and gloomy with an unnaturally chilly feel to them. Many pupils were petrified of the dungeons and he could understand her distinct unease with the place.

The only light, aside from that pouring in the doorway that lead down the staircase, was provided by flaming torches, which either stood on top of four-feet high columns at regular intervals in the halls or hung on the walls of the staircases, in the arms of leering, diabolical-looking gargoyles.

"Is it always this cold?" she demanded, shivering a little, as they silently made their way along a black stone landing, towards another flight of stairs. "My tits are gonna freeze solid and poke right through my shirt if it don't get warmer."

His initial reaction was to snort with amusement at her word choice, but he quelled it, wondering how the devil he would keep his reputation as a sour-faced, bitter old man intact with the gutter-mouthed sprite who was currently hurrying along beside him and making him laugh at such regular intervals.

Honestly, it would not do.

"Thank you for that charming visualisation," Severus replied, gliding down the flight of stairs. He had perfected the art of moving so smoothly that it barely appeared he was taking a step.

Faith, however, hadn't and clomped noisily down the stairs in the heavy boots he had provided for her. "Sev, are you gonna tell me? Am I gonna need to get a thermal bra or somethin' to get by down here?"

"I am certain that an appropriate choice of undergarment will be found," he said, wondering how far he could tease her without her actually hitting him. "After all, I have heard that long-johns are rather becoming."

There was a choked sound of surprise from the girl and he mentally marked a one in the air, smirking slightly.

"You do not like them?"

"Actually," He felt her brush against his robed sleeve as she jogged along to keep up with his longer strides as they came to the bottom of the stairs. "I was just thinkin' how cute you'd look, flashin' your lily-white hinney out the buttflap."

He tried not to react, he really did, but a snort of mirth leaked out.

Damn it all!

It went without question that his reputation would reduced to tatters within minutes of her meeting the other staff members!

Flashing an irritable glare down at her, he received a half-grin back. "You're gonna have to try way harder than that to outdo me, Sev," she said, her eyes glinting with mischief by the light of the torches.

"A challenge, eh?"

"You bet. Think you can outdo me?"

He paused in the middle of the hall, looking at her with an expression that sent pupils sobbing in terror, folding his arms over his chest and arching his brow at her. "You doubt me?"

Faith looked like she was deliberating over the reply, then grinned again. "Sure."

"I ought to warn you," he said, trying to maintain the ominous tone of voice that had made him notorious. However, the broad grin on her face made it difficult. "There is yet to be a challenge that I cannot succeed in completing."

"Sev, baby," Rising on her toes, Faith pecked him on the cheek, then stepped back shaking her head. "You ain't seen competition until you tried to outdo a Slayer and in the come-back category? Well, you're lookin' at one of the top of the class. Comes with the Slayin' territory."

"What? A lack of intelligence and a penchant for formulaic and tedious puns?"

The girl laughed, then gave him an amused look. "Close, Sev, but I didn't know you had met B. You just described her perfectly."

"I assume," he said dryly. "That she was the embodiment of American perfection, with blonde hair, blue eyes, the perfect tan and spent her free time waving pompoms and spelling names with her arms."

Faith snickered beside him. "Close, but no cigar," she said. "Blonde, yeah. Perfect tan, yeah. Hazel eyes, but big no on the cheerleading thing. Don't remember the whole story, but there was somethin' about a witch and spontaneous combustion and blindin' and a whole other lotta things of the not good."

Although he knew it was probably a touchy subject, Severus glanced down at her as he said, "You do not... get on well with her?"

"You know my deal," Faith's expression closed slightly, her voice clipped. "I was a damn good Slayer. Did what I was meant to, but got shit for credit when B was around. Got sick of being shoved on one side by the Golden Girl and her buddies. Went to the Boss. Found someone who didn't wanna shove me away, but the things he made me do to make sure I could be his girl..." There was a soft exhalation. "When you poison B's guy, she does kinda tend to take it personally. I wanted to hate her so bad, but I couldn't do it. She had everything and I had nothing. I wanted to hate her for it, but I couldn't..."

"But she could hate you?"

"She did eventually, yeah." Faith fidgeted with her T-shirt. "I think she woulda killed me, given the chance. After the whole body-stealin' thing a few weeks back, any thoughts she had of me bein' redeemed... I never thought I'd ever see her lookin' at me the same way everyone else did. B was always the one who cared. She tried, when no one else did, but last time I saw her... she was lookin' at me exactly the same way as everyone else."

Severus nodded in understanding. He remembered the faces of some of the members of staff when it had been revealed that he had been a Death Eater, in the wake of Dumbledore's death.

The hate and accusation directed at him by people who had trusted him for years had almost driven him to the brink of suicide on more than one occasion.

"She will forgive you," he said, raising a hand to squeeze Faith's shoulder. The girl made a sound of disbelief. "Faith, trust me when I say this. It will take time, but she will forgive you. After all, you are making amends for your crimes. If she continues to hold such things against you, she is truly unworthy of your consideration."

Slowly, she nodded, then shivered, looking around the hall. "So we gonna get to the rooms anytime soon or do we hang here til I turn into a popcicle."

Snape half-smiled, nodded and turned on heel, stalking onwards down the long, dark hallway. He could hear Faith hurrying after him, her feet pounding on the stone of the floor, practically walking on the tails of his robes.

It took another two minutes of walking the twisting corridors to reach the painting which head into his own room, another painting added on the wall less than eight feet from his own door.

"We're gonna stop and check out the décor?"

"This," he replied patiently, with a casual hand gesture towards the grim-looking old man in rags, sitting on a stool in the corner of the gloomy, empty room in the painting, lit only by a candle, which stood on the floor beside him. "Is the door my chambers. It is common practise here to utilise an occupied painting as a door, so that you may have a personal password, which will make your room inaccessible to anyone else, save those who you inform of the password."

"Neat," Faith remarked. "And I get one of these painting-door-thingies?"

Inclining his head to the painting a little further down the hall, Severus nodded. "I believe this will be the entrance to your chamber," he said, motioning for her to follow him. "To activate it to respond to you alone, you must be the first to touch it."

She glanced at him dubiously, then at the painting.

The figure in it was a striking young woman from some time in the previous century, dark honey coloured hair drawn back in a braid, loose strands curling around her face, which was proud-looking with bright blue eyes.

She was wearing loose grey pantaloons and a voluminously-sleeved white shirt, but that wasn't what appeared to catch the former Slayer's attention, her eyes widening as she stared at the figure. Severus smiled slightly, almost indulgently.

"Sev, is... was she a Slayer?"

"What causes you to suspect such a thing?" he asked innocently.

Faith gave him a pointed look. "Sev, this chick is armed. How many Victorian girls d'you know who had a sword and carried stakes? And a cross too? I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess she's my kinda girl."

"Why not ask her?"

"Ask?"

Severus nodded. "Touch the painting to activate it to your signature," he replied. "It will make it possible for you to make inquiries of the occupant."

Still wary, Faith touched the painting. The painting brightened instantly, the colours and light seeming to spread from Faith's hand outwards, until the whole image was vibrant with life.

"Is it meant to do that, Sev?" He nodded again, smiling as she stared, awe-struck at the painting. "Damn..."

"Is that your choice of password?"

"Holy shit!"

Severus couldn't contain a snort of amusement as Faith leapt back from the painting in fright, the occupant of which grinned down at her. "I ought to have mentioned that the paintings come to life, oughtn't I?"

Faith shot a look at him. "Mighta been useful," she retorted, then looked back up at the painting. The girl within it was stretching, as if she had been unable to move for some time. "So you're my door?"

"You might say that," the girl replied. "And yes, I was a Slayer in life."

"Bit of let down, huh? Goin' from Slayer to bedroom door?"

"Oh, it certainly is a lot less strenuous," the painting replied amiably, depositing the stake from her hand onto the work surface that stood beside her. "And I am able to find time to rest and socialise a good deal more. I must say I never imagined that I would come into contact with another Slayer."

"Ditto that," Faith acknowledged. "What was your name, anyhow? I kinda feel rude not knowin'."

The portrait smiled. "I was Ethel Harper," she replied. "I would offer to shake your hand in salutation, but I do believe it would be somewhat pointless. I do hope I can be of service as your portrait door."

"You know, I think we're gonna get on great," Faith laughed. "So what's the deal? Do I tell you my magic word here or what?"

Ethel scratched her chin pensively. "I do believe that it is more advisable to choose a password within the chamber, lest unfriendly ears hear," Her eyes darted significantly to Snape. "You are advised only to give your private password to those you trust."

"Sounds smart to me," Severus could hear the slight hitch in Faith's voice and knew, instinctively, that she wasn't sure whether she could trust him or not.

"Faith, if you would prefer, I will depart hence," he said, interrupting her thoughts and nodding towards his own chamber. "Should you wish to speak with me, I will be in my quarters. To gain access, simply state 'Onyx sonambulist'."

She gave him a grateful, yet puzzled look. "You don't gotta go..."

"If you would rather select your password and peruse your rooms in privacy, I would prefer you to be comfortable."

"How about I choose my password, then let you in?" she offered. "I mean, there's gotta be stuff I'm not gonna get in there, because of the whole magic school thing. If you wait here a second, I'll let you in."

"As you wish," he replied with a graceful unfurling of his hand.

"You don't mind me not tellin'?"

Severus could see the nervous apprehension that, yet again, she was afraid of doing something wrong.

"Faith," he replied gently. "This is a matter of your privacy and whom you trust to share it. You barely know me enough to trust me, so it would be unreasonable of me to expect anything more."

The gratitude and relief in her expression was palpable and she nodded wordlessly, slipping into the room and closing the painting behind her. A heartbeat later, it opened again and she motioned him in.

"Check it out!"

When Minerva had dryly made a comment about refurbishing, she had certainly been understating what had been done to the dark chamber.

The walls and ceiling were black stone, as most of the dungeons and foundations of the school were crafted from the same. However, bright, warm, colourful tapestries and drapes made them look more inviting.

The room had been sectioned off into specifically themed areas. In the far left corner, there was a small training area, which would no doubt be supplemented by a larger room at a later date.

To the far right side, there was the sleeping area, with a large, four poster bed with deep blue drapes. The near right was the comfortable seating area with a squashy-looking jewel-red couch in front of a fireplace. The near left led into a bathroom that - while tiny by Hogwarts standards - was large and luxurious by muggle standards.

"This is wicked cool!" Faith raced across the thick carpet that covered the floor and threw herself onto the bed, almost bouncing two feet off the mattress, a laugh of pure delight escaping her.

"You approve?"

"Hell yeah!" Rolling onto her feet, Faith paused, staring at the window in the wall that faced the door, which apparently looked out onto the grounds. Turning to Snape, she pointed at the window. "Aren't we in the basement?"

Making his way across the room, Severus admired McGonagall's consideration for the girl. She knew that Faith would have been confined in a viewless cell for months and to include a charmed window...

"I believe that this is a representation of what you would see, had you been situated in one of the rooms on the upper levels of the school," he replied. "It is charmed, so you will see what it is like outside, without the necessity to trail up every staircase."

Walking closer, Faith stared at it. "Cool..." she murmured. Stretching out her hand, she looked utterly amazed when her hand touched the 'glass' and she leaned forward in the sill. "I can look down and get a different view! This is so neat!"

"You do not wish to change anything? I am sure..."

"Sev, it's great!" Spinning around, her eyes roamed everywhere and a broad smile lit up her thin features. "This place is the kick!"

"Indeed."

An apologetic half-grin crossed her face. "That means it's good, Sev," she translated, her eyes dancing. Walking around the room, she looked completely in awe. "So what do I gotta do now?"

Turning to watch her progress around the room, Severus spread his hands. "Make yourself comfortable and settle in here," he replied. "There is nothing required of you at present, as you will have a great deal to adjust to."

"Find my feet, huh?"

"An adequate summation."

Running her hand along the back of the couch, the smile on her face made her look even more like a child with nothing, who had just been given everything they had ever wanted. "Thank you, Sev," she said sincerely, turning her back to him to watch her hands moving on the back of the couch. "God knows I don't deserve this."

Approaching her, he laid his hands on her shoulders gently. She jumped at the initial contact, but didn't pull away. "Faith, after the Hell you have fought your way through since childhood, I can not imagine someone who deserves this more than you."

One of her small, thin hands came up and squeezed his knuckles briefly.

After a moment, Severus drew away from her. "I will leave you to settle in," he said quietly. "Should you require anything at all, you know where I will be found. Do not hesitate to ask."

She nodded once, not looking around, and Severus turned, striding out of the room.