Eagle and Serpent

Alannah knew she had done it this time. Snape stood over her looking most displeased.

"I want to speak to you after class, Miss Leskevitch," he said in a calm voice. Alannah had not been paying attention to the potions master when he had been lecturing about God only knew when he had asked her about the key ingredient to a wolfs bane potion. She had not even been listening to what he had asked her, so she just told him that she had not the slightest clue and continued talking to her friend Gabbi about what to wear to the next Hogsmead weekend. Snape had not been at all pleased.

"Even you cannot be this thick, Leskevitch," he had snapped irritably. "The answer should be right under you nose."

"So I guess it's far more obvious to you, seeing as how your nose is so much bigger than the rest of ours. You must be able to fit more information 'right under' it," she had replied. She knew that she shouldn't have said it and that it was very rude, but it had been too brilliant a comment to ignore. Well, in about 20 minutes, she would no doubt pay for her bit of fun.

"He didn't look too happy, did he," she said nonchalantly to Gabbi as Snape stalked away.

"No. Look, 'Lannah, you should really cut back on the smart mouth stuff. I know you're brilliant at it and everything, but Snape's not going to tolerate much more of it. I'm surprised that you've gotten off as easy as you have the past few times," Gabbi told her, looking worried. Alannah snorted, but didn't say anything. If she was honest with herself, she knew that she would end up in serious trouble sooner or later if she kept up like she was. She had already been referred to the headmaster twice last year for this kind of behavior in Potions, and although the year was young yet, she knew that Snape would see to it that she went there again if she couldn't learn to keep her mouth shut once and a while. She looked down at the blank piece of parchment on which she had taken no notes. She sighed and began to copy down the information on wolfs bane potions form the chalkboard.

When the bell rang, Alannah shoved her textbook into her bag and slowly walked up to Snape's desk, telling Gabbi to head to lunch and that she would meet her later. When she reached the professor's desk, Snape did not look up. He just continued reading the student essay that he was grading and gave no sign that he even saw Alannah. After a few seconds, Alannah cleared her throat loudly. Snape's head snapped up and he looked up at her.

"Miss, Leskevitch," he said in a perfectly controlled voice, sounding like he was quite enjoying the experience of making her life miserable.

"You wanted to see me, Sir," Alannah replied politely.

"I did. Miss Leskevitch, you have an unfortunate habit of saying whatever pops into your young head, even, and it seems, especially, if it is ridiculously rude," he told her. "I recall having sent you several times to the headmaster about this little hobby of yours, and he did very little. You're lucky that you are a good student Leskevitch, or I would have many other teachers backing me on my dislike of your lack of respect. Am I wrong when I think that you have this pig-headedness in other classes as well as mine?"

Yes, Sir," Alannah said without expression. She decided that simple answers were best. She didn't want to give the foul-tempered potions master any more reasons to torment her.

"Well, we are going to have to do something about this," said Snape, a nasty smile touching the corners of his mouth. "I think I'll give you a month of detention, and 20 points from Ravenclaw.

"But professor!" Alannah cried, not being able to believe that even Snape would be so cruel.

"Miss Leskevitch," Snape continued over her. "You will serve a month of detention, and if, in the future, you have another slip of the toung, you will serve another month of detention. Do I make myself clear?

"Yes, Sir," Alannah replied numbly.

"Now, I want you to be at my rooms at 8:00 sharp."

"Your rooms, Sir?" Alannah asked. Normally detentions were served in the teacher's office, sometimes in a classroom, but never in the teacher's private rooms.

"Yes, my rooms, Leskevitch. Please listen the first time. I loath having to repeat myself," said Snape, annoyed. It was obvious that Alannah was not going to get any more information. She turned to go, the realized that she didn't even know where Snape's rooms were.

"Um, Professor..." she said timidly.

"Yes, what is it?" he snapped.

"Where exactly are your rooms?" she asked. Snape stood up and walked into his office. Alannah followed, perplexed. Did Snape live in his office? The professor strode over to a portion of a wall that was not cover by jars of repulsive, pickled...things. Instead, an elegant green velvet curtain hid the stone from view. Snape pulled back the curtain to reveal a dark mahogany door with a brass plaque reading: Professor Severus J. Snape, Potions Master, Slytherin Head of House.

"This is the door to my private rooms. It will be open. 8:00, Leskevitch. Do not be late," he said coldly.

"I never am," said Alannah in a voice of transparent sugar.

Snape watched her walk away. She was an enigma. It wasn't that she didn't know when to keep her mouth shut; she was very smart and often bordering on brilliant. No, she knew when here smart remarks would get her into trouble, but she didn't seem intimidated by the threat of detention. Alannah didn't seem to be afraid of much. Snape remembered the defiance in those dark green eyes, and remembered how closed they seemed. Yes, there was defiance reflected in the green orbs, but that was all. Severus Snape was very good at reading people, but Alannah was unreadable. Other than the surface emotions that showed in her face and actions, her eyes were blank, reflecting nothing but that immediate feeling. There was a wall behind those intense eyes that prevented the spectator from seeing into the soul of this girl. It would be interesting to find out what Alannah Leskevitch's secrets were. What could perfect, loved, brilliant Leskevitch have to conceal? The professor sighed. He knew that people could mask what they were and hide a dark past, the worst past. Yes, he knew. Snape sat back down at his desk and resumed grading (and failing) the essays of his first-year class, still pondering the mystery of Alannah Leskevitch.

Well...What did you think? Just a heads up, this is NOT going to be just a cute, fluffy story. There WILL be death and destruction, though I haven't decided how much and exactly who is going to die a heroic, self-sacrificing death, but chances are that it is in the future in at least one of the characters. I NEED some betas! I HATE typos and grammar errors, but I am VERY prone to them, as you may be able to tell, so if you want to edit some of the work that will be posted on this site, e-mail me. I will give credit to my betas at the end of every chapter that is edited. Fame and fortune could be yours...okay, so not really, but it would still really help me out.. And PLEASE review because it makes me feel warm and fuzzy and I could really use the feedback. So I will leave you and go write chapter 2, now that I've written a chapter of author's notes. Love y'all!