Into the Mouth of Hell

Into the Mouth of Hell: Chapter 9

O.W.L.s

O no, it is an ever-fixed mark

That looks on tempests and is not shaken

That was the last summer that Severus shared with Bella in the Black home. They spent a good deal of time in the drawing room getting sauced and reminiscing. It had developed into a bottle-a-day habit, fueled, of course, by the plentiful supply of Malfoy Elect Single-Malt Scotch. In late August, just before Severus was to return for his fifth year, they spent a week at Malfoy Manor. It hadn't changed much since the first time he had been there, except where Cassiopeia's warm embrace once met Severus in the drawing room, now was Narcissa. After Lucius and Narcissa were married, the elder Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy had retired to a country home in the Lake district, leaving the affairs of the estate to Lucius and his new wife. Narcissa settled easily into her role: hosting dinner parties, organizing charity events, and ordering new drapes. Lucius, however, took a bit longer to adjust to his new responsibilities as the guardian of one of the largest wizarding fortunes in England. He wrote to his father nearly every day and drank heavily during the first year, but had otherwise pulled out of it and gained his bearings.

"Welcome!" He called cheerily to them from the gate as they approached. They had taken a carriage from the village in order to enjoy the late summer air. He gave Bella a warm hug and Severus a friendly handshake. "We've been expecting you all day! Come in, come in!"

Narcissa stood in the open front door, rubbing a slightly swollen belly. Bella squealed and gave her a hug. "Oh my goodness! Why didn't you owl?"

Narcissa looked radiant in her pregnancy. "We just found out and wanted it to be a surprise!" She kissed her sister on both cheeks and led her away to the drawing room.

Lucius patted Severus on the shoulder. "How about a drink, Severus?" he asked. He had changed dramatically since leaving school. He wore his platinum hair past his shoulders, and his face had become more angular. Where his cheeks were once a bit chubby in boyhood now were chiseled, emphasizing his high cheekbones and proud chin. He was becoming the very portrait of his father. "What are you grinning at?"

"Nothing," Severus said quickly. "What news from Mulciber?"

Niles Mulciber, after being harshly rebuked by Andromeda, had gone on a tour of Europe "to clear his head." Last Severus had heard, he had taken up with a French prostitute, but that had been months ago.

"Niles? That old dog! He's in Devonshire with his family now. Reckons he'll just live off the cow until a pretty piece comes his way," Lucius laughed. He poured Severus two-fingers of scotch.

Severus and Lucius sat on the porch, soaking in the sun and the smells of the blooming garden. They chatted about Hogwarts (Lucius was quite disappointed that Severus had not received a prefect badge, and promised to use his contacts on the Board of Governors to initiate an inquiry), politics ("That Crouch ought to be hanged!"), and girls.

"Found a dish at Hoggy-warts, then, Severus?"

Severus shook his head. The liquor had loosened his tongue. "No. I had one spotted, but turned out she had other plans." Severus took another drink, hoping that Lucius would mistake his flush for the effects of the alcohol.

Lucius eyed him suspiciously. "No one I know, I trust?"

"Nope," Severus said a little too fast.

"Really?" Lucius voice had taken on a slippery tone that he usually reserved for politic parties. He cocked an eyebrow to regard Severus. "Try me."

Severus laughed nervously. "No one special. Best to forget about the whole thing."

"Listen, Severus," Lucius said silkily, "we've been mates for ages. You're practically family."

"That's exactly the problem," Severus muttered darkly.

"I see," said Lucius. He looked over his shoulder in the direction from which floated the voices of the Black sisters. "Bellatrix is a lovely girl. It's a shame about Lestrange. But you know how these things work."

"Yes, and I respect the decisions of their families." He raised his glass. "To blood and money, Mr. Malfoy!"

Lucius delightedly toasted his glass. "Then to money and blood, Mr. Snape!"

* * * * *

Lucius and Bella escorted Severus to King's Cross Station on September first. Severus pained when he realized that this would be the first time he would be riding the Hogwarts Express without Bella. Rosier and Wilkes spotted them early on, then Regulus and Rabastan joined them sometime later. Rosier, as it turned out, had been given the prefects badge, for which everyone congratulated him. They sat around, easily chatting. Lucius leaned back on his heals with his hands in his pockets and laughed uproariously when Rosier told him the story of Barty Crouch Jr. and the Slytherin Dueling Club. All too soon, the whistle blew, and it was time to get back on the train and to school. Lucius shook everyone's hands, and Bella doled out hugs.

"You go on, get us a cabin," Severus waved to the others. "I'll just be a minute."

Lucius, catching Severus' eye, told Bella that he'd be waiting for her by the archway. "I've just spotted dear Mr. Bagman, forgive me!"

For a very awkward moment, Severus and Bella just stared at each other. And then at once, they both spoke.

"I'll miss you, Severus."

"I'll miss you, Bella."

They both blushed and embraced tightly. "You'll write loads, won't you?"

"Yes," Severus said, "and I'll expect some in return."

Bella laughed nervously. "Well, you'd better--"

"OY! Snivellus! Didn't you hear? Bella's off to marry Lestrange! Or didn't you get that family memo?" Sirius called loudly. He was boarding the train with Potter, that titchy Pettigrew kid, and Remus Lupin, who was wearing a shiny new prefect badge.

"That dirty--" Bella narrowed her eyes and stalked towards them. Severus followed, pulling his wand, and for one wonderful moment, all four boys shrank in fear.

"If you dare touch him," Bella growled, her voice quavering with rage, "if you even threaten him, I will personally see to each and every one of your painful, pitiful, miserably unimportant deaths." Something in her eyes even scared Severus just then.

Lupin blanched, pale though he already was, and Pettigrew moved behind Potter. Black and Potter exchanged glances. "I don't know why you bother," Black said to his cousin in an exasperated, disgusted sigh. Then he nudged Potter, and the four boys boarded the train.

"Take care of yourself, Severus," she said, pushing his hair lovingly behind his ear. He shook it out so that it fell to frame his face. Bella laughed, and then stuck out her hand. "Until Boxing Day, then."

"Until Boxing Day." He shook her hand, and then in a courtly fashion raised her knuckles to his mouth. "Good day, Miss Black."

They bowed to each other, exchanged sneers, and Severus boarded the train. From the retching noises that came from one of the cabins, Severus could tell that their exchange did not pass unnoticed.

* * * * *

It seemed to Severus that now that Bella, Lestrange, and Avery were gone, their House fell prey to Gryffindor the moment Dumbledore excused the welcome feast.

Well into Halloween night, Rosier, Wilkes, and Severus stood huddled in a broom closet on the seventh floor, waiting for the chance to sneak back down into the dungeons. Severus wished, more than anything else, that he still had the map Bella had given him his first year, as it had marked not only the locations of his classes, but also a few of the secret passages that Severus and his friends were in sore need of at that moment.

Rosier and Wilkes had their wands pulled, crammed into the corners of the closet behind Severus. He heard footsteps coming closer. He raised his hand, and all three of them quit breathing. The footsteps stopped in front of the cabinet.

"Hullo, Snivelly." Potter.

"Afraid, Snivellus? You should be." Black.

Severus held his breath. How do they know I'm here?

Rosier poked him with his wand, pointed at the door, and mouthed, "Go!"

Severus threw open the door, hitting two very solid things. All three Slytherin boys threw Impediment Jinxes over their shoulders as they made a run for it. Wilkes grabbed Severus' robes and pulled him behind a tapestry where Rosier had already vanished. Severus caught his foot on the edge of a stair, and fell into Wilkes, who fell into Rosier, who screamed loudly as they rolled down the long, dark staircase. With a very loud thud and another girlish yelp from Rosier, they emptied, a mess of limbs and robes, at the feet of a tall figure holding a cup of cocoa.

"Mr. Rosier, Mr. Wilkes, and Mr. Snape. I assume you are aware that it is past midnight?" Dumbledore's calm voice made them all suddenly stop squirming.

"Yes, Headmaster. It's just that Potter and Black--"

He held up a thin hand to stop the excuse. "Mr. Rosier, I have no interest in from what or whom you are running. What concerns me is that you return immediately to your dormitory."

"Yes, Headmaster," they answered in unison.

"If I find you out again, it will be detention."

"Yes, Headmaster."

"Goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Headmaster."

After that night, Severus vowed to step up the efforts of the Slytherin Dueling Club. He knew that Potter and Black were after him, and that only strengthened his resolve to make sure that his housemates were well protected. He found a jolly little slashing curse in a book of his father's, and a whole new window of throwing and tripping jinxes was opened to him by a book Rosier had managed to smuggle out of the library.

"Be careful with that one. Nearly took my arm off," Rosier said, setting the book down heavily in front of Severus and rubbing his elbow.

"How do you do it, Rosier?" Wilkes asked, impressed.

"Lads, what you must understand," Rosier said, flashing a seductive smile, "is that even dusty old librarians have soft spots. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must make use of the washroom."

Severus and Wilkes collectively shuddered, and Severus vowed never to ask Rosier about his ruses again.

Bella kept her word and wrote frequently. Near Christmas, Severus received a small package from the Black family, which was peculiar. Usually they save my presents for the holiday, Severus thought as he took the lid off the box. Inside was a card from Bella and a silver drinking flask adorned with the Slytherin crest. Severus turned it over in his hands, and then read the card.

Dear Severus,

We have just received grievous news, and it concerns you, as you are family. Narcissa lost the baby. She was in St. Mungo's most of the night, but there was nothing else they could do. It was a girl. They named her Ariadne. The Malfoys and Blacks have decided to take a much-needed vacation to our villa in Greece. It is not a happy time for us.

Mother has suggested that you stay at Hogwarts this Christmas to study for your O.W.L.s, as she is expecting you to get more than I did! (Good luck!) She has written to the Rosiers and the Wilkeses, and Evan and Robert will be staying to keep you company. Rabastan is staying as well, however, my aunt and uncle have insisted that Sirius and Regulus travel with us. I don't see the point; they ruin every holiday as it is.

Rodolphus sends his best. He is here now. Mother invited him on to Greece.

I hope you enjoy your gift!

All my love,

Bella

Severus sent his deepest sympathies to the Black family, then a similar letter onto the elder Malfoys, and Lucius and Narcissa. He spent the whole of the holiday hiding in the Slytherin common room, wallowing and reading.

As O.W.L.s approached, a cease-fire between Slytherin and Gryffindor was called so that they could have a few months of peace for studying. Severus was very worried about the exams, and his career counseling session with Professor Meadowes didn't help.

"Perhaps you might consider a field involving Potions," Professor Meadowes said, looking at Severus' grades from the past years. "You seem to do very well in that."

Severus considered it. "What kind of field?"

Professor Meadowes looked up from a particularly long roll of parchment. "Well, there is always research. There's a wonderful program in Germany, I believe it is. It requires a very -- precise -- nature." She looked up at Severus, who merely shrugged.

"I rather fancy the Dark Arts," he said simply.

"Perhaps a career as an Auror. The Department for Magical Law Enforcement is hiring. Quite a few of the graduates begin training in the fall. It is certainly a worthwhile cause."

Frankly, Severus would rather eat pickled eel than become an Auror, and apparently the look on his face told Meadowes as much.

"Well, if you can't decide, then you better get O.W.L.s in everything and just pray for the best," Meadowes said exasperatedly and shooed him out of her office.

As it turned out, Rosier and Wilkes had similar discussions with Meadowes, which prompted the three of them to begin studying unceasingly. When the exams came, an anxious hush fell over the castle. Severus received a note and clipping from Lucius and another thick envelope the morning of his Dark Arts exam. Since Christmas, letters from Lucius had become infrequent and terse, often cold and impersonal. The clipping was from the Daily Prophet, showing a picture of Lucius shaking hands with a short man in a bowler hat who the caption declared to be Cornelius Fudge, a Ministry official. The article was about a large donation from the Malfoy Family Foundation. Lucius' letter was short, but encouraging, telling Severus that often with these exams it was not what one knew, but whom one knew, and Severus needn't worry because he was "connected to the right people." He sneered, and then opened the thick, light blue envelope.

When he broke the seal, it played a tune Sirius recognized as Debussy, and a sweet smell of flowers poured out. Withdrawing the stiff and fragrant parchment from inside, the smiling faces of Bella and Rodolphus greeted him. It was an invitation to their wedding, which was planned for mid-July on the grounds of Malfoy Manor. Severus felt his stomach give an uninvited flip, as he ached with homesickness and the longing for the company of his best friend.

After his Dark Arts exam, Severus walked out on the lawn with the other fifth years, enjoying the fresh air and sunshine of which he had been deprived since he had been holed up in the common room. Rosier and Wilkes were nowhere to be found, which was just as well for Severus, who wanted to be alone. He stared down at his exam paper, not really seeing it. He knew he had missed the kappa question, but who really gave a shrivel-fig about kappas? He was filled with an immense ache for Bella and Lucius. He had been missing them all year, feeling completely isolated and sick to his stomach about being stuck at school when there was so much to be done.

He settled in the shade of some dense bushes overlooking the lake. A breeze playfully stirred the leaves, and Severus caught a familiar scent of mallowsweet: Bella. He looked up expectantly, though it would have made no sense for her to be there. He looked around for Rosier and Wilkes, but instead he saw them, the Gryffindor gits: sitting under the beech tree by the lake, looking unconcerned and totally at ease. Black looked nonchalant, as if family never experienced devastation, and Potter was laughing, as if best friends never left.

A sickening sensation overcame him, and he stood, stuffing the paper into his bag, heading for the familiarity of the common room.

"All right, Snivellus?" Potter said loudly.

Without hesitation, Severus dropped his bag and plunged his hand inside his robes for his wand. Potter already had his wand drawn, however, and disarmed him before he had even readied himself. Severus watched with horror as his wand flew out of his hand and fell twelve feet from him. Automatically, he lunged for it. Out of the corner of his eye he saw Black's wand, and then he was knocked to the ground.

He was vaguely aware, through the curtain of his hair and his cloud of rage, that people were watching. He heard some laughing. Probably the Potter-Black Fan Club: they live for these showdowns. He was able to shake his hair out of his eyes, trying desperately to calm his breathing, all the while Potter and Black advanced, wands up. Two armed against one unarmed, Severus thought bitterly. I thought Gryffindors were supposed to be brave.

They were mocking him, but Severus wasn't listening. He was struggling to get up, and wondering where the hell Rosier and Wilkes were. Not only did he want some back up, but also the authority of Rosier's prefect badge on his side. By the feel of it, Black had thrown an Impediment Jinx, though it wasn't nearly as good as his cousin's. Bella's words from King Cross came to him from some stormy place in his memory: "If you dare touch him, if you even threaten him, I will personally see to each and every one of your painful, pitiful, miserably unimportant deaths."

"You -- wait," he panted, staring up at Potter with every ounce of rage and loathing and general hate that he had felt over the past five years. Bella's gonna get you. "You -- wait!"

"Wait for what?" Black said. "What are you going to do, Snivelly, wipe your nose on us?"

Severus struggled against his bonds, furious. He had had just about enough of this blood traitor's cheek, and Merlin be damned if he was going to stand for Potter's abuse any longer. A stream of hexes and swear words escaped his mouth, the creativity of which even Lucius would be proud.

"Wash out your mouth," Potter said coldly. "Scourgify!"

Severus' mouth was overflowing with pink soap bubbles, making him gag and choke. Hmm, strawberry, Severus thought, as he spat them out. Surely they can do better than that? Not only did he loath Potter and Black because they were arrogant, immature, and generally unbearable, but they were also rather lacking in style.

"Leave him ALONE!"

Everyone turned to look at the girl making her way towards them on the lawn: Lily Evans, the other fifth year Gryffindor prefect.

While Potter and Black were busy recruiting new members to the Fan Club, Severus felt the Impediment Jinx begin to wear off. He struggled against it with every painful inch towards his wand on the lawn, spitting out soapsuds as he crawled. He barely had it in his hand when he shouted a slashing hex at Potter. A flash of green light later, a gash appeared on the boy's cheek.

Severus barely had time to wonder how he managed to miss his cowlick, when a green blast from Potter had him upside down in the air. He felt an uncomfortable breeze as he was enveloped in blackness and turned upside down. Severus suddenly realized that he had forgotten to put on clean drawers that day in his worry over his O.W.L.s. He willed to kick, to pull himself up, to smooth down his robes over his skinny, sun-starved legs, but he couldn't move.

Every second felt like an eternity: every second he wished Bella was there to fight with him. The unfairness of it all swelled in him: not only was he being out-spelled two-to-one and being embarrassed in front of his peers, but his best friend in the whole universe was being forced into marriage to an idiot who didn't even deserve to polish her wand. On top of that, the Ministry was using the very curses for which they sent others to Azkaban without trials. There just wasn't justice, Bella was right. The entire wizarding world was collapsing around Hogwarts, and no one was paying any attention. And it was because of people like Potter and Black, people lacking any shred of nobility, that everything had gone so terribly wrong.

He kicked fiercely, trying to free himself. Several people were howling in laughter, but Severus could hardly hear them through the tangle of robes covering his face. Then he fell. He stood up as quickly as he could disentangle himself, wand ready. They have no idea what pain is, Severus thought viciously. Time they had a taste. But before he could even move, Black had performed the Full-Body Bind on him, though it still was nothing like Bella's.

Strangely enough, Lily Evans, the girl who wore white knee-high boots her first week of classes, had her wand aimed and was demanding that Black and Potter leave him alone. Goody Gryffindor prefect takes her job so seriously. Severus watched her in anger. She was nothing compared to Bella. She wasn't even a half-blood. When Potter uttered the countercurse, Severus felt the feeling return to his limbs and he struggled furiously to his feet.

"There you go. You're lucky Evans was here, Snivellus--"

Severus felt the anger snap again. Lucky? For her? "I don't need help from filthy little Mudbloods like her!" His anger mounted. He wanted everyone to feel his pain, his indignity, his humiliation. They all deserve to suffer.

"Fine. I won't bother in the future. And I'd wash those underpants if I were you, Snivellus."

Severus smirked. Sticks and stones, love.

"Apologize to Evans!" Potter yelled, pointing his wand at Severus, who didn't even bother to raise his in return. And then, Lily verbally assaulted his swollen ego up one side and down the other, and Severus enjoyed every moment of it immensely. Severus had to admit she had quite an eye for truth.

He saw Rosier and Wilkes out on the lawn finally; he wondered if they'd be smart enough to see what was going on. A small blonde boy -- Crouch -- ran over to them. They dropped whatever was in their arms, pushed him aside, and pulled their wands as they ran across the stretch of grass to Severus. Lily was walking briskly away; they almost toppled her. Just as they drew level, Severus felt the world flip, that uncomfortable breeze, and then everything was darkness.

"Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's underpants?"

"Really, Potter, if that's how you get your kicks, no wonder she wants nothing to do with you," Rosier said haughtily.

Severus fell again, this time landing hard on his wrist with a sick-sounding snap. When he got his robes off of his head, Rosier and Wilkes had their wands against the flesh of Potter's and Black's necks.

"I'm sure Bellatrix is sorry she missed this, Black," Wilkes said darkly. Though he was often a bit wondrously aloof, he could be awfully scary. "I'm sure the entire family will be all-a-twitter to hear what you did to the boy they actually like."

Sirius laughed shortly, but not confidently. Potter was looking quite upset. "Honestly, mates, we were just letting off a little bit of exam steam."

Rosier laughed loudly and sarcastically. "You know, we could always practice Transfiguration by turning these tossers into rabbits. Then they can just get on with it and snog already, no one would be the wiser."

"I don't think that will be necessary, Evan." Remus Lupin had joined the small crowd, wand raised.

"I'll have to report this, you know," Rosier said to Lupin, lowering his wand.

"And I'll concur as witness," Lupin said, putting away his own wand.

"Ah, come on, Moony," Potter whined. "It's only Snivelly!"

Rosier beamed wildly. "See, even your friends don't like you."

"It's my badge, James," Lupin said, and then turned to Severus. "Are you all right, Severus?"

Severus sneered. "Bugger off, Lupin." He got to his feet with the help of Rosier and Wilkes, who had lowered their wands after Lupin finally showed up. "I can fight my own battles."

"What are you going to do, Snivellus? Run and tattle to big bad Bellatrix?" Black taunted. Lupin glared at him.

"Why don't you wait and see?" Severus spat menacingly.

* * * * *

After the little incident on the lawn, which Rosier relayed in much exaggerated detail, Madam Pomfrey had the good graces to magic Severus' wrist so that he could finish exams, and Potter and Black got detentions with Meadowes. But what really put the feather in the cap for Severus was the howler Black received from Bella's mother that came in time for breakfast. As soon as that one had finished, one came from his own mother, then one from Bella, another from Narcissa, and one from Lucius. Potter received quite a few from his family as well. They all screamed at how cowardly their actions had been, Bella had managed a long list of not-so-veiled threats, and his own mother called Sirius a seriously maladjusted berk with no proper wizarding feeling.

So it was no surprise that Sirius did not attend the wedding that summer at Malfoy Manor. Severus' mother ordered the haberdasher to Snape Hall to befit Severus with new emerald-green dress robes for the occasion and as a treat for achieving O.W.L.s in all his subjects. He had his hair washed, cut, and pressed. He even had a manicure. But despite his dapper appearance, he was full of jealousy and dread. Everyone knew he cared for Bella, and no doubt everyone knew about the incident during O.W.L.s.

A small voice inside him told him that if he ignored the entire affair, it would be just like it had never happened. He could pretend like the whole ordeal wasn't real: some dream he had, or a book he read. But he knew better. He knew the bonds of blood and money. And he knew how fiercely the Black family held to tradition. Andromeda had betrayed her obligation to her family by running off with a Mudblood, and Sirius had all but been disowned for his severely disrespectful conduct towards Severus, who had been welcomed into the Black and Malfoy families because of his intense pride and honor for Slytherin House.

And so he went to Malfoy Manor. He sipped a few drinks. He watched Narcissa, though pale and withdrawn, greet relatives and order about the staff of house-elves. He listened with feigned interest as Mulciber described his recent travels. He sat beside Rosier and Wilkes as they made bets on who could dance with the most bridesmaids. He congratulated Mr. and Mrs. Orpheus Black and Mr. and Mrs. Rigel Lestrange. But when it came time to congratulate the bride and groom, Severus was at a loss for words. He shook the hand Rodolphus offered, muttered, "well done," and turned to Bella. Her thick, black hair was swept off her face and descended in fat shining curls down her back. Two huge gardenias were pinned above her right ear. Her eyes were bright and tears clung to her long black eyelashes. She wrapped her arms around Severus, kissed him on both cheeks, and whispered in his ear, "I'll miss you."

If Severus had known he wouldn't see Bella or hear from her again for a year and a half, and that she'd never look that beautiful again, perhaps he would have stayed longer. Perhaps. Truly, it was the last moment of happiness before a long dark hell for the Blacks, the Malfoys, the Lestranges, and Severus Snape. If only any of them had known, perhaps they would have done things differently. But only perhaps.