Home | Members | Help | Submission Rules | Log In |
Recently Added | Categories | Titles | Completed Fics | Random Fic | Search | Top Fictions
SS/OC

Never Again by HandPFeather [Reviews - 0]

<< >>

Would you like to submit a review?





Severus Snape walked through the doors of the Apothecary the next day in a rush. There were a few ingredients that he needed to replenish at the school.

He frowned when he heard the familiar voices behind him as he stood at the counter, waiting for his order to be filled. Apparently Lily had visited Hogwarts and picked Violet up for a little Saturday shopping excursion at Diagon Alley.

“Severus?” Violet asked from behind him.

Snape closed his eyes for a moment as his heart skipped a beat and the frown lines deepened on his face. He turned around slowly to peer over his shoulder.

“Violet,” he remarked coolly with a nod.

Lily walked up to them and regarded Snape curiously.

“Hello, Severus,” she remarked in a clipped tone.

Snape raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Lily,” he replied, repeating the nod and then turning back to the counter.

Lily looked from the back of Snape to Violet and frowned.

Violet looked toward Snape hopefully but Lily placed a hand on her arm.

“Don’t let us keep you,” Lily said curtly, as the clerk handed Snape a small box filled with jars. Snape thanked the man and turned to the women.

“Have a pleasant afternoon,” he said, breezing past them.

Snape could feel their eyes upon him as he let the door slam behind him. He almost made it into the Leaky Cauldron before Violet caught up to him.

“Severus! Severus, wait!” she called after him.

Snape turned around slowly, holding up a hand to ward her off. Violet captured his hand in her own and Snape scowled, wrenching it away from her.

“Violet!” he barked.

“I know, Severus, I know!” she exclaimed, sighing and letting go of his hand. “Has someone now passed a law that does not allow friends to speak on the street?”

He remained silent, scowling down at her, waiting.

“I just want to apologize for Lily,” she offered lamely.

“You had to chase me down for that?!”

“No,” she remarked sheepishly. “I wanted to see you.”

Snape grabbed her by the arm and yanked her into the Leaky Cauldron. He pushed her up onto the steps and motioned for her to climb to the landing.

“Stay there,” he hissed, turning from her in a swirl of black cloak.

A moment later, he climbed the stairs himself, gripping a small key tightly in the hand he was using to hug the box to his chest. With the other hand, he steered Violet into a small room at the end of the hall. He used his foot to swing the door shut behind them. He released his grip on Violet’s shoulder, placed the box on the bedside table, and turned to lock the room quickly.

“Where is your sister?” he demanded, towering over her.

“I told her I needed an hour,” she replied, holding her ground.

“She just let you take off then?!” he barked.

“Severus, really! She knew I was coming after you,” Violet replied, rolling her eyes.

“How many times do I have to tell you,” Snape began evenly.

“You know what?!” Violet cut him off. “I have had enough of this, enough of your paranoia.”

Snape’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“This is not a game, Violet,” he reminded her through clenched teeth.

Nothing is going on, Severus! There is nothing between us! You have made sure of that,” she spat. “So where is the problem?!”

“That may not matter anymore,” he retorted darkly.

Violet looked at him questioningly and he turned his back to her.

“What does that mean?” she asked, dropping her voice to a whisper.

He spun around to face her.

“Nothing,” he replied. “Never mind.”

She sat down on the bed heavily.

“Severus, what is going on?” she asked wearily.

Snape set his shoulders and looked down on her silently. He held out his hand.

Violet regarded him cautiously. She made no move from the bed. He took a step toward where she sat. When she slipped her hand gently into his, his stomach lurched as he gripped her hand firmly, pulling her up and into his arms.

He stood holding her for a moment resting his cheek on her hair and breathing deeply.

“Severus?” she asked shakily.

“Violet,” he replied softly. “This is no good. You know there is no future here. Why must this go on?”

“It’s not fair!” she spat.

“I don’t know if there are enough ways to make you understand,” he said.

“But I don’t care!” she protested.

Snape held her at arms length suddenly.

“I do,” he replied sharply. “I care!”

Still holding her at arms length, he continued, “I promise you, Violet, I will not let them hurt you.”

She shivered slightly and then sighed.

“Really, Severus, who is being overly dramatic now?”

He shook her gently.

“Violet, it is imperative that you listen to me,” he commanded.

“I am no one important. Neither are you,” she said.

“That is where you are wrong,” he explained. “They are grooming me for something, Violet. That is what this is all about – my being at Hogwarts.”

She frowned.

“Why can’t Dumbledore help you?” she pleaded.

“It is not possible.”

“Please?”

“Violet!” he barked.

Violet growled angrily, turning her back on him. After a few moments of fighting to control her emotions, she turned back around slowly.

Snape stood, still facing her, eyes downcast, but shoulders set firmly.

“Lily is pregnant,” she told him with a smile in her voice.

Snape shifted his gaze up to meet hers.

Her face was eclipsed by a beautiful smile.

“That is really all I wanted to tell you,” she said quietly, still smiling. “That, and I think Lily is trying to protect me, which is why she was so short with you.”

Snape nodded silently, breaking her gaze.

“I was excited and I wanted to share that with you,” she said simply.

Snape let out a breath, looking at her sadly.

“It’s supposed to be good news,” she said, trying to smile.

He stepped toward her and placed both hands on her shoulders.

“This cannot continue to go on,” he ordered.

“I know,” she assented quietly, looking downcast. “I just can’t help it.”

“This is about your safety,” he explained more gently.

“I know,” she nodded.

“I have never known…” Snape began. “I have never had…I have never cared… before…” He fumbled for an explanation.

“If anything happened to you,” he began and drew in a breath sharply, pulling her to him in a crushing embrace.

She wept silent tears.

“I cannot allow my feelings to let you come to harm,” he whispered into her hair. “Do you understand?”

She nodded slowly against him.

“Do you understand?” he demanded harshly.

“Yes,” she murmured. “I’m not happy about it, Severus, but I will do as you wish. I try to stay away from you – I really do! But it’s just so hard.”

Snape made to pull away from her but Violet twined her hands up to the back of his neck; his eyes closed slowly. They stood for a long moment. He opened his eyes, looking deeply into hers, and leaned down, softly brushing her lips with his own. He drew back quickly. She leaned into him, trying to kiss him again, but he pulled back from her and she frowned.

“It is not proper,” he told her. “I am sorry. We must go our separate ways.”

She looked at him sadly.

“I cannot kiss you,” he whispered, “as you cannot be mine.”

She nodded her head as her eyes brimmed with tears once more.

“I will offer Lily your congratulations then?” she asked, stiffening her back.

Snape nodded once.

Violet looked at him intently, wanting to memorize everything about him. He held her eyes in his.

When she turned to leave, she paused as he unlocked the door. Snape took one last deep breath of vanilla and touched her cheek lightly. She walked away quickly, not turning to look back, as Snape watched her disappear down the stairs at the end of the hallway.


Snape strode to the entrance of the Headmaster’s office. The words “lemon drops” floated through his mind and he barked them out as he stepped up next to the stone Gargoyle. He rehearsed the many things he wanted to say to Dumbledore as the stairs carried him up to the entrance door.

The door swung open slowly and Snape saw Dumbledore gazing at him from behind the desk.

“You were not here!” Snape thundered, striding toward the desk.

Dumbledore stood slowly, palms flat on the desk before him.

“Minerva said you were looking for me last night,” he said quietly.

“They know!” Snape exclaimed, pacing with loud footfalls from the Headmaster’s desk to the entrance door and back, a deep scowl on his face. “They know about Violet and you were not here to fix it!”

Dumbledore watched Snape with an expression of intense sadness on his face.

“You were too busy visiting with Potter!” Snape spat the last word like poison.

Dumbledore straightened up and sighed loudly.

“Severus, your situation is part of a much bigger picture,” he said evenly.

“Be that as it may, Headmaster,” Snape replied coolly, looking at him with eyes full of hatred and anger, “I wanted you to know I have handled it myself. Violet will be protected and you will not need to concern yourself with this situation any longer.”

“Will you please sit?” Dumbledore asked. He was still hoping to repair the damage.

“There is no need,” Snape replied in a clipped tone.

“Very well,” Dumbledore said resignedly. “Tell me before you leave, however, what have you done to handle things?”

Snape resumed pacing but remained silent.

Dumbledore waited patiently.

“I will have no more interaction with Violet – here or anywhere,” Snape replied finally.

Dumbledore nodded.

“I told her this just now at the Leaky Cauldron,” he finished.

“The Leaky Cauldron?” Dumbledore questioned.

“She accosted me at Diagon Alley,” he stated.

A small smile played at the corner of Dumbledore’s lips. Snape noticed this and his expression became mutinous.

“Severus, please understand – times are difficult. You would do well to find happiness in every place you can,” Dumbledore explained. “She really cares about you. You do realize that?”

Snape stopped pacing and stood, just staring through the window next to Dumbledore’s desk.

“Be that as it may, Headmaster, I will not allow anything to happen to her. This situation is completely futile. Nothing good can come of it,” Snape said quietly.

“As laudable as your commitment to this is, Severus, be assured that something good can always come from love. It is the greatest power in the world,” Dumbledore countered.

“Nothing I have to offer her will be worth the risk. She is better off without me.”

“Don’t sell yourself short,” Dumbledore replied, looking at him intently. “You are a brilliant wizard, Severus, you could have a bright future, you know?”

Snape turned cold eyes on Dumbledore.

“My future,” he spat, “is bound to the Dark Lord forever!”

This declaration hung in the air as Snape turned away from Dumbledore’s gaze.

“Come work for me,” Dumbledore suggested, walking around the desk to stand directly in front of Snape.

Snape narrowed his eyes and squared his shoulders. “Are you suggesting…”

A spy, Severus. It would give us a distinct advantage,” Dumbledore told him, throwing all caution to the wind now. “We could protect you and Violet.”

“You see me as a traitor as well?!” Snape demanded.

“There are only two sides Severus – one is good and the other is evil. There is no room for grey here. You still have an opportunity to make things right.” Dumbledore looked at him pleadingly, laying his hand on Snape’s shoulder. “Violet sees it in you.”

Snape jerked away from Dumbledore and turned his back to him, his head bowing slightly. He straightened up and turned back to the older wizard.

For a few moments the two men stood, regarding one another in silence.

“I will do my duty,” Snape replied solemnly. “There is no other way.”

Dumbledore bowed his head deeply as Snape turned and strode from the room.



Violet caught up with Lily at Florean Fortescue’s Ice Cream Parlor. Lily was sitting at an outdoor table watching the crowds pass in front of her as Violet approached. Lily did not even have to ask to know how things went with Severus. She could tell Violet had been crying. Lily’s heart hurt for her sister. Why did everything with Severus have to be so difficult?

“Want some ice cream?” Lily asked as Violet pushed into the seat next to her.

Violet shook her head.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Lily asked quietly.

Violet looked hard at Lily for a moment and then out at the bustling crowd walking down the street of Diagon Alley. She turned back to Lily.

“Severus is a Death Eater.”

The two women stared at one another in silence for a long moment.

“I suspected,” Lily replied in a whisper, leaning toward Violet and putting a hand over hers, “but how do you know for sure?”

“He showed me his Mark that day before your wedding,” Violet told her softly. Lily seemed surprised that Violet had known for so long.

“He doesn’t want me to be in danger,” continued Violet.

“Commendable behavior from one who is usually so self-absorbed,” Lily pointed out.

“I don’t care about that!” Violet said in a harsh whisper. “This is wrong, Lily. He’s involved with something that is just so wrong and for all the wrong reasons.”

“Did he tell you why?” Lily held her breath waiting for the answer.

Violet’s eyes flashed as she looked her sister over silently.

“What does it matter now?” Violet demanded scathingly.

“Dumbledore?” Lily suggested searchingly.

“Severus refuses to talk to him.”

“Then why don’t you talk to him?” Lily encouraged.

Violet remained silent for a few moments thinking this through.

“Let’s get you back to school,” Lily told her, standing up.



Dumbledore was not surprised when he received an owl from Professor Flitwick in the early evening, telling him that Violet would be coming to see him after dinner. He expected as much after reading the owl sent to him by Lily.

“Please come in,” Dumbledore called in response to Violet’s soft knock.

The door opened and Violet walked in cautiously.

Dumbledore rose behind his desk and came quickly around the other side.

“Do sit, Miss Evans,” he encouraged, motioning to a large sofa in front of the fire.

Violet settled into the seat hesitantly as Dumbledore settled into a comfy armchair across from her.

“How can I help you?” Dumbledore asked kindly.

“I don’t know,” Violet murmured softly, looking up into his kind eyes. She was suddenly having second thoughts about coming. If Severus knew she had ever spoken to anyone about his situation, let alone Lily and Dumbledore all within hours of each other, he would never speak to her again. Any chance she could see for them would evaporate forever.

“Severus was here to see me earlier today,” Dumbledore told her. “I want you to know I have been aware of your situation for some time.”

Violet sat forward. “My situation?”

“Yes, well, Severus has spoken to me in confidence about his feelings for you,” Dumbledore explained.

Violet looked at him with surprise written all over her face.

“I assure you, Miss Evans,” Dumbledore explained with a kind smile, “not behavior one would normally expect from our Potions apprentice.”

Violet remained silent.

“He came to see me because he is concerned for your safety,” Dumbledore finished.

Violet scowled.

“I don’t care about that!” she exclaimed suddenly. “How can I help him? How can I be with him?”

“I don’t know that you can,” Dumbledore responded softly.

Violet looked crestfallen.

“There are some things that just aren’t meant to be,” he told her.

Violet frowned.

“And then there are some things that take a long time to bear fruit.”

“He’s made a terrible, huge mistake,” Violet said softly.

“Does he see it that way?”

“Well, no. He says he has made a choice and he’s going to live by it even if it kills him,” she responded.

“I believe that Severus can still use his talents for the good, Miss Evans,” Dumbledore told her.

She looked up at him hopefully.

“But it isn’t I or you who need to believe that, it is Severus,” he said.

Violet nodded.

“The best way you can help him right now is to give him what he wants,” Dumbledore told her.

“I don’t know if I can,” she replied honestly.

“You can if you believe his life may depend on it,” he replied. “And it just may, Miss Evans. Give Severus what he is asking for so he can find the way back himself.”

Dumbledore stood up slowly and Violet followed suit.

“If it is any consolation to you, Miss Evans, he is just as torn up about this as you are. He wouldn’t tell you that, of course, but I have talked with him and I know.”

Violet smiled sadly - small consolation for such a large sacrifice.




Never Again by HandPFeather [Reviews - 0]

<< >>

Disclaimers
Terms of Use
Credits

Copyright © 2003-2007 Sycophant Hex
All rights reserved