Post by R.L. on Jun 8, 2006 13:37:21 GMT -5
Here we will post the stories belonging to the winner's of Madam Pince's Library. . .The ARAS Fanfiction Challenge!
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# 5
By Cissy
Snape sat staring at the Pensieve. It had been hours since he’d thrown Potter out of his office, and he finally felt he had his temper back under control. Silvery mist swirled inside the stone bowl, as he scooped the memories up to replace. First, the memory that had caused the uproar earlier. At least the boy knows now what I’ve been telling him about his father is true, Snape thought. His wand dipped into the Pensieve to retrieve the second memory. It was fortunate that Potter had not seen this, for he might have attempted to physically attack Snape, had he learned it had been Snape who had disclosed the Prophecy to the Dark Lord. Finally, slowly, he scooped out the third memory. Of all three, it was the memory Snape least wanted Potter to ever see. Snape would prefer to incur Potter’s undying wrath and hatred, than to endure Potter’s sympathy and pity. Closing his eyes, he replaced the memory, and relived that day once more…
Thirteen-year old Severus Snape stood behind his cauldron in Potions class, concentrating on the potion before him. Four minutes more, then he could add the powdered belladonna leaves and stir twice counter-clockwise. So intent was he on his cauldron, he did not see the seventh-year Ravenclaw Prefect rush in and whisper urgently to Professor Slughorn. Slughorn walked hurriedly over to Snape’s cauldron. “Severus!”
Snape looked up. “Yes, Professor?”
“Please go with Parker here to Dumbledore’s office. It’s very urgent.”
“But, sir, my potion isn’t finished,” Snape began.
“Yes, yes, potion’s fine, full marks, now hurry!” Slughorn looked pale and worried.
Grabbing his bag, Snape followed the Prefect up to the Headmaster’s office. The Prefect kept shooting anxious glances at Snape, who made no attempt to ask any questions.
At Dumbledore’s office, the Prefect spoke the current password, and shooed Snape up the staircase, alone. Anxiously, he entered the office. “You wished to see me, Headmaster?”
Dumbledore looked up, the twinkle gone from his blue eyes. “Yes, Severus. I’ve had a message from home for you.”
“It’s Mother, isn’t it?” Snape asked quietly. Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly.
“I’m afraid so. There’s not much time, so I will take you there myself. You’re not on the Floo network, are you?” Snape shook his head. “Side-along Apparition then. Come, we must hurry to the front gates so we can leave.” Dumbledore strode towards the door, with Snape following closely behind.
“I was given the impression you did not know about your mother’s illness.”
“I knew she wasn’t well. She’d gone to St. Mungo’s, after seeing a Muggle doctor like my father insisted.” Snape panted, trying to keep up with Dumbledore’s long stride.
“How did you find out?” Dumbledore glanced back.
Snape hung his head. “I listened in at their door after she got back. She told him it was cancer, and even the Healers said it was only a matter of time.” He choked back tears. “She said it would be best to not tell me, she didn’t want me to come to school worried about her.” One tear escaped to run down his cheek.
Dumbledore held out his hand. They had reached the front gates of the school.
Snape collapsed into a heap in his backyard, gasping heavily. This was only the second time he’d Side-along Apparated, and it was just as bad as the first. Dumbledore walked up to the back door and knocked. Snape’s father opened it a moment later.
“There you are, boy. Hurry up, now.”
Snape rushed past his father up to his parents’ bedroom. He was shocked at the change in her. Three months ago, when she had said goodbye at the start of term, she still looked healthy. Now she looked gaunt and frail. She lay quite still, and for a moment, Snape feared he was too late. Then Eileen opened her eyes, and lifted her hand.
“There’s my dear,” she whispered. Snape knelt by her, and her hand came to rest on his head. “There’s my little Princeling.” Slowly, she stroked his hair, as she had done when he was little. “I love you, Sevvy.”
“I love you, too, Mother,” Snape whispered, letting his tears flow freely. He could hardly get the words out, as she stroked the side of his face briefly. He caught her hand, and held it between his own.
“Take care of yourself…and your father… Severus, please?”
“Yes, Mother, I will. I promise.” Snape looked up and saw his father walk into the room. Tobias knelt at the other side of the bed, and held his wife’s other hand. Snape was surprised to see tears in his eyes, and briefly wondered at the change in his father since the summer. Eileen looked at her husband with a sad smile on her face, and closed her eyes.
She did not open them again.
Opening his eyes, Snape found that they were full of tears. Annoyed, he dashed them from his face. He could not help but wonder how different life would have been had his parents realized how much they actually had cared for each other before his mother’s illness. After she died, Tobias took to drinking to ease his heartache. Despite Snape’s best efforts to look after him, he ended up drinking himself to death shortly before Snape’s sixth year at school.
Snape replaced the Pensieve in the cabinet where Potter had found it, and locked it securely. Maybe by now the wretched boy had learned enough to keep the Dark Lord out of his head. Snape hoped so, for all their sakes, for he would not suffer through another Occlumency lesson with Potter ever again.
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# 5
By Cissy
Snape sat staring at the Pensieve. It had been hours since he’d thrown Potter out of his office, and he finally felt he had his temper back under control. Silvery mist swirled inside the stone bowl, as he scooped the memories up to replace. First, the memory that had caused the uproar earlier. At least the boy knows now what I’ve been telling him about his father is true, Snape thought. His wand dipped into the Pensieve to retrieve the second memory. It was fortunate that Potter had not seen this, for he might have attempted to physically attack Snape, had he learned it had been Snape who had disclosed the Prophecy to the Dark Lord. Finally, slowly, he scooped out the third memory. Of all three, it was the memory Snape least wanted Potter to ever see. Snape would prefer to incur Potter’s undying wrath and hatred, than to endure Potter’s sympathy and pity. Closing his eyes, he replaced the memory, and relived that day once more…
Thirteen-year old Severus Snape stood behind his cauldron in Potions class, concentrating on the potion before him. Four minutes more, then he could add the powdered belladonna leaves and stir twice counter-clockwise. So intent was he on his cauldron, he did not see the seventh-year Ravenclaw Prefect rush in and whisper urgently to Professor Slughorn. Slughorn walked hurriedly over to Snape’s cauldron. “Severus!”
Snape looked up. “Yes, Professor?”
“Please go with Parker here to Dumbledore’s office. It’s very urgent.”
“But, sir, my potion isn’t finished,” Snape began.
“Yes, yes, potion’s fine, full marks, now hurry!” Slughorn looked pale and worried.
Grabbing his bag, Snape followed the Prefect up to the Headmaster’s office. The Prefect kept shooting anxious glances at Snape, who made no attempt to ask any questions.
At Dumbledore’s office, the Prefect spoke the current password, and shooed Snape up the staircase, alone. Anxiously, he entered the office. “You wished to see me, Headmaster?”
Dumbledore looked up, the twinkle gone from his blue eyes. “Yes, Severus. I’ve had a message from home for you.”
“It’s Mother, isn’t it?” Snape asked quietly. Dumbledore closed his eyes briefly.
“I’m afraid so. There’s not much time, so I will take you there myself. You’re not on the Floo network, are you?” Snape shook his head. “Side-along Apparition then. Come, we must hurry to the front gates so we can leave.” Dumbledore strode towards the door, with Snape following closely behind.
“I was given the impression you did not know about your mother’s illness.”
“I knew she wasn’t well. She’d gone to St. Mungo’s, after seeing a Muggle doctor like my father insisted.” Snape panted, trying to keep up with Dumbledore’s long stride.
“How did you find out?” Dumbledore glanced back.
Snape hung his head. “I listened in at their door after she got back. She told him it was cancer, and even the Healers said it was only a matter of time.” He choked back tears. “She said it would be best to not tell me, she didn’t want me to come to school worried about her.” One tear escaped to run down his cheek.
Dumbledore held out his hand. They had reached the front gates of the school.
Snape collapsed into a heap in his backyard, gasping heavily. This was only the second time he’d Side-along Apparated, and it was just as bad as the first. Dumbledore walked up to the back door and knocked. Snape’s father opened it a moment later.
“There you are, boy. Hurry up, now.”
Snape rushed past his father up to his parents’ bedroom. He was shocked at the change in her. Three months ago, when she had said goodbye at the start of term, she still looked healthy. Now she looked gaunt and frail. She lay quite still, and for a moment, Snape feared he was too late. Then Eileen opened her eyes, and lifted her hand.
“There’s my dear,” she whispered. Snape knelt by her, and her hand came to rest on his head. “There’s my little Princeling.” Slowly, she stroked his hair, as she had done when he was little. “I love you, Sevvy.”
“I love you, too, Mother,” Snape whispered, letting his tears flow freely. He could hardly get the words out, as she stroked the side of his face briefly. He caught her hand, and held it between his own.
“Take care of yourself…and your father… Severus, please?”
“Yes, Mother, I will. I promise.” Snape looked up and saw his father walk into the room. Tobias knelt at the other side of the bed, and held his wife’s other hand. Snape was surprised to see tears in his eyes, and briefly wondered at the change in his father since the summer. Eileen looked at her husband with a sad smile on her face, and closed her eyes.
She did not open them again.
Opening his eyes, Snape found that they were full of tears. Annoyed, he dashed them from his face. He could not help but wonder how different life would have been had his parents realized how much they actually had cared for each other before his mother’s illness. After she died, Tobias took to drinking to ease his heartache. Despite Snape’s best efforts to look after him, he ended up drinking himself to death shortly before Snape’s sixth year at school.
Snape replaced the Pensieve in the cabinet where Potter had found it, and locked it securely. Maybe by now the wretched boy had learned enough to keep the Dark Lord out of his head. Snape hoped so, for all their sakes, for he would not suffer through another Occlumency lesson with Potter ever again.
