Serendipity [Book 2]

Taking Its Toll

I apologize ahead of time if this chapter isn't as long or as good as my past chapters. I've come down with some sort of virus and it's draining the everliving daylights out of me. Again, sorry :[

Oh, and I don't own JK ROWLING's characters and plot line. I do own Ariella Cross. She's mine. :D

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It had been months since there had been a sighting of Sirius Black. To say that the students were tense was nothing compared to how the staff felt, especially Ariella. No one, not even Remus, could calm her anxiety and it tore through Severus with might. It would be better if someone did see Black. Then at least they'd know where he was. It was because of this that Severus could see the wariness draining his colleague of her energy.  How long had it been since she cast that oh so annoying, yet oh so beautiful careless smile? Too long, he decided one night when his mind wouldn’t stay on the fifth year essays about a Strengthening Solution he had assigned earlier that week.

“Damn it,” he cursed before climbing to his feet. His robes billowed as he moved through the corridors swiftly, silently. His knocks on Ariella’s chamber doors rang eerily down the empty hallway. His face hid his worry when she opened the door; her eyes searched around him. Paranoia seemed to be everyone's companion,he noted sourly.

“Snape, what are you doing here at this time of night?” She asked, quirking an eyebrow at his stoic form.

“Cross, may I come in?” He questioned, avoiding her question. Honestly, he didn’t know what he was doing here. He didn’t know what he hoped to achieve by coming here. His feet had simply carried him to her door. She had dark circles under her eyes and her curls were limp around her face. He felt his features soften when she moved to the side to let him pass.

“Yeah. Sure, why not?”  Snape took note of the general disarray that surround him and frowned. It was messier than he remembered it being. Well glimpses of it being.

“What brings you out of your bat-cave, Bat Man?” Ariella pulled her robes around her as Severus turned to face her.

“What did you call me?” He queried as she sighed.

“Bat man. The students think you’re with a vampire, or a Bat-Man.” She explained easily and Snape could hear the slight bitterness in her voice.

“Cross, do you know the students are saying about you?” He asked as she shrugged.

“Not really, no. Probably that I’m a zombie.” She responded; her voice was empty of the laughter she was adored for.

“Yes, or that you’ve been kidnapped and replaced.” He replied as he took an unconscious step toward her.

“Ariella.” His hand reached out for her against his will.

“This isn’t you.” He mumbled once his hand cupped her cheek. Her skin was soft against his calloused fingers. She leaned into his touch. Neither of them would ever admit that the contact felt welcome.

“He’s not going to reach you…” He spoke softly as she closed her eyes.

“It’s not me I’m worried about, Bat-Man.” She sighed before pulling away.

“You hated Sirius. This isn’t hard for you. I loved him. To think of him as a murderer, as evil, and a deatheater is unbearable. He hated all of that pureblood nonsense. All of those foolish beliefs that your strength of magic comes from your blood. Plenty of witches and wizards who aren’t pureblood are just as good or even better than those that are.” Ariella explained as she pulled away entirely. Snape scowled at her. He tried to remember if Ariella ever mentioned her family before now. He vaguely remembered her saying it was an old family.

 “You aren’t pureblood, are you? You’re family would have thrown those beliefs at you.” He accused as Ariella smirked. He doubted her lineage. Of course, she had never given any clues as to what that lineage was.

“I come from one of the purest lines alive. Descended from Godric Gryffindor the Great.” She announced as Snape froze. His dark eyes were pinned on Ariella's tired form in shock. He could see the resemblance and that story she had told the students last year had to have some significant meaning if she was named ater the heroine.

“By blood, I go against everything a Slytherin believes in. It’s our rule.” She shrugged as Severus stared at her, stunned. Now that he thought about it, it added it up. In their school days, Ariella Cross had just as much power over the school board as Lucius Malfoy had. Maybe even more it seemed. She had been Gryffindor to the core.

“You’re an actual Gryffindor?” He choked on the words. Ariella could tell the news was hard for him to digest. It was extremely rare to meet a Descendant. Of course, he probably wouldn't have had such a big deal if it weren't Gryffindor she was related to.

“Yes. Is that an issue? It’s not like I’m great or something.” She replied, quirking an eyebrow at Snape’s sudden iciness.

“You are…” Snape couldn’t even find the words to describe her. She was everything Gryffindor was rumored to be yet…

“This changed nothing between us, Cross. Do not expect me to worship the ground you walk on.” He growled as Ariella frowned. Is that what he thought of her? A cocky prick?

“Who do you think I am? James?” The moment the name slipped from her lips, her body began to tremble and tears appeared in her eyes. Memories of her friends were still sore points for her. While she and Remus reminiscied often, they never actually retold memories they held dear.  Severus winced as she backed away from him.

“Leave Snape. Please.” Her voice trembled as Severus stare at her distraught form. He was trying to figure out what he had done to earn her hatred at the moment.

“Leave!” She shouted as she brought her hands to her face and tears raced down her cheeks. Snape couldn’t move as he watched her sink to her knees.

“Ariella…” His voice was barely above a whisper as he watched her sob openly. The sight of it tore through his chest like a serrated blade.

“Go! Now!” She screamed harshly until he sank down to one knee in front of her. His hand cupped her reddening cheek gently.

“No.” He answered resolutely. Ariella stared at him with wide, confused eyes.

“Why?” She whispered as Snape pulled her against his chest awkwardly.

“I would never take orders from a Gryffindor.” He replied as Ariella clung to him in desperation. She would never understand why he always felt the need to be noble when they were alone. He openly criticized her when others were around. But alone, she felt that he respected her.

“Severus, it hurts…” Ariella admitted in a quiet sob, pulling herself deeper into his robes. She had learned that she felt safe and secure in his presence. His scent calmed her. Odd, she thought.

“I know.”  Severus responded quietly as he held her. He knew there was nothing he could do for her. He knew that he simply just had to be there. So he held her until he heard her sobs soften into quiet snores. When he looked down, he  saw she had fallen asleep against him with her arms firmly around his waist. He would've sneered at the blonde, but he couldn't muster the energy. Somehow Severus Snape managed to manuever Ariella up into his arms, and he carried her to bed, swiftly. He watched as she sunk gently into the mattress. He watched her golden curls splay across her crimson pillow. And he watched her sleep with a tenderness that un-nerved him as much as it warmed his heart. The walk back to the dungeons was cold and uneventful. And for the first time, in over 2 decades, Severus Snape resented his Slytherin heritage.