Pride & Polyjuice (Professor Snape Story)

                “Well of course! That’s what makes it so…intriguing. Wouldn’t you say?” I replied setting my clothes on top of books. I walked slowly closer to the water, but when I looked back over my shoulder he was gone. I shrugged and dipped my toes into the water, only to have them retracted almost instantly. “Bloody hell!” I exclaimed under my breath while biting down on my lip, it felt like ice. I took a step back before looking around the perimeter of the lake.               Ah-ha. Directly across from me I saw a large cliff overlooking the water. I happily gathered my things and enchanted them to float behind me as I skipped and hummed further away from the castle.

                I looked down at the water, and chewed on my lip thoughtfully, my toes hanging off the edge. I had stripped down to just my white button down dress shirt and my undergarments. The water looked much more menacing from this angle. I looked over at the castle and then down at the water before taking a few steps back away from the side. i squeezed my eyes shut and inhaled a sharp breath before I took a few large strides and jumped from the jutting mass of ground. “oh!” I exclaimed as I fell through the air, I collided with the water seconds later, air escaped my lungs impossibly fast as the cold water penetrated my skin like a thousand needles. My head finally reached the surface, after much tossing and turning, I breathed in as much air as I could, but the air suddenly felt colder than the water, so I ducked my head under again and looked down as best I could below me. Water quickly filled my ears and blocked out any noise that above ground could had and I soon felt drawn further down, I kicked and paddled my way further below the surface, causing the water around me to become colder and colder, darker and darker until I came to a large field of seaweed. I remained high above it, however curious about what lurked within it. I remained still, my legs below me and my arms outstretched on both sides, my blonde hair wrapped around my face like a blindfold and I shook my head to remove it from my eyes; I nearly screamed at whatever was in front of my face.

                The creature was greenish in colour and had hair like fins that protruded in every angle from her head. She wore an frightening countenance and harsh giant eyes, from her neck gills were clearly visible, and in her hand a trident was pressed firmly against my neck. I felt the oxygen in my lungs trickle out in frightened bubbles that came after I kicked and swatted the creature, though this was of no use since everything was slowed to a fraction of the speed, a fraction of the power. I kicked and kicked as hard as I could muster before I felt the creature, which I assumed to be one of the merfolk, shoved her spear through my calf. Blood gushed from the wound and I felt my mouth open and my air rush out. I was screaming, or at least I was trying to. But nothing could be heard above the waves that crashed over our heads, just barely out of reach. I felt myself grow weaker and weaker from a combination of malnutrition and blood loss before everything went black.

                When I awoke I found myself entangled in dark satin sheets. I felt completely drained and when I opened my eyes, I instantly regretted it, and quickly shut them. “I…Do you even…” Silence.

                After a minute of complete silence I slightly opened my eyes again to find my mother and brother sitting next to me. Both staring at me, both clearly angry, but seemingly more worried. “What happened?” I asked innocently as I propped myself up on my elbows and put a hand on my forehead which had sweat beads clinging on to it. “You almost died…again.” It was Draco who first spoke. Part of me wanted to laugh, but that was because it was a normal occurrence for me, and I had already gotten used to it.  “Any details?” I asked slowly, trying not to push my luck.

                “You jumped into the Black Lake. Almost completely nude.” This time it was my mother who spoke, stress lining majority of her features. I just nodded and dropped back down on my bed. I felt extremely rested but before I had time to say anything else Draco spoke again, “You ought to feel mighty proud. What the bloody hell were you thinking?!” he yelled, nearly busting my eardrums, when I reopened my eyes I found it was only us in the room, mom must have left. She never was one for many words.             “Hey…I’m not really in the mood for this so can you bring me some tea?” I asked rubbing my temples. I saw anger cross his face before he clenched and unclenched his fist. “You have no idea how pissed father was. He could have killed you, or me, or anyone at that school, or hospital.” He just seemed to be ranting now. I chuckled under my breath. That only made it worse.