The Devil's Smile || Snape x OC

Fluxweed, Knotgrass, and Lacewing Flies, Oh My

April 14th, 1997

"I get that I messed up, but I didn't deserve that. I don't want to do this anymore."

~

It had been a week since Hecate's 'punishment' from Severus. She woke up the next morning and he was gone, only to find him sitting at the teacher's table in the Great Hall. He didn't talk to her besides a polite greeting, waiting until the end of the day to tell her that he forgave her for what had happened. She had nodded and melted in his arms when he wrapped his around her and kissed him back as if nothing had happened. Her body shivered when he released her. She made it through the rest of the day, staying quiet, speaking only when spoken to. The previous night had taken a lot out of her. She was conflicted. She felt as if she deserved it. She also felt as if he took it away too far.

She found herself outside of Dumbledore's office, staring at the gargoyle in front of it. She didn't want a part of the mission anymore. That's all she would have to say. It's not as if Dumbledore is Voldemort. She can back out and not worry about death. She hoped anyway, a lot of her faith was down in the drain at this moment in time. She muttered the password, watching the Gargoyle turn into a staircase. She trudged up the stairs, hands in the pockets of her jeans. There was no noise behind the door, Hecate knocked. "Come in." came a muffled voice, she reached for the doorknob and allowed herself inside.

"Ah, Miss. Black. How can I help you?"

Dumbledore didn't even bother to look up from whatever had his interest on his desk. Hecate moved forward to sit in the chairs in front of him, not speaking quite yet, playing with her fingers in her lap. Dumbledore finished what he was writing, and set his quill down, finally looking at her.

"Miss. Black?"

She bit her lip and released it before speaking. "I want out. I don't want to complete this mission." Dumbledore stood from his seat and moved to sit on the edge of the desk in front of her. She still refused to look directly at him. "Miss. Black, I thought I made it clear about how important ---"

"He raped me."

Her head had lifted to look Dumbledore directly in the eye. "That is a serious accusation. When did this incident happen?" "Last week." "Tell me about it. I need to know everything."

Hecate left nothing out. Starting from what happened in Hogsmeade. Then about Charlie, admitting to Severus the truth. About what happened later that night, the details are enough to show fault but not enough to be graphic. "I get that I messed up, but I didn't deserve that. I don't want to do this anymore."

Dumbledore clapped his hands in front of him before standing up and moving towards an elegant cupboard. He opened the doors and pulled a shallow bowl-like object. "Do you know what this is Miss Black?" She nodded, "Orion had one in his study at Grimmauld Place. A Pensieve." Hecate stood up this time, moving towards the bowl. "Do you mind?" he questioned her, gesturing towards the bowl. She shook her head and pulled out her wand.

She retrieved from her head the contents he wanted from her and placed them in the bowl. She moved back to the chair as Dumbledore put his face in to watch her memories. Not that she wanted Dumbledore to see every bit of her and Severus, but it was the only way to prove that what she was saying was true. Dumbledore popped his face out of the bowl and looked at her. "That definitely what had happened." He paused, thinking to himself. "Do you mind if I call Severus up here?" Her stomach did a flip, but she shook her head anyways.

Dumbledore flicked his wand a silvery mist floating out of it and jetting out the door.

--

After what seemed like forever, a knock came across Dumbledore's door. "Come in." Dumbledore had taken his seat once more behind his desk, Hecate was playing with her fingers in her lap once more. Severus walked in his eyebrows furrowed in confusion at Hecate and Dumbledore but moved to stand near Dumbledore's desk. "I got your message, Sir."

Dumbledore made eye contact with Severus, "Ah, yes. Just a question for you Severus. Where were you last Monday eve?" Severus raised his eyebrow, "With you Sir." Dumbledore nodded, and Hecate looked at him with a confused look on her face. "Until when?" "Late Sir, technically it was Tuesday by the time I left here."

Hecate was shaking her head at this point. "That can't be..." Dumbledore had stood up and walked back over to the Pensieve. "Miss. Black here is accusing you of raping her. She has the memories to prove it." Severus was staring at Hecate, "Hecate... I would never." She flinched when his hand reached out to her. He immediately drew back. Dumbledore gestured to the Pensieve; Severus still had his eyes on Hecate. "Hecate... Can I... Do you mind if I... look?" She shrugged, she almost felt set up. Severus moved towards the Pensieve and dunked his head in. It took a few minutes for him to get through everything, but eventually, he pulled his head out.

"It was me she told her apology too, and me who had told her I had forgiven her the next morning. The rest of it was someone else." She didn't know if he was speaking to her or Dumbledore. "Miss. Black?"

"Then who the hell raped me?"