The Curse of Swan Lake

Chapter Twelve

The days passed quickly. Professor McGonagall was furious to hear about the werewolves, but when the grounds were searched there was no sign of them. She decided only to inform two teachers of the staff, which were Professor Flitwick and Professor Sprout. If someone in the castle had tipped the werewolves off, then it was best not to let that person know what the plan was. Professor McGonagall advised me not to go anywhere alone, not until the traitor was found.

My throat healed quickly thanks to Madam Pomfrey.

And then there was the matter of Professor Snape being a vampire. Once we'd returned to Hogwarts, he'd looked the same as always, which led me to assume that no one else knew.

I didn't know exactly what to say to him.
When we brewed, silence filled the room. It felt strange, as if there was a heaviness between us that hadn't been there before. And I had to admit, I missed our bantering and hearing his dry remarks.

The evening before I was going to return to the faeries, I decided to talk to him. I finished up my potion, stowed it away correctly, then went into Professor Snape's private lab, where he was working on his Cruciatus cure.

His back was turned to me. He'd taken off his black robes had draped them over a chair, leaving him in a white shirt.

I nervously bit my lip and knocked on the opened door. "Sir?"

Professor Snape didn't react. He'd probably heard me trample to his lab with his good hearing.

"I will be going to the faeries tomorrow."

Silence.

"Do you want to join me?"

Professor Snape laid his stirring rod aside. "I doubt you will need a babysitter on the way there," he said with a biting tone.

I furrowed my eyebrows in surprise. I'd actually expected him to stop me from going, considering what happened last week.

"Are you alright, sir?"

Professor Snape reached for a jar containing a dark green powder and unscrewed the lid. "I would be, if you would let me finish my work in peace."

Okay...what's got his knickers in a twist?

I gritted my teeth. Whatever he was so mad about, it wasn't my fault. I determinedly marched up to him and stopped beside the cauldron. I saw his face from the side, which appeared as cold as ever. He'd put on the mask that made him look as old as he was supposed to be.

"Are you angry because I know you're a vampire?"

Professor Snape's jaw tensed. He whirled around, slamming the jar onto the table, and took a step into my direction.

"Do not-", he hissed, "call me that."

I forced myself not to flinch back. "It wasn't your fault," I said firmly.

"Yes, Granger, it was! I almost killed you, for Merlin's sake!"

I narrowed my eyes. "You're not a monster," I said, "Despite what you may think. It wasn't your fault."

A deep growl vibrated in Professor Snape's throat and his eyes narrowed.

"So it wasn't my fault that I wanted to drink your blood until not a single drop was left?" he said sharply. He took another step into my direction, his black eyes burning furiously. "That when I heard your call for help, all I could think of was biting into the warm flesh of your neck?"

His skin smoothened as he unconsciously revealed his true face. His teeth elongated, until sharp fangs had grown past his lower lip and his hair grew even longer, until long black hair fell down his back. I took a step back, only to bump with my hip into the table behind me.