𝐒𝐀𝐂𝐑𝐈𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐄 || Severus Snape x OC ||

34. OF SERPENTS & CINDER

She raised her wand sharply in the direction but held herself back the moment the dark swirling mist receded, and Severus appeared. The spell found her in a second, throwing her several meters back. He landed across her. Not a word came out of his parted lips when he flicked his wand again, and a lightning beam hit her shoulder.

She had seen him but refused to fight him. His brows furrowed.

"Again," he commanded. But this time he left no more room for her to catch her breath. She was ready; he could see it, read it in her eyes, sense it in the aura around her. Come on, little one, his eyes pleaded behind their onyx blades.

He hesitated. None of the spells he'd use could truly harm her. This was a test. A simulation fueled by the effects of his potion, to prepare her for what she'd have to face. But harmless as they were, the spells would still be painful. They'd still give her a well enough idea of what the unforgivable curses would do if she were to be attacked. They'd still resemble the dementors' unforgiving kiss. He pointed his wand at her, and his eyes pierced into hers.

Energy bled from his hand to the wand and bridged the distance between Severus and the young witch with a burst of greenish light that felt like a stab in her abdomen. Alice breathed heavily, pain surged through her, and she clenched her wand before she moved like a wave crashing against the shore. Severus felt her voiceless spell push him back, but not enough to disarm him as he guessed she wanted to.

He flicked his wand in a sudden motion, flaming tongues flashed from its tip, giving Alice hardly a second to dodge them before he could flick his wand again. Her wand vibrated in her hand, as she struggled to rebound his spell whose flaming tongues licked the hem of her dress.

Fumos, her mind roared, waving her wand with the rapid movement of a slashing sword. A snake of smoke came out of her wand's tip, filling the space between them, giving her just enough time to make it harder for him to find her, to see her. She bolted to her right, just as Snape tried to swish his wand and swiftly stepped near and behind him casting the disarming spell that sent Snape's wand up in the air.

Carpe Retractum! Her mind's words echoed, and a retractable cord of orange light enveloped his wand bringing it to her waiting palm before he could snatch it in the air. Pointing now both wands against him, she paced back towards him.

Her eyes beaming. His, burning.

"Impressive," his lips tugged to the side in the ghost of a smirk. Alice's smile illuminated her face like the first ray of sunshine after the clouds of a storm. She straightened up and stepped towards him offering him back his wand.

Dark eyes found his.

There she was; the restrained wilderness behind those nocturnal mysteries of her eyes.

He took his wand from her slender fingers, holding her gaze. His brows twitched ever slightly at her beaming eyes. She turned to position herself back at the spot across him, but just as she had her back turned to him, a cord of orange light wrapped around her waist so suddenly, Alice barely had the time to gasp before the cord tightened around her and abruptly pulled her back, crashing her against him. He spun her around, flat against his chest, and his arm came around her as with the other he flicked his wand and released her of the orange cord.

"Don't let your guard down..." he warned leaning forward ever slightly. His thunderous drawl sent shivers down her spine. "There's more than foolish wand-waving in a fight -NEVER take your eyes off your opponent."

"Yes, sir," she breathed out, and Severus merely got a glance of the mischievous sparkle in her eyes before she swished her wand and a faint purple light appeared. She bit her lip to hide a little smirk when Severus's eyes grew wide and menacing at the tongue-tying spell she had cast. His arm abandoned her form and Alice snatched the opportunity to bolt as he flicked his wand against her spell. Her heart raced in her chest, and she hasted as swiftly as she could as far away from him as possible and towards the trees for what she hoped to be a good cover.