Descendant of Merlin Book 3: Fear and Family (Severus Snape)

Magia

"Ah," said Madam Arcuri, her eyes brightening. She instantly switched into fluent English. "Welcome to Venice, I hope your stay is most pleasant this Carnevale—you seem vaguely familiar." She leaned forward and I could imagine her squinting at Severus as if trying to discern how she knew him. He looked uneasy.

"Perhaps you have me mistaken with someone else," he said annoyed. "About the passage to Magia?"

"Perhaps you are right," the tall woman said straightening. She seemed chipper yet there was a dominating air about her that told Isabella she was not a woman to be trifled with. "If you seek the island of Magia then you'll want to see Sergio. He's the main gondolier to Magia. He can take you for fifteen galleons."

Severus' jaw tightened. That was a lot of money for one trip by gondola, but this was Venice and it was Carnevale after all. "Where do we find Sergio?" Severus asked tersely. He was growing impatient. I remained silent and watched him handle things.

"Head back towards the main canal and take a right. Go down a ways and there will be a set of stairs that seem to disappear into the water for no reason. The water there is an illusion. Keep going down and you'll be in line for Sergio. The whole gondola is enchanted so muggles don't see it."

"Thank you for the information," Severus told her with a curt nod then turned away. We hadn't made it two meters when she called out again.

"Severus?"

My husband froze, and I could feel the tension rolling off him in waves. I stopped too. I was very curious as to how she seemed to know him. I felt rather than saw her approach, but she stopped a short distance away as if unsure how close it was safe to come. "That is you, isn't it?" She asked lightly. I turned and saw that she had removed her mask.

Stunning was the only word to describe her. She had dark burgundy hair and hazel eyes so bright they could have lit up a dark room. Her features were sharp and aristocratic in a very mature and feminine way. The litheness with which she carried herself was the epitome of womanliness. I immediately resented how intimidated she made me feel. The look on Severus' face didn't help either.

He had turned and was now standing, almost transfixed by her gaze. Her eyes trailed up and down his long form before settling on his face, a small smile playing on her full lips. A murderous thought or two ran through my mind. Severus stepped up next to me and wrapped an arm securely around my waist. I wasn't certain if it was a gesture to the woman or a way to restrain me as Severus had an uncanny way of knowing what I was thinking.

"It's been—a while, Stella," Severus answered silkily. My eyebrows rose as he suddenly seemed on a first name basis with this woman I had never heard of. The witch laughed a soft tinkling laugh filled with mirth.

"As uptight as always, I see," she purred, then her eyes flitted to me with interest. "Can it be possible you've taken a wife?" she seemed honestly shocked by the thought. I swallowed the intimidation I felt and forced my shoulders back and my spine to straighten. Severus's hand tightened on my waist; reassuring or warning me? Don't trust me to play nice, Severus? I thought with malicious glee but said nothing aloud.

"This is Isabella. We are, in fact, here for our honeymoon," my husband introduced me. I gave Madam Arcuri a cool smile and extended a hand for her to shake. Hers was long and slender and felt perfectly smooth in mine, but her grip was firm and confident.

"A pleasure, I'm sure," I greeted pleasantly.

Stella leaned in and kissed the air next to both of my cheeks before drawing back with a gleaming smile. "When in Italy, do as the Italians do. Isn't that right, Severus?" she shot a coy smile past me to my husband. Suddenly the temperature in the room jumped up a few degrees as I fought to keep my tongue in check. Arcuri seemed to notice the temperature change and looked around in confusion for a moment before settling back to me.