𝔖𝔫𝔞𝔭𝔢'𝔰 ℜ𝔢𝔱𝔲𝔯𝔫 (ℭ𝔬𝔪𝔭𝔩𝔢𝔱𝔢, 18+)

๑۞ ℭ𝔲𝔭𝔦𝔡 & 𝔓𝔰𝔶𝔠𝔥𝔢 ۞๑

     With a shake of my head, I stood, holding the doorknob of Belinda Hook's office, struggling to remember why I agreed to do this. It wasn't as if Narcissa had given me much choice on the matter, but did I really need a matchmaker? Was I really so hopeless that I needed guidance on the subject?

     Given the absurd amount of letters that I'd received from ready and willing women, it was clear that I had options. Of course, I hadn't taken it upon myself to respond to any of the offers. Even still, it really shouldn't be that difficult to find a wife.

     Deciding I'd wasted enough time standing around, I pulled the door open and made my way inside.

     "It's an honor to finally meet with you, Mr. Snape, please come in," the matchmaker announced while grasping my hand in an exuberant handshake as she looked me over.

     Belinda Hooks was a tall, nicely curved woman decorated with black, white, and multiple shades of red that adorned her robes and hair, making her look like an exotic peacock. Usually, such an elaborate looking appearance would make me inwardly cringe, however on Hooks, it looked flattering and gave her an inviting feel.

     She led me to a large stone and wood parlor that held various comfortable looking loveseats and chairs arranged around two dramatic-looking fireplaces that sat on opposing walls.

     She lifted her arm, "Take any seat you'd like so we can have a little chat about what you're looking for in a life partner."

     Scanning the room, I spotted a chair that looked identical to one in my study. I'd made it to the chair and sat down before noticing that Hook's hadn't followed me and was busy loading refreshments onto a silver tray.

     When she'd finally made her way over, I'd become uncomfortable under her assessing gaze. As if knowing I was feeling leery, she set tea and a plate, with a few finger sandwiches, down as a peace offering.

     She handed me the cup of tea and sat in the chair to my left, holding a beverage of her own.

     I placed the rim of the teacup to my lips and was pleasantly surprised by the unsweetened or creamed peppermint and clove tea. It was the optimal temperature of roughly seventy-eight degrees, and I suspected Narcissa had told her all about me and my preferences.

     When I looked up into her red-brown eyes, she was smiling warmly, and I felt myself growing comfortable - relaxed even - which was odd given the situation. I briefly wondered if she'd slipped something into my tea. I carefully sniffed the steaming liquid before setting it on the table and began fussing with the cloak that lay over my legs.

     "Severus, " she paused, her smile growing wide, "...is it okay if I call you that?"

     I wasn't sure how I felt about this stranger calling me by my first name but nodded anyway to avoid seeming rude.

     "I can't begin to tell you how excited I was when Narcissa wrote to tell me that you would be utilizing my services to find your future wife."

     An involuntary grimace crossed my face at the very mention of the w-word. I hid it behind a congenial smile and a polite nod of my head, "Narcissa speaks very highly of you, so I have the utmost faith in your skills."

     She blushed under the praise before continuing, "She's such a darling woman and cares a great deal about finding the right match for you."

     A growing sense of apprehension caused my stomach to tie itself into knots as she continued excitedly, "I don't know if you're aware, but you're in the peak of your game, and I'm positive you can have anyone you'd like. So, if there's someone you're interested in, then just give me her name, and I will deliver her on a silver platter."