Shadows || A Severus Snape Fanfiction

Chapter 24 - The Lies of Albus Dumbledore

"I said no," Asha repeated cooly, "he will stay." She backed a few steps away from Dumbledore until Snape was only a foot behind her right shoulder.

"Asha," Dumbledore urged. His expression remained impassive, but his voice was laced with a severity she had never heard from him. "As much as I appreciate the loyalty you are showing your professor, this is my office and I am your headmaster." He tilted his head so he was peering at her unobstructed over his half-moon spectacles. "I am in charge of who is permitted inside this space. Please remember that I only want what is best for you. Now, Severus, I will not ask again, you will leave Miss Winters and I to discuss her concerns in private. Thank you."

In the moment that Severus hesitated over whether or not he should defy Albus, Asha's hand shot back and grasped his forearm. He suppressed a flinch as her fingers dug into the spot where his faded Dark Mark was still branded.

"Stay," she said to him quietly, without tearing her gaze from Dumbledore. Severus' eyes flickered from Asha's hand to Albus. No one moved.

"He's not going anywhere," Asha announced fiercely, "You've been lying to me. I need someone here that I can trust."

Severus felt maliciously smug as he sensed Albus wince at the insinuation that the girl didn't feel safe to be alone with him. After a long moment, Dumbledore laced his fingers together and sighed in reluctant defeat. Severus swelled with a dark triumph.

"That is fair," Dumbledore said softly, before sitting back down behind his desk. "Please, have a seat." He waved his wand, conjuring a second chair in front of the desk for Snape. Asha hesitated, then sat stiffly in the left armchair.

Severus refused to move, instead clasping his hands behind his back, still holding his wand. He scowled and watched from afar, a deep crease between his brows. Albus ignored him, turning his attention to the girl.

"Now, Asha," said he calmly, "I understand this is an urgent matter. But it's important I take the time to get the full picture of what has been going on. Why don't you start by explaining to me what you meant when you said 'my life doesn't make any sense'?"

Asha looked at him blankly as she endured a surge of anxiety. This was actually happening. Should she really tell him? Then she thought back to the powerful smell of the gin and experienced the horrible glitching, static sensation in the depths of her brain. She was falling apart... She had no choice. Asha took a deep breath, knowing this would also be the first time Snape was hearing this.

"I'm a Parselmouth," she croaked. Then, afraid of Dumbledore's reaction, she quickly plundered on, leaving no chance for a response. "I found out at the duelling club when Harry Potter spoke to that snake." All of a sudden, Dumbledore was looking very grim. "I know Parselmouth is hereditary so I tried to figure out who I could have got it from because ... because I don't know anything about who my parents were. I searched for information everywhere I could think of..." she pictured Snape scowling behind her, since it was he who had caught her red-handed in the restricted section, "... but it was impossible."

Inside Severus Snape was roiling with infuriation. Asha had sworn this was not important. The stupid girl had hidden from him what was irrefutably the most critical piece of information she had! However he maintained an impenetrable shield of impassive reserve as Albus glanced at him.

"For a second I thought it was..." Asha faltered at the absurdity of it, "... I... I thought it could be You-Know-Who." Asha was now talking to a strange silver instrument on Dumbledore's desk; anything to avoid those piercing blue eyes. "Tom Riddle was the only Parselmouth alive at the right time. But I looked it up and it's well documented that You-Know-Who wasn't in New Zealand at the time I was conceived...so..."