THE STIR
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Once The Prophet published the name of the Death Eaters who escaped, just a week after we got back to Hogwarts, my name got more attention than I expected.
Of fucking course.
While I was reading the whole article during breakfast, I made the biggest effort not to look at my mother's picture because I knew it would be too much for me and quickly made eye contact with Liv from across the Hall. She made silent signs to tell me to breathe deeply and calmly and I nodded.
"Arambella, mommy isn't as stupid as all of us thought, is she? Already planning to join her?" some prick from Ravenclaw shouted as he passed in front of the Slytherin table.
Blaise hissed and Draco almost spat in his face.
"Shut up, you filthy mudblood, before I curse you," the blond threatened, grabbing my hand under the table.
"Yes, Williams, why don't you go to the Astronomy tower and throw yourself, mate? Bet it would be fun." Blaise added, looking actually pissed off. The Ravenclaw boy chuckled and walked away, running to tell his mates. "This is the first one of today but you know they're going to fuck you up, right?"
I sighed, " I do, but can't do anything, can I? I already have detention with Umbridge today for breaking the bloody dress code and honestly, I don't fancy losing my free time with that bitch anymore because I cursed a bunch of knobs."
"Then you are lucky you have us," Draco said snobby, while Blaise nodded.
"Do I? I know Blaise's with me but you've been a teacher's pet to that woman. Where's your Slytherin loyalty, pal?"
"I'm more loyal to you than to her," He replied proudly.
"Prove it then," I stood up from the table and grabbed my bag, ready to go, I squeezed Draco's face in my hand, making Blaise hold his laugh, and left a kiss on the blond's cheek. "Gotta go, I have a class with Sprout."
"Ouch, Lilith, my cheeks!"
The entire morning passed pretty quickly and soon, I was in my last class before lunch; Potions, shared with some Gryffindors. Liv offered to stay with me at the entrance of the dungeons until Severus arrived since her class with Sprout started later.
"Everyone's losing the plot today, mate. I know it's because of my mother and all that stuff, I was expecting it actually, but did you see how Ginny attempted to curse that Gryff that messed with me? and how Angelina almost pushed one of the other ones?" I spoke in a whisper to Liv while we waited for Severus and the rest to arrive.
"Yeah, who would have thought that the Gryffs themselves would be defending you from other Gryffindors?" she snorted, laughing. "But you already know what I told you, ignore them and they will end up ignoring you."
"For the first time, I'm gonna listen to you." I leaned against the wall, crossing my arms.
"Finally," she rolled her eyes dramatically, with a little smile. "Took you seven years."
"Look who we have in here!" I heard Sienna Plums's voice arriving, being followed by her new boyfriend; Marco Alton, as well as the other Gryffindors in our class. What an incredible couple innit. "How's mommy, Little Snape?"
"Sienna..." George Weasley snorted, tired, leaning next to me in the wall while taking off his head one of his new inventions for the business with Fred. Potions was the only class I shared with both twins but I had already seen Georgie this morning in Transfigurations and he was as nice as usual to me.
"What's wrong with you, George? Are you now a Death Eater's friend?" she asked, grossed, giving me an up-to-down look that I responded raising an eyebrow and giving her the Slytherin look.
"We are not 15-year-olds anymore, girl, you shouldn't be accusing someone of being a blood supremacist just like that. My mate Lilith did nothing wrong," he said passing his arm around my shoulders.
"Oh, she didn't? Isn't she Circe Snape's daughter?" Alton interrupted, standing with his girlfriend. "I wonder something, Arambella - are you going to learn how to be one of them or are just staying in the role of Death Eaters' whore as your mum?"
I noticed how George put discreetly a hand over Fred's chest to stop him. Was he going to defend me too? Am I still dreaming or is this some kind of joke?
"Call me a whore again, Alton, and I promise you will be swallowing my boot," I smiled cynic.
"I'm not scared of you," he claimed not sounding too convinced.
"You should. Being a Death Eater's child teaches you lots of infamous curses that would make you cry out loud."
"She doesn't even need the curses," Liv said behind me, interlacing her hand with mine. "One punch and you are out of the game."
"Oh, I forgot," he continued, "Now you have the badger's bitch to defend you as well."
I quickly lifted my wand at his throat. Anyone but Olivia, you son of a bitch.
"Is something wrong going in here?" we heard McGonagall's voice appearing in the corridor. "Ms Arambella, may I ask you why you have your wand out if you aren't in class yet?"
"I'm sorry, Professor, I was only getting ready for today's lesson," I said pretty quick lowering my wand, without abandoning Alton's eyes and my silent threat to him.
"Ms Arambella, do you mind if I have a word with you before the class starts?" she spoke, surprising me. "Everyone, inside the dungeons now, please. You'll wait for Professor Snape in there."
As the rest of the group entered, I approached McGonagall. Once we were alone, she sighed hard.
"I reckon some of the students from my house are bothering you about a certain topic that has to do with the Azkaban news."
I crossed my arms in front of my chest, a bit uncomfortable.
"I wanted to apologise to you in the name of the Gryffindor house and I encourage you to tell me their names if they ever repeat such unacceptable actions. You are by far the best student from Slytherin in your course and I don't have anything against you, Miss."
"Thank you, professor." I talked, honestly.
"Also I wanted to say how sorry I am because of Dolores taking you out of the Quidditch team, I couldn't tell you earlier but I recognise you as one of the best players Slytherin ever had and even though I want Gryffindor to win for obvious reasons, I congratulate you for your passion."
That was definitely surprising... Did Snape enchant her or something?
✵ ✵ ✵
After the class finished, Liv went with her housemates to her last lesson of the day while I remembered I had someone to talk to.
"Luna!" I ran towards the Ravenclaw girl when I saw her getting out of Charms. She quickly turned around and looked at me with a smile.
"Oh, hey Lilith, how are you doing? I heard the horrible comments people are making about you, probably the Nargles are chanting them to do so."
"I'm fine, love, don't worry. I wanted to ask you something, have you seen Neville lately? Need to talk to him."
"I think he had lessons with Professor Binns, maybe you can find him at the library."
"Thanks, beautiful," I kissed her cheek and waved back at her while going straight in the direction she told me.
I found the library completely empty except for two or three kids so it took me less than a minute to find a long-face Neville sitting in one of the couches, lost in one of his Herbology books.
"Nev, "I spoke to him, trying to find my kindest and softest tone.
His green eyes looked at me kinda watery and sad, breaking my heart. I sat next to him and caught one of his hands between mine. "How are you feeling about those people who escaped from Azkaban?"
I didn't want to mention her name even though it was pretty clear who I was referring to.
It took him a while to start speaking but I waited patiently to listen to him and offer him my support. "I just can't believe it was less than a month when I visited my p-parents... at Saint Mungo, and they are there because of her. I don't have my parents because of her and n-now she's free." he sighed hard and put the book away. "It's so unfair."
"It definitely is. But you will get your revenge, Nev. You'll see that bitch will get the end she deserves."
"How would I ever beat her?" he snorted with his voice kinda broken. "She's one of the deadliest Death Eaters and I'm- I'm just a failure, Lilith."
"You are not a failure, Nev! Who the fuck said that?"
"My grandma..."
"Well, forgive me then, but your grandma can fuck off. You're a great and brave wizard, just like your parents. And Bellatrix is not an immune goddess even if she is such as a good Death Eater as you consider her to be, we all bleed the same."
"Oh, Godric, but look at us! Here you are comforting me when your mother also escaped from the prison and almost everyone is messing with you, how can I be so selfish not to ask you how you are?"
"I'm okay, mate, it's not about me now, I'm used to my mother being a pain in the ass. I just wanted to let you know I'm here for you and whatever you need, a' right?"
He nodded letting a little smile appear on his face. "Thank you so much, Lilith. I'm so thankful that you are my friend."
"Aw, dear," I hugged him tightly. "I'm so thankful for you too, you are literally a piece of heaven."
He blushed a little bit and let out a little chuckle.
"I wish I could stay a bit longer with you but I've got detention with Umbridge, so I'll have to see you later."
"Why did she punish you?"
"For breaking the dress code with my skirt." I rolled my eyes and he tutted, disagreeing with that woman.
"Professor Umbridge's such a misogynist, I still don't understand how the Ministry allowed her to be a docent."
"Me neither, mate," I messed his hair affectionately.
He waved back at me and I walked out of the library not ready at all to meet the pink bitch. When I was about to knock on her office's door, I felt a hand grabbing my wrist to turn me around and pin me against the wall.
Fred's face was extremely closer to mine.
"What're you doing? Someone can see us!" I whispered, checking the empty corridors.
"I was wondering if you'd like to share a cig with me." He murmured with his brown eyes shining and a mischievous smile on his face.
His deep voice and captivating tone made me almost melt right there in front of him. I leaned my head against the wall softly and let out a long sigh.
"Can't, I have detention with Umbridge."
He chuckled, surprised. "Again? Are you getting my habit of being a rule-breaker, darling?"
"Nah, someone snitched about me breaking the dress code and she already warned me before so... here I am."
"Aw, poor Lilith..." he fakely pouted, still amused. "But if you want my opinion, that skirt definitely worthed it."
The memories of our encounter in my room came to my mind and I couldn't help but bite my lip making him smile widely.
"Yeah, I think you kinda liked it, didn't you?"
Fred snickered, and got closer to me, glueing his body to mine and sliding his hand to my neck.
"Oh, darling, if only I could escape with you to an empty place in this bloody school and keep you there all day, fucking you until you can't take it anymore..."
"Mmmh, I wish you could-" I complained, cursing in my mind Umbridge's existence. "But if I don't do this that bitch is going to make the detention longer and honestly, that's the last thing I need right now."
"Well, then I'll wait for you here," Fred stated, pretty sure of himself.
"What?"
"You heard me, I'll be waiting here until you come out."
"Why would you?"
"Because I genuinely need a cig and I know you do too - Also, George kicked me out of the dorm, he says I'm messing his new creation for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes."
"Of course," I rolled my eyes, still smiling. "But you don't have to stay here the whole time, Freddie, I can look for you later to have that cig."
"Get in there, Lilith. The sooner you start, the sooner you finish."
"As you command, sir," I joked and he narrowed his eyes with a feline smile on his face.
"You know, I think I know a better place where you can call me 'sir'."
I couldn't help but laugh a bit too loud and he put a hand on my mouth to shut me. Chills discreetly covered my body.
"Get in there, darling. I want to get high before midnight," he said, separating from me and walking back to sit on the wall.
I took a deep breath and knocked on the door, feeling Fred's eyes on my back. When I heard Umbridge's voice from inside inviting me to enter, I opened the door and closed it behind me.
"Ms Arambella, I see that you are already learning how to properly wear a skirt. I congratulate you," she spoke, giving a sip to her tea.
"Does that mean I can leave?"
"Oh, dear, no!" Umbridge snickered with her unbearable high-pitched voice. "You still need to learn discipline. Now, sit down, please. You already know the proceeding."
I put my bag down and sat down wanting to run away from there. I spent the next hour provoking myself a new and fresh scar in my hand, reminding me more of my mother and pissing me off as never before. By the end of the detention, I had I will not dress like a slut carved in my hand with my blood.
"Can I go now?" I asked her with a cold and deadpan tone. If I could take out my wand and curse her, I would...
"Sure, dear, I hope this has taught you to behave like a lady."
I nodded - knowing damn well that I would never be the kind of lady she wanted - then, left the office without waiting for any response.
The first thing I saw when I got out was Fred still sitting in the wall, leaned against the column and looking at the view of the lake.
"You waited..." I spoke, surprised. He quickly turned around.
"I told you," he replied softly. "How did it go?"
"I've been in worse."
"Show me your hand."
"There's no need to..."
"Lilith..." he warned me.
"C'mon, take me to have that cig, I don't want to look at the scar now that it's fresh..."
He sighed hard but seemed to accept it because he got down the wall and started walking. I followed Fred by the empty corridors and couldn't help but give short gazes to him every once in a while.
His hair was messy, as usual, his tie poorly hung from his neck with his shirt kinda unbuttoned. My eyes covered quickly the few freckles in his cheeks, which I learnt only appeared when it was cold outside. In a huge impulse, I grabbed the collar of his shirt and pinned him against the nearest door, noticing a huge smile on his face.
Before Fred could say anything, my lips went straight to his and I slowly kissed him, letting us feel each other. Taking the control of the kiss because Fred still being surprised, I took my hand to his neck and made the kiss deeper, playing with his tongue and feeling the warmth from his mouth.
I could never get enough of him...
"Lilith!" I heard a masculine voice calling me, making Fred and I separate. A couple of steps away, my uncle was staring, shocked, at the two of us.
"Severus."
His eyes made an annoyed expression.
"Mr Weasley I would thank you if you didn't try to eat my niece's face right in front of my office."
Fred was going to talk back but I interrupted him, "It was me, sorry."
Snape clicked his tongue and made a disgusted facial expression. "Nevermind, I do not want to hear or think about it. I need to talk with you briefly before Mr Potter arrives, Lilith."
I scowled. Harry? Why would he meet Harry?
"You called me, professor?" the mentioned boy appeared at the end of the corridor, looking a bit clueless and depressed.
"Mr Potter, if you excuse for one minute I will share a couple of words with my niece and then our class can begin."
Class? What am I missing?
Harry's face enlightened, "Does that mean I can leave?"
"It doesn't. Wait right here." Snape hissed, grabbing my wrist and dragging me inside his office.
"Don't worry, Harry. I'll wait with you." I heard Fred say, still a bit out-of-breath, before Severus closed the door.
Turning around to face him, Severus raised one of his eyebrows to look at me.
"So... you fancy redheads?" he started, still surprised and sitting down. "I guess a family thing."
What the fuck? Has my uncle - just made a joke? Who the fuck is this man?