"Oh, bloody Merlin! This stinks!" Lancel huffed into his curly hair to make them fly as he let himself fall onto the carpet. They had just finished all their assignments due tomorrow and Brandon was quietly talking with Hermione on the floor near one side of the wall and Draco and Theodore were playing chess and many gathered to watch the intense match between the pair. It was Wednesday afternoon, and there were many people in the Common Room. It was raining hard outside, so the remaining activities scheduled after classes were cancelled, including the try outs for quidditch.
"Hey, Lancel. We haven't seen you all week!" Brandon looked up to see the small group whom Lancel introduced to him before. Bran was about to call them when something, or rather, someone, blocked his view.
"Hello, Brandon Dursely." Melinda Ariore went in front of them and was smiling sweetly. Too sweetly.
"Uh, hello, Melinda."
"Who's that with you?" Before Bran could answer, she went on to squeeze herself and sit down between them without saying her excuse. Hermione became surprised, then annoyed. She glared silently at the other girl, her brown, hazel eyes flashing.
"Uhm, this is Hermione." Brandon said, pertaining to her. Melinda, the other girl, turned to her and gave her a grin, "Hello, I'm Melinda Ariore. I'm Brandon's friend." Obviously, she looked so possessive of Brandon, even going to the lengths to encirle an arm on Bran's. This annoyed her more.
Who was she anyway, acting all high and mighty? She's so rude!
"Yeah, Hermione Granger. Pleased to meet you." The girl was obviously doing it on purpose. It's stupid, she knows, but she can't help the jealousy on the two. Bran and the girl were friends even before she and Bran.
Now, she had no one to talk to! The two seemed to be engulfed with each other, and Brandon seemed to enjoy the attention. She was about to stand when she heard Brandon say, "I really need to go, Mel." But the girl laughed and begged for Brandon to stay.
Mel? They are on endearments now?
That was probably stupid, but she just can't stand being ignored, especially by Brandon.
-----
Lancel watched the scene unfold. Melimda was so hooked on Brandon, and even if she would not say it, she liked Dursely very much.
"Mel's smitten by your new friend, Curly, while I bet Granger's going to kill her," Aragorn Dreymund commented, "and this really sucks!" I was hoping to watch the try outs! Rain on a time like this..." Aragorn leaned on to the sofa and looked intensely bored.
Suddenly, Peter and his twin, Patrianne looked at each other and smiled.
"I don't like the way you smile, you both." Liannus Amurray saw it and said it in the most acerbic tone he had.
"Oh come on, you sound like Snape, mate." Aragorn put a hand on Liannus' shoulder, "You, mate, need to start appreciating things. Or you'll end up spouseless, childless and sour."
"Atricus got that covered for me, Dreymund. He always flaunts the House genes."
"That's why he ended in Ravenclaw, hmm?"
"Blame it on our Father. I hate that he had to pretend that he's tough and all, the dunderhead. He still needs to pay me a hundred galleons or more."
"Shut up, Amurray. You're soft when it comes to Atricus." A girl with auburn hair came into view. She had several drops of water on her braided hair, with her left eye covered by her hair.
"Chasing each other under the rain with your fiancé again, are you, Chimesteele?" Liannus looled at her somberly.
"I was not chasing Atricus under the rain, you git! I had to run without an umbrella. Madam Pomfrey called me to assist her."
"You are such a teachers' pet, Freyda Chimesteele."
"And you are such a cynic, Liannus Amurray."
"Oh yes, you both are what you say." Aragorn joined in, "Liannus here is a jealous cynic, and you, my love, is a love struck lass. Now go, dry your hair."
"At least I won't end up a bachelor!" She shouted as she ran up the staircase towards her dormitory, and Liannus rolled his eyes.
"Maybe Liannus will marry Zabini!" Lancelot teased, and was welcomed with a throwpillow on his head, "Ow! That hurt."
"It's supposed to, mate."
"Let's explore the castle!" The Blinton twins said in unison. Aragorn, Liannus and Lancelot looked at each other
"Ah, there you go! The most idiotic idea ever!" Liannus was the first to react, flailing his arms wildly about him.
"If we count in the both of you, that would be five, and we also need to count in Brandon, Granger, Malfoy and Theo. That's already too much! Snape'll catch us!" Lancel, as always, was weighing the options.
"We do know how to count you know." Patrianne glared at Lancel.
"That's where the fun is, we get to be stationed at the different areas in the Castle and we can meet up somewhere to tell tales." Peter saoid calmly.
"Are you sure you are a Slytherin, Blinton? Because that us a reckless, idiotic idea." Liannus asked a with a squinted eye.
"Who are you talking to exactly?" They said in unison again.
"Uh..."
"Yeah! Let's do it." Brandon stood up and exclaimed. He was so eager to be out of Melinda's clingy arms and maybe be with Hermione for a change!
The twins stood up and gave him a high five, "He sees the beauty in it! This one's a keeper." They both said in glee.
Lancel looked horrified, "Do you even know these two?! They mean trouble, Dursely, and we don't want that."
"I'm bored here! Aren't you?" Brandon exclaimed.
"What is it now?" Theodore inquired. Draco and Theodore had now stood up from the chessboard and was walking towards them.
"Dursely agreed to the Blintons' plan. I don't know about you, but it seems idiotic to me."
"Oh, Brockenhurst, you are such a spoilsport!"
Lancelot grimaced, "Did you even remember when you asked me to explore our villa with you?"
"It was nothing much, really." Peter shrugged.
"You just broke your arm because you're clueless about your own home." Patrianne said.
"I mean... we have nothing to do here! But if we ever get to explore, I get to have Hermione with me." Brandon said with determination.
"Can I be with you, Brandon?"
"No, Ariore, you get to be with us! And Theo, too." The Twins grinned at her.befire bran could supply an answer.
"What about me?" Draco asked, now propping a seat next to Lancelot.
"Hmm, let's think this over first. I think we should let Dursely and Granger explore together. They may find some treasure cove or something. We saw them work, and I think they don't need anyone else to help them. Us, Ariore and Nott, since Ariore can be a tricky one; we can handle her!" Peter explaimed and Melinda frowned.
"But I want to be with-"
"No, you will only destroy their momentum!" The twins said in unison.
"If I don't get to be with Brandon then I will not go." She stomped her foot amd pouted.
"Suit yourself, brat." Liannus said, clearly annoyed at the way Melinda was acting.
"Hmm. For the others, Draco will be with Lancel and Liannus. Dreymund can choose where he wants to be, except with Dursely and Granger."
"I think Aragorn and I can handle it." Freyda Chimesteele emerged, her hair now dry and was in a ponytail. Her eye cover was still in place, though.
"Then its set! The Team A is composed of Dursely and Granger. Team B are us and Theo. Team C is Draco, Liannus and Lancel. Team D are Dreymund and Chimesteele. Perfect!"
"Wait! Zabini and Parkinson, they don't get to go?"
Patrianne rolled her eyes, "Fine! Team E; Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson!"
Peter smiled widely, "We will meet in front of the Great Hall at five minutes before seven, and remember..."
"Don't get caught!" They all said.
"You up to something again, you lot?" Iann Verona knew at the way this bunch were talking.
"You wanna try and stop us, Prefect?" A boy with dark eyes stepped. Iann knew him, Peter Blinton, one of the heirs to the Blinton Industries. They sold valuable magical artifacts to the Unspeakables and Aurors.
"It's in my power to do so."
"Not if we told everyone about Prefect..."
What the heck?! Could they be saying about...
"Helen-"
"Now, now brat!" He told the girl, who looked exactly like her twin, "How did you even got a knowledge what-"
"Oh, Prefect. We're Slytherins, you know!" She exclaimed, her eyes glinting.
---
Severus Snape almost pulled all of his hair out. It was stupid! Was he actually defying the school rules for... for... the brat?!
What am I even doing?
He was thankful that it rained, if not, he wouldn't have a chance to even consider the idea as ridiculous.
A first year? Playing quidditch?! I must have been possessed!
He thought it was a brilliant idea that time. It still is, actually. Imagine? A first year able to play like a professional? His heart leapt when the boy dove, but was he magnificent!
Could the Sorting Hat be wrong? Could the boy be in suited more in Gryffindor than in Slytherin?
But the Soring Hat was never wrong! He never heard somebody in Hogwarts say that they don't feel like they don't belong. Even him, given what he had to endure.
So, what was happening? Was it the eyes? The smile? What?!
This is giving me a mental breakdown! The boy is happy with his adoptive family. What could be the reason to bring this up now?
Suppose Dumbledore was right, that that one of pure idiotic, hormonal rage did result to a living, breathing boy. But look at him; the stature, the way he stared, the way he was moving, the way he flew on a broom like a madman was all Potter!
Dumbledore is speaking nonsense! Naturally, he was Potter's. Not mime. Because if he is mine, then I am endangering him, and I murdered his mother! Look at the way he moved, the way he is! Why, this is madness! To think of one, single night, resulting in something that should be possible only if... if... if a couple repeated the action!
The rain still poured heavily outside the castle, and Snape can't help but look out at the way it did pour. It was hard, it was cold, it was damp, and it was... rain. Cold, wet rainy afternoon.
And it was a morning, just like this, when he let his tongue slip like it stepped on a slippery pavement. He recalled that one night when Lily Evans, 20, about to be married, was on his doorstep at his apartment back when he was just studying for his Mastership. She was running high with fever, and where in Hells Potter, her fiancé, was, no one knows. All he knew was; he was drunk, and she kissed him. For goodness sake, she was crying Potter's name, but he was too intoxicated to care, and when he woke, she was gone. But the way she was that night was still as fresh as a morning dew after a long night's rain in his mind. The way she held on to him, like he was the last man who ever walked on earth, like it was a magical, spontaneous moment. For him, it was filled with haze, with nothing else but her. It was all her!
He heard nothing more about her again, nor saw her, except with what rumors said and what he heard during his meet ups with several Potion Masters from Aurors. Aurors were always all over the place, and he was a Death Eater that time, a man of dark, twisted emotions. He was servant of darkness, he was a slave of false convictions.
Then one thing lead to another, and it was all history. He heard a prophecy, and was swayed with the promise that he will have her. He died along with her, and he was awakened enough to see what he had done.
"Severus?" Dumbledore's voice snapped him out of his thoughts. He let himself out for a moment, and he remembered he was in the Headmaster's office. The old man looked at him, worried, "Is there anything wrong, Severus?"
"No, Headmaster."
Albus didn't push further, sensing that what might his most trusted professor be thinkig should best be left to himself, " What protective measures are we going to add?"
"I believe that it is enough to ward off anyone."
Albus looked relieved, "Oh, well, yes. I trust your judgement, Severus. You best be off now. I will leave you to your thoughts."
"Yes. Very well, Headmaster."
He turned and headed back to his office. As he did, he scolded himself of even thinking what was impossible. Who was he to deserve such mercy?
The boy could never be mine. Nothing could ever be mine.