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Madame Pomfrey shook her head at the Riddle girl. "Covered in bloodstains and says she's fine," she muttered as she searched her store cupboards for the potion to reduce swelling and bruising. She had learned early on that when Marcella Riddle said she was fine there was nothing anyone could do to sway her into thinking otherwise, unless one was a certain potions master... She eyed the girl suspiciously as she examined the bruising of the ribs. "Where did all this blood come from if not from you, my dear?" she asked, wondering if she should summon the Headmaster. |
"It did come from me." she said, climbing onto one of the bed's and undoing her shirt. She had heard the woman's thoughts and they hurt. The reminder of Severus stung in her mind. Motioning Kristi forward, she waved her hand and said, "Can you ask Dumbledore to arrange another visit. Only, Lupin's arranged the meeting and well, I felt I should tell him myself." The immensely sad look in her eyes told Kristi she did truly miss him. |
Kristi nodded at Marcella's request. "Of course... He really did arrange it? Do you really think it will work?" she asked, hope shining in her eyes. Madame Pomfrey completely ignored the conversation between the girls as she applied the potion to the bruises. "Alright, Miss Riddle, now tell me what happened. Where were you bleeding from? I can't heal you properly if you dont' tell me what is wrong," she said, exasperated. |
"For my sake, i hope so," she said, casting a meaningful glance at her injuries. "Maybe, it's best that he sees these." she mused. Squeezing Kristi's hand, she sighed, "We've got to hope." After she left, she turned to Madam Pomfrey and prepared herself to give another phoney excuse, "I fell. I was wandering around Severus' old room barefoot and I slipped. I cut my head open and landed on my side, bruising my ribs." |
Madame Pomfewy gasped and immediately shifted her attention away from the ribs to examine Miss Riddle's head. Her hair was matted with blood. "Goodness Poppy, how on earth had you managed to miss that when the girl first walked in," she thought to herself. But, she couldn't find the cut. All she saw was an old scar. "I'm sorry dear, but I don't see the gash," she said. |
"There isn't one. He fixed it...." she mumbled, realisation settling inside her. "My father fixed my wounds, through him." She started muttering incomprehensibly and suddenly many things became clear about Darrin, "I need to see him." she said, trying to heave herself up. "I need Severus, here, now!" |
Madame Pomfrey waved her wand to clean up the blood on Marcella before pushing her back on the pillow. THe girl was clearly delusional. She must have hit her head quite hard. "Just lie back dear," she said and then walked over to whisper something to her friend, she couldn't remember the name despite the fact that she looked so familiar. "It's already been arranged," Kristi said as she approached Marcella's bed. "And, Madame Pomfrey thinks you're iout of your head. What's wrong?" |
"This sounds crazy and I wont blame if you dont believe me, but, I think my dad's been using Darrin. Earlier, I swear it was his voice coming from Darrin's mouth. And how else would Darrin have been able to heal my wounds with his hands alone? I need Severus, here, now. I need to explain to him. If he's using Darrin like this, we're all in it, really deep. Over our heads." |
Comprehension dawned on Kristi's face. "Of course... I didn't think Darrin could have done what Archie accused him of. Anyway, you're to visit Snape as soon as you are able. The hearing is supposed to be held early tomorrow morning. They haven't told him about it yet, though." |
"So, if the hearing's tommorow, he could be back home before this time tommorow evening!" she said, rather too excited. she was unnerved, Kristi hadn't got what she had meant. Darrin had done those things Archie had accused him of and worse. She were sure that sleeping with her, using her, was Darrin and not her father. feeling sick at the thoughts of what had happened, she flung her head over the side of the bed and threw up all over the floor. Apologising incoherently to Madam Pomfrey, she cried desparately, her head collapsing in her hands. She mumbled, "Ever since he's been gone, everything has gone awry. I've made such a mess of things Kristi, I really truly have." Leaning her head back on the pillow, she cried into the material on it and reached out for him, knowing he may not answer at all, not even thinking of blaming him if he didn't. "I'm sorry and I love you." she said to him, as she clung desparately to the wetting sheets. |
This is just perfect guys. Keep it up. |
Kristi watched as Madame Pomfrey cleaned the mess and shook her head. Kristi sat down on the bed next to Marcella and laid a hand on her friend's shoulder as she cried. Snape rolled over onto his back and stared at the ceiling of his cell. His sides ached from the abuse of the human guards but, the constant assaults on his mind were what was really causing him the most pain. Each day it got a little harder to maintain some amount of control, some amount of defense against the images and sounds assailing his mind. He always found solace in thoughts of Marcella. He was just attempting to block out some of the dementor's images when he heard her, I'm sorry and I love you.. "Marcella?" he called, unsure if it was his mind playing tricks, or if it really was her. |
Rolling onto her side, wiping her eyes, she turned away from Kristi in order to have a rpivate moment with him. "I've done something. Something bad." she sounded desparate, she knew she did and it wasn't like her at all. Pleading, almost, she mumbled, "But I did it for the right reasons. I did it to try and fix us. But it didn't work and now, now I dont know what to do. I need to make it work, I cant go on like this." She felt herself break down, her tears trickling down her face like a thunderstorm's rain. "I'm coming to see you tommorow, I'll have to explain then. I dont expect you to forigive me. I dont deserve that." Clenching her fists, she cried, in her mind, "Everything's fallen apart, everything. Since you went, nothing' been the same. I'm not strong anymore, I dont recognise myself Severus. People are controlling, manipulating me so easily and I cant fight it anymore. I need you here...I need you..." It was at that point, that she became so choked with tears, she broken down, that she could talk no more. |
Snape's heart broke for Marcella. His love for her gave him the strength he needed to maintain his connection with her despite the dementors surrounding his cell. He could see through her mind that she was laying in the Hospital Wing and he imagined himself seated behind her, a hand on her shoulder. He didn't hear her words, he only heard the pain. Snape had such a strong desire to hold her in his arms. Before he knew what was happening, he felt himself pull her into an embrace as he hushed and rocked her. Kristi watched, unable to comfort Marcella as she turned away from her. She heard her mumbling something, probably talking to Snape. Before Kristi could think about that, she was suddenly overcome with empathy and found herself pulling Marcella into a hug. After a few moments of rocking her friend, she realized that she wasn't alone in her head. Snape had somehow managed to join Kristi and was trying to console Marcella through her. |
ooc- *cries* that was so heart-touching! Rather out of character, Marce felt Kristi's arms slipping around her. Closing her eyes, sensing the connection was still as strong as ever, she knew he were holding her through Kristi. Slowly, the tension that had choked her, faded, but an ache was left behind, reminding her of all the pain she had caused. Telling him she were going to be fine, wishing him to leave her, she slid under the covers and, clutching her side, allowed Kristi to sit back down next to her. Guilt flooding her face, as the dreaded emotion swept through her veins, she shook her head, "I dont expect you to understand why I did it. I know you cant. But I do love him Kristi. Believe me when I say that. There's alot of things going on, that not even I can understand properly and they're all happening to me! All I know is that as soon as I come clean with him, I'll feel a whole lot better and possibly, I can rid myself of this awful burden that's been tormenting me." As she spoke these words, she felt Darrin present in her mind, about to punish her once more. She had told Kristi too much, way too much for her to get away with. Closing her eyes in expectation, right on cue, she felt the cruciatus curse running through her body, too powerful and strong for her to fight it. It was this action that told her for sure that her father was embodying Darrin. For he was the only one she couldn't fight curses from. ooc- is this TD? lol Why am I posting so much?! |
Snape crawled up onto his bed after his link to Marcella and Kristi had been severed. I'm coming to see you tommorow was the only thought left in his head from that conversation and held onto it like a lifeline. She would be here tomrrow... Kristi felt Marcella push Snape away and reluctantly, she let him go as well. His love for Marcella was as strong as ever, she could feel it. Marcella, on the other hand, had an awful funny way of showing love. How could she truly love Snape yet be with another man in Snape's room? I dont expect you to understand why I did it. I know you cant. But I do love him Kristi. What possible reason could she have? And what was going on with her lately? She seemed so lost lately and Kristi didn't think it had that much to do with Snape not being here. All thoughts where driven out of her mind as Marcella closed her eyes and Kristi saw her body tremble. Kristi put a hand on either of Marcella's shoulders, "Marcella, what's wrong?" |
Breathing rapidly, clutching at her chest, wiping her head with a tissue with her spare hand, she choked, "The cruciatus curse. He didn't like me telling you what I did." Knowing she couldn't say anymore, she shook her head and sat up, her knees pulled to her chest. "Look think about it Kristi," she said, risking her life, "Not many can perform that on me. Think." Hoping she would get the hint, Marce looked down at her hands and squinted toward the approaching sunlight through the stained glassed windows. Getting up out of the bed and swiftly dressing, she sat back on the bed. "Lupin should be here soon, I hope." she spoke, rather nervously. |
"you don't fool me Darrin,"Archie said scowling at him "she was walking barefoot and tripped my bottom, you hit her once and you did do it again, you make me sick"Archie said in a whisper full of hatred, he turned to walk out of the door but turned his head to look at Darrin"the night I came back to Hogwarts and met you I thought you were different" |
Darrin didn't justify hismelf and neither did he walk toward the guy, he just said, "Dont begin to think you understand me. Because you dont. You cant possibly comprehend how much I loved her, how much I still love her and how heartbroken I was when I learnt about her and Snape. And no matter how much you try and fool yourself, deep down, you know she loves him, not you!" |
Archie didn't argue against this, somehow he knew this were true "well that is true i don't deny but if I can't have Marcella well then I'm going to make sure that when she does end up picking that she's happy" Archie said earnestly . |
"I like your little assumption there. No matter what you may think of me, I do want to see her happy in the place she's meant to be." With that, he barged past Archie and rounded the corner out of sight. |
Kristi's eyes widened, "Your father! But, what did you do?" |
At the mention of Him, Marcella turned her head and whispered through gritted teeth, "Shut up Kristi. I can feel him." she said, making a gesture toward her head, hoping she'd grasp what she meant. feeling his prescence leaving her, due to the fact that she was aware he was there, she sighed, "I told you too much, something he and someone else doesn't want any of you to know." |
"It's okay, I'm so sorry. Don't say anything more," Kristi said concerned. |
Archie frowned at the back of Darrin, He turned and walked up to the hospital wing. He walked swiftly into the hospital wing and stood at the side of Marcella's bed "you ok now?"He asked comfortingly, he didn't know how she would behave towards him right now afterthe what had happened earlier. |
Kristi backed away from Marcella's side as Archie approached. Thinking the two might want a private moment alone, she walked out of the Hospital Wing and leaned on the wall outside, waiting for them to finish. She reflected on the events of this morning and decided that her feelings on this whole situation were as mixed up as ever. She was never going to be satisfied with any outcome. If Marcella was with Archie, Kristi would be uset that Marcella had betrayed her father and if Marcella chose Snape, she'd be upset because her best friend was sleeping with her father which was just... well... weird. |
ooc- Kristi's predicament was quite god there. "When have I ever really been OK, Arch?" she asked, taking hold of his hand. "Sorry." she apologised quickly afterward, for seeming so negative. "I've just not been feeling good. The bruising is rather sore. I think Kristi might have something she wants to tell you, about me and...I cant really say anymore, but you should ask her." she said, rather forcibly. |
Marce shifted in her bed and laid her head softly on the pillow, moaning of a headache and cursing the annoyingly absent nurse. |
Madame Pomfrey emerged from her office and moved to check on Miss Riddle. "How are you feeling, dear?" she asked while placing a hand on Marcella's head and looking down at her concernedly. |
Talking more to herself than the woman, she mumbled, "The after affects must be worse than I thought. Where he left my mind, I can feel a really heavy ache and, it's making me light headed." Suddenly changing attitude, she tried to get off the bed and began to sway, unable to stand properly, unaided. |
Madam Pomfrey gave an exasperated sigh and began to scold Marcella. "What do you think you're doing? You are NOT to leave this bed until I say so," she ranted, pushing the girl rather forcefully back into the bed and then, waggling a finger at her. "I'll strap you down if I have to. Now, drink this... NO arguments!" Having finished with Marcella, she rounded on Archie. "And you better make sure she stays here!" |
Spluttering, having sipped some of the liquid because she was pain, she retorted, "But I have to! He's expecting me and today's the day, what will he think if I dont turn up!" |
Madame Pomfrey was about to give the girl another piece of her mind when she heard a familiar chuckle. Dumbledore smiled at Poppy who was clearly determined to make Marcella see reason and keep the girl in bed. "I'm afraid, Poppy my dear, that Marcella is correct. She has a pressing engagement which cannot be delayed," he said with a twinkle in his blue eyes for his goddaughter. He helped Marcella into a sitting position and surveyed her with a concerned look, "Are you well enough for the Floo or do I need to arrange other means of transportation?" |
Archie sat there just watching Marcella. "do you want me to do anything?" Archie asked trying to be helpful. |
Marcella responded to Archie by holding onto his arm tightly as she sat up, her sides clenching terribly, the bruised flesh sending a dull ache all through her upper body. The strain on her face, the pain her eyes, she felt, told the man all he needed to know. Her hand still on Archie, she turned to him and smiled shortly, "I really appreciate you." |
Archie nodded, his heart teared when he looked at her. "yeah I know" He said quietly "how long have we got till the hearing?" |
"We cant attend. It'd look rather odd anyways, a bunch of youngsters, students for all they know, attending the hearing for one of their professors. We dont want them to know that he means more to us, than just a teacher." Her heart tearing, she took Archie's hand in hers and pulled him toward her, indicating she wanted to whisper something. |
"well I'm a witness remember"Archie said in barely more than a whisper, he leant toward her to hear what she wanted to say. |
"It's not a normal hearing, it's an appeal, witnesses aren't necessary." Then, sitting nearer the end of the bed, so that the adults in the room couldn't eavesdrop in on the conversation, she lifted a hand to cover her mouth and whispered to him, the tips of her fingers touching his cheeks, "I want you to know. I meant every word I said to you earlier and I meant every move I made." |
Something rose inside Archie at these words. Dropping his voice aswell "what about what Kirsti said 'what about Snape?' ,I'm not pushing you away or anything but it is a relevant matter " |
"Do you really expect what we had, to disappear that fast?" She cringed inside herself as she said this; she knew Snape would never forgive her, but he needn't bother. He wasn't likely to get out of Azkaban, which meant unless you convinced herself to love Archie, she'd be stuck under Darrin's curse forever. Lossely placing her lips on his earlobe, she whispered, "But you can always make me forget." |
Recollecting herself, she looked toward Dumbledore with a raised eyebrow. "What do you say Headmaster? Do you think me capable of going alone?" It bothered her that he hadn't asked how she were or even seemed slightly concerned over her injuries and the fact that she was on a hospital bed. |
"I may be an old man but, I know that I wouldn't be able to keep you here any more than Madame Pomfrey could," Dumbledore replied, knowingly. He laid a hand on Marcella's shoulder. "Madame Pomfrey is fetching you a powerful restorative daught as we speak. If you feel you are able to go alone, you can leave as soon as you've taken it," he said. |
She could see the disappintment in his eyes, she knew he didn't approve of their relationship. However reluctantly it was, he had still helped. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged gim tightly. Taking the draught from Poppy, she drank it in one go and felt instantly revived, although the wounds still pained her greatly. |
Dumbledore smiled as he hugged Marcella. After she had ingested the potion, he helped her to her feet and made sure she was steady before leading her up to his office where she would be taking the Floo to Azkaban... |
Arriving in the dark, dank, damp coridoors of the stony prison, she engulfed her last breath of debatable happiness and allowed herself to be clouded by the depressing sensation that the prescence of the Dementors brought tumbling down upon her. Following a member of the ministry, she looked toward the floor, once more desparately wanting to escape the saneless, soulless gazes of the other prisoners. Severus wouldn't get like that, she wouldn't let him, she couldn't let him. As soon as her curse had been broken, she would be free to tell all and be rid of the dirty secrets that plagued her heavy mind and heart and perhaps, just perhaps, even though she doubted it greatly, they could both forgive her and severus could love her once more. But she doubted he would. |
Snape sat upon the cot, staring at the wall opposite him. He was blissfully numb today. No happiness but, no torment either. He couldn't even bring himself to think about why that might be. He felt empty. Snape heard the locks click and the door creak open. He didn't bother to stop staring. His daughter had just visited him, so it couldn't be another visitor, even if he had dreamt about Marcella last night. But, I'm coming to see you tommorow was all he could remember of the dream today. Somehow he thought there had been more to it than that. But, was of little consequence now. |
ooc- this is supposed to be the next day, my mistake Shocked she'd actually been taken to his room, she looked toward the Ministry Official's face, looking for some sign of whether he would be released. recollecting herself, reminding her body that it hadn't even been held yet, she sat next to him and watched as the door were bolted behind her. She sharply became aware of quite how dark the room became, when the solid door were shut and found herself thrown into pitch black darkness. Her eyes not used to the lack of light, she felt her way around, not knowing whether he'd want her to touch him, or even speak to him. |
Snape looked over and thought he was hallucinating. He had tried very hard to keep his sanity but, he was sure she couldn't be here sitting beside him. He reached out a hand and touched her hair. "Marcella?" he whispered Then, remembering a little more clearly the "dream" he had had the previous night, he continued, "What is it that you have done?" |
Feeling the touch of his hand on her hair, a shudder ran through her body and she shifted slightly. Closing her eyes, taking in shuddering breaths, she felt her lips quivering as she heard the dreaded question. Marce looked up toward him, to where she thought his eyes might be and felt her own filling up with sad tears. Tears of regret, but tears os desparation. "I cant say," she said, reluctantly, "If I say now, you wont understand. And, I'm afraid, you'll stop loving me." |
Snape pulled Marcella toward himself and into a tight embrace. He didn't care what she had done. "It doesn't matter," he said, clinging to her. |
She allowed herself to be brought into his arms, even though she didn't feel worthy to be in his embrace. "It will matter though, I know it will. It'll break your heart." The feel of him around her, the little bit of warmth emulating from him, made her melt inside and she finally felt loved once more. |
Snape pulled back from Marcella and wiped the tears from her eyes. "My heart has already been broken. It broke as soon as I came here," he said. "I don'tthink there's anything you could have done to break it further." |
Silently, by looking away, she gave the reply of 'I do.' Sighing, wiping her own remaining tears, she broke apart and continued to cry heavily, feeling selfish the whole time. Clinging to his hand, she held it tightly, not quite knowing what to say, but saying something anyways, "This'd be a whole lot easier if you hated me." |
"Why should I hate you? For being with Archie?" he asked, recalling the conversation he'd had with Kristi. "No matter how much it hurts, I cannot begrudge you finding someone new." That last bit had been difficult to get out but, it was something he needed to come to realize himself. He wasn't getting out of here anytime soon and he wasn't getting any younger, either. |
"No..." she croaked, clinging to the material on his clothes that now hung loosely on his ever decreasing frame. "I wasn't trying to replace you....I would never...." Sinking her head dejectedly, she sighed, "I told you, you wouldn't udnerstand. But would you listen?" |
"Of course I'll listen," he replied, thinking that this would be easier said than done, as his ever difficult to obtain hold on his own mind was slipping once more to the dementors as he thought about losing Marcella. |
Feeling she were about to lose him, she raised a hand to one of his cheeks and become startled when her fingers seemed to clasp upon bone. Frightened, her eyes shifting nervously, she stuttered, "I promise you. No matter what you see or hear. You will never have lost all of me." Taking his hand, not surprised at all this time by the thin feel of it, but still disturbed and hurt greatly, she entwined her fingers with his. |
"I know," he said, leaning back against the wall and closing his eyes. He concentrated on feeling her hand in his to keep himself grounded. It was then that he thought of how odd it was that she had been allowed in here... and for so long... "Marcella? Why are you here?" Snape asked, wondering why she would be here instead of at school. Surely Dumbledore and the council would not have allowed her a second visit unless something was going on. |
"Remus was finally convinced you didn't deserve to be here. I still think he believes you harmed Darrin deliberately, but well, that doesn't matter compared to the fact that he thinks you should be out of this place." The tone of the news and the tone of her voice didn't match. This were supposed to be happy, so why did she sound so sad. She knew deep down, he didn't have much hope. |
"I don't need help from that werewolf," Snape sneered, a bit of his former self penetrating through the dementors' hold. He turned back to Marcella, "I doubt I'll be getting out of here any time in the near future. Least of all with his help. They don't trust him much more than they trust me." |
"Oh get over yourself Severus!" she barked rather harshly, sitting up on the cot, crossing her legs like a child. "He's trying to help you, be a bit more grateful. He's a member of the Wizengamot, so he can help and he will help. He promised me." she added as an aftrthought, wondering how much promises meant to werewolves. |
"And when exactly is this help coming?" Snape said. "When I've finally lost myself and pose no threat?" |
She could sense the sarcasm in his voice, caused by the tension between himself and Remus no doubt. "I really dont see why you're so tense toward him. I dont understand why he is to you either. Wasn't your siagreement between yourself, Potter and Black?" |
"Don't talk to me about those fools. Lupin was just another one of their followers. He shouldn't have been allowed in the school in the first place. I could have been killed, or worse," he responded, regaining more of himself with every word. |
"He could've been killed, fighting for the order, risking his neck for your safety. He's making himself enough enemies as it is, doing this for you. The least you could do is forget what happened and forgive him. You were children then, you're supposed to be adults now. I'd have thought, what with all the deaths and losses going on, you'd be able to see that life isn't worth living for if you live it through hate." |
Snape sighed. "I don't hate him. I just don't like him very much," he replied. "In any case, I fail to see how having the werewolf on my side is going to get me anywhere anytime soon." |
"Then I guess my journey was wasted!" she replied angrily. Hesistating, she wanted to go through with her anger and charge out of the door. But now that he was in Azkaban, there was no chance of him coming after her. Failing to look toward the guard, notwating to leave at all really, she continued to look away from Severus, feeling hopelessly useless, rejected. |
"With all your talk of Remus Lupin, you failed to tell me why you are here. So how can you say that your journey was wasted?" Snape said angrily, turning Marcella back to face him. |
"I told you, he wants to help. That's all I know thus far." she spat back, folding her arms angrily, facing away from him once again. She kicked her legs up onto the cot and held them up to her chest. She rocked herself back and forth gently and shook her head, in exasperation at herself. "It's been what, 5 minutes and we're already arguing." |
"Have we ever been able to spend more than five minutes together without arguing?" he asked, placing a hand on her back as she rocked. "So, Lupin is going to help me. Do you know what he has planned?" |
"You said yourself, you dislike each other. He didn't formulate the plan...I did." she said, sounding rather dejected that he had so easily dismissed her idea, when it was all she had been clinging to for so long, the only thought that had kept her going. Her head slipping on her arms, she cried slowly, but unnoticably. |
"Alright then... So what was your plan? Kristi tells me you wree working on an appeal. Have they even granted me that much, yet?" he asked. |
Kristi wandered back down to the dungeons after Marcella left the Hospital Wing in order to visit Snape. The appeal was scheduled for this afternoon, if Kristi recalled correctly and she wondered if Marcella had remembered to take him some clean robes. The ones he had been wearing in Azkaban when Kristi had visited him would not help in making a good impression on the council. She walked through Snape's quarters and into her secret room, not bothering to shut the door between the two rooms. Kristi flopped on the bed and closed her eyes, wishing there was a safe way to get rid of the conflicting thoughts which plagued her mind. |
"So now you're not angry with me anymore..." she snorted, shaking her head, running a hand through her surprisingly sweaty hair. "You're not the only one siffering Severus. Yes, they've granted you an appeal." Emerging back into the fire in the Slytherin Common Room, Darrin straightened himself, satisfied that what he had done was right for him and Marcella. He had done it for their future good. Voldemort had been very pleased with him, to know his suspicions were confirmed. Snape had been disloyal to him for a long time. The look of glee on his face, the high pitched laugh, rang through Darrin's ears painfully, reminding him of what now awaited Snape. Death. And if it hadn't been for him, Voldemort would've murdered off Marce too. But, luckily, he had convinced him that an heiress, even a stubborn one, would have it's uses. As before, Voldemort kept his promise, that if he could deliver Marce to her father, he could have her as his partner. That thought and that thought only, drew Darrin to smile at this moment. Heading to the room in which she had been residing this term thus far, sure that she'd want to know that the man she had been standing by, now had not a leg to stand on and it'd be useless for her to stand by him any longer. He was shocked, then, to find Kristi sat in a room within his room, looking rather upset. |
Snape took a deep breath. "When is this appeal?" he asked. Kristi heard the door to Snape's room open and shut. She sat up, hoping it was Marcella with some news. She was surprised to see Darrin standing there instead. "What are you doing here?" she asked. |
"Today, which is why I came. Moral support and all that.." she replied, rolling her eyes, feeling unappreciated. "Just got back from running an errand." he said, moving into the room and sitting on the bed next to her. "You look beaten up about something, what's wrong?" he asked, moving a piece of her hair out of her face. |
Snape leaned forward at this announcement. "Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked, placing an arm about her waist and hugging her. It was the most uplifting news he'd heard in a long time, even if it was useless to think it would get him out of here permanently, the prospect of leaving even for a few minutes gave him strength. "I don't know," Kristi replied dejectedly. "I just can't make up my mind. No matter what Marcella decides, I'm going to hate the outcome. I should have just stayed 'dead'. Then, I'd be far away from here and all this crap. I'd be blissfully unaware of anything that was going on here." |
As Archie had the rest of the day off he spent the time sitting out on the stone steps outside the oak front doors. Here he sat in thought. Did Marcella really mean what she had said earlier? Would Snape be freed? if so what would happen then? |
Wincing, she hugged him back and then let go, holding her side, feeling the flesh throb where his finger tips had pressed against her skin. "I tried to tell you, but you yourself too worked up about Remus, to let me finish talking." she told him, still wincing from the pain. "Dead?" replied Darrin thickly. "You were dead? How? Why?" he asked, completley baffled, his mind thrown by the way she spoke. |
Snape looked down at Marcella with concern. "What's the matter?" he asked as he tried to pry her hands away from her sides so he could see for himself. "I wasn't really dead. It was a potion... well, several potions, actually. I was bored and was experimenting and one of them was off. I wasn't in the best of moods when I was brewing it and I messed up. That's when the idea came to me and so when Marcella finally found me I got her to give me this other potion. It interacted with the botched potion I had already taken and sunk me under so that I appeared for all intents and purposes dead. Then, when I woke up, I ran away. I figured with me out of the way, Snape and Marcella could be happy with one another and I wouldn't have to see it. Unfortunately, I stopped at my father's cottage along the way and who should I bump into but Marcella and Snape. And, I ended up confronting them rather than sneaking away like I should have." Kristi stared at the wall in front of her as she spoke. It was a wonderful tale of stupidity. Of course, none of it would have happened if Marcella hadn't shown up at Hogwarts. Or, if Kristi had been able to remain in the shadows observing Marcella rather than befriending her. What a mess she'd made of things. |
"That girl really knows how to mess things up," he said, referring to Marce and holding onto Kristi suppoertively, "But really. None of this would've happened if your father had been able to keep his hands off her." he scowled, his anger and jealousy seeping through his concerned face. "Oh, it's nothing..." she said, dismissing his worries, pulling her shirt down further over her side, leaning down slightly as she did so. remembering the scar on her head, she lifted a hand to it, making herself look like a right idiot. Knowing this wouldn't fool him, she gave a lopsided smile and then removed both hands, leaving him free to see what she had meant. |
Snape watched as Marcella tried to cover up whatever it was at her side and then thought better of it. he reached out a hand and gently raised the bottom edge of her shirt enough to reveal the bruising. It wsn't bad but, the fact that she had tried to cover it up left him suspicious. "What happened?" he said, his eyes narrowed. Kristi pulled away from Darrin and glared at him. "Look, I don't like the idea of Snape and Marcella being to gether any more than you do. I think it's disgusting and more than a little bit confusing. But, don't think that I'm just gonna sit here while you insult Snape like that. Archie says he was there when Snape cursed you and even Archie said you provoked him into doing it. So, as far as I'm concerned, you don't have the right to insult him. I'll insult him all I like but, you can leave right now if all you're going ot do is talk about my father like that in front of my face." |
"Well, fine! Maybe I will leave then! But do you really think I was wrong in provoking him, after all he'd done to me? Punish me for it all you want, I was young, I was distrught, I was heartbroken! All my friends had died in the massacre, all I had left was her! And he took that from me! So you can punish me to make yourself feel better, but I can tell you, it'd be nowhere near as painful as I punish myself everytime I look at her, at what I cant have." "I was in your room, you know how the floors are. Slippery and all. I fell and hurt myself, that's all." she said definately, giving him a long staring look before pulling her shirt back down and smoothing her hair over in attempt to hide the scar on her scalp. |
"I don't know what you're going on about me punishing you. I understand why you provoked Snape. Would I even be talking to you if I didn't? Maybe you don't know me well enough to answer that questions so let me answer it for you: If I thought for moment that you had been in your right mind when you provoked him; you can bet you wouldn't be standing here right now because I would have chopped you up into little pieces and used you in some potion," Kristi said, standing up. "You can feel sorry for yourself all you want. It's not going to get Marcella back. You're never going to get her back. She's already made up her mind and it's going to be Archie or Snape so get over it." |
"And you think I dont know that?" he growled, frustrated by the way she just wouldn't listen. "Having to hear her cry over her him, night and day. Come stay in my room over night in Grimmauld Place, just to cry and moan about how much she loved him, how much she missed, how much she hurt because of him! You're a right one to talk about self-pity Kristi. Saving Marcella from her father was the most unselfish thing I've ever done and now it seems, I've saved her life for a second time. All I want is for her to face the facts, she's going to end up doing what her father wants, whether she likes it or not." |
Snape took Marcella's hand from her head and looked at what she had been trying to conceal. "I may not have all my wits about me, Marcella," he began. "But you can't think that I wouldn't notice you trying to hide this from me. My floors are not slippery and besides, you don't get these kinds of injuries from a simple fall." |
"I know that..." she said, taking his hand from her head. "But that's all I can tell you. I slipped and fell." she repeated, almost robotically, hoping inside herself that he would get her true meaning and not think she were lying and be offended. Tidying her hair, folding her arms, she shrugged and mused, "I probably deserved it anyways. Someone obviously seems to want to punish me greatly, so I must have logically done something terrible to deserve all this torture." |
Kristi's eyes narrowed; something wasn't right here. "So you saved Marcella from her father only to come to realize that she's going to end up serving him anyway?" |
"Has he been possessing you again?" Snape asked, seriiously concerned and worried. Something wasn't right if Marcella wasn't being a pain. She was trying to tell him something but, he just couldn't figure out what it was or why she didn't just come out and say it. |
Realising what he had said, the possible implications of his words, he tip-toed around the subject matter and replied, "I saved her from what her father may have done to her, in punishment. But she'll end up serving him no matter what, it's her destiny Kristi." |
"Like crap it's her destiny!" Kristi yelled, indignantly. "You say you still love Marcella and yet you'd give up on her just like that? She's better off with Snape than with you if you are just gonna let her father use her like that." |
"No, he's not posesseing me." said Marce, placing a light emphasis on the last word. Even though the walls of Azkaban were thick, she didn't doubt her father's capability to hear her words. Looking away from the man, she knew he knew she were trying to tell him something. But that was it, if she tried, she'd be punished. She needed him to figure it out alone, but she knew he wouldn't. "I'm not giving up on her!" he shouted so loudly that his own eardrums vibrated. "Why wont you listen! Just because it's fate doesn't mean I want it that way! But it is and we cant change that." On hearing her last comment, he threw his wand to the ground and pulled her roughly toward him by the collar, almost as if she were just another lad. "I would never, ever give Marce up to a life of brutality. Never. I love her." he spat, "And if I ever hear you question that again..." |
Kristi was shocked and a bit scared as Darrin grabbed her. But, she schooled her expression quickly. "What are you going to do? Threaten me all you want, I don't care. As a matter of fact, why don't you just put me out of my misery right now? That way, I don't have to worry about seeing my father with Marcella or have to deal with a depressed father when Marcella choses Archie." |
Raising her a little higher first, he enjoyed the scared look in her eyes and then threw her on the bed, so that she landed on her back. Slamming the door shut, he picked up his wand, pocketed it and walked toward her, his arms folded dangerously. "It pains me to think you think I'd even consider killing you. I may not be the best of men, but I would never murder." he hissed,his lips barely moving at all. Standing above her, he placed one hand to the side of her, so that he was leant over her body, causing her to become trapped. |
Snape didn't know what else to say or do. Marcella was obviously struggling with something she would not or could not tell him. There was nothing else he could do so, he carefully wrapped his arms around her and said nothing. |
It broke her heart to hear him think that she would choose not to confide in him. Her heart felt as if it were being tugged upon hard, and she cried out as if she were in real physical pain. But there was no wound to be seen, apart fro her broken heart. "If I could tell you and by God I wish I could, then I would Severus, believe me on that." |
Kristi couldn't even begin to hide her fear as Darrin lifted her up so that her feet were barely touching the floor and then threw her onto the bed. As he leaned over her, Kristi felt as if all the air was being pushed out of her lungs. She felt trapped and she couldn't breath. Knowing that there was no way she'd be able to physically move him, Kristi went for her wand in her pocket as she yelled, "Get away from me!" |
"Expelliarmus." he muttered, pocketing her wand, as he slipped his back. Leaning over her properly, climbing onto the bed on all fours, he snarled, "I told you, I dont murder. So why are you acting like you're scared of me!" |
"I believe you," he whispered as he held onto her. |
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