Chapter 89: Flame of Fury (2)

Severus groaned wearily and cast a glance at the old clock on his nightstand. It was only seven in the morning, yet he doubted he'd get any more sleep with Mulciber's snoring filling the third-years' room. Being a light sleeper, the young wizard had always struggled to rest in the Slytherin boys' dormitory, where an abundance of sounds made sleep elusive. Last night had been particularly challenging.

Quietly slipping out of bed, the boy gathered his school uniform and made his way to the common bathrooms at the end of the narrow corridor. Thankfully, there was no one around—a relief for Severus, who disliked showering with his housemates present. Though not overly sensitive, he preferred to avoid the ridicule from those who mocked him for his appearance, blood status, or lack of wealth, depending on their respective mood.

After freshening up, the Slytherin donned his black school robes and decided to grab breakfast early. Lost in thoughts of his Charms homework, he nearly collided with a slender figure darting from behind the marble statue of a huge snake positioned at the end of the corridor, just next to the bathrooms' entrance.

Narcissa Black, clad in a silk green peignoir, startled at the sight of Severus, as she took a step back. Her long platinum blond hair was dishevelled, with strands sticking to her sweaty forehead. The delicate fabric of her garment left little to the imagination, accentuating her smooth, white skin, which seemed to glow in the dim corridor. Severus couldn't help but notice several painful-looking red marks peppering the witch's neck and upper chest, clearly visible beneath the silk folds.

As the wizard's gaze fell upon her, the young woman's complexion suddenly drained of colour, her hands trembling as she instinctively attempted to cover herself, though her efforts were in vain. Her pale blue eyes were now filled with horror, finally meeting Severus's stare as she managed to speak.

"Good morning, Severus."

"Good morning, Narcissa." – Snape replied, his voice noticeably raspier than usual, as he watched the witch hastening towards the girls' dormitories. The young wizard briefly thought that another shower or perhaps a strong cup of tea suddenly seemed very appealing. His mouth was parched as the memory of the love bites on Cissy's neck lingered vividly in his mind.

'I suppose I now know where the entrance to the Basilisks' chambers is.' – he mused, making his way toward the Great Hall.

The secret society that had governed the Slytherin House for centuries was highly selective in its membership. Typically, there were no more than seven Basilisks at any given time, each enjoying a private bedroom. The location of these quarters was a closely guarded secret, but thanks to the unexpected encounter with Lucius's girlfriend, Snape had stumbled upon the entrance.

'This could prove to be useful information, especially if I ever want a chance to become one of them.' – thought the boy as he took a seat at the Slytherin table and glanced around. To his surprise, the Great Hall was rather full for such an early hour, with lots of giggling and awkward looks exchanged between the students.

'Merlin, it's Valentine's Day!' – Severus finally realised – 'That's what Cissy looked the way she did…although knowing Lucius, this is likely just an excuse.'

The young wizard scoffed disdainfully as he scooped some scrambled eggs onto his plate and poured himself a generous cup of tea. As usual, he ate in silence, as his housemates rarely sought his company unless they wanted something from him. A prime example was the Chimera Elixir Severus had invented several months ago. Initially intended as a clever means to obscure one's identity, the elixir remained undetectable until activated by a specific spell, allowing it to be seamlessly mixed into various substances. Lucius had praised the potion as inspiring in front of the entire Common Room, which had left the third-year feeling full of pride. However, the following evening, Valeria Malfoy surprisingly chose to sit next to Severus during dinner. It quickly became apparent that this was no coincidence, as she immediately inquired about his invention and whether it could alter people's appearance to the extent that they no longer looked human. After some deliberation, Severus agreed to try and modify his Chimera Elixir according to Lucius' sister's desires for which she paid him three Sickles. For someone who never had any disposable income, this was a small fortune, and even the arrogant manner in which the girl tossed him the coins couldn't dampen his spirits.

Unfortunately, despite the lack of concrete evidence, many people began to look his way once the potion had been used on a few Muggle-borns. Potter and his gang were particularly bothersome, and their accusations seemed to be taken quite seriously by the other houses. For Severus, who had never been popular in the first place, this wasn't a problem per se. However, while he didn't particularly care about the people affected by his potion, he began to worry that Lily might also start suspecting his involvement in the incidents.

The boy's train of thought was abruptly derailed by the arrival of the mail. Today there were more owls than usual, many of them carrying pink envelopes or small packages. Severus, looked back at his plate just as one of the school's Tawny owls dropped a sealed letter on top of his head.

Eyeing it warily, he checked for the sender's name, finding none. Upon opening the envelope, however, the young wizard immediately recognised the elegant, smooth lines of Lily's handwriting.

My dearest Sev,

It has taken me considerable courage to pen this letter to you. We have been the closest of friends for years, and while I cherish our bond immensely, I can no longer deny the truth. I cannot continue to call you merely a friend when my heart yearns for so much more. Every night, I am haunted by dreams of you, and all I desire is to share an eternity with you.

If you harbour any inkling of reciprocation, let us make our feelings official. I propose a date this Saturday at 2 p.m. Meet me in front of Magic Makeovers, beside Honeydukes. Please, keep your response for Saturday; I am not yet prepared to face it, especially with so many watching our every move.

Yours forever,

Lily

Severus' heart raced with excitement, his mind feeling fuzzy and light. With trembling fingers, he traced the bright red kiss mark at the end of the letter, as if he could feel the warmth of Lily's lips. He couldn't wait to wipe away that beautiful colour with the kiss he had dreamed of since he first laid eyes on the red-headed girl.

Quickly tucking the letter into his pocket, he glanced around to ensure no one was watching. At the Gryffindor table, Lily had yet to arrive, while Sirius Black and James Potter has caused quite a commotion with their enchanted paper airplanes made from the Valentines they had received. For a fleeting moment, Severus thought Potter might have glanced his way, but he quickly dismissed it as his imagination. Finishing his breakfast hastily, the young wizard left to retrieve his books before classes began.

'Lily's absolutely right!' – he thought on his way to the Dungeons – "If they find out about our plans for Saturday, they're certainly going to go above and beyond just to ruin our date! Just a few more days - I can wait."