Chapter Text
Snape rose to his feet, his face a canvas of turmoil that betrayed the careful mask he usually wore. "No matter how many years she escaped her true identity, It was always like this, the Carmines and their short lifespan are inexplicably intertwined." These were the words Gentiana had shared with him. Before uncovering the truth behind Sue's memory erasure, Snape had harbored suspicions that Gentiana had acted out of some dark motive. But now, understanding the lengths her mother had gone to in order to sever her daughter's ties to the Carmine legacy was almost too much for him to bear.
His tall and dark figure blended in the dimly lit potions classroom. He grabbed his cloak and donned it, he began walking towards the Divination classroom. It was a meeting that Dumbledore himself had arranged weeks ago. He was told that Sybill Trelawney, known for her rare and true prophecies amid a sea of incorrect ones, was going to share a significant prophecy with them. Inside the dimly lit Divination classroom, a sense of suffocation hung in the air.
The room was eerily empty, with only Sybill Trelawney and Dumbledore near her desk, where a shiny silvery orb sat. Trelawney, she appeared to be in a trance-like state, absorbed by prophecies and slowly touching the orb with her hands. Snape's gaze flickered to Dumbledore, noticing the fatigue etched on his face. It was no surprise, given the strain from Umbridge's meddling in school matters. Dumbledore's voice was quiet but firm as he spoke "You must return to your office immediately after this, Severus. We can't afford for Umbridge to catch wind of this private meeting."
Snape's expression remained impassive as he tightened his jaw, forcing the words out in a low, velvety tone "Why did you want me to hear this prophecy, headmaster? Is it connected to Potter once again, or are you merely reminding me of my past mistakes?" Dumbledore offered no reply, his gaze fixed on Sybill, who was murmuring something under her breath. The last prophecy Snape had overheard from Trelawney was during his time spying for Voldemort. The repercussions of him sharing that information, including the death of Harry's parents and a woman he once loved, weighed heavily on his mind.
Sybill's murmurs continued, growing louder and more audible. Her voice seemed to transform into a more haunting and otherworldly tone, echoing through the room. Dumbledore's voice dropped even lower as he spoke, his eyes meeting Snape's meaningfully. "Severus... I need you to deliver this prophecy to the Department of Mysteries, where Voldemort and even the Death Eaters cannot find it." Snape furrowed his brow, a hint of frustration in his voice. "But what is this prophecy that we have to hide it?"
Suddenly, Trelawney interrupted him "The dark times... are ahead." Her eyes were fixed on the shimmering orb in her hands as she continued. "A terrible conflict is on the horizon, with the rise of a dark wizard who shall not be named. The one known as Carmine shall walk in the shadow of the Chosen one, becoming his weapon and guardian.They are the dark lord's destiny, and his doom." She suddenly coughed and cleared her throat, her hoarse voice cracking slightly. When she looked at Dumbledore and Snape, it seemed she had already forgotten the words that had just escaped her lips. Snape inhaled sharply, his gaze darting to Dumbledore with a subtle frown on his face.
Trelawney, meanwhile, struggled to clear her throat "If you two could please leave my classroom...?" she said, handing the orb to Dumbledore before walking to pour herself a cup of warm tea. Just as Snape was about to ask another question, the sound of the tea gurgling in her throat made his expression turn mildly disgusted, prompting him to leave the classroom. Dumbledore followed suit. Once they were out of the Divination classroom, Snape spun around to face Dumbledore "You said you would keep her safe!"
The darkness of the corridor outside the Divination classroom cast shadows on their faces.
Dumbledore's blue eyes shone behind his glasses in the dim light "This is the prophecy, Severus. You can't change the words that were spoken." His tone softened as he continued "And believe me, as much as I care for Harry, I care for the girl too, but this is her destiny." Snape's eyes darkened further, even though they were not exactly visible in the dimly lit corridor "All you care about is to protect that Potter boy! you have meticulously planned everything to keep him alive so he can destroy the horcrux within him at the proper moment! But even your brilliant mind couldn't fathom that the girl will only survive her brief lifespan. Why would she get involved in Potter's affair? Why would I let this happen?"
His anger grew palpable as he repeated "I have told you many times it would be me who decides if she helps Potter or not!" Dumbledore's calm demeanor remained unchanged despite Snape's outburst "You will decide, Severus? Sue is not your daughter..you know that?" Snape's gaze flickered momentarily, a storm of emotions swirling behind his dark eyes "Do I have to be her father to care about her? I never wanted to be anyone's father or have any responsibility like that. She is just..."
His voice trailed off, leaving an uncomfortable silence hanging in the air as Dumbledore patiently waited for him to finish. This was clearly not an easy topic for him to discuss. He had never loved the girl, and every time he asked himself why he cared so much, he was unable to find a satisfactory answer. Was it simply because she was the only one who had ever shown kindness to him in his long and lonely life? "Just someone important that I don't want her to get harmed, that's all." Dumbledore nodded slowly, his words carrying a sense of understanding and finality "It's very kind of you, Severus, but you need to understand that Sue's destiny is intertwined with Harry's."
Snape clenched his jaw tightly "Is that so..." Albus handed him the shimmering silvery orb "And I advise you, to protect yourself from heartache, discard these possessive feelings you have for the girl. I've also noticed something, she is clearly attached to you, so if I were to be honest, you are harming her more than Harry!" Snape snatched the orb and hissed "I am not possessive!" Dumbledore held back a small smirk "Of course, you aren't possessive, and Ryder is perfectly sane." Snape's gaze focused on the orb as his voice dropped to a low murmur, as if speaking to himself "Then let her become more attached."
Dumbledore raised a brow, taken aback by Snape's words "Severus!" Snape turned on his heel, preparing to leave. However, before doing so, he looked over his shoulder "I would never harm her or take advantage of her pure feelings, but I will never trust any other person who claims they like her, especially with her being a Carmine, she's a desirable target for those who thirst for power." Before Dumbledore could respond, Snape had already left.
Sue's POV:
Two months had passed, and it was a particularly cold and chilly day in December. The ground was covered in white snow, and the falling snowflakes added to its beauty. It being Saturday, there was no class, although my unfinished homeworks were screaming for attention. I was in the yard, happily throwing snowballs at my friends, as we had chosen to skip going to Hogsmeade this time and embrace the joy of playing like first years. "Hey! I'm a prefect, you have no right to-" Ron's voice abruptly stopped when George threw a big snow ball into his face. Laughter erupted from me and the others as we witnessed Ron's reaction.
A look of shock and surprise etched on his face as he brushed away the snow. The courtyard was somewhat vacant, with only us and a few first and second years present, as most of the students and professors were enjoying their time in Hogsmeade. Luna was occupied with building a snowman, adorning it with a blue hat and a Ravenclaws scarf that she owned herself. Harry stood behind her, a smile on his face. "Brilliant, Luna."
Luna responded in her usual thin voice "It would be better if you lend your glasses..." Harry chuckled, taking off his glasses and handing them to Luna "Fair enough." As I watched the steam of my breath swirl into the crisp morning air, my white hat perched atop my head, shielding my brows and a few unruly bangs. On the other side, George, Fred, Lee, Dean, and Seamus were engaged in an epic snowball fight against Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Poor Neville was merely shielding his face, while Ron struggled hilariously to land a hit on his twin brothers.
I had been part of the frosty fun earlier but had taken a break to catch my breath on a nearby bench. Suddenly, WHAM! A hefty snowball collided with the back of my head, sending my hat tumbling to the ground. "Eh!?" I exclaimed, spinning around just in time to see another snowball hurtling toward me. SPLAT! It hit me right in the face! Snowflakes rained down like confetti as I wiped the icy remnants from my cheeks, ready to jump back into the winter wonderland chaos. I sprang to my feet and spotted Malfoy, strutting around solo this time, no sign of Crabbe, Goyle, or Pansy.
He wore a gleeful smirk that could only mean trouble. "Heya! Ready for some fun?" he taunted, his wand flicking with mischief. With a flourish, he conjured a flurry of hefty snowballs that hovered ominously in the air beside him, eagerly awaiting their moment to launch. I tightened my Gryffindor scarf around my neck, standing and striking a ridiculous karate pose, because.. why not channel a bit of Muggle sports flair in this snowy showdown? Without even touching the snowballs, he waved his wand, and they flew at me like cannonballs.
A couple smacked into my face, I found myself flailing ugh... stupid Sue... "Why are you kneeling like a scared cat, Sue?" he jeered, his hat stumbling precariously on his head. As I ducked and covered my head like Neville dodging the twins' antics, a brilliant idea sparked in my mind. Aha! Why do I sometimes forget that I possess wandless magic? My skills have improved so much over the past few months practicing in the Room of Requirement! Draco stood there, watching me with a mix of awe and a teasing smirk. I raised both hands, my eyes shining more vividly as I focused on the snow blanketing the ground.
Suddenly, like a mini tornado, all the snowflakes began to swirl together, forming an enormous snowball. Everyone else paused their snowball fights, staring in amazement at the massive creation I was conjuring. Malfoy's smirk faltered for a moment as he took two cautious steps back "You're not planning to throw that at me, are you?" he asked, half joking but clearly a bit worried. Just when I was feeling proud of my massive snowball, I slowly lifted it above my head, aiming to drop it on Draco.
But in a split second, I lost my focus, and the giant snowball plummeted right back down on me! The yard fell silent for a moment before erupting into laughter. No one seemed to care why Malfoy had even joined our playful snowball fight; they were all too busy cracking up. Ron snickered "They weren't kidding about Carmines being dangerous, but Sue here is a danger to herself!" Even Draco couldn't contain his laughter and let out a chuckle at the hilarious scene. I coughed up a mouthful of snow as I tried to wipe my face, buried beneath a fluffy blanket of the white stuff.
I felt a mix of embarrassment and disbelief at how I ended up in this frosty mess. Suddenly, a shadow loomed over me. It was Draco, adjusting his hat with a mischievous smirk plastered across his face "The fight isn't over yet!" he declared, plopping down beside me and taking full advantage of my snow covered predicament. With a wicked grin, he launched a handful of snow straight at me. I scrambled to shield my face "Hey! Let go, Malfoy! It't not fair to attack me like-"
I sputtered, but my words were cut off as a snowball landed right in my mouth. I coughed and spluttered, spitting out the icy flakes. You insufferable cockroach, I will cut your head off! In a quick and dramatic movement of my hand, I turned the snow covering me into water, but still sitting with my legs crossed, too cold and numb to move my feet "Get away, Draco, or I'll burn your.. your PANTS!" However, I failed to notice the slight reddening of his cheeks as he chuckled and sat down, his usual smirk transformed into an unusually wide and pure smile something you rarely saw on Malfoy's face.
"Just make sure you don't burn yourself before you get to my pants." he teased, chuckling as he lobbed another snowball at me, splattering cold flakes all over my face. I was ready to blast him away and send him floating through the air, but for some inexplicable reason, something held me back. I watched him closely, as if time slowed down in front of me, taking in the sight of the snowflakes gently settling on his silvery blond hair and the laughter that escaped his lips. I couldn't help but notice his flushed cheeks, a rare sight on his usually pale face.
Is he actually happy? A small piece of my heart felt a pang for him, and I couldn't quite understand why. I had never seen him smile this way with his friends... He noticed my eyes fixed on him, and he wiped away a tear from his laughter before quickly standing up to dust off his fancy black jacket "Well, maybe in the future I'll hire you as my personal clown, Sue. Bye bye." His words stung, and my expression instantly soured. At least he's still the same bastard. I dusted myself off with annoyance, vowing to succeed next time.
Hermione and Ron walked towards me, with Hermione giving me a knowing grin "I never thought I'd see Draco Malfoy come here to play with any of us." Ron frowned. "Yeah, but you shouldn't play his games. Malfoy is our enemy!" Harry rejoined us, putting his glasses back on, and George and Fred also arrived. Luna stood behind everyone, and when she spoke, we all turned back to her "Well, the snowball fight is over now." she said softly. I noticed that Draco hadn't left yet; he was watching our group intently. But as soon as our eyes met, he turned and walked back toward the castle.
Maybe he just wants to be a friend? Just then, George wrapped his arm around my shoulders, catching me off guard "George!?" He grinned mischievously "Why not build another massive snow wall, Sue?" I chuckled nervously "Well... let's give it a shot, but I might just end up burying us all under a mountain of snow." Luna, her gaze lost in the swirling dance of snowflakes, chimed in "Go for it, Sue, the girl of wonder." Oh Luna, you are far too lovely for your own good.
My eyes shone vibrantly as I waved my hands, causing snow to fly and gather together, forming a massive snowball. I repeated this process over and over. We were all so absorbed in our playfulness that we didn't notice the professors, who had chosen to remain indoors, watching us from the castle walls. Dumbledore chuckled softly and placed his hands behind his back "Look at your lions, Minerva." he said to Professor McGonagall, who stood nearby. McGonagall returned a gentle smile. "One of them is Filius's eagle, Albus."
Her eyes gleamed with nostalgia. "It's heartwarming to see them enjoying themselves, despite the difficult days at Hogwarts... with that insufferable pink woman!" Snape approached them slowly from inside the castle, his dark hair and cloak billowing in the cold wind "You wished to see me, headmaster?" Dumbledore nodded kindly "Don't worry, Severus. Nothing important. I just wanted you to be here with us." Snape held his head high, his dark eyes fixed on the snow filled scene before him, and his expression darkened "You wanted me to watch these insufferable teenagers playing in the snow?"
McGonagall and Dumbledore shared a look before Dumbledore said in a calm tone "Perhaps we simply wished for your company? It's important to step outside and appreciate the beauty of nature every now and then rather than remaining secluded in your dark office. After all, it hardly contributes to easing your sour mood, which seems to persist 24/7." McGonagall struggled to suppress a laugh, nearly snorting at the remark. Snape's cheeks flushed with irritation as he scowled "Nature may be pleasant, But not with these bothersome children in sight!"
Dumbledore chuckled and replied smoothly "Well, my dear boy, these same 'bothersome children' are the ones we rely on to shape the future, don't forget, Severus." Snape rolled his eyes and muttered under his breath "I'm well aware... unfortunately." Snape's eyes softened as he observed a certain someone. McGonagall chimed in "Sue has made remarkable strides in wandless magic. Filius mentioned that she completed all the tasks in his class without using a wand or any spells."
A smile crept across her face, and she giggled softly to herself "I don't usually spend time matchmaking my students, but I do wish to see Carmine and Potter go on a date someday." Her words were enough to darken Snape's expression, casting a shadow over his features. Snape's scowl deepened "Potter?... with her? that would be a disaster... just thinking about it is enough to give me a headache." McGonagall's smile faltered somewhat "I apologize, I wasn't mindful of your disdain for Potter." Snape rolled his eyes again, muttering something incomprehensible under his breath.
Meanwhile, the group was engaged in creating a massive snowman without magic. I suddenly noticed Snape standing next to McGonagall and Dumbledore at a distance. My heart skipped a beat. How long have they been here? Snape continued to stand nearby, his scowl deepening as he watched the snowman take shape. There was an air of discomfort around him, and I couldn't shake the feeling that he was particularly unhappy with our carefree playtime. Out of nowhere, a bright flash from a wand blew up our snowman! George's big smile faded into shock just as he was about to wrap his scarf around it.
Even the professors standing nearby turned to see who had cast the spell. Then, a short woman in a pink outfit appeared, grinning "You really shouldn't act like first years. Try to show a bit more maturity next time." She giggled, tilting her head as she walked toward Dumbledore. Her eyes shifted between the three towering figures beside her. Umbridge then added "If the headmaster and his professors are unaware of these inappropriate actions by the students, then I feel the need to request the Minister for extra authority to enforce stricter rules in this school!"
But that warning was far from just a warning, it was merely the start of a series of ridiculous and unnecessary big and small rules enforced by Umbridge and the Ministry of Magic upon Hogwarts.