I swear to God, if your mom doesn’t sanction a mission soon, I’m going by myself.
almost home
Sade Olutola

Kiana Khansmith
One Nice Bug Per Day
Peter Solarz
DEAR READER
No title available

No title available
Aqua Utopia|海の底で記憶を紡ぐ
Monterey Bay Aquarium

oozey mess
d e v o n
will byers stan first human second
wallacepolsom

Discoholic 🪩
NASA
Three Goblin Art

titsay
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
PUT YOUR BEARD IN MY MOUTH

seen from Ireland

seen from Ireland
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from Malaysia
seen from Bolivia

seen from United Kingdom

seen from Malaysia
seen from United States

seen from United States
seen from United States

seen from United States
@deatheatersnape-blog
I swear to God, if your mom doesn’t sanction a mission soon, I’m going by myself.
Lily more than assumed that this conversation wouldn’t be easy and she was still silently punishing herself for being a little too over-friendly to someone she thought just needed a gentle reminder. The redhead thought she should have at least learned by now after the attack on the party that it was best to look out for those that were close to you and move on with your day. If she would have done something like that she wouldn’t have had to stand in front of Severus trying to figure out what she could even possibly say. For a few seconds she was dangerously close to screaming at him with all of her frustrations, and at the same time her body was trying to pull her in the opposite direct and hoped she could forget this meeting even happened. Instead of resisting confrontation, Lily was clearly making a point to let him aware that she couldn’t be fooled for some sort of kindness he was trying to show.
She wasn’t going to go down the route again. Instead of respond quickly to his comment, Lily found her lips pressed tightly together in contemplation over his response. She wanted to laugh at his statement because there were plenty of times in Hogwarts that she thought there was a sliver of hope that he was truly sorry for what she called her, but she was beyond that chance to ever get an opportunity like that to pop up in her mind. His gaze was blank, mysterious yet assuming, but Lily was reluctant to show any emotion in return to what he said. “Can you really blame me? I’m not talking about this.. not with you,” she replied as she ran a quick hand through her hair. Even if it was a conversation about present times, Lily was too reminded of their fall out at school to even be thinking about the fact that he showed some sort of kindness as far as her making it out of the party alive.
She was trying to mentally calculate how much time she had before it was dangerously close to her being locked up for an evening for her own “safety.” It felt she had been there for hours more than seconds- there was too much happening all at once and Lily hadn’t the time to prepare herself for even speaking to her former friend. A sigh escaped her lips as she craned her neck to look over her shoulder before even speaking again, “As much as I’d love to be stuck with you all night, I really need to go. People will wonder where I am.”
Her words felt like needles on sensitive skin and Severus didn't blame her for saying them. He deserved it. I fact, he probably deserved a smack to the face, but that was besides the point here. It was obvious Lily was distressed by the conversation and it was even more obvious that she cared absolutely nothing about him. He scoffed through his nose, loud enough to make a point but soft enough to keep it between themselves. He'd been absolutely foolish to think that this conversation could have gone anywhere other than here. ear death experiences almost never changed people's minds, that was for movies and books.
He relaxed his fingers and let them hang limply in his pockets. He needed to move. If the other Death Eaters caught him out here with her of all people there would be hell to pay and lies to pull out of his ass. Blinking he looked back up at her and nodded at her. Acknowledging her words. What was there to say to that? What was there to say to her that didn't put her or her friends in danger?
Nothing.
Gauging the time he had left to scurry back to his flat he knew he'd make it. It wasn't far and a name drop did wonders if you were where he was in the ranks. Usually, but not always. Besides, the laws were new, he could just as easily claim he'd forgotten until it was too late. Focusing back o Lily, he simply lowered his head again. "I'm sorry," He said softly, stepping to the side, giving her room to walk away. There was nothing else he could say or do, that much he was aware of now. He should have never acknowledged her in the first place. Hindsight is twenty-twenty foresight.
"Have fun going back to Potter," He muttered softly, half amazed he'd let himself say it.The words dripped with sarcasm and instantly Severus regretted saying them. He gave Lily one last look before darting off down the sidewalk. Stupid, stupid, stupid Severus. For every step forward he'd take two backwards. The rhythm of his damn it seemed. Burying his fingernails into his palms yet again Severus kept his eyes forward as he walked. Unwilling to look back at the mess he'd probably just created.
Peppermint Tea on Winter Afternoons || Daisy & Severus
The shop had been teeming with people all day – Daisy hadn’t even had a chance to catch a lunch break, the crush of people had been so continuous and so demanding. Even Todd, her elderly manager, had remarked that, in all his years of business at the low end of Diagon Alley, the Junk Shop had never been quite so popular.
Whatever the reason for the sudden influx of people, Daisy was more than grateful to finally find herself seated outside the shop on a little bench under a tree reading her favorite book and taking a much deserved break. She had packed herself a small meal of a simple sandwich and some peppermint tea she was sipping out of the thermos her mother had bought for her when she’d left for Hogwarts.
The sun was just starting to set over the bare branches of the little tree, and Daisy was enjoying the warmth of it on her neck, and the way it dappled the pages of the little romance fantasy novel she loved so much.
It really was a thrill to be doing something as mundane and simple as reading on her break at work, when so much had happened over the past few days. It was just another reminder that things could be normal, things could be simple, even when war threatened to overwhelm Daisy and everyone she knew.
She was about to turn the page when a slight shadow fell over her and she glanced up, startled, “Oh, oh my goodness,” she murmured, apologetically, shutting the book and fumbling for her thermos before it tipped off her lap onto the ground, “I didn’t even see you I’m so sorry.”
Ever since the induction of the new Minister of Magic Severus had felt much safer conducting his business on the outskirts of Diagon Alley. It was out of the way, and not one hundred percent safe, but it was better than traveling way out of the way or doing his business in his own flat. The new rules were frustrating, but easy enough o work around. And Severus would be lying if he didn't say that the outskirts were more his place than the busy streets further in. At least out here there was sky and trees and birds instead of the steady hum of people moving about and animals chattering at you from every corner. If the wizarding world needed anything a new place to shop should be at the top of the list. Winding streets, cramped spaces. They were wizards. Would expanding the streets a few inches be that hard? Knowing how the Ministry worked though...probably.
He'd found this little spot on the outskirts that had a tree and a bench and it was a good place to kill time and read while he waited fora fellow Death Eater to return from a mission with news. So long as he didn't wear the black robes he often found himself in Severus didn't think he looked too out of place here. And for the past few days it had been a solid place, his place, until today.
There was a girl. On his bench. Keeping his grumbles to himself he approached her. She didn't look the least bit intimidating and frankly, Severus wasn't the least bit worried about her. Either he'd scare her off or he'd have to put up with sharing the other half of the bench for a while. There was no sense in running off or changing his location. His face flat as per usual he made eye contact with her. "Do you mind if I sit with you?" Severus didn't care if she minded, but pleasantries went further than insults in this side of town.
Poison Perfection || Inanna and Severus
It had been too long since she had wandered back into the common world.
Inanna was growing out of touch with the goings on – she hardly even knew what the common consensus was about the new Minister, which truly was a crime. Things with Matthias had been heating up fairly quickly, and she was confident she could expect a proposal within the month. It would be scandalous of course, especially since she was only a month in her mourning for her last husband, but when had she ever cared about scandal.
It had been too long since Inanna Zabini’s name had been front page news of the Prophet, and all her carefully laid out plans depended upon that.
She hummed to herself as dusk fell slightly over Diagon Alley. She was glad for the change in the seasons – she preferred to do her shopping when the night began to fall and less people would be clogging the arteries of Diagon and she could move quickly and unimpeded. In winter dusk fell sooner, which meant Linton’s ridiculously stringent curfew laws would not be a problem.
Inanna stepped into the apothecary, glancing to the side where the display of poisonous and painfully deadly ingredients lay. She did need to stock up on her wares – now that a new wedding was in the works – but first she had to make sure no one would see her buying them but the shop clerk she paid in tiny favors to ensure his absolute and undying loyalty and devotion to her.
She glanced to her other side and recognized the figure leaning over the other displays, and sighed inwardly – her goal would have to wait.
“Well, hello darling,” she purred, as she made her way to their side, “Stocking up, I see? Nothing too dangerous I hope.”
Severus was bored and with much of his usual options out of commission he'd been forced to find alternatives in Diagon Alley. It wasn't a bad place to shop, or a bad place to be, far from it actually, it was just...Diagon Alley. Bight, loud, and full to the brim with witches and wizards. A solitary person by many standards Severus did not enjoy being surrounded by the constant babble of people and sounds of business. Despite Knockturn Alley's darker reputation at least it was slower and quieter. And it looked good, but that was a bonus. In n attempt to escape the hustle and bustle of the streets Severus slipped inside the only store he actually enjoyed spending time in outside of Flourish and Blotts. The local Apothecary.
With a sigh of relief Severus was pleased to find the shop relatively empty, and blessedly quiet. He didn't need anything in particular, he'd recently fleshed out his personal stores, but it never hurt to look. Maybe, if he was lucky they'd have some sprig of juniper on sale today. Expensive little thing. Highly useful though. Taking his time at each shelf he careful drug his eyes down each label on the bottles.
Moving to the next shelf Severus's eyes were drawn to a new addition and he carefully picked it up, admiring the beauty of the particular extract. A fine potion's maker had crafted this, that much he was sure of. Half convinced he should simply buy the bottle of liquid he almost didn't hear the soft footsteps come up behind him. Inanna. Placing the vial back on the shelf he turned to face her with a smile. "Dangerous? Please. I can make dangerous out of mundane," He chuckled and nodded towards her. "Stocking up yourself?"
Highway of Fallen Kings - Civil Twilight
“Don’t judge a man by what he says his ideals are, judge him by what he does. Look at what the Color Prince has done. They’re wrong, Teia. They’re liars and murderers. It doesn’t mean everything we do is right. It doesn’t mean our house doesn’t need a thorough cleaning. I just don’t think we need to burn it to the ground to do it.”
Green drafters are few in number, but can be one of the most versatile of all of he drafters. The limits of this color luxin is limited only by the creativity of its drafters. A favored color for furniture and weapons creation having a green drafter on your side spells good things.
Green drafters are a un-containable force. They do not disrespect authority but they are not prone to bend their will because someone in a position above them tells them to. They do as they please to further their own personal agendas and goals.
Despite being wild though many say that Green drafters are the more friendly and caring of the group. Able to adjust and mold themselves to most any situation or group dynamic being friends with a Green drafter is safer than being friends with a bichrome drafter.
Severus Snape never asked to be a drafter, and he never asked for his parents to ship him of to be taught under the rebel leader who calls himself the Color Prince. Nothing more than a tyrant throwing a temper tantrum, if you ask Severus. But yet, he stays. Why?
He's been through the training of the Color Prince's drafters and he wishes that on o one. He watches it corrupt and break the lives of those around him and he cannot stand it. They are training children for war and asking them to break their halos. Children are not weapons.
So in retaliation, he fights back.
In the dark of the night when no one can see him Severus sends weekly updates on the Color Prince's movements and plans to Prism Guile. It's not much, but it is something. Even the most little of actions have the chance to tip the scales. It's a dangerous task but Severus doesn't care. He is a green drafter, tamed by no one, and he is completely confidant in his skills to play the double agent.
To Be Forged Anew || Peter & Severus
"Though it may shock you, Severus, I am actually capable of coming up with my own insults." He couldn’t even fathom why Snape had actually taken a seat at the table with him. They weren’t friends, they were barely acquaintances and if he could actually bring himself to care about the skinny man across the table they could probably be enemies. But really….. he just didn’t care.
"If you think I am the more trustworthy of the four of us, then you’re more stupid than I gave you credit for. Which is a truly marvelous accomplishment. I didn’t think I could think less of you Severus and yet… here we are."
He arched an eyebrow and looked down at the steaming mug in front of him, “You know we aren’t actually joined at the hip, correct? I am my own autonomous being and am capable of getting a cup of coffee on my own. What’re you doing here? Stuck here now that your usual spots are closed?”
Severus simply let his eyebrows do the talking by pulling them up his forehead i mock surprise. Let him think what he wanted. So far he had yet to prove himself if Severus was concerned. Scanning the menu he nodded, finding something that sounded edible. Putting the menu down he gave his full attention on Pettigrew. Call him petty but Severus didn't care. He'd been called far worse and he simply wanted Pettigrew to feel the sting.
"Think less of me?" Severus asked, again quirking up his eyebrows. "I didn't think that was actually possible coming from someone like you. I thought I was already the bane of your existence," Severus shrugged and sat up a little, un-bothered by Pettigrew's words. There was no sense in taking what him, of all people, said to heart.
"Could have fooled me," Severus replied. It was rare for Severus to see one of the group without another. Together all at once happened a lot, but alone, hardly ever. And as far as Severus knew or cared they could very well have been attached at the hip. "Perhaps I was looking for a change of scenery. This place seemed nice enough. Quaint even. Reminds me of Madam Puttifoots back in Hogsmeade."
“There’s nothing better to me than blood and gore, Snape,” he said. Rabastan leaned forward, an exaggerated grin marring his features. The dim lighting cast shadows across his face, distorting the expression. As much as he liked to disturb people, there was little he said that at least had an ounce of truth to it, and most people knew how he reveled in the defeat of others. Victory was victory, but playing the game like he did—he liked to have fun with it. “Makes me even more pissed off that I missed it,” he added, grinding his teeth together once before taking another swig of liquor.
“You know, from what people are saying,” he said slowly, “it was horrific. Everyone’s trying to drink to forget. And I’m over here drinking because I just got done doing Vo—the Dark Lord’s dirty work and there’s nothing better to do. How’s that, eh?” He laughed, but it was mostly humorless. “Is that why you’re here, drinking, Severus? Trying to forget?” Usually he’d be mocking; this time he was curious. He’d often viewed Snape as being similar to himself in his resilience, his ability to let anything slide off him without effect, but he’d been wrong before—rarely, of course, but a reality all the same.
Rabastan snorted, then, leaning back and relaxing into his seat again, though there was still less space between them than before; he mirrored Snape’s lowered tone, pragmatic if not cautious. “It won’t accomplish shit,” he agreed, rubbing his thumb through the condensation on his glass. “The fact remains that as long as we have people in the ministry, none of us will get arrested, or if we do we’ll be let free due to lack of credible evidence. Still, it’s a hassle, and I don’t feel like poking the bear, you know?”
Of course he'd say that, Severus wasn't really sure what had made him think that Rabastan would have actually liked avoiding the separation of the Minister's body. The man had never been...right. Shrugging it off he ignored the eerie look that crossed across the man's face. That probably worked on the others but it would not work on Severus. Parlor tricks like that scared him none. He had bigger fears than a freaky face in his dreams. "Careful Rabastan. You face might get stuck that way," Severus said, waving his had a little and smirking. "It is such a shame, but fear not my friend. People will be talking about if for days. Maybe if you're lucky you'll be able to hear it three or four times a day."
"Those that drink to forget are cowards," Severus said simply, taking another drink of his Firewhiskey. He did not drink to forget because he was strong enough to face the dark demons of himself. If you couldn't even do that then perhaps you didn't even deserve to hang around. "You're no good if all you do is run from the unavoidable," he further explained with a short shrug. "I came here to drink and relax. All work and no play makes Severus Snape a dull man,"
"I'm aware, but still. he hassle isn't worth it and we both know the Dark Lord would be very displeased if either of us ended up in jail for the night," He kept his voice lowered. Just enough that Rabastan would have to actually pay close attention but not quiet enough that he couldn't hear him at all. "So long as we keep our heads on our shoulders and our ears to the ground we will be fine. This is nothing more than a hiccup in the pan if you ask me. We'll get around it in a few days. I am sure there will be a plan of action for us to start in no time," A little bit of a reach but Severus honestly didn't care. The Dark Lord would have a plan, as he always did, and all Severus could do was hope that he'd be let in on it.
Things would have been much easier if Lily found enough strength to walk right past him and move on with her evening, but the fact that they had run into each other alone was a strange predicament. There were a mixture of words and emotions floating through her mind everything from bitterness from the fall out of their friendship, and part of her was actually saddened by the fact that she saw him as a complete stranger standing before her. It wasn’t the best friend that spent time with her when they both needed time away from the world, or the friend that she watched change ever since Hogwarts came around. Sometimes she just wondered what would have happened if she never met him.
It was clear that he was just as apprehensive about the situation as she was, and part of her wanted to jump in with some sort of statement to tell him to leave if talking was going to be something difficult, but his simple question asking about her life as if they were friends that hadn’t seen each other for a few weeks sent an exasperated sigh to move out of her lips. She couldn’t do this- she couldn’t look and him and talk as if everything was fine because there was nothing pleasant about the way she perceived him as now. She went to respond to his question trying to swallow back the need to respond with some sort of sarcastic comment, but his comment to forget it just as she had said blocked her mind from thinking what she could next. The last thing she wanted was to be thrown in a cell with him for a whole night.
The redhead eventually found enough composure to fight away the stature she was in, her eyes eventually leaving the darkened ground. She hadn’t expected to have her eyes meet his gaze as well, but as soon as it happened it was hard to think of anything she could do. For a glimmer of a moment she thought she saw something more than the evil she had engraved in her mind in regard to him. He mentioned the party, confusion settling in her features as he made some sort of pass at the idea that he was glad someone from the Order was alive. Answers to questions were still unanswered about the event, but Lily was skeptic to think that anyone on the other side felt remorse for the opposing party, former friend or not.
"I-I’m fine," was all she mannered to whisper in reply before she shook her head running her hand against her cheek before she dropped it again. In her eyes she sounded like a complete idiot talking the way she was, and the fact that speaking seemed so hard around him frustrated her even more. "You shouldn’t say something like that though," she finally managed to mumble as she pressed her lips together tightly. Lies were one thing, words that had no meaning behind them were another, "-Things you don’t mean." Lily might have been referencing their conversation know, but her words surprised her by the fact that it felt like a heavy weight was lifted off her chest. Obviously he said things to please others which had a different meeting later on, and someone had to call him out on it.
Severus took his time when her eyes met his. She'd always had the coolest color eyes, and not even time could have changed that. He kept his face relatively blank though. He didn't want to let on how conflicted he was feeling about the whole situation. He'd done more than enough embarrassing things in front of her and he would not embarrass himself like that again. He was older, wiser, and not in love with her. When she faintly talked Severus felt light years better. At least she hadn't taken off and she hadn't opened up with an insult. That had to be a good sign. At least, Severus took it as good sign.
Swallowing past the lump in his throat that had suddenly appeared he shoved one of his hands into his pocket, clutching his fingers into a tight ball. Maybe if he tried that the stress and awkwardness wouldn't show on his face. Just as he was getting a grip on his wayward emotions she spoke again and it felt like a dagger. He lowered his eyes from hers and traced the patterns they found there as he stood in silence, yet again. She had every right to think that was a possibility. It wasn't like Severus had given her much to work with about how he actually felt the past few months. But he wanted to say something.
Eyes still firmly affixed on the ground he allowed himself to speak slowly and with carefully chosen words. Lest he offend her or saying something stupid again. "Perhaps, you shouldn't jump to conclusions about what I mean and what I do not mean," Looking up he stared at her. Flat and unassuming. He really had been worried about her, and he really was glad she was all right. If he hadn't been able to right things between them before she was gone...He didn't linger on that thought. Lily was more than capable, clearly. She was, after all, one of the smartest witches he'd ever met.
It wasn’t the first time that Lily stuck her nose in someone’s business in hope of being some sort of help or assistance to them, but with everything that happened as of late with the death of the previous Minister, she was beginning to constantly mentally scold herself for the choices that she made. There was an obvious amount of silence from the shadow as she waited patiently for a response tempted to walk away and forget everything altogether, but the figure finally stepped forward. Instead of agreeing with her or throwing some petty insult that some tended to do when people meddled, Lily was greeted with a simple hello and her name which immediately set her back in her tracks to begin with. It wasn’t until the face came into view under the light that Lily found herself completely at a loss for words.
Severus Snape was a name that came up on occasion which usually consisted of the Order discussing their opponent, but Lily had a way to release her pent up anger at her former friend in those sort of meetings. She just hadn’t expected to talk to him in person after everything that happened between them. It was a strange friendship the both of them once had which stemmed from Severus showing her a life beyond the Muggle world that introduced Lily to Hogwarts and all the magic the world had to offer. It seemed crazy to think that one word could change the course of everything she had, but the moment it came from her best friend’s lips, she questioned his intentions even from the beginning.
The redhead took a few cautious steps backwards when he finally exposed himself out in the open- she didn’t have any sort of desire or need to pull out her wand for protection, but a hurried walk back home wasn’t supposed to end with her running into her former friend. She could have immediately turned on her heel and continued walking as she did a few times in school when he came looking for her, but something kept her where she was as if her feet were glued to their current spot. Even after their classes had graduated, Lily was doing a good job at ignoring his presence altogether if the situation arose. Her job was a blessing because she could hide away from everyone as she continued to work making sure she proved everyone wrong that she was more than a tainted name.
"Severus" Lily responded with a slight nod of her head before she shifted her weight to her other leg before she found her hands clasped tightly together through the awkward silence that hung between the both of them. The redhead felt no desire to exchange pleasantries, she was reluctant to use his name to begin with, but the redhead wasn’t going to come out of this as the one who did the wrongdoing- she was just the friend that tried to defend him from Potter and her other friends. It was exhausting back in school trying to make sure she could stop anything that happened to him that her friends caused, and now she was beyond the point of even caring what they did no matter how annoying Potter still was on occasion. She pressed her lips together in contemplation over what to say next, her eyes moving to her shoes, "Forget I said anything."
You could cut the awkward with a knife it was so thick and the silence between them only further made Severus want to squirm. It stung to watch Lily take a step back fro him, like he would hurt her, but after everything...he didn't blame her. Looking back on it now he could see her hesitation. He was hanging out with the wrong crowd, but there was no way he could fix that. Her crowd was a group of popular people, and Severus was not and had never been, one of those people. Filled with a deep bitterness at the unfairness of his entire situation Severus had to resist the urge to turn and flee. If he was lucky he'd make it to Regulus's flat and he could apparate away. But he couldn't. For the first time in years here was Lily, no friends in tow, and no Snape begging for an audience outside her dormitory.
Rubbing his hands together he leaned back, giving Lily more room between them. If she felt like bolting, fine. He had to cut the silence somehow but the only thing that was coming to mind was apologizing or attempting to make this conversation as normal as possible...which probably would only make things more awkward. There had to be something he could do. But the press of getting home and staying out of trouble was there too. He coughed, untangling his hands and rubbing the back of his neck.
"What's-What's new?" Severus asked, eyes firmly affixed to the ground between them. The moment it slipped out of his mouth he felt utterly ridiculous and stupid. Of all the things to say after years of radio silence that was not what Severus had wanted to say. Chiding himself for not only being a moron but a coward to he forced himself to look up at her. Taking her in. She'd changed, for worse or for better he didn't know, but he could see that the little girl from his childhood had done well for herself. He'd heard she worked in the Ministry. Should he ask her about that? Probably not.
Feeling utterly out of his element, not a feeling Severus particularly liked he waved his hand dismissively in the air. "Forget I asked that. It was a stupid question," He swallowed hard but didn't allow himself to avert his eyes. He was not a coward and he would get no where towards fixing things if he couldn't look at her. Merlin, awkward. Severus should have kept his mouth shut and remained in the shadows. Perhaps their first meeting should have been slightly better planned out. "I-I'm glad you got out of the party in one piece," It was quiet and stupid to say but honestly, it was a relief for Severus to see her.
Adept as he was at reading people, Rabastan hadn’t figured out whether or not he liked Snape. He was as weasel-like as he himself was, maybe more so, and if there was anything he hated it was being one-upped at anything he thought himself good at. And, of course, Rod would tell anyone who listened about how he was the sorest of losers. Still, he allowed the momentary regret at calling out to him flare and then fade, taking a breath as Snape made his way over.
"Yeah. Though I wouldn’t call it soon. Heard I missed the event of the year," he said, not a little bitterness in his tone. He folded his arms across his chest, watching as the other Death Eater took a seat, though he made an effort not to tense. Snape was on his team, after all, and personal feelings aside they worked together—they had to. "What have you been up to, anyway? This curfew business is bullshit," he added, lowering his voice because, with this new minister, there was a much higher chance of his brashness getting rewarded with, say, an arrest rather than muffled fear.
"You look like you need a drink," he declared, motioning for the bartender to bring him another firewhiskey without asking Snape what he wanted. He could play nice, sure, but he wanted to make it clear who was controlling the interaction.
Snape took careful note of Rabastan's subtle moves to show he was in charge. Used to being subordinate Severus took it with a grain of salt. Whatever Rabastan wanted to do to inflate his ego didn't matter to him. Shrugging it off he settled into his chair and leaned onto the worn table top. "Event of the year is an understatement," Severus explained, interlocking his fingers and putting his chin on top of them. "Then again, if you're not a fan of blood and gore then perhaps you didn't. Shane though. I am sure you would have thoroughly enjoyed yourself."
With more time between him and the event Severus had found it easier to forget the sounds, which was a blessing. But if he thought too long about what had occurred he could see it all happen again and it sent shivers up his arms. He didn't let his face betray his inner thoughts though and instead smiled at Rabastan, pulling his chin off his fingers and accepting the fire whiskey from the waitress. He took a long drag from the glass before letting out a heavy sigh.
"Most of the new laws are shit," Severus finally agreed with a nod, keeping his voice low. Better safe than anything else. "Curfews, searches, cleaning out of Knockturn Alley? What the hell does he think he's going to accomplish with all of this? Absolutely nothing if you ask me," Severus said with an eye roll. Herer he should act relaxed. Make a friend of the devoted and driven guy. Give him that extra boost up. And even though Severus would never admit it out loud, he admired the man's drive. He was admirable in Severus's eyes. Made his job that much easier if you asked Severus.
It had only been a few days since the Minister’s laws had been put into place, but Lily occasionally caught herself a little too close to curfew time causing her walk to be more rushed than she would have liked. This time around she couldn’t have given the excuse that she was caught in some extra work back at the Ministry, instead she had found herself engrossed in a book back at one of the small shops that hardly had a patron in it other than the few employees. Usually the shops seemed to be good about reminding people that they would be closing soon due to the curfew, but it seemed as if the shop owner was in the same predicament she was.
The redhead was calmed by the fact that she wasn’t the only one in the streets hurrying back home before they were too late. The people in the streets weren’t any significant number which meant that most followed the rules set upon them, or they knew better than to try playing with the system. From the few things that Lily had heard about Minister Linton, she certainly didn’t want to question a man’s intentions with the rules set in place and this certainly wasn’t a daring night for her. Home was the better option over all.
Shifting her bag up over her shoulder, Lily stopped in her tracks to see someone close by, preoccupied by something behind her. She took a second to glance over her shoulder with curious eyes only to turn back to the figure in confusion. There didn’t appear to be anything of interest behind her other than the few other people hurrying back to their home for the evening. Lily decided to speak to the shadow, a little pressed for time but interested nonetheless,”I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude but, It might be better if you got home. Curfew’s coming up quick after all.” Lily wasn’t there to police the streets on the Ministry’s behalf, but helping those unaware of the situation might need some assistance now and then.
Severus had been wandering, to kill time, but lost as he was in his head he hardly noticed the original rush of witches and wizards to get home. And he sure as hell didn't notice anything until the sun had set. Berating himself Snape made a mental note to never give himself so much time to himself again. He pulled his cloak closer and started to walk at a hurried pace to get home in time. He didn't live very far from here but he wasn't going to risk getting locked up for the night. His companions wouldn't let him hear the end of it and he could just hear the scoff of distaste when word got to Lord Voldemort's ears. No. Better to walk like there was a fire up his ass than to risk that.
He stuck to the shadows of the street, leaving the well lit areas of the sidewalk open to the other people who were now rushing him like him. If the people couldn't see you then you couldn't be stopped for a random search like the new Minister had planned. Not that Severus had anything bad on him, but still, he had always been a man of caution. Stopping to let a couple pass him Severus looked down the street. Close to home, thank god. The relief that washed through him froze though when he saw a familiar mane of red hair appear behind the couple. Moving closer to the shop he prayed to anything that she hadn't seen him, or if she didn't she'd walk right on by.
But Severus was never lucky. He hadn't spoken to Lily since his final, and admittedly embarrassing, pleas for her forgiveness in their sixth year. He hadn't been avoiding her, but he sure as hell hadn't gone out of his way to run into her either. Her voice made him feel an odd rush of emotions but he pushed them all back. Not here. Instead he focused on how he felt utterly ridiculous standing there, shrouded in darkness. Clearly she didn't know who he was...yet. It took him a long, even more awkward, moment before he managed to find the air he needed to talk and the energy to take a short step forward. "Hello, Lily,"
"Of course." She agreed, with a smirk. "Let the less noble job to the less noble people." Well, that was very true, to herself, at least. Narcissa was never the one to do the jobs that involved getting your hands dirty - what, of course, didn’t mean she never did things herself. She usually did, but her missions were quiet and secretive, and usually involved gathering information. When it came to eliminating specific targets, however, she always made sure her hands ended up clean - no trace was ever left behind that could incriminate the pureblood princess.
He was clearly expecting she’d leave first, but Cissa wasn’t bothered. She wanted to be back home and finally rest - Bella wouldn’t bother now, it was too late for that. And if her mother decided to scream, a little reminder of how she became crippled could always solve the problem.
"Well, I’ll be going then. Good to see you’re alive." Not that she actually cared, but it was. Snape was smart, and although he was still too quiet for her liking, he could be useful. "You should contact Lucius later." A little bit of being the perfect little pureblood lady and future wife she had to be, of course, couldn’t be missing. She waited for him to answer, for the sake of being well mannered, and then, with a crack, Narcissa disappeared from the dark alleyway.
"I will," Severus said with a nod, watching Narcissa as she spoke and soon enough apparated away. For a second he contemplated turning back around but thought better of it. There was nothing in that rubble he wanted to see, and going home and actually taking a shower sounded like a much better idea. Shrugging he shot one glance back towards the rubble before pulling out his own wand and apparating away. Soon enough he'd find out what Voldemort was thinking, but right now all Severus really cared about was writing an owl and going to bed.