Severus Snape was finally back home. It was awfully late, or rather, it was starting to be early. He was exhausted.
« You look awful. » said a quiet, raspy voice. Severus was startled. After half a second of blank, he just answered :
-Oh, thank you for your insight. It’s the perfect conclusion to this long day I’ve just had. »
-Long day AND night. It’s two in the morning, Severus. What took you so long? »
-Oh, right. You mean : the safe inspection of your deadly coffers at Gringotts was supposed to take, what? Five minutes? I’m not through a fourth of the first one, so expect it to take ages. When to think about how parsimonious your uncle was… Like he was collecting coins for the shiny quality. You’re welcome, by the way. It’s ridiculous, being this rich. Oh, that, and I was pursued by vampires. »
-They scared you. I’ll kill them. »
-Vampires are dead, already. That’s why they’re called ‘undead’. » Severus was actually generally preoccupied. He was back, out and about, and now the news would be spreading quickly. He wondered whom it would be spreading to. Was he safe? He wasn’t quite sure.
-Well, I’ll kill them. Again. » Severus smiled.
-Just their luck. Keep your fangs at rest, girl. They were irritating. Not hostile. »
-What did they want with you? » Severus sighed. He could already hear his friend’s enthousiasm.
-They came from a… Distant uncle who’s dying. They were looking for an heir. »
-Coffers? »
-No. Just some ruin, Merlin knows where. » The girl was quick. She gasped emphathetically :
-Land? »
-Apparently. »
-That’s GREAT! »
-Of course, except they’re linked to the land, which would make me their new « master », which would mean I would have to feed them, regularly. » Suneko sobered up, then offered :
-Take the land, stab the vampires. Problem solved. »
-Magical contract. I’m not sure they’re that easy to deal with. »
-Hum. That is a drawback. »
-Isn’t it? »
-Would it have to be your blood? »
-Would you give yours? »
-I did share some of mine, when you were dying, a few years back. » Severus didn’t know what to say. She had never told him that.
-No idea of the quantity needed, and every month is a bit much. »
-We should still visit. »
-Perhaps. »
All the while during this conversation, Severus had been distracted : he couldn’t help but noticing a few decoration changes. In fact, he could hardly recognize his living room. Plants had been placed all around the bookshelves. The sofa had been replaced by crawling, twisted tree branches, and by a couple of pouffes casually displayed. There was a sort of mini stone grotto, in a corner. It was awfully warm. And there was, of course, the little detail of the dozen snakes, crawling around. Suneko noticed his gaze, and simply commented :
« I brought a few friends. Do you mind? »
-I mean : thank you for asking me now. » She schruged unapologetically :
-You were away. And I was bored, and worried sick, by the way. »
-Hence the snake party. Who doesn’t need a boa to tea? » Severus wasn’t fond of snakes (understandibly). But she was around, and he knew he was pretty safe. Still.
-Don’t just stay there standing. Sit. » she said.
-Oh thank you for your hospitality in my own home. That’s so sweet. » He was glad he was home, though. Even with the swarming mess on the floor. So, he did.
Severus froze and looked down, as he felt one of her « friends » slowly curl around his leg.
« Pedro wants a better view. » She explained. Trays with snacks and drinks appeared on their knees.
-Now, he wants some of your duck. » she translated, while feeding a couple of her other « friends » by hand. Severus was starving, but he didn’t want to displease the heavy venomous mass of fangs and scales perching on his shoulder, so he decided a bit of his dinner was a worthy sacrifice. He heard a happy hiss;
-He likes you. He said : this is cosy. »
-‘Cosy’ must be the snake word for ‘chaos’. »
-Oh, shut up. »
At that point, Severus saw the whole scene from outside himself, and felt the uncanniness of it. The change of decoration out of the blue, the reversed hospitality behaviour, the carpet of snakes all over the floor, climbing up his legs « for a view ». The Dark Lord had turned his snake friend Nagini, into an extension of himself. She had turned the whole place up side down to make them feel at ease. She had never done that before, he mused. It’s almost like she was the one who were starting to feel comfortable with me. The idea made him feel fuzzy and warm, inside. On the other hand, his feelings were mixed. It didn’t exactly feel cosy to see all of these snakes crawling around his feet. He still had bad dreams about Nagini.
« Do you want to see something fun? » she said playfully.
-Why not? » what did she have in store exactly?
She let out the softest hiss he had ever heard, and a tiny whitish snake slid from her sleeve.
« This is Noodle. Most of my other friends are wild. They come and go. But this one is a clinger, so she’ll be likely to be hiding up my sleeve like a living bracelet everywhere I go. »
-I’ve never seen her. »
-Of course. She hides, mostly. »
-What type of snake is she? »
-A flat head. Pretty, isn’t she? »
-Irresistible. »
-Well… She is more than just a lovely face. She’s also an incredible actress. Do you want to see? »
-The suspense is killing me. »
She looked at the little reptile, and hissed what seemed to be instructions. The reptile in question was intently listening to her, in a fixed, attentive position. Pedro and the other snakes had finished their dinner, and were back on the floor. Some had found their way to the little grotto, and were ready to doze off. His tray was taken away, and hers was emptied of all of its content.
Suneko let Noodle slide on the now empty platter, and stretched out her hand. A paper knife lended in it.
Then, she cleared her throat, and recited emphathetically :
« Begone, foul children eating monster! For I am the great hero Harry Potter, come to save the world! I shall cut thy infamous head, and make a necklace out of your teeth! Fear me, evil beast! »
To which Noodle answered with more furious hissing, and twisting, and fake biting. Suneko lifted a little finger, and a paper bird appeared out of nowhere, and brushed the little serpent’s head. Noodle was now obviously twisting in fake agonizing pain. Finally, Suneko brandished her paper knife vehemently to the ceiling :
« And now, die, secret horror of the deep! The world is safe, at last! I demand it! »
After which she touched her little friend with the paper knife lightly. Noodle let out a pathetic last hiss to express her fake suffering, and let herself fall on the tray in a dramatic dying scene.
« Impressive. » Severus had to admit.
He’d been chuckling all along. A wicked idea had just crossed his mind, actually :
« The children would like it. » he grinned
-What children? »
-Weasley’s of course. We could make an exceptionnal event or two at the shop. I’m sure they would appreciate the show. The bravest of them could even take part in it. Some would definately want to play Harry Potter with a real living snake. Gryffindors or future gryffindors, likely. »
-I’m not sure. That would be a lot of people. »
-Oh, come on. You work in a hospital. If she’s always with you, she must be used to people. »
Suneko was quiet, intently looking at him.
« What? » he snapped, feeling under scrutiny.
-Why do you insist? »
-I think it would be a good idea. For the kids. »
-Why do you even care about the kids? I thought you hated them. » She noticed with a witty smile.
-Will you stop it, now? » he retorted irritatingly.
-Never mind. It’s late. We should go to bed, anyway. Whatever you did with it. And, hum… Suneko? »
-Yes? » He hardly dared asking the question.
-Your… Eye colour was starting to change, when you were angry, back in Saint Mango’s. » About to choke that woman to death, he omitted to say.
-Oh, that? That’s nothing. »
-You were just turning, I guess. Nothing to worry about. » She sighed with an expression of sad resignation, and explained :
-I only risk to turn when I’m threatened. It’s not too bad if my eyes just turn purple, anyway. I’ve seen it on my mother. It’s just… If my eyes turn red… Run. »
-And sweet dreams to you too… » Severus mumbled. She hissed something under her breath, and shook her shoulders, looking down :
-He’s scared of me, like all the others. » His heart thumped. He lifted her chin :
-I want my Defense Against the Dark Arts shop. And I want you to settle your apothecary shop too. I want us to meet the best specialists to get proper aprenticeship, and earn ourselves quite a reputation. So yes, I want you to keep your snake under control, because you couldn’t heal anyone without hands. I’m sure we’ll find ways. And I’ll make do with… » he vaguely showed his new living room decoration.
-This mess. »
The morning light had been starting to seep through the window. Severus Snape hadn’t exactly been sleeping well. His conscience had turned on and off, in between bad dreams populated by Nagini, and other objects of his worries. Now, he was grateful for the day to come, and its various distractions. He was about to get up, when his face was attacked by a braid, coming from the ceiling. He screamed in surprise.
« What’s wrong? » said a worried, sleepy voice. He had to breathe in and out, before answering :
-Suneko, what… Are you doing… In my room, on the ceiling? » Up there, she had installed a bar, where she was casually hanging.
-You were screaming, last night. I came to make sure you were alright. It was just a nightmare, and I didn’t want to wake you up. So, I just decided to stretch, for a bit, and then be on my way… I must have fallen asleep. »
-Upside down. On the ceiling. » Severus said flatly.
-As you can see. Breakfast? »
Les pattes de mouche de la puce polichinelle 