Monkshood
1/1
Dear Mr. Hale,
I regret to inform you of the recent death of Severus Snape.
It was requested within his personal belongings that you be contacted in the event of his demise. I do not know the nature of your relationship with Severus, but please be assured that his death was not in vain. He greatly aided the fight against the dark rebellion of Lord Voldemort. I hope this may ease any pain this news has caused you.
If you require any further information, send a letter back with this owl; it knows where to find me.
Regards,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts
The letter in Jasper’s hand flittered softly to the plush carpeted floor. His eyes that had seen so many wonders in their time stared out through the window, sightlessly searching the snowy landscape beyond the glass.
Alaskan weather was the embodiment of the feelings that were rushing through him at that moment. His heart, although still for many years, ached with a loss he had never felt before. His unneeded breathing got shallow until it ceased altogether. His hands were shaking slightly, his arms frozen at his sides. His gaze was staring through the window sightlessly, not taking in the sight of falling snow beyond the glass.
Movement from behind him caused him to snap out of his daze and turn, although he already knew who had entered the room.
Alice Cullen waltzed swiftly to the table in the centre of the room, armed with a vase of water, a pair of scissors and a bunch of white lilies. She seemed not to see Jasper as she began to clip and trim the stems of the flowers.
Jasper knew that she was aware of him, but also understood why she had refrained from talking.
“Alice?”
His voice shocked even himself, coming out as nothing more than a hushed and cracked whisper.
She looked up from the vase and bunch of lilies at him, her own eyes encompassed with sorrow. Her sprightly step reached him mere seconds later, and he melted into her safe embrace. She already knew what had happened, which made Jasper thankful that he didn’t need words at this moment, for his throat had gone dry as tearless sobs racked his slim yet built frame.
They stood this way for a while, until Alice pulled away from him whilst whispering, “Go Jasper.”
A faint ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as he kissed her forehead. She offered him a supportive grin as she let him go before returning to prune the lilies as if nothing had happened.
Jasper returned back to the window and picked up the parchment that he had dropped, placing it on the desk. The owl was nested on the back of the desk chair, preening its feathers patiently. He tried not to disturb it as he sat down. Jasper had received many letters by owl over the years, all of them from the now deceased Severus Snape. He thought it only right to pen a letter in return. Once he was finished, he sent the owl off with the letter. Then, with one final kiss from Alice, Jasper left the room.
---
It was 1979, and Forks was just as green as it had always been. It had been more than ten years since he’d last stood in the emerald forest, and it was somewhat of a homecoming to him. Being one hundred and thirty-six years old, he’d moved around a lot in his time. But there he stood, looking just as youthful as the day he’d died, in the middle of a hunting trip.
His ears caught a sound in the far distance which made him frown. It sounded nothing like a rabbit or a deer, or any woodland creature he’d ever encountered before. Knowing that not a lot could harm him, he still approached cautiously and was more than surprised at what he saw.
He had reached a part of the woods which was covered in wildflowers of all tones and shades. Vibrant violets and rustic reds, periwinkle blues and snow capped white. The area was a maze of colour, but the flowers weren’t the things that had caught Jasper’s eye.
A young man was on the ground, his head bent low as he rustled around. Although the sun wasn’t in view, the man on the ground looked deathly pale and sallow. He was wearing something that looked like a robe in a shade that was just as dark as his hair, which was quite long and didn’t look in good condition at all.
Another thing made Jasper’s brain go into overdrive as he silently stared at the man. In all his years, he’d never smelt human blood like the scent radiating from the stranger. The typical smells of blood were there; iron and salt. But there was something else, something foreign about the aroma. Naturally, he had no idea what it was.
Curious about the man and why he was there, Jasper spoke out, “What are you doing?”
The man on the ground stopped suddenly and stood, drawing what looked like a stick from his pocket. Jasper’s eyes travelled over him, confused at the attire and demeanour of the young man who faced him.
“I’m looking for a plant,” the stranger sighed impatiently, “What are you doing here?”
Jasper appeared to seem oddly interested as he replied, “What plant are you looking for?”
Clearly annoyed at the drastic dismissal of his question, the man responded in a knowing tone, “Aconitum columbianum, a variety that is only found in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t expect you to know what it is.”
“You’re looking for monkshood.”
The smug expression on the sallow man’s face fell quickly, and the arm that held the stick lowered to his side. Jasper felt a stir of pride within himself that he’d apparently stumped the stranger.
Cold, black eyes regarded him in a scrutinising manner, “How did you know that?”
“Lucky guess,” Jasper smiled, “Who are you?”
“Nobody just guesses correctly out of thin air.”
Jasper raised an eyebrow at the stranger. His face was set in a frown whilst he appeared to think carefully. Sensing the alarm radiating through the air, Jasper merely shrugged, “I studied biology in university.”
Another cold stare met his topaz eyes. The atmosphere seemed somewhat tense between the two, and not wanting to give into temptation, Jasper fought to end it quickly.
“What’s your name?”
By now, the sallow man had returned to the ground, intent on looking for his plant once more. Just when Jasper thought he hadn’t heard the question; he replied, “Severus Snape.”
“Jasper Hale. Pleased to meet you, Severus Snape.”
Severus peered up at Jasper from the ground with a look of contempt. Jasper backed away slightly, both from the look he was receiving and from the negative feeling coming from the other man. He looked away and focussed on the cloudy sky, unaware that he was being carefully observed.
“You’re not human, are you?”
Jasper’s head snapped quickly towards Severus, “What do you mean?”
“Nevermind,” a smirk played on Severus’ lips as he shrugged, “It doesn’t matter.”
The vampire was greatly shaken by the fact that Severus knew that he was not what he seemed. Then again, he had the impression that he wasn’t the only one hiding an area of his identity. Now he was closer, the smell emitting from Severus seemed electric; indicating that he was not entirely normal himself.
“We all have our little secrets,” Severus smirked, “Some of them are best kept to ourselves.”
A glimmer caught Jasper’s eye. He looked up to see the clouds lifting, scattering across the sky. Knowing that the sun would soon shine through, he quickly made his leave, “I have to go now. It’s been nice to meet you Severus.”
Severus merely looked up once again and nodded, “You too, Hale.”
“If you ever need help, you just let me know.”
With that, Jasper nodded at Severus once and disappeared into the trees; leaving both parties greatly curious and more than a little confused.
---
In the years since that day, Jasper and Severus had become what some people might call friends. Letters were exchanged often, and they saw one another from time to time. Over a series of years, Severus had worked out for himself that Jasper was a vampire; and in revealing this knowledge to him, had told Jasper about being a wizard. They discussed in great length the progress of their lives; from Voldemort’s endless battle for power and Severus’ double agent role, to Jasper’s family life and the hardships he faced as a newcomer to the vegetarian lifestyle. Their friendship was strong, and they treated one another like equals.
---
Days later, a lone figure walked silently between the graves. Their presence there went unnoticed, as though they were a mere ghost. They lingered at every headstone, reading carefully the words etched on each and every one. The individual finally stopped at the end of a row, looking upon a certain memorial stone thoughtfully.
Severus Snape
9th Jan 1960 - 14th May 1998
May you rest in peace.
Jasper Hale knelt to the icy ground and let his increasingly darkening amber eyes flicker across the granite. The inscription was simple; the complete opposite to the person who lay beneath the frost quilted ground. It seemed morose, even to him, that someone such as Severus would be laid to rest so easily. It appeared as though nobody had visited the graveyard in a long time, leaving the dead to decay as nature intended. The monument by which he knelt held no flowers or any sign that it had been visited at all.
Time passed quickly, as it so often did for immortals. With a melancholic smile, Jasper left the cemetery just as quickly as he had emerged there. It would appear that he had never been there at all, save the bright purple flower that now rested on the snow capped grave of Severus Snape. Non-magic folk or people who were unfamiliar with potion making would not recognise the thin stemmed shrub. It may have even been thought of as a simple bluebell. But to those who knew, it was named aconitum columbianum. Monkshood; a variety of wildflower native to the Pacific Northwest.
Jasper never returned again, but went away with the memory of the young man that he first met all those years ago, the man that he knew once upon a time. A man that would live on eternally in his memories.
I regret to inform you of the recent death of Severus Snape.
It was requested within his personal belongings that you be contacted in the event of his demise. I do not know the nature of your relationship with Severus, but please be assured that his death was not in vain. He greatly aided the fight against the dark rebellion of Lord Voldemort. I hope this may ease any pain this news has caused you.
If you require any further information, send a letter back with this owl; it knows where to find me.
Regards,
Minerva McGonagall
Headmistress of Hogwarts
The letter in Jasper’s hand flittered softly to the plush carpeted floor. His eyes that had seen so many wonders in their time stared out through the window, sightlessly searching the snowy landscape beyond the glass.
Alaskan weather was the embodiment of the feelings that were rushing through him at that moment. His heart, although still for many years, ached with a loss he had never felt before. His unneeded breathing got shallow until it ceased altogether. His hands were shaking slightly, his arms frozen at his sides. His gaze was staring through the window sightlessly, not taking in the sight of falling snow beyond the glass.
Movement from behind him caused him to snap out of his daze and turn, although he already knew who had entered the room.
Alice Cullen waltzed swiftly to the table in the centre of the room, armed with a vase of water, a pair of scissors and a bunch of white lilies. She seemed not to see Jasper as she began to clip and trim the stems of the flowers.
Jasper knew that she was aware of him, but also understood why she had refrained from talking.
“Alice?”
His voice shocked even himself, coming out as nothing more than a hushed and cracked whisper.
She looked up from the vase and bunch of lilies at him, her own eyes encompassed with sorrow. Her sprightly step reached him mere seconds later, and he melted into her safe embrace. She already knew what had happened, which made Jasper thankful that he didn’t need words at this moment, for his throat had gone dry as tearless sobs racked his slim yet built frame.
They stood this way for a while, until Alice pulled away from him whilst whispering, “Go Jasper.”
A faint ghost of a smile tugged at his lips as he kissed her forehead. She offered him a supportive grin as she let him go before returning to prune the lilies as if nothing had happened.
Jasper returned back to the window and picked up the parchment that he had dropped, placing it on the desk. The owl was nested on the back of the desk chair, preening its feathers patiently. He tried not to disturb it as he sat down. Jasper had received many letters by owl over the years, all of them from the now deceased Severus Snape. He thought it only right to pen a letter in return. Once he was finished, he sent the owl off with the letter. Then, with one final kiss from Alice, Jasper left the room.
---
It was 1979, and Forks was just as green as it had always been. It had been more than ten years since he’d last stood in the emerald forest, and it was somewhat of a homecoming to him. Being one hundred and thirty-six years old, he’d moved around a lot in his time. But there he stood, looking just as youthful as the day he’d died, in the middle of a hunting trip.
His ears caught a sound in the far distance which made him frown. It sounded nothing like a rabbit or a deer, or any woodland creature he’d ever encountered before. Knowing that not a lot could harm him, he still approached cautiously and was more than surprised at what he saw.
He had reached a part of the woods which was covered in wildflowers of all tones and shades. Vibrant violets and rustic reds, periwinkle blues and snow capped white. The area was a maze of colour, but the flowers weren’t the things that had caught Jasper’s eye.
A young man was on the ground, his head bent low as he rustled around. Although the sun wasn’t in view, the man on the ground looked deathly pale and sallow. He was wearing something that looked like a robe in a shade that was just as dark as his hair, which was quite long and didn’t look in good condition at all.
Another thing made Jasper’s brain go into overdrive as he silently stared at the man. In all his years, he’d never smelt human blood like the scent radiating from the stranger. The typical smells of blood were there; iron and salt. But there was something else, something foreign about the aroma. Naturally, he had no idea what it was.
Curious about the man and why he was there, Jasper spoke out, “What are you doing?”
The man on the ground stopped suddenly and stood, drawing what looked like a stick from his pocket. Jasper’s eyes travelled over him, confused at the attire and demeanour of the young man who faced him.
“I’m looking for a plant,” the stranger sighed impatiently, “What are you doing here?”
Jasper appeared to seem oddly interested as he replied, “What plant are you looking for?”
Clearly annoyed at the drastic dismissal of his question, the man responded in a knowing tone, “Aconitum columbianum, a variety that is only found in the Pacific Northwest. I don’t expect you to know what it is.”
“You’re looking for monkshood.”
The smug expression on the sallow man’s face fell quickly, and the arm that held the stick lowered to his side. Jasper felt a stir of pride within himself that he’d apparently stumped the stranger.
Cold, black eyes regarded him in a scrutinising manner, “How did you know that?”
“Lucky guess,” Jasper smiled, “Who are you?”
“Nobody just guesses correctly out of thin air.”
Jasper raised an eyebrow at the stranger. His face was set in a frown whilst he appeared to think carefully. Sensing the alarm radiating through the air, Jasper merely shrugged, “I studied biology in university.”
Another cold stare met his topaz eyes. The atmosphere seemed somewhat tense between the two, and not wanting to give into temptation, Jasper fought to end it quickly.
“What’s your name?”
By now, the sallow man had returned to the ground, intent on looking for his plant once more. Just when Jasper thought he hadn’t heard the question; he replied, “Severus Snape.”
“Jasper Hale. Pleased to meet you, Severus Snape.”
Severus peered up at Jasper from the ground with a look of contempt. Jasper backed away slightly, both from the look he was receiving and from the negative feeling coming from the other man. He looked away and focussed on the cloudy sky, unaware that he was being carefully observed.
“You’re not human, are you?”
Jasper’s head snapped quickly towards Severus, “What do you mean?”
“Nevermind,” a smirk played on Severus’ lips as he shrugged, “It doesn’t matter.”
The vampire was greatly shaken by the fact that Severus knew that he was not what he seemed. Then again, he had the impression that he wasn’t the only one hiding an area of his identity. Now he was closer, the smell emitting from Severus seemed electric; indicating that he was not entirely normal himself.
“We all have our little secrets,” Severus smirked, “Some of them are best kept to ourselves.”
A glimmer caught Jasper’s eye. He looked up to see the clouds lifting, scattering across the sky. Knowing that the sun would soon shine through, he quickly made his leave, “I have to go now. It’s been nice to meet you Severus.”
Severus merely looked up once again and nodded, “You too, Hale.”
“If you ever need help, you just let me know.”
With that, Jasper nodded at Severus once and disappeared into the trees; leaving both parties greatly curious and more than a little confused.
---
In the years since that day, Jasper and Severus had become what some people might call friends. Letters were exchanged often, and they saw one another from time to time. Over a series of years, Severus had worked out for himself that Jasper was a vampire; and in revealing this knowledge to him, had told Jasper about being a wizard. They discussed in great length the progress of their lives; from Voldemort’s endless battle for power and Severus’ double agent role, to Jasper’s family life and the hardships he faced as a newcomer to the vegetarian lifestyle. Their friendship was strong, and they treated one another like equals.
---
Days later, a lone figure walked silently between the graves. Their presence there went unnoticed, as though they were a mere ghost. They lingered at every headstone, reading carefully the words etched on each and every one. The individual finally stopped at the end of a row, looking upon a certain memorial stone thoughtfully.
Severus Snape
9th Jan 1960 - 14th May 1998
May you rest in peace.
Jasper Hale knelt to the icy ground and let his increasingly darkening amber eyes flicker across the granite. The inscription was simple; the complete opposite to the person who lay beneath the frost quilted ground. It seemed morose, even to him, that someone such as Severus would be laid to rest so easily. It appeared as though nobody had visited the graveyard in a long time, leaving the dead to decay as nature intended. The monument by which he knelt held no flowers or any sign that it had been visited at all.
Time passed quickly, as it so often did for immortals. With a melancholic smile, Jasper left the cemetery just as quickly as he had emerged there. It would appear that he had never been there at all, save the bright purple flower that now rested on the snow capped grave of Severus Snape. Non-magic folk or people who were unfamiliar with potion making would not recognise the thin stemmed shrub. It may have even been thought of as a simple bluebell. But to those who knew, it was named aconitum columbianum. Monkshood; a variety of wildflower native to the Pacific Northwest.
Jasper never returned again, but went away with the memory of the young man that he first met all those years ago, the man that he knew once upon a time. A man that would live on eternally in his memories.
♠ ♠ ♠
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