The Only Exception

Fog enveloped the crowd, all waiting in line for the same thing. The Snake Hole, one of the most exclusive taverns in all of London.

Not many people knew what went on behind the closed doors, in the dark recesses of the eerie building. Very few were allowed past the door and even those who were given access never came out the same.

I slipped past the many people in line, all too busy staring at the entrance, to notice me weaving in and out of the crowd, collecting small tokens off of each person. A few hairs here, a piece of skin there. I was even able to get a few pinpricks of blood, a very difficult treasure to acquire, no matter how distracted the crowd.

Just as easily as I slipped into the crowd, I slipped out. I pulled my hood closer to my face, hiding my treasures in the folds of my cloak, before sneaking around the back of the building. I slithered through the crack in the window, just big enough for a snake, like myself, to slip through.

I shook my whole body, shaking off the all too comforting scales that I had grown to love.

“I was beginning to grow worried.”

My head snapped in the direction of the voice, my body instantly tense and ready to attack. My eyes roamed over the figure sitting in my father’s chair, behind his desk, and I relaxed from my tense position.

I blinked back the sight of the snake and bowed slightly, to the man in front of me. He smirked, a menacing and intimidating look that would have any other normal being quivering in their boots. I guess I was lucky I wasn't normal.

“Your lack of faith in my abilities shames me, Master. Have I not served you well, all this time, with no mistakes or failed missions?” I said, speaking in my normal tongue, a language my Master knew all too well.

His smirk grew, as he stood and walked toward me. He began to circle me, like a predator trying to analyze it’s prey. I didn't back down. I couldn't be spooked that easily.

“Of course, I do not doubt your abilities, my dear, Nagini. After all, you have stayed ever faithful by my side since the beginning and have yet to disappoint me. Though, I fear there is a first time for everything, my dear. So do not mistake my worry for doubt, my darling Nagini,” He said, his Parseltongue so perfect it was hypnotizing. He certainly was a snake charmer.

I licked my lips, sensing the air around us for danger. I could hear the clamor from outside, as they began to let the regulars inside. I remembered my treasures and removed them from the folds of my cloak, bowing my head and holding them up for my Master to take.

“Splendid,” He said, taking the treasures, gently in his hands and smirking. I could hear the pleasure in his voice.

“Tonight, we add a few more lucky people the opportunity of a lifetime!” He yelled, to someone outside the room, as he turned toward the door. A man appeared out of the shadows and took the items from my Master, bowed and the disappeared once more.

“I relieve you of your duties, for the night. Go, enjoy the festivities, my dear.”

With that, he was gone in a puff of smoke and I was alone.

- - - - - - - -

“Sarah-Lee!”

I turned my head in the direction of my father, as I stared out my window, watching all the unsuspecting victims as they waited outside my father’s tavern, The Snake Hole. I knew none of them would see me watching them, none of them knew what would soon befall them, once they were finally allowed access to the exclusive tavern.

“Why must we shepherd them in like sheep, Father?” I asked, biting my lip as I watched another poor soul be ushered inside the building on the other side of the deserted, dirt road. Our home and the tavern shared the same land, but were separated by a fairly large space of green grass and dirt road.

“It is our duty, to our Lord and Master to help recruit for our cause. If we did not, then no one would and our cause would fail. There is strength in numbers, my darling.” He spoke with such certainty, that it had to be true, but I couldn't bring myself to believe it.

“But, Father,-”

“Do you doubt the cause, dear sister?” A voice, much like my own, hissed, interrupting my objections.

I turned to face my twin sister Nicole, or Nagini, a name she preferred lately, as she leaned against my door. She looked less like me and more like a snake every day. It was hard to believe, sometimes, that we were twins.

“I only wonder why we should be the only shepherds to the sheep that make up our lord’s flock,” I said, holding her gaze. She might have frightened our father, but she did not frighten me.

“As Father has said, there is strength in numbers. Besides, there is never any hope for those who choose to spend all their time waiting to be accepted into an exclusive tavern. The weak minded are always the easiest pickings.” She smiled, showing the fangs that she rarely hid, trying to intimidate me.

“Enough, girls. We have visitors,” Our father stammered, trying to switch the conversation away from something that would give Nicole more reason to flaunt her snake-like menace.

Nicole perked up at the idea of new people to intimidate, her eyes lighting up, before she disappeared into her room, next door. I sighed, standing and closing my curtains, with one last look at the unfortunate souls awaiting their demise.

* * * *

I faked a smile, as I sat across the dining room table from some arrogant sod whose father was fairly high on the social ladder. Apparently my father had thought it was a good idea to introduce his daughters to come high ranking, single boys who would soon be looking for wives.

There was never a time when he wouldn't try to climb higher on the social ladder, no matter what the cost, he was determined to be as high up on the ladder as he could get. Nicole was taking quite well to the sod, though, as she sat beside him, their hands below the table. She was practically purring at his attention.

I couldn't help but notice every now and then his eyes would wander across the table and look me over. He was probably guessing which of us would be the least dangerous. Almost everyone inside the social circle knew that Nicole was practically our lord’s pet, though no one knew how or why.

The irony was when she cleaned up, no one could ever tell that she was dangerous, or that she had any snake-like features. She almost looked normal, unless you knew what was hiding beneath all of the make-up.

I, on the other hand, was known to be completely harmless. I was the innocent little girl, too afraid to accept the gift of our lord’s affection, alongside my sister.

I didn't mind living in her shadow, though. I preferred being unnoticed, especially when it came to gits that my father would try to set me up with.

As I took a sip of water, there was a knock on the door. My father practically jumped from his chair to answer his door, while Nicole looked up from the boy at the table to see who could be calling at dinner.

In only a few moments, our father ushered in a tall man with long blond hair, followed by a near replica of a boy. He was shorter than the man, his matching blond hair slicked back, out of his face.

“Girls, this is Lucius Malfoy and his son, Draco,” Our father said, introducing them respectively, before continuing, “Lucius, Draco, these are my daughters; Nicole and Sarah-Lee Van Alen.”

Nicole licked her lips, bringing her hands above the table, much to the boy at her side’s disappointment. The man known as Lucius nudged his son, Draco.

“A pleasure to meet you,” He said, bowing his head, as if rehearsed, not bothering to look at us.

“The pleasure is all mine,” She replied, her voice as sweet as honey. I rolled my eyes, not even bothering to look at the newcomers, as I took another sip of my drink. I heard my father clear his throat. I sighed.

“It is a pleasure to meet you both,” I said, as if on cue.

I turned my attention back to my dinner, poking my chicken with my fork, not really feeling hungry anymore. The boy known as Draco sat in the empty seat beside me, while his father took the open seat beside my father and began to talk business.

I felt a pair of eyes watching me and looked up for the briefest moment, to catch Draco staring at me, a look I couldn't quite understand crossing his face. I bit my lip and turned away. I didn't like having anyone’s attention.

“So, Draco, what do you do?” Nicole asked, purring once more, as she put her chin in her hands and watched him from across the table, wanting his attention. That was all it took, to keep the attention away from me.

In a way, I was glad Nicole was the way she was. I hated the attention, yet she thrived in it. I loved being alone, while she despised it. As evil as she was, without her, I wouldn't know what to do with myself. We were two halves of a whole.