Summary: The Heads have just seen your memories and Severus has some words to say to you.
Author's Note: What did we think about the last chapter? After this one, I will be taking a break to figure out how to continue on with the series. Until then, enjoy!
TW: trauma, wounds and intense scarring
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The memories ended abruptly, throwing everyone out with such force, it knocked them to the ground.
You sat on the floor, attempting to keep your emotions under control. When you first revealed your memories to Minerva and Dumbledore, you nearly destroyed the headmaster's office. Luckily this time, the stone walls and floors merely vibrated.
You could feel everyone's eyes on you, waiting for you to say anything regarding what they had just seen. Yet you remained silent, focusing only on your breathing and fighting the emotions that were clawing up your throat.
Sensing footsteps nearing, you looked up to see Dumbledore with his hand out. Smiling gratefully, you took it and was pulled to your feet. Looking around, it was confirmed that they were all watching you. Pamona had a sorrowful expression, while Filius looked to be in utter disbelief.
When you could finally bring yourself to look at Severus, he managed to make eye contact with you for longer than a fleeting glance. In those couple of seconds before his eyes met the floor again, you swore that you saw some sort of pained expression.
"I think it best that we all have a seat," Dumbledore said softly, breaking the silence that had fallen over the room.
The atmosphere was dark and heavy as they sat. Dumbledore had conjured an armchair for you to have to yourself, facing the others. Perhaps he thought it would make it easier to speak with the professors. You weren't sure how true that would be.
After another pause, you figured you would have to start talking at some point.
"I apologize for the things you all had to witness tonight," you began. "It was never my intention to lie or hurt anyone regarding my identity. Everything I did and have done since that day has been to survive."
"I understand if your opinion of me has changed for the worse. The things I did were horrific. And if you no longer wish to associate with me, I understand. I just wanted the opportunity to be transparent with you all."
When you were done, no one spoke for a bit. You couldn't say that you blamed them. What does someone say to such a thing? Who would want to associate with you after the way you murdered those people? Death Eaters, yes. But still, people.
It was Pamona who spoke up first.
"Oh, child...I...I cannot even begin to fathom how you have suffered," she said as she turned towards you. "This burden you have been carrying on your shoulders."
Filius nodded. "Indeed. You have been through quite the ordeal, dear girl. A weaker person would have certainly lost themselves to despair and rage."
You were unsure of how to respond, feeling as though you had lost yourself in the months following the genocide. And at times, you felt like you weren't strong enough to continue carrying the burden of their deaths. The burden of being the sole survivor.
"It has been a challenging eleven years," you said softly. "And it has been a lonely road. But, I'm grateful for the opportunities that being here has given me."
To that, Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling in their usual manner.
"Hogwarts is glad to have you, dear," Pamona assured. "We are all glad to have you."
"How can you face me after the things I have done," you found yourself asking before you could stop it. "I essentially hunted those wizards down for sport and you can still look at me as if I am not a murderer?"
"Because you did not kill these men in cold blood, child," Filius reasoned in his true Ravenclaw fashion. "You are the victim of a heinous act. We cannot fault you for the things you did. You were merely a girl."
You didn't know what to say. They were so willing to accept what you had done. You had been living with the guilt of your actions every single day.
To your surprise, Severus was the next to speak.
"War is war, Miss L/N," he said simply. "Those who wage it care not for their victims. Every single Death Eater who was struck down by your hand met the end they deserved. You must not repent the actions you took on the course they set you on."
You could see the sincerity in his eyes, as well as something else. Remorse, perhaps? Once he knew his words had sunk in, he resumed looking at anything but you.
"I do have a question, dear," Filius asked. "Once again, forgive me for asking, but...you appeared to take a considerable amount of spells to the back. Spells that would have taken down a formidable wizard. How on earth did you survive that?"
It was a valid question. One that you had been contemplating for years. In truth, you had no idea. Even Dumbledore could not come up with a solid conclusion. Whatever it was that had kept you alive, was something that they had no concept of.
"I wish I had a better answer but...I don't know," you said truthfully. "Dumbledore and I dedicated countless hours to try and figure it out, but we found nothing."
Filius nodded, a peculiar look on his face.
"And the scars? Did you get them all healed up," Pamona asked.
You shook your head, rising from your chair. Looking to Minerva and Dumbledore, who nodded, you began removing your robes and turned your back to the professors, putting it on full display.
Closing your eyes, you felt the shift in the room's atmosphere once more.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Severus felt as though all of the oxygen had been pulled out of his lungs.
Your back and shoulders were completely mangled. Some were deep and jagged, looking as angry as the they must have been when you received them. Some were the telltale sign of dark magic, unable to be healed regardless of the method. The majority of the scars were white, branching out like lightning across your skin, similarly to Potter's. Your pants hung loosely on your hips, allowing them to imagine the extent of the scarring, presumably going down your legs.
Severus couldn't hear the gasps of the other professors. He couldn't hear them express their sympathies and regretful words. All he could focus on was the scars.
Evidence of the war. Evidence of a child being forced to become a soldier. Evidence of the innocence being ripped away from you.
And he couldn't help the immense guilt that washed through him, threatening to drown him. Eventually, he could no longer stomach looking at you.
In that moment, Severus decided that he could no longer continue the camaraderie that he had allowed to develop between the two of you. He wasn't sure if it was to protect you, or just a testament to his cowardice. Either way, it could not go on.
He wasn't sure how long they all remained in the headmaster's office until they were finally free to go. Dumbledore requested that Severus escort you down to the dungeons.
The two of you walked in silence, unsure of what to say to each other following the night's events. Eventually, you neared your chambers.
Severus was still angry regarding the situation and being kept in the dark. He knew exactly why you remained silent regarding your past. He knew the repercussions of word getting out to the wrong person. If he were a rational person with a rational temper, he would have let it go.
Unfortunately, Severus' temper was far from rational.
As you opened the door, Severus reached out and grabbed your arm, spinning you to face him. His eyes bore into yours.
"You have been deceiving me this entire time," he said slowly. All of the anger he had felt all of those months ago came rushing back in. The suspicions he held. All this time, he was right.
"Everything that I told you was the truth, professor," you defended softly. "Everything else was unnecessary."
"Unnecessary?" Severus was appalled. "I certainly would not deem any of the information revealed tonight as unnecessary."
To his annoyance, you looked around before grabbing his arm and pulling him into your chambers quickly, slamming the door behind you.
"I couldn't just tell you, professor. Before tonight, there were only two people alive that knew. Dumbledore and Minerva," you tried to reason.
"All of those months ago, I knew that something was amiss," Severus said while pacing around the sitting room. "And yet, you threw your little tantrum when I attempted to confront you and refused to speak to me for days."
He watched as your brows raised, shock evident in your face. "A tantrum? You alluded to me being in the castle for some sinister reason. You were attempting to attack my character."
"Was I supposed to just give in and tell you everything? I have been living in hell for the last eleven years, professor! My people and my entire way of life are gone! Wiped out and they are never coming back. You don't believe that I wished to tell someone? To tell you?"
Severus stopped pacing, shocked to see you losing your usual composure.
"I couldn't tell anybody! I can't tell anybody. It is the only way that my safety is guaranteed! The more people I tell, the greater the chances of Voldemort finding out."
At that, Severus completely froze. Feigning ignorance, he slowly said, "What are you talking about?"
You sighed. "Professor, please don't play this game with me. We both know that he will return. And we both know that he will eventually find out that I'm alive. Once he does, the Death Eaters will come for me. I am trying to ensure that I live long enough to fight."
Severus scoffed. "And that is your goal? To fight and destroy him?"
"Certainly not. That is the destiny put upon the poor Potter child. But I will fight beside him when the time comes. I will not let the deaths of my people be for nothing."
Severus certainly understood. Unfortunately, he was still angry. If he wasn't, he wasn't sure that he would have been able to say what he did next.
"Then allow me to make this easy for you," he spit out. "Do not worry about keeping me informed on your life and future endeavors. We are not friends, therefore not entitled to know anything about each other."
He began walking towards the door, purposefully ignoring your face.
"I will honor you and your true identity. However, moving forward, we will no longer speak to each other for anything other than work. Seeing as though you are regrettably forced to be at Hogwarts for the time being, I shall see to it that we will not so much as look at each other if it can be avoided."
Finally finding the courage to look at you, to his surprise, he saw nothing in your eyes. No anger. No sorrow. Nothing. Instead, you stood tall.
"I thought you were different," you began, voice strong and clear. "I knew you were cold, but I never thought you this cruel. I offered my friendship, but I see it was not enough for you. I do not know what life has done to you, but it has taken everything from me."
You opened the door, letting him know it was time for him to leave. "I will no longer bother you, professor. It is my wish that you do the same."
Not wanting to invade your space any longer, he quickly stepped out of your chambers. Unable to stop himself, he turned and looked back, watching as you walked towards the sofa with your head down. As he was about to close the door with his wand, your hand shot out and sent a gust of wind, slamming it shut.
Severus slowly walked to his chambers, taking in the last couple of hours. He ran a hand through his hair, sighing deeply. A knot had formed in his chest, making it tight. The only thing he could do was convince himself that it was for your safety.
For the first time in a while, Severus felt incredibly empty.
Summary: Your memories are revealed.
Author's Note: I loved writing this chapter. I hope you guys enjoy!
TW: trauma, violent deaths, wounds and intense scarring
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You sat in the headmaster's office, heart pounding and hands shaking due to the fear coursing through you.
In a matter of minutes, you went from only two people knowing of your existence to six, three of which being children. Now, Dumbledore was discussing with Minerva whether or not they should come clean to the remaining Heads of House. Something to do with transparency and trust amongst the castle superiors.
As much as you wanted to be free to be yourself, the idea of more people knowing suddenly made you sick. Perhaps it was the way Severus had looked at you. You weren't sure if it was disappointment, anger, or even possibly, fear. Whatever it was, it had been replaying in your mind for the last hour.
You felt a hand on your shoulder and looked up from your hands to see Dumbledore standing behind you, a sad smile on his face.
"My apologies, sir. You were saying," you asked while sitting up straight.
"No apologies necessary, my dear," he said warmly. "I was merely stating that it may be beneficial to inform Pamona and Filius. They would not be my Heads of House if I did not have complete trust in them."
You nodded. "You're right, sir. Forgive me for being hesitant. I'm just so accustomed to only the two of you knowing. I never considered how it would feel once others found out."
"I understand your hesitation, child. It would be quite the change, certainly. But trust, they, along with Severus, will keep your identity safe. You have my word," Dumbledore said softly.
"Okay," you whispered, her heart beating faster than before.
As the two wizards began discussing calling the Heads into the office, a thought came to you.
"I have a request."
The two looked at you, allowing you to continue.
"I believe it would be easier if I show them," you said, throat tight. "Show them the day it happened and the months before I arrived at the castle."
A nervous look appeared on Minerva's face. "Are you certain, dearie? Those were dark times for you."
You smiled sadly at the older woman. "To know me is to know what happened to me. To know what I am is to know what happened to my people."
Dumbledore took in your words before agreeing. "If this is what you wish, dear girl. I am happy to oblige."
Chewing on your lip, you contemplated one last thing. You were about to let people into your memories and let them see the worst of you. You were certain that Severus had seen the scars on your shoulders. Those were just the visible ones. Your entire back was marred, covered in scars that were healed too late. Unfortunately, your legs weren't spared and were also covered in their fair share of scarring. But nothing was as brutal as your back.
"I want them to see the scars. I want them to see how I have a permanent reminder on my body. To show them that any slip-up, any hint of my existence...could result in my death," you said quietly.
Once again, Dumbledore agreed.
Half an hour later, you sat on a sofa Minerva had conjured, waiting for the others to arrive. You had switched out of your formal clothes to a loose pair of pants and wrappings around your chest, both traditional to elementals. Not wanting to shock the professors right off the bat, you threw on your robes.
Across the room, your memories sat swimming in Dumbledore's Pensieve, waiting to be viewed.
Filius was the first to step through the Floo, followed by Pamona. The two greeted you warmly, albeit confused as to why you were present. You waved, not fully paying attention as Dumbledore quietly informed them of the night's events involving Harry and Voldemort. He didn't mention you or why you were even there, causing them to glance at you occasionally.
Finally, after several minutes, Severus came through. His eyes briefly met yours before quickly looking down. The small action made your stomach turn, newfound anxiety swimming through your body. As the months had passed, you truly began to consider the man as your friend. You were uncertain on how you stood to him, but to you...
You cared for the man.
You had earned his friendship. Or at least, something adjacent to it. You enjoyed his company and looked forward to the next time you would see him. You loved Dumbledore and Minerva, but your friendship with Severus was different. He was so unlike anyone you had known in your life. He was the first person to make you forget everything that had happened in your past. Perhaps this was due to the fact that he had no idea.
There were many days where you ached to tell him who you truly were. While Severus wasn't the biggest talker, he was an excellent listener. As the term progressed, you found yourself able to talk more freely to the man. No matter what it was, he always listened. Even when you were bickering over something, he always listened to what you had to say.
Eventually, you were struck with the realization that the best friend you'd ever had was a man who had completely despised you in the beginning. And, you weren't sure whether or not to feel embarrassed by the revelation.
So, to see him avoid you after learning the biggest secret of your life, made you feel sick.
"Now, I'm sure all of you are wondering why Miss L/N is here following tonight's horrifying events," Dumbledore spoke, breaking your thoughts.
"What is about to be revealed to you is of the upmost importance that it remain between only those in this room," he continued. "So much so, that I will need an Unbreakable Vow from each of you."
You watched as Pamona and Filius startled slightly, clearly not anticipating something as severe as an Unbreakable Vow. Severus, however, remained with an unreadable expression on his face. If you had taken your boots off, you could have felt his heartbeat through the stone, giving you any insight to how he was feeling.
"Certainly, Headmaster," Filius said, the first to speak up.
After the three Heads took the vow, Filius looked at Minerva and asked, "Forgive me for asking, but are I correct to assume you already know what is going on, Minerva?"
The older woman nodded. "Indeed."
"Now," Dumbledore began. "If you would all join me around the Pensieve."
The wizards gathered around the stand, a great feeling of curiosity filling the room. Dumbledore turned to you and offered his hand.
"Are you ready, dear girl?"
Slowly, you stood up and walked across the room, taking his hand. With a deep breath, you nodded.
"Very well. Our tale begins eleven years ago, on a peaceful spring day..."
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It took everything in Severus' body to not vomit over what he had seen.
He watched helplessly as the Death Eaters slaughtered your entire village. He felt the panic and utter fear the teenage version of you had running through your veins. He felt the grief and primal rage you had following the deaths of your parents. Having been a Death Eater, he had seen the looks on victim's faces that usually followed the Dark Lord's handiwork.
And yet, nothing could have ever prepared him for your sorrow.
Glancing at the present you, Severus saw you with your back turned to the scene, refusing or unable to look. He couldn't fault you.
The sounds of the screaming teenager faded away, along with the memory. Soon enough, they found themselves in another.
Severus looked around to see that he recognized the area. It was the Quarry, located within the Forest of Dean. A popular spot for the Death Eaters to store their prisoners during the beginning of the war. Near the end, it was just a hideout. He had had the displeasure of having to visit the site numerous times.
It was certainly no place for the sole survivor of the elemental extermination.
Anxiously, Severus watched as the memory played out in front of him.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It had been one week since the massacre.
You had slowly been making your journey through England, not having the drive nor the energy to move any quicker. You knew you needed to, as it was a matter of life or death, but you just couldn't.
Frankly, it was a miracle you didn't throw yourself from the highest cliff you could find.
You had been hiking through the Forest of Dean when you stumbled upon the ruins of an old structure. Immediately, you could feel the magic surrounding the area. It was not the usual tingle you felt from magic, but rather, the painful pricks you associated with dark wizards.
You had stumbled upon a Death Eater hideout.
Now, you were no witch, but you knew that magic folk liked to put wards up. Whether to keep people safe inside, or to keep people outside. Why were you able to come across it so easily?
"Think we wouldn't find you, love?"
You spun around, startled by the man's voice. Behind you, three Death Eaters stood with their wands pointed at you, the moonlight reflecting off of their masks.
"We've been tracking you since the village. Thought you could escape us now, didn't you," the one in the middle said slowly. "Too bad it doesn't work that way. Whatever our Lord wants, he gets. And he wants every single elemental on the planet eliminated."
You stiffened, dread filling your bones. "Why isn't he here to kill me himself, then?"
The man on the left growled. "You think we're going to tell our Lord that we failed to kill everyone in the village, you idiot girl?! No, don't worry. You'll be dead soon."
At that, you were able to find some strength. A minuscule amount, but strength nonetheless. They feared the fact that you were alive. They didn't fear you. Just your survival. Feared what Voldemort would do to them if he found out.
And that was all you needed to find the courage to fight.
Before the wizards could react, you mustered all of your strength and swung your glider with a cry, sending a strong gust of wind towards the men. Shouting, they flew backwards, one smashing against a piece of the ruins with a sickening crack. The other two landed further away, narrowly missing the dilapidated structure.
With one Death Eater down, you only had to worry about the remaining two. Hiding behind some stone, you took off your boots, allowing you to feel the vibrations in the earth, allowing you to "see" what your normal sight cannot.
"There's nowhere to run, little girl! We're two fully grown wizards and you're nothing but an orphaned child!"
Your mind raced, trying to figure out how you could manage to take them both down. Taking out the first one was pure luck. The other two would be more difficult. Planting your feet on the ground, you sensed that they had split up, attempting to flank you. One of them, the heavier man, was rapidly approaching you.
You needed to take him down as quietly as possible to avoid alerting the other of your location. You searched around you for anything you could use to your advantage. You managed to find a broken piece of a thick chain. Pulling it towards you as silently as you could, you wrapped it once around each knuckle, pulling it so tight it dug into your skin.
Returning to your hiding spot, you waited for the man to walk past you, holding your breath. Once you were able to see him in his entirety, you quickly sprung up, jumped on his back, and pulled the chain as tight as you could against his throat. Dropping his wand and falling to his knees, the wizard grunted and struggled, hands clawing at the chain and your face.
Ignoring the pain of his nails digging into you, you pulled even tighter, the chain now digging into your knuckles so hard, they bled. Eventually, the man stopped struggling and was soon slumped over. Releasing the chain, you looked at the violent marks it left on his neck. But, before you could vomit at the sight of the man you killed, an intense pain erupted across your back.
"You stupid bitch!"
Stumbling forward, you turned just in time to see the other Death Eater fire another spell at you. You quickly made your hands into fists and formed an X with your arms, causing a large wall of rock to shoot up, blocking the spell. Planting your back foot, you stomped the other into the ground and pushed one of your fists out, sending the rock wall flying towards the man.
He blasted it into tiny pieces, but was still caught off guard enough to allow you to shoot fire at him from your other fist. He screamed as the flames reached him, catching his robes and legs on fire. Picking up the chain once more, you rushed the wizard, who had managed to put the fire out, and wrapped it around his neck. Soon enough, he met the same fate as the other.
Unable to hold back, you threw yourself to the ground and retched. The smell of burning flesh only made you more sick, so you remained on the ground for a few minutes, expelling what little food you had in your stomach. Finally, when you had nothing more, you sat back and sobbed.
Guilt, shame, and grief flooded through you all at once. Guilt of taking the lives of three people, albeit Death Eaters. Shame at feeling satisfaction with their deaths. And grief at the complete loss of your innocence.
Eventually, you picked yourself up and struggled on what to do with the bodies. As much as you wanted to leave them, you knew that if more returned, they would know someone was after them. So, after about ten minutes, you had opened the ground enough to fit three bodies and dropped them all in it, managing to make it look like it was just another part of the ruins.
Before you disposed of the bodies, you managed to find a piece of parchment in one of their robes. It had mapped out all of the Death Eater hideouts and camps within the forest. Thanking the spirits, you began to formulate a plan.
You would monitor each of the locations and if you felt you could, you would go in and take them out. You told herself it was to reduce their numbers, but deep down you knew what was truly going on.
You were going to kill any Death Eater who dared to cross your path.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
At the time, Severus wondered how there were so many Death Eaters disappearing in the Forest of Dean.
Now, all of these years later, he finally had the answer.
He watched as the teenager essentially hunted down as many of them as you could. He watched as you took hex after hex, curse after curse, and still kept going. During a particularly gruesome battle, you had taken a nasty slash to the back, cutting you from shoulder to hip. And yet, you never backed down.
Despite being inexperienced, you were a fierce warrior, nothing like the calm, peaceful person he had spent the last ten months working with. Severus was completely astonished by what he saw. Managing to stay out of the Dark Lord's plan, he had never gotten the chance to see an elemental in battle. If they were anything like you, how in the hell did the Death Eaters manage to wipe them all out. There was a part of the puzzle that Severus believed he was missing.
No, he knew that there was definitely something he was missing. Because he just witnessed every single Death Eater that you had your eyes on meet the same ending.
Eventually, the teenager seemed to no longer find satisfaction in killing the dark wizards, leading to an intense breakdown that nearly set the forest in flames. Severus felt like an intruder, invading the memories of a vulnerable child.
But, you were no longer a vulnerable girl. You were now a grown woman, having spent the last eleven years living with the memories. And for whatever reason, you deemed every person in the room worthy of viewing them.
To Severus, nothing in this life would ever deem him worthy of your memories. He was certain that when, and there would certainly be a when, you found out his role in the war, you would never speak to him again. You may very well attempt to kill him.
If he didn't have his responsibilities to Lily, he would welcome his death with open arms.
Summary: As term is wrapping up, a pivotal moment during the school year occurs.
Author's Note: I've had a long couple of months y'all 😭 Anywho, double POV on this chapter! It also leads right into the last section of this part of the series! As soon as I'm done with Year One, I'll be taking some time to map out the continuation of the series. Until then, enjoy!
TW: Near-death experience, intense scarring
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5 Months Later, June 1992
The second term had completely flown by.
You thought of the summer holiday to come, wondering what yours would entail. Dumbledore briefly mentioned that while you could return home, it would perhaps be easier for you to remain in Scotland. So, you found a small place in Hogsmeade to rent for the summer.
"Are you going to continue daydreaming, or are you going to assist me, Miss L/N?"
Turning your head, you looked at Severus, who was chopping ingredients and writing notes in a journal. You were sitting on a stool beside him.
"My apologies, professor," you said as you stood up and resumed your portion of the ingredients. Once you were done, you began cleaning up and walked around the lab picking up.
Finishing his notes, Severus left his potion to brew and walked into his office, where you happened to be putting away jars. Hearing him take a seat at his desk, you felt his eyes on you.
"Pray tell, what has you so distracted?"
You looked back and smirked. "Are you actually interested?"
The corners of his mouth twitched before he gestured for you to speak.
"I won't be returning home for the holiday. I haven't spent a summer away in a while," you said while continuing to shelf jars.
"Are you...attached to your home," Severus asked, sounding uncertain.
"Something like that."
He hummed and soon enough, you heard him writing. After a few minutes of silence, you quietly asked, "Where do you live?"
The quill stopped abruptly. You typically didn't ask him personal questions. You knew he didn't care for it and didn't want to invade his privacy. Yet, you couldn't help it.
"Cokeworth," he muttered.
"Do you like it?"
"Of course not."
Putting your hands behind your back, you nodded. "Noted."
"And you," Severus asked quietly.
You chewed your lip, wondering if Dumbledore would be upset that you revealed such information. However, the headmaster did seem to trust Severus a great deal.
"America."
Amused, you watched as his brows raised, a subtle look of disbelief on his face. "America? You live in America?"
Smiling, you nodded. "I do. I've lived there for some years now. Last summer was my first time back."
Severus studied you as you wondered what he was thinking. He was so adamant on figuring you out during the first half of the year. Since your row over the holiday, he hadn't brought anything up. You wondered if this would bring any of his suspicions back to the surface.
But he remained silent, giving you an odd look and leaving to check on his potion. You followed him out, softly saying, "Well, professor, I should head out. I shall see you in the morning. Goodnight."
The man looked as though he wanted to speak, but refrained. Smiling, you nodded slightly before turning and walking out of the classroom.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Days later, you found yourself in Minerva's office, discussing the young Harry Potter.
"How has Harry been? I don't have much interaction with the boy," you asked before taking a sip of your tea.
Minerva groaned and rolled her eyes. "That boy. And his friend! The three of them, always getting into trouble. Sometimes I wonder what the point of trying to keep him safe is when he seems to be the biggest threat to himself! If it weren't for Miss Granger, I'm not sure that boy would've survived this year."
You giggled into your cup at the woman's frustrations. The boy did seem to always find trouble.
"Harry does appear to attract trouble. But, he's survived thus far, with it being his first year back into the wizarding world and all. That has to count for something," you said earnestly.
Minerva merely waved you off and mumbled, "Yes, well, let us make it through the next couple of weeks."
The two of you talked for a while before having to leave for class. Soon enough, you were back in the dungeons and making your way to the potions lab. You found Severus waving his wand around, setting up for the next class.
"Well, if it isn't Miss L/N. Finally, she has graced me with her presence. Perhaps she will even assist me as she was once so eager to do."
You shook your head and cleaned various spills around the tables. "I seem to recall that class doesn't begin for another five minutes."
"Tell me, professor," you continued. "Will you miss my assistance once term concludes?"
Severus put his wand down and scoffed. "I can manage just fine without you, Miss L/N."
Nodding, you replied, "I'm glad. I'm not certain I will be assisting you in the next school year. The headmaster has not given me my schedule."
By the way Severus looked at you, it was clear he hadn't considered not having you in his classroom next year. Truthfully, you hadn't either until recently. You had come to the realization that Dumbledore may want to place you with other professors within the castle. Deep down, you did hope to remain in Potions. It had grown on you, having spent more time there anywhere else.
But, the look on his face was gone as quickly as it came. He simply said, "Luckily, I don't need you to teach."
You smiled. "I didn't think so."
Students began to file in shortly after that, prompting you to take your seat in the corner. Class began and occasionally, a student required your assistance. Unbeknownst to you, Severus watched as you assisted, wondering where Dumbledore was going to place you.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Severus walked into the Great Hall shortly after dinner began.
He saw that you were not sitting in your chair, but rather, were talking to a group of Gryffindors. He rolled his eyes, annoyed by your choice of company. You were friendly with all of the students. They liked you. From his chair, he watched as you laughed with them, genuinely enjoying the conversation you seemed to be having. When he saw you wave and turn to leave, he quickly looked away.
"Professor," you greeted as you sat down. "How have the last couple of hours been?"
"Underwhelming."
"Quite," you agreed while beginning to eat.
"How many essays have you completed? I assume they were all dreadful."
You looked at him, unimpressed. "The essays are not dreadful, professor. They are being written by children. Age of the writer is typically reflected in the writing."
"I'm almost finished," you continued. "I should have them to you by the time your rounds are complete."
Severus nodded and remained silent for the rest of dinner. You didn't seem to mind and took up a conversation with Filius. Eventually, the two of you exited the hall, quietly discussing the contents of the essays. After a couple of minutes, you politely excused herself to resume grading.
Severus returned to his office, wanting to get some reading in before rounds. So, for a few hours, he sat reading various potions journals, taking notes and bookmarking numerous articles.
Looking at the clock, he sighed and stood. Quickly, he left to begin his rounds. He walked around his section of the castle, bored and ready to go to bed. He briefly wondered if you would actually have the marking completed by the time he was done.
For the most part, the night had been uneventful. He had caught a couple of students sneaking around, giving detention and taking points. The easy night had quickly changed when he saw figures running.
Severus began running, thinking they were students. However, as he got closer, he saw it was Dumbledore, Granger, and Weasley.
"Headmaster? What is going on?"
Severus rushed forward, shocked to find an unconscious Harry Potter in the headmaster's arms. Weasley appeared to be bleeding while Granger sobbed.
"Severus! Quickly! We must get to the hospital wing," Dumbledore exclaimed.
Dumbfounded, Severus followed the odd group. After a couple of minutes, they arrived at the hospital wing. Luckily, no other students were around and Dumbledore laid Potter on the nearest bed.
Turning towards Granger, the headmaster knelt down and said, "Miss Granger, I need you to run to Miss L/N's office and retrieve her. Tell her it is an emergency and to come immediately. Tell her I request that she runs like the wind. Quickly now, dear girl."
The young girl nodded and immediately ran out. Dumbledore then turned to Weasley. "Mr. Weasley, go and find Professor McGonagall. She should be in her office."
Wiping the blood from his face, the redhead spared a worried glance at Potter before taking off.
Severus, still in shock, watched as the headmaster conjured a large tub and filled it with water. Shaking his head, he walked towards the old wizard. "Albus, what is going on? What happened to Potter?"
Dumbledore walked back over to the boy and kneeled down, checking his vitals. "Quirrell. Voldemort was in possession of his body. He attempted to kill Harry, but his mother's charm held firm and protected him. Voldemort escaped, but Quirinus did in the process. By the time I arrived, Harry's injuries were too much."
Severus' mouth went dry. Voldemort. He knew there was something off about Quirrell. It also explained Albus wanting him to keep an eye on the professor. And now, here was Harry, unconscious and on the brink of death.
"Where's Poppy?"
A look of regret painted Dumbledore's face. "Away. St. Mungo's."
Horrified, Severus rushed to where she stored her potions and looked for anything that could help Potter. He was furious. All year, he kept watch over the boy and tried to keep him out of trouble. And all it took was that imbecile to nearly kill him.
Severus growled as he only found minor healing potions. Knowing he had nothing in his stock back in the dungeons, he scooped up as many vials as he could and rejoined the headmaster at Potter's bedside.
"Headmaster, what are we to do? We alone cannot keep him alive."
"Help is on the way, Severus," the old wizard said calmly.
Severus scoffed in disbelief. "And what will Minerva and L/N do? I'm more of a healer than Minerva and all L/N can do is patch up a wound."
Dumbledore merely smiled, which angered Severus to no end. Yet, he remained silent and impatiently waited. A minute later, he saw a flash of white.
Appearing in front of them was none other than you, not winded even in the slightest.
"Headmaster? Miss Granger told me I needed to come immediately. What is going on?"
Albus moved out of the way and allowed you to properly see the scene in front of you. Gasping, you rushed to Potter's side and knelt beside him. "What happened?"
"Dark magic," Dumbledore explained. "Poppy is away and his injuries are too severe for us to heal ourselves."
Severus, who couldn't wrap his mind around how fast you had entered the room, watched as the two of you made eye contact. There appeared to be a silent exchange going on. Looking to the side, you caught sight of the large tub. Without hesitating, you picked up Potter and walked over to the tub, setting him in the water.
Before he could protest, he heard footsteps behind him. He spun around to find Minerva, Granger, and Weasley rushing. Minerva waved her wand and the doors slammed shut.
"Albus! Severus! What in Merlin's name is going on?!"
Ignoring her, Severus turned back to you, watching you intently. You tore off your robes, throwing them to the side. Kneeling down, you touched Potter's forehead and closed your eyes. Slowly, you moved your hands down his torso and into the water.
"I can feel his soul clinging on. It's very faint," you said, eyes still closed.
Abruptly standing up straight, you began unbuttoning your shirt and peeled it off, leaving you in only an undershirt. Severus was surprised to see the definition of the muscles in your arms. He was even more shocked to see the white scars completely covering your shoulders.
Minerva walked past Severus and towards the headmaster. "Albus, are you sure? In front of the children?"
"We have no choice. I trust them."
Severus felt completely in the dark. "What is going on?"
Minerva glanced at him, a nervous expression on her face, but remained silent. He heard a small gasp and saw glowing out of the corner of his eye. Jerking his head towards the tub, he was completely stunned by what he saw.
The water was glowing and flowed gently. Looking at you, he realized it was you. He watched as you moved your arms back and forth, seemingly pushing and pulling the water. Your moves were delicate, ebbing and flowing with the water. Then, it hit him.
Elemental.
The word came like a whisper in his ear, causing goosebumps to erupt on his skin. It was as though you yourself had spoken to him. The movements were too natural for it to be magic, like you would turn into the water yourself. You were the water and the water was you.
It was impossible. As far as he knew, the Death Eaters had wiped them all out. He recalled the celebration the Dark Lord held, the thought of which making him as sick as it did all those years ago. He remembered expressing his concerns to the dark wizard, but they fell on deaf ears. Severus tried to be the voice of reason, but in the end, the Dark Lord went forward with his plans.
How did Y/N L/N survive?
Your voice pulled him out of his thoughts. "Come on, Harry. Come on. You can do it."
Stopping, you knelt down beside the tub, touching Potter's chest once more. He watched as the water gathered around your hand, completely encompassing it, almost as if it had solidified. It began to glow and Severus realized that you were trying to concentrate on that specific area. Slowly, you moved up to the boy's forehead and moved his hair aside, laying your hand on his scar.
As soon as the water made contact with the lightning bolt, his eyes shot open.
Minerva gasped as Dumbledore knelt down beside the tub as well. Removing your hand, you placed it behind Potter's neck, gently moving him up towards you.
"Harry? Can you hear me?"
Potter looked at you, dazed, but nodded slowly. You sighed and smiled softly, relieved. Looking up, you caught Severus' gaze. "Professor, I need you to bring me some draughts. He's alright, but he needs rest. Once Poppy returns, she'll be able to take it from there."
Severus remained in place for a second, staring at you before pulling away and returning to Poppy's stores. When he returned, Potter was back in bed and you were removing all of the water from his person.
He handed the potions to you, meeting your eyes. You smiled softly, but didn't take the vials from him. You simply unstoppered them and carefully opened the boy's mouth. Lifting your hands, Severus' eyes followed the liquids as they slowly flowed out of the vials and into his mouth. When you were certain everything made it into his system, you closed his mouth and covered him with the blanket. Almost instantly, Potter fell into a deep sleep.
"That should do for now. He's lucky you found him when you did, headmaster. He was on the brink of death. Whatever it was that happened, it drained nearly all of the life out of him."
Severus turned to look at the two first-years. They were awestruck, having never seen anything like it before. He then looked at Minerva, who had relief all over her face. Finally, he looked at Dumbledore. The headmaster was smiling fondly at you, seemingly very happy of what had just transpired.
Looking back at you, he found you looking right at him. You smiled nervously. Severus couldn't do anything but stare. Of all the things he considered, all of the theories he had, this was never one.
"You're an elemental. You can control the elements," Granger burst out.
You smiled softly at the young girl and nodded. "Very good, Hermione."
Dumbledore took this as the opportunity to begin speaking. "Yes, Miss Granger. Very good. Miss L/N is an elemental. She is the last remaining one."
You shifted uncomfortably and the old wizard gave you an apologetic look. "I need the two of you to promise me something. Miss L/N's true identity must not leave here. It is of the utmost importance that we keep it hidden. Do you understand?"
The two quickly nodded. "Yes, headmaster. We promise."
"Very well. Professor McGonagall, can you please escort these two back to their common room? Meet us back in my office in one hour."
Minerva nodded and quickly rounded them up. She squeezed your arm before ushering her students out as they waved goodbye to you. You smiled and waved back to the children.
Dumbledore turned to Severus. "You should head back to the dungeons, Severus. Check on your students. Should I further require your presence tonight, I will let you know immediately."
Severus wanted to protest, but upon seeing the look on your face, remained silent. You appeared to be in another world, a certain sadness creeping in.
"Very well."
Looking at you one last time, Severus turned on his heel and stormed out of the hospital wing, anger and confusion coursing through him like the tide.
12 ☆ Peace Offering | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: Severus wants to make amends and uses an occasion to his advantage.
Author's Note: I had a long weekend and forgot to update! 😍 Sorry y'all
TW: none
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It had been four days since you had walked out on Severus following his peculiar interrogation.
Severus spent those four days replaying the conversation in his head. It was practically on a constant loop. He couldn't move past the way you reacted.
No anger. No frustration. Just calm disappointment. Disappointment in his sudden ambush on your character. Disappointment with him.
He didn't care for the way it felt.
Severus wasn't someone who cared for what others thought of him. He hadn't been for a long time. Yet, the thought of you being disappointed in him left a bitter taste in his mouth.
You continued to sit next to him at meal times, but the conversations were nothing more than a brief greeting. You would talk to Filius or Pamona, but never him. And as soon as you were done eating, you'd excuse yourself and leave the hall.
He would watch you leave, wondering where you went. Wondering what you had planned for the day. Severus absolutely loathed how the silent treatment was affecting him. Many times, he told himself you were just an assistant Dumbledore stupidly assigned him. That the two of you weren't friends. That he merely tolerated your presence.
And yet, he found himself missing it.
That evening, as he watched you leave, he decided enough was enough. He begrudgingly accepted that he needed to apologize to you. He told himself it was for the sake of professionalism and being colleagues, not to repair a damaged friendship.
Severus also found himself unable to move past the revelation of your parents. It never once crossed his mind that they could've been dead. How long ago did they die? And when did Dumbledore come into the picture?
As he contemplated, a voice next to him broke him out of his thoughts.
"Are you coming to the surprise party for Y/N tomorrow," Filius asked while turning towards him.
Severus raised a brow at the small wizard. "Surprise party for what?"
"Her birthday is tomorrow. Hagrid handed out invitations last week. Said they were from the headmaster."
Severus thought back to last week. He recalled Hagrid handing him an envelope and promptly throwing it into his desk drawer because he was irritated. He needed all of the grades finalized that night and you hadn't brought him the rest of them. That was the night he found you in front of the mirror.
"Ah, of course. I am unsure of I will be in attendance," Severus sighed.
Filius raised his eyebrows in mild shock. "Why, I thought I'd certainly be seeing you there with how frequent I see the two of you chatting."
Severus narrowed his eyes. "I'd hardly call it 'frequent'. She is my assistant. We talk when necessary."
The small wizard chuckled and said," Of course, Severus. Well, I hope you manage to find time in your day to stop by. She is a lovely girl."
Severus didn't respond. He had no idea your birthday was the next day. And now, there was a party he also had no idea about.
He stood and quickly left the Great Hall, mulling over how to apologize to you. With it being your birthday, he felt the best thing to do would be to gift you something. A sort of peace offering.
That's how Severus found himself in Hogsmeade, searching the different shops for something. Of course, many of them were picked clean from Christmas. That was just his luck. He wandered for an hour, striking out in every single shop. The last place he hadn't searched was a small stationery shop. He walked in, expectations in the ground.
"Professor Snape? Wasn't expecting to see you here today. How can I help you," the shopkeeper asked, looking surprised. He was an old student.
"I doubt you can. I am in search of a gift for a colleague. The other shops in the village have proven to be utterly useless," Severus grumbled.
The man smiled. "I'm sure I can be of help, professor. Tell me, what are this colleague's interests?"
Severus rolled his eyes, not feeling particularly chatty. "She likes to talk. Incessantly. She likes to eat. She likes her owl."
The man chewed on his lip, giving Severus an odd look. "I see. While those are all nice things, perhaps you can dig a little deeper. What are her hobbies?"
Hobbies? How on earth would he know? He stood for a minute, thinking. Finally, he managed to pull up something.
"Clothes. She's a seamstress."
"I didn't know Hogwarts had a seamstress. I guess it makes sense," the man thought out loud.
"She's not a professional. She's an assistant professor. I assume she does it in her spare time," Severus found himself saying.
The man simply nodded. "Well, we don't have any fabric or anything like that. Tell me, does she just mend clothing or does she create from scratch?"
"I would assume from scratch. She has sketchbooks and paints thrown about her chambers with sketches of clothing."
The man clapped and ran to a little display in the corner of the shop. "I believe I have just the thing!"
He grabbed a small book and brought it to Severus. "It's an enchanted sketchbook. Anything the user draws in it will come off of the page. That way, she can see her designs as if they were real and alter them however she sees fit."
Severus took the book and examined it. "How does it work?"
"All she has to say is 'show me' and it will appear right in front of her."
Five minutes later, Severus walked out of the shop with a silver package.
He apparated to the castle gates and quickly made his way to the dungeons, hoping to not come across anyone. On his way, he walked past your door and wondered if you were there.
It was around 10 when he arrived to his rooms. He had just began his nightly routine when he heard a knock on his door. Growling, he stood up, ready to shout at whoever was disturbing him. When he swung the door open, he was surprised to see Dumbledore. He moved aside, letting the old wizard in.
"Headmaster? What brings you down here?"
Dumbledore smiled kindly. "I noticed your sudden departure from the grounds after dinner. I wanted to make sure all was well."
Severus put his hands behind his back. "All is well, sir. I just had some errands to run."
Dumbledore nodded and ran his hands through his beard, seemingly in thought. "I've noticed you haven't been speaking much with Miss L/N. Any particular reason?"
Severus clenched his jaw, which made the old wizard smile slightly. "I have had many things to take care of and didn't have time to make small talk with the woman."
"Well, then the task I have for you shouldn't be a problem," Dumbledore concluded. "I need you to escort her to the party tomorrow. Tell her that I have called an emergency meeting and need to see everyone in the Great Hall right away. Seeing as you two are such good friends, she won't question it."
Severus scoffed. "We are not friends."
"Whatever you want to call it, I trust you can get her there on time."
"Certainly, headmaster," Severus sighed.
"Wonderful! I shall see you there at 8. The children will be having dinner in their common rooms." Dumbledore turned to leave the chambers, but stopped to glance back at Severus. "Make nice with her, dear boy. Hogwarts is lucky to have her."
With that, he walked out, leaving Severus annoyed.
He returned to the sofa and wondered how to approach you. He wasn't sure you'd be very receptive of him following that night. Now he really had no choice. Deciding to worry about it tomorrow, he went to bed.
Two hours later, he laid wide awake.
Growling, Severus got out of bed and took off his sleep clothes, putting his jacket and pants back on. After shoving on his boots, he put on his robes, grabbed the silver package, and walked out of his chambers, door slamming shut behind him.
And once again, he found himself in front of your door in the middle of the night.
He stared at the door, all of the frustration dissipating and a newfound anxiety clawing its way up his chest. He knocked gently, not wanting to wake you if you were sleeping. Unsurprisingly though, you were awake.
"Coming!"
He heard the rush of footsteps and without thinking, shoved the package behind his back. The door swung open and you appeared, clearly stunned to see him there.
"Professor Snape? Is everything alright?"
You stepped aside and gestured for him to enter, but he held up his hand and shook his head. "No need. I'm simply here to deliver a package."
You tilted your head, confused. "A package?"
He pulled the small gift out from behind him and held it out to you. You looked at it and then back at him. Cautiously, you took it from him. "Who is this from?"
"Well, Miss L/N, I am the one who had it and I am the one who delivered it. I trust it won't be too difficult to uncover," Severus said a bit too softly for his liking.
He watched as you slowly pulled at the wrapping, before stopping and looking up at him. "What is this about, professor?"
Severus' jaw tightened before he grudgingly spit out, "I wanted to...apologize. For the other night. And today happens to be your birthday..."
You stared at him, looking for any indication that he wasn't telling the truth. When you couldn't find anything, you resumed opening your present. Pulling out the sketchbook, you smiled softly.
"It's enchanted," Severus said softly. "Whatever you draw in it will be projected. All you must say is 'show me.'"
Turning around, you walked back into your chambers and picked up a quill. You quickly wrote in the book and said, "Show me."
The two of you watched as the ink peeled off of the page and slowly flew into the air, appearing in front of you. You slowly reached up, touching them to see what would happen. The letters moved slightly, as if they were solid. Grabbing the words, you turned them towards Severus.
"Thank you," they spelt out.
Severus simply nodded, relieved it actually worked and pleased that you actually liked it. Feeling that there was nothing else to say, he began walking back to his rooms.
"Professor? Wait!"
He stopped and turned to see you jogging towards him.
"You left out of nowhere."
"I gave you your gift, made sure it worked, and you seem to enjoy it. There was no need for me to remain and watch you play with it all night."
"Of course not, professor. But, you didn't want to know if I accepted your apology?"
"You just chased me down the hallway. That leads me to believe that all if forgiven," Severus said smugly.
Shaking your head, you simply replied, "You are something else, professor."
"I could say the same for you," he said without thinking.
Smiling softly, you turned and began walking back to your chambers. Ever so slightly amused, Severus called out, "You're just leaving?"
Reaching your door, you turned towards him and grinned.
11 ☆ Crystal Vials | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: Severus finds his present from you and decides to confront you about it.
Author's Note: Severus' POV! If any of you were wanting a chapter from his perspective, here you go! It's another shorter chapter, but it's something. I hope you like it!
TW: none
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After leaving you at your door, Severus made his way to his classroom.
As he walked, an elf stopped him to inform him that Dumbledore wished to see him at that moment. Sighing, he rerouted and began making his way to the headmaster's office.
It wasn't until after the feast that he was able to finally make it into his classroom.
Once he was there, he was able to relax. Madam Pomfrey needed a number of potions restocked, so he planned to spend the evening brewing.
He briefly considered forcing you to assist him, but decided against it as it was the holiday. Thinking of you, his mind began to wander as it usually did. His mind went to the main questions he had regarding you.
Who were you and what were you doing at Hogwarts?
It was obvious you were not a witch. But, it was also obvious that you were no ordinary Muggle. Having looked up your surname, he concluded that you were likely not a Squib either. While he was suspicious of you before, it was Dumbledore's little display with those books that confirmed something was not right.
So, who was Y/N L/N and what was Dumbledore up to?
Needing to focus on the potions, he shoved all thoughts of you to the back of his mind and began brewing. After about two hours, he had completed almost all of Poppy's restock. Having run out of some ingredients he needed, he walked into his office to take from his personal collection.
As he was turning back towards the classroom, he caught a glint of something out of the corner of his eye.
A package wrapped in silver paper.
Pulling out his wand, he walked to the desk slowly and cast a spell to inspect the package. When it was deemed harmless, he picked it up and a small piece of parchment fell onto the desk.
Suspicious of who had left the package, he opened the parchment.
-
-
You.
Unsure of himself, Severus read the note once more, reassuring himself that he understood. He thought back to the other night, remembering how he had to pull you away from the mirror. He remembered your face and the look of melancholy you wore.
He set down the note and unwrapped the package where he found an ebony box. Gently, he picked it up and opened it, revealing five crystal vials, all different. He was astonished by the beauty and elegance of the gift, knowing you must have spent a good amount for it. He was truly at a loss for words. Walking over to his shelf, he carefully placed the box to where it couldn't be damaged.
He tried to resume working on his potions, but his mind was still reeling from the gift. You had made no comment regarding it, nor did you allude to it. Thinking back to the feast, you didn't even appear to be bothered by Severus' lack of mention of the present.
Eventually, he started to spiral, wondering if you thought he hated it or if you were angry for not receiving one. While doing his customary Yuletide shopping for Dumbledore and Minerva, you didn't even cross his mind. And yet, you thought of him.
Needing to resolve the matter, he fled the classroom, robes billowing behind him. At this point, it was around one in the morning, but all rational thought seemed to evade his mind. Arriving at your door, he fixed his robes and knocked.
"Come in," he heard you call out.
Severus hadn't expected you to answer so quickly, or at all for that matter. Hesitantly, he opened the door and poked his head in. Instantly, he was hit with the scent of lavender.
"Professor?"
He found you sitting on a sofa with sketchbooks, watercolors, and stray pieces of fabric littered all around you. Upon seeing him, you gathered everything and set it on the coffee table.
"Come in, professor," you said while cleaning up. "I apologize for the mess. What can I do for you?"
Severus inspected you, specifically your clothing. The usual white you wore had faint drops of paint splattered everywhere. It was the most color he had seen on you. Glancing at the sketchbooks, he saw multiple watercolor paintings of what appeared to be clothing.
"You're a seamstress," he found himself spitting out.
You frowned slightly before answering, "Not professionally. But, I try."
Looking around the room, he found the walls covered in curtains and tapestries, as well as rugs covering the floors. Oil lamps and candles were placed randomly throughout the sitting area. He supposed it was your way of brightening up the dungeon as much as you could. The layout was mostly similar to his chambers, his being a bit bigger due to being a head of house.
"Is everything alright, professor," you asked, bringing him out of his thoughts. You stood with your hands behind your back as they usually were, waiting patiently, as you usually did.
Suddenly, he remembered why he had come to your chambers in the middle of the night in the first place.
"I received your gift."
Seemingly not expecting that, you raised your eyebrows and said, "I see. Was it not to your liking?"
"It was...acceptable," he drawled. "I'm sure I can find a place for it within my collection. Although, seeing you are not a potions expert, I doubt you know how to select quality vials. I believe I will keep them on my desk to ensure they are not used."
Amused, you nodded. "Of course, professor. I would hate to see the integrity of a potion be tarnished by a low quality vial."
Severus didn't respond, but he was silently grateful that you appeared to understand what he was saying. He didn't want to use them and risk damaging the vials themselves.
With that taken care of, another issue had arose. His lack of gift for you.
"I don't have anything for you in return," he said quietly.
To this, you tilted your head and furrowed your brows. "I wasn't expecting you to, professor. I just wanted to express my gratitude. Your help was gift enough."
"Very well," he conceded.
Smiling, you nodded. He watched as you walked to the door and began putting on you boots, followed by your robe. "Well, I'm off to the kitchens. Fancy a snack?"
Typically, Severus wouldn't even consider accepting such an invitation, but that night, he found himself in the kitchens. You were eating a cherry tart, which he had com to learn was your favorite.
You sat on one of the stools while Severus stood, unsure of what to say or do. He was irritated at the fact that an elf could tell Minerva or worse, Dumbledore, that he was down there with you. They would pester him about it endlessly.
Speaking of Dumbledore, he decided to take advantage of the situation and try to find out more about you.
"How do you know Dumbledore," he began.
Clearly not expecting that, shock briefly covered your face.
"My parents knew him," you answered simply. It was short and you didn't appear to want to explain further. But, Severus hummed, not satisfied.
"And this familiarity got you a position at Hogwarts?"
"Professor, are you alluding to my employment being part of some devious plot? Filch works here with no magic," you questioned.
"Filch's background is not a secret."
"What would you like to know, professor," you responded. "I'm happy to answer any questions you may have regarding my background. Forgive me for not offering sooner. I was under the impression that you were not concerned with that."
Severus scoffed. "I am not concerned. However, I am concerned with an intrusion upon the castle. You appear to be quite friendly with the headmaster and the rest of the faculty appears to tolerate you well."
You leaned forward and softly asked, "And this indicates that I am intruding upon the castle?"
"Certainly not," Severus objected. "However, I find it fascinating that you have such an exorbitant amount of knowledge on the wizarding world."
Upon hearing his words, you lifted your brow and for the first time, Severus could see the slightest glimpse of anger in your eyes. You stood from the stool and clasped your hands behind your back. He watched as the anger seeped away and your usual calm demeanor slowly returned.
"I was the under the impression that we were becoming friends," you said softly. "I was also under the impression that you had moved past my magical inabilities. We talk, we sit next to each other at meal times. And yet, you cannot find it within yourself to trust me and that I am just here to work."
Before he could respond, you continued. "As difficult as it to believe, the others seem to like me for who I am. And regarding my relationship with Dumbledore...he took care of me when my parents died. He and Minerva are the only family I've had since. Please don't speak as if you understand me or my life."
Before walking out of the kitchens, you turned and said, "Thank you for the other night. Enjoy your gift. I meant what I said."
Summary: It's almost Christmas and you have some last-minute shopping to do. Severus also seems to be getting into the habit of popping up wherever you are.
Author's Note: Cute little chapter to move along through the holidays! Enjoy!
TW: None
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You walked through a clothing shop, searching for the perfect pair of socks for Dumbledore.
For years, you had sought the best pairs to gift the old man for Christmas. You had already found Minerva a pair of emerald wool gloves. Once you had found the perfect pair and paid, you wondered where to go next.
You had picked up some sweets and tea for the two wizards beforehand. So, you decided to check out the herbology shop to find Pamona a new pair of gloves. Her old pair had unfortunately been eaten by a chomping cabbage. It was also unfortunate that you were the one dropped them.
After finding the gloves, you decided to head into the apothecary and have a look. You weren't sure about getting Severus a present. Were you friends? Acquaintances?
Not wanting to debate it forever, you decided that if you came across something he would like, you would purchase it.
Browsing the shelves, nothing had called out to you until your eyes fell onto an ebony box. Opening it up, you found a set of five crystal vials varying in shapes and sizes. The box itself was lined with emerald velvet and had silver details all around the outside.
"Excuse me, sir? How much for this set?"
The associate shopkeeper came around to see and said, "That'll be 10 galleons, miss."
Thanking the man, you debated on spending the money on Severus. You knew he wouldn't be getting you anything, which wasn't an issue. But, he rescued you from the mirror.
You had to repay him in some way.
Making a decision, you paid for the set and then made your way back to castle, satisfied with your purchases. Now all you had to do was wrap them and deliver them on Christmas morning.
Arriving at the castle, you asked a house elf to take everything to your chambers as you were nearly late for dinner. Rushing to the Great Hall, you found almost everyone present. You walked to your seat and was surprised to see a large black robe draped across it.
"Had I not reserved your seat, you would have been stuck listening to Hagrid's ramblings," Severus lectured.
You handed the man his cloak and took your seat. "I happen to like Hagrid very much."
You looked down the table to see the large man laughing loudly while talking to Dumbledore. Smiling, you began to make your plate.
"Your Hogsmeade trip ran late, did it not," Severus questioned.
"Just some shopping. Gifts for Christmas and such."
This caused the man to roll his eyes. "You do strike me as the type of person to enjoy frivolities such as the exchanging of gifts."
You shook your head as you divulged, "Actually, my family did not celebrate Christmas. This is a tradition that I have recently become accustomed to. I do it for others rather than myself."
Digging into your food, you didn't see the curious look Severus gave you, nor how he studied you.
Before you knew it, dinner was over and everyone was leaving. Saying a quick bye to Severus, you rushed off to your rooms to wrap the presents.
You had written notes for Dumbledore, Minerva, and Pamona, attaching them to their gifts. When it came time to write something for Severus, you weren't sure what to put. A couple of drafts later, you were satisfied and attached it to the present. You were slightly apprehensive to give the man a gift, but rationalized that he was a Potions Master and a set of vials was logical.
Once you were done, she admired your work. Not bad for someone who hardly ever wrapped presents. Setting them aside, you checked your watch and saw it was only 9:30. Still wide awake, you decided to take a stroll along the grounds. It was the first time in months that the castle had been so empty.
With the amount of snow on the ground, you would've loved to have been able to bend. You settled for making tiny icicles that no one could see. Occasionally, you would freeze the ground under you and slide forward, allowing yourself a tiny amount of fun.
Taking the long, winding steps by the boathouse, you made your way to the edge of the lake and sat on the ground. You felt the coolness of the rocks on your legs, grateful for not being affected by temperature.
You sat with your knees against your chest, looking out into the lake. You thought of the mirror and what you saw. Who you saw. They had looked so alive. As if nothing bad had ever happened. Yet, you sat there alone.
You placed your hand on the ground and watched as frost formed wherever your fingers touched. With your hands on the ground, you were able to sense some vibrations coming from behind you. Closing your eyes, you focused, trying to pinpoint where exactly it was coming from.
You found it was coming from someone walking down the steps. By the vibrations, you were able to deduce it was someone tall and most likely a man.
"What are you doing down here?"
Severus. You could recognize his baritone voice anywhere now. Shocked, you turned your body to look at him.
"Professor? How did you know I was down here?"
He walked closer, allowing you a better look at his face. He appeared slightly perturbed. "I happened to be walking through the courtyard then I looked down and saw someone. I believed you to be a student."
"I see," you said quietly.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Pardon?"
"What are you doing down here," he grumbled. "It's far too cold to be enjoying the scenery."
Chuckling and tugging at your robes, you said, "Trust me, professor, I'm fine."
He look unconvinced, but didn't say anything. He walked closer and watched the water with you. After a while, you looked at your watch and decided it would be best to return. You also knew that Severus wouldn't go back without you and he would eventually start to get cold if he already wasn't.
Standing up, you said, "Well, I'm going to head back up, professor. You coming?"
He gestured for you to walk ahead. The walk back to the castle was slow, making you wish you could give herself a boost. It was one of the perks of being able to control the elements.
The two of you didn't speak as you walked into the castle and remained that way until you made it to the steps down to the dungeons.
"I believe you can escort yourself back to your chambers? I have business to take care of," Severus said, breaking the silence.
"Certainly, professor."
He nodded and left in the opposite direction. You watched him as he walked away, unsure of what to make of the moment. Shaking your head, you returned to your rooms, ready to turn in for the night.
Quickly undressing and throwing yourself into bed, you wasted no time falling asleep.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
The next day went by quickly.
You helped Dumbledore gather and wrap all of his presents, as well as plan out the Holiday Feast. By the time you were done, it was already six in the evening.
"This is quite the amount of presents you're sending out, professor," you said while staring at the enormous pile.
Smiling, he responded, "Really? I always feel as though there aren't enough."
Shaking your head, you moved everything to the side and sat down in front of his desk, looking at the menu the two of you had put together. "It will be a lovely feast, sir. The best one this year."
"I'm pleased you think so, dear. Certainly one of my favorites."
Checking your watch, you said, "I suppose we better get down there for dinner. We're already late."
The two of you walked to the Great Hall, making jokes and giggling. Ignoring the curious looks of the staff, you walked to your respective seats and sat down.
Looking out at the tables, you found Harry looking at you curiously. You smiled at the young boy who smiled shyly and returned to his conversation with the Weasley boys.
You also noticed Severus' absence. Perhaps he was still tweaking his lesson plans. Shrugging, you spent dinner conversing with Flitwick, always enjoying the conversations the two have.
Once dinner was over, you said goodnight and exited the hall. On your way to your rooms, you asked a passing elf if Severus had ordered food to his office. After checking and finding out he didn't, you requested he have dinner brought to him.
After that, you walked to your chambers and went about your night.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
You were awoken at six in the morning by a little elf delivering presents.
You thanked the elf and wished her a happy Christmas, causing her to giggle and pop away.
Sitting up, you found the tiny haul she had brought. There was a small blue box from Filius, a small packaged wrapped in brown paper from Pamona, and even a box from Hagrid.
Opening Hagrid's fist, you found a box of owl nuts and toys for Aura that he made himself. Next, you opened Filius' present which happened to be a book about charms. You had one mentioned wanting to learn more about them. Finally, you opened the package from Pamona which contained a pair of white earmuffs and gloves.
Setting your gifts on the bedside table, you smiled, feeling grateful for the new friends you made within the castle.
Now, it was time for you to get ready and deliver your presents. Since it was a holiday, you felt like it would be acceptable to dress up. So, you put on something you had made herself: a long, flowy white dress with small beaded embroidery on the bodice. You then put on a white shawl for extra modesty.
Satisfied, you quickly did your usual hair and makeup. Your finishing touch was a pair of earrings Minerva had gifted you some years ago. Once you were sure you looked presentable, you grabbed the presents and left your rooms.
Since Severus' office was in the dungeons, you figured you would deliver his first. If you knew where his chambers were, perhaps you would have left it there, but you knew the man would stop by his office at least once that day. Knocking on the door to his classroom, no answer came. You weren't sure what he had planned that day, so you decided to just leave it on his desk.
Afterwards, you stopped by the greenhouses and gave Pamona her present.
"Oh, thank you, dear! These are much lovelier than the spare gloves I was stuck with. I almost don't want to use them," Pamona said while hugging you tightly. She did, however, put on the gloves and went back to tending to her plants.
Knowing Minerva would be in Dumbledore's office, you made your way up there. You knocked on the door and it flew open, revealing the two older wizards having their morning tea. Walking in, you placed the presents on his desk.
"Happy Christmas, you two."
Dumbledore jumped up and embraced you, followed by Minerva. Two presents appeared in front of you, presumably from the two.
"Happy Christmas, dear girl! Having you here this year has made this old man's heart very happy," Dumbledore exclaimed. He promptly returned to his desk and began reading your note to him.
"Happy Christmas, dearie," Minerva said. "I tell you every year to not fuss over us."
You smiled sheepishly. "I know, I know. It's nice to share this tradition with the two of you. And I hope you like your gifts. I know you are practical when it comes to them. Although, sir, there was lovely set of bright pink robes that I almost walked out with for you."
The old wizard ran his hands through his beard thoughtfully. "I happen to look excellent in bright pink, Miss L/N."
Laughing, you watched as they opened their presents, hoping they liked them. Minerva gasped, stating the gloves were beautiful and tried them on. Dumbledore immediately tore into his sweets and put his socks on. They both thanked you before looking at you expectantly.
"Oh, sorry," you said while opening the presents they got you.
Minerva had gifted you a tiny shelf with what appeared to be an assortment of miniature bolts of fabric. Expecting it closely, you were astonished at the amount of different types of fabric on the shelf.
"It's charmed to shrink to whatever size you'd like it to be," Minerva explained. "I know how much of a little seamstress you were back home, so I wanted you to continue here."
You hugged the older woman tightly and said, "It's perfect. Thank you."
"I see the competition for the best gift this year is quite fierce," Dumbledore said, sighing.
You smiled at him before opening his present to you. Inside was a map with directions to somewhere in the castle. "Next time you have the urge to bend, I would suggest following those directions. You never know what you may find."
Nodding, you hugged the man and thanked him, slightly confused but trusting him.
"We appreciate your willingness to celebrate our holidays with us, dear," Dumbledore said suddenly.
As you had mentioned to Severus, elementals didn't celebrate Christmas. They were exposed to it, of course, but it wasn't something they did. Instead, they had their Turning of the Sun Festival, celebrating the winter solstice. But, you hadn't celebrated it since their deaths.
In response to Dumbledore's statement, you nodded and smiled softly.
The three of you walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast, chatting about your plans for the day. You had caught sight of Filius and Hagrid and thanked them for their gifts. You promised to treat them to something special, to which they insisted wasn't necessary.
You sat down next to Severus and smiled softly.
"Happy Christmas, professor. How was your morning."
The man huffed and said, "My morning was the same as it always is, Miss L/N. Early."
You couldn't tell if he had seen his present or not. Opting to not bring it up, you simply said, "Well, then I do hope the rest of your day is more welcoming."
You spent the rest of the breakfast in silence, listening to others talk about their holiday traditions. When you were done, you excused yourself and walked out of the hall.
"Now where are you off to?"
You turned to the side to find Severus falling into step with you.
"I need to go check on my owl. Care to join me?"
While the man didn't answer, he remained at your side and was eventually climbing the stairs of the owlery with you.
"Which one is yours," he asked while eyeing the owls.
"She's a little grey screech out. I'm sure she's flittering around here somewhere."
Upon hearing your voice, a small speck of grey shot out towards you, landing on your shoulder. Aura snuggled into your neck, happy to see you. "Ah, here she is. How was your night, girl?"
"Quite affectionate with the owl, aren't we?"
"Of course," you replied while petting her. "Aura and I are family. We live together. We take care of each other. What more could you want?"
The small owl looked at Severus in an almost suspicious manner. "Aura, this is Professor Snape. The explosions that wake you up come from his classroom."
The man glared at you before looking at Aura. In a flash, she was on his shoulder, playfully nibbling his hair. He side-eyed the owl, watching her.
"I think she likes you," you teased.
"Indeed," he grumbled.
Smirking, you took the small owl from his shoulder. Kissing her head and snuggling her into your neck once more, you let her fly off with the other owls to snooze.
The two of you walked back to the castle in a comfortable silence. Once down in the dungeons, you bid the man farewell.
"Well, professor, I shall see you tonight for the feast. Enjoy the rest of your day and thank you for accompanying me to the owlery."
You smiled at him while he merely nodded. He then promptly turned and continued on to his classroom.
9 ☆ Deepest Desires | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: As you are finishing grading for the end of term, an unexpected encounter takes a turn for the worse. It also leads to an interesting shift in dynamics.
Author's Note: Shorter chapter, but one that I was looking forward to! I want this series to be a slow burn, but I like to throw things in every once in a while! Enjoy!
TW: Grief
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It had been over a month and a half since the troll attack on Halloween.
You and Severus never once spoke about his leg or you tending to it. You had spent the last month running about the castle, helping students whenever and wherever you could. Other than a few incidents, the year was going well.
You were currently sitting in the office Dumbledore had provided you. It wasn't very big, but it gave you someplace to work that wasn't your chambers or the faculty lounge. It was on the fourth floor, not exactly close to your rooms, but you were happy with it nonetheless.
Severus had finally allowed you to assist with marking the students' homework, so you had piles of parchment that needed marked. Pamona had said that since you were fully Severus' assistant, she wouldn't put more on your plate. So, you would just hang out with the older woman and keep her company during class.
A majority of the student body would be leaving in a few days for the holidays, so you needed to finish the markings by that night. This caused you to have dinner in your office as you made your way through the assignments. After a couple of hours, you were finally done.
Sighing, you rubbed your eyes as they were worn out from the constant reading. You still had to deliver the stacks to Severus and make sure they were correct before you could even think of turning in for the night.
Needing to wash your hands and use the loo, you walked out of your office and to the lavatory. Once you were done, you looked at your eyes and saw that they were bloodshot. You sighed and dried your hands, deciding to worry about it later.
As you walked back to your office, you noticed a door that was slightly ajar. Creeping up to it, you peered into the room, unsure of what was in it. It appeared to be an unused classroom. Moving to close the door, something shiny had caught your eye. Walking into the room, you found a large mirror.
Slowly, compelled by an unknown force, you walked up to the mirror. Glancing in it, you stumbled back, tripping and catching yourself on the floor. You slowly crawled back to the mirror, looking in it.
There standing beside you, was your parents.
They smiled at you, looking older than they did when you last saw them. You swallowed, forcing down the lump that had formed in your throat. You heart pounded, feeling like it was going to burst out of your chest.
"Mom? Dad," you whispered.
No response. They simply smiled. You took in their appearances. Your mother's long, silky hair was beginning to grey, but was still beautiful. Your father's kind eyes twinkled, the lines in his face more defined. They appeared to have aged wonderfully.
Your eyes flooded with tears as you watched them. Despite how real it looked, you knew that if you were to look beside you, they wouldn't be there. And yet, you couldn't take your eyes off of them, wanting to study their faces and how they changed.
You didn't know how long you were there before a voice broke the silence.
"There you are. Why have an office if you are not going to be in it?"
You couldn't place whose voice it was. You heard a name being called, but couldn't register that it was yours. The door creaked open and footsteps approached you. It wasn't until you felt someone's presence behind you that you managed to somewhat come back to reality. Still, you couldn't look away.
"Y/N."
Severus.
He had called you by your first name. He had never done that. You had never even heard him say your first name. He said it gently. Delicately. As if it would shatter if he said it any louder.
"Professor?"
Your parents were smiling even bigger now, a look of complete joy on their faces. Tears ran down your cheeks, but you couldn't move to wipe them. It was as if you were completely paralyzed.
"I've been searching for you. We must finalize the marks," he said softly.
You slowly nodded. "Right..."
"You should not be here, Y/N. Come, I'll escort you back."
Nodding again, you said, "Okay, sure."
You felt as Severus waited for you to get up, but you couldn't.
"Professor?"
"Yes?"
"I can't move."
You heard his footsteps slowly walk closer and felt his hand on your shoulder. You took one last look at your parents as you felt his other hand around your waist. He lifted you from the ground and gently turned you away from the mirror. As soon as your eyes were off of it, you felt the daze break and regained control of your body.
You closed your eyes and tried to slow your breathing. Severus remained holding you in case you collapsed. When you were ready, you slowly began walking as he maintained his gentle grip on you. As the two walked down the hall, you gradually regained your strength and were able to walk on your own.
Still, Severus kept his hand on your back and led you the entire way down to the dungeons and into his office. He conjured a couch and walked you over to it, forcing you to sit.
"I'm fine, professor. Really," you tried to convince him.
Ignoring you, his eyes darted around your face, examining you. A line had appeared between his brows due to how intensely he was looking. When he realized you were watching him, his gaze softened and his shoulders relaxed.
He stood up and held out his hand. You watched as a vial flew into his outstretched hand. Handing it to you, he said, "Drink. It will assist you."
Taking the vial, you uncorked it and downed it in one go. It had a mild peppermint taste to it. Immediately, you could feel yourself relaxing and the tightness in your chest began to loosen.
"Thank you," you said with her eyes closed.
You heard him walk away and opened your eyes, watching as he sat on one of the stools.
"What compelled you to look in the mirror," Severus asked after a moment of silence.
You thought about it, but there was no logical explanation. "I'm not sure. I just felt like I needed to. As if it were drawing me in."
He shook his head and furrowed his brows, mumbling under his breath. "It is known as the Mirror of Erised. Whoever looks into it will be shown their deepest desire."
Their deepest desire. Your deepest desire was to have your parents back.
"It affects people differently," he continued. "It appears that it paralyzed you. Were you aware of what was happening?"
You nodded. "I knew it wasn't real. But, as much as I wanted to get up, I couldn't move."
"I thought as much," he said, more to himself.
The two of you sat in silence. You sat, lost in thought as Severus observed you.
Eventually, you softly said, "I believe I need to go to bed. Too much excitement."
Severus immediately stood up and walked over to you, offering his hand to help you up. So caught up in your own mind, you didn't even think about who exactly was offering their assistance. You took his hand and he pulled you easily.
He escorted you to your chambers and allowed you to open the door. Turning to him, you gave him a small smile. "Thank you again, professor. Goodnight."
You gently kissed his cheek in gratitude, once again not even thinking of who it was in front of you. His brows raised in an apparent automatic response. Before he could say anything, you walked inside and shut the door.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It had been almost two days since the mirror incident.
You hadn't seen Severus since then. You had taken the next day off to recover from the entire ordeal. Minerva was furious when she learned of the mirror occupying the castle, causing her to lecture Dumbledore when the two came to visit you.
After a day of resting, you helped the students prepare for their trip back to London for the holidays. As you were waving to some of the students, you heard a voice behind you.
"I see you have managed to recuperate, Miss L/N."
You turned around to find Severus standing there, looking like a large black streak in the snow.
"Certainly, professor."
As you took off back to the castle, you were surprised to hear his footsteps following suit.
"No plans for the holiday," he asked.
"No, I will be remaining in the castle."
"No one to go back and celebrate with," he asked with a mocking tone. Although, there was something else she couldn't quite place.
Turning your head to look at him, you replied, "I've got everything I need here, professor."
He hummed in response.
Intrigued by his question, you reciprocated it. "What about you?"
He scoffed. "That's quite private now isn't it, Miss L/N?"
You shrugged. "Just making conversation, professor. But, no need to worry. I won't pry. I shall just assume and await your presence at mealtimes."
At this point, the two of you were aimlessly wandering the castle. You had no set destination and clearly, neither did Severus.
"And if I'm not?"
Clasping your hands behind your back, you simply said, "Then I shall eat for the both of us."
"I believe you already accomplish that," he retorted, smirk evident.
"I believe you're right."
Figuring he would break off and return to his day, you were surprised when he continued to walk beside you. Perhaps he was somewhat enjoying your company.
"What are your plans for the holidays," you dared to ask.
"I'm going to continue planning for next term."
You furrowed your brows and shot him a look of disbelief. "We already did that three weeks ago. What more could you possibly do?"
"I do believe I am the professor, Miss L/N," he quipped. "I arrange my lessons as I see fit. If I believe they need altered, I will alter them. Be grateful I didn't enlist you to assist me."
Huffing, you looked at your watch. It was almost evening and you needed to make a last-minute trip to Hogsmeade.
"Oh! I better get going, professor. I have to run into Hogsmeade to take care of some things," you said while stopping.
Confused, Severus stopped and turned to you. "Hogsmeade? It will be dark soon."
"I will be back in time for dinner."
The man looked unsure, but didn't have a chance to respond before you were rushing away and waving at him.
He listened as the sounds of your heels faded away, wondering when he would hear them again.
8 ☆ Seeds of Trust | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: School is now in full swing and you feel like you've finally found a way to work with Severus. How will things change as Halloween leads to a troll and a wounded leg?
Author's Note: This chapter features and was inspired by a great ability from the original ATLA show! I was always fascinated by the way they used water to heal, so I wanted to incorporate that into this story. Let me know what you think!
TW: Blood, deep wound
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It was fair to say that Severus was not a fan of Harry Potter.
The first years had just left the Potions classroom and you were preparing to head out to the greenhouses. Severus was sitting at his desk, gripping the table so hard, his knuckles were turning white.
You cleared your throat to get the man's attention as he was clearly somewhere else.
His jaw tightened as he glared at you. "What do you want?"
"Just letting you know I'm off and won't return until Wednesday."
"I do not care for your itinerary, Miss L/N. Leave."
You simply nodded and left the classroom, wanting to avoid whatever was wrong with him. Dumbledore had given you the pleasure of having to rush from the dungeons up to the greenhouses. Hurrying through the castle, you assisted Pamona with finishing set up for class. Luckily, this class had gone smoothly and the kids seemed to enjoy your company.
Once class was over, you talked with Pamona for a bit before letting her get back to work. You wandered about the castle before finding yourself in the Great Hall for lunch. Liking where you sat the night before, you chose the same spot and began eating.
Hearing the chair being pulled out beside you, you watched as Severus sat down, still looking as irritated as ever. Looking down the table, there were several other seats available.
"Hello, professor."
He looked at you, then down at your plate. "Catching up on missed breakfast, I see."
Smiling, you replied, "Of course."
Not much was said between you after that. He would occasionally join in on the conversation with other faculty members, but remained silent for the most part. You maintained pleasant conversations with those around you. Every now and then, you would feel Severus glance at you, eyes lingering before turning away.
After lunch was over, he decided to speak.
"I believe you're free for the remainder of the day?"
You nodded as you stood up. He followed you out of the hall and said, "I need you to follow me to my classroom and assist me for my next class."
With nothing else to do, you simply said, "Lead the way."
You followed him to his classroom, passing Dumbledore who smiled at you. You returned it and gave him a small wave. After you arrived at your destination, you stood and awaited his instructions.
"The stations need to be cleaned up. Those mongrels never do an adequate job."
Nodding, you got started. As you cleaned, you were positive there were spells he could have used to get rid of the mess. Especially the 'mess' that you were cleaning. It was just a couple of spills and some unused ingredients that needed to be put away.
As you focused on one spill, you didn't notice you were leaning against another. Straightening up, you looked down and saw a large stain on your shirt. "Shit."
"We must remember to watch our mouths when the students are in the castle, Miss L/N. It's best they don't repeat what they hear."
Looking up, you found Severus staring at you from his desk. His eyes flickered down to your stomach, where the stain was. Smirking, he stood up. "It seems wearing obnoxiously bright clothing everyday has its downsides."
You huffed. "White is not obnoxious."
Rolling his eyes, he asked, "Why do you wear it everyday? Some strange purity ideal?"
Feeling your face get warm, you looked down, thankful for the makeup covering your complexion. You were sure people would notice the lack of other colors in your wardrobe, but didn't expect anyone to comment.
"I just like it. Why do you wear black everyday?"
Ignoring your question, he took out his wand and waved it towards the stain. It disappeared as if it was never there.
"Thank you, professor."
Without a word, he returned to his desk. You watched him for a second, wishing you could better understand the man. When you continued cleaning, you would catch each other's eyes occasionally. Each time, you would softly smile while he simply looked.
Eventually, the students began coming in and you walked up to his desk to let him know you were leaving.
"I do believe I mentioned not caring for your itinerary," he said quietly.
Smiling, you nodded and exited the classroom. Perhaps he was finally starting to warm up to you.
₊✧──────✧₊∘
It had been a little over a month since term had resumed. Things were running smoothly and there had been no disturbances.
You were sitting in the faculty lounge with Minerva, chatting.
"I'm pleased to see how well you've adapted dear," the older woman praised. "Being thrown in the way you were would have sent others running. Especially with Severus."
You chuckled. "It's no trouble, Minerva. I believe we may have found a way to work together. He seems less irritated by my presence now."
Halloween was in a couple of weeks and classes were in full swing. The only time the castle was quiet was at night. You were finally able to complete rounds on your own, so you and Severus alternated every night.
Severus had finally let up on how much he was working you. Scrubbing cauldrons had been assigned to students for detention. Now, you only helped gather and organize his potion ingredients whenever they were running low. During class, you would sit quietly and helped with whatever you could.
"How has Harry been?"
Minerva scoffed and rubbed her face. "That boy. He seems to have made an enemy in Draco Malfoy. I fear he will attract trouble the way his father did."
His father. James Potter. You didn't know much about Lily and James Potter. Just that they were murdered by Voldemort.
"I've seen him hanging with the Weasley boy. Am I correct in that there are four Weasley boys?"
Minerva gasped. "Just four? Merlin, there's just four now. I had their two older brothers in my house. Next year, the final Weasley child will be arriving."
You were shocked at the number of Weasley children. Certainly a lot of redheads running around the castle.
"But, enough about them, dear. How are you?"
You tilted your head. "What do you mean?"
Minerva leaned closer and quietly said, "Your bending. I know it's tough on you."
Sometimes, you forgot that there was someone who knew you. Truly knew you. It was Minerva who had found you all those years ago.
"I'm okay. It's been an adjustment. I just...I have this irrational fear that if I don't bend, my ability to will fade away."
Minerva reached over and grabbed your hand, squeezing it. "It will never fade away, Y/N. You will always be an elemental. And one day, the world will be safe enough for you."
You smiled at the older woman. The two sat in comfortable silence until it was time for you to get on with your days.
You walked down to the potions classroom and settled into your corner. Several minutes later, Severus walked in and dropped a stack of parchment on his desk. He turned to look at you and when you smiled in greeting, he quickly looked away.
Standing up, you walked to his desk. "Can I do anything to help?"
He looked at you as if you had just asked the stupidest question ever. "Doubtful."
You crossed your arms and shrugged. "You will never know how much I know about potions if you never ask."
He scoffs. "Of course. And you can brew as well?"
"Allow me to assist you in marking the essays. If I'm wrong, I will never again offer my help and continue to sit quietly in my corner."
Sneering, he hesitantly handed you half of the stack. With a smile, you thanked him and returned to your table.
"Miss L/N?"
"Yes, professor?"
"I would have been satisfied with you never offering your help and sitting quietly."
You laughed sarcastically and began working on the essays. You were grateful for the lessons Dumbledore had given you. Marking them to the best of your abilities, you were able to finish as the students started making their ways in.
Severus took the top parchment skeptically and read through it. Though he had his usual stoic expression, you knew that you did it to his standards. He shooed you away and you smiled softly.
Halfway through class, he instructed the students to get to work. During his rounds around the room, you found him looking at you more often than he usually did. In fact, he typically ignored you.
Though, there was something about the way he was looking at you that you couldn't place. You had noticed it other times he had made eye contact with you.
You had decided to occupy yourself by doing inventory on the supplies for the rest of class. After the period was over, you gave him a quick smile before walking out behind the students.
As usual, Severus watched you go.
₊✧──────✧₊∘
A couple weeks had passed and Halloween had arrived.
You walked through Hogsmeade, picking up ingredients for Severus. The cold weather was beginning to settle in and Minerva had forced you to purchase winter robes and a coat. Elementals weren't affected by weather or temperature unless they were seriously ill or injured. Dressing for the conditions outside was not something they typically did.
You made your way into the apothecary and bought everything you needed before heading to the herbology shop. When you were done, you trekked back to the castle, dropped everything off in the Potions classroom, and were off to dinner.
The Halloween Feast was in full swing when the doors burst open.
"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON!"
Your head shot up and froze as you saw Quirrell scrambling in.
"TROLL IN THE DUNGEON! Thought you oughta know."
He proceeded to fall unconscious and after a beat, the students began to panic. You, along with the rest of the staff, stood, ready to go after the children. All of a sudden, a loud voice boomed across the Great Hall.
"SILENCE!"
Immediately, everyone stopped and turned to look at the headmaster, shocked to hear him show.
"If everyone will please, not panic," Dumbledore started. "Prefects will lead their house back to the dormitories. Teachers, follow me to the dungeons."
The prefects instantly sprung into action and began rounding up their houses as the faculty fell in line behind Dumbledore. As they walked, you saw a dark spot exiting the door behind the staff table.
Severus.
Before you had time to process, Minerva was ushering you back in line with the others. You rushed to the dungeons and split up, trying to locate the troll.
As you rounded the corner, you heard a large crash. Running towards the sound, you believed it to be coming from the girl's lavatory. Seeing the door wide open, you raced in, only to find a completely unconscious troll on the ground. Shocked, you looked up to find Harry Potter and Ron Weasley standing over it. Hearing some shuffling, you turned to see Hermione Granger getting out from under a sink.
"What the...are any of you hurt?"
You quickly examined the children, searching for any injuries. They were unable to answer as they tried to catch their breaths.
"Easy does it, kids. Deep breaths."
They watched as you demonstrated and mimicked you, able to breathe normal again. Seconds later, Minerva and Quirrell ran in with Severus right behind them. Minerva gasped and clutched her chest.
"Oh! Oh my goodness. Explain yourselves, both of you!"
They listened as Hermione cut the two boys off and began to take the blame for the whole ordeal. Despite their disbelief in the young girl's story, Minerva began to reprimand her.
As the older woman spoke, you noticed Harry looking down at something. Following his eyes, you found a large gash on Severus' leg, blood running down it. Noticing the two sets of eyes on his leg, the man quickly covered it up with his robes. His eyes met yours, jaw tightening.
After Minerva was finished admonishing the children and began to walk away, Severus quickly followed her out. You told them to follow their head of house back to the tower before exiting the lavatory and following Severus. You followed him the entire way down to his classroom, aware he was attempting to ignore yo. Walking in, he waved his wand, trying to slam the door shut before you could enter. Catching the door, you walked in and closed it behind you.
"How did you...leave. I do not want you here and I do not want to listen to your foolish inquiries. We are not friends, we are not even mere acquaintances. So, get out."
Ignoring him, you began grabbing supplies to clean the wound. He was leaning against his desk, panting from the pain he was evidently in.
"I can handle it myself. I will not tell you again, L/N. Leave."
"I am not a student, professor.," you said calmly while grabbing a clean cloth and filling a basin with warm water. "I am a grown woman. I am not working at the moment, so I will not allow you to bully me into submission."
You grabbed a stool and set it in front of the desk, sitting down. "You're hurt and I'm going to help you. Take off your robe and sit down, please."
Severus' nostrils flared as he glared at you. But, the pain seemed to triumph over his pride as he pulled off the robe and sat on the edge of the desk. Grabbing a pair of scissors, you reached for his leg before he moved it.
"What on earth do you think you're doing?"
Sighing, you rubbed your face. "I must cut the pant leg to better access your injury. I do know what I'm doing."
After a moment's deliberation, he moved his leg back towards you. With a small smile, you began to cut the pants, getting a better look at the wound. It was deep and nasty. "How did you acquire this, professor?"
"I told you I did not want your foolish questions," he spat out.
You grabbed the cloth that you left to soak in the basin and gently grabbed his leg. Clearly not expecting your touch, he flinched slightly. Letting go, you looked up at him. "I'm not going to hurt you, professor. I'm just going to clean it, okay?"
Gently grabbing his leg once more, you softly began to dab the wound, cleaning the blood. Hissing, Severus closed his eyes in pain. Taking advantage of this, you moved the cloth and bent some of the water from the basin towards you. You led it up to his leg and watched as it gathered around the gash. Looking up quickly and seeing his eyes were still closed, you began to heal it. The water glowed lightly, healing the inside of the wound.
Not wanting it to appear obvious, you only healed it enough to avoid any infection. Once you were done, you wrapped bandages around his leg. Looking up, you found him studying you.
"All done. How do you feel?"
At first he didn't respond, but eventually said, "Adequate."
Knowing that was all you were going to get from the man, you gave him a soft smile before beginning to clean up. He remained seated, looking at his wrapped up leg.
"You will need to change the dressing in a couple of hours," you said as you cleaned. "You'll likely be bandaged up for a few days. With the potions I'm sure you'll take to accelerate the healing process, it shouldn't be too long."
He slowly got to his feet. While a tad unbalanced, the pain seemed to be subsiding.
"How did you do that?"
Feigning ignorance, you asked, "Do what?"
"The pain I was experiencing...it's nothing more than a dull sting now. How did you do it?"
Sitting on a desk and crossing your legs, you simply said, "I injured myself plenty as a child. You start to get quite good at tending to your wounds when you got hurt as much as I did. I also work with children, so it's best to be caught up on my skills."
The man studied you, but did not respond. Putting his robe back on, he began walking to the door. "Let's go. My rounds begin soon."
"Let me do th-"
"No. I'm perfectly capable. I'll escort you to your chambers."
You had no choice but to follow the man as he limped to your rooms. You wished you could have healed him completely, but you couldn't have gotten away with it. You also wished he would've divulged what exactly happened.
Stopping in front of your door, he moved aside to let you open it. You turned to look at him, but found him staring at his leg once more.
"Your leg will be fine, professor."
His eyes met yours and you could see him chewing the inside of his lip, mind clearly elsewhere.
"Go inside, Miss L/N," he said softly.
Nodding, you mumbled a quick goodnight before turning to close the door.
"Thank you."
It was so quiet, you almost weren't sure if you heard correctly. By the time you opened the door to ask, he was already down the hall.
7 ☆ Attached at the Hip | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: It's finally time for the students to arrive. There are some changes to your schedule and someone is not happy about it.
Author's Note: I've been trying to catch up on updating after being gone for almost two weeks! Thanks for reading!
TW: none
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It was finally the day of the students' arrival.
You had spent the entire morning in the greenhouses with Pamona, cleaning and organizing for the first day of classes. Thankfully, you didn't have to work in the Potions classroom that day. According to Severus, your presence would only irritate him further.
"Alright, dear, I think we have everything taken care of. Go and freshen up. You probably wouldn't want the students to see you all covered in dirt."
You nodded and put down the last pot. "Very well, professor. I will see you there."
Pamona smiled and waved before returning to her plants. You walked out of the greenhouses and down to the dungeons. With nothing else to do for the rest of the day, you were able to take your time getting ready.
You found a nice dress to wear for the feast and paired it with one of the robes Dumbledore had gifted you. Once you were satisfied, you walked into the bathroom and decided to take a hot bath, allowing yourself some much needed relaxation.
You thought on the last month. Your normal had changed in the matter of hours. A quiet life in America, to assisting the professors at one of the best wizarding schools in the world.
On top of that, you were being readied for the inevitable return of Voldemort. It seemed silly to be concerned that the Death Eaters would've found you all the way in America. Yet, if Dumbledore was fearful, you didn't dare doubt his decision to bring you back.
Who knew how long you would be required to remain in hiding at the castle. There hadn't been any stirrings or anything regarding the dark wizard. But Harry's return would no doubt set some sort of plan in motion. If it was going to be anything like the last war, they'd know.
You shook your head, trying to clear the stressful thoughts. You needed to be relaxed and prepared for the arrival of the children. A stressed adult would be no good to a stressed child.
Once you were done and dressed, you looked in the mirror and sighed. You looked like a wizard. Or, at least someone from their world. But, you'd never be one. How would the students react to you? You couldn't assist them in anything useful.
As you looked at yourself, you felt useless. Useless to the students. Useless to Dumbledore. Useless to your people. Completely and utterly useless.
With another sigh, you checked your watch and saw it was half past four. Dumbledore wanted everyone in the Great Hall for one final meeting before the children arrived. So, you exited your chambers and walked to the hall.
When you arrived, you sat towards the end of the table. Now with the students arriving, you wanted the actual professors to sit around the headmaster. Everyone started trickling inclosed to five and began taking their seats.
As you were making your tea, you sensed people approaching you. Looking up, you saw it was Dumbledore, Minerva, and Severus.
"Miss Pedrosa! Looking lovely this evening," Dumbledore exclaimed.
"Thank you, sir. Although, I don't believe I pull off robes quite the way you three do."
Minerva chuckled and waved off your compliment. "Nonsense, dearie. You always look wonderful."
With a smile, the two went to find their seats, leaving you with Severus. He didn't linger though and went around the table to sit. To your surprise, he sat down next to you. There was another chair available on the other side of that one and you figured he would've sat there.
"Do not flatter yourself, Miss L/N. I would rather not have Madam Hooch speak her quidditch nonsense to me. You were the quieter option," Severus said, seemingly noting your surprise.
"No explanation necessary, professor. I trust my company isn't the worst you've been in?"
Sneering, he retorted, "It certainly isn't a magical experience, now is it?"
Amused by his insult, you shook your head, "No, certainly not."
Severus only huffed and resumed ignoring you. Having been verbally harassed by him for a month, you were beginning to find some humor in his comments.
"I trust everyone is excited for the beginning of term today," Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout the Great Hall.
The meeting consisted of a last-minute reminder of what to expect this year and how it was to hopefully go by well. By the time the old wizard was finished, it was almost time for the students to begin filing in.
"Ah, M-Ms. L/N. I h-have s-s-something f-for you."
You turned to see Quirrell speaking to you. The sickly man handed Severus a piece of parchment to pass to you. With an eye roll, he handed it to you.
"A n-n-note from P-Professor D-D-Dumbledore. S-S-Something about r-reassignment."
You opened the note as Severus smirked at you.
-
-
"Seems as though your magical incapabilities are proving you to be rather useless," Severus said matter-of-factly.
Smiling politely at the man, you replied, "It seems that way, professor. Although, I think you should take a look at this. Your name appears to be in it, as well."
Severus narrowed his eyes before ripping the note from your hand. You watched as he read it multiple times, jaw tightening. Slamming the note on the table, he threw you an icy glare. Thankfully, the noise was drowned out by the sound of the doors opening.
You turned to see the lines of students excitedly entering the hall. They were all smiling, happy to be returning to the castle. And just like that, the once quiet castle was now bustling with noise and life.
They all sat at their house tables, talking amongst themselves and waiting for the Sorting Ceremony to begin. Having never seen the ceremony yourself, you were interested to see how it went. Finally, the doors opened once more and Minerva led in the first years. The young kids looked all around, amazing by the candles and the night sky projected onto the ceiling.
Minerva led them up to the Sorting Hat that was rested upon a stool. "Now, before we begin, Professor Dumbledore would like to say a few words."
Dumbledore rose and gave some announcements to the kids. Immediately following, Minerva began calling out their names. Getting the idea, you made yourself another cup of tea and enjoyed watching as all of the kids excitedly made their ways to their new houses.
"Harry Potter!"
Instantly, the room quieted down and whispers flooded the entire hall. A tiny boy with dark, messy hair and round-rimmed glasses walked up, sitting on the stool. Minerva placed the hat on him and after a minute or two, it shouted, "Gryffindor!"
The lions shot up and applauded loudly. By chance, you glanced at Severus, who appeared to have an irritated look on his face.
Turning back to the students, you waited for the ceremony to finish. Finally, the last child was sorted and Dumbledore rose to begin the feast.
You made your plate and quietly enjoyed your dinner, listening to the conversations around you. You enjoyed seeing the students and how happy and carefree they appeared.
Eventually, the older students began leading their houses back to their common rooms. You planned to finish your dessert while waiting for all of them to clear out, then you would return to the dungeons.
"I have never seen a person eat in the capacity that you manage to accomplish."
Taken aback, you turned to Severus. "Pardon?"
"I have never seen someone mount their plate with such an amount of food and actually eat it. Are you ever satiated?"
His comment genuinely made you laugh. "I suppose I never noticed how much I eat. Are my eating habits a problem, professor?"
He scoffed. "Certainly not. I've just never seen someone with an appetite similar to yours."
"Of course, professor."
Rolling his eyes, he stood up. "Seeing as you seem to be finished, let's go. Dumbledore has requested that I show you the route to our night rounds."
You were beginning to believe that Dumbledore wanted you and Severus attached at the hip. Almost everything you did, Severus had to be there.
You followed the man out of the hall and down to the dungeons, assuming the rounds began down there. But, you grew confused as you entered his classroom.
"Patrol doesn't begin for another hour. I will not look all over the castle for you simply because Dumbledore has me monitoring you as though you were a child," Severus said.
Leaning against a table, you responded, "I believe you've just been given the opportunity to demonstrate how things work around here."
"'Opportunity' would not be the word I would use to describe this. This is a waste of my time."
"Noted," you said sighing.
Turning his back to you, he began moving jars around on his desk. You weren't entirely sure of that to do for the next hour. With your rooms just down the hall, you figured you could just wait there.
"Professor?"
Sighing loudly, Severus turned around, an annoyed look on his face.
"My rooms are down the hall," you started. "It's unnecessary for me to invade your space when I can simply wait there. I can return here in an hour."
Considering it for a second, the man gestured for you to exit. "Go."
Nodding, you left and spent the next hour tidying up your chambers. As you were putting your robe back on, you heard a knock. Opening it, you found Severus waiting. You certainly didn't expect him to show up there. Giving him a small smile, you exited and closed the door.
Before you could say anything, he began walking without saying a word. Shaking your head, she began to follow. With his height, his stride was wide, allowing him to cover a lot of ground.
"Patrol duty is typically two hours," he said as they walked. "We shall cover this area of the castle. Seeing as we came from the dungeons, we've already covered that."
You weren't sure how many students would be out tonight. Probably none due to it being the first night back. You figured they would be too busy catching up with each other to sneak out.
"How many professors cover this area?"
"Just you and I?"
"Very well. Do we alternate or-"
At that, he scoffed. "Unfortunately for me, you've been forced upon me by Dumbledore for the foreseeable future. There will be no alternating."
"I'm sure I can manage to patrol by myself for two hours," you said while giving him a puzzled look.
"Miss L/N, if I knew why the headmaster was compelling me to babysit you, I would have put an end to it long ago."
Perhaps Dumbledore thought leaving you with Severus would keep you safe. He wasn't exactly an approachable man.
The next two hours were uneventful with no students out and nothing suspicious happening.
"We are done for the night. You are free to go. If you plan to roam about the castle, do refrain from awakening anyone. Though, I doubt it considering your choice in footwear."
He looked down at your boots. You made a face and crossed your arms. "Is there anything about me that doesn't bother you, professor?"
"Likely not."
You nodded and shrugged, turning back to return to the dungeons. "Goodnight, professor."
The man didn't respond, but he watched as you walked away.
Summary: Severus works you a little too hard, leading to an abnormal morning. And Dumbledore has a conversation with you that brings to light the reasons for your return to Scotland.
Author's Note: Short chapter, but it helps set the school year in motion. Enjoy!
TW: Mentions of death
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You remained in your rooms until dinner.
What Severus said wasn't a lie. No matter how it had hit you, it still didn't make it untrue. They were gone. You just weren't expecting him to comment on the fact.
Regardless, it still shook you.
Now you had to come up with a reason for why you had left the way you did in case he asked. You decided that you had a task you had forgotten about and only just remembered. He would mock you, but should satisfy him.
Checking your watch, you groaned. It was almost time for dinner and there was no chance you would get away with skipping another meal. It didn't help that you were starving. Sighing, you left the comfort of your chambers and slowly made your way to the Great Hall.
Upon arriving, you saw there was only one seat left. And of course, it was next to Severus.
As you neared the table, Dumbledore caught your eye and smiled at you.
"Miss L/N. How are you, dear?"
You forced a smile and responded, "Just fine, sir. And yourself?"
"I could say the same."
Giving you a knowing smile, he returned to his conversation with Minerva and Filius. You took the seat next to Severus and sat down, not saying anything. At the moment, you didn't have the energy for greetings.
You quietly ate as conversations were going on around you. Severus was quiet as well, but it was nothing new for him. He wasn't one for small talk on a good day.
Just when you had thought you could finish and leave, a deep voice spoke in your direction.
"I assume you managed to take care of whatever caused you to leave so abruptly."
You turned to look at Severus, but he was still looking ahead, eating. "Yes, professor."
He hummed. "So, you're not busy."
Hesitantly, you shook your head. "No..."
Putting his utensils down, he stood up. "Then you have time to come assist me."
"Assist you with wh-"
But he had already began walking out of the hall. You huffed and picked up your plate, not wanting to cut your meal short because of the man. By the time you had caught up to him, he was already out of the hall.
He looked at your plate and rolled his eyes. "Must you bring your dinner into my classroom?"
"I was in the middle of eating, professor. I missed lunch and am hungry."
Another eye roll.
The two of you continued your descent into the dungeons, you still eating. At Severus' quick pace, it was kind of tricky to do so. Finally, you arrived to his classroom where you sat and finished your meal.
When you were done, you spoke up. "How may I assist you, professor?"
He walked over to his desk and picked up a parchment. "I have shifted my lesson plans and need my shelves reorganized accordingly. As I have several potions needing to be completed tonight, I haven't the time."
Your eye twitched slightly. Taking the parchment from him, you scanned it and realized that he wanted every single shelf reorganized, along with new ingredients added to them. The whole ordeal would take hours.
"Very well," you said.
You stood up and moved towards the shelves. Severus stalled for a beat before moving to his brewing station and beginning his potions. The two of you worked silently for an hour, the only noise being the boiling cauldrons and clinking of the glass jars. Eventually, he began to bottle his potions.
"I anticipate that you can finish here without my watching your every move," he said, breaking the silence. "I must deliver these. Clean up my station and the cauldrons when you've finished here. Be back tomorrow at nine."
Before you could respond, he swiftly left the room.
You stood there for several minutes, completely bewildered by the man. The work he had you doing was beginning to border on servitude. Now, you were stuck in the classroom for a lot longer than you anticipated.
After taking some breaths and calming yourself down, you completed the reorganization of the shelves after about two hours. By that point, it was already midnight and you were exhausted. And yet, you had three cauldrons and a station to clean. With not enough energy to bend, you resulted in scrubbing them by hand.
By the time you had gotten to the third cauldron, you were falling asleep. Dragging the cauldron, you sat down to finish cleaning it. Once you were done, you rested your head on the desk with the plan to rest your eyes for a moment before returning to your rooms.
Unfortunately, that moment turned into hours.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
Once again, you had awoken to something touching you.
Realizing someone was shaking you awake, you slowly lifted your head, groaning softly. Your back ached from the sitting position you seemed to be in and your neck felt like it would never move right again. Blinking, you looked around, vision blurry as your eyes adjusted.
"Miss L/N," a soft voice said.
At the voice, you started slightly. Looking up, you saw Severus standing over you, an unreadable expression on his face. You stood up, adjusted your clothing, and smoothed down your hair.
"Professor...my apologies."
You looked at your watch and it was six in the morning. Shit.
"How long were you working," he asked while examining you.
"It was around midnight that I began cleaning the cauldrons," you said, covering your yawn with your hand. "By the time I got to the last one, it was probably three of four."
You turned to look at the cauldrons, starting to walk. "I'm positive I finished. Allow me to double che-"
"Leave it," he said holding his hand up. "Return to your chambers. There will be no need for you to return here."
You believed you had misheard the man.
"No need to return? Professor, it's fi-"
"I do not enjoy repeating myself, Miss L/N. Return tomorrow at your customary time. Now, leave. I presume you have quite the trek up to your chambers."
Absentmindedly shaking your head, you said, "I live down here. My rooms are not far from the classroom."
The man tilted his head slightly, but only said, "Very well."
You nodded and began to leave the classroom. Turning slightly, you yawned, "Thank you, professor."
Before he could respond, you were already out the door. Eventually, you made it back to your rooms. Unsure of how you managed, you stumbled into your bedroom and threw yourself on the bed, asleep as soon as your head hit the pillow.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
It wasn't until 10 that you had woken up again.
Seemingly becoming a trend, you had missed another meal. You searched your small kitchen for something to snack on, but came up short. Sighing, you decided to stick it out and began to get ready for the day.
After you were freshened up and dressed, you opened the door to leave and came across a parchment attached to it. Pulling it off, you opened it and began to read.
-
-
Looking at your watch, it was 11:30. It seems that you had woken up just in time. You quickly left your chambers and walked to the Great Hall. When you arrived, the staff was settling in as well.
Dumbledore caught your eye and gave you a smile. You returned it and nodded in greeting. You sat down and grabbed a scone. As you ate, someone had sat down next to you. You looked to find it was Severus. You smiled softly and nodded, turning back to your scone.
"Welcome, welcome," Dumbledore's voice rang out. "Let us begin this morning's meeting, shall we? I would love to hear how preparations are going."
The next hour was spent with everyone discussing their term prep. You remained silent for the most part, only responding when spoken to.
"Very well, everyone. I believe everything is moving along swimmingly. Thank you all for your time."
Everyone started getting up and returning to their days. You stood up and were getting ready to leave when you heard your name.
"Y/N."
You looked to find Dumbledore smiling at you.
"I'm pleased to see you made it, dear. Would you please accompany me to my office?"
"Of course, sir. Is everything alright," you asked while the two of you walked out of the hall and towards his office.
As you walked, you felt eyes on you. You turned your head and made eye contact with Severus. Immediately, he looked away and resumed his walk back to the dungeons. Before you could register that, Dumbledore's voice pulled you back.
"Everything is wonderful, dear. I would just like to have a discussion with you before term resumes. Things will begin to get quite hectic around here."
Once you arrived at his office, the door swung open and he gestured for you to go in first. You took a seat in front of his desk and waited. The old wizard sat and called an elf to bring tea.
"Now, Y/N, there will be a certain boy joining us this year."
Curious, you tilted your head. You certainly weren't expecting to be discussing a student. You nodded for him to continue.
"A certain Mister Potter."
A certain Mister Potter?
You couldn't believe you hadn't connected the dots. It had been a decade since Harry Potter had defeated Voldemort. That would put him at eleven years old this year. The year children begin at Hogwarts.
Now you understood the possible reason Dumbledore had brought you back to Scotland.
"You are aware of Mr. Potter's tragic tale. We've taken many precautions to ensure the boy's safety following the deaths of his parents. However, you are not aware of what exactly is to come."
At that, you perked up and furrowed your brows. You remembered the day Voldemort was defeated. You hadn't seen the headmaster in weeks as he was preoccupied with the Order of the Phoenix. You were angry with the man for not allowing you to join. Granted, you were angry most of the time. When he finally did return, it was to break the news. You learned that following his defeat, Harry was left with his Muggle relatives somewhere in England, away from the magical world.
"I believed that Harry's return would cause a stir amongst the Death Eaters that went into hiding," he began. "I feared they would begin to plot a sort of revenge plan. Revenge on him for defeating their master."
The old wizard rubbed his beard before continuing. "However, I feel it may not be in the way we believed."
Setting his tea cup down, Dumbledore leaned forward, looking deep in thought.
"While young Mister Potter did defeat Voldemort all those years ago, I do not believe he killed him. I believe he merely destroyed his physical form."
It was your turn to set your cup down. You rubbed her face and closed your eyes, processing what the old wizard had just said. He wouldn't say something if he didn't truly believe it to be true.
And deep down, you knew he was right.
"So...he's still out there. Still alive in a sense."
"I believe so. Some form of him. Where, I'm not certain. I'm not certain what he is planning either. But, I fear he will return. And he will come for Harry."
You leaned back in your seat and took everything in. With this new information, you now knew that something terrible was coming. You weren't sure when, but you knew it would.
"You need me here to help protect him," you asked.
Dumbledore smiled, but shook his head softly.
"While I know you would do whatever it took to keep him safe, Harry has been taken care of for many years. I need you here so that you are protected. It is my responsibility to keep you safe. I'm not sure what I would do if they caught wind of your existence and I was too late. I would never forgive myself. At least here, I know you are safe."
You looked at your hands. When you looked back at Dumbledore, a single tear rolled down your cheek.
"Thank you, Albus," your voice no louder than a whisper.
The two of you finished your tea and continued your conversation of the looming danger that was to come.
5 ☆ There Is No We | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: Severus has no qualms with making you work. After two weeks of working for him, you begin to grow tired of his cold words and try to find peace after a stressful day. Unfortunately, it seems that wherever you are, he is.
Author's Note: Two updates in one day! I think this chapter is really more of a filler, so it was easier to get done. But, there is a good amount of interaction going on, so I think it makes up for it! Enjoy!
TW: none
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It had been several weeks since you had began working at Hogwarts.
Pamona and Quirrell had kept your workload light. Severus, on the other hand, was enjoying making you work constantly.
Most times, the tasks were dull, which you believed to be out of spite. Spite for what exactly, you weren't sure. Your theories were the fact that you didn't have magic and the mere idea of Dumbledore placing an assistant in his class.
To you, most professors would probably be grateful for an assistant. But not Severus. No, to him, this was an insult to his teaching and to his craft.
Regardless, you kept your head down and did what he asked, wanting to maintain the little peace you had.
On that particular day, you were scrubbing cauldrons. With Severus constantly brewing different potions, you had to clean them every other day. The only reason you were even able to finish was because you would bend the water when he wasn't around.
Unfortunately for you, that day he stayed in his office, forcing you to scrub by hand. In the middle of your cleaning, his office door swung open abruptly. Walking over to you, he dropped a piece of parchment on the table.
"I need you to go to Hogsmeade to pick up these ingredients. Quickly."
Nodding, you pulled your gloves off and dropped them in a bin. This was the third time this week that he 'needed' ingredients. It seemed a little ridiculous. But, it was not like you could argue with the man.
"Very well, professor. I shall return soon."
The man simply turned around and returned to his office, door slamming shut. You huffed and walked out of the classroom. It was clear that he was doing everything in his power to make you miserable.
Forgoing your glider, you opted to actually walk to the village this time, needing to relax after dealing with Severus. There was nothing you could do. Dumbledore had put you with the cold man and you didn't want to disappoint him.
Finally making it to Hogsmeade, you had to drag yourself into the apothecary. With all of the trips you had to make, you made acquaintances with the old shopkeeper.
"Good afternoon, sir. I've returned."
The old man quickly turned to face you. "Oh, why hello there, dear. Professor Snape's got you on other supply run, does he?"
You nodded. "Seems that way. With the way he's brewing, I'm surprised we haven't bought out your whole stock."
At that, the old man smiled apologetically. "Well, not quite. At the rate in which he was buying along with my other customers, I sold out fairly quickly. I won't have more ingredients back until the end of the week. I'm very sorry, dear."
Your eyes widened at the information. You returned the apologetic look and said, "I am very sorry, sir. I did not mean to completely dwindle your stock so quickly."
He smiled and shook his head. "No apologies necessary, child. It happens. I just hope Professor Snape won't give you too much grief."
You threw a knowing look at the man before smiling and exiting the shop with a wave. Now you had to return to Severus and explain why you didn't return with his things.
You eventually made it back to the castle and trudged down to the dungeons, hands already aching from the thought of scrubbing cauldrons.
Walking into the classroom, you saw the man sitting at the front of the classroom. Hearing your footsteps, he looked up and upon seeing your empty hands, narrowed his eyes.
"I do believe I provided you a list of ingredients to bring me. Was it ever your intention to gather them or were you just enjoying a free trip to Hogsmeade like a wide-eyed third year," he spit out.
Calmly, you put your hands behind your back and walked up to the desk.
"Well, professor," you started. "It seems that we have bought out the entire apothecary's stock due to my numerous supply runs. Fortunately, he will be restocked by the end of the week."
You saw as the man's jaw tightened, his look turning into a glare. Yet, he said nothing.
"I shall fetch the ingredients for you at the end of the week, professor," you continued. "But until then. we must make do."
To that, he huffed. "There is no 'we', Miss L/N. There is only I. You are merely a glorified babysitter for the students. You cannot brew a potion. You cannot cast a spell. You are incapable of doing anything useful."
You felt your calm resolve crack. The man had spent the last two weeks calling you useless and degrading you. When you had agreed to working at the school, you had no idea it would be under such a hostile man.
And yet, you remained silent with your hands behind your back, wanting to get whatever was happening over with.
Jaw twitching, he gestured for you to go. "Leave. I have work to do."
With a nod, you turned and exited the classroom, walking to your chambers to enjoy the rest of the day off.
Sitting in your room, you let Severus leave your mind and instead thought of your training. You hadn't trained since leaving America. Not being able to bend freely killed you. It wasn't like you could do whatever you wanted at home, but at least you had your arena. Dumbledore had insisted that for the time being, it was best to keep any bending away from the staff. Not wanting to go against his wishes and be seen, you kept it to a minimum.
Feeling antsy from it all, you decided to take a walk around the grounds. Fresh air was now a treat with all the time you spent stuck in dungeons working, so you wanted to capitalize on the freedom before the students arrived.
As you walked around the grounds, you appreciated the landscape around you. It was peaceful. Eventually, you found a fountain and sat on the edge, running your hands through the water, watching it ripple.
As you sat, you felt something land on your shoulder.
"Aura."
The small owl rubbed her head against your neck in greeting. You reached up to pet the small creature.
"Have you been having fun with the other owls, girl?"
Aura gave a small hoot in response.
"Well, I'm glad you're having fun."
The small owl nuzzled into your neck more, comforting you.
You sat outside for a bit, thinking about a life where you didn't have to hide. Eventually, a soft breeze lulled her to sleep.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
You awoke to small pecks on your face.
"What..."
Quickly opening your eyes, you were surprised to see you were still at the fountain. Looking at your watch, you saw that you had been there for a few hours. Sighing, you stood up and brushed the dirt off of your pants. With a final hoot, Aura flew off as you thanked her for the wake up call.
Having missed lunch and dinner not being for another couple of hours, you weren't sure what to do in the meantime. Eventually, you decided to visit the library and find something to read. You looked around, waiting for something of interest to pop out. Turning a corner, you came across a section you weren't expecting to see, making your heart skip a beat.
Elementals.
The section contained rows and rows of books pertaining to them. Having never truly explored the library, you had no idea the section was there.
You ran your fingers across the spines, dazed. Stories, accounts, histories. And they were all at your fingertips. Eventually, you stopped at a small book that contained a collection of children's folktales that had been passed down through the years.
Pulling it from the shelf, you examined it. It wasn't the same as the book your parents once had, but it was the same tales. For whatever reason, you felt inclined to read them. So, you checked out the book and left. Not wanting to go back down to the dungeons, you decided to sit in the faculty lounge. At this time of the day, you doubted anyone would be in there.
Walking into the lounge, you were happy to see that it was empty. After making yourself some tea, you sat down on one of the sofas and began flipping through the book. You reminisced at the stories of your childhood, having not thought about them in years.
After about half an hour, someone had walked in. You looked up to see it was Minerva, who was pleasantly surprised to see you.
"Oh, why hello, dearie. I wasn't expecting to find you in here," Minerva said while making herself tea.
"I was granted some free time, so I thought I'd sit in here."
The older woman sat across from you with her cup of tea in hand. "You weren't at lunch. Hagrid said he saw you sleeping on the grounds?"
You chuckled and nodded. "Hagrid is correct. I fell asleep out there after a walk. Didn't even realize how tired I was."
Minerva hummed before reaching her hand out to see what you were reading. You handed over the book and watched as the older woman examined it closely.
"I would imagine it's tough to read," Minerva said quietly.
"It takes me back," you said with a shrug.
Smiling softly, Minerva handed you the book back before standing. "Well, I must get going. I'm only halfway through my preparations for the students' arrivals."
You nodded and waved as she left. As she walked out the door, she stopped to speak to whoever was coming in.
"Ah, Severus, do come by my office sometime this week. We need to discuss some things."
Severus? The man hardly ever came to the lounge according to Minerva. You wondered what he was doing. Perhaps he sensed your presence and came to harass you more.
When he walked in, your face was in the book, trying to focus. Still, you could feel his eyes on you. Without looking up, you greeted him.
"Professor."
No response.
You heard one of the chairs move and looked up to find him sitting at the table, surrounded by tomes and parchment. He had seemed irritated.
Smiling to yourself, you continued reading. After a while, you had completely forgotten he was there. It wasn't until you decided to get more tea that you remembered his presence.
You got up and began making another cup, having to heat up more water. You leaned against the counter as you waited. Unfortunately, it happened to be right where Severus was working.
"Must you stand so close? I do believe you had a chair on the other side of the room," he spat out.
Sighing inwardly, you moved and sat across from him at the table. "My apologies, professor. I am waiting for the water to heat up."
Rolling his eyes, he mumbled quietly and suddenly, the kettle began whistling. you raised your brow in questioning. Did he really just use magic to speed up the process?
"That was unnecessary, professor. I can wait."
"Well, I can't. So please."
Standing up to make your tea, you decided to annoy the man more and instead of returning to the sofa, you rejoined him at the table. This caused him to look back up and glare. You smiled politely at him and continued reading.
"A little too old for that book, aren't we," his voice cut through the silence.
Not looking up, you replied, "Just brushing up on some history."
He huffed at that. "I doubt that children's tales would be considered 'history.'"
Clearly the man was in a bickering mood. So, you set your book down and gave the man your attention.
"I beg to differ. Folktales can be considered part of a people's history. They were passed down from generation to generation."
"It is only history because they are gone," he retorted, bored.
Your mouth went dry. You stared at the man blankly as he continued to write on his parchment.
"Yes, I suppose. If you'll excuse me, I'm afraid I have somewhere to be."
You quickly stood up and began gathering your things. Severus' head shot up, looking slightly puzzled, but you did not notice.
As you left the lounge in a hurry, you weren't aware that Severus was watching you, wondering what on earth just happened.
Hello all! If you are a reader who prefers x OC stories over x Reader, you should check out my AO3! I already have the Element of Life series posted on there and update it every time I update on here! While I won't be publishing my Arthur Morgan series on there, my Snape series' definitely will be!
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4 ☆ Glorified Maid | Severus Snape x Female Reader
Summary: It's your first day working with Severus. What's in store for the woman who he already sees as a thorn in his side?
Author's Note: I'm glad to see that y'all are liking this story! I had been sitting on it for years before deciding to actually commit to writing it. Thanks for reading!
TW: None
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You were up earlier than usual that morning.
You had woken up at five, an hour earlier than your usual time. In all honesty, you were nervous about your meeting with Severus. Over the past few days, the man's cold temperament towards you had not warmed up. Not wanting to get even further on his bad side, you forced yourself out of bed and began your routine.
The robes that Dumbledore ordered had not yet arrived, so you had made a quick trip to Hogsmeade to find clothes you could wear in the meantime. You didn't have time nor the resources to make them yourself, so you had to settle for Hogsmeade. Considering you would be with the man for an indefinite amount of time doing who knows what, you opted for functional clothing: a pair of white trousers and a white sweater.
Once you were done, you walked to the Great Hall for breakfast. Due to the early hour, there were few professors eating. You greeted each of them politely as you made your way towards an empty seat. After serving yourself food and eating in silence for a few minutes, someone had sat down beside you.
"Good morning to you, Miss L/N."
Looking over, you saw it was Professor Flitwick, who was smiling kindly at you.
"Good morning, professor. How are you today?"
"Just Filius is fine, dear girl. And I'm rather well today. I must say though, I am a bit curious. May I ask you a question?"
To this, you nodded. "Of course, sir."
"You truly are not a witch," he asked, curiosity obviously coursing through him.
You chuckled and nodded once more. "I truly am not a witch. Does this truly shock you so?"
The short wizard thought for a second.
"It's just very peculiar. Something about you is...you just give off quite the aura. It unlike Muggles or Squibs," he said thoughtfully.
This was news to you. You had never considered your own aura or that you had one that wasn't bleak. You certainly never thought anyone would pick up on it.
"That is peculiar," you finally said. "But, I can assure you, there is nothing magical about me. I just happen to be quite informed."
Your answer seemed to settle the wizard for the time being. The two of you talked for a bit more before you retreated back to the dungeons. You waited in your chambers before finally making your way to the Potions classroom. At 8:50, you softly knocked on the door.
This time, the door opened slowly and Severus was standing with his back to you, studying his shelves. You walked in and quietly shut the door behind you.
"At least you're punctual," Severus said, his soft, deep voice breaking the silence. He turned and faced you, as stoic as usual.
"Good morning, professor," you offered politely.
Ignoring you, he turned back towards his shelves and began writing on a piece of parchment. Unsure of what to do, you walked to stand beside him, gazing at them as well. They were lined with many different ingredients, many of which that looked absolutely revolting.
"You will need to learn and memorize all of the ingredients, as well as where they are located on the shelves," he said. "I will not tolerate an ill-prepared assistant who cannot perform the simplest of tasks."
Walking over to the tables, he pointed his quill towards the cauldrons.
"You are responsible for cleaning up any messes the students may leave behind. The cauldrons must be cleaned thoroughly after every class and prepared for the next one."
You were beginning to believe that the man thought you were just a glorified maid. Regardless, you nodded and continued listening.
He gestured for you to follow as he led you out of the classroom and towards a door down the hall. Unlocking it with his wand, he walked in, you following suit.
"These are my personal stores. No students are ever to be allowed in here. You are hardly allowed in here," he said with a scowl. "Every month you will come and organize. Every two weeks I will provide you with a list of ingredients that need to be collected. If you are not doing either of those tasks, you are not to be in here."
You bit your cheek and nodded. Severus pulled out a piece of parchment from his robes and handed it to you.
"I will need all of these items by this evening. It can all be found in Hogsmeade. We shall see if you can manage that."
You unfolded the parchment and skimmed the list. It was all fairly simple ingredients. With your glider, you could get it done rather quickly. Folding it back up, you stuck the list in your pocket. "I will have these to you quickly, professor."
He huffed before essentially shooing you out of the storage room. You waited for him to lock up before following him back to the classroom. Once in there, he walked over to a cauldron and said, "Come and look in this cauldron."
You walked over, leaning over it to peer in. The inside was full of residual goop from whatever was brewed in it last.
"I shall demonstrate how they must be cleaned. Due to your unfortunate lack of magic, you will have to do it manually. Do watch carefully."
The next was Severus showing you how he liked his supplies to be cleaned. Every so often, he would comment on your lack of magic, grumbling that he was having to show you by hand.
Out of nowhere, he asked, "Will the other professors be needing you for the rest of the week?"
You shook your head. Pamona and Quirrell seemed to have an easier approach to needing your assistance. Severus, however, seemed to revel in taking advantage of your labor.
"Then you shall return tomorrow to begin familiarizing yourself with the shelves and such," he said with a smirk on his face. "Now, go and fetch the ingredients that you promised I'd have quickly."
Without another word, he walked into his office and slammed the door shut behind him. Sighing, you pulled off the gloves he had given you and threw them into an empty bin to wash later. You walked to your rooms and grabbed your glider, wanting to make this trip as quick as possible. Dumbledore had enchanted the glider with a spell that wouldn't allow others to notice it. He also took the liberty to make you unnoticeable while using it.
You walked off the castle grounds and looked around to see if anyone was lurking about. When it was confirmed that you were alone, you opened the glider and took off. This made the trip into the village much more swift. Once there, you landed in a secluded part of town and stuck the glider in your pocket.
In about ten minutes, you had gathered everything on Severus' list. With time to kill, you walked over to Honeyduke's to find something sweet. It was unwise to return to Severus so rapidly, as he would immediately know that it was too fast for a Muggle.
Eventually, you flew back to the castle with your items secure. Returning to the Potions classroom, you knocked and waited for the door to open. Surprisingly, it hadn't. After knocking again and receiving no answer, you slowly opened the door. Deducing he wasn't in there, you walked in and went into his office. Writing a quick note, you left everything on his desk for when he returned.
Walking out of the classroom, you returned to the Great Hall as lunch would be starting soon and you were ravenous. The only two present in the hall were Minerva and Dumbledore, who both greeted you cheerfully.
"Ah! Y/N! Do come join us," Dumbledore exclaimed while pulling out the seat next to Minerva with his wand. "Tell us, how is your first week faring?"
"It's going well, sir. As expected for the most part. Moderately busy I'd say. I spent the morning cleaning the Potions classroom, then made a quick trip to Hogsmeade for Professor Snape. Tomorrow I shall begin memorizing potions, their ingredients, and how they are stored."
Minerva huffed and shook her head. "Oh, that Severus."
You smiled into your glass of water, amused by the older woman's comments. "It's alright, Minerva. I don't mind the work. Gives me a chance to brush up on my knowledge."
"Oh yes," Dumbledore agreed. "It's quite extraordinary how the elementals were so well versed in the world."
It was true. It was common for elementals to receive lessons on the cultures of others, particularly wizards. When they rose to prominence, elementals needed to adapt to a wizard-dominated world. In truth, the two got along well, holding a mutual understanding.
Coming to Hogwarts only further enhanced your knowledge of the wizarding world. Dumbledore knew that you would need it in order to survive within their world.
"I'm pleased to hear you're getting along well, dear girl," Dumbledore said with his usual twinkling smile.
The three of you were deep in conversation as the other professors began trickling in for lunch. The last to arrive was Severus who grumbled as the last seat available was next to you.
Despite being engaged in your conversation, you sensed his presence as he walked up and pulled the chair out. Assuming he wasn't one for idle chatter, you continued speaking to Minerva. It wasn't until he cleared his throat that you turned to look at him.
"Hello, professor," you said politely.
He, however, didn't turn. Instead, he served himself while he spoke. "I see you left the ingredients on my desk. It seems you can be useful."
"Of course, professor," you replied, ignoring the obvious insult.
To this, he did turn to look at you, eyes narrowed. You waited for him to say what was on his mind, but no words came. Instead, he turned back to his food and began eating. You turned back to Minerva, smiling as the older woman rolled her eyes.
You ate in silence, listening to Minerva and Dumbledore bicker over things, only chiming in when necessary.
That was until Dumbledore asked you a question after you had finished eating.
"Y/N, my dear, can I ask you to do something for me?"
He smiled at you, an innocent look on his face. You narrowed your eyes, suspicious of the old wizard and of the way he asked. "Of course."
"Splendid. I need these books returned to the library," he said as five small books appeared beside him. "I tend to do a considerable amount of night reading. However, I'm afraid I will not be able to make it before Madam Pince's strict deadline. Would you be so kind as to deliver them for me?"
Minerva gasped at the books and you could've sworn you saw Severus smirking out of the corner of her eye.
"Albus! Those books are two stones a piece," Minerva exclaimed.
At that moment, you understood the older woman's shock, albeit for a different reason than the others. The headmaster was playing with fire in front of the staff. A normal Muggle would not be able to carry all of the books at once without great difficulty. The average wizard wouldn't carry them without the help of a spell due to the combined weight of them all.
Elementals, however, did not have the same strength as Muggles or wizards. Due to the strength it requires to handle the elements, especially rock and water, they possessed a superhuman level of strength.
You wondered what the old wizard was up to. And why would he want the staff to be aware of this fact?
Nevertheless, you stood up and walked around the table. Catching a glimpse of Severus' face, you could now see there was definitely a smirk on his face. Clearly, he was looking forward to seeing you struggle.
Minerva glanced at you nervously before turning to glare at Dumbledore, who only smiled innocently. Sighing, you just went for it and lifted all of the books at once.
You were half-convinced that Dumbledore was just playing a silly joke on you, but the looks on the other's faces confirmed that the books were truly as heavy as Minerva said. Severus' smirk slowly fell, replaced with an expression you couldn't quite name. Minerva remained glaring at Dumbledore.
"Is that all, sir?"
Feeling around his robes, the headmaster found another book and with a flick of his wand, sent it flying towards you. "I nearly forgot this one."
You quickly stuck your hand out and caught the book, leaving the other five in the other hand.
"Very well. I shall return these now," you said and turned around, quickly making your way out of the Great Hall.
Everyone's eyes, including Severus's, were on you.
Summary: It's officially time for you to meet the other professors. Despite your nerves, you try to remain confident and are ready to work. How will the professors react to a non-witch assistant?
Author's Note: Hello all! If you've decided to stick with the story, just know I appreciate you. I was nervous that y'all wouldn't like the ATLA inspiration. And to the people who commented, ily. Enjoy!
TW: none
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You woke up at around six in the morning.
Having finally caught up on the rest you were lacking, you were up at your usual time with no issues. Having taken a shower the night before following your impromptu lakeside nap, you had more time to make yourself look presentable.
You debated on whether or not you should style your hair in a fancier way than you normally did, but ultimately landed on doing it as you usually did, albeit more neatly.
The next debate was whether you should wear makeup or not. You had never seen Minerva wear makeup and didn't think the other female professors did either. Would this make the others look at you strangely? After a moment's deliberation, you decided to just put on the makeup.
You found it to be therapeutic. Oddly enough, despite your mostly secluded lifestyle and constant training, you also spent a lot of time doing your hair and makeup. Your first year in America, you were in Boston and happened to come across a beauty magazine. It being the 80s, everything was bright, colorful, and bold. So, you bought the magazine, went to the nearest drugstore and bought all of the products you could think of.
After that, you took everything home and spent the entire weekend playing with the makeup you had bought and recreating all of the looks you had seen. Muggle makeup was unlike anything you had ever seen. Elementals wore paints and such on their faces, but nothing like Muggles. It had turned into a hobby for you, and every month you'd go into the city and buy the latest magazines and products.
Makeup was something that you had loved from the moment you tried it because if you did yourself up, for a moment, you could pretend your life was normal. You could pretend to be a model in those magazines. You could pretend to be getting ready for a night out with your friends.
But in the end, you washed it off and would just be you, the woman who wasn't a model in the magazines.
Eventually, you relearned to embrace your natural self and wasn't as bold with your looks. But every once in a while, you liked to put it all on and pretend again.
Unfortunately, you actually did have to play a part and be someone else this time. So, you did your normal, casual makeup in order to draw less attention. The hardest part would be the clothing.
Turning to look at the outfit picked out the night before, you sighed. A simple white robe and long white dress. In truth, there was nothing wrong with it. The robe was nice and helped you fit in the with wizarding population. The dress was beautiful, having sewn it yourself. In fact, most of your clothing, you had made yourself.
Back then, your mother was the village seamstress. You worked in her shop, helping her sew and such. Before everything had happened, it was your dream to run the shop and bring in your own designs. But, your dream had died with them.
In order to keep your skills and to keep doing what you loved, Minerva had encouraged you to make your own clothing. So, you did. You had made an assortment of traditional elemental garments. Although you never had the opportunity to wear them out, you would put them on display to be reminded of your people.
On the occasion that you had to be around wizards, you had designed a small amount of clothing that adhered to their fashion. Due to its drastic difference from the attire you were used to wearing, you had trouble finding a style that you could wear without feeling like a total fraud. Eventually though, you found what you liked.
With another sigh, you pulled the dress on, albeit struggling slightly. You had made it some time ago before you had really gotten into training heavily, so it was tight in some places. Fortunately, it wasn't too noticeable and would be easily covered up with the robe.
After stepping into your boots, you walked out of your room and into the small kitchen you had. Dumbledore had mentioned that the elves would provide breakfast for you in your chambers that morning, not wanting to overwhelm you with everyone so soon. And just as he said, a small spread was set out on the table.
Grateful, you sat down and began eating, careful to not spill anything on yourself. You ate slowly as you didn't have to be in the Great Hall until nine. By the time you were done eating, it was only eight.
So, you sat anxiously for half an hour before finally leaving your chambers and making your way towards the Great Hall. You walked slowly, not wanting to arrive too early. Truthfully, you wanted to get the introductions over with as quickly as possible.
Arriving at the doors, you waited outside against the wall for a minute or two before hearing Dumbledore's voice.
"Before you all leave, I have a quick announcement. We have someone new joining staff this year."
Taking that as your cue, you took a deep breath and walked into the hall.
"Ah, perfect timing. Here she is," Dumbledore said while gesturing to you.
Immediately, you felt all eyes on you as you walked towards the staff table. Dumbledore stood and met you at the end, taking your arm.
"Everyone, meet F/N L/N, Hogwarts' new Assistant Professor."
You smiled softly, nodding in greetings to everyone. Hagrid, who you had met a couple of times throughout the summers you were there, waved. Minerva smiled back at you, along with the rest of the staff. Except for one.
A pale man with long, black hair stared at you, lips drawn in a thin line. His eyes, which appeared as black as his hair and robes, bore into you. He looked incredibly bored by your presence, almost as if it were a nuisance to him. You stared back for a moment before turning back to the others.
"Hello. It's a pleasure to meet you all. I am looking forward to working with you," you said softly.
The staff said their greetings, with the exception of the black-haired man. He simply nodded.
"Now, while Miss L/N will be assisting some of you in your classes, it will be in the non-magical sense. See, she is not a witch. But, do not let this discourage you, she is very well versed in the world of wizardry. She will be more than capable of providing her assistance," Dumbledore explained.
There were some confused looks at that, unsurprisingly. Given that a majority of the classes required magic for their lessons, a non-magical assistant didn't make much sense.
You looked at Minerva, pleading with your eyes for the older woman to help in any way. She only smiled back.
"If she is not a witch, how could she possible be of any assistance to us," a deep, languid voice asked.
You looked back towards the others, wondering who had spoken up. Dumbledore's arm tightened around yours in reassurance.
"Now, Severus, one does not need magic for everything. Miss L/N can help with grading, organizing, and much more. Have faith, dear boy," Dumbledore defended.
So this was Severus Snape. You then understood the headmaster's description of the man. Still, you raised your eyebrows, surprised to hear someone be so frank. The bored expression remained on his face.
"Doubtful," Severus simply said.
"Nonsense, Severus. I'm positive she'll do a fine job assisting you in class," Dumbledore replied, the smile evident in his voice.
You watched as Severus' bored expression turned into shock and then irritation.
"Pardon?"
Dumbledore nodded. "Y/N will be assisting you in your classes, Professor Snape. Along with Professor Sprout and Professor Quirrell."
Severus turned to you, jaw clenched and narrowed his eyes at you. You pressed your lips together, wishing you could open a hole in the ground and jump in it.
"Very well, everyone! Please return to your preparations. The three professors I mentioned, I will be sending Miss L/N to speak with each of you individually in your respective offices."
As the professors rose from their seats to depart, Dumbledore pulled you aside.
"I apologize for Severus' coldness, dear girl," he said. "As I mentioned, he can be difficult. But if you need anything at all, do come and find me."
You nodded. Satisfied with your answer, the old wizard winked and walked out of the hall. Looking up, you noticed that the staff was walking towards you as they made their way out. The only one who didn't stop was Severus, who left the hall in a swirl of dark robes.
They greeted you with warm smiles and kind words, welcoming you to the castle. Professors Sprout and Quirrell introduced themselves and told you where you would find them when you were ready. After the staff was all done introducing themselves, they all shuffled out of the room, leaving you with Minerva.
"You survived that, dearie," the older woman said.
With a soft sigh, you said, "At least the hardest part is over."
However, the look on Minerva's face made you think otherwise. "Well..."
You raised your brow at the older woman. "Well? You can't say that and then stop talking. What is it?"
Minerva gave you an encouraging smile and said, "Severus can be difficult at first, but once you get to know him, he's not as cold as he seems. In fact, I feel he'll take a liking to you."
You brought your lips into a tight line. "Dumbledore said the same thing."
"That Severus will take a liking to you?"
"No," you said. "That he was cold and difficult."
Smirking, Minerva gestured for you to leave and scooted you slightly as you began walking. "You best be off, dear. I'd begin by visiting Pamona in the greenhouses. Good luck."
You shook your head and walked out of the Great Hall, making your way towards the greenhouses. When you arrived, you fixed your robes and walked in. You spotted Professor Sprout cleaning some pots that were lying around.
"Hello, professor," you greeted.
She looked up and smiled. "Miss L/N! It is wonderful to see you without all those old wizards crowding you. Come in, come in."
Professor Sprout was a short, older woman. Her hair was grey and curly, covered with a pointed hat made of burlap.
"Now, Miss L/N, I must say I was quite surprised to hear that you weren't a witch. It's quite peculiar to have an assistant professor who has no magic. However, not impossible! I'm excited to have any sort of hands helping me this year!"
"I understand, professor," you said, nodding. "I know that it is unusual. When Professor Dumbledore offered me the position, I was just as taken aback as you all. Nonetheless, I promise to do what I can to assist you."
Grinning, the older woman said, "You and I are going to get along wonderfully. Now, shall we discuss what you shall expect in the greenhouses?"
She walked around, showing you all of the plants, tools, and such. "You will be helping tend to the plants, as well as keeping an eye on the students. At times, you will also be gathering supplies or cleaning the work stations. Fairly simple, I believe."
You nodded. "Of course. What days of the week will I be attending your lessons?"
"Mondays and Tuesdays. In fact, Professor Dumbledore asked me to pass this along to you. I believe it's your schedule."
She handed you a piece of parchment.
-
-
"Who teaches potions," you asked. You would be spending a great deal of time with the potions professor.
At this, Professor Sprout laughed. "That would be Professor Snape, dear. I see you'll be spending quite some time with him."
This was just like Dumbledore. Warn you about the very man he had placed you to spend six hours a week with. Three of which were spent consecutively.
"It appears that way, professor."
"Call me Pamona, dear. Professor is so formal."
You smiled, grateful to have at least been placed with the kind woman. The two of you spoke for a bit before you were off to see Professor Quirrell. Pamona had recommended seeing Severus last which made you question how well they knew the man. If you were a betting woman, you would bet that the man was extremely impatient. It seemed like a poor idea to make him wait the longest.
But, they seemed to know how to deal with him best, so you made your way to the Defense classroom. Your chat with Quirrell was brief as the man had things to take care of, at least in his words. You had felt like the man was going to keel over at any moment. For his class, you would be mostly grading and keeping an eye on the students. Not much to it.
Finally, it was time to pay Severus a visit.
You made your way down to the dungeons, thankful that your chambers were nearby. Depending on how badly the visit went, you could return to your space quickly. When you arrived, you pushed your nerves aside and softly knocked on the door.
The door swung open and sitting at the head of the classroom with his wand up was Severus. The man sneered at you and said, "Lucky me. My new assistant has finally decided to grace me with her presence."
"I apologize, professor. I didn't mean to keep you waiting," you said as you walked up to his desk. There were no chairs, so you stood in front of it, hands behind your back.
He didn't respond, simply looking at you. He was back to his bored expression. Unsure of what to do, you stuck her hand out. "We didn't get to properly meet. F/N L/N, sir."
He didn't accept the hand shake. "Severus Snape."
Content that he even responded, you softly smiled and said, "Pleasure to meet you, Professor Snape."
"Let us establish some things," he started. "For whatever reason, the headmaster has placed you with me for an absurd amount of time throughout the week."
You bit the inside of your cheek, unsure of what to respond to that.
"Due to your uselessness to me in the actual brewing process of my potions, you will be completing other tasks. Gathering and cutting up ingredients, cleaning up after the students, things like that. I doubt that you will ever be knowledgeable enough to even begin to think about grading essays, so again, you will be of no use to me there."
You sighed inwardly. Clearly, he thought you were a complete idiot.
"There will also be no need for you to speak during my classes. There will certainly be no need for you to assist the students, either. I do not need an 'assistant', yet here you are. So, it will be best for you to remain as invisible as possible."
You knew there would be no winning with the man. So, you did what you did best and just dealt with it. Being invisible was something you had mastered over the last decade.
"As you wish, professor. I am here for whatever you need," you said appeasingly.
His eyes narrowed. Perhaps he was not expecting you to be so compliant. But, you found that when you remained calm and relaxed, things wouldn't turn out to be so bad. You hoped that would be the case with Severus, but you knew it would more than likely be for naught.
Finally, he gestured for you to leave. "Be back on Wednesday morning at nine sharp. I do not tolerate tardiness."
You nodded and turned, walking out of the classroom. By the time you had returned to your chambers, it was 11. Lunch was at noon and you knew Dumbledore would be expecting you there. So, you decided to lie down for a bit and think before returning to the Great Hall.
You wasn't used to being around so many people anymore. Ever since you had departed for America, it had been just you. Of course, you would go on your monthly outings, but almost 100% of your time was spent in solitude. You didn't mind it after a while. It wasn't like you had minded people, but it was different now. Growing up, everybody was close and connected to each other. To go from that to the complete opposite was just a reality you had to learn to live with.
Not wanting to get too down about your situation, you decided to make your way back to the Great Hall. As you walked through the dungeons, the Potions classroom door swung open just as you were about to pass it.
Severus walked out, not expecting to see anyone. He huffed in annoyance, probably due to the fact that he had to walk beside you now. Not wanting to further irritate the man, you remained quiet. The only sound that could be heard was your shoes hitting the ground. As you were entering the Great Hall, he spoke.
"The sound of your heels is maddening."
Before you could respond, the man was already making his way towards the end of the table. Shaking your head slightly, you made your way over to Minerva.
Summary: It's been ten years since the death of your parents and your people. You've moved on with your life, learning to cope with it all. After years away, you have been called back to Scotland.
Author's Note: I know that Severus wasn't in the last chapter and unfortunately, he won't be in this one either. I know, I know. But, this is a multi-chapter fic and I want to build the world! But, he will definitely be in the next one! Thanks for reading!
TW: none
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Read the OC Version on AO3!
✧༺☆༻∞ Series Masterlist ∞༺☆༻✧
August, 1991
You groaned as you heard the hooting and scratching at the window.
You were dead asleep when the owl arrived at your house. Rubbing your eyes, you looked at the clock. Three in the morning. Great. What on earth could have warranted an owl in the middle of the night?
You stood up, groaning once more, though this time it was due to the ache in your lower back. Yawning, you stumbled over to the window and opened it.
"Hello, little guy. Why in the world has that silly old man sent you over here now," you asked, scratching the owl's head. Attached to its leg was a small envelope. After taking it, you grabbed a couple of pellets and fed it to the bird. It hooted gratefully before flying to a nearby tree, presumably to rest from the journey.
You opened the letter, curious to see why Dumbledore had sent you a letter so soon following his last one. He would write every couple of weeks, but never twice in the same one. It must have been important. You wasted no time opening it, curious at the contents.
-
-
You reread the letter, making sure you understood. You were aware that at some point you would have to return to Scotland. It had been six years since you left. In those years, you hadn't been back.
When you were 21, Dumbledore sent you to live in America. He feared retaliation from the Death Eaters if they had ever learned of your survival. So, he moved you to a safer location away from the UK and Europe entirely. Ilvermorny, the American wizarding school, was thirty minutes away in case anything ever happened.
Your house was small and fairly secluded, enchanted so that Muggles wouldn't be able to spot it. Underneath was a training arena that Dumbledore had built, holding everything you needed to maintain your abilities. In fact, your entire home had everything you needed to live comfortably. You were eternally grateful for the care Dumbledore provided.
You missed Britain, your birthplace. As much as you loved your house in America, it would never truly feel like home. Your parents' resting place was in England while Hogwarts was in Scotland. Your heart ached for your home. And yet, you found yourself nervous to return.
You sighed and walked to your closet, beginning to pull out everything you would need to take. Dumbledore said to bring most of your stuff, so you packed just that. Fortunately for you, you didn't own many things, a result of the last decade. Once you were done, your bags shrunk down, courtesy of a charm from Dumbledore. You picked them up and shoved them in a backpack.
A quiet hoot came from the corner. Sitting on her perch was your familiar, a grey screech owl named Aura. She was a gift from the old wizard a couple of years prior.
"I hope you're ready for an uncomfortable ride, girl. I'd prefer you didn't fly across the Atlantic by yourself."
The owl covered her head with her wings, clearly unhappy with the statement.
You sat on your bed and debated whether or not you should go back to sleep. If you did and left at noon, you would probably be up all night due to the timezones. Not really wanting to do that, you decided to leave then and there.
Making sure that everything was in order, you put Aura in her cage, grabbed your glider, and pulled a small box out of your closet. You walked out of your house with everything in hand, ready to go. You turned around and gave it one last look, for you knew it would be awhile before you returned.
"Alright, Aura, are you ready?"
The pitiful hoot indicated that she was not.
Chuckling, you gripped the cage and your glider before taking the lid off of the small box. With a deep breath, you grabbed the hat that was inside, a portkey. Instantly, you felt the unpleasant hook behind your navel and was grateful you hadn't eaten anything.
Soon enough, you landed in front of the castle's main entrance. You stood for a second, trying to collect yourself. After managing to not fall on your ass, you set down Aura's cage and opened it. The small owl flew out and bit your ear, obviously unhappy with being portkeyed.
"Hey! It's not like it was pleasant for me either!"
Eventually, the owl was satisfied with attacking her owner and flew off, presumably to the owlery. Huffing, you picked up the cage and made your way into the castle. Immediately, you sensed the magic as you once did as a teenager. Having spent the last decade living intimately with magic, it welcomed you warmly.
A house elf that happened to be cleaning nearby insisted on taking your belongings to your old chambers. After handing everything over, you made your way to Dumbledore's office, a route you had memorized fairly quickly all those years ago. Once you arrived at the staircase, you realized that he had never given you the password. You named off various sweets, but to no avail.
As a last resort, you muttered out, "Fudge Flies."
You smirked as the staircase formed. Of course he would reuse that one. Soon, you found yourself knocking.
"Come in!"
You opened the door and peered inside at the old wizard sitting at his desk.
"Y/N, my dear girl! How lovely to see you!"
He threw his arms up before rising to greet you. You smiled and walked into the office, closing the door behind you. He drew you into a tight embrace as he always did.
"Hello, Albus. I've missed you," you said, returning the hug.
He pulled away, holding your shoulders and examining you. "You are looking as strong and beautiful as ever, Miss L/N! You're shaping up to be a fine woman you are!"
You rolled your eyes, smiling. "You say that every time you see me."
"Yes, but it was been far too long since I last saw you!"
He ushered you to sit in the chair in front of the desk. He sat in his chair and for a minute didn't speak, simply smiling at you. You narrowed your eyes, knowing he was planning something.
"As you know, term will commence soon," he started. "As good as it is to see you, I'm afraid I've brought you back for a specific task."
You leaned forward, giving the old man a suspicious look. "What task?"
"I would like you to take on the role of Assistant Professor," he said as though it were the simplest thing in the world.
You raised her eyebrows, certainly not expecting that. "Forgive me if I misheard, but did you say an assistant professor? As in helping professors in classes that require magic?"
"Exactly that, dear girl."
You hummed and nodded. "Try as I might, sir, I am not a witch. What good am I to a professor if I cannot perform magic?"
"I have found that one does not need magic to be magical," he replied. "In any case, you will not need magic to assist. Grading essays, gathering and preparing ingredients, deliveries...tasks such as those."
You considered the tasks. Surely it wouldn't be too difficult. Yet, you were afraid of how professors would react to your lack of magic.
"Will they know sir, the professors? Who I am," you asked.
"No one except Minerva will know," he assured.
You nodded. It would be a change, not being able to bend freely. But, you understood that it had to be that way.
"Very well. I accept."
Dumbledore clapped, eyes twinkling. "Excellent! I shall introduce you to the staff tomorrow after breakfast."
While you were happy to accept, you wondered why all of a sudden he needed an assistant professor. And a non-magical one at that.
"If you don't mind me asking, sir, is there a specific reason why you require my assistance this year," you asked.
"Something like that, dear. In due time you shall find out."
Knowing he wouldn't say more than that, you nodded.
"I did want to discuss attire, Miss L/N," he said with a knowing smile.
You chuckled and nodded. "Of course, sir."
"I am aware of your disdain for robes, as you gave me plenty of grief as a teenager. However, I must ask that you attempt to incorporate them into your wardrobe. As much as Minerva and I enjoy seeing your traditional clothing, I fear you will not be able to enjoy it in the castle for all of the obvious reasons."
The old man had a point. Traditional elemental clothing was far from what wizards wore. While the two both incorporated long lengths of fabric and layering, elemental clothing was more...revealing than wizards'. The main idea for that was to have clothing that moved with a person and allowed them to feel more connected to nature.
You understood that this was not as accepted in wizarding culture. You also understood that even if it was, you couldn't just walk around wearing the clothing of a people who were supposed to be all dead.
"That won't be a problem, sir," you said, smiling sadly. It pained you to not be able to dress in the clothing of your people, but you knew there was no other way.
"I know it's not ideal, Ani. If I could, I would allow it, but there is no reasonable explanation we could tell others," he said dolefully.
You waved off his comment and shook your head. "Don't worry, sir. I understand."
After that was settled, the two of you had breakfast in his office, talking about the upcoming school year. At almost nine in the morning, you yawned and excused yourself to go take a nap in your chambers.
Before you got up to leave, Dumbledore gestured for you to wait. "Before you go, I must mention, you will no longer be alone in the dungeons. If you didn't know, the Head of Slytherin House resides in the dungeons so that they may be near their students."
"Of course, sir."
"This professor tends to be particularly...difficult, especially in terms of new staff. I would just like to advise you to not take anything he may say to heart."
You chuckled and replied, "I shall keep that in mind. May I ask his name?"
"Severus Snape."
You nodded and made a note to be on the lookout for this difficult professor. After that, Dumbledore simply smiled and sent you on your way.
You walked through the castle and down to the dungeons, where your chambers were. You had chosen to stay down there when you first arrived, wanting to be as secluded as possible. Thankfully, the students and most of the staff had just left for the summer holiday when you had first gotten there. But despite the empty castle, you opted for the cold, dark dungeons, wanting to be nowhere near sunshine or anything remotely happy.
By the time school started back up, Dumbledore had already taken you out of the castle, beginning the long four years you spent traveling the world with the old wizard. But every summer, you would return to Hogwarts and reclaim your chambers down in the dungeons as it was the first place where you truly found comfort following the attacks.
You arrived at your chambers and walked in to find everything exactly as you had left it the last time you were there. The only addition Dumbledore seemed to add was the perch for Aura.
Taking off your backpack and opting to unpack later, you walked into your room and threw yourself onto your bed, ready for a nap. With the unexpected travel to Scotland and lack of sleep, you hadn't fully rested from the previous days' training session. So, you ached all over.
Looking up, you lit a small fireball in your hand and threw it into the fireplace. Soon, the warm filled the room and eventually, you drifted off into sleep.
∘₊✧──────✧₊∘
You awoke to the sound of knocking at your door.
You pulled herself out of bed and went to answer it, wondering who could possibly be knocking.
"Hello, dearie," the older woman said smiling.
"Minerva!"
You gasped and pulled her into a tight hug. It had been a couple of years since you had last seen the woman, letters being your main source of communication.
"It is wonderful to see you," Minerva exclaimed. "And how strong you've gotten since I last saw you! Why, you could take out a troll with one hit!"
You laughed and shook your head. "Well, lifting boulders is no easy feat."
"Certainly not, dear."
You ushered for the older woman to come in and lit a small flame on your finger, lighting the various lamps around the room.
"Were you aware of Dumbledore's plan," you asked while joining Minerva in the sitting area.
"Certainly not! That man never informs me of anything. I found out through a letter he had an owl deliver to my office!"
You laughed. Of course Dumbledore would refrain from telling her. He enjoyed keeping his plans to himself.
"In any case, he sent me over to obtain your measurements," Minerva continued. "Something about needing to order you some new robes."
"Yes, I have been asked to adapt my wardrobe so that I may avoid raising any questions," you replied.
The older woman nodded and pulled the measuring tape out of her robes. After taking your measurements, she transfigured the paper into a small butterfly and sent it to Dumbledore's office.
The two of you spent the next hour catching up and discussing what professors you would most likely be placed with. Minerva had a feeling that due to your personal relationship, you would not be placed in her class. She believed Dumbledore would want you to branch out and meet new professors.
By the time you were done talking, it was time for lunch. As the two of you walked to the Great Hall, you learned that Minerva and Dumbledore were the only people present in the castle at the moment. Even Hagrid, the school's gamekeeper, was away. The rest of the staff would not return until the next day. So, you virtually had no time to prepare.
The idea of being around so many people had made you nervous. Throughout the time you spent traveling and your trips into the city back in America, nobody had paid any special attention to you. This allowed you to essentially be invisible. Now, you would be on full display to both the professors and students. You were afraid that you would slip up and say or do something that would give you away. While muggles were oblivious to the things happening around them, wizards certainly were not.
Following lunch, you spent the rest of the afternoon unpacking and preparing for the next day. The most difficult thing was finding clothing that you could wear around the professors. With no time to head into Hogsmeade and find clothes, you threw together an outfit that Dumbledore would deem appropriate and laid it out.
When you were done with everything, you decided to take a walk around the castle, something you used to enjoy. You smiled at the paintings that greeted you, excited to see you living in the castle once more. Talking to the artwork that were all over the place was what helped you learn to be as vague as possible when talking about your past. They loved to gossip and spread news around the castle like wildfire.
To them, you had known Dumbledore for years, but they weren't sure how many years. They also weren't sure on how you knew the headmaster. You also had never mentioned whether or not you were a witch. Of course now, there was no telling what Dumbledore would tell the others. You would need to have a conversation with the old wizard to get your story straight.
Eventually, you found yourself sitting on the shore of the Black Lake, chin resting on your knees. You watched the lake, finding comfort in the calmness of the water. It wasn't until your second summer at Hogwarts that you began visiting the lake. After that first time, you read at the lake, you napped at the lake, and on the days Dumbledore would allow it, you bent. It had become your second safe place following your chambers.
And so, it was on the shoreline that you fell asleep as you once did as a teenager, thinking about what the next day had to offer.
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