Something different I Severus/Lucius/Y/N

good company

We made our way down the dimly lit corridors toward Snape's classroom, the silence between us only occasionally broken by his sharp comments.

"You should consider yourself fortunate, Miss Y/L/N, that I am in a somewhat forgiving mood this evening," Snape remarked, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. His pace was brisk, forcing me to keep up despite my emotional exhaustion.

"However," he continued, turning his head slightly to ensure I caught every word, "your irresponsibility today has caused an inconvenience. I had to switch my night patrol duty with Professor Lockhart, due to your late detention appearance."

I nodded, absorbing his words with a sinking feeling. The thought of causing anyone additional work, especially Snape, made my stomach churn with guilt.

"Lockhart," Snape sneered the name as if it left a bad taste in his mouth, "is hardly competent to handle even the most mundane of tasks without turning them into a spectacle. One shudders to think what he might do with the simple responsibility of patrolling the corridors."

I murmured an apology, feeling even smaller under his critical gaze. "I'm truly sorry, Professor. I didn't mean to—"

"Intentions, as you have hopefully learned today, are vastly overshadowed by actions," he cut me off sharply. We had reached a fork in the hallway, and Snape paused, his eyes scanning the area as if making a decision.

"Wait here," he commanded suddenly. "I need to retrieve something from Lupin's office. I will be back momentarily."

Left alone in the corridor, I leaned against the cool stone wall, trying to calm the turmoil inside me. The quiet of the castle was a stark contrast to the chaos of my emotions. Minutes ticked by, and I began to wonder if Snape had forgotten about me. The corridors, usually bustling with the noise of students during the day, felt eerily deserted.

As time stretched on, I grew increasingly anxious. Had he actually gone to his office? Was this some sort of test or punishment, leaving me here to reflect on the day's mishaps? I considered going after him but quickly dismissed the idea, not wanting to further complicate the situation.

As time stretched on, I grew increasingly anxious. Had he actually gone to Lupin's office? Was this some sort of test or punishment, leaving me here to reflect on the day's mishaps? I considered going after him but quickly dismissed the idea, not wanting to further complicate the situation.

Just when I was about to sit down on the cold floor, resigned to wait however long it took, the sound of footsteps echoed down the corridor. I straightened, expecting to see Snape returning with his usual brisk pace. However, to my surprise, it was not Snape who rounded the corner but Professor Lockhart, his robes bright and his smile gleaming even in the dim light of the corridor.

"Ah, Miss Y/L/N!" Lockhart exclaimed, his voice booming unnaturally in the quiet. "Standing alone in the corridor at night? How peculiar! But not to worry, I'm here now. Snape mentioned you might be around."

Trying to mask my frustration and confusion, I explained, "Professor Snape asked me to wait here. He was supposed to return shortly."

Lockhart nodded, flashing another brilliant smile. "Ah, yes, Severus can be dreadfully forgetful with his myriad of important tasks. Never you mind, I'll keep you company until he returns. It's the least I can do!"

With a flourish, Lockhart leaned against the wall near me, seemingly preparing for a long conversation. "You know, this reminds me of the time I was waiting in the wings of the grand amphitheater in Pompeii, about to give a lecture on the use of Cheering Charms in ancient rituals. The crowd was simply enormous..."