He sat ramrod straight in the teacher’s lounge, listening as Albus droned on about something, gestured wildly at Hagrid – who looked at least somewhat embarrassed. Curious, Severus gave Minerva a look, who merely rolled her eyes . . . telling him it was perfectly fine to Severus to continue being disengaged to the matters of the staff meeting.
Which would have been his course of action regardless, as a sharp roil of his guts made him bite the inside of his cheek hard enough to draw blood. Severus kept his face perfectly schooled, his nostrils flaring slightly being the only outward sign of discomfort should someone look close enough to notice. Because only by Circe’s grace did he manage to keep the grimace from his face. Which was preposterous, because how many times had he sat in that chair following a long, long night with the Dark Lord being torn down and rebuilt only to be torn down once more.
Because a few cramps shouldn’t be on par with his throat burred raw from swallowed screams and his skin ringed with bruises. Shouldn’t be on par with having to suffer through the almost-always pointless meeting after sleepless nights, where shadows had stuck heavily to his thoughts.
How many times had he bled in that chair, feeling scabs cracking open and wounds oozing wetly, sticking him in place? How many times had he had to sit perfectly still so not to jostle ribs or more . . . sensitive areas? How often had he had to blink and breathe slowly, methodically to keep himself in the present, to keep him from slipping back to that place of nightmares – to remind himself he survived another night, another rousing court with the Dark Lord?
No – cramps should not be on par with the Hell he had suffered willingly as penance . . . but somehow, they were. Damn it all – they were.
He exhaled a bit more forcefully than he intended, managing to call Lupin’s attention to him – that bright lick of curiosity along his skull. And apparently the attention of all other staff in attendance.
“Severus. Something to add,” Albus asked genuinely interested, and across the room Minerva smirked at him. He cut a glare in her direction.
“Albus. We’re barely into the term – hedging on a month at full capacity of the student body. Do you really think we need a monthly meeting to discuss . . .” he trailed off, waving his hand vaguely in Albus’s and Hagrid’s direction. “This.”
“Don’t mind him, Albus. You know Severus is already drowning in marking,” Pomona quipped from across the room with a wide grin, earning snickers around the room. Causing him to huff once more, eyes rolling in almost agitation.
“Merely because I’m not particularly keen on my Dungeons being blown up. Or wasted time.” A pointed look in Dumbledore’s direction.
That earned him a round of snickers on his own.
“Severus, surely Hagrid deserves recognition for running out that lot of imps,” Lupin spoke up from his corner, and Severus chose to overlook him. Instead turning his attention to Hagrid.
“I commend Hagrid for everything he does – I believe we are . . . quite useful to one another.” Earning him a nod from the half-giant. A cramp tore again at his insides, and Severus drew in a slow breath. “So, while I am grateful to Hagrid for ridding us of those nasty imps, I also have rather pressing business to attend to.”
He pushed himself to his feet and waited a moment, gaze moving from Albus to Hagrid in question.
“Dun ferget ‘bout those flobberworms I got fer ya, professor,” Hagrid reminded him softly, head ducking as he seemed to pull into himself like a collapsing star, just as heavy.
YOU ARE READING
Your Baby is the Size of A...
Fiksi PenggemarA year had passed since Voldemort had fallen - for good this time. And Severus reminded himself he was allowed to shake the shackles of the past off . . . just this once. He drained his drink. "Your rooms, or mine?" And so, they stumbled into the ro...
