Remember by Snapes_Goddess

Chapter Four His Constant Shadow

CHAPTER 4: His Constant Shadow

Severus stood by the hot spring in the frigid morning air. It was just a little past five and the castle was still asleep.

He slowly undressed, folding his clothes neatly and setting them atop a boulder before bringing his arms up and over his head and diving into the warm water.

It was said that the sulphur in the springs had healing properties; he wished that it included emotional pain.

He swam slowly from one side to the other, back, and forth, his long lean body cutting through the water with the grace of an eel. He found peace there in the spring hidden within the forest.

He knew the others were too afraid to venture into the dark woods but not him. He was just as dark as anything that lurked in the trees, nothing they could dish out could be worse than the hell that was his life.

When his muscles began to burn, and his limbs grew weak he rolled onto his back and floated atop the water. He stared into the sky, still darkened as the sun had yet to rise and wondered about his life in the future.

Apparently, he was a professor, at least according to Hermione, though she never said what subject he taught. He figured it was most likely Défense Against the Dark Arts or something else having to do with dark magic, he would be good at that.

He thought about the witch who had become his shadow in the last week. She sat with him at meals; often the two of them fixed their plates and carried them onto the castle battlements so they could eat in peace without the constant harassment from fellow students.

She walked with him through the halls, her mouth running constantly. She liked to argue and could get quite fiery if her logic was questioned. However, she was more than willing to concede if he could prove her wrong.

She listened to him, When he was given the opportunity to speak. She stared at him as though what he had to say meant something to her. She was eager for knowledge and he had taken to loaning her some of his books, books that he prized above all things. Powerful texts about ancient and dark magic. She amazed him with how quickly she got through them, retaining the knowledge like some sort of sponge.

She was good company. Kind and attentive, even when he wished she wouldn’t be, she was intelligent and able to converse on a variety of topics that did not include Quidditch or witches. He could understand however why he thought her insufferable as her teacher. She was annoying in class, her hand constantly waving in the air, eager to give the answer or correct the professor if they happened to be mistaken. If she were like that with him it was no wonder, he took points, well the fact that she was a Gryffindor made it sweeter no doubt.

As they sky began to lighten, he rolled over in the water, diving in and swimming through the warm spring until his lungs begged for air. He shot up, breaking the smooth surface. He reached up with both hands and shoved his long, wet locks back from his face, rubbing his eyes and blinking as he waded towards the shore.

“Good morning.”
Severus lifted his head and stared in shock at the witch standing on the rocks beside the spring. She was dressed for the day in her school uniform, her heavy outdoor cloak wrapped tight around her as she stared at him.

He shuffled backwards quickly into the deeper water until it covered him up to his chin as he treads water.

“Do you have to follow me everywhere?” He snarked.
She smiled and shrugged out of her cloak.

“I wasn’t following you exactly. I’m an early riser; I was heading out for a walk when I saw you slipping into the forest. My curiosity got the best of me.”
She said, shivering as she pulled her jumper over her head.

“Seems to be a problem with you. What are you doing?” He asked nervously as she kicked off her shoes and bent over to remove her socks.

“I’m going to join you. I had no idea there was a hot spring back here.” She said, removing her tie.

She reached for her wand and ran it over her body, then set her wand aside and removed her shirt and skirt.