Shattered- Severus Snape

chapter 2

"This is bizarre." Leilah protested. Although she couldn't follow the entire conversation, she managed to pick out the core of what it was about. She didn't want to presume, in case she was wrong, but it was obvious that it was real after she took a sideways glance at Snape's still horrified face. Dumbledore gave a soft sigh and leaned back in his chair like had absolutely no worries in the world.

"I'm afraid there's nothing else we can do." Snape closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose like he was trying to wake himself up from a nightmare.

"I think it's better for the girl to leave now, so we can talk in private," He sneered. Leilah's mouth went open from shock, not because she was surprised at his angry tone but because he talked to her with such disrespect. How dare he talk as if she wasn't even in the fucking room, as if she wasn't a part of this. The Professors both ignored her hurt expression.

"Why, Severus?" Dumbledore said after a moment of silence, "We shall discuss the plan with Miss Parker evident in the room." Damn right, she thought smugly. Snape sighed dramatically and continued to ignore the existence of the person next to him. Leilah honestly didn't know what to say. She'd always heard things about Voldemort's rapidly rising power but she hadn't thought about the possibility of her being included.

She'd expected to hear about it in a few years in the Daily Prophet about how Voldemort would be defeated and everyone could live their lives as they wanted, without this fear. The thought of actually getting into this whole mess was scaring her. She wanted to keep her distance from anyone having remotely interest in Voldemort and now she was surrounded by two people who's entire life's were about defeating him.

Another quick peek to her side gave her the satisfaction of seeing Snape's cold-hearted expression sag a bit. She wasn't the only one affected by this. He managed to keep his face bland but his eyes told a different story, so did his jaw that was clenching the entire time. He leaned forward a fraction, as if it would help to keep Leilah out of the conversation.

Dumbledore held the same great strength as Snape did but he merely showed it differently. Instead of an unsympathetic expression, Dumbledore wore a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes but it was enough to fool the people that weren't looking closely. She watched the two interact; being surprised to see them behind the curtains for once, to see that they were both afraid for their lives being taken away from them.

"She's a child. I'm not-" He took a deep breath as if to keep it all together, "Marrying a child," He spat out with disgust, face scrunching up like he tasted a lemon.

"Please refrain from throwing a tantrum, Severus." Although the words sounded nice enough, Leilah could imagine herself in Snape's steps and saw through the disguise of Albus Dumbledore. It was the way he said it...that fake politeness littering his voice while there was an undertone of accusation. He was talking down on Snape and she could recognize it all too well from her experience with the muggle world. Snape tightened his posture and she knew that he recognized it as well, probably being used to it by now.

"It's ridiculous. You know that!" Nothing would give away the protest if it wasn't for the voice that had been raised a fraction. Leilah flinched slightly at the harsh tone and Dumbledore was taken aback for a second too; his smile faltering.

"I can't be like him. I promised myself." Dumbledore swallowed thickly and glanced at Leilah to see she was still following their conversation.

"Promises are meant to be broken," He answered calmly, obviously proud for having said that as his eyes radiate confidence and self-praise if only for a second or less. Something in Snape broke in that moment and Leilah wouldn't have dreamed of seeing the tight-wounded man break character. It was to be expected when hearing he had to wed with a child only for purposes of using the child as a pawn, just like he was being taken advantage of. He didn't want to include a girl into it, someone with her whole future ahead of her merely to be ruined by fucking Dumbledore.

Snape's eyes looked murderous and he shoved his chair backward, standing up and whirling around to face them with his back. Leilah didn't know what he meant with 'I can't be like him' but even she recognized that it was something deep-rooted that was hard to bring up. The same went for the promise.

Everyone made promises with themselves, some more serious than others but they all had that one specific one that they swore they'd rather die than break it. She had one, even though she didn't tell anyone. Snape obviously had one, even when others would never believe that such an emotionless monster could care about anything at all. Dumbledore probably had one as well.

She knew better than to ask Dumbledore what he meant with it. It was a secret promise, a personal one.

"Give me the details and we'll see," Although everyone knew that meant defeat. He walked to the door with those even paces and as calm as he could be. Leilah had to admit that it was a smooth move, the way he slipped his hand in the pocket of his trousers that was half-hidden by the robes, but she still saw it and she couldn't unsee it now. She couldn't unsee the way he took out the crushed pack of cigarettes and closed the door behind him without uttering a single word, except for the words of surrender.

When it was just the two of them, Leilah and Dumbledore, she turned her attention back to him to see he already found his way back to old habits and that annoying twinkling smile.

"He'll come around." The conversation ended with that and she walked out with more questions than she had while walking in. No one bothered to explain what was happening to her but she couldn't have expected otherwise. She was seen as a child, she was treated like one. She wasn't supposed to know these things and yet they decided it was a good idea to involve her without even telling her about it.

She didn't even owe them anything. She could just leave and never come back, let them deal with it and let Dumbledore find another pawn. The problem was that she'd never do that and that was merely because of her own promise.