His Fascination with Oliver Evans (Preview, Full Release Dec 25 2023)

Chapter Three

 "Are we lost, Professor?"

"No. Hush. Just stay close and be quiet." Professor Snape said while he and Oliver walked down a hallway just past the main waiting room in St. Mungo's. He had indeed been correct, they were greeted by countless sick witches and wizards who were all waiting to be admitted to the hospital. Oliver noticed the peeling paint on the walls as they passed the outdated offices on the ground floor. They came to the entrance to a stairwell, which made the professor stop.

"Shoot," he said under his breath, closing his eyes and scrunching his face.

"Is everything alright?" Oliver asked in a curious tone.

"Yes, yes. Everything is fine. It's just - we're in the wrong hallway. We need to turn around and go down the other side."

"Oh, easy enough!"

Snape changed course and followed a different corridor that lead to a new section of doors. Oliver noticed that each was labeled with a different emblem, and Professor Snape was approaching the one that had the universal first aid symbol on the front. The two stood side-by-side as Snape knocked on the door.

"Yes?" a high-pitched voice rang against the quiet.

Snape took a moment before speaking, "This is Professor Snape with Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. I'm here to collect a requested supply refill for Madame Pomfrey."

The voice chirped and the lock mechanism clicked, allowing the door to be pushed open. Oliver followed Snape inside the cramped office, where a stout woman was seated at a desk.

"Pomfrey?" she said, spinning around in her chair and grabbing a list hanging up on the wall near a line of trollies.

"Yes, pick up for Pomfrey," Snape responded in a monotone voice.

The woman pushed her glasses up her bony, long nose and grabbed ahold of the second trolly in line. She scanned over an attached sheet, checking each item's name on the parchment. Finally, she spun the trolly towards Snape and rolled it over to him. "This one is for Pomfrey. All checked out and ready to go for ye!"

"Thank you, Miss!" Oliver said brightly, Snape rolled his eyes and gripped the trolly handle before exiting the office. Oliver waved to the woman, whose eyes squinted shut as she smiled back at him.

Professor Snape pushed the trolly back down the hallway with Oliver in tow. As they grew closer to the exit, Snape began to feel a tingling sensation in his arm. His eyes widened before he froze in his tracks, which sent Oliver walking straight into his back, causing the two to stumble.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Professor Snape! I didn't realize we were stopping." Oliver called out before fixing the front of his robes. But the professor was paying him no mind, he was too busy grasping his left forearm and quite obviously in pain. Oliver quickly tried to help him, but as he grew closer, Professor Snape shook his head and turned away from him.

"I don't want your help, Evans. I don't need your help."

Oliver took a few steps away from Snape, watching helplessly as he grew more in pain. Snape slammed his hand down hard onto the trolly, sending a jarring bang throughout the lobby. A few moments later, the pain disappeared from his arm as quickly as it came on. Snape at this point was breathing heavily, holding himself up by his arm on the trolly. Sweat dripped from his brow, pooling on the floor at his feet. He stood up, pushing his weight forward and forcefully fixing his composure. Oliver met his eyes, he had a look of concern plastered on his face. Snape cleared his throat, "We should get going."

With Oliver now pushing the trolly and Snape ten steps ahead, the pair wandered out into the vast emptiness of the alleyway leading around the old Purge and Dowse department store. Snape was for some reason keeping his eyes fixed on the sky, surveying the darkness above. It was at this point very late evening, and they needed to get back to the castle quickly. Oliver kept to himself, not wanting to agitate the professor further.