severus' tale ( snapetober 2021 )

xxvi. welcome to the panic room, all your darkest fears are gonna come for you

"FEARS"

***

"professor you wished to see me." you said, having been separated from your friends with your letter from severus at hand.

you were in your seventh year, the n.e.w.t's were slowly looming around and they no doubt made you anxious for the year ahead. on top that, you-know-who had been rumoured to come back to hogwarts.

no pressure for any student, right?

"i have given you permission to address me by my first name, miss y/n. have a seat, i've been meaning to see you." he said, you looked at the chair opposite him, sitting down as you patiently waited for him to finish the last assignment he was marking.

"now, there has been concerns over the speculation of you-know-who's return for quite some time, and he serves a dangerous threat to the school and to the order." severus said.

"now unfortunately you have the short end of the stick, because of your family name there will be no doubt that he will be on the look out for you." severus continued.

"what does this mean?" you asked, a frown left at your face as you listened patiently.

"you have to protect yourself l/n." he answered, he got up and grabbed a hold of your hand.

you gasped slightly at the sensation of your potions professor's hold. you followed him and he took down the spiral staircase, arriving at the potions class. you followed him all the way downstairs, you had been quite familiar with this place, you always had your classes here and no doubt the scene was quite pleasant to watch.

he directed you to a chair, you looked at your professor with worry all over your face as you sat down. occasionally playing with the hem of your skirt. you looked over at severus setting everything up, your worry slowly turned to confusion.

"professor, if you don't mind me asking...what's going on?" you asked.

"it appears there's a connection between the dark lord's mind and your own. whether he is, as yet, aware of this connection is, for the moment, unclear. pray he remains ignorant." severus said, he brought another wand gently holding it in his hand.

"that is the power of legilimens."

"you mean, if he knows about me, then...he'll be able to read my mind?" you asked

"read it, control it...unhinge it." he answered, it unsettled you greatly. what would the dark lord want from a simpleton like you?

"in the past, it was often the dark lord's pleasure...to invade the minds of his victims, creating visions designed to torture them into madness. only after extracting the last exquisite ounce of agonyonly when he had them literally begging for death, would he finally...kill them." severus explained, the wand in his hand and turning to you.

the timid expression not leaving your face, you gulped anxiously as you looked over at severus who was slowly approaching you with the wand in his grasp.

"used properly, the power of occlumency...will help shield you from access or influence. in these lessons, i will attempt to penetrate your mind. you will attempt to resist. prepare yourself." he said.

you took a deep breath in, and out. you nodded, giving severus the opportunity to show you.

"legilimens!"

***

"y/n! don't-"

your 4th year self, pushed your potions professor out of the way, as you took the hit from the werewolf scratching at you and shoving you against the grass.