The Stars on the Staircase

The Satyr and The Unicorn

At breakfast I receive mail from my parents. It's not like them to write, so I open it quickly to scan the first line. A familiar stilted script greets me.

This letter is bewitched to look like your parents' letters. Anyone else will see a note telling you your great aunt has passed away. The family will be going to the service without you, as it's abroad and during exam season.

I'm terribly sorry about last night. I cannot forgive myself for my loss of control. You were begging to leave and I did not allow it. I am the worst kind of man. I implore you to forgive me, if you can.

We need to discuss what to do to reign this back in. Last night was more of a stoking of the fire than smothering the flame.

Meet me behind the tapestry of the Satyr and the Unicorn tonight at 8:30. If you agree to this please hold this letter in your left hand and drink from your glass with your right.

I understand why you might not wish to be alone with me right now, but I promise I will be more well behaved than last night as long as you don't come in your nightgown .

S

I lifted my glass of orange juice in my right hand, casually glancing at the head table. His eyes were trained on me so I quickly stuck out my tongue at him. He looked away. Fucking Snape and his fucking secret meetings. What answer can we possibly find behind a tapestry other than a snog session? Still, my body desperately wanted to be close to him so there was no choice but to go. If I was being honest with myself I would be very eager to have a snogging session behind a tapestry. Maybe he could do more of what he did to me last night, after all, I haven't stopped thinking about his hands on me.

My friends were beginning to notice my strangeness, my lack of interest in their conversations. I needed to try to listen to the rest of their breakfast chatter so that it wouldn't be as noticeable when I ducked out to go tapestry diving with the potions master.

"What were we talking about?" I asked. "Sorry my parents just let me know some great aunt I don't even know died." I lied.

"We were saying that it seems like SOMEBODY has a crush."

"Who?" I ask excitedly.

"You, dummy! You are so distracted and smiley and daydream-y. Who may we ask, are you daydreaming about?"

"No one. I'm just feeling a bit stressed about N.E.W.T.s I keep picturing myself somewhere out of Hogwarts with no more exams. I'm trying to envision a future for myself over here."

"Sure. Liar. Whenever you get off your high horse and share with us who you are "envisioning" with you we will be here to make fun of you to the fullest extent of our friendship."

"Thanks, sounds thrilling." I quip back. Luckily I have ample evidence of their respective crushes and I can deflect so that the conversation moves on. I can relive my nighttime experience during class, not now. I am already certain I will fall asleep during History of Magic while remembering the way he kissed me last night, when his eyes went black with desire he couldn't contain.

-8:25 Near a Certain Tapestry-

The tapestry of the Unicorn and the Satyr was on the second floor in a weird wing that muggle studies and a bunch of lesser taken classes were taught in. It was off the beaten path and of course a standard snogging spot for couples to visit. For that reason teachers patrolled here frequently too. I wondered if that's why Professor Snape had chosen it. Was he supposed to be doing a teacherly duty this evening? Could I be a distraction to that duty? I smirked as I approached the meeting spot.