It Rains

Amortentia

The long corridor twisted and intertwined with others, making the dungeons a labyrinth of passageways, storage rooms, and disused classrooms that misled and made unsuspecting students lose their way. Laurel had walked through these corridors so many times that she didn't need to keep an eye out for the various turns on the way to Severus' office.

The woman walked behind the wizard keeping her eyes down, lost in the ripples of the man's cloak. Her ears filling with the echo of their hurried footsteps, breaking the silence of the early morning. But none of this was what kept Laurel's mind so busy.

The last moments replayed in her mind without control. Her anger was heightened at times as she remembered how the wizard had admitted that he preferred to keep her in the dark, ignorant, like a pretty porcelain doll in a glass case. A beautiful and useless decoration to cheer up his life.

But then, to the detriment of her pride, her anger subsided as she recalled the grip of Severus's hands against her bare legs. Laurel was frowning, feeling ashamed of herself. Why was she so weak in the presence of Severus?

Then she remembered his words:

"Love only makes people stupid".

"Damn, he's always right". - She thought.

"Was it Potter?"

"Pardon me?" - Laurel's internal dialogue stopped at hearing Severus speak.

"Potter. Did he talk to you about... his mother?"

"No, it wasn't him".

Laurel hesitated for a second if she should say it was Lupin since she didn't want to add to the animosity between the two former schoolmates. Then, almost as a sharp slap, she remembered poor Remus suffering in the Shrieking Shack.

"How's Remus?" - She asked without worrying about being exposed.

Severus stopped walking and turned to her, arching an eyebrow.

"Alive". - He answered coldly. - "It was impossible to administer another dose of the potion. His transformation was very violent. Tonks will spend the rest of the night with him."

"What if he can't turn back into a human?"

"It would be a shame". - He murmured apathetically as he headed back on course - "Although I doubt it. I'll go see him in the morning".

"He told me about that day". - Laurel whispered, walking behind him. - "When you called her Mudblood."

Severus fell silent, though his steps seemed to quicken even more.

"He told me what they did to you". - She continued, her voice growing hesitant. - "In a certain way, it was worse than the incident in the Shrieking Shack... You lost your friend that day".

"Good old Snivellus, humiliated in front of the whole school. I think that was the biggest achievement James Potter ever got in his entire life". - He hissed angrily. - "Oh, I guess Moony enjoyed reminiscing about that".

"No! He... He's very sorry..."

"Really? Is he?" - He said sarcastically. - "I have never had the honour of hearing him say that. Are you sure he didn't just say that to make himself look good?"

"Severus, don't be mad..."

"Do you feel pity for me, Laurel?"

They had arrived in front of his office. Severus's eyes were locked with hers as if he were trying to get inside her head.

"I feel many things for you". - She answered, without looking away. - "Love, care; and yes, I do feel pity as well, for a man who is unable to trust me".