The Stars on the Staircase

Hide and Go Shriek

Authors Notes for Content Warning *Slight Spoliers*

At the end of Chapter 13 you guys were very excited when Severus threatened:

"Darling, I think you will find me quite difficult to hide from. You have not schooled your mind so well that you would be able to conceal yourself from me completely. As a teacher there is nowhere I cannot go, no room I do not have access to. Rest assured if I wanted to find you I would. But by all means if you wish to continue to be sarcastic with me and then lead me on a merry chase through the castle to find you, you will find out the hard way that I am the predator and you are the prey. We are quite outmatched, and when I get you back into my claws I might forget just how inexperienced you are and introduce you to some of my darker side."

Well... The chapter you have requested is finally here. As the excerpt above indicates, the content of this chapter is a little darker than some of the previous. There is some rope tying. If you are unfamiliar with Japanese Shibari and you are an adult (as you need to be to read this fic) google it for imagery of the types of rope tying Severus is revealed to be interested in in this chapter. The language and themes are just a touch more intense and some of this lovely rope tying happens without verbal consent at first but trust in Sev that he does read body language cues and rope tying is the only thing begun without her permission. (In real life safewords or signals should be used; this is a fantasy, not best practice.)

-Miss Measured

The preparation before term resumed was still underway a few days later. I was helping Professor Sinistra reorganise telescopes before the start of term. She seemed welcoming but wary, setting me the task of organising the different telescopes to their shelves in the closet. I suggested we colour code them so they get less mixed up. I checked and cleaned the lenses on each, putting a blue felt mat on the regular telescope shelf and enchanting a ring of matching blue around the lens end.

I then moved to the ones enchanted to highlight constellations, and gave them each an orange ring and matching mat. I was half way through the pile intended to measure moons when I thought I heard Aurora back from her office.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you how much I enjoy these new outfits." Came the voice of my erstwhile lover from the doorway of the closet. I am taken aback, almost jumping when I hear his voice.

"Why should I care what you think of them?" I ask, pulling the next telescope out and polishing the lens with vigour, trying to hide the way he startled me.

"This sweet little blouse and this tweed skirt... tsk" He advanced a step. The closet was small and suddenly I realised he was blocking my exit. "I like how it's so modest but it's showing your shape so temptingly." He assessed, his eyes roaming over me.

"Aurora will be back any second." I hiss in a whisper. What was he doing? He said I needed not be thought of as his spy. Why now is he cornering me in a closet? He stepped toward me again and I was so concerned at his actions I took one backwards and found there was nowhere to go. He advanced again, leaning forward placing his hands on the shelf either side of me. "Get away from me." I breathed quietly, the hurt of his rejection fuelling my desperation not to be so close to him. At this closeness I doubted my ability to keep my head and remember we weren't together.

I was panicking. I could hear my elevated heart rate in my ears and my breathing was too fast. He was leaning in closer. I pushed against his chest to try to stop his invasion into my space. "What are you doing? Stop." I whisper angrily. I am mad that I want him to kiss me. I'm mad that he is choosing now when I've only just won Flitwick's tentative trust. Also I made it clear I was available to him when I got here and he made it clear he wasn't interested. Conversation over.