a soft place to fall // Severus Snape x OC

011 ❁ Graceless Heart

A/N: Hey hey. Year 3 keeps rolling. A rough encounter with the past sends Wren spiraling. TW: Heavy drinking and past trauma/abuse mentions. Thanks as always and words always mean a bunch xoxo

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"Hand steady, it's more of a quick flick. Make three prongs...there," Wren directed a fifth year. "Try once more."

The Slytherin girl puffed, mirrored the motion.

"Herbivicus!" At her command, lime light sprang forth. Twisted up the rose bushes until the vines were shifting together. Growing out higher. She gave a bright smile in response.

"Well done, very well done," Wren waved the last student up in the chatter of class. They'd successfully performed the charm, decorating side towers in blooming roses with the advanced spell.

"Alright class, don't forget your gloves for the next lesson and enjoy the rest of your night," Sprout finished her teachings up. "And don't forget to read chapter four tonight!"

Students raced up the uneven path back into the castle.

"Good lesson today. Always a favorite of mine," Wren cleared a table. They did some last minute prep in silence. Headed down to dinner where Wren snagged a seat between Madame Hooch and Flitwick. Listened to conversations while utensils clicked and scraped plates. Wasn't long before Wren was walking the halls again. Students separating to finish up their studying for the night. A routine afternoon.

Frantic scratching picked up behind her. Had her spinning upon the echo of a voice.

"Scabbers! Leave him alone!" Ron raced forth behind a ball of orange fluff with Hermione behind him. Wren knelt to catch his poor, battered rat before Hermione's cat could bite him. "Orange devil!" He skidded with an apologetic red face. "Sorry, Miss Valentine."

"It's a cat, Ronald!" Hermione scooped up Crookshanks to dote.

"Here, best keep a close watch on him," Wren felt the rat squirm in panic and dropped him into Ron's hands. "Poor thing. Have a nice night, you two. Be back to your dorms soon for lights out."

"We will," Ron took off with Hermione after him to catch up with their friends at the end of the hallway. Wren hurried to the greenhouses for her promised delivery. Gathered three vases of sweet lavender. Inhaled blissfully before she was off again. Trotting up to Lupin's classroom.

"Remus?" She poked her head into the dim space that was left open and crossed to his desk under the stone steps. The sun hushed outside, painting the sky a jeweled blue and red. She set the vases on his desk and arranged the flowers a bit from being jostled about. Eyes lifted to his office up the curving set of steps where there were voices. Hushed tones bickering back and forth.

Wren opened her mouth to speak. Stilled when something tapped behind her. A wardrobe hummed and clicked. Creaking in the shadows. Wren turned to a twisted face, lips that curled with a nasty smile. Piercing eyes and dirty scruff.

Antonin Dolohov emerging from the dark. The nerves of Wren's back exploded. A gasp howled into a warped scream against the dying calm. Shook the windows apart. Frantic hands shoved her wand forth. Feet skidding as fear froze her marrow. Wren used to practice in the mirror what she'd do and say upon seeing his horrible face again. And here she was frozen in ice.

"Wren!" Quick steps scattered down the steps. Lupin skidded in front of her. Dolohov stilled with an unsettling twitch. Transformed before them into a vision of the full moon peeking between dark clouds. Hands grabbed at Wren's biceps to shake her because she was still crying out as if in pain.