A/N: Book 3 reveals make things rough on our couple. Action kicks off quick! Enjoy and leave words xx
** ** **
The delightful silence followed Severus and Wren in their every interaction. A secret that hung in the air like gentle stardust. Weaving between planets as they aligned. Through all this quiet chaos of the castle, they had looks. Intent, luxurious moments of eyes locking. Peering away. Locking again. Stolen touches of promise. Lips that twitched to recall the feel of a kiss in the tumbling rain.
A moment alone was impossible with the castle twisted in on itself. Maybe there was fear as well. It was a delicate thing they had. With Snape always trailing after Dumbledore. Shooting his looks of disdain at Lupin who seemed grayer by the week. Wren knocked on an ajar classroom door, pushing inside after Remus hummed.
"Skipping dinner?" She prodded inside, crossed to the desk at the front before the stairs to his office. "Again."
"Looks like you're following my bad example."
"Ah, I slipped out after a few bites, too much noise and tension in the room. I'm worried about you, it's been a rough year. Always getting sick," she felt her pocket out of her usual habit. Hemlock tucked away safely in her locked room. Probably getting into something he shouldn't.
"I'm alright really, not as fit as I once was," his scars tugged as he smiled there. Wren noted him scooting some unfolded parchment aside on his desk that he'd been engrossed in. Remus paused again to scan it. Wren saw his eyes snap wider.
"Remus?" She jumped a little as his head lifted, face paling completely. "What is it?"
"Wren, something's changed. What if I told you everything we believed was a lie?"
She opened and closed her mouth, head shaking before words came.
"I... What are you talking about?"
"I need you to suspend your disbelief for one moment about that day Sirius Black was caught," he lifted a hand. Wren felt her nerves already flaring.
"I don't want to discuss that," she snipped, edging back but he reached for her arm.
"Just look at one thing, please. I thought I was mad. I did. But, look here at this map. Tell me I'm not mad because I'm not sure any longer," Remus took her wrist, pulled her around the desk until one hand shifted to her back. "There. This map shows us as we are. Where we are. We invented it back in school. See."
His hand traced their names on it, together in his classroom. Wren's glance darted about. Names and footsteps roaming the grounds.
"Remus, I don't understand."
"Look here, Harry and his friends. They're off the main grounds. Just look at that extra name."
Wren felt chills up her spine. Shuddering.
"That's impossible."
"I thought so as well, we both believed it but-... Wren, wait a moment."
"Peter Pettigrew is dead! Black murdered him after getting Lily and James killed! He murdered my parents and those other innocent muggles. I won't entertain this...this cruel trick you're playing!"
"Wren, they're in trouble," Remus begged. Her feet skidded to a stop because those magic words tangled a big heart. Glaring, she returned to the map. Saw the names again. Saw one more close to Ron, seeming to grab onto the little scroll with his name and drag it.
"Black," she perked with budding horror. "They're near the Whomping Willow, there's a hidden path-"
"Yes, I'm well aware of it," Remus raced around the table to grasp her hand. They broke into a sprint. "We must go now."
YOU ARE READING
a soft place to fall // Severus Snape x OC
Fanfiction**Smut/Slow burn** Herbologist Wren Valentine has worked as Professor Sprout's assistant at Hogwarts after Dumbledore brought her to the castle in the summer of 1988, though she's no longer the spitfire Gryffindor the staff remembers. With Voldemort...
