Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-1-

A thick smoke steams out right after someone whistles the whistle, and soon enough, the train starts moving. After searching a seat for myself sometime, I finally find an empty carriage to catch my breath. "Phew!" I collapse next to the window. The trunk was quite difficult to get up above me. Wonder how the students are able to do that? If an adult like me has hard time doing so. I suppose they use magic. I've just so used to the Muggle World, I often times forget I can actually use spells on simple life tasks. Hopefully I'll catch on quickly. After sitting there a while, I turn to see the beautiful lake view from the window on my right and go back to my own thoughts. I can't help, but smile. We are after all heading to my new work place; Hogwarts - the school of Witchcraft and Wizardy. I'm so excited!

Never did I ever saw this coming; I, (Y/N) (Y/M) (Y/L), got accepted to be the professor of Herbology! Well, for momentarily. Professor Pomona Sprout - who teaches Herbology, has faced some personal matters, therefor Hogwarts needs someone else to teach the students a thing or two about the special plants as long as she's gone. You can only imagine how my heart dropped after an owl flew to my window and gave me the letter from the Headmaster - Albus Dumbledore himself, telling me he'd be more than happy to have me as one of their professors at their school. Can't even imagine how many - way more qualified witches and wizards applied for the job. When I applied, I never thought I would actually get in. It's somehow funny how things can turn out like this. After everything... But here I am. Heading there. Not gonna lie, the more I think about it, the more nervous I get. "Eherm..." unfamiliar male voice clears his throat, gaining my attention. "Hm?" my head snaps right towards the voice. "Excuse me, mind if I join?" a tall man with sandy brown hair stands right at the slide doors, looking right at me. Wonder how long he's been standing there?

The man smirks sweetly after noticing the slight stunned look on my face:"My apologies, did I startle you?". By the looks of it, he must be one of the teachers. Quickly, I register what was going on and raise a polite smile on my face:"Oh, no! No, no, no. Not at all. Please, sit.", I then awkwardly gestured with my hand for him to take a seat the opposite of me. The man lets out an amused chuckle and steps into the carriage with me:"Yes, ma'am.". Right after he turns his back on me to put his own trunk up to safety, I realize how stupid I must've sound for ordering him to sit down. Nice work, (Y/N)... Soon, the man sits down opposite of me while keeping the eye contact and friendly smile. I'm just sitting here with an awkward smile on my face, hands neatly on my lap. I really don't know what to say or do at this point. But, even I'm too shy to stare at him directly, I can see he has two long, faded scars going across his face. At first, I thought it was just the lighting here that made weird shadows on his face, but... They do look like real scars. Wonder what happened to him?

"You're new." he says all of sudden. Both of my eyebrows shoots up:"Ah, yes. I'm covering for Professor Sprout when she's away. (Y/L), (Y/N) (Y/L).". I reached my hand towards him, which he immediately takes in his, and we shake hands. "Aah, our new Herbology Professor. Charming. Remus Lupin, Defence Against the Dark Arts. But you can call me just Remus, if you'd like. Actually, I'd prefer it that way." he smiles. A shy smile reaches my eyes, and after we let go of each other's hands, I tap my chest lightly couple of times:"(Y/N). Is what you can call me, that is.". He nodded as acknowledgment:"Very well. Pleasure to meet you, (Y/N).". I nodded back:"Thank you. You too.". Urgh, feels like I'm already making a fool out of myself here. All of sudden, the trunk above me moves a little. Hm? It immediately caught both of our attention and we lifted our heads up to look at it. Oh, no! Quickly, my head snaps right back to the co-worker, and I started a conversation to get his attention away from the trunk:"So! Defence Against the Dark Arts, huh? How..- how did you end up teaching that, if I may ask?". Remus lowered his eyes back to me, chuckles and starts telling the story. The next hour we just talked and got to know each other better. For my surprise, he's actually a Gryffindor! He just oozes Ravenclaw to me, for some reason. It turns out, this is Remus's second year as a professor in Hogwarts. And it actually makes me feel slightly more better to know I'm not 'the newest face in town', if I'm being honest.