Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-13-

For a moment they both stare at Remus. They haven't realized yet I'm standing right behind him. "Well, well. Lupin. Out for a little walk... In the moonlight, are we?" Snape keeps his usual dark tone. Then, he happens to lay his eyes on me and I automatically bring my shoulders closer to my ears. For a split second, I can see from his eyes he's surprised to see me. I do feel little bit nervous at the moment, but having Remus with me helps me to keep calm. Potter looks so confused how are we all three professors just standing here in the dark at this hour. Remus tilts his head and takes couple of steps forward:"Harry, are you alright?". Before Potter can open his mouth, Snape snatches something out of the boy's hand:"That remains to be seen.". "I have now just confiscated a rather curious artifact." he continued. What is it?

Then, the Potions Master hands Remus the piece of the parchment:"Take a look, Lupin. Supposed to be your area of expertise. Clearly, it's full of Dark Magic.". Dark Magic?! I give Potter half disappointed, half worried look:"Is this one of those Half Blood Prince books all over again?". Both Remus and Snape turn their heads at me, both eaqually looking confused what did I just say. Then, Remus looks at the piece of parchment again and lets out a chuckle:"I seriously doubt it, Severus. It looks as though it's a parchment designed to insult anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product.". Ah, well that's a good to hear. Snape is about to take it back, but Remus pulls it out of his reach:"Nevertheless... I shall investigate any hidden qualities it may possess. It is, after all, as you say, my area of expertise.". I can sense some irony here. Remus glanced at the boy:"Harry, would you come with me, please?". Wait..- what?!

My heart skips a beat and face turns pale as soon as I realize they are going to leave us two alone in here. "Professors. Good night." Remus gives Snape a slight polite nod. Right when he turns around and our eyes met, he quickly mouthed:'I'm sorry.'. Stunned by the turn of this event, I watch back at him. Remus, no. I wanted to yell - scream, for not to leave me. But I couldn't. I can feel how my breathing gets more intense after Remus and Potter walked around the corner out of our sight. This can't be..- Us standing in this narrowed hallway, in the darkness... It's like there is no escape. Snape could easily finish where we were left off before I ran out of the Potions classroom that one day. And for a quick moment his eyes meets mine.

My heart does a weird flip. Then, he just... Walks away. Huh? Not knowing what to say or do, I just stare after him. Watching how the black, long cloak trails behind him before he disappears into the darkness. After that, with mixed feelings, I head to my chamber. Right when I got in there, I got undressed and jumped in the shower. The feeling of the hot water against my bare skin feels great. It really does feel like today's events washes down from my body onto the tile floor with the soapy water. Wonder what was that all about? No matter how much I wanted to ignore it, but I kept coming back to it; remembering how Snape looked at me in that quick second after Remus and Potter had left... It wasn't hate. No. It was more of like... As if he was... Disappointed?

Couple days later, I walk around Hogsmeade's alleys after the classes. Needed couple things from the Magic Neep. Bargaining over overly priced seeds isn't always fun, but to be fair - they are quite pricey now a days. While walking, I look down my notepad to see what to get next. Maybe I should..- "Professor (Y/L)!" a student spots me from further away. I lift my face up from my notes and see a familiar Hufflepuff student:"Miss Abbott.". She and her two friends - a Hufflepuff and a Gryffindor, approaches me. It's somehow weird seeing them in casual clothing. So used to see them in their school uniforms. "Do you have a minute?" she ask. "Sure. How can I help?" I smile. She and her friends starts telling me a story what they found on the outskirts of the castle and wants to have my professional opinion on it.