Perhaps Another Time, Severus [A Severus Snape Fanfiction]

1995

1995

Though Severus had now gathered some of the pieces of himself that were attached to Shaylah, he would still have moments where his current demeanor would shine through. The shadow of her Severus lost in sneers and harsh words. It had become less frequent in the recent months as they had begun to spend more time together but it was something that was unavoidable as two versions of himself coexisted in the same mind.

The potions lessons were extended to five days a week after dinner. Some of those nights were spent in a pile of discarded robes and ecstacy. The beast she had so longed to meet again unleashed from its bindings as Severus shredded her clothes from her body.

Other nights were spent over a cauldron, watching shimmering colors dance as she added ingredients and stirred with precision. Her abilities had drastically improved along with Severus' patience. When a small explosion had covered them both in dripping goo, she watched the sneer form on his lips but it was quickly swept away by a fit of laughter as Shaylah herself lost her composure. She snorted and held her sides as giggles poured out and Severus' face was plastered with a smile.

Moody had made it a habit of making a fool out of Shaylah in his classes, asking questions that no seventh year student would be able to answer. Shaylah would be forced to bite her tongue, though she did in fact know the explanation but could not give it. Instead, she would hang her head and give a shameful 'I don't know, sir.'

Moody would then use her as an example of incompetence, though no one else in her class was capable of giving him an acceptable answer and he didn't allow them to try. Nate had noticed the snide remarks and the pleasure Moody took in tearing Shaylah down. "What did you do to piss him off?" he had asked jokingly.

"Guess I'm just as inept in the Dark Arts as I am at potions," she said, landing a snort from Nate in response.

"He still shouldn't treat you like that. He's become more vicious than Snape."

Shaylah didn't let Moody burrow under her skin, she knew that a wrench had been thrown into his plans. His path had come to a grinding halt and he knew who was to blame. She would take all the mocking laughter and hurtful jabs she was met with if it meant he never laid a finger on the goblet.

Severus did not tell her what he and Dumbledore had discussed but he assured her that her concerns were not dismissed by the Headmaster. She didn't push for more information, leaving him with his secrets, as she often had. Some things were best left in the dark, for those who worked in shadow. If her time in the Order taught her anything, it was that some things would never be brought to light, and sometimes it was better that way. The more people that knew something, the more they seemed to talk.

Severus would ask questions about their family and the future during their sessions, curiosity bubbling in his voice, and Shaylah would tell him of the times they shared and of their children, but she knew if the path remained steady ahead of them those experiences would be different. The memories she had held so dear would change and grow, eventually, she too, would house two separate lives in one mind.

Time moved briskly and Shaylah once again found herself in a pile of homework as the end of the year approached. The N.E.W.T exams loomed closer, as did the last task of the tournament. Pressure was closing in from all sides, smothering her. If Moody was allowed near the Goblet of Fire everything would collapse.

"Mind if I join you?" A friendly voice asked as Shaylah sat with a leaning pile of books and scattered pieces of parchment strewn over a library table.

"Of course," she said without looking up, gesturing at the seat across from her. Nate carefully moved the haphazardly stacked pile of books to make space for his own work.