Dead Man's Wish

Chapter 8

At dinner, the atmosphere in the Great Hall was tense, as if the very air was charged with unspoken words and unresolved feelings.

'Do you think they'll forgive us after we stood up for Severus?' Sirius asked, pushing his food around on his plate, finally speaking out about the question that was on both of their minds. The usual thrill of dinner had lost its charm now.

'Maybe we can talk to them in detention,' James suggested, his voice hopeful yet uncertain. 'We might be able to convince them to give us another chance.'

Sirius shrugged, casting a glance at the middle of the Gryffindor table where Severus and Remus sat, Severus's head bowed, seemingly lost in thought. 'Good luck with that. They're still avoiding us like the plague.'

James furrowed his brows, 'Not exactly. I've caught Sev looking at us a couple of times. Maybe we still have hope.'

As the bell rang, signaling the end of dinner, the boys gathered their things and headed toward the dungeons for their detention with Filch. The corridors felt colder today, the whispers of their classmates echoing in their ears. James and Sirius silently walked with Remus and Severus close  by them.

The detention room was dimly lit, filled with the musty scent of old parchment and dust. Filch was already there, his scowl deepening as the four Gryffindors entered.

'You are late,' he grumbled. 'You lot will be scrubbing the floors until I say otherwise.'

As they settled into their tasks, the silence was thick, broken only by the sound of brushes against the stone floor. James glanced at Severus, who was still avoiding their gaze, and sighed.

'Look, Sev,' James began, trying to keep his tone light. 'We messed up. We know that. But we're really sorry. Can we at least talk about it?'

Severus paused, his eyes narrowing slightly, but he didn't respond. Remus shot James a warning look, silently urging him to back off.

'Just leave him alone, James,' Remus said quietly. "He's not ready to talk.'

Sirius, sensing the tension, attempted to lighten the mood. 'You know, I once had to scrub the floors of the sick room. You should be grateful you didn't have to clean vomit and "unknown substances" off the floor.'

Severus shot him a glare, but the corner of his mouth twitched slightly, betraying the faintest hint of amusement. James caught it and felt a flicker of hope.

'See? He's not completely immune to humor,' James whispered to Sirius, who nodded, albeit skeptically.

Filch's voice cut through their banter. 'Quiet, you lot! You're here to work, not to chat!'

The four resumed their scrubbing, but the atmosphere had shifted slightly. Severus continued to steal glances at the Gryffindors, his expression one of curiosity.

'Why did you stand up for me in class?' Severus finally asked, breaking the silence. His voice was low, almost hesitant.

James looked surprised. 'Because it wasn't fair. You shouldn't have to suffer for something that wasn't your fault.'

'Yeah,' Sirius added. 'We were idiots. And we know it. We just want to make it right.'

Severus narrowed his eyes, skepticism etched on his face. 'You think I'm just going to forgive you because you say you're sorry?'

'No,' James replied earnestly. 'But we want to try. We want to show you that we can be better. Just give us a chance.'

For a moment, Severus looked as if he might say something, but he closed his mouth instead as Filch, sensing the students were not doing what they should, growled, 'Enough chit-chat! Get back to work!'

The four fell silent, the only sound being the scraping of brushes against the stone floor. But the silence was different now, it held a thread of possibility.

Sirius and James glanced at Severus again, who was now scrubbing with a determined intensity, as if trying to erase the weight of the past.

After what felt like an eternity, Filch finally announced, 'You're free to go. Don't think this means I won't be watching you.'

As they filed out of the room, James turned to Severus. 'We're serious about wanting to make things right. If you want to talk, we're here.'

Severus paused, his expression understanding, 'Thank you, you two. But that doesn't mean you are entirely forgiven.' he said softly before slipping away with Remus, leaving James and Sirius standing together in the corridor.