Rewrite The Stars - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-12-

Only in seconds, Severus and I are now standing side by side beside the potions station that we now share. The awkwardness and tension is up in the air. Neither of us can even look at each other while listening - or at least trying to - the Potions Master, who wanders around the classroom all happily and eagerly explaining the history of the potion we're about to make today. Half of the classmates are listening, half of them are chatting with their partner and making plans who's doing what during the brewing. This can't be happening..! I could honestly just cry now, but I keep the half annoyed, half brave face up. Out of all of the people in this class... Why him?! Damn it, Remus! Why did you have to leave me like this?!

"Now, I trust you all read the instructions very carefully, and speak with your partner while mixing the potion. We don't wish for any accidents!" Slughorn chuckles at the end of his speech and now we are all free to start making the potion. Snape and I both got our own Potions books wide open each side of the table, and we began to read them in silence. 'Add Shrivelfig. Add porcupine quills. Stir four times anti-clockwise. Add Sopophorous beans. Add wormwood. Stir six times anti-clockwise.' At first glance, it all looks pretty simple, but there are so many delicate stirrings to make to succeed. And to think all of this should make a sunshine-yellow potion that induced a sense of inexplicable, irrational happiness upon the drinker. Which can be served as the cure for uncontrollable sobbing as well. Well, guess we need to start working...

While staring down to the Potions book, I reach for one of the jars on the table. We'll start with the Shrivelf..- When all of sudden, someone grabs me by the wrist to stop the movement. Eh?! Right away, my head snaps towards the person next to me who's holding me by the wrist. "Not that one." Snape gives an evil side-eye thru those long dark hair strings that are going over his face. Like he's already fed up with all of this. Fed up with me. For a quick second I just stare back at him, then frown and yank the hand free:"I knew that.". The Slytherin lets out a small scoff and takes the right jar off the table. While watching him doing so, I check which one I was about to take with the corner of my eye. It was a peppermint jar. Damn it.

"Think it'll be for the best if I'll be doing all of the brewing." Snape says with very monotonic tone as he's taking out right amount of the Shivelfigs out of the glass jar. I again frown:"What you mean? We're supposed to do this toge..-", "You can... Read the instructions for me." he simply reply, sounding like he doesn't care if I'll actually agree to this or not, he'll still do all the work regardless. And if he lets me read the instructions, the teacher won't be saying anything. "Hmph!" I scoff and look away annoyed. Seeing the Potions Master across the room talking with Lily and her potions partner in all good spirit makes my thoughts trail off for a moment. Then, I shook my head and try to focus on the pot in front of me. I'm going to impress and make him proud!

With determinant look in my (e/c) eyes, I hold onto the Potions book, bring it closer and start reading what it says:"After putting Shi..- Shhriive..- Shrivel..- fig in the potion - krhm - add porcuuupine.". The whole time I try to read, Snape slowly turns his head to look at me as in 'is this girl being serious right now?'. But he tries to ignore this and continue on brewing while taking sneak peeks of his own Potions book time to time that is laying down next to the pot. The Potions classroom soon gets filled with soft chattering and calm bubbling sounds while the Potions Master keeps wandering around the room. "...stir six times anti..-anti-clockwise." I twirl my finger clockwise while reading.

Snape closes his eyes for a moment to calm down his nerves as I keep on going and struggling with the reading. I can just feel how he'd love to bash me, but keeps gritting his teeth and continues on brewing. With the corner of my eye, I keep looking what he's doing. Every move he makes is done smoothly and with care. Wow, he's... Quite good at this. It's like he's in his own element at the moment. Soon enough, I caught myself from staring and admiring how easy he actually makes it all seem, and quickly shook my head and look away. That's when I notice how Professor Slughorn is slowly making his way over here. I can't just stand here and keep on vaguely reading. He needs to see me in action!

I shift my gaze back to our table and see how Snape still hasn't taken out the wormwood out of the jar and on display. So, I put down the Potions book and start opening the glass jar. Immediately, the Slytherin sees this while stirring the potion with the ladle:"What are you doing?". "Just helping you out." I answer without looking at him. Won't take even a second when I realize the lid is stuck and it's hard to open. Damn it. Snape rolls his eyes and shook his head a bit after seeing me struggle. Then, his focus goes back to the pot. The potion has began to bubble and change its color, which tells him things are about to get quite critical if he won't act fast. "Quick, what does the book say for the next step, before this will blow up?!" Snape asks. Both of my eyebrows raise and I look down to the pot:"Huh?".

By every passing second the potion starts bubbling more and more aggressively. "Urgh..!" Snape hisses quietly and try to browse his own Potions book. "No, wait..- I got it..!" I quickly try to see from my own book where we were left off last time I check. But... I can't find the right paragraph! Oh, n..- And... BOOM!! The potion explodes and immediately everyone in the room turn to look at us. "Merlin's beard!" Slughorn gasps half amazed, half worried what just happened. I got my eyes tightly shut and arms raised to cover my face, so the long sleeves of my school robe took the most of the hit, but... Slowly, I opened my eyes and lower the arms. Quietly, I gasp under the breath when I see how the potion has gone all over Snape. He's covered in this odd, dark orange, gooey texture. Oh, no!

Anyone from this distance can see how his pale skin has turned into reddish one. Like it's on fire. Unsure what to do here, my head starts to shake on its own and my voice sounds like a whisper:"I'm..- I'm so sorr..-", "You're so useless." Snape snaps under his breath, so only I could hear him. My eyes widen out of shock and I freeze. The Professor rushes to us:"Oh, dear - m-my boy, we need to get you to the Hospital Wing before the rash spreads and gets even more painful. Oh, um... Miss (Y/L), why won't you..-", "No! I am not going anywhere with that one!" the Slytherin is quick to point out. Before anyone could react, Lily raise her hand:"I'll take him to the Hospital Wing, Professor!". The look on Slughorn's face brightens up:"Oh! That'll be wonderful. Thank you, Miss Evans.". "My pleasure." she smiles and walks up to us, and soon enough, the two of them leaves the classroom.

The whole atmosphere is now pretty awkward in the classroom. The Potions Master clears his throat a bit and began to wave his hands:"Very well, let us all continue! I'm sure they will be fine.". At first, everyone in the room slightly hesitates, but eventually they shrug their shoulders and turn their focus back to the brewing stations. I'm still standing on the same spot - in middle of all of the mess, unsure how to act. Then, Slughorn calmly walks up to me and speaks with quiet voice:"You do remember where the cleaning supplies are, right?". His voice brings me back and I lift my eyes up on him while fighting against the tears forming:"Yes, sir.". He flashes a quick smile:"Good.". And he walks right past me and continues on teaching others. Useless.

After the class ended, I went to the library for the detention, which I wasn't looking forward at all. But for my great relief, Snape wasn't there. Instead, Professor McGonagall was at the entry waiting for me. She told me I'll be working alone today, since it takes time to treat Snape's burning rash all over his upper body, and how he will be working alone in the library one day as well to make it up even between us two. It seems that they left to tell her I was his partner in the class. Guess Snape thought he doesn't want any points to be taken away from our Houses - even it was all accident. Bet McGonagall would have thought we were fighting during class and this happened because of it... Urgh, I'm so done with this whole year already.

The whole time I worked around the Restricted Section, all I could think about was what Snape said to me. Time to time, I felt the ball inside my throat and tears raised on my (e/c) eyes, but I push them down and continue on putting the different sized books to their places. After a while, I walk up to the desk that I have left my school bag and the long robe. The notebook Lockhart gave me earlier peeks inside the bag, and I stare at it for a moment. 'Useless' When the detention ended, I head towards the Great Hall. Like planned, I see familiar Ravenclaw student hanging out at the hallway all alone. "Lockhart." I call him. The blonde, curly haired boy turns to me with wide smile:"Ah, (Y/N)! Wh..-", "I'll do it." I tell him with determined look on my face. "Huh?" he looks little bit taken aback and unsure what I'm talking about. The look on my face won't change:"I'll get you the book you wanted.".