Something different I Severus/Lucius/Y/N

unloved

The night air around us felt colder than before, and the
Severus stood there, unflinching, his robes blending into the shadows. But as we drew closer, something caught the faint light at his side—something. My father's sharp eyes saw it instantly.

"What is that?" His voice was a low rumble, filled with suspicion and barely contained rage. He stepped toward Snape, his hand ready to seize the cauldron. The smell hit us a moment later—sweet, intoxicating, pulling memories from deep within. Memories I didn't want to remember.

I knew that smell.

Amortentia.

The potion that compelled love. Or at least, the illusion of it.

"Severus," my father growled, his voice thick with accusation. "Is this how you handle your... infatuations?"

Severus stiffened at the accusation, but before he could respond, I turned my eyes on Dumbledore. The old wizard had been silent for too long, and when I looked at him, the disappointment on his face made my stomach sink. His eyes, usually full of warmth, were cold now, piercing through Snape with a look that said more than words ever could.

"Amortentia," Dumbledore said quietly, and his voice carried a gravity that silenced even my father. "Severus, I expected better of you. Far better."

For a long moment, no one spoke. The gentle bubbling of the cauldron filled the silence, the scent of the potion lingering in the air, making everything feel distorted, wrong. I felt my heart twist, confusion and sadness clashing inside me. I took a step forward, my eyes locked on Severus, his face pale and expressionless as the light of the stars flickered across it.

"You..." I started, my voice trembling despite myself. "You made Lucius forget me.... And now... now you want to give love potion to me?" My words hung in the air, fragile and bitter.

For a moment, Severus just stared at me. His usual cool, impenetrable mask faltered, and in its place was something raw, something that made my chest tighten painfully. He looked almost... vulnerable. But I couldn't feel sympathy. Not now. The weight of everything—Lucius, the forgotten love, the lies—it was too much.

Snape swallowed, his dark eyes flicking from me to the cauldron and back again. He didn't answer immediately, and the silence was heavy, like a storm about to break.

"You don't understand," he finally said, his voice hoarse, almost desperate. "I wasn't going to give it to you."

My brow furrowed. "Then why is it here, Severus? Why did you brew it?"

Dumbledore stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "Severus, speak plainly. The truth, if you please."

Snape's gaze darted between the three of us—my father's harsh suspicion, Dumbledore's disappointment, and my hurt confusion. And then, something inside him seemed to crack. His control, always so tight, slipped.

"I brewed it because..." He hesitated, his lips trembling as if the words were caught in his throat. "Because I needed to understand. I needed to know if what I feel is real."

He was looking at me now, and there was something in his gaze that made my breath catch. I had never seen Severus like this—so unguarded, so exposed. His voice shook, and the cool detachment he usually wore had crumbled away.

"What do you feel, Severus?" I whispered, though I wasn't sure I wanted the answer.

He hesitated for a long moment, then he said it, barely louder than a breath. "I love you."

The words fell between us like stones dropped into water, rippling outwards, affecting everything. I froze, not knowing how to respond. Love? From Severus? I had never truly considered it, not like this. There had been moments—brief touches, a stolen kiss, a night that was supposed to mean nothing—but love? No, this wasn't part of the plan.