Shadows Of Loyalty

The Weight of Distractions

As the days passed, Selene and Severus continued their routine, often meeting in the library to study or discussing Potions and their shared ambitions. Their connection deepened, but Selene couldn’t shake the feeling that something was shifting in their dynamic. Selene felt a growing sense of frustration during her study sessions with Severus , an unshakeable tension had crept into their routine, especially whenever Lily Evans entered the scene.

One overcast afternoon, Selene sat across from Severus, her textbooks open but her mind elsewhere. He was deeply engrossed in his notes, the fringe of his dark hair falling over his forehead as he scribbled, yet she could see his attention flicker toward the entrance too often for her liking.

“Did you manage to look over the stabilization techniques for the Amortentia?” he asked, his voice low, breaking the silence.

“Not yet,” she replied, forcing herself to sound casual. “I was just about to.” But even as she said this, her eyes drifted toward the Gryffindor table, where Lily was laughing with her friends, her bright smile drawing Severus’s gaze like a moth to a flame.

Severus followed her line of sight momentarily before returning to his notes, though the distraction lingered in his posture. Selene felt a knot of irritation twist in her stomach. With her vibrant red hair and bright smile, Lily had a way of lighting up any room, and Selene couldn’t help but feel a twinge of irritation at Severus’s apparent distraction.

“Severus, we need to focus. We have a practical next week, and I want to ensure we’re prepared,” she said, trying to pull him back to their work.

He nodded slowly, but she could see him struggle to shake off the distraction. “Yes. The ratios for that potion are critical.”

Selene tried to ignore the tightening knot in her chest. “Right,” she murmured. “The ratios.” But it was difficult to concentrate when the air between them felt charged with unspoken words. Every time Severus glanced toward the Gryffindor table, she could feel her patience waning.

“Are we going to work together, or are you planning to sit there and admire Lily all day?” she thought, but she didn’t dare voice it. Instead, she pushed her irritation aside and tried to focus on her notes, though it was becoming increasingly difficult.

After a moment of silence, she sensed his attention drift once more. “I think we should go over the effects of the ingredients next,” she suggested, keeping her voice steady.

“Right,” he murmured, though his eyes darted back to the entrance. Selene sighed internally, frustrated but unsure how to express her feelings without risking the fragile connection they had built. It was evident that her emotions were tangled, but she felt compelled to suppress them.

As they continued their study session, she couldn’t shake the feeling that their connection was slipping through her fingers like sand. Each stolen glance Severus threw toward Lily felt like a reminder of her own insignificance. It stung, but she wouldn’t confront him; that would require a level of intimacy they hadn’t yet reached. Instead, she would bury her annoyance deep within, as she had always done.

“Let’s focus on the practical,” she said again, forcing herself to sound more confident than she felt. “The preparation of the Amortentia requires precision.”

He finally turned his full attention to her, the dark shadows beneath his eyes revealing his own fatigue. “Yes, we should.” His tone was clipped, his frustration with himself evident.

After a while, they fell into a rhythm, but the tension never fully dissipated. Selene’s thoughts flickered between their studies and the ache of being sidelined by someone who didn’t seem to notice.