Yours truly | Severus Snape - Sequel to Sincerely yours

Professor Quirrell

The weeks between Easter Break and Summer holiday felt always torturous to Mary. It seemed as if the time couldn't pass fast enough, yet still when the end-of-term exams came, it seemed as if there wouldn't be enough time. Sure, Mary rarely had issues with any of her studies (if one is to leave out Transfiguration, but that is from the mere lack of practice), but still, she didn't exactly enjoy taking the exams.

"Merlin! I swear to every muggle God on earth that there was NO mention of someone called "Doodle Emerson" in the exam book!" Clary complained as she, Mary and Alison were walking out of the classroom of History of Magic.

"Every muggle god on earth?" Alison muttered an amused glint in her deep blue eyes. "To my understanding, muggles rarely believe that their Gods reside on earth, darling."

Clary glared at her girlfriend, which only increased the amusement on Alison's face.

"You know what I mean!"

"What does Miss Smith mean?" A dark, velvety voice came from behind the three girls. They spun around to see none other than the Potions Master standing right in front of them.

"Great, the bat is stalking us..." Clary muttered silently.

Not silently enough.

Severus raised an eyebrow, giving Clary a disapproving look. "Care for some end-of-term detention, Miss Smith?"

Clary merely rolled her grey eyes and gave Severus a mock-regretful-look.

"Apologies, O'Potions Master", Clary said, blinking her massive eyes, innocent eyes, "I was out of line, must be the stress caused by that exam."

She finished with a courtesy.

Severus sighed deeply but decided not to pick a fight. Instead, he turned his attention to Mary, who had been trying to hold back a laughter. For some strange reason, ever since Mary, Clary and Alison came back from the Easter Break, Clary and Severus seemed to... almost get along. It wasn't kindness. No, far from it. It was... It was their own strange way of interacting with each other.

"How was the exam?" Severus asked, keeping his distance as they all were standing in the middle of a busy corridor.

"It was okay. Though Clary swears that Doodle Emerson isn't mentioned in the book", Mary said and glanced at Clary (who was still pouting).

A small smirk played in the corner of Severus' mouth. "It is. Once. On page 394."

Clary rolled her eyes and Alison snorted.

****

Later that evening, as Mary was making her way down the lowest part of the dungeons, she was suddenly stopped by a sound – or more like two sounds. One, angry and low, another, scared and high.

"What the hell?" Mary muttered as she continued walking towards the sound. When she descended the stairs, reaching the hall in which Severus' personal quarters resided, she was stopped by a surprising sight. Professor Quirrel, backed against the wall, squeaking like a little pig. But that wasn't what made Mary's blood turn cold. No, it was the man who was pressing Quirrel against the wall.

Severus.

His face was twisted with anger and his voice was but a low growl.

"And I swear to Merlin, if I catch you-"

And just then, Severus eyes snapped to Mary. The flame in his onyx orbs died the moment he realised that it was Mary standing in the corridor, not just another noisy student. And on that instant, he let go of Professor Quirrell's collar and backed away from the wall and trembling Quirrel.

"Mar- Miss Montgomery?" Severus blurted, staring at Mary as if he had seen a ghost.

Mary was too stunned to speak. Instead, she just watched as Professor Quirrel adjusted his clothes and practically ran past Mary and up the stairs towards the upper parts of the castle.

For a moment, Mary and Severus only stared at each other. Then, Severus cleared his throat.

"Mary", he started, his voice low and hoarse, "I know this must seem-"

Mary stopped him with a single motion of her hand.

"Stop. Don't", Mary whispered. Severus tilted his head, a mixture of confusion and... And something else in his dark eyes.

"Don't what?"

"Lie to me", Mary added, her voice as cold as the walls surrounding them. "Please."

Severus' throat bobbed.

As the silence between them only stretched, Mary decided to make a move. With swift feet, she walked past Severus straight to his personal chambers, leaving Severus no option but to follow her. And so he did.

The air inside Severus' personal quarters was thick with a scent of old books, dried herbs and burning candlewax. A scent which Mary had gotten used to these past months. But tonight, that scent brought no comfort to her. Not after what she had just witnessed.

Mary never thought Severus as a violent man. Sure, he was broody, cold and unfair towards most of the students. But violent? No. And so, as the door clicked shut behind them, Mary turned around and locked her flaming green eyes to Severus.

"What was that about?" she hissed silently.

For a moment, Severus only stood in silence, pondering on how to begin explaining the suspicious exchange between himself and Professor Quirrel. But then, as if something had struck him, he sighed deeply and sat on that red velvet sofa next to the door.

His eyes, lost and wounded, searched for Mary's face as he patted the empty space next to him. Hesitantly, Mary followed him to the sofa.

"Mary", Severus whispered.

"Yes?"

Severus said nothing for a long time. He just stared at the floor beneath his feet, elbows rested on his knees as attempt to ground himself. Just when Mary was starting to think that he wasn't going continue, he broke the silence.

"What I tell you... What I tell you now, might change how you see me. Forever."

Mary had seen Severus stiff and uneasy before. Hell, she though she had seen all the emotions on Severus' face all the way from love to pure anger. But this, this was something new. Severus was stiff. But not stiff like one is when they find themselves in an uncomfortable situation, or when they are sitting next to their crush. No. This was different. This was quilt. This was shame. This was... This was fear.

"Severus..." Mary whispered, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "There is nothing you could say that would change how I see you, or how I feel about you."

But to Mary's surprise, Severus pulled away.

He took a deep breath, as if he was going to dive underwater, and then, he broke. He buried his face in his hands and cried.

"You don't know that. You don't what I'm going to tell you. You don't know what I have done... You don't know what I am!" he wept like a child, voice muffled by his hands which were still covering his face.

Mary blinked in confusion.

What the hell is going on?

"Severus-"

"Mary", Severus said, snapping his head up from his hands. He was no longer crying. His voice was no longer trembling. It was stable and empty, like a voice of a man who had lost everything. And so was the look in his eyes when he locked his gaze with Mary's.

"I'm a Death Eater."