Severus was pacing the corridors. He could hear the rain lashing against the tall windows lining the outer wall. It was a dark night. He could see nothing but blackness and his own blurred reflection staring back at him. That same reflection looked pale, somewhat ghostly, but he preferred not to dwell on it. He had never liked his own appearance.
It was long past midnight, but like so many nights before, he couldn’t find sleep. He could have taken a sleeping potion, but the nightmares... he couldn't bear them tonight. He was in a right foul mood.
There, a movement. Sounds.
The dim light that had come from the tip of his wand vanished.
He stood still, waiting.
As expected, students. Apparently disregarding the rule of "no wandering through the corridors after ten o’clock." They were whispering, giggling even. Oh, he was in just the mood for this.
Here they came. The tip of his wand lit up once again, illuminating the corridor. He looked into the faces of a boy and a girl from Hufflepuff, both sixth-graders. Severus knew them well. They could very well be sweethearts. Seriously? This thought made his mood even worse.
“Well,” he said, his voice icy, every word echoing down the otherwise silent corridor,
“what are a pair of Hufflepuff students doing in the corridors at this hour of night?”
The students jumped, startled, and then tried to cling to each other for comfort.
“We... we were...” the boy began.
“I can very well imagine what the likes of you are up to,” Severus interrupted coldly, glaring at them. “Do you have any idea how serious this is?”
They had nothing more to say.
“Back to your dormitories. Twenty points from Hufflepuff, and I will be contacting your Head of House.”
They looked at him with contempt. He didn’t care. Contempt was what he breathed.
A while later, he found himself alone once more. The night lay now peacefully around him, but Severus could not let himself sink into that peace. His mind and heart were restless.
Would he really have to go on like this for the rest of his life?
His thoughts were dark.
So very dark
YOU ARE READING
Unexpected healing
FanfictionSeverus Snape, a man who has had to suffer much, has more or less resigned himself to a forever lonely existence. But he is given a chance to heal. Trust, however, does not come easily, nor does the belief that he could ever be lovable. A journey f...
