Yours, SS [Book 1]

Chapter 33

"Can you believe it!?" Alice nudged Amilia in the ribs, "We made it! You finally made it!" Alice spun around in front of the table in the Great Hall.

Amilia smiled half-heartedly, "Yeah...I did. I made it."

Alice plopped beside her, "Why so glum? This is a good day. You should be excited!" she shook her friend's arm.

"I am. Really, I am." Amilia shoved her shaking hands in her pocket. She was excited, too excited to eat breakfast. Dumbledore would be making an end of year announcement and tell who the winners of the House Cup. Then we would have a couple hours for ourselves, then the graduation ceremony. This was something she was looking forward to...but; she just felt so depressed.

"Alice. Give her a few minutes." Masters came and placed his arms around Amilia's shoulders. Amilia laid her head against his shoulder and sniffled. In his warm and loving gesture to strengthen, her...she began to crumble.

Severus walked to the table on his way to the front of the room, noticing the embrace between a few seventh-years. He grumbled to himself, wanting to break up the lovefest before it erupted in the room. He closed the distance and saw the auburn hair sticking out. He paused and saw the pained expression on Alice Wonderly's face and could hear the soft sobbing. He glanced at the head table, making eye contact with Dumbledore, who nodded his approval.

Severus approached and cleared his throat. Three pairs of eyes looked up at him, "If you cannot keep your emotions for leaving our beloved institution under control, I suggest the three of you leave."

Wonderly and Masters glared at him, thinking that he had no idea what was going on, but he did. He jerked his head to the doors quickly, once the three of them were clear, he spun around and followed, his robes flapping behind him in his quickened pace.

"My office. Go. Food will be brought in."

Masters eyebrows knitted together, "I'm sorry?"

"I am not cold-hearted. I know why she is upset. Now go. I will be there shortly after Dumbledore makes his announcement. Amilia knows the password." He watched the three of them walk hand in hand to the dungeons.

Amilia waved her hand, and another log was placed on the fire in his office. Alice and Masters stood back nervously, observing the room. "I will be right back," Amilia whispered, and she walked into Severus's private rooms straight to his bathroom. She needed to clean the tears and snot off of her face. When she reappeared, she saw her friends staring at her as if she had just broken some sacred law. "He will not mind." She said sheepishly.

"How are you even allowed back there?" Alice asked.

Amilia scowled, "What?"

"There is an enchantment on most of the professor's private quarters." Masters said bluntly.

Amilia looked over her shoulder at the door she had just closed, "Oh, I did not realize that. I can go into McGonagall's as well. Thought I generally knock first for hers. Oh, and Poppy's too!"

"Poppy?" Alice and Masters asked in unison.

"Oh..." Amilia's shoulders dropped. "Madam Pomfrey. Now that I think about it, I was in and out of their rooms so often it never occurred to me."

"Madam Pomfrey does not have an enchantment on hers." Severus's usually cold tone echoed about the rooms. Masters and Alice jumped. "Since she had the quarantine room back there."

"Oh." Masters said as he glanced back at the door that stood behind his friend.

"Sit." Severus charmed two more stuffed armchairs to sit beside the fire and a larger round table. The three students sat as he placed food in front of them. "Eat. I will be back." And with that, he left the room.