Spiteful Beginnings // Severus Snape x OC

25 - The Truth

"You may enter, Professor Oakblood."

A few days passed, she need time to clear her head of everything to do with Snape, Christmas, the Dark Mark, just everything. She probably hadn't left her room in hours when she left Severus downstairs but she was sure that he wouldn't have stayed or come up to confide in her.

When she had enough courage in her, she had to speak to Dumbledore. She had to understand his thought process was.

Kalina stepped into his office, her red converse lightly making a tapping sound as she walked up to his desk and sitting across from him.

"Something's troubling you... what is it?"

Kalina couldn't find the right words to say. She felt betrayed by him, not only Severus but Dumbledore too.

"I need to talk to you about Sev- Professor Snape." She breathed out shakily, finding it impossible to look into his old and kind eyes that twinkled with magic.

Albus leaned back against his large chair and hummed, "Is it something I should be worried about?"

Kalina only blinked, staring down at her thighs before shrugging. "I think you already know."

Albus sighed softly and then lit an incense stick, something he usually did whenever there was a certain tension in his office. He looked over to Fawkes who cried out, blinking it's small eyes and tilting its head to the side.

"I'll assume he told you then. At Christmas."

"H-how did you know he was at mine?" Kalina questioned, watching him as he stood up and began to pace his office, something he did regularly when he was in deep thought.

"I know everything Miss Oakblood."

"If you know everything, then why did you let him come to my house. You know what Death Eaters have done to my family." She told him, sounding rather bitter but he stopped walking and turned to face her, his red robes swaying behind him at his brisk turn.

"Now that is not what I thought we would be talking about." Dumbledore said truthfully, his comment about him knowing 'everything' seeming to have backfired in an instant.

Kalina sat forward, her head slightly tilted to the side now, her messy bun on the top of her head tipping over slightly. She was in her Muggle clothes since it was still Christmas break and lessons hadn't resumed. She also didn't plan on staying long but she was now anxious to find out whatever else Severus seemed to have been hiding from her, "Well, what was you going to say?"

Dumbledore knew that he couldn't take back what he said and he didn't want to lie to his staff so he stroked Fawkes and sat back down, resting his arms on the desk in front of them.

"A few weeks ago, Severus had come to my office with a bottle that I believe was a gift from Gilderoy to you."

Kalina blinked, slowly nodding her head.

"Turns out he was trying to smuggle you a potion, a very powerful alluring potion."

Kalina thought she was in some sort of dream, what one earth was he saying? "But... I don't remember being with him, like at all." She gestured towards Lockhart which is were Dumbledore let out another soft sigh and tipped his glasses up from the edge of his nose.

"I know, that's because it didn't work on him. The potion is to attract the first person you saw after consuming it and that was not Lockhart..." Albus raised his eyebrows, hoping she'd get the hint but she just looked lost and confused still.

"But, how did Snape get the bottle?" She asked but Albus stayed quiet giving her an obvious look.

When it clicked, she felt like she was going to be sick. Both of her hands covered her mouth and her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my Merlin, I was infatuated to Severus wasn't I?"