Meant To Be

XI

It had been a week since the first date and Severus has been avoiding you, in meals he would barely talk to you or even acknowledge you, acting like there was nothing between you and it was making you upset, you wondered why he was acting so cold with you.

It was breakfast time. You walked into The Great Hall, sat down and rested your head against your head. Your students and fellow colleagues have noticed yours and Severus' bad mood. Severus walked into the hall, looked up to see you, he did and immediately noticed your sad demeanour.

While he continued walking he frowned and sighed in sadness., the more he get's to know you the more he's falling for you and it was scaring him, it terrified him to like someone else., he knew he was responsible for your sadness and he knew he was hurting you just as much as he was hurting himself.

He sat on the opposite end of the table, served himself up some food and looked down the table to see you., you looked at him and he quickly looked away and started playing with his food., you shook your head and took a bit of your marmalade toast. Talon walked into the hall and you looked up and sighed in relief.

Finally, someone I can talk to

He sat beside you and you saw he looked nervous., "Alex, are you okay?"., he looked at you and sighed., "today is Sabrina's birthday and I'm going to tell her how I feel"., you smiled and clasped your hands together., "that's great, Alex, I hope it goes well for you"., he sighed and nodded., "thankyou, I hope so too".

Talon looked down the end of the table and saw Severus playing with his food, he looked back at you and nudged you., "any progress between you and Severus"., you sighed in sadness and shook your head., "no, he's been avoiding me ever since last week...I don't know why he's doing this".

"What are you going to do?"., Talon served himself up some food and you let out another sad sigh., "I'm just going to have to cut all ties with him, I can't have him playing with my feelings anymore"., tears brimmed his eyes and you continued: "It hurts".

Talon looked at you and he felt bad he couldn't do nothing to help you., he rubbed your back reassuringly and you shook your head., "I'm not really hungry anymore"., you stood up and started walking out of the hall.

The students looked at you and saw you wiping your eyes, some of them started chatting indistinctly and some of them looked at you with concern, even if you've been here for a short amount of time you were their favourite professor.

Severus watched you walking out and wiping your eyes., his face plastered with hurt and guilt., the last thing he wants to do is make you cry, but he has and he feels like an asshole. Minerva looked at Severus and saw tears brimming his eyes as he's looking at you.

She's shocked, it's the first time she's seen him cry and it made her upset, over the years she has become friends with him, she didn't like to see him sad., she put her hand on his shoulder and he quickly wiped his face, looked at her hand then back at her.

He shrugged her hand off., "Severus why don't you go to talk to her? whatever is happening, I'm sure you can both sort it out"., he shook his head., "I can't, Minerva"., "why?"., ignoring her question he stood up., "I should prepare for my first lesson".

The reason: he doesn't think he can protect you. Being the reason for his past love's death still haunts him to this day and he doesn't want that to happen to you, in the short amount of time that you have known each other, he's grown to deeply care for you.

-

You arrived in the charms classroom and tears streamed down on your cheeks., you hated being treated like this., despite the tears that were streaming down your face you started to prepare for your first lesson.

9am

Third years started walking into the classroom and took their seats, you, unaware of the what the time is, are in your room, crying. The students got their stuff out and patiently waited for you to appear in the room., "where is Professor L/n?"., another student looked around the room and shrugged their shoulders., "I'm sure she'll be here soon".

You got up and looked at the clock and jolted up., you wiped your eyes, grabbed your wand and started making your way out of your quarters. As soon as you closed the door you saw your third year students waiting patiently.

"I'm sorry, class, I lost track of time, thankyou for waiting"., "are you okay, Professor L/n?"., you looked at the student who asked and forced a smile, trying to reassure him., "yes, I'm okay, alright now today we are going to learn the Full Body Bind Curse, also known as The Body Freezing Spell.

Can anyone tell me what the effects of this curse is?"., a young boy looked around the room and hesitantly raised his hand., "yes, Mr"., "Fredrick, ma'am, uh...I think it temporarily paralyses your opponent"., you nodded and smiled., "exactly.

This spell is often used by young or inexperienced witches and wizards in duels. When casted in a living subject the victims arms and legs snap together, they would become very stiff and they would fall down.

You can do everything else such as hear, see, think and feel you just cannot move. It can work on inanimate objects indiscernible because the object wasn't moving in the first place. The effects of this curse can be undone by the use of the General Counter Spell, the Reparifors spell or an Anti Paralysis Potion.

In spite of the incantation the curse is fundamentally different from petrification, petrification is very advanced Dark Magic and it cannot be reversed by a simple counter curse"., a young girl raised her hand., "yes, Miss"., "Hale, Professor"., "Miss Hale, what is your question?".

"You said that petrification can't be reversed by a simple counter curse?"., "yes, that is correct"., "what does reverse petrification?"., "there is an antidote called Mandrake Restorative Draught, a highly powerful healing potion made from Stewed Mandrakes".

You walked to the middle of the room and pointed your wand at the dummy a few feet away from you., "Now the hands moves for this spell might be a little tricky so watch me closely and after you all try to do the movements"., you did the hand movements very slowly for the students.

They watched you and as soon as you put your arm down they picked up their wands and copied your actions., "first, try it slowly so you can get the hang of it"., you watched all of your students as they did the hand movements correctly.

You smiled and clasped your hands together., "well done, class now try it a bit faster"., the students listened and picked up their wands again and started doing the hand movements again. You walked up and down the isle and you started to feel like a proud mother.

"Okay now for the incantation. Petrificus Totalus, now repeat after me"., you and the students started saying the incantation., "Petrificus Totalus, Petrificus Totalus, perfect, now I will demonstrate the spell and then some of you will come up and try it out".

You raised your wand to point at the dummy., "Petrificus Totalus, now two of you, join me down here...uh, Miss Hale, Mr Fredrick, come down here please"., without hesitation they got up and joined you. "Now there is no need to be afraid but one of you will be casting this spell on the other".

"W-wha-, huh?"., "I understand your nervousness but as soon as it happens I will cast the general counter spell"., they looked at each other nervously, looked back at you and nodded., "okay first I want the both of you to cast the spell on the dummy".

They got their wands out and one stood behind the other., the young boy raised his wand at the dummy., "Petrificus Totalus!"., "perfect, now come stand next to me, Miss Hale, it's your turn"., she reluctantly raised her arm., "Petrificus Totlu- uh, sorry can I try that again?".

"Of course, go ahead"., she breathed in deeply and exhaled., "Petrificus Totalus!"., "well done, Miss Hale, which one of you wants to be the caster?"., they looked at each other again and the boy nodded and looked back at you., "I'll do it".

"Great, Miss Hale, follow me"., you walked over to the dummy and pushed it back a little., "stand here please"., she did as you said and you stepped back and got your wand out ready to cast the counter spell., "Petrificus Totalus!".

Her body stiffened and she fell down., gasps of the students filled the room as they witnessed their fellow classmate be paralysed., you pointed your wand down at Miss Hale., "Finite Incantatem"., you reached your hand down and helped her up.