home (reader at hogwarts)

fifty three

we sprint back to our dorms, the three of us not wanting to say a word after taking on something as daunting as a troll. the look on minerva's face sealed the deal- we were lucky to be alive.

"y/n!" you hear a shout behind you.

you swivel on you heel and hold you hands out defensively. "okay listen-"

"not a word!" severus bellows. "not. a. word!"

your mouth clamps shut. his chest heaves as he struggles to find his sentences in what you could only describe as worried anger.

"what the hell were you thinking? you should have told me that you'd go after the thing- i'd- i'd be there- to make sure you didn't get hurt."

"dad, we were fine." you try to console him.

"i don't care! anything could have gone wrong! you were this close to being crushed by a mountain troll for merlin's sake y/n, i honestly don't know how that seems fine to you." he cries incredulously.

the halls echo with his lecturing and you're glad the students are all finishing the feasts in houses.

"no. i knew they'd be fine without me. i went because-"

"so why did you go?"

"let me speak!" you snap.

severus retracts. his adams apple bobbing as he swallows, physically stopping himself from arguing. the least he can do is hear you out, even if he is furious with you.

"i went because after this first event- i mean, it's when hermione, ron and harry start becoming real friends. there aren't many things you can do together without becoming friends and taking on a twelve foot mountain troll is one of them, dad."

his brows furrow almost as if to say 'what's that got to do with you?'

"i need to be a part of that." you clarify. "i need to be part of that bond and inner circle so that this whole thing can run smoothly."

severus' eyes widen. the job you had here. dumbledore's idea.

he steps forward, his squinted gaze suggestive. "you didn't tell-?"

"oh yes i did." you smile, because you know it will piss him off.

he groans. "y/n! why? why would you tell that old fool and not tell me!"

"that old fool is the most powerful wizard in the world," you laugh. "and was undetectable and present in the room when the we tackled the mountain troll- thanks to my foresight and albus' power we were all very much safe."

"you-" he stammers. severus is lost completely for words, whereas you shine with a sense of accomplishment. happy, it seems with the way you've gobsmacked him with your preparation.

you're not a complete fool so as to walk in there unprotected.

no, no.

you'd bring grandad along.

you grunt as two big arms are forced around you and find yourself restricted and struggling to breathe in a sea of black fabric as severus embraces you.

"aggression." you squeak.

"shut up."

his grip loosens and your arms make your way around him too, head burying itself in his lower chest and sighing as you feel the calm after what was a rather hectic evening.

"thirty six and i'll get grey hairs early because of you." he mumbles into your hair, kissing the top of you head.

you chuckle.

"good." you pull away. "we can't both be the pretty snape."

he grins but turns his head away in the direction of footsteps.

angry footsteps.

minerva's face is almost red with fury, her lips white and her eyes wide. she looks at you like you're insane and then to severus who no longer has his arms around you.

"i trust you've given her a good scolding." she almost fails to separate her words, the sentence becoming one long one in a hurry to get them out. severus nods and before you know it, you can't breath again.

"you guys-"

"y/n! i don't know what that stupid old man has you up to but i was so incredibly worried! please tell us before hand when things like this happen! what if you hurt yourself-"

"i'm-" you choke. "i'm going to fracture a rib-"

severus pries her off you as delicately as he can, holding her gently by the arms as she frets over you.

"do not, and i repeat do not think for a minute we'll ever be busy for what you need. don't go looking for trouble and think not to bother us-"

"don't worry, minnie." you say, holding her hand. "it's okay i had backup and if i ever do need your help- i know you'll drop anything to help me."

"yes, yes. good god, of course- yes." minerva stammers. "anything dear."

"i think that uh-" severus tilts his head at his old teacher and frowns. "i think y/n should go and finish the feast with the rest of slytherin house don't you?"

"alright. alright, go on." minerva nods.

you smile and nod as your father leads minerva away and you head to the slytherin common room where you find a sweaty faced gemma standing outside an open doorway.

the minute she spots you, you groan.

if she wasn't so annoying, you'd have more time to think about how pretty she usually was. now however, her dusty brown hair was disheveled and eyes wide with relief though her face was stained with the mark of dread.

"snape. you-" she pants. "where- where have you been? i looked everywhere- i asked everyone. serena said she hadn't seen you- you-"

"i went to go do my own thing." you say, walking in and causing her to clamber in after you. "where i was- what i was doing.. it's really none of your business..."

"i-"

"i won us housepoints just now, did you realise?"

gemma's eyes follow your outstretched hand.

you point at the emerald marble filled house points counter, the number 10 showing up as the latest addition with your first name- just your first- showing up as the recipient.

"just now-" she splutters. "but the troll- the teachers couldn't have- unless you helped or..."

you shrug.

"can i go now? i'm really hungry."

gemma doesn't speak to you so you walk off.

apparently forgets how to speak entirely, failing to speak the rest of the feast.

you grab your food and don't sit downstairs with the rest of the first years to eat it, knowingly avoiding questions.

you walk into your dormitory, sandwich half in your mouth when you make eye contact with serena, who's in tears.

and you have a feeling, a terrible, sinking feeling that you may only have yourself to blame.