The Exposure

Chapter Twenty-Seven

          All week in class, your mind returns to your conversation with Severus. You were in your last year at Hogwarts, graduating in the spring. You still had a few months left, and...then what? Would you stay in each other's lives, or move on as if you hadn't accidentally plummeted headfirst into the single most transformative, earth-shattering love you would ever experience?

          You'd planned to become a researcher, specializing in the pharmaceutical uses of herbs, potions and elixirs. Unluckily for you, you fell in love with the teacher of your major so you'd lost valuable class time just watching him speak, scold, stalk, and brew. A true Master...in more ways than one.

          The sun is beginning to set over the beautiful Scottish hills as you make your way down the staircase of Ravenclaw tower. You suddenly hear shouting beneath you. Your footsteps halt as you hear Rupert screaming at someone and Peter's softer tone urging him to calm down. More shouting. Something crashing. You rush down the stairs into the common room and see Josh Philiman sprawled out on the floor, his nose bloody and his body limp. Rupert's fists were clenched tightly, Josh's blood on his knuckles.

          You glance at Peter in alarm, "Is he––? Are you alright? What happened?" Rupert takes a deep breath and turns to leave, heading outside to cool down. Peter takes you by the arm a few feet away from Josh's mangled form. "He's not dead, just unconscious. Rupert was, erm...defending my honor, I suppose? He seems to have caught onto something about me that I had hoped would remain a personal detail," he says. Your eyes fill with concern, "Peter, did he say something––?" "It's really not that big a deal, it shouldn't have come to this."

          "It is a big deal. You deserve to feel safe and to be treated with respect," your body suddenly growing hot with anger. If Josh weren't already pulverized you'd consider giving him a swift kick to the––

          "Listen, I'm worried about Rupert. It seems to have bothered him much more than me. I don't want him to get expelled. And once this gets around, people are going to wonder why he felt the need to so...valiantly defend me." His hands in his pockets, the corners of his mouth tight with worry. "Who all knows about what just happened?" you ask, a thought blossoming in your mind. "The caretaker. He came when he heard the noise then took off. Otherwise it's just you. Well, and the buffoon with his head in his arse," nodding to the unconscious body with a smirk.

          "I'll be right back," you quickly sprint the rest of the way down the stairs and through the halls, trying not to seem as alarmed as you feel. You rush further down, down, down the spiral staircase into the Slytherin dungeon, the clicking of your footsteps against the stone echoing against the walls. Approaching the familiar door, you knock once and open, "Severus, I––"

          You stop in your tracks when you see Professor McGonagall sitting across from Snape who's at his desk, a stern look crossing her face, and both of them staring at you.

          Your heart thumps a painful, heavy thump as you realize your slip-up. "I...I'm sorry, I must be bewitched, the girls in my dorm have been playing pranks all week." You say quickly, your cheeks turning red as you rush to leave. "Miss Y/n. A word?" McGonagall says, her voice tight and unwavering. "Y...yes Professor McGonagall?" Snape's eyes never leave you, his expression devoid of any emotion you can read.

          "I have just been informed that Rupert and Peter were spotted with the unconscious body of another student, Josh Philiman. Some type of brawl has broken out?" her eyebrow cocked in stern displeasure and surprise at such behavior from "boys their age," she was saying. Your eyes dart to Severus' still face, but you see a tenderness in his eye and it steels you. "Now, it is my understanding that you are quite close with Mr. Knightly, is that correct?" "Yes, Professor," your mind running a mile a minute, wondering if she bought your story about being bewitched.

           "I must inform you that assault on another student is a severe offense which bears the punishment of full expulsion from Hogwarts. I would like to know...are there any details missing that might be used in Misters Hoffman and Knightly's defense?"

           You swallow hard, the weight of the two secrets making it difficult to breathe. "It is my understanding that Josh verbally assaulted Peter, and Rupert, being the erm, friend that he is, got a bit...belligerent in his defense," you struggle not to wring your hands or fidget. "I see..." she gets up from her seat. "It will be taken into consideration," and on her way out as she passes you, she stops momentarily, a knowing look filling her eyes. "Careful, dear. If one were to indulge in bending the rules, I would suggest a bit more caution and discretion..." Your breath hitches.

          She knows.

          You look over at Severus, sitting stoic and cold at his desk, seeming completely unaffected by anything that's been said in the last few moments. "Oh, and Severus. We will be needing some more of your veritaserum as well." In all her years of dealing with bullies and roughhousing students, Minerva had apparently decided to bend a few rules of her own when handling extreme situations.

          As the door shuts behind her, you slowly turn toward Snape, a hardened look frozen on his chiseled features. "Professor, I––I'm sorry, I didn't mean to––" "Sit. Down." He says firmly, your insides waking at his sternness. You slip into the chair in front of his desk, your eyes looking down as you blink back tears, knowing you let him down by revealing your secret.

          "What exactly is it that brought you barging into my office with such...familiarity in front of my colleague?" he says, his tongue eloquently shaping every word as it leaves his beautiful lips. You look up at him, your cheeks still red with anger from Josh's actions. "Professor, I came for your help." His eyes soften, the crease between his brow easing at the sight of your watery eyes. "My help?" he asks softly.

          "Yes, I wanted to ask you to obliviate Josh's memory of Rupert kicking his ass so he can't get him expelled." Severus' eyes fill with a look of amusement, suppressing the urge to smile. "As well as Filch, so he keeps his dirty little nose out of other people's business," you spit hotly. "Y/n, you know that's forbidden." "Yeah, well so is fucking my professor and using veritaserum on your students, but we've done both," you say, shrugging sassily.

          His brows arch slightly at your sudden outburst. He finally lets out a soft chuckle. Standing and circling his desk, he comes to your seated form. His hand reaches down and gently strokes your cheek and you look up at him. "She has spirit," he says with a soft smile. His tongue clicks, "And a naughty tongue."

          His dark eyes flash down to your mouth momentarily then back up to your eyes. "I will see what I can do for Rupert," he says, his index finger pointing strictly at you, "without the use of forbidden tactics," He gently tucks your hair behind your ear. "You will, Professor?" Your eyes light at his words. "Of course, Darling. You can always come to me for help," his eyes softly watching your face as he leans against his desk, facing you. "Though I might recommend waiting until you're sure we're alone to call me by my first name," his languid tone scolds.

          You feel special, cared for in a way no one ever has. This simple act of favor on your behalf, on your friends' behalf, means more than he could know. Something about him using his position of power to help you and others makes you want to strip him down.

          Instead you ask, "So...about Professor McGonagall. What are we going to do? Will you lose your position?" worry suddenly replacing the gratitude in your expression, your teeth biting your lip to restrain your emotion. He lifts your chin to look at him, "Do not concern yourself with this, little one. I will handle it," he says reassuringly. You don't know how it could be handled, how your mistake had not cost him his position in the school...how you could stay together. But somehow you trust him.

          "Professor...is she really that good at reading a lie? Or am I that bad at telling one?" Snape smirks, "You really are just absolute rubbish at it," his deep voice chuckling when you laugh, his eyes watching every detail of your face as you do.