Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-11-

There aren't many students walking around the hallways at this time of the evening. By every step I take towards the Potions classroom, my heart beats faster. Why am I nervous? Trying to reason with myself it's because I'm such a people pleasure and meeting with the one person who doesn't really like me makes me feel this way. Ended up putting on a black top with a beige cardigan and black jeans. This will do. I'm only going to be in there like five minutes or so. Right when the clock strikes seven, I'm in front of the Potions classroom's door. Okay, here we go. Giving couple gentle knocks on it. No answer. I give two more, this time with little bit heavier hand. The door swings open and the Potions Master stands right in front of me, looking down on me:"Heard you the first time.". "Sorry..." I try to smile. Without a word, he turns around and walks deeper into the classroom, and I follow him.

After closing the door behind, I started to think if this is a good idea after all. I mean, I do want to know who poisoned me, but the idea of someone invading in my thoughts and memory might not be as fun as I thought it might be. Snape goes behind his desk and looks down to read something. Seems he was in middle of something before I arrived. Even I'm on time, just like he insisted. I just stand near the door awkwardly, not knowing what to say or do. Fidgeting my fingers:"...I have been meaning to thank you.". That made him lift those dark eyes from the desk up to me. His stare makes me more nervous for some reason, but I try to push that aside and continue:"About what you did last week. I..-", "Don't bother." he lowers his eyes back to the desk. "Before we start, I need to finish this." Snape sits down and starts writing something down. "Sure, take your time." I reassure and start looking around the room.

The all kinds of bottles and jars around the room looks interesting. "How long have you been teaching Potions?" I ask while staring at the bottles on the shelves. No answer. Can only imagine how he glares at me once and goes back to the writing. To avoid the awkward silence, I keep talking:"I was just wondering, since I didn't have you as my professor. Horace Slughorn was the one who taught me.". "Then you must've come to Hogwarts after I graduated." Snape answers for my surprise without lifting his gaze from the desk. Then I turn around to face him with a smile, feeling happy to actually hear him talking:"What did you do after you graduated?". He stops writing for a quick moment. "I... Did some traveling." he answer and continues to write. "Oh, that sounds nice." I turn back to the shelves. Seven years of traveling. This man must've seen a lot.

"Did you always knew you were going to teach Potions when you were younger?" I ask. Without taking his eyes off of the parchment:"You have awfully lot of questions, Miss (Y/L).". Realizing that too, so I whisper:"Sorry.". In silence, I keep looking all of the books he has. One particular book catches my eye on the top shelf. A book that tells about plants under water and everything relating to it. "Woah! Is that the book that has gillyweeds in it?" I ask. Snape once again lift his eyes from the desk to glare at me:"Yes.". "Can I borrow it?" glancing over my shoulder to look at him. "If you must..." he says with monotonic tone. Excited, I try to reach for it, but it's way too high. Even I got on my tiptoes, I can't reach it. Damn it. Just when I'm about to pull out my wand, I feel someone's presence right behind me. Huh? Standing so close, leaving barely any space between us, Snape casually takes the book out of the top shelf. My heart skips a beat and face goes red.

He hands the book while glaring down on me:"A week.". Looking back at him confused:"H-huh?". "I'll give you a week to read it. After that, bring it back here." he says and walks away from me. Still startled by the heart skipping, I look after him:"Right.". "Now, let us begin." Snape takes off his long cape and puts it aside. Slight panic hits and I clear my throat a bit:"Alright.". He grabs a chair and puts it in middle of the class. While he gets the wand, I place the book down to the desk and go sit down the chair. My heart keeps beating faster and faster. I'm so nervous. "There is nothing to be nervous about, Miss (Y/L)." Snape says while having his back facing me, making me question if I actually said it all out loud. "Ah, I'm-I'm fine." I try to sound like this is everyday for me. "There is no point of lying. I can read your current thoughts without the wand." he reveals. My jaw about to drop to the floor:"What?! Really?!".