Mendacity: Book One (Severus Snape)

Chapter 14

Verita's POV

I walked sluggishly to Herbology, my body and mind feeling exhausted.

Why did I kiss him?

It's simple, I thought as I tried to extract the Snargaluff pods like I was meant to. You like him.

I sighed to myself. That's when I felt several sharp thorns jab into my arm, circulating around my wrist.

"Uh, Professor Sprout-"

"Oh, gosh!" The Professor pried the plant off me, passing me a cloth to hold on it, "Get to Madam Pomfrey immediately!"

"Alright," I said, clutching the cloth around my wrist, feeling the sting of pain, "I'm sorry, Professor."

I headed straight there, but not without bumping into someone first. I looked up, about to apologise, when I noticed that it was none other than Severus Snape.

"S-sorry," I mumbled, looking at the ground. We hadn't interacted properly ever since he said that we had to stay an act. Our lessons weren't interactive at all since I had basically mastered wandless magic. I couldn't find it in me to look him in the eyes.

"Verita," he said, picking up my hand in his own, "Herbology?"

I nodded gingerly, pulling my hand away from his. I winced as his fingers trailed along the cloth.

"What are you waiting for?" He asked as he pushed on the small of my back, making me shiver at his touch. I felt tingles go up my spine.

"Don't touch me," I growled, "You made it clear that's only to be done when acting."

Severus sighed deeply, shutting his eyes for a few seconds, "I'm sorry."

"Funny, that's the second time you've apologised to me in-"

"Go!" He shouted, "I'm your professor, and I won't let you speak to me like that."

I rushed away from him, but he called after me,

"Lesson after you get sorted out."

I made it to Madam Pomfrey who had me healed up in no time. All I had now was a bandage around my wrist.

"You're lucky it didn't cut into your veins," she told me as she passed me some ointment and cream to put on it when I changed the bandage, "Nasty things, those Snargaluffs are."

I thanked her and headed to Professor Snape's class, much to my dismay. I got there to see that he already had a class. I backed away from the open door, sitting on the windowsill opposite it.

I groaned loudly. Was he serious? He wanted me to wait around for him?

"Verita."

I looked up and of course, he was there.

"Don't abandon your class," I said.

"I want you to come in and help me."

"What?" I stared at him in shock.

"I want you to show them the Riddikulus spell," he said plainly as he grabbed my arm and pulled me into his classroom.

"We are heading to another room," he said emotionlessly. The class packed up and Severus and I lead them to a room I didn't recognise.

Judging from the cupboard in front of us, this was likely to be where the third years always expelled their Boggarts. It was similar to what I had done in Beauxbatons.

Severus gestured for me to speak, and despite the anxiety pooling in my stomach, I began to speak.

"So, who can tell me what a Boggart is?" I asked the third-years.

I pointed to the first person who raised their hand, who answered, "It's essentially somebody's worst fear."

Snape and I nodded, "And can anyone tell me what the Riddikulus spell does?"

"It rids of the Boggart," someone said without raising their hand. It was a Gryffindor, and Severus unsurprisingly took ten points from their house.

"Right," I said, "Here we go."

I readied myself, and Snape released my Boggart.

I regretted doing this instantly.

Before me was Severus with another woman, a ginger one. They were holding hands and laughing. I didn't know who she was, but Snape destroyed the Boggart himself.

I ran out, letting the tears fall freely and my sobs were too loud for me to hear someone shouting out my name behind me.