The Deepest Desire of our Hearts (Severus Snape fanfic) (Watty Awards 2012)

Chapter 2- To dwell on dreams

Author’s note: Thanks so much to everyone who commented/voted on chapter 1. I so loved hearing from you all!

I dedicate this chapter to gamecow, for being the first person to comment on chapter 1 and also for reading all of my Severus-related stories. She’s such an amazing fan of mine, and I so appreciate having her as a reader. Thank you, gamecow!

As you may have noticed this chapter is shorter than the previous one (it is only 3 A4 pages long). However, I promise that the remaining chapters will be at least twice as long as this one, so I hope that makes up for it a little ;) Despite its length, I hope you still enjoy the chapter!

The deepest desire of our hearts

Chapter 2- ‘To dwell on dreams’

      It has been many years since I ‘turned spy’ for Albus. However, the night following my first glimpse of the Mirror of Erised, I experienced a different side to being a ‘spy’ than I was used to. Considering there was no chance of me being punished or tortured whilst attempting to eavesdrop on two of my students, this was far easier and less consequential to the forms of spying I was used to. Nevertheless, I felt foolish for engaging in such behaviour. But it was necessary; they deserved it, because when you leave your dormitory in the middle of the night to return to a room housing a valuable and magical mirror, one should expect a staff member to know of your whereabouts. It made me cringe when I reluctantly acknowledged to myself that the only reason I was aware of their location was because I myself was headed to the very same room.

There, I said it.

       As I wasn’t ‘blessed’ enough to have inherited an invisibility cloak from my father, I was forced to hide in a nearby classroom whilst two pairs of feet shifted along the floor. Typical Potter had to show his sidekick what he’d discovered, and had thus encouraged Weasley to disobey the rules too.

Perfect.

From my pathetic hideout, I could hear the two boys’ voices, but could not make out what they were saying. They both sounded exuberant as they took turns to have their deepest desires reflected back at them.

      Curious as to what they could see, I eased my way out of the classroom, careful not to make a sound, and approached the door. It had been ten minutes since they arrived, and they were still in there debating over whose turn it was in front of the mirror. I wished I could call them pathetic for fighting over something so trivial, but I couldn’t; I had half a mind to enter the room, deduct house points, and send them back to their dormitories just so I could take their place. But no, I did not want them knowing that I knew of the room; I couldn’t have them question what my deepest desire was. No, they could never find out- or even speculate.

       And so, I waited for them to leave, all the while knowing that I should be putting myself on detention for eavesdropping on something so private. I was ashamed to say that I wasn’t discreet in my tactics; I allowed my head to peer around the door every so often, so I could watch them.

In fact, I couldn’t bring myself to look away until fifteen minutes later when…

“Good evening, Severus.” I flinched at the sudden whisper near my ear.

I pulled my head out of the room, and then sharply turned around to the face the Headmaster.

“Jesus, Albus you scared the hell out of me!” I hissed, angry at him for sneaking up on me, but also at myself for being caught in such a position.

“My apologies, Severus. Were you waiting for the right time to intervene and send them back to their dormitories?”

“Yes,” I lied with ease, “but-”