Prohibition | Severus Snape

A Crack in the Wall

Severus still had his arms firmly laced around Sofia as she stared at him. Squinting his eyes he doubted that what she was about to say would make any sense. 

"Sofia, you need to sit down."

"No. I know where it is." She repeated. Her wide eyes circled the room as she stepped away from his arms. Sofia folded her hands together and held them close to her mouth, her eyes dragging from the floor to Severus' face. She looked pale for just a second longer before the colour in her face begun to come back, pure joy suddenly completely overtaking her. Although her eyes still depicted traces of stress, her face beamed with a wild smile. With a bounce in her step, she walked up to Severus placing a quick kiss on his lips. Severus suddenly became absolutely bewildered instead of her, as he felt her lips on his. As she kissed him he furrowed his eyebrows thinking of how on earth someone could possibly go from being completely frail and helpless to so overjoyed. After Sofia separated herself from Severus, he couldn't help the small smile on his lips as Sofia focused on trying to piece words together. "You did it, Severus."

"I didn't do anything, now would you please explain whatever this is...?" he quirked an eyebrow as Sofia vigorously shook her head. 

"No, you don't understand. The painting Severus-"

"What painting Sofia?" 

"-the painting above my bed" She sighed. "Remember the day that you took me to see my father in Azkaban?" Sofia watched as Severus softly nodded, still utterly confused as to what was going on. "-when I was talking to him, he went on and on about some siren Sofia that he had apparently met when he was at sea." Severus still looked confused as he watched her begin to pace in his office. "My father hated the sea, he was terrified of it. But in that cell, he went on about some red-haired siren... Years ago, he gave me a painting as a gift. It thing above my bed. A painting of a beautiful red-haired mermaid, and a pirate ship. I was overjoyed and-"

"Are you trying to tell me that he was referring to this painting when he was speaking to you in Azkaban?"

"Of course!" She exclaimed. "If this watch was so important to him, even if he were to go completely mad he would still never talk about 'sailing across the Atlantic'." She mocked her father as she continued to pace around the office. "His mind must have harboured the memories of where he hid the watch in some strange way, that siren must be the only thing that reminds him of the watch." Sofia exhaled as she finished. She waited for Severus to have a euphoria moment like her, or to at least smile but he just stood there, emotionless.

"You are telling me, this whole time, the watch was hidden behind a painting in your childhood home?" Severus was in disbelief and frankly sounded a little annoyed. He folded his arms over as Sofia vigorously nodded at him, almost in excitement. "And here... I have been pointlessly putting myself into almost random locations all over the United Kingdom?" He quirked an eyebrow at Sofia. Sofia could sense that he was agitated, she had hoped his question was just a rhetorical question. She was aware that Severus had spent months trying to figure out where this object was, now months of vigorous work became both useless and resolved in one instant. 

"Well, when you put it like that..." Sofia mused as Severus started to become almost angry. 

"We have to go, now. We need to get it tonight. I will speak to Albus." He stated frantically as he grabbed his wand and headed for the door. 

"Severus what about-" Before she could finish, Severus had already left. She stood there alone in his office, confused, she had hoped for a shower, or maybe some sleep. Feeling a dull ache in her head she rolled her eyes. She knew how important this must have been for him and, well, of course, the impending threat in itself... She sighed as she tried to make herself look presentable before slowly making her way over to Albus' office. Before she could even enter, she heard Albus loud voice, from the hallway. Quickly stepping in, she saw Severus leaning over the desk as Albus looked visibly annoyed.