Sincerely, Yours My Half-Blood Prince Book 1 (Severus Snape x OC )

Chapter 18: Familiar Faces

(Time Skip)
December 13
I had been two weeks, or was it three. I couldn't remember the days have been blissful and everything I had ever wanted.
Since we had started dating, I would often be greeted in the morning by Severus smiling face while the children received scowls.
I sat in the classroom, grading the children's finals, happy at how many first years passed were passing in my class.
Today would also be the last day the astronomy teacher and I would have classes. And the first semester was wrapping up already.
I felt quite overwhelmed about how many events had happened in three months. Coming here, I wanted a new and quiet life apart from the Ministry, who was seeped with horror and darkness.
However, I did not mind the memories I made.
A smile went over my face thinking about Severus and I. We had done our best to keep our relationship under wraps, but we have had a couple of close calls.
When I had gone to Hogsmeade with Remus the next day, he seemed to question, but he did not go any further than need to be.
It wasn't till we reached the lodge that he wanted to say something, but I had a prior engagement with the owner.
I frown at what that man had said.
My mind goes back, picturing what had happened.
I looked at this man who seemed somewhat similar to Dumbledore. However, he also seemed very similar to somewhere else.
"So you're the ministry puppet—the goddesses of war. Awfully young, aren't you," he said bitterly. His beard was still relatively brown and not as silver as Dumbledore.
"Was now under new management. Athena Cullens and your name," I reached out my hand. I put on a warm smile.
He did not want to give my name nor shake it. He grumbled, and I took this as to sit down.
Alright, then not much of a people person.
Sitting down on the chair, we begin to talk.
It was a simple conversation; don't tell anyone what has happened here. This is a significant risk. The goodwill outway the bad.
I worked for the Ministry for Merlin's sake. I have been through this; it was nothing new.
As i was about to leave, he grabbed my wrist.
"Listen, you are a young woman; you have your life ahead of you. You have done your part, and both James and Lily would be proud of what you did."
I was confused about why he was bringing them up. "How did you know them. Were you part of the Order of Phoneix with them?"
He looked at me and nod. "I was just as surprised as you were." He gave a somewhat warm look that caught me by surprise. "I have heard you were a great Auror. But why didn't you become part of the order back then."
I gave a cold smile, "I was not needed." And that is what it came down to. I never needed it until now.
I looked back to find a knock on the door to find a smiling Severus. His shiny black eyes stared at me in a loving matter.
He then began to close the door and seemed delighted at whatever he had.
He looked loving and amazing.
I gave him a look. "What are you smiling about?" My lips parted, giving back a smile.
He walked in with hands behind his back. Severus shook his head.
"I was just thinking about how lovely you look." He gave a slight smile. "Especially losing to me." Severus' eyes gleamed mischievously.
I suck my teeth, looking at him, surprised by his statement. "Oh, I know that I am lovely. And that is because I am winning."
I looked at the papers and put my hands over it. I was looking at Severus with an evil grin.
"What was your class average?" I looked at him.
He pulled out a paper behind him that listed the first year-children grades.
I gave him mine that was on top, and we swapped. We were both eagerly excited to see who had one the best.
Yes, we had gotten together, but that did not affect how we were planning the bet. The competition was healthy in a relationship. In ours, that is.
Looking at it, we both grinned, looking at the paper. My smile widened, and I watched Severus as his smile went grim.
"What is wrong, Severus. Is there something the matter?" I looked at him with my gleaming eyes and a wide smile.
Grabbing one of the test packets with answers, I walk over to him, waiting for him to respond.
Severus gave me a slide look, not wanting to say anything. I walk up and tiptoe to the paper seeing his face.
He looked over at my face, "You cheated." Severus made an outrageous accusation.
I gave him the paper, which was the test with answers. "I don't think so."
He quickly took the paper and looked up and down, flipping through the pages. Severus's face went bright for a second, then went sour.
"You cheeky women," his voice rang out. Severus turned to me.
I put on a surprised voice. "Me? What? A cheeky woman? I feel hurt." I began to press my hand against my chest. "You have wound me, Severus, whatever shall I do."
I close my eyes, leaving one eye open.
He put his hand over his head, messaging his temples.
"Oh, Severus, are you reflecting on your behavior? how chivalrous of you." I cup my hands together and bat my eyes, laughing at this gesture, trying to be serious.
"What do you want, Athena?" Severus' voice was defeated, which I found the most beautiful thing.
To see his defeated face was the best.
"How do you feel about plays?" I looked at him with eager eyes.
He looked over me, his eyebrow-raising. "What kind of play." His voice dragged on like a low lullaby to me.
A wide smile was on my face. "A muggle musical play." I relished as he knew what he had gotten into.
I grabbed his hand, reassuring him as he stared at me with those annoyed and seeming to be not wanting this.
Severus then looked at my face and let out a small smile. He brought me in and hugged my waist. I wrapped my arms around him as we stood there, looking at each other in the eyes.
"I am not too fond of plays," he said in a low tone.
I smiled, "I know."
"Especially musicals," he said in a small smile.
I nodded, giggling, "Yes, I know they drive you crazy, but."
His eyebrow lifted in a flirtatious way. "But?"
I trailed my fingers from his chest till I touched his nose. "I won the bet."
He smiled, "That indeed."
He bent down and gave me a small peck on the lips.
As we parted, I put on a wide smile. "You are not getting out of it with a kiss."
"Drats," he looks away.
We both laughed.
"So, what are you planning for the Winter break?" His voice coos out to me.
I put a small smile. "I have a Christmas eve party I do every year, but Christmas day is usually full. Would you like to come to it?"
In the back of my mind, I tried not to be hopeful in his response. Yet I really wanted him to come.
"I would love to, but I have a get-together at the Malfoy mansion, unfortunately."
My body cringed at the thought of him seeing him again.
He noticed this reaction, but I was not willing to explain the situation. I began to see the sky darken.
"My goodness, looks at the time I am going to be late for Professor Sinistra's class." I begin to get my wand and to put away pacers, and to grab my coat.
Walking away, i felt a slight tug and looked at my wrist. Severus was holding me and reeled me back, kissing me on the cheek.
"Don't get in trouble. You Gryffindors often have no trouble doing that." He said teasingly.
"What me? Trouble is something I have never heard of." I say, smiling, walking away.
I go up to the astronomy tower to find the other students and Aspen.
"Hello, Ms. Cullens," they said in a cheerful tone. Their eyes twinkled, and they seemed to be in a very good mood.
I put on a bright smile. "Hello, Aspen! You seem to be in a very good mood?" I bend down to reach eye level with them.
They reached behind their hand and gave me a small silver necklace in a diamond shape.
"Oh my Aspen, where did you get this." I twirled the necklace around. "Is this for me? I pointed to myself?
Aspen nodded happily.
"Yes, I say it on my trip to Hogsmeade, and I thought you would look pretty in it." Their voice was sweet and warm, making me almost melt.
If i were ever to have a child, I wish they were like them.
"Thank you, Aspen." I smile, touched by this gift.
They nodded and went back to class. I twirled the necklace and thought back to my conversation with Remus.
When I had my weekend with Remus, he could smell something, but he did not ask until Halloween, the day of Lily and James Death.
"Why do you smell like that," he pointed at me as I sipped my Bettle Berry whisky.
Looking at him, my face contorted. "Smell like what?"
I sniffed my shirt, which I knew was one that I had not where around Severus. He shook his head.
"No, your skin. It has a slight scent of Severus. Have you guys become a...hic an item." Remus said in a sloshy tone since he was getting somewhat drunk after only two Bettle Berry whisky.
I shook off his comment.
"Come on, Severus and I, that ship sailed long ago." I sipped my whisky.
He nodded, laughing. "Yeah, the way he left you there was cold." He slumped.
"I get it," I said, somewhat pissed off.
He continued to go on. "Like the man that was cruel."
I nodded, drinking my whisky, ordering for another one.
"Even Azkaban seems like something nicer than the way," his voice seemed to contain giggles.
"I get it!" I slam the table. He becomes startled by this action.
"Okay, I get it. I am sorry." He seemed to be smiling now. "Let me get you another drink to make it up for you."
I giggled. Shaking my head, I begin to pick him up.
"I think we should take you off." I took him out of the Leaky Cauldron till we got to the Inn.
As I had put him in his bed, I decided to make my way out of the room to Godric hall.
Closing my eyes, I pictured the graveyard to where they were.
My body began to move, and I was starting to Apparate into the graveyard. Opening my eyes, I found myself in front of two gravestones.
James Potter and Lily Evans-Potter, which read on the two headstones.
I smiled weakly at them. "Hello, Lily. James. It has been a whole year, hasn't it. Umm, I started working for Hogwarts now."
I smiled, shaking my hands, which I immediately put down since I felt awkward.
"Anyways, I have heard about Harry." I pull out from my coat a picture of Harry that Dumbledore had given me that night.
"Doesn't he look big? He has your eyes, Lily. And sadly, your ugly mug James." I laughed a bit at this statement.
He would have laughed.
My eyes grew teary. "So I wanted to tell you some exciting news. I am not supposed to tell anyone, but since we want to keep it a secret, but I had to because I felt like I had to."
I fidgeted a bit, looking at the gravestones.
"I have been seeing someone, and you would never guess who." I smiled brightly. "If you guessed Severus, you are right?"
I laughed a little as hot tears streamed down my face.
"I know he is an arse James, but he has changed. And Lily, I know you would have been so happy to see much how he has changed."
The silence had gotten to me.
"I missed you. I wish you guys were here again."
I looked up to the sky, not wanting the tears to go down entirely.
"I know I shouldn't cry, Lily. If you would see me now, you would probably be upset at me for being a crybaby."
I had stayed there for a good hour looking up at the sky, failing to stop the tears from rolling down my face.
A loud screamed is heard. I look up now back in the classroom.
I turn to find ice forming in the classroom. The children were behind Professor Sinistra, and I rushed over, grabbing my wand.
"Protego," I yelled out as a spell was shooting towards some children.
It bounced off the shield, and a tall person in a long black coat was hitting me with spells over and over again.
The children behind me look so scared.
Aspen lunged behind me, scared of what was going on. I heard grunts out in the distance. Another hooded figure attacked Sinistra, who seemed to be fighting off with another batch of children behind her.
I knew what I had to do.
"Aspen, you are going to have to lead the children out of this room and get Dumbledore and Professor Snape." My voice was severe, and I looked at her sternly.
They shook their head, too scared to respond.
"Aspen!" They turned to me with their lovely eyes. "Be brave like a Hufflepuff."
Their face changed into one full of determination. They nodded and waited for my signal
I had grabbed my wand and shot some distraction spells until they were taken off guard.
"Stupify," I yelled out, and a red light hit the person
"NOW!"
When the hooded cloak person had fallen back, the children led by Aspen began to leave towards the exit.
Once the children were all gone, I had gone to Professor Sinistra to help the children who stuck with her.
She noted this action and brought the children to my side to let them out, but before I could do that, I was hit with a spell causing ice to form.
The children and Professor Sinistra, we're covered in ice, frozen in a state of fear. I looked at the two figures before me, and they put down the hoods.
"Miss us, Athena, " an ugly grumble said.
My eyes widened as I looked at the man. His features were somewhat distorted, but I knew who he was. Looking at the other person, I could tell he was one of the boys that Lucious hung around with our younger years.
"But how? I thought you were dead."
The familiar mm smile. "Oh, I was, you know, faking my death, but I heard someone came back and started snooping around where they shouldn't. And I am here just to tie up loose ends."
They put their hoods back on.
"We seemed to be doing our job well."
I looked at him, confused, was he going to kill me. No, they would have done it by now; it is a distortion.
He smiled, "You caught on. Clever girl, but that means we got to leave."
The door is soon being banged down.
"Perfect timing!"
He looked at me with a devilish grin. "Before I forget. I wouldn't want you remembering and telling everyone what you saw. Or Sirius and the other death eaters may try to kill me."
His gaze was wicked and cruel.
"Peter..." The spell cast by him stopped me
My mind went blank, and the world became black as the ice soon consumed me, and the thoughts in my mind began to fill.
***
Thank you for everyone who has been with me in this journey.
I will be taking a small break before starting the second book.
Thank you again and hoped you enjoyed!