sister of the wolf | s. snape

twenty-three | never

That conversation stuck with Elise the following days like a leach on her brain. What didn't help was that Severus was, in fact, spending a lot more time with Slytherins. The dodgy ones, at that; Malfoy, Mulciber, Rosier, Lestrange, and Bellatrix.

Tonight, he'd seemed to manage to make some time for Elise. And she planned on figuring some shit out.

It was a warm spring night and Elise climbed her way up the Astronomy tower around ten, once everyone had surely fallen asleep. She wore her yellow plaid pajama pants with a black t-shirt and some slippers that looked like plushie rats - a present from Peter for her birthday one year.

Severus' tall, thin silhouette was already standing up by the railing, his jaw-length black locks blowing in the very slight breeze.

She joined his side, looking up at him. He truly was so beautiful to her; the moonlight making his skin look even more like porcelain and his inky eyes staring out at the grounds, before turning to her. A small smile spread on his lips at the sight of her.

But the dark, sunken circles around his eyes made her brows furrow. He looked so tired; worn, even. An uneasiness settled in the pit of her stomach.

At her unhappy reaction to seeing him, Severus frowned and turned his body towards her, reaching over to pet her hair.

"Is something wrong, dear?" He muttered as his eyes scanned over her with worry.

Elise cleared her throat and shook her head. "No," she replied softly, facing him. "What about you? You seem... exhausted."

Severus sighed, looking away from her once again and back out at the dark Forbidden Forest in the distance.

"Don't worry yourself about me," he spoke quietly. "I'm just a little stressed about returning home soon."

Elise frowned, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers in an attempt of comfort. She knew his home life wasn't good, though she was unsure of the extent of it.

"How... how bad is it there?"

Severus gave a dry chuckle, squeezing her hand. "My father is not a kind and gentle person," he said simply, peering down at her with an admiring smile. "Not like you, anyways."

Elise half-smiled, but wasn't eager to let him redirect the conversation. She reached her free hand up to caress his cheek.

"Does he hurt you, Severus?"

"It's nothing I can't handle." He said shortly, but leaned his face into her small hand.

She nodded, deeply worried, but deciding to not push it for the time being. Especially since the subject she intended to bring up after was somehow going to be even more touchy.

"I need to talk to you about something." She said suddenly, forcing the words out so she couldn't chicken out.

Severus' brows scrunched together as he stared down at her questioningly, taking both of her hands in his now.

"What about?"

Elise breathed out a long, slightly shaky breath. She found herself unable to meet his eyes for a second as she mentally pulled herself together to have this conversation.

"Voldemort."

His brows shot up and she could have swore he flinched a bit, so she forced her gaze back up to his eyes. They flickered between unease, nervousness, and confusion.

"Merlin, Elise..." He breathed out after a moment of silence, shaking his head. "What about... him?"

Her tone was surprisingly firm and unwavering as she continued to speak, not breaking their eye contact.