Frolic

Chapter 12

Severus returned to the castle from his meeting by the willow tree, snow settling on his dark robes like scattered salt. The warmth of the entrance hall enveloped him as ice crystals dissolved from his clothing. His thoughts remained focused on hi...

Chapter 11

Severus slipped into Potions early, heart thudding against his ribs like a trapped bird. The dungeon classroom sat empty and silent, smelling of dried herbs and lingering traces of yesterday's brewing, comfrey root and salamander blood. Fam...

Chapter 10

"Badly," he said finally. "It ends very badly."

"For who?"

"For everyone. But especially for you."

The silence in the hidden alcove felt heavier than the stone walls surrounding them. Severus pressed his back against the cool m...

Chapter 9

Severus slipped from the passage into the Restricted Section, his mind racing with dangerous possibilities. Dumbledore's knowing look after the Transfiguration incident haunted him, the headmaster suspected far more than was safe. In the se...

Chapter 8

Severus arrived early to Transfiguration, selecting a seat that provided a clear view of both the entrance and the windows, a habit born from decades of vigilance that his fifteen-year-old body couldn't seem to abandon. The classroom gradually fil...

Chapter 7

"—just stared at Potter and he fell backward—"

"—didn't even draw his wand—"

"—eyes glowing like a curse—"

The corridors buzzed with whispers by dinner. Severus caught fragments as he made his way to the Grea...

Chapter 6

"Over the past four years, the Marauders had compiled a list: Snape's 'oddities.' The way he sometimes moved with a duelist's precision no student should have. His eyes—too old, too knowing. The advanced magic he casually performed. T...