Title: A Flair for the Dramatic
Fandom/Pairing/Prompt: Harry Potter Severus/Harry 018. First Kiss
Rating: R
Summary: Snape wants nothing more than be left alone. Hopefully Harry, Dumbledore, and some insane chess pieces can convince him otherwise.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters.
Word Count: 5601
Beta: notplainjane, and carpetdiemon. Any mistakes within are mine, not their's!
--
"This stuff tastes like shite, but it gets the job done."
Severus shook his head before taking another shot of his cheap whiskey, showing no visible signs that it was even affecting him. Harry hated that about the other man. Severus could just drink and drink. You wouldn't even know anything was out of the place, unless you knew the man relatively well; he was the polar opposite of the young man sitting directly across from him. Harry didn't consider himself a lightweight, but once he was good and drunk, he was an open book. Little had the Dark Lord known that the key to defeating Harry Potter laid merely in giving him a few rum shots; the final battle would have ended a lot sooner, with quite a different result.
"You know," Harry said. Only when Severus turned his attention away from his glass to meet his eye did Harry continue his train of thought. "I think I figured out what's wrong with this world." He took another shot, shaking his head as if to make the burn disappear faster. Severus waited a few more moments before realizing that Potter was waiting for his input.
"What is that, All-Knowing One?" Yes, Severus was drunk.
"People always conzen- concentera- worry about how people are different from them. Maybe if we thought about how we're all the same, life would be more peaceful." Severus gave him that trademark raised eyebrow; the one Harry equally loved and despised.
"Especially you!" The older man rolled his eyes as he realized where this was going. "You always point out how we are different. Maybe you should look at what we have in common!" Severus wondered how the boy was going to fit that statement into his original argument, but once again he managed to wheedle it out. Ever since the boy had started working at Hogwarts, this had slowly become a weekly ritual. Potter came over with a bottle of hard liquor as a peace offering for his former professor, and after they were both good and smashed, he would try to convince Snape that he was in love with him. It been going on for over four months, but Harry was still going strong.
"Potter." Harry glared at the use of his surname. Severus gave every other professor the honor of a first name--even Neville--but Harry was always "Potter".
"Do we have to go through this every time?"
"Yes." Severus almost laughed at the pout on Harry's face.
"Do you realize we have nothing in common? I am old enough to be your father, for goodness sake."
"Yes, well…I feel as old as you look."
Severus snorted.
"Look we have plenty in common; we both like whiskey!"
"Yet your ability to hold your liquor is abysmal at best." Harry leaned forward in his chair. Severus could see that this was just the beginning of a very tedious battle.
"We both teach at Hogwarts!"
"If you can call the molly-coddling you give to this school's youth teaching, then yes, we are both teachers. However, even if we were on equal ground occupation-wise, you are considered the most sought-out teacher at this institution, whilst children run from my very presence." Harry's head fell into his hands. These arguments with Severus were never pleasant (even though deep-down he knew he wouldn't give them up for anything) but, he felt this point was going to take him somewhere.
"I'm not the favorite. I think Fleur has that position filled." Unfortunately, Severus had to concede to that argument. The part-Veela had quite a following among the students.
"Still, your fan club would be quite perturbed at the knowledge that their idol was wasting his nights down in the dungeons with their demon of a potions master." Harry snorted.
"I don't give a flying fuck what my students think." The younger man paused. "That's another one we have in common." Severus rolled his eyes and leaned toward his drink, watching as the boy mimics his actions. It burns considerably, tears sprouting from his eyes but he refuses to flinch; he is amused to see that Harry cringes considerably at the strong taste. He waits a moment letting the buzz in his head quiet down before placing the glass back on the table. Before he could answer with a snarky comeback to the boy's pitiful case, he was cut short by Harry's next point.
"We both have black hair." That was not one of his better ones, as shown by the ever-condescending eyebrow.
"Do I need to waste my breath defending the difference between our hair?"
"Like the fact that yours is beautiful and silky while mine is ugly?" Harry made a pout that stirred something in Severus even making his cheeks turn red; he prayed it was just the strong alcohol.
"Hardly. You have the type of hair that is very desirable to young women—" Or young men. Severus was taken aback by the sudden victorious grin plastered across the other's face.
"So, you like the way my hair looks?" Harry's voice was as low and sly as he could hope to achieve, drunken or sober. Severus was stunned into silence by the abruptness of the question, but managed to come back rather quickly, hoping the other failed in noticing his momentary slip.
"I never said that, you foolish boy, only that others might find it attractive if they should manage to overlook your disastrous personality." No matter the severity of his retort, there was no way Harry had managed to overlook that momentary pause. Severus felt like slapping his forehead, and, if it weren't so unbecoming an action, he would have done so, though he still let a groan escape.
"You think I'm pretty. I can't believe it!" Snape slammed his drink down on the table that separated the two of them. It was currently the only thing stopping him from the strangling the boy.
"You daft idiot! I was speaking of your bed-tussled hair, not your whole person!"
"So you do think my hair is pretty?"
"What…I…" Huh?
"Well, it only took four months for you to admit that. Who knows, it may only take a year for you to own up to the whole package. Hell, in five years we could even have sex."
If I'm lucky, I'll die before then.
"Get out, Potter, I cannot stand anymore of your foolishness tonight." Much to his surprise, Potter finished his drink, stood up, and grabbed his cloak. Not really comprehending why, but blaming it on a combination of potent liquor and extreme surprise, Severus stood up as well the boy to the door.
Wrapping himself up tightly in his cloak, the younger professor gave the other a sly glance.
"Thanks for the drink Severus. I had a great time and I hope you did too." Severus merely nodded. This was not the way this evening usually ended, and in fact, it had never ended this peacefully. These forced-but-grudgingly- accepted evenings between the two always ended with Harry storming out in a huff; the only variation being in whether or not he showed in his anger in projectiles aimed for Severus's head before hand. Yet, here he was, ending their night as if they were terribly close friends who had spent far too long reminiscing about the good old days while indulging in far too much alcohol, and completely ignoring the fact that not only were they not close, nor friends, but this night had been nothing more than a seduction attempt.
When Potter held out his hand, Severus actually, with only a smidgen of contempt, shook it. Then again, being a former spy, and even before that a typically paranoid man, he really should have known better.
The boy's rough hand gripped his own tightly, before pulling the taller man down to meet him in a kiss. While Severus was in too much shock by the boy's sudden attack to respond, Harry pressed against him, enjoying the kiss he had dreamed of since his schoolboy days, his body responding nicely to the sensations running through him. Severus finally pulled back his alcohol-addled mind back to reality and shoved the boy out the door.
"DAMMIT, POTTER!" Instead of looking put out, Harry merely licked his lips, and grinned. Severus slammed the door in his face.
He washed his hands of alcohol, nor would he allow the stupid brat anywhere near his personal quarters ever again. Life had thrown far too much foolishness at him for a lifetime, and he was determined to rid himself of any further notions of idiocy. Truthfully, he had had far too much flippant ideas pushed onto him in his life, and he was really quite ready for a release. As he undressed and prepared for bed, he lulled himself to sleep with dreams of Harry Potter leaving Hogwarts, for the second and hopefully final time, while he lived out his life sitting by the fire with a good book, alone. Just the way he wanted.
--
It took a whole two weeks before Severus gave in and found himself sitting in his favorite chair, while Potter sat across from him on the couch. A chess board sat between them; a few glasses, empty and full, sat strewn around the board. They had already played through a few games and still neither had mentioned the conclusion to their previous meeting.
The former spy had spent the two weeks as cautiously as he could, avoiding the staff room completely , along with the Great Hall, taking his meals in his room. And not only for the sake of avoiding the bane of his existence but also any other professor as well. He knew from experience that Albus, and to a certain extent Minerva, could practically read his mind just from the look on his face. Potter's stolen kiss, however, was something he definitely did not want them taking from his mind. If things went his way, he would take that memory to his grave, and, if Potter tried another stunt like it, he would be the one to succeed where years of rule-breaking, stupid heroic actions, and even the Dark Lord had failed.
"Your turn." Severus's head shot up as he noticed the amusing look that was being thrown his way. He simply glared and began planning his next move, refusing to look up when he heard a very un-masculine giggle.
"Be quiet, Potter. I'm trying to think."
"Wow, I can't believe you gave me an opening like that." That made Severus look up from the game. "If I had said something like that, you would have said something like 'Do not strain your brain too hard, Mr. Potter'."
Severus's lips quirked. "That was possibly the worst impression of me I have ever heard."
Harry smiled.
"Besides, I would have said, 'A rare occurrence to be sure.' If you're going to mock me, at least try to be accurate." Harry lowered his eyes down to the monotone checkered sheet, most likely trying--and failing--to hide his pout. He could pout all he wanted, Severus had a chess game to win.
Finally deciding on a move, he carefully picked up the black rook, intending to capture Harry's knight. The boy tended to leave his pieces completely unguarded. You would think that after the number of games they had played, he would have learned that Severus was ruthless in--
"We both fought in the war."
Severus dropped his rook and it howled at him in pletely ignoring the ranting piece he glared at the Harry. "What?"
"You know, that's something we have in common." Oh dear Merlin. This boy was going to be the death of him.
"Oh yes, you are correct in that, Potter. We both fought in the war against the Dark Lord, and that is where any similarities end. I spent the majority of the blasted event giving the Dark Lord information on you! If you are merely looking for another with whom to trade war stories, then may I remind you that there are plenty of men who risked their life on the front lines during the war, all of whom are much younger and nicer than I." He felt a small pain in his chest, like he had skipped a breath. Instead of backing down, the boy seemed to become energized, as if he been waiting for this moment the entire night; Knowing the boy, he most likely had.
"First, don't call me that."
Severus snorted, but Harry ignored it.
"Why not, it is your name isn't it?" That seemed to even rile the boy up even further.
"We work together! You call Minerva and Albus by their names!"
"Yes, and I have never taught either of them." The boy clinched his fists and Severus had a flash of memory, reminding him exactly what a Seeker's fist could do to his face or other remaining body parts. Severus was not amused to find that the memory was of another Potter who bared a strong resemblance to this one.
"Second, no one else could understand what we went through during that war. They all fought because they wanted to, to protect their loved ones and whatnot. But you and I, we didn't get a choice! It doesn't matter what side we were on, though we were both on the same side no matter what you say, we were just fucking pawns! Nothing more than bloody fucking pawns!" He finished his speech, which Severus concluded had been held in for quite a while, by slamming his fist down on the board, which a few howling pieces to the floor.
While the chess set wailed in indignation, the two men held each other's gaze, each trying to force the other to back down. Before one could break, the white king, defending his soldiers, bound over and bit Harry's hand. He howled in pain and jumped up, grabbing his hand in pain.
Serves him right, Severus thought smugly.
"Serves you right!" screamed the king as he fell to the floor, bounced across the floor to pick up and hold tightly to him the white queen, who was missing the lower half of her body, as she had a very dramatic death scene. Ignoring Harry, who was holding his hand and cursing, Snape watched the queen, as the other pieces gathered, white and black, and stood round her as she began to slowly grow weaker. She held her hand up to caresses the kings face as he wept over her.
"We shall always be together my king."
"No my love! You can't not leave me here!" She raised her hand to cup his face into one final kiss.
When her hand fell to the ground, all the pieces began to weep, the king howling up at the ceiling . Harry, still holding his injured hand, stared in frightened shock at the pieces.
"Did I...just...kill her?" Severus gave him a solemn glance, but before the boy could descend into hysterics, he snorted.
"Just watch." The rook brought forth the lower half of the queen's body and it quickly molded back into her body. She leaped from his arms, waving her arms around to show that she was whole, while the rest of the pieces rejoiced. The pawns danced circles around each other, and the knights hoisted the white queen and king up on their backs to parade them around. The black king and queen waved to them, wishing them well before beginning a snog session of their own.
Harry collapsed onto the couch, the pain in his heart diminishing, but the pain in his head just beginning. "What. The. Hell?"
Snape grabbed his glass, surprised that it had not been overturned as well, taking a long drink before turning to Potter.
"My chess set has always had a flair for the dramatic."
"No kidding."
Potter reached forward and poured himself another glass, taking a swig as he watched the pieces celebrate in the floor. They had found a few pieces of parchment, and were cutting them up into a small pile.
"Are they trying to start a bonfire?"
"Most likely. They've only managed it a few times."
"Oh. That's..." He paused for a moment tossing a few words around in his head, before finally choosing one. "...strange."
"Quite." The kings were now directing the pawns to go out and search for fuel; the rooks and bishops were responsible for continuing to tear the parchment up.
"Uh...Sorry about the game. I'd like to blame the alcohol, if that's okay with you." Severus nodded.
"Certainly. However, there is one thing I cannot let you get away with." Twin eyebrows rose before colliding together in confusion.
"For you to believe that the two of us were the only ones who were forced to fight in that war is an assumption that I cannot allow you to continue believing."
"I...uh...what?"
"We all had a choice, you and I included. You could have run, as I could have. Yes, we would have been tracked down and if caught, killed. Had it occurred to you at the time, you could have ran to the deepest holes in the world and hid away for the rest of your life, never knowing the outcome of our struggle. Would you have wanted that? To leave all your friends here to face Voldemort alone while you hid like a coward?"
Harry shook his lowered head while he toyed with his glass.
"No, I could never..." He trailed off softly and Snape prayed he did not just hear the boy sniff.
"That's the cold hard truth of the matter. Every person who fought had a choice, including you and I, but to make those choices would be unbearable. Those who fought to protect their families had to decide whether to fight or let their loved ones die, and if one truly cares for his family there is no choice in that matter. All those students who were here at Hogwarts during the final batter to fight or die, and for all purposes that is no choice either. Do you truly believe that the Death Eater's children who had been brought up since birth to take what their parents, and consequently the Dark Lord's, word as gospel truly had a choice in which side to take? They would take the mark or their parents would wash their hands of them, even kill them."
Potter gawked at him.
"You honestly believe that we were the only pawns? Everyone who fought in that war, no matter the side, were simply pawns of the Headmaster and the Dark Lord." Harry cradled his head in his hands. It took him a moment to calm himself before gracing Severus with a nervous smile.
"I'm a right prat, aren't I?" The look on his former professor's face caused him to bury his face once again in his hands. "I'm sorry. I'm being such an idiot right now."
Severus sat his glass down, a cold indifference washing over him.
"The worst part is that you act as if you are any better than any of the kings in this game." Harry blinked.
"I..uh...Huh?"
"Yes, that's right Potter. You, the precious Boy-Who-Lived-To-Whine. You are no better than them."
"What?" Harry was turning pale, but Severus continued on his anger fueling his words.
"Coming over to my quarters weekly, hoping to lower my inhibitions so you can lay forth your, I'm sure, well thought out seduction plan, forcing your feelings on me as if my preferences in the matter were insignificant!" Severus found himself standing while Harry gaped frightfully up at him.
"You're no better than that meddlesome old bastard! Pretending to consider my opinion but truthfully interested in nothing more than your own selfish gain!" He turned and began pacing, his anger pulsing through him. Yes, this is what he needed to stop the boy's foolish advances once and for all, so they could both go back to their old ways.
"You've sat there an piddled your foolish sap to me for months about how, because you are apparently infatuated with me, I should just give in to you. Obviously, since I am a greasy old man stuck alone in my dungeon I would jump at first sign of attention from the famous Harry Potter. It is perfectly okay for you to constantly bombard me with your presence because how could I not be inclined towards yourself, correct Potter? It is perfectly acceptable for you to force a-" He would not say kiss. "your lips on me because you are Harry bleeding Potter and I should worship the ground you walk on! Did it ever occur to you, Potter, even once that perhaps I was not even turned that way?" Harry opened his mouth to rebut but Severus would not have it.
"Of course it didn't. You just believe everything that damn old bastard says about how 'Love conquers all obstacles' or any other such nonsense. Did you think that if that situation would come up I would be so infatuated with you that I would turn gay just to be with you? Is that how you foresaw it?"
Harry only gaped at him.
"Did it ever occur to you--" Severus would likely never find out the answer to his question, for whatever may have not occurred to the boy, one thing did and that was that he had enough suffering for one night. Severus's question was halted as he watched the boy flee from his room, leaving his robe, half-empty glass , and any further belief of Severus's hidden feelings for him behind.
Shock led him to merely stare at his empty doorway until he registered what the boy had done.
Well...That's that then. He marched over and shut his door, and he vaguely compared the feeling he received to that of finishing a long and tiring novel. Finally. Good riddance.
Seeing the state his room was in, he continued back to the coffee table. He knew the elves would get the drinks, but Merlin knows what that chess set could do if left to its own devices. His fears were confirmed when he smelt smoke, and marching around the couch, he found a small bonfire blazing on his floor. Another annoyance for him that the boy had caused.
You're a lying bastard, and you know it. He froze midway to pick up the pieces. You made the boy think he somehow tricked you, but you had a choice all along. Even though you could have stopped him you allowed him into your quarters every time. The only victim in this situation is him.
"What?" His pieces jumped, startled, as his shout vibrated around the room. "Liar!"
You can't call your conscience a liar. That's just rude. Why did his conscience sound like Lucius? Did Lucius even have a conscience?
He stomped his foot on the fire, immediately putting it out. The tiny pieces drew arms and ran towards his boot, intent on attacking. Remembering the swelling of Harry's hand, he kicked them aside before summoning them to their box and locking it.
Now you're acting like a child.
"I'M NOT A CHILD!" He grabbed the half empty bottle of alcohol, chucking it across the room and letting it shatter against the wall. Wisely, his inner Lucius kept silent.
"I did nothing to the boy! In fact, I did him a favor. I've saved him once again, this time from himself."
As he was lying down in bed, content with his decision, he grumbled to himself.
"It's better this way."
Liar.
That voice wasn't Lucius, however. It was all his own.
--
If he had to hear one more person speak about how the great Harry Potter was depressed, he was most likely going to curse them. On his way from the Great Hall he decided that he would curse the first person he passed who was discussing the Boy-Who-Lived-To-Mope . Even the thought of it brightened him up, or as much as he could be brightened up, and he spent the rest of his trip back to his quarters debating the pros and cons of different curses.
"Well, good morning, Severus!" Severus looked up from his sinister plotting to find the Headmaster blocking his path. Even though his words were mild, his outfit was so bright, it was screaming. He gave a cordial nod.
"Headmaster." He attempted to navigate around the crazy old bat, but he was outmaneuvered.
"Oh, Severus, have you spoken to Harry lately?"
Truly, Merlin is deaf to my pleas.
"Considering he has spoken to no one in the last week, why in this damned mess of a world would you think that he would have broken his self-imposed isolation to speak to me?" Even though Severus spoke harshly, Dumbledore never lost his twinkle. The old man gave the potions professor a very fake sigh, and looked away.
"It's just so sad. The boy seems so depressed, and he won't tell anyone what seems to have caused this. Do you think it was something one of his student's has done?"
"Albus." Dumbledore turned his gaze back to the other man. "Would I be in jeopardy of losing my position if I were to curse you?" The amused beam sent his way did nothing to help his rising anger.
"Severus, if it would help, I give you my permission. Your position is safe as usual. Nothing too dangerous though; we have a staff meeting at noon." Severus almost gagged. It was no use trying to hurting the masochistic bastard; he would probably enjoy it. Once the headmaster recognized the disgusted look on the Severus's face he just chuckled before returning to the original discussion.
"I gathered from your mood, that you have not heard the sad news?" He had the man's attention.
"Yes?"
Another drawn out sigh.
Someone I hate better have died. Hopefully it was Black or that damn were--
"It seems Harry will be leaving us. "--wolf.
"What!"
Dumbledore just nodded sadly and continued.
"Yes, it is unfortunate but not completely unexpected. You have seen how he has been these last few weeks. He refuses to speak to anyone, including his godfather. He's only to be seen when he has come to teach class. It is regrettable, for he was the best defense teacher we have ever had, and now I must start looking for a replacement. It pains me greatly to see him go but it would pain me more to see him remain as he is."
Wonderful. Potter was leaving, just as he wanted. Not only would Severus now have his evenings to himself, but the brat would even be gone from the school. He wanted throw a party. At that thought, Severus's smirk was ripped from his face.
The only person he could think that he would invite to a stupid party is the damn scarred brat. Potter was the only one who came to his quarters anymore, save the Headmaster, the only person he could stand to drink with, and the only person whose company he could stand for longer than he was required to.
This is ridiculous Severus. You're getting yourself worked up over something juvenile. Why would you want to throw party in the first place? Isn't it much better to drink alone?
Of course he was right. Drinking alone was much more pleasurable than the brat's company--unless of course he counted the pleasurable conversation, and the pleasurable games, and the very pleasurable feeling of the boy's lips on his.
Shit.
"Severus?" Without a word towards the other, Severus stalked off down the hall towards Potter's quarters, leaving behind a very amused headmaster.
This was unacceptable.
-- Severus passed several people as he stormed through the castle, and the majority of them were smart enough to leap out of the way as he went; the one's that weren't simply bowled over. By the time Severus had swung open the door to Potter's door and stormed in, he realized two things at once; he had never been in the Potter's personal quarters, and he had absolutely no idea what he was going to say. Both thoughts were quickly torn from his attention as he spotted Potter standing beside his bed, packing his clothes tightly into a small suitcase on the bed, his back to Severus. They boy groaned without turning to face his sudden visitor .
"I told you, Sirius, I've made up my mind, and I'm not changing it." He moved to close the suitcase when he jerked around to face the intruder.
"Severus!" Severus's nails dug into Harry's shoulders as he fixed him with an intense gaze.
"What are you doing, Potter?" Each word was enunciated with precision, but each syllable was almost hissed.
"P-packing?" Severus laughed mirthlessly.
"Silly boy." Harry squeaked as he was thrown onto the bed, landing beside his suitcase. Before he could catch his breath, Severus's body was pinning him down. "I don't remember saying you could leave me."
Then Severus was kissing him. The dry, chapped lips Harry had dreamed about for so long were slamming into his, making a mockery of the brief kiss they had shared a few short weeks ago. That had been short, sweet; it left Harry feeling warm inside. But this kiss, this kiss set his whole body on fire, tearing through his veins like a powerful aphrodisiac that would send him into a brainless, lust-driven puddle that could only moan, cry, and beg for more and more. In fact, that didn't sound like such a bad idea.
Severus's talented mouth began moving down Harry's neck, his hands trailing even lower and he forgot what all previous thoughts.
It was everything Harry had ever hoped it would be. The older man's hands were as skilled as he had dreamed, covering every inch of theyounger man's body. His skilled tongue nearly sent the man over the edge twice; once from merely speaking. Their bodies fit perfectly together, molding against the other in the constant desire to touch the other. His lower anatomy was just as thick and long as he imagined and it fit snuggly inside him, making him feel complete. The way the man grunted out his name after every thrust was like hearing choirs of angels rejoicing. When Harry could hold out no more he screamed his lover's name. His scream was followed by the other man's strongdeceleration of "Mine" before succumbing as well, and Harry was sure he could see the angel's.
When Harry's mind finally came down from the heavens, he was draped across Severus, their legs entwined, and the older man's arms wrapped tightly around him. He buried his face in his fellow professor's neck inhaling deeply. Severus chuckled and pulled him tighter.
"I'm not squishing you am I?" A snort.
"No Potter, you are not in fact 'squishing' me. I do not believe there is anything in this world that your malnourished frame could 'squish'." He bristled at the comment, but was far to sedated to argue.
"I think, under these circumstances, you could at least call me Harry."
"If you insist...Harry."
"See? That wasn't so painful was it?"
"You have no idea." Harry laughed at the grimace in his tone and leaned down to kiss him, pleased when Severus kissed him back. Pulling back slowly he lay his head into the other man's chest.
"If I had known this is how you reacted, I would have taken a vacation much sooner." He felt Severus freeze beneath him.
"What?" His senses immediately told him something was very, very wrong. He spoke cautiously.
"You know? My vacation I'm taking for two weeks? That's...why you came to stop me right?"
"You mean...you're not quitting?" Harry laughed.
"No, who told you that?"
"But Black...You were arguing with Black." Harry was a bit worried as Severus's eyes seemed to be getting wider and wider.
"Oh Sirius wanted me to come stay with Remus and him, and I told him I just wanted some alone time."
Severus sat up in shock, and Harry wondered if he was always going to be this slow after sex. It was a nice change, actually.
"No...I mean I thought about it, but Albus just told me to hang on, you would come around, and he told me I should take a vacation--mull things over, take a break and such--that would I could come back with a new strategy. Severus? Are you alright; you're really pale. Severus? Sev?"
--
Dumbledore popped another sherbet lemon into his mouth, smiling as the sugar raced through his blood. He'd had a large sugar tooth as long as he could remember. His fondest memory of his mother was her constant teasing of 'Would you like some tea with your sugar?'. The walk down memory lane was cut short as a large brown owl burst through his window, not even slowing down as it dropped it's letter and raced back out the window.
The Headmaster blinked curiously before reaching out to grasp the letter. He leaned back before opening it slowly. It had no signature, but he knew at once who it was from.
I RESIGN, YOU CRAZY MEDDLING BASTARD!
Dumbledore chuckled merrily to himself before placing the letter atop the rather large stack of previous resignation letters from Severus that he kept for his own amusement.
Severus always had quite a flair for the dramatic.