First Harry Potter fanfiction. If I get anything wrong, please let me know! :3 This is and will remain a one-shot.
"We'll have another little chat soon... when you've had time to decide where your loyalties lie."
Snape let out one last snarl in the direction of the supposedly shy and stuttering Professor Quirrell. There was someone there, he could feel it. There was always a dense silence when there was a presence, and no one can hide from him for long.
He turned to leave and his annoyance heightened as he saw another man turning a corner, straight toward them. Filch. He was carrying a broken lamp and walking unevenly toward them, his hand pointing to the object.
"Oh, Professors. I found this in the Restricted Section. It's still hot. That means there's a student out of bed."
Snape's obsidian eyes flashed and they all took off. Usually, seeing the frightened looks of a student in trouble made him amused, but this time, it almost seemed like a burden. Then again, the presence he felt earlier. How would that happen? Invisibility spells are too complicated even for seventh years; there was no way someone could have snuck up on them without him seeing them... unless they used an invisibility cloak. But how? Those cloaks were rare, so rare that they were considered a legend. However, he thought back to his own years at Hogwarts. Items would appear out of nowhere and would throw themselves at him, or so it seemed. A moment later, he would hear snickers just a distance away. Only Harry Bloody Potter would have it now. Dumbledore would have no reason to use it.
Snape taking the lead, his body stiff and his legs taking long strides. His hands were clenched beside him. If it weren't for the anger he felt right now, he would have been delighted to find Potter. He took a corner with the others. He couldn't have gone so quickly. If he had, he would hear his fast, pattering footsteps. If he went slower, he would have sensed him by now. However, he could have sworn he heard the slightest swish of a door closing.
"Search the other hallways," Snape ordered bluntly, not giving any reason why. His dark gaze swept over the two men, his eyes hardening as they met Quirrell's.
"Y-yes, Severus," Quirrell said in pitifully done stammers, but Snape said nothing and turned the other way around, around the corner of where they had walked moments earlier. He took toward the large door that faced his left, and he took that way.
His suspicion started to level with his anticipation. He would see and hear no one in the large room. The room was spacey and dust layered every square in on the floor. Unnecessary, thick pillars supported the white ceiling above. In the middle of the far edge of the place, a dirty mirror larger than him was placed. A white sheet was thrown carelessly off to the side.
He took careful steps toward the mirror, his eyes instinctively going up to read the letters engraved in the golden frame. "Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi." The Mirror of Erised... how did he not recognize it earlier? Frustrated with how slow he was, stomped forward to pick up the sheet that was supposed to cover the mirror.
However, as he stood up to cover the mirror, he saw the pale shapes in the mirror beginning to take place. He saw the beautiful form of Lily in front of him, smiling warmly in his direction. One of her hands were placed on his shoulder, while the other hand was clasped around a dark haired boy's hand in front of them. Snape stared at the mirror, his hands loosening and dropping the cloth at his feet. One of his rough hands reached up on his shoulder where Lily's hand was touching him, even though he knew that it wasn't there. His knees started to buckle and his legs failed him. His nose started to sting in the beginnings of a cry, and he started to forget everything that just happened. He didn't question of why Potter boy was on the mirror as well, but poured out all of the sorrows that he held back for years, for everything he lost. Lily... his mother... respect... but Lily mattered the most.
He began to hold his knees to his head, silent tears brushing against the fabric as they turned into hear-wrenching sobs as his lank hair framed around him, making him feel safe. His body shuddered as he let out his sobs of grief he had bottled up. It was almost like a game, seeing how many unfortunate happenings can happen to him. He hated to look so vulnerable, but he at the same time didn't want this to stop.
He saw Lily kneel beside him to give him a comforting side-hug, and Potter looking shocked but concerned. Snape could almost feel Lily's warmth pressing against him, but didn't note of how unreal Potter acted. He tried to pull himself together but he couldn't, trying to muffle his weeping by hiding his face around his arms. He didn't hear the sound of the door opening and closing, and didn't feel the electrified atmosphere that surrounded him, Harry, and Ron.
In his excitement and haste, Harry threw his invisibility cloak aside and prepared to bound forward, but Ron stood there frozen, his mouth dropped open. Then, his lips curled into a too-wide smile. Harry was getting worried; why was he so gleeful? His face was turning so red that his hair seemed to becoming duller by the second. His hand was clapped over his mouth in an effort of not to laugh. Harry made a confused face. Was the mirror so funny? Ron looked away from the mirror, giving out breaths as quietly as he could. He turned his hand in the direction of Snape. So Harry turned his head to see what was so funny.
Instead of a heartbroken man, he saw someone else. This man had heard Ron's "carefully" hidden stiffles, and had stood up so quietly to burn his gaze into the two members of the Golden Trio. His black, black eyes were burning in hatred and terror of what they had seen, his lip was curled in a terrifying snarl. His already-pale hands were clenched together so tightly that they turned even whiter. And if looks would kill. Ron and Harry could care less about his swollen, red eyes. "OUT!" Snape bellowed, his deep voice echoing in the room, unnerving however weaker his voice seemed.
Exchanging looks of absolute horror, Harry and Ron scrambled for the door, grabbing the cloak at the last second and making a run for it. Their steps were almost deafening in the quiet halls, but they didn't care. They had to get away from Snape. They didn't even question why he didn't take away points.