Chapter 48
The Snapes were waiting for the arrival of the Hogwarts Express. The only sounds in the office were those of Corbin babbling to himself, seated on the desk. Skyrah kept looking at the perch Fawkes used to chirp from as if greeting them whenever the Snapes entered the headmaster's office. It didn't feel right to be in this place without the phoenix, without Albus. Well, he was there, only he was a napping portrait.
Severus knew she was thinking about the deceased wizard. Severus himself was thinking about him, as well. It was difficult not to. Partly, he wished Albus would wake up, if only to see Corbin interacting with his grandfather – the closest he would ever be to his grandfather, anyway – whilst another part of him was grateful Albus was dozing. Looking at those blue eyes, even if they belonged to the portrait and not to the real person, would be too painful. He'd have to look at them and hear the man's voice many times throughout the year. Suffering before the school year began was not something he looked forward to.
Wishing to take their minds off Albus, Severus asked, "Have you already planned your first week's lessons?"
"Only some," she said, eyes still fixed on the spot Fawkes used to rest. "I can't find a way to teach about Witch Hunts, Gellert Grindelwald and the First Wizarding War in such a way I don't upset Father."
"The only way you will not upset him is by teaching History the way he would."
She put her forefingers on her brow. "That is not the teacher I want to be."
"That is the teacher you will have to be if you want to survive."
She wasn't facing him, but she gulped loud enough for him to hear. Severus knew teaching History would be hard for her this year. History had been a shelter for her, a tool to develop critical thinking and avoid being brainwashed by Voldemort. The kind of History she would have to teach would be useless. Dangerous, even. Even Professor Cuthbert Binns, with whom she had already discussed which courses and topics each of them would be teaching, was despondent this year. He wasn't rambling on about the Gargoyle Strike of 1911 through the corridors as usual. Instead, he was quiet.
"Amycus Carrow won't be teaching Defense. He'll be teaching Dark Arts. His sister will be busy sowing hate for everything muggle-related in our students. If they do not even have History to see things from another perspective, they will not have a mind of their own. Students that go with the flow will easily become supremacists."
"The Dark Lord has already banned you from teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts. He doesn't trust you for that. Not to mention, you have already given him an heir. Be careful when you teach History, or he might…"
"Dispose of me?" she finished for him.
The throne-like chair on which Severus was sitting creaked, letting Skyrah deduce he had cringed at the thought.
"Mama! Up!"
She turned around. Corbin was smiling with his arms outstretched. She took him in her arms and kissed his hooked nose. He circled her neck strongly with his little arms, giggling.
"He has got your heart," mumbled Severus, more to himself than to her.
"Yours."
He shook his head. "Mine is not pure."
She almost snorted. He talked as if hers actually was pure, the purest, even. It wasn't; she didn't reckon so.
The air was dark enough, though, so she teased, "I am your heart. If you say Corbin has my heart, he has your heart."
Damn her and her Horned Serpent logic, he thought, smiling fondly despite himself – the most cheerful sign she had seen today, discounting Corbin's guffaws. Severus patted the desk in front of him, beckoning Skyrah to sit on it. She complied and placed Corbin on her lap, facing Severus, who was still seated on Albus's former chair. He laid a hand on her knee and rested his forehead against Corbin's, hooked noses brushing, eyes shut.
"Minerva should be the Headmistress. She deserves it." I don't, he added inwardly.
"But she can't. You have to do this. I trust in you."
He squeezed her knee, showing her he appreciated her words. They stayed in silence. At some point, Corbin hugged his neck, much like he had done with Skyrah.
"This would be hell without you two," Severus rasped.
Skyrah put a hand on top of his – the one that rested on her knee – holding Corbin with the other. Facing the new school year without Severus and Corbin to brighten her life was something she couldn't imagine. She made herself a promise then. She would be the teacher she had to be. She had a family to think of. She only hoped the students wouldn't let the Carrows – or her own teaching – influence their ways of thinking out of fear and ignorance.
Skyrah rushed to the Hospital Wing with a sick Corbin in her arms. An upset stomach, she figured, but she still wanted Poppy to check him out. Considering there hadn't even been Quidditch training (which more often than not led to accidents and injured students) yet, Skyrah was surprised that there were seven students lying in hospital beds already.
Poppy spotted Skyrah and Corbin. She would have smiled if it weren't for Corbin's paleness and Skyrah's worried face. Poppy tilted her head towards an empty bed. Skyrah sat on it, holding Corbin.
"Why are there so many injured students?"
"Muggle Studies and Dark Arts," replied Poppy, bitterly.
Skyrah clenched her jaw. Of course. The Carrows had to start the year showing who ran the school.
Poppy was about to run a test on Corbin when someone screeched, "Help! Please, help me! They did this to him!"
Terry Boot was leaning on a crying Lavender Brown. The tremors, the spasms… Terry had just been crucioed. They had to be the Carrows. Lavender must have found Terry or even witnessed the scene. Either way, she was hyperventilating, close to having a panic attack. The vein in Skyrah's neck throbbed. One day of teaching. Only one day and this had already happened. Her stomach lurched. She wanted to scream.
Her voice came out as a hiss when she said, "Help them get into a bed!"
"You and my godson–"
"We can wait! I'll look for a cruciatus curse antidote and a calming draught. Hurry!"
As Skyrah looked for the flasks on the shelf, she couldn't help but think that it would benefit Poppy to take a few seventh-years under her wing as apprentices, those who wanted to pursue careers as healers, medi-wizards and medi-witches and matrons. Dione was an ideal candidate. At Ilvermorny, her sorting as a Pukwudgie (the House that favors healers) had not come as a surprise. Skyrah had always thought her little sister was destined for healing. She had started to heal some of Skyrah's wounds ever since she was born, after all.
Once Terry was stabilized in bed and Lavender had drunk the calming draught, Poppy focused her attention on her godson. He did not have anything a few doses of a certain potion against stomachache wouldn't cure. Before leaving the Hospital Wing, Skyrah told Poppy about the idea of having apprentices to help her this year.
"I'll talk to Miss Fawley," Poppy said. "Miss Abbott is also interested in becoming a healer. She likes to come here to talk to the patients. She would gladly help."
That was everything Skyrah needed to hear.
The following morning, Skyrah had to teach seventh-years. After experiencing Defense Against the Dark Arts with Amycus, they were overjoyed Skyrah had not been sacked and would teach History to most levels. Even though all Houses were mixed, the classroom appeared quite empty. Dione was missing. Trying not to think on what-ifs involving the Carrows hurting her sister, Skyrah began to teach. Ten minutes later, she turned on the projector to show pictures of the First Wizarding War.
Gasps. Whispers.
Skyrah shot her head up, curious to find out what had distracted the students. Her stomach lurched at the sight in front of her.
"I'm sorry for the tardiness, Professor Skyrah," said Dione.
No matter how much she hung her head so that her curls concealed her bruises, her forearms and knees were visible. Draco looked at Dione worriedly before catching himself and putting on a detached mask.
"What happened?" asked Skyrah.
"I fell down the stairs."
Never been a good liar, thought Skyrah, noticing Dione wasn't even making eye contact.
"Go to the Infirmary."
"I can't."
"What do you mean you can't? I'm ordering you. Your injuries need to heal."
"The Deputy Headmaster has forbidden me from going this morning."
The reason she has been late, deduced Skyrah, the lines of her face hardening. Dione was never late. If anything, she arrived early.
"I don't care what Professor Carrow says. I'll take you there if I must."
"No. Deliver the lesson."
The class lapsed into a deadly silence. Nobody had ever confronted Skyrah like that. What unsettled the students the most was the tone, though. Dione did not only look battered. She also sounded defeated.
"You and I will talk after class, Miss Fawley."
Dione flinched. Skyrah only used surnames when she was fuming. Dione ignored the pitying looks and buzzing tattle from her classmates and took a seat next to Neville, who gave her a shy, encouraging smile.
The class fell silent when the first image was projected. Skyrah continued with the lesson as if nothing had occurred. Being adept at Occlumency helped, although referring to muggle-borns as mudbloods got her cringing involuntarily, anyway. Sometimes, she blanched, recalling Voldemort calling Faith a mudblood and forcing her younger self to kill her best friend or calling Daniel a mudblood and murdering him himself next. The students, even the children of Death Eaters, frowned whenever she did that. Nobody dared to question the fact she was picturing the Death Eaters as the benevolent ones or her choice of words when she had never tolerated any disrespectful slur during her lessons.
An hour later, the classroom was empty of students except for Dione.
"Come."
Skyrah's expression was as stern as her voice. Dione approached her, stopping in front of the teacher's desk. Skyrah was sitting in her wooden chair.
"We don't have long. Sixth-years will come in shortly," she said, taking her wand out to heal her.
Dione was about to stop her when she saw a shadow out of the corner of her eye. She held her breath and winced, making her big sister frown deeply.
Skyrah chanted one spell, and another, and another… None worked. Dammit. She felt useless, like the worst sister in the world. She had promised herself she would protect Dione the day she was born. Yet here she was, failing to cast effective healing spells.
"Go to the infirmary," she croaked, unable to look Dione in the eye.
"I can't. I don't want to cross Professor Carrow."
Skyrah swallowed hard. "Was it Amycus the one who did this to you?"
"N-no…"
"Alecto, then."
When she didn't answer, Skyrah raised her head to see her face. Dione was shaking her head. Wrinkles appeared on Skyrah's brow. If neither Amycus nor Alecto had injured her, then…
"Who? Who did this to you?"
Dione gulped soundly and looked sideways. She was breathing hard.
"Dione, you can tell me. I'm your sister."
Dione held back a sob, tears spilling down her face.
"Little one, you're scaring me… Please confide in me. Tell me."
"I don't want to."
Skyrah sneered. "I don't care what you want! I care about your safety! How am I supposed to help you if I don't know from whom I have to protect you?"
"Please, Sis. Don't make me say it."
"Dione Brighid Fawley, tell me. Now."
"No!"
"Dione!"
"The Headmaster! It was the Headmaster's doing!" she screamed, letting out a sob.
Time stopped.
No.
Not him.
This couldn't be happening.
"Severus?" Skyrah asked, voice strangled, telling herself she had heard wrong.
It couldn't be, but dammit, Dione was awful at lying, and now she looked deeply hurt, sniffling and drying her tears. The only reason Dione must have vacillated to tell Skyrah who had injured her was that she knew how much Skyrah loved Severus and she did not want to hurt her big sister.
"I must go," said Dione weakly. "Professor McGonagall doesn't like lateness."
Skyrah grabbed her wrist and kissed her hand before Dione left, limping on her way.
Ginny and Luna arrived shortly after. They gave Skyrah small smiles, happy to be with a teacher who would never use corporal punishments. They noticed something was wrong when Skyrah didn't return their smiles. In fact, she didn't even look at them. The girls frowned but did not ask what the matter was. They took seats and waited for their classmates to enter the classroom.
"I will miss Skyrah in Defense, but History will be worth it for once," Ginny told Luna, taking the History book out. "At least, I won't be sleeping."
"I didn't sleep during Professor Binns's lessons," said Luna in her dreamy voice. "I counted the blibbering humdingers in the shelves."
"Blibbering humdingers?"
"They liked to laugh at them," Luna said, pointing to her dirigible plump-shaped earrings. "I did not mind, though. Listening to laughter makes me feel better. Don't you feel good when you listen to somebody laughing, Professor?"
Skyrah did not even hear the question. A swish of her wand and a chalk began to write on its own accord on the blackboard. By the time Ginny and Luna read the note – I suffered a mishap. Go to the library and read from page ten to page seventeen – she had already flounced out of the classroom.
Skyrah looked sideways, catching a glimpse of Alecto's wicked grin before she turned around the corner. Skyrah felt like following her to the Muggle Studies classroom and cursing her. Only Alecto hadn't wounded Dione now.
The Headmaster! It was the Headmaster's doing!
Skyrah strode towards his office. In front of the door, she took a big breath that did little to calm her down. Password muttered, and she was in. The first thing she saw was an empty flask on the Headmaster's desk. The second was Severus settling Corbin on an armchair. It was so big it served as a bed for the toddler. Severus wrapped his son in a thin blanket and planted a gentle kiss on his forehead. Corbin was sleeping quietly. Although he did not look pallid anymore, his stomach wasn't fine yet. According to Poppy, giving him two doses a day would help him recover, even if they would make him extra-drowsy.
Black eyes shone in delight when he saw Skyrah. Severus always looked at her like she was his everything, and that made her feel valued. Now it only hurt. Her whole body trembled. His happiness was replaced with grave concern. His hand reached for hers at the same time she wrapped her arms around herself. He wondered whether she had discreetly avoided the physical contact or whether she was so distressed she had not noticed he wanted to console her. At any rate, his arm hung limply at his side.
"I don't know what is wrong, but you should be in class. If the Carrows notice that we are attached to each other, we will all suffer."
"They didn't follow me."
"What about the sixth-years?" he asked, picturing the worst – Alecto and Amycus torturing them for fun.
"I asked them to work in the library." He nodded, relieved. They'd be safe with Eileen. "Is there anything you wish to tell me, Severus?"
Severus frowned. He didn't like the way she had pronounced his name, as if it hurt her. He couldn't quite read her expression either, which was odd.
He thought about anything that might preoccupy her and said, glancing at the sleeping toddler, "Corbin is getting better. You needn't worry."
She wasn't talking about Corbin, though. He noticed when she snorted.
"You are good at playing dumb; I'll give you that."
"I am not playing dumb."
She wrinkled her nose. "I thought you didn't lie to me."
"I haven't lied to you."
"Concealing the truth is lying." She ignored the way the people in some portraits rubbed their hands, getting ready to behold a drama as if they were watching a play in the theatre. Others eyed them worriedly – Albus amongst them. "My sister is covered in wounds. She says…"
Skyrah was incapable of continuing the sentence. She couldn't tell if he had paled due to the shock on finding out her sister was hurt or due to shock on realizing she had caught him doing something so ghastly. She hoped it was the former and Dione had lied to her.
Severus put a hand on her shoulder with the aim of calming her down, but she took one step back. This time, she had not been subtle at all. She had only backed away from his touch once. She had just found out their daughter was dead. His face contorted in pain even though she hadn't cringed and wasn't looking at him in fear like she had done back then.
"Skyrah, please…"
She blinked back tears and shook her head.
"I don't want to believe it," she said, voice wobbly. "I can't believe it. You aren't like that. You can't be the same man who is so tender with his son. You'd never hurt the people I care for, not willingly, but my sister wouldn't lie about something like this."
"Did she…" He swallowed hard. "Did she tell you I hurt her?"
"She said it was your doing."
He didn't deny it.
"Please. I don't want to accuse you. It just makes no sense in my mind." She put her hands on his shoulders. He leaned into her, thanking Merlin she was willing to touch him again, even if she had hesitated to do so. "An explanation. Give me a logical explanation. Tell me you hurt her to avoid blowing your cover. Tell me you had no choice. I trust you. I trust you with my life, but I cannot fathom why my own sister would lie to me."
"She did not lie. It was my doing." Skyrah let out a sob and closed her eyes, shaking her head, clutching his robes in her fists. "But I didn't injure her."
She held her breath and looked up at him hopefully. "What happened?"
"The Carrows…"
Alecto and Amycus were dragging Dione by the collar like a hunted animal through the headmaster's office. No matter how much she wriggled, she could not break free; for the fight was unbalanced – two corpulent adults against one skinny girl. That didn't stop her from resisting until a silky yet stern voice commanded them all to stop. The Carrows were still holding her firmly.
Severus stood in front of his desk and stared at the Carrows with a neutral expression on his face, as though he hadn't seen Dione at all and had simply told them to stop to avoid hearing cries and noises.
"Snape, we must bring this blood traitor to the Dark Lord," said Alecto, glaring at the girl.
With a wicked grin, Amycus added, "He will surely reward us."
"No!" Dione squeaked, trampling on his foot.
She tried to disentangle herself from them now that Amycus brought his injured foot to his hands and rubbed it.
"Immobulus totalus!"
Dione gasped as she heard Severus using the freezing charm on her, glowering at her. The charm had frozen her right when she shrunk back in fear. He hated seeing her like this, making her question whether the man she had gotten to know existed at all and whether he would keep the promise that no harm would come to her. He had to do this, though. He had to play his role as a spy convincingly.
"We shall invoke the Dark Lord now," suggested Amycus, slightly limping.
"No. The Dark Lord wants her here. I am the one in charge of… disciplining her in case my wife rebels against him. Every detention she is sentenced to, she will serve with me, not with you."
"But we can still play with her, right?" wondered Amycus.
"Not you. The Dark Lord instructed me and only me to hurt her. It will be more painful and effective for my wife to find that I am the one to torture her sister."
The siblings exchanged looks.
"What if you are only lying to protect the girl?" Alecto asked.
"Yes," agreed Amycus. "Beat her up now, as a warning to your wife. Show us you are not betraying the Dark Lord."
"The only ones who are betraying the Dark Lord are you, for distrusting me," Severus hissed in a dangerously low voice, sneering. "Do I need to remind you who is on top of his rank, who is the Headmaster and the one who delivered him an heir?"
Amycus gulped.
Alecto insisted, "If you don't torture her now, you will be giving us a reason to believe you aren't the wizard the Dark Lord believes, his most loyal and valuable Death Eater. You can't call yourself a follower of his if you are reluctant to torture a weedy blood traitor."
Severus kept a poker face. He didn't want to play by the Carrows' rules. He was their boss, after all. Yet, he couldn't risk it. He had to do something, or they would keep questioning his loyalties throughout the school year.
"Very well. It is going to take long. I suggest you leave and actually do your job as professors by planning tomorrow's lessons. The Dark Lord will choose somebody else if I find you are not competent."
In truth, the reason Severus had not said anything to Voldemort was he feared somebody even more sadistic than the Carrows would substitute them, somebody like Bellatrix Lestrange or Fenrir Greyback. That, however, was not something Severus would share with the Carrows.
Alecto looked at him askance but kept quiet.
Only when the door banged closed, did Severus mutter the counter-curse. Dione could finally move. She was panting, eyes filled with fear that hadn't left her body since the Carrows caught her. Severus raised his wand. On instinct, Dione curled up and closed her eyes. Severus became paralyzed at the sight, speechless.
"Do it. Do it already."
He clenched his jaw at the thought that she was convinced he was going to crucio her like the Carrows would have done. Why else would she be trembling even more violently than Neville ever had in front of him?
"I will not hurt you," he said, his voice weaker than intended. "Stand up."
She obeyed, still shaking. "You have to. Your spy cover… I won't blame you. They've left you no choice and–"
Severus shushed her and chanted some incantations she had never heard of. Bruises and small cuts appeared across her face, down her neck, arms and knees, everywhere the tip of his wand brushed. She pressed a particularly swollen area on her forearm. It didn't hurt. It was a simple illusion, similar to muggle make-up. Although the bruises were pinkish now, they would become dark purple as the time went by and turn yellowish until there was no trace on her skin, much like real bruises worked. Drops of blood flew from her cuts, fake as well.
"Amycus is a foolish brute, but his sister is astute. She will look for signs we are deceiving them. It would not surprise me if she had her ear pressed against the office door at this very moment. The office, however, is charmed. Nothing can be heard from outside. These," he said, pointing to her wounds. "Will last for a week. Behave as if they hurt. They need to believe I have wounded you."
She gulped and lowered her gaze. "What if they don't buy it? I'm not a good actress."
"You will be convincing enough if you limp and wince occasionally." He lifted her chin, making eye contact. Her breathing was irregular, her pupils dilated. She was still frightened. "I promised you I wouldn't let them hurt you, Dione."
"I know… It's just… They remind me what being kidnapped was like. I can't stop thinking of Mum. You can't protect me from that. They'll be teaching me."
"I am sorry," he murmured, not knowing what else to say.
All the feelings she had been holding back since the Carrows had caught her hit her with full force. He was enveloped in her arms one second later. Though her voice was muffled, he understood every 'thank you' she whispered amid weeps of relief. Slowly, Severus put one hand on her back and one on her head, running his fingers through her auburn curls. It always soothed Skyrah, and it proved to work for her sister as well, since her sobs quietened down a few minutes later.
"For a moment, I thought you were one of them."
"I was playing my role. I apologize if I scared you." He didn't only sound sorry, but miserable. "It was not my intention."
"I know," she said, freeing herself from the embrace, nose and eyes red and puffy.
They fell silent. Severus cleared his throat.
"Do you wish to sleep in our chambers tonight?"
"We have spent all summer together. You deserve to be with Skyrah... alone." His cheeks heated up when she stressed the last word. If she had been feeling better, she would have chuckled at the sight. "I'll be fine with Susan and Hannah."
He didn't insist. She sniffled and made to wipe away her tears, but he caught her wrist.
"Don't. Let them think I beat you. Remember to limp and wince."
She nodded and hesitated before planting a grateful kiss on his cheek like Skyrah would have done.
"Sick bastards," Severus heard Dione mutter to herself as she crept out of the office.
That was how he knew he had been right. The Carrows must have waited to see her injuries. He shut the door and sagged against it until he was sitting on the floor, arms around his legs. He laid his forehead on his flexed knees and sighed.
"I always knew you were a magnificent spy, Severus."
It was Albus's portrait. Severus felt warm at the realization that, unlike Tobias, Albus felt proud of him, and yet…
"I wish I didn't have to do this at all."
Albus didn't reply.
Skyrah's throat tightened. "A charm?"
Severus nodded.
That is why healing spells did not work, she thought. There was nothing to heal, but…
"Dione looked hurt. She looked hurt while she told me. Why would…" An image of Alecto in the corridor flashed before her mind's eye. "Fuck. Alecto was eavesdropping. Dione couldn't tell me the truth."
She shook her head, torn between shoving Severus for having kept that a secret and kissing him for saving Dione from the Carrows' torture. She did neither.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"You were upset when you came back with Corbin from the Hospital Wing. I didn't wish to worry you even more."
She snorted. "Did you think Dione entering my classroom beat-up would not worry me?"
He looked down. She sighed and put her hand on his cheek.
In a softer tone, she added, "You could have told me after giving Corbin the dose, once I wasn't so anxious."
"I almost did, but we…" Made love, he almost voiced. This office was not like their chambers, though. This place was filled with portraits whose favorite pastime was gossiping. "We became busy and fell asleep. I wanted to tell you this morning, but…"
But they had barely seen each other. Professor Flitwick had come over to talk to Severus. By the time the conversation ceased, only five minutes were left before the first period started. Skyrah had pecked his lips and left. Severus hadn't called her back. His conversation with Filius must have got him mulling over something else.
Skyrah groaned and hugged him. He relaxed in her embrace, smelling her shampoo of roses.
"Fuck, Severus! Next time something like this happens, you tell me straight away. Did you hear me?"
He nodded like an obedient child and held her tighter.
"I'm sorry," he said brokenly. "I never meant to scare you."
"You didn't scare me."
"You were afraid," he said, remembering she had been shaking when she walked into the office.
"I wasn't scared of you. I was scared I was going crazy. The mere notion that you'd hurt my sister was, is, surreal. I knew there had to be a lack of information because it made no sense. I just couldn't figure out the missing piece."
"It is not surreal. If the Carrows hadn't left, I would have beaten her and cursed her." Bitterly, he added, "It isn't like I haven't tortured before."
Unable to stand the self-loathing in his voice, Skyrah gripped him firmly by the shoulders and pressed a smacking kiss on his mouth. He didn't kiss her back, feeling he didn't deserve her affection after his confession.
"I would have hated that you and Dione had to go through that, but I would not have hated you," she breathed, lips brushing against his. "You regret the things you did in the past. A bad man does not feel remorse. You are a good man, Severus."
How many people had called him a good man throughout his life? Three. Skyrah, Dione and Harry. It had taken Dione a few months to say it. Harry, too, if one disregarded all the years they had not stood each other. A few days living together and Skyrah had already told him. She hadn't stopped reminding him ever since. Every time she repeated the words, he was amazed she hadn't changed her mind despite knowing his darkest secrets. He only needed her to believe he wasn't a bad man to start believing that himself though, and he loved her even more for that. He cupped her face and dropped a lingering kiss on her forehead.
"You make me want to be a good man," he said, voice hoarse, palms on her cheeks.
She grinned faintly and gave him an Eskimo kiss. She rested her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat. It calmed her, like a cradlesong. Corbin sometimes fell asleep listening to his father's heartbeat. Not that Skyrah blamed him.
"You saved Dione, but there are many students that are already in the Hospital Wing. Brewing so much this summer was a sensible idea," she whispered. "We will be forced to see and condone horrors. Dione wasn't kidding when she said they were the cruelest."
"Dione will serve detention, in case she has any, with me. As for the rest… Most teachers will avoid giving detentions unless absolutely necessary. I cannot save all the students; the Dark Lord would suspect me. Regardless, I can send some to Hagrid."
She kissed his cheek. "I am engaged to a hero."
He snorted. "Hardly. Hogwarts is not safe with me."
"Hogwarts would be lost if you weren't the Headmaster."
Any counter-argument he had turned into a moan the moment she kissed him, circling his neck with her arms. This time, he kissed her back. Everything in the room became a blur to Severus, everything but her and the sigh she heaved when he settled his hands on her waist and deepened the kiss.
"Oh, get a room already, you two!"
Severus broke the kiss with a grunt, red-cheeked, and glared at a portrait that had dared interrupt them. He did keep his hands on her waist, though.
"Phineas, let them be."
Phineas wrinkled his nose folded his arms across his chest. "I didn't know you were a voyeur, Albus."
"They are only kissing. You are the one with a dirty mind." His eyes twinkled the same way they used to do when he was alive. "By the way you talk, one might think you are jealous of the attention Severus is receiving from his wife."
Magical portraits could do many things, amongst them, snickering like the former headmasters and headmistresses were currently doing. Blushing like Phineas, though? That was a new one.
"No more kisses in this office," Severus whispered in her ear.
"Why?" Skyrah asked, wishing he would ignore the portraits and keep snogging her. "It's not like Albus hasn't caught us kissing before." He isn't even the real Albus, she thought, but she did not voice that.
"It isn't only Albus. They won't stop talking about this for hours. You will leave and teach, and I'll remain here… bearing them and their bickering."
Skyrah gave him a crooked grin. "At least, they will keep you entertained."
Severus groaned. If only silencing charms worked on portraits.
Right after entering the Transfiguration classroom, Minerva questioned Dione, much like Skyrah had done, although privately. She did not insist when the girl said that the Deputy Headmaster had banned her from going to the Hospital Wing and that her sister was aware, although Minerva did look concerned.
A few minutes later, everybody was busy practicing human transfiguration in pairs. In sixth year, they had learned to transfigure body parts. This year, the challenge was transfiguring the whole body into another form. Too many things could go wrong, experience had taught Minerva that, so she went from one pair to another, watching out, not wishing to send more students to the Hospital Wing.
Seeing that Neville and Seamus had her rapt attention, Draco flicked his wand. The piece of paper he was holding folded into a bird that flew away. Pansy tilted her head.
"To whom are you sending that? What did you write?"
"None of your business," he snarled, inwardly cursing Pansy's meddlesomeness.
Pansy sneered and craned her neck. Try as she might, she did not spot the flying paper. The reason was that Dione was showing her back to them, already unfolding the note.
"Astronomy Tower. After Supper."
Glad the Hogwarts uniform had skirts with pockets unlike Ilvermorny's, Dione crumpled the paper and hid it in one. She knew who had sent this. Last year, she had sent him a note that contained the very same message.
"Is it a love note?"
Her silly grin disappeared as she blushed so deeply her cheeks resembled the shade of her curls. "Susan!"
Susan clicked her tongue. "Someday I will find out about your mysterious crush."
"Not today."
"I am patient," said Susan with a shrug.
"Noted. Let's start before Professor McGonagall catches us wasting time."
Dione waited for her friend to transfigure her body, even if it was only an arm to review last year contents, but Susan kept staring at her wounds, uneasy.
"Are you sure it is safe to practice with…" Susan trailed off, pointing to her own neck and cheek.
Dione bit her bottom lip. Susan wouldn't hurt her, but what if she erased her wounds unintentionally? Dione couldn't risk it.
"Do you mind if I practice on you today? You can practice on me in the next lesson," suggested Dione.
Susan agreed.
Like last year, Draco was stargazing in the Astronomy Tower by the time Dione arrived. Unlike last year, she was not panting. She hadn't run through the corridors, aware the Carrows could catch her and find out her wounds were not real. She had even rolled her sleeves up on purpose to let the Carrows see her wounds from afar despite the fact she was a bit cold.
She leaned over the balcony next to Draco and looked up at the sky like him. Years had passed since she last stargazed. It was something she used to do with Connor, her father. On her eighth birthday, he even put her on the spine of a dragon and rid it with her, going up towards those constellations little Dione wanted to touch. The ride had lasted less than five minutes. By the tight hug Andraste had given them, little Dione could tell her mother had counted every second until Dione herself and Connor trod the grass again.
"I told you I would never put our daughter in danger," Dione recalled her father saying. "This is the meekest dragon I work with."
"Accidents happen. I trust you, but I don't trust dragons."
Connor kissed Andraste to calm her down and looked back at their girl. "Look at her and tell me it wasn't worth it."
Andraste's expression softened at the delight of the girl. She was bouncing, telling her dragon stuffed animal that she had just seen the stars super close and that she'd ride the dragon again tomorrow.
At the warning glance Andraste shot Connor, he kneeled and put a hand on Dione's shoulder.
"Riding a dragon is something very special. It must be done on important occasions."
"Like my birthday?"
"Like your birthday."
Dione hummed and exclaimed, "I can't wait to turn nine!"
Connor didn't live long enough for that. Dione hadn't been able to stargaze without tearing up ever since. Eventually, she had stopped doing it.
Until now.
She had forgotten that sentiment of insignificance yet wonder one had while contemplating the night sky, filled with stars like shining snow-flakes in a black void. Although Dione couldn't see the stars and the moon as close as she did as a child from the balcony at Hogwarts, the sight managed to leave her breathless. She understood why Draco liked to stargaze while he waited for her. She didn't realize one single tear had been coursing down her cheek until Draco wiped it away with the pad of his thumb. He didn't look her in the eye while he did so, his touch much gentler than she would have imagined.
He might have assumed she had wept because her injuries hurt, not due to nostalgia, for he didn't comment on it. His touch lingered on her face. Dione would have loved to freeze time and stay like that forever. So much for that.
"You are a poor liar," he sneered, withdrawing his hand.
"Pardon?"
"You didn't fall down the stairs." His silvery eyes pierced her, now. "What happened?"
"Is that your way of telling me you care for me?" she asked impishly.
His ears flushed. Last time she had challenged him to say he didn't care for her, he had snogged her. No matter how much he tried to feel disgusted at his moment of weakness, he did not regret kissing her. He had enjoyed it. It had given him a reason to dream at night. It would be so easy to kiss her again. He just had to bow his head down and… Get a grip, he thought. He examined the constellations again. He didn't speak until his heart throbbed at a normal pace.
"You told me your mother was a Carrow before becoming a Fawley. The Carrows are your relatives, family."
"They aren't the family I want," she said with a snort.
"The Carrows don't want blood traitors in their family either. Did they hurt you for that, for being a blood traitor?"
"Who says they were the ones to do this to me?"
"Who else would?"
"Why should I tell you?"
"Dammit, Dione!" he shouted, taking her by her upper arms. "Just tell me what happened!"
Realizing he was gripping her too hard, Draco loosened his grip. Dione had not flinched nor grimaced, though. He looked at her suspiciously and pressed his fingers directly against a bruise on her bare forearm skin, rather than through the fabric of her jumper and shirt. She did not move.
"Your wounds…"
"Are fake," she finished for him.
Draco wrinkled his nose and removed his hands, feeling tricked. Dione already missed his touch.
"Does your sister know they aren't real?"
"Do you care for her, too?" she teased.
"Dione!"
She held back a laugh at his pinkish cheeks, suppressing the urge to kiss them.
"I guess she does by now," she said, thinking Skyrah would have asked her to go to her chambers and used healing spells on her again otherwise. Poppy might have been waiting for her in the Snapes chambers, as well.
"Why are you wearing these charms?"
"The less you know about it, the safer we both will be."
He nodded, letting her know he understood, although, by the way he pursed his lips, he wished he could know the reason.
"Be careful. The Carrows might not have hurt you now, but–"
"I was their captive once. I know what they are capable of. You don't have to remind me."
He gulped, hanging his head. He didn't like remembering she had been kidnapped, his captive.
His chin tickled. It took him a few seconds to realize Dione was cupping it, locking their gazes. She tiptoed and leaned in, slowly. Draco held his breath. He wanted to shove her and protect her from him, Merlin knew how much, but he did not have the power to do so. She was so close he could count the freckles on her face, thinking they looked like stars he had been stargazing at. Her breath caressed his face. He closed his eyes, expecting her lips to mold against his. Her lips hadn't been seeking his, though, but his cheek.
"Thank you for caring for me," she murmured, lips brushing his now tingling cheek.
By the time his eyes flew open, heart thumping wildly, she had already left. He was thankful. He might not have resisted temptation, otherwise. Both would have repented it.
…
A/N: Hello! So sorry for the delay. I hope it was worth the wait.
If you do not have an account and, therefore, can't follow the story, you may want to follow my tumblr felixfeliciswriterblog or subscribe to my AO3 account (I'm FelixFelicisWriter on there as well) to be notified when there is an update. On tumblr, I may or may not occasionally post mood boards or other stuff related to my fanfiction and Severus Snape in general as well.
Also, this summer I have re-edited this story. My writing style and grammar have evolved ever since I posted the first chapter. The quality of the first half of the story had nothing to do with the quality of the other half. I have developed some scenes deeper and included little ones. If you feel like reading the story again, be my guest. I hope you enjoy it more than the first time around. If re-reading does not sound appealing to you (it is a long story, after all), do not worry. The plot per se has not been modified at all. You will understand everything about the upcoming chapters ;)
