Different colored gases filled the air. There were hisses as objects plopped into cauldrons. There were boiling bubbles as potions brewed. There was the flipping of pages as the students referred to their textbooks. There was the dull, crackling thwack of metal blades against wood as knives chopped components and reagents.
The students busied themselves with their assigned tasks. At the front of the classroom Professor Severs Snape slouched at his desk. His elbow supported the weight of his head resting on the palm of his hand as he observed the classroom. His eyes were half lidded as he watched the students work. His head tilted into his hand as his eyes scanned the room.
From the far right section of the room, blue orbs were locked onto the Potions Master. They saw how Professor Snape appeared to be on the verge of sleep, but they knew the professor was more than likely lost within his thoughts.
A miniature blue explosion lit up the right portion of the dungeon with a wispy hiss.
"Oi, Juno, attention back to the assignment, lass! Do ye fancy the ol' git er sumt'in'?"
Juno turned to look at her potions partner, Basil McGregor. She rolled her eyes at her fellow Slytherin before replying. "Anything but. I couldn't help but notice, though, Snape's more cross than usual lately, it'd'ne?"
"Even after all of these events, it is clear to me that you just don't care. And honestly, that's okay. I've stopped trying."
Snape's shoulders slumped. His face couldn't be seen from Juno's current angle as his hair curtained his features. However, his frame appeared crumpled.
"I will leave you alone. You don't have to try to pretend that you care anymore. However, I will forever continue to care about you."
Snape stepped back a bit. His face was now able to be seen. His features looked as cold as stone. He had steeled his emotions. Though, one could swear that the glimmer of a tear threatened to spill down his cheek.
"Ah, somebody probably impersonated him as a parrot or something else that could've gotten the fool's knickers in a twist."
Basil used a finger to exaggerate a hook motion over his nose as he spoke. "Who knows? I wouldn't worry m'self too much about it."
"Maybe… who knows?" Juno muttered in a whisper. She continued her gaze on the potions professor once Basil returned to his work.
It had been a little over a month since that night. Juno had heard almost everything. She remembered Snape closing the door to the Magical Theory classroom and standing there. He had stood in that one spot for a decent amount of time before finally trudging off.
Juno had stared after Professor Snape that night as she wondered what sorts of things went through that man's mind.
Juno quickly snapped her attention back to the textbook. Professor Snape had felt her eyes on him! Juno moved quickly to move her hand to shield her face when she heard the feet of his chair squeal against the stone floor. She felt the edge of his robe brush against her as he walked by and continued on to make his rounds to further observe the students.
It felt like a large amount of time passed before the scooting of wood against stone told Juno that Professor Snape was seated at his desk once more. She peered out of the corner of her eye to gauge whether the professor was looking in her direction.
She saw him slump back into his chair. Juno could see he was upset. More upset than the typical Professor Snape. It looked more so like he was angry at the world. Again - more so than usual.
"Oi, Juno!"
Basil's cry startled Juno. Her eyes quickly assessed the situation before her. Basil motioned for her to drop in an ingredient that was out of his reach. Her partner's hands were already busied with gradually pouring and continuously stirring. A cerulean plume erupted from the bubbling cauldron after Juno dropped the necessary reagents in.
Juno glanced toward Snape between her work. Her eyes immediately focused back to the potions professor once she had completed Basil's request. His eyes - Juno didn't know how to describe them.
Professor Snape's body was slouched back into the chair where he was seated. The nape of his neck was pressed against the top of the chair. He stared out before him at everything and nothing all at the same time. His face was a ghostly pale. Well, more pale than usual - if that was even possible.
Juno gaped at her professor. He was a victim of his own mind. There seemed to be a longing - a grieving. Pain wrecked havoc along the entirety of his frame. Somehow, he looked simultaneously troubled and numb. It was as though he felt everything while at the same time feeling nothing at all.
Could it be heartbreak?
Juno wondered if maybe Professor Blackwood had been mistaken about Professor Snape not caring. His deflated body language suggested the opposite. Something had the potions professor bothered.
Thinking back, Juno remembered seeing Snape look just as bothered after closing the Magical Theory door following Agnes's ramble. She didn't have much experience with love, but the young Slytherin knew that a man that 'doesn't care,' doesn't mope about the way Snape is doing now.
Juno laid her chin atop her folded arm as she lost herself to her own thoughts. She needed to make a plan. And her plan needed to be perfect.
"You want me t' wha'? I don' know there, missy! I'd feel rather sketchy messin' in on people's love lives."
"I know, Mr. Hagrid! I know it sounds crazy and I know that they could, er, would get upset about it, but… have you seen Professor Blackwood lately? She's torn apart on the inside." Juno looked pleadingly into the large man's eyes.
The young Slytherin had traveled to the school grounds in search of Hagrid's hut. She remembered seeing Professor Blackwood talk with this Hagrid guy on the bank of the Black Lake pretty often. They must be friends, Juno thought. She hoped that Hagrid could aid her in her endeavors. No matter how crazy they sounded.
Juno saw Hagrid's face soften upon mentioning Professor Blackwood. She assumed that her guess of the two being friends was correct.
"She loves Professor Snape very much and I think that Snape feels the same way. The fool just can't admit it to himself. I've seen the way that he looks at her when he thinks no one is watching. And I've seen the way he's hurting on the inside. It's as though he doesn't understand basic human emotion."
"Well, he pro'ly don' ter tell ye the truth." Hagrid replied. There was a long pause as the giant man focused on his - also giant - dog, Fang. Juno watched as the large man reasoned with his own conscience. There was a long wait as Hagrid battled internally with himself.
"Al'igh," Hagrid finally said. "I'll 'elp ye - but this better not get back ter Agnes, you hear me?" She can be rather private 'bout 'er personal life. An' fer good reason!"
A wide beaming smile spread across the Slytherin's face. She took a hold of Hagrid's massive hands within her own to display her gratitude. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Hagrid! Thank you!"
Juno stepped closer to the giant man to ensure that he'd hear her every word. "Alright! Here's what we're going to do…"
Juno handed Hagrid a sealed envelope.
Sighing due to his bad luck of being talked into these sorts of things, Hagrid slipped into the potions classroom within the dungeons. The large man took extra care to slip in between the rows of students' tables and benches. He held the letter Juno had given him in his hand. He hoped that Juno was able to succeed in her part of her plan. He'd hate for the girl to get in trouble. It'd be rather easy for a student to be missed during supper.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity of creeping, Hagrid had made it to Professor Snape's desk. Relieved to be rid of his ordeal, Hagrid plopped the envelope onto the wooden surface. Upon turning to make his leave, Hagrid's behind bumped into the corner of the desk. Horrified, Hagrid looked back to assess any possible damage. His eyes widened upon seeing the new Black Lake of Hogwarts form on the surface of Snape's desk. Not being able to do anything about his mistake, Hagrid hastened his escape.
With a heavy sigh, Severus took his seat at his desk once more. After yet another awkwardly silent supper, he had quite a bit of papers to read and grade. Busy work he created for himself, really. The professor paused, however, upon reaching his destination. Something didn't seem quite right.
With a brief analysis, Snape saw that somehow his inkwell… had fallen over?
Severus stared at the black puddle as if he'd never seen ink before. It was curious… Severus was sure that he was always careful about these types of things. The spilled ink immediately left his mind upon seeing a mysterious sealed envelope. Of course, he opened it.
Meet me at 6PM exactly tomorrow night. At the Astronomy Tower before reaching Divination. It is of the utmost Importance.
See you then.
The letter was unsigned.
After reading, Severus sat there for a long while. A decently large amount of time passed before Severus's brain made any form of thought. The first reaction his body gave was a bemused scoff.
What buffoon wrote this letter? What utmost importance was there that the writer couldn't speak to him about outright?
He wouldn't even grace their satisfaction by having his presence! It was probably nothing more than a prank!
But wait…!
Severus's spine immediately straightened. It felt as though his heart stopped beating as his entire body went cold.
What if Blackwood had sent it? What if she wanted to talk to him again? Even if it was one last time? Unsure now, Severus stared at the parchment in his hand. He studied the scrawl before him. He tried to remember what Agnes's handwriting looked like.
Frustrated, and more confused than ever now, Snape's forehead crashed to the wooden surface of the desk. His arms covered his ears as he grabbed two fistfuls of his black locks. He fought within himself to prevent screaming aloud.
Unfortunately he lost that battle. The dungeons filled with the potion master's wails - wails that would give the Bloody Baron a run for his money. Once he started, he couldn't stop. He was tired of these mind games life continuously threw at him! He longed just to be able to have a normal day again. He longed to have his calming solitude once more. To not have his mind constantly raging with useless thoughts.
When his lungs had reached near exhaustion, and his vocal chords close to agony, the screaming finally ceased. Severus laid there. Forehead on the desk. Arms pressed against his ears. There was an occasional groan due to exhaustion from his previous screeching here and there. He stayed that way as he took deep breaths both to calm down and in an attempt to recover from oxygen deprivation. Severus was scared to lift his head from its position. He knew he would more than likely be light headed.
Thinking back to the note, Severus sighed in defeat.
Of course he'd go. He couldn't afford not to. Especially if there was a chance it was Agnes.
The sunlight beamed in through the sheer drapery. Juno looked through the threshold cautiously. She didn't want to get caught sneaking into the Magical Theory classroom. She wasn't able to deliver the note during supper the night before, so the only other perfect time was right before Charms - her first class of the day. Fortunately, Charms and Magical Theory were close to one another. What was also fortunate was Juno knowing that Agnes wouldn't be around for another hour or so.
Juno double checked for a final time that the coast was clear. The only movement her eyes could see was from the curtains flowing from a castle draft. Juno gulped in an attempt to give some much needed moisture to her dry throat before tiptoeing as fast and as quietly as she could manage to Professor Blackwood's desk. Reaching her destination at last, Juno scanned the desk surface for the perfect place. The young Slytherin lifted the bottom corner of a random stack of parchments for the sealed envelope to partially hide under.
Adrenaline still swiftly flowing through her system, Juno hightailed it out of the empty classroom and off to Charms class where she belonged.
Juno's first two classes came and went. Now it was time for Magical Theory with Professor Blackwood. It was as if the girl was bouncing through the hallways. She was so eager to reach Magical Theory (and the end of the day).
Finally arriving at Professor Blackwood's class, Juno plopped herself into her usual seat. The professor was sitting behind her desk. The stack of parchments that Juno had seen earlier this morning were no longer there. A flash of a small piece of paper was seen before disappearing to an unknown compartment of Blackwood's desk. Whether or not it was the note, Juno did not know.
Watching Professor Blackwood didn't give Juno any indication of whether or not her teacher had read the note. There was no noticeable anxiety of any kind. There were no nervous ticks. There were no glances to the clock to check the time. There were no changes in the lecturer's flow. There were no glances toward the desk at all.
The lecture carried on just like any other day. Juno was quite a bit concerned. Both Professor Blackwood AND Professor Snape needed to be there tonight! It would ruin the plan otherwise. Well, there really wasn't much of a plan, but the professors needed to talk to one another!
It was time to go to her next class. Juno took her leisure in getting her school things in order. When she was sure to be the very last student to exit, that's when Juno took her leave. She took the last chance she had to glance back over her shoulder to Professor Blackwood. Blackwood had the very same envelope in her hand that Juno had placed on the desk earlier in the morning. Juno clutched her school things to her chest. She had to fight the urge to run through the halls. Her pace resembled a partial skip-partial speed walk. The young Slytherin scampered to Potions with a smile plastered from ear to ear.
In the Magical Theory classroom, Professor Blackwood was still seated behind her desk staring at this strange letter. She flipped the envelope over within her hand as she studied both the front and the back. The words on the parchment echoed through her head.
"Meet me tomorrow night at 6PM exactly. At the Astronomy Tower before reaching Divination. It is of the utmost importance.
See you then."
Agnes could only assume that "tomorrow night" meant tonight since she hadn't returned to her desk after classes the previous day. And if she assumed wrong, oh well. She was bored, anyway. Otherwise, she wouldn't be bothered to even go. She would just do what she typically did. Sit around doing nothing… Or suffering through supper in the Great Hall. Neither of the two Agnes typically enjoyed.
Yeah, I'm going to the Astronomy Tower.
Juno suspected that it was approximately 5:50 PM. At least she had hoped. Juno had planned out everything so that she would arrive at the Astronomy Tower around 5:45 PM. She had already been here for a while.
Unfortunately she had not found anywhere to hide. That was the bit the Slytherin had forgotten to plan. If Hagrid were here, he'd probably know what to do! But he wasn't. Hagrid didn't want to tag along. He didn't want to ruin Juno's plan by his size giving away Juno's position to the professors.
Wherever Juno was going to hide, she had to find it quickly. There were footsteps coming down the hallway! Juno frantically searched for a hiding spot. All she had spotted was the entryway to the Divination classroom. Sighing from the bother of having to climb a ladder, Juno made her way up the rungs. She went up as quickly and quietly as she could.
Once reaching the top, Juno got into position. Her belly was on the floor as she peeked out through the opening she had just climbed through. Juno pressed her hand against her mouth fearing that her panting from her haste would be heard.
The footsteps grew louder as their maker grew closer. Due to only being able to rely on the growing moonlight, Juno squinted through the almost complete darkness in an attempt to make out who it was. As the mystery figure grew closer, the billowing shadows of clothing gave away the approaching suspect was most likely Professor Snape - who Juno had predicted to arrive first. Juno cursed it being wintertime as the ever continuous approaching of night made it very difficult to see.
As they grew closer, Juno was able to confirm the person within her gaze was indeed Professor Snape. She watched as he stood at the meeting point. He stood still for several moments before he joined his hands together at his front. He faced the direction that he had come as he waited for the other person to arrive. The longer that the man waited, the more restless he became. He began to fidget a bit. Every so often Juno thought she saw the man adjust different parts of his clothing at random.
More time had passed. More waiting. Becoming more impatient as time went on, Professor Snape began to rock back and forth on his heels. His hands moved from his front to being clasped together behind him. He also would look about his surroundings to see if he could spot anything that was amiss. Juno could only assume how suspicious the man was. Especially considering the note was purposely unsigned. As far as Professor Snape probably knew, it could have been from anyone.
There was even more waiting. Juno wondered what could be keeping Professor Blackwood. She hoped that Professor Blackwood was on her way. She wondered if Professor Blackwood could've lost track of time. Juno then wondered if Professor Blackwood was coming at all! Juno began to fear that Professor Blackwood wouldn't come due to the note not being signed. Juno dreaded that Professor Blackwood could have seen the message as a prank.
Movement from below caught her attention. Juno squinted in the darkness to see, to her horror, that Professor Snape had begun to walk away! Juno began to panic. In the event that Professor Blackwood did indeed appear, Professor Snape not being here could ruin everything!
Juno frantically studied her surroundings as the young Slytherin desperately tried thinking of a way to draw Professor Snape back to where he was supposed to be. She couldn't cast any sort of spell or else it would be obvious that there was someone else here. She couldn't toss anything, either. Professor Snape would most definitely investigate where whatever she could possibly have thrown would have come from. From the despair of not wanting to give away her position, Juno did nothing. She only watched as Professor Snape's silhouette disappeared into the shadows.
Juno cursed her misfortune. She didn't have a plan B. Juno hadn't anticipated any possibility of her plan failing outside of ensuring that she wasn't caught. She had assumed that Professor Snape would arrive first. That prediction proved to be true. She also had assumed that Professor Blackwood would've jumped at any possible chance to speak with Professor Snape. Especially a private chat.
Juno wondered if maybe she had been wrong about the depths of Professor Blackwood's feelings for Professor Snape. Juno wondered if the whole ordeal may have been a mistake and a waste of her energy and effort. Feeling disappointed and defeated, Juno moved to get up and return to her fellow students.
Juno was getting ready to come to a stand when she stiffened. Her stomach immediately felt queasy and a knotted feeling in her throat made it impossible to swallow. Juno's most feared possible scenario was becoming reality. Down the dark corridor, down where Juno couldn't see anything, the tell-tale clacking of Professor Blackwood's signature heeled boots could be heard. As the click-clacking echoed closer, Juno's queasiness became worse. Professor Blackwood was here but Professor Snape was nowhere to be found!
Professor Blackwood, just as Juno feared, rounded the corner to see that there was no one there. Juno focused solely on Professor Blackwood's face as her own panic began to swell to the point of bursting. Juno watched as Professor Blackwood's face read, at first, shock. Then puzzlement. Mere seconds passed before finally Professor Blackwood's features shifted to… anger? Juno couldn't tell for sure with the current lighting. She really hoped that Professor Blackwood wasn't angry. It was most probable that Professor Blackwood was angry, but it would ruin her efforts. However, they were practically already ruined anyway with Professor Snape's absence.
Juno's spirits lifted with optimism as barely audible footsteps echoed through the corridor. Juno knew Professor Blackwood heard them too as the professor turned her head in the direction of their origin. Juno felt all of her anxiety lift once seeing the one who stepped into the very little light was Professor Severus Snape.
"I see," Professor Snape said. "I wanted to make sure it was indeed you."
"YOU! YOU wrote this letter?" Professor Blackwood pulled out the note that had appeared on her desk earlier that day and aggressively poked the parchment as she shouted her question. "I thought that I told you that I was leaving you alone?! I don't understand why you insist on putting me through these games. To stroke your ego? To build your self esteem and make you feel good about yourself? To make a mockery of me? Boredom?"
"I-no. None of those things."
"Ah, I see," Professor Blackwood's nostrils flared from her anger. "So tell me, why write the letter? Why meet up?" The parchment rattled as Professor Blackwood violently shook the note in Professor Snape's direction.
Professor Snape sighed and rolled his eyes. "Control yourself, Blackwood, I didn't write the note." Professor Snape crossed his arms in front of his chest. He was very visibly annoyed.
"Then who did?" Professor Blackwood demanded.
"I don't know. I was hoping that playing this little game would reveal the mystery. The only thing that's apparent is one's desire to put us together."
"Yeah, I can see that. I'm not thick." Professor Blackwood let out a huff and crossed her arms as well.
"You're certainly acting as though you are."
Juno felt as though she had boulders in the pit of her stomach. This most certainly was not going to plan. None of it was. First, it looked as though Professor Blackwood wasn't going to show up at all. Then, Professor Snape wandered off. Whenever Professor Blackwood finally did show up, no one was there. Even though Professor Snape came back in the end, now the two seem to be cross with one another! It was spiralling down rather quickly.
"I…" It appeared as though Professor Snape had stumbled on his words. He sighed before trying again. "I don't know who wrote the note, but I do know that I'm…" There was a short pause as Professor Snape thought over his word choice. "Grateful?"
"For what? Another chance to see me make a fool of myself?" Professor Blackwood scoffed. Juno thought Professor Snape looked just confused as she, herself, was feeling.
"Well, you're not going to get the pleasure."
Juno's heart dropped as she watched Professor Blackwood storm away. Her big plan was crashing down at her feet. Everything was ruined! She didn't know how she was going to break it to Hagrid. Hagrid also had worked hard to make this happen. And now it was all going up in flames. Juno had no way of knowing just how temperamental and difficult Professor Blackwood was. All of this was done for nothing. It was a mistake.
The loud commotion of running snapped Juno out of her self loathing and back to the scene below. Juno's breath caught itself into a hitch as her body failed to emit a proper gasp as she watched what unfolded. If she weren't there watching everything for herself, she wouldn't have ever believed it.
Professor Snape had lunged forward into a run. Before Professor Blackwood had any idea of what was happening behind her, Professor Snape clasped her wrist within his hand.
Juno was completely dumbfounded by Professor Snape's uncharacteristic behavior. Maybe her plan was coming together after all!
"Wait, Blackwo- Agnes! I didn't write the letters, but… it does give me a chance to talk to you. Since our last… encounter… I've been thinking."
"Are you alright?" Professor Blackwood interrupted. "You haven't blown a fuse with all that thinking, now, have you?"
Professor Snape ignored Professor Blackwood's insult. He appeared determined to express what he wanted to say.
"I've been too… discouraged to come to you myself, but… I can't seem to... it's bothersome! I've been waking to find myself outside your door… like that one morning. Fortunately, I awake before you find me, but I don't know what to do with myself. I see you in my dreams; I see you in my thoughts - you're everywhere in my head. Could you… possibly…? Help me to understand?"
"Help you understand what?" Professor Blackwood asked with anger still poisoning her voice. "That you're mad? I don't know how to help you, Severus. You'd be better off going to St. Mungo's."
As Professor Blackwood finished her hurtful statement, she escaped from Professor Snape's grasp in one fluid movement. She turned and proceeded to leave once again.
Juno feared she had gotten her hopes up prematurely and that her efforts were indeed for naught. She hoped that Professor Snape would do something - anything. Fortunately, and much to Juno's pleasant surprise, Professor Snape did not disappoint.
At first, Professor Snape stood in place for several moments trying to think of what he was going to do. Frustrated with his constant hesitations, Snape threw his typical thinking-before-acting out the window. Professor Snape ran after Professor Blackwood for a second time. Professor Snape continued to run, but Professor Blackwood was still too far away to reach.
Juno watched Professor Snape raise his arms out into a T-pose and lunge forward. The lunge propelled Professor Snape a significant distance and he was finally able to catch Professor Blackwood. He wrapped Professor Blackwood in an embrace from behind. They both came crashing onto the ground below.
Professor Snape landed with Professor Blackwood underneath him. The remaining momentum from his leap of faith rolled them both onto their sides. This was the final resting position: the both of them on their left sides, bodies touching, with Professor Snape's arms resting around Professor Blackwood's waist.
Agnes was stunned by both the impact and the mesmerizing scent of Severus. Flashbacks of the intimate night that they had shared on Christmas immediately flooded Agnes's mind from Severus's scent. Completely disoriented, Agnes continued to lay there in complete bliss.
Juno watched Professor Snape immediately release his hold on Professor Blackwood once he was no longer dazed from the heavy fall. Juno heard the whispering of conversation. She struggled to hear what was being said from how far away she was now.
"What'd you do that for?" Professor Blackwood asked, sounding a bit drowsy.
"I don't know. It just… happened."
They laid there in silence. They both were not completely sure that what was happening was actually happening. After a considerable amount of time passed, Juno saw Professor Blackwood come to a stand and brushed off her clothes.
"We should go," She said. "Dinner should be going on right about now."
"Of course…"
"Well, we better be going… or wherever it is that you go. I'll…" Professor Blackwood took half a step toward Professor Snape before thinking better of it and taking a full step back instead. "I'll be off."
Professor Blackwood looked as though she had wanted to say more, but she said nothing. She took her leave instead. Juno watched Professor Snape stare at Professor Blackwood's retreating form. Professor Snape ran a hand through his hair in an attempt to make it more presentable. His hair was still ruffled from his spontaneous lunge. After Professor Blackwood left a great deal of distance between them, Professor Snape finally left as well.
Juno also waited until she was absolutely sure Professor Snape was gone before leaving as well. Once down the ladder and walking toward the direction to go where she belonged, Juno allowed her excitement to be let free. There was a noticeable pep to her step.
Juno couldn't believe what she had seen! But she was pleased. There was hope after all! The young Slytherin had thought that it was Professor Blackwood that would need help bringing out their courage. Instead, to her own surprise, Juno had learned that it was actually Professor Snape that she needed to work with.
Halfway to her intended destination, Juno stopped for a moment to think through her next course of action. She rationalized that it wasn't curfew yet. She had time! Due to having extra time on her hands, Juno decided to take this opportunity to pay Mr. Hagrid a visit. She wanted to catch him up on the final outcome of their efforts.
Author's Note: I am so, so sorry that this took a whole year to update this story at all! I don't really have any excuses except life itself. I have a very demanding toddler and a very demanding significant other (demanding meaning they want me to spend time with them ALL THE TIME) and I am very introverted.
I had to actually MAKE time to find time to finish writing this up. According to my notebook, I had started writing this chapter in November… And I just now finished June of the next year… there are no excuses! I am terribly sorry.
And then I waited two whole months because I wasn't sure if this part and the next part was going to be merged into one, big, giant part. Obviously that didn't happen. I'm toward the end of having the next part typed up and both parts are 12 pages each. The other part most likely will be more than 12 pages. So… Yeah 24 pages would've been a lot…
I would like to thank anyone and everyone that has stuck with me through the years! Even if I have been bad at updating consistently. And I hope that everyone is enjoying the story thus far. The end is sneaking up quickly! But don't worry!
I have a story in line that is lined up with the same timeline. It isn't a sequel as much as it'll have characters from this story show up as well.
Well, it might be considered a sequel. I don't know.
I'm not really sure what to classify it as…
Anyway, I hope that you all enjoyed reading! Please let me know how much you enjoyed this part and this story as a whole in the comments! I miss reading comments from you guys.