Sirius entered Gryffindor's common room after giving the password to the fat lady. He scanned the room and felt content that none of his friends were present, presumably enjoying themselves outside. Dropping his bag on the floor, he sat on an armchair adjacent to the fireplace. Mary Mcdonald who was doing her homework on a sofa across his armchair, raised her eyebrow as she eyed the book on his hand curiously. "Would you look at that? Sirius Black reading a book, that's new.." she said, sarcastically.
"Impressive, isn't it? It's a secret talent of mine," he quipped, playing along with the joke.
Mary chuckled, shaking her head before returning to her homework. "Indeed, very impressive," she sighed as she resumed her work. He waited for a few seconds to see if she had any further comments, but when she remained silent, he took it as the end of their conversation. He held the book and observed it when he was suddenly interrupted by her remark. "That's not your book," she pointed out. Sirius snapped his head up to look at her whose eyes were still glued to her book.
"What?"
"I said, that's not your book," she repeated again, didn't even bother to look up from her work.
"How would you know?" he asked warily.
Mary raised her head with a lackluster expression, and Sirius followed her gaze to the book before returning his gaze to her. Her expression seemed to say, "Are you kidding me?" as she stated in a flat voice, gesturing towards the book in his hands, "That's a used textbook, and it looks very battered."
"And what's about it?"
Mary looked at Sirius with a mixture of confusion and disbelief, her forehead furrowed and her bangs swept to the side. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Sirius Black, really? Do I have to spell it out for you? B-L-A-C-K. Black. Your family is one of the wealthiest wizarding families in the UK. Are you seriously suggesting that they would buy you second-hand books?" she exclaimed, her tone incredulous.
Sirius' heart sank as he realized that Mary was right. He felt a pang of embarrassment shoot through him like a bolt of lightning. "Um, well, I borrowed it from the library," he muttered, running his hand over his curly hair in a nervous gesture. But the moment the words left his mouth, he knew he had made a mistake. The library didn't carry official textbooks, let alone ones that were as tattered and worn as the one he was holding. Sirius could feel the heat rise in his cheeks as he struggled to come up with a plausible lie.
Mary's eyes narrowed as she took the book from Sirius's hands, inspecting the cover with a scrutinizing gaze. The edges were tattered and frayed, and the spine was cracked from years of use. She flipped through the pages, taking note of the faded text and dog-eared corners. "The library?" she repeated incredulously, looking up at Sirius with a mix of disbelief and amusement. "I didn't know the Hogwarts library carried such ancient relics." She handed the book back to Sirius and resumed her seat, a small smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "Well, alright then." she said in an unconvinced tone.
Mary sat back down on her chair and started to put her books and quills back into her bag. The rustling of papers echoed in the silent library as Sirius watched her with curiosity. "Going somewhere?"
She turned to face Sirius and held his gaze for a few moments before letting out a heavy sigh. "Mulciber took away my wand at lunch today. That son of a bitch," she clicked her tongue in displease. She looked so done and tired of him and Sirius seriously couldn't blame her. Mulciber had been bullying her since their fourth year. It was rather odd to him since she was the only Muggle-born he seemed to pay so much attention to. "He told me to meet him at 3 pm to get it back, and now I have to waste my afternoon just to meet that guy," she grumbled as she slung her bag over her shoulder.
Sirius checked the time on his pocket watch and furrowed his brow in confusion. "But it's almost 4," he said, looking up at Mary.
"An hour wait is the least he could do for getting on my nerves," Mary said with a playful eye roll, indicating her lack of concern towards the bullying. She bid farewell to Sirius, wishing him luck with his "studying," and offered a smile as she waved goodbye and left through the common room door.
Sirius shifted his focus back to the worn-out book in front of him. It appeared so ancient that it had probably been handed down to him or purchased from a thrift store. He couldn't help but find it strange that he already had this book in his possession. They were only in their fifth year, and this textbook was typically used by sixth or seventh years. Then again, it was Severus they were talking about - the insufferable, know-it-all bastard.
He opened the book to the first page and ran his fingers over Severus' neat handwriting. "This is the property of the Half-Blood Prince," Sirius read out loud, a smirk on his face at the ridiculous nickname that Severus had given himself. "Quite ironic, really. He looks nothing like a prince," he chuckled before flipping to the next page. However, his amusement quickly turned into frustration as he struggled to read Severus' handwriting. The writing was minuscule and cramped , making it difficult to decipher. To make matters worse, some of the ink had faded over time, causing the words to blur together and become unreadable.
As he scanned the page, his eyes caught a glimpse of a note scribbled at the bottom. The writing looked clearer than the rest, leading him to believe that Severus had added it recently.
Langlock - Affixes tongue to roof of mouth
Sirius' eyes lit up with a mixture of interest and mischief as he read the note. It seemed that Severus had been taking meticulous notes on a spell called Langlock, which he must have discovered from some obscure source. The spell's ability intrigued Sirius as it appeared to be similar to Silencio, but instead of merely preventing the victim from speaking, it prevented them from even moving their tongue to utter a single word. He scanned the room until his eyes landed on a small, unsuspecting fourth-year boy who was quietly working on his homework on the other side of the common room. A mischievous grin formed on Sirius's face as he locked eyes with the boy. The poor kid looked around nervously, hoping that Sirius's mischievous expression was directed towards someone else.
Without a warning, Sirius quicly drew his wand out of his robe and pointed it at the boy. The tip of his wand glowed ominously as he murmured the incantation, "Langlock." Instantly, the boy's mouth snapped shut, his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth as if glued.
The boy's eyes widened with fear as he cupped his mouth with his trembling hand. He attempted to speak, but the only sounds that came out were muffled whimpers and incoherent noises. Sirius grinned in satisfaction at the successful execution of the spell. He placed his wand back into his robe and shifted his attention back to the book. As he turned to the next page, he was taken aback by the sight of the densely packed pages, filled with illegible handwriting that covered almost every inch of the parchment. He furrowed his eyebrows in disgust at the messiness of it all.
He observed the writings and realised that Severus had crossed out certain measurements in the potion recipes and replaced them with new ones. Some instructions were even removed entirely. "Is he... adjusting the recipe?" Sirius mumbled to himself, impressed by his discovery. He already knew that Severus was a dedicated student, but he had no idea he was this invested in potions. How many experiments had he conducted to perfect each recipe? No wonder he was so skilled in the subject.
As he rapidly thumbed through the pages, his eyes suddenly caught sight of a spell that he recognized. He stopped flipping and quickly flipped back, scanning the pages until he found the one he was looking for. Sirius let out a breath and furrowed his brow as he studied the page intently.
Levicorpus (nvbl)
Liberacorpus — the opposite of Levicorpus
Sirius recalled how he and James had learned the spell Levicorpus from Mulciber a week before their O.W.L.s exam, when they overheard the latter using it to bully a first-year Ravenclaw. But now, looking at the same spell in Severus' book, he couldn't help but wonder: did Severus learn it from Mulciber, or did Mulciber learn it from Severus? Either way, it was rather impressive that a fifteen-year-old Severus knew so many spells that Sirius had never heard about.
Although the book provided no explanation for the Levicorpus spell, Sirius paid it no mind since he already knew its effect. As he was absorbed in reading, Quill Dilworth, a member of James' Quidditch team, walked by and took a quick peek at the book in his hands. "Oi, Dilworth!" Sirius called out to him.
Dilworth turned around, only to be welcomed with a spell lifting him from the ground by his ankle. His face turned red in humiliation as he struggled to get out of the spell. The other students in the common room erupted into laughter at the sight of him suspended upside down in the air. Some even started clapping and cheering. Sirius felt a sense of satisfaction and amusement wash over him as he watched Dilworth dangle helplessly in mid-air. "Fuck. Seriously, Black? Put me down," Dilworth shouted, his voice strained as he tried to wiggle his way out of the spell.
"Alright," Sirius chuckled and raised his wand, muttering the counter-curse. Dilworth fell to the ground with a thud, and the students surrounding them continued to laugh and tease him.
He quickly scrambled to his feet, rubbing his ankle and throwing a furious glare in Sirius' direction before stalking off to his dormitory, muttering under his breath.
Satisfied, Sirius sank back into his seat and continued reading the book. After a while, his body started aching from hunching over the book. He rubbed his eyes, feeling the strain from focusing for so long. When he checked his pocket watch, he couldn't believe how much time had passed. Three whole hours lost to this book!
In those three hours, Sirius had managed to find five spells (Levicorpus, Liberacorpus, Langlock, Muffliato and the toenail growing hex) and he wasted no time testing them out. Of all the spells he had tried, his favorite had to be the toenail growing hex. The way Hank Thomas' toenails had grown at an alarming rate had everyone in stitches.
"Padfoot," someone called out. Sirius looked towards the entrance and saw Remus motioning him to come over. Sirius stood up from his seat and walked towards Remus, the old leather book still in his hand. He used his finger as a bookmark to keep the book open to the page he had last read, as he followed Remus out of the common room and into the hallway. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm orange glow through the windows as they walked.
"Moony, what is it?"
"Where have you been? We were expecting you to join us after you left this afternoon," Remus asked, folding his arm in front of his chest.
Sirius chuckled, "Oh you know... I got caught up reading," and he flashed the book in front of Remus, a grin spreading across his face.
Remus squinted his eyes to read the title of the book that Sirius was holding. "You were reading... potion book?" he looked at Sirius with a confused expression.
Sirius couldn't help but roll his eyes at his friend's lack of understanding. "You're not getting it, Moony. It's not just some random potion book. It belongs to none other than Snivellus himself," he explained, wiggling his eyebrows mischievously. Remus seemed to be struggling to comprehend the significance of the book, his face twisted in confusion as he attempted to make sense of Sirius' excitement.
Remus appeared incredulous as he attempted to understand the situation. "Let me get this straight," he began, seeking clarification from Sirius. "You took Snape's textbook without his permission and then proceeded to... read it?" Sirius nodded, his face adorned with a mischievous grin. "Padfoot, all I'm hearing right now is that stealing Snape's book has actually motivated you to study and read. Is that what you're trying to tell me?" he asked with a raised eyebrow, clearly curious about Sirius' unusual behavior.
"What? No— I mean— kinda? I did just finish reading the whole book, except for a few pages. But that's not really the point I was trying to make," Sirius admitted, scratching his head. He couldn't believe he had actually read almost the entire textbook. He didn't even skip any pages, diverging he would never have done before. Well, who in their right mind, apart from Snivellus, would spend their free time reading and correcting instructions in a potion textbook anyway?
"Okay, you know what? We can talk about this later. Right now, you need to go and meet Slughorn," Remus said, holding his hand up to stop Sirius from trying to explain further.
"Slughorn? Why?"
Remus looked utterly exhausted and disappointed, as he let out a heavy sigh and placed his hand on his face, covering it in frustration. He seemed to have had enough of Sirius's reckless behavior. "Seriously, Sirius, can't you guess what I'm talking about?" he asked, his tone filled with annoyance. "I heard that you attacked Snape again this afternoon, right after you left us at lunch," Remus reminded him, his eyes narrowing in disapproval. His disapproving look really reminded Sirius of the look his mother used to give him. "I thought you had something urgent to attend to, considering how rushed you were. I can't believe you put Snape in the hospital wing."
Sirius rolled his eyes, not in the mood to listen to Remus's nagging, especially when he was excited about his new discovery in Snape's old, dusty book. "Okay, okay... I did attack him this afternoon. That's how I managed to get this book from him. But it wasn't my fault, alright?" he lied, trying to deflect the blame. "He was the one who provoked me first," Sirius continued, conveniently leaving out the fact that he had started the altercation. In his mind, Severus was the one who escalated the situation by insulting him, so he still believed that he was justified in retaliating.
"Right...Seeing how you were the one eagerly following him this afternoon, I don't find your story very convincing, mate." Remus folded his arms across his chest and gave Sirius a look of disbelief, clearly not buying his excuses.
"Just because I followed him doesn't mean I'm the one who caused the problem," he said, hoping Remus would understand his perspective. If James were here, he knew he would have taken his side. "And honestly, it's not that big of a deal. He was just being dramatic," Sirius huffed, dismissing the severity of the situation. He just threw him onto the ground a few times. "I mean, seriously, how fragile is he that he needs to go see Madam Pomfrey?"
Remus let out a deep sigh and placed a hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Just go and meet Slughorn, Sirius," he said with a tone of resignation. "Let's continue this conversation another time," he added, knowing that it was unlikely that they would ever revisit the topic. This was typical of Remus - he would always try to intervene and stop his friends from going too far, but he was also quick to give up when they started defending themselves. He knew that he couldn't force Sirius to see reason, so he decided to let it go for now and hope that his friend would come to his senses eventually.
"Well then, I guess I'll go first. Meet you and the rest tonight."
——————————
Sirius knocked on Slughorn's office door and waited for a few moments before hearing a faint voice instructing him to enter. He turned the handle and peeked inside, wrinkling his nose at the sight of Slughorn's cluttered desk. Papers were scattered everywhere, some of them even lying on the floor.
He quickly scanned the room, but there was no sign of Slughorn. He must have been in his back room. As he walked around the cluttered space, his eyes were drawn to the pictures adorning the walls. They were snapshots of Slughorn and his former Slug Club members, taken in various locations and at different events.
Sirius' attention was interrupted as the door to the backroom creaked open, revealing Slughorn with an unfamiliar potion in hand. "Ah, there you are, my boy. Let me just put this away," Slughorn remarked, placing the vial into a cabinet among other potions and grabbing a cork to seal it. He then turned to face Sirius and motioned towards the sofa. "Please, take a seat, Mr. Black," he said. Sirius obliged, settling himself on the opposite end of the couch. "I hear you've had another fight with Mr. Snape."
"Yes, sir," he answered.
Slughorn smiled weakly at Sirius. "I had hoped that things would have changed since you're in your fifth year now, and have to take the O.W.L.s. But I suppose it may be too early to expect much from you two."
He snickered at Slughorn's remarks, finding it amusing that he believed their age had anything to do with their ongoing feud. Too early? Sirius had lived for more than 30 years and his hatred for Severus was still quite strong. "You make it sound like it was some kind of major issue, Professor. It's just your typical students rivalry, nothing serious" he reassured Slughorn.
"A rivalry, hmm. I've always seen you and Mr. Snape as complete opposites. I wonder what you're competing for," Nothing. They were competing for nothing. Sirius knew that what he and his friends did to Severus was nothing but bullying. There was no competition, no reason for their hatred towards him. But he couldn't let anyone know that. Everyone always seemed to take his side, and he wasn't going to give up that advantage.
"It was a personal issue. Nothing the professors have to worry about," he said, giving him a dismissive wave. "So... What's my detention?" he said, trying to redirect the conversation to a different topic. The faster he could leave this place, the better.
"Oh, right. I was actually planning on asking you to organize my potion storage at first, but that might be too risky now that I think about it. There are too many rare potions in there, and some of them are very dangerous too. Just one drop of the potion might cause an explosion that could destroy the whole castle," He stood up and gestured for Sirius to come with him. They walked over to Slughorn's cluttered work table, where he reached under the piles of papers and objects to retrieve several folders. He placed them in front of Sirius and continued, "But I do need your help with something else."
Sirius read the cover of one of the files :
'Year One — Slytherin'.
"Are these... students files?" he asked.
"Correct, Mr. Black. You see, I am quite busy with my current... err.. let's just call it experiment. I don't have time to sort any of these out and it's been weighing on me for days now. As you're here for your detention anyway, I figured you might as well do it for me. And of course, you're free to go as soon as you're finished the task." he explained.
Sirius quirked his eyebrow. "Can't you just do this with magic?"
Slughorn chuckled. "Ah, I see you're a true wizard, Mr. Black," he remarked. "But unfortunately, these files are a bit too sensitive to entrust them to magic. It's better to go through them manually, and ensure that everything is in its proper place. Besides, there's something satisfying about the tactile experience of handling paper, don't you think?"
Sirius winced in annoyance. "What's the point of having magic if you have to do this easy task by yourself?" he muttered under his breath. He looked back at Slughorn. "So, I just need to organize this into the file, yeah?" he asked, picking up a paper with a familiar name and reading its contents silently.
Name : Lucas Avery
Gender : Male
House : Slytherin
Blood Status : Pureblood
Date of Birth : 20 February 1960
Enrollment Date : 1 September 1971
Address : 35 Avery Residence, Chelmsford, England
Parent/Guardian I
Name : Francis Avery II
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Business Owner of Avery Jewels
Parent/Guardian II
Name : Bianca Avery, née Bulstrode
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Co-owner of Avery Jewels
"Yes, that's correct," Slughorn replied. "You must first divide them according to their year and then organize them in alphabetical order in each files. I accidentally mixed them together last week. But I'm sure you'll be fine, right?" he added with a smile.
"Right..." Sirius murmured, his eyes glued to the cluttered mess of papers in front of him. He could see at least two hundred sheets of parchment staring back at him, threatening to consume his time and patience. Sirius let out a heavy sigh, but at least he could console himself with the thought that this was probably one of the easiest detentions he had ever received.
"Excellent!" Slughorn exclaimed, his face beaming with satisfaction. He rose from his chair and gave Sirius a broad smile before continuing, "Now, I'll be in my storage while you work on these documents. If you need anything from me, just knock on the door and I'll come out to assist you." With that, he disappeared once again into the back room, leaving Sirius alone with the papers and his thoughts.
Sirius huffed as he sat down at the table, taking a moment to stretch his arms and crack his knuckles. The stack of papers seemed never-ending, and he couldn't help but wonder how long it would take him to finish this tedious task. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts, and began to sort the papers by year. As he worked, he couldn't help but feel a twinge of curiosity about the students whose files he was handling. After sorting the papers, he immediately picked up the stack of fifth-year students' information and started reading through them one by one.
Name : Dominic Mulciber
Gender : Male
House : Slytherin
Blood Status : Pureblood
Date of Birth : 29 October 1959
Enrollment Date : 1 September 1971
Address : 32 Mulciber's Manor, Hyndland, Glasgow, Scotland
Parent/Guardian I
Name : Gregory Mulciber
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Magical Architect
Parent/Guardian II
Name : Dorothy Mulciber, née Yaxley
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Obliviator of The Ministry of Magic, Author
He chuckled at the fact that Dorothy Mulciber worked for the Ministry, considering her loyalty lay with Voldemort. The fact that a number of Death Eaters held positions of power within the government did not come as a surprise to him, given how many of them, including Malfoy, had managed to evade capture and imprisonment during the first war. However, Mulciber's attempt to use her connections to protect her family had clearly failed, as they had all been thrown into Azkaban, despite her close ties to many authorities.
Her autobiography, which details her time as an Obliviator for the Ministry, contributed heavily to her fame. However, it wasn't until her entire family was apprehended that people began to perceive the harshness in her descriptions of Muggles. Sirius found this surprising, as he had always found her bias apparent. Perhaps this was due to his awareness of her loyalty from the beginning.
He placed the paper on the table and proceeded to read the next student's information.
Name : Evan Rosier
Gender : Male
House : Slytherin
Blood Status : Pureblood
Date of Birth : 3 December 1959
Enrollment Date : 1 September 1971
Address : Crescentwood Chateau, Loughborough, England
Parent/Guardian I
Name : Orland Rosier
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : A/N (Philanthropists)
Parent/Guardian II
Name : Therese Rosier, née Malfoy
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Homemaker
Orland Rosier, like many wealthy purebloods, did not have a job and relied solely on his family's fortune. He and Lucius Malfoy were known to be generous donors to various charities, schools, and organizations, likely as a way to gain favor with the public. This was a very clever disguise for Death Eaters who wished to blend in with neutral parties. Manipulating others with money.
Despite the fact that Lucius Malfoy was the only one of the two who managed to escape, there was significant public outcry when both Orland Rosier and Evan Rosier were sentenced to Azkaban. Many people thought that the Rosier family had been wrongfully accused and imprisoned. Although the protests eventually lost momentum, there remained a persistent belief among some individuals, even thirteen years later, that the Rosiers were innocent. He remembered overhearing two people discussing about the Rosiers in Hogsmeade right after his escape.
He was roaming the Hogsmeade in his dog form when he suddenly heard someone mention his name. It was a woman in her mid-thirties, who was holding a newspaper with his face emblazoned on the front page. "I can't believe Sirius Black managed to escape Azkaban," she exclaimed in disbelief.
The man seated across from the woman cautioned her, "We need to be extra careful." He sipped his tea with an air of refinement that suggested he was an aristocrat. "If anyone deserves to escape Azkaban, it's the Rosiers. Not the backstabbing Black, who sold out his friend to the one who shall not be named." His tone was disdainful. The woman nodded in agreement, and the two continued their conversation, unaware that a stray dog had overheard their words.
Sirius was very closed at gnawing that man, but he knew that he needed to remain hidden and avoid drawing any attention to himself. He fought the urge to bare his teeth and instead forced himself to remain calm and composed. He reminded himself that he was a wanted fugitive, and any outburst would only draw the authorities' attention to his location. Reluctantly, he moved away from the two people, his eyes narrowed with anger as he disappeared into the shadows.
He huffed in annoyance as the memory resurfaced in his mind. He set the paper with Mulciber's information aside and picked up the next one. However, his attention was immediately caught by the name on the document in front of him: Severus Snape. He paused for a moment, staring at the paper before him, before beginning to read through the information in silence.
Name : Severus Snape
Gender : Male
House : Slytherin
Blood Status : Half-blood
Date of Birth : 9 January 1960
Enrollment Date : 1 September 1971
Address : House 57, Spinner's End, Cokeworth, England
Parent/Guardian I
Name : Tobias Snape
Blood Status : Muggle
Occupation : Building's janitor
Parent/Guardian II
Name : Eileen Snape, née Prince
Blood Status : Pureblood
Occupation : Homemaker
"Prince, Eileen Prince," he mumbled the name. His mother's maiden name was Prince. So it wasn't just some edgy nickname he had given himself after all. He was, in fact, a descendant of the Prince family.
His knowledge regarding the Princes was limited as they were not considered part of the Sacred 28 due to their mixed ancestry. Besides, they weren't exactly rich. Despite having several Pureblood members in their family tree, they were never particularly affluent, successful or influential within the wizarding community for people to recognise them.
Disregarding his duty, he retrieved Severus' book and flipped to the page where he left off. Settling onto Slughorn's couch, he immersed himself in the text, his head sinking into the armchair as he read in peaceful silence. It was rather calming, reading a book while reclined in the evening hours. It was something he never really tried before. I mean, who read books other than the nerds and the try-hard students anyways? And when he said try-hard, he specifically meant Ravenclaw.
He continued reading until he reached an immaculately pristine page. His eyes sparked with interest as he perused the unaltered formula for a common poison antidote. There were no modifications made to the recipe. He wondered whether the recipe had reached a state of perfection that no further modifications were needed.
As he turned the page, his attention was drawn to a message jotted down at the bottom in Severus' scrawling handwriting. "Just shove a bezoar down their throats?" he read aloud, his lips curling up into a grin. He couldn't help but wheeze with laughter at the thought of Severus' dry wit. After a few moments of hilarity, he wiped the tears from his eyes and refocused on the book. As he did so, his gaze caught sight of a new spell that had been added to the right-hand page, written in elegant cursive.
Sectumsempra — For enemies
He scanned the page for any further explanation of the spell, but to his dismay, there was none to be found. The only discernible instruction was "for enemies." He furrowed his brow, wondering what Severus could have possibly meant by that cryptic phrase. Why did he possess this spell, and who were its intended targets? He couldn't help but consider the possibility that the spell may have been intended for him and his friends. As he traced the writing with his thumb, his curiosity only grew stronger, gnawing away at him with each passing moment.
Maybe he could try it on someone?
"Mr. Black!"
Sirius was startled by the sudden call of his name and fumbled, dropping the book onto the ground with a thud. He looked up with a look of horror, both hands raised in the air as if he had just been caught committing a crime. Slughorn was standing at the entrance of the backroom, observing him with disapproval evident on his face. "I came in to check on you since I haven't heard a peep from you in over an hour," Slughorn chided, shaking his head in disappointment. "You should have completed your task by now. It's just a matter of organizing a few papers, after all."
"Sorry, Professor. I got a little carried away," Sirius apologized, his hand scratching his head nervously. He had lost track of time while engrossed in the book and hadn't realized how much time had passed. "I'll finish the rest of the task now," he added, determined to make up for lost time.
Slughorn raised an eyebrow at Sirius' apology. "Yes, you should. Unless you plan on spending the night here," he remarked wryly before picking up his coat and bag from the floor. "I'll be leaving first, boy. Make sure you complete your task before returning to your dormitory," he added, his tone firm and no-nonsense. With that, he made his way to the door and exited the room, leaving Sirius alone with his thoughts and the unfinished task at hand.
Sirius nodded solemnly as he watched Slughorn's retreating figure disappear through the door. He let out a deep sigh and returned to the table, eyeing the disheveled pile of papers before him with a sense of dread. "Fuck, this is the worst," he muttered under his breath, knowing that he had to buckle down and get the task done. With a resigned expression, he began to sort through the papers, methodically organizing them into the file in the correct order, determined to finish the task before he called it a night.
——————————
With the last file finally placed onto the cupboard, Sirius let out a deep exhale of relief. He wasted no time in grabbing his bag and Severus' book, eager to leave the stuffy office behind. As he walked towards the Gryffindor common room, he stretched his body, feeling the weariness from the long day begin to set in. Reading, he realized, really took a lot out of him, both physically and mentally. All he wanted to do now was return to his dorm and rest, grateful for the peace and quiet that awaited him there.
Sirius made his way through the dark and eerie Hogwarts corridor, glancing around at the flickering candle lights that barely illuminated his path. The castle had always been a bit creepy at night, with its long shadows and echoing whispers. But Sirius was used to it by now, having snuck out of his dorm on more than one occasion. He knew, however, that not all students were as brave as he was. Some were scared to venture out at night, afraid of the dark and the various ghosts and spirits that haunted the halls. Peeves, in particular, was notorious for his pranks and his penchant for scaring unsuspecting students. And then there was the cold - Hogwarts tended to get incredibly chilly at night, and unless you were safely tucked away in your dorm or common room, there was no escaping it.
As he ascended the stairs, Sirius hummed a tune under his breath. Suddenly, he caught sight of a black figure moving not far from him. His reflexes kicked in and he whipped out his wand, holding it at the ready as he approached the figure cautiously. "Who's there?" he called out, his voice echoing down the dark corridor.
"Put that wand away, you idiot," said the other person.
Sirius lowered his hand as he recognized the voice. "Rosier."
Rosier's figure emerged from the darkness, a tall and imposing silhouette that seemed to loom over him. "Well, well, well... look who we've got here," Rosier drawled, his voice low and dangerous. "Came back from the dungeon, I see?" He took slow, deliberate steps towards Sirius, his eyes fixed on him with suspicion. "What were you doing?"
"None of your business, Rosier," Sirius replied, attempting to sidestep him, but found himself thwarted by Rosier's imposing figure.
"Oh, but it is," Rosier said, stepping closer to Sirius until he was within whispering distance. "Especially since what happened this afternoon." His voice was low and dangerous, you could hear the slight growl in his voice. Sirius pulled away, and they stood there, locked in a silent battle of wills, each daring the other to make a move. The dim light of the castle flickered around them, casting strange shadows on the walls.
Sirius's eyes darted up and down Rosier's figure, taking note of his casual attire that differed from the Hogwarts uniform. It was evident that Rosier had just come out of his dorm, making Sirius wonder where he had been and what he had been up to.
Sirius tilted his head to the side, a wicked grin forming on his lips. "Oh? Have you just returned from a visit to Snivellus in the Hospital Wing?" he inquired, his tone laced with mocking laughter. Unbeknownst to him, Severus had been staying in the infirmary all night. "How is he doing? The poor dear. Did he cry his eyes out? Is that why you're so riled up? Did he weep on your shoulder, leaving tears and greasy stains on your shirt?" he taunted, his eyes glittering mischievously.
Sirius watched as Rosier's neck bulged with rage, and he could see the fury in his eyes. "Watch your mouth, you bastard," Rosier warned him, sharp and threatening. "I wouldn't hesitate to fucking hex you if you ever touch one of my housemate again. This is the last warning, Black."
Sirius wondered when Rosier and Severus had become so close. Although he remembered Severus always hanging out with the Slytherin crowd, he couldn't recall them ever coming to his defense during any of their fights. Rosier's next words caught Sirius off guard. "I heard from Regulus that you're attending the meeting on the Easter break. Just so you know, I'll be keeping an eye on you. I know for a fact that you weren't interested in joining the Dark Lord. If this is a way to spy on the Death Eaters, just know that the Dark Lord will force everyone to make a vow to keep everything we heard that day among members only." With that, Rosier pushed past Sirius, jostling him on purpose, before disappearing down the hallway.
Sirius clicked his tongue in annoyance, feeling the tension in his muscles slowly dissipating. He turned his gaze towards the hallway leading to the hospital wing and checked his pocket watch. It was 8:40 pm - he still had plenty of time before curfew. With a shrug, he slipped the pocket watch back into his robe and began striding towards the hospital wing, his curiosity piqued about the extent of the damage he had caused earlier.
As Sirius approached the hospital wing, he paused and wondered if it was appropriate for him to go in. After all, it would be strange for Severus to see him there after what had happened. But he rationalized that he wasn't really visiting; he just wanted to confirm that everyone was exaggerating and Severus wasn't seriously injured. He took a deep breath and opened the door, only to find an empty room with no patients. Had Severus already been discharged? If so, then what was Rosier doing there earlier if he wasn't visiting Severus?
As Sirius stood there, the sound of the door cracking brought him back to reality. He looked up and watched as Severus' figure appeared from the bathroom door. The room was dimly lit, and the hospital bed was the only thing occupying the space. Severus was wearing an oversized hospital gown that seemed too big for his thin frame. The gown slipped down his left shoulder, revealing a thin, bony shoulder that looked fragile and vulnerable. Sirius inhaled sharply when he saw a huge purple bruise on Severus' upper body. It was a nasty bruise that looked like it was caused by a violent blow. The bruise covered a large portion of Severus' upper body and was turning an ugly shade of yellow around the edges.
"What are you doing here?" Severus hissed, finally realizing Sirius' presence. Without warning, Sirius strode towards Severus with long, fast steps. Severus, who was defenseless at the moment, jumped at the sudden approach. He quickly turned around and opened the bathroom door, but Sirius was even faster. He shut the door back, trapping Severus against the wall. The sudden movement caused Severus' hospital gown to slip further down his shoulder, revealing more of the bruise on his upper body. "What the fuck are you doing?" Severus snapped, still facing towards the wall.
Sirius swiftly turned Severus' body around, causing him to face him directly. He then yanked the robe up, and what he saw left him feeling shocked and taken aback. Severus' skinny and frail body was decorated with purple bruises, scattered from his shoulder to his hips. It was worse than Sirius had imagined. However, something else caught his attention. A scar that looked deep and long was visible on the side of Severus' waist, stretching all the way to his back.
Sirius put his hand on Severus' shoulder with the intent of turning him around, but he was met with a sudden slap on his face that sent his head spinning. Stunned, he stumbled backwards a few steps, his hand instinctively letting go of the hospital gown. The robe slipped back down, once again concealing Severus' battered body from his view. As he steadied himself, Sirius saw that Severus was holding the fabric tightly to his frame, his knuckles turning white with the force of his grip. His eyes blazed with a mixture of anger and fear as he glared at Sirius. "What the fuck is wrong with you? Are you crazy?!" he spat out, his voice raw with emotion. He made sure to keep the robe securely in place, as if he was afraid Sirius would try to uncover him again.
Sirius felt a wave of embarrassment and regret wash over him as he registered the severity of his actions. He had acted like a complete creep, violating Severus' personal space and physically exposing him without his consent. He mentally scolded himself for being so reckless and impulsive. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts and regain his composure. He put on a defensive expression, trying to justify his behavior. "I was just checking on you," he raised a hand to his cheek, which was now stinging from the slap he had received.
Severus' cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he roared, "I don't need you to check on me!" He pushed past Sirius and walked towards his bed. With a sharp tug, he pulled the covers up over his body and disappeared underneath them, effectively blocking Sirius from view. Sirius followed him and stood next to the bed, his eyes scanning Severus' body for any more signs of injury. "What are you doing?" Severus narrowed his eyes.
Sirius grimaced, his discomfort evident on his face. "I already told you, I was just making sure you were okay."
"And I told you I don't need it. You can leave." Severus spat the words out with venom.
Both of them locked eyes and exchanged intense glares, the tension between them was palpable. Sirius finally let out a heavy sigh and decided to take a seat on the chair next to Severus' bed. He rummaged through his bag and pulled out Severus' book, placing it gently on the table. As he did so, Severus' gaze flickered between Sirius and the book, looking slightly anxious. "If you're worried that I've read your book, you shouldn't be - I mean, you should. I've read the whole thing," he muttered, his hand rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture.
Severus grumbled and snatched the book from the table, gripping it tightly. His entire body trembled with rage, and his eyes stared blankly at the bedsheet. "Of course you did," he said, his voice quivering with anger.
Sirius rolled his eyes at Severus' reaction. "You're overreacting. I'm not going to tell anyone what I found in your book," he lied. In fact, he was already looking forward to telling Remus all about it later that evening. "And I'm definitely not going to use any of the spells on you," he added, this time telling the truth. He had used one of the spells before, but it was in his previous life, so it didn't really count. Sirius leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms, watching as Severus held the book tightly in his trembling hands.
Severus let out a derisive snort, his eyes filled with fury as he glared at Sirius. "You're not fooling anyone, Black. Do you honestly believe that I would be gullible enough to fall for your lies?" he sneered. "You and Potter have always gone out of your way to make my life a living hell, so why should I believe that you wouldn't use my own spells against me if given the chance?"
"Your spells?"
"Now leave— before I lose my patience and hex your arse off," Severus threatened, whipping his wand from under his pillow.
"Can't you just stay calm for once?" Sirius scowled, feeling frustrated by Severus' sudden aggression. "Bullock! You're always so angry. It's no wonder people don't want to be around you," he snapped.
Severus' eye twitched in anger as he glared at Sirius. "I do not need any of your stupid commentary," he hissed through gritted teeth. "Seeing how dim-witted you are, I am not surprised that you failed to see the reason why I am always angry whenever you and your brainless friends are around me. Now, if you don't mind, please leave before things get violent," he said, pointing his wand threateningly at the door.
Sirius clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes burning with anger. "You're in no position to be making threats, Snivellus. Look at yourself, so weak and fragile. It wouldn't take much for me to take you down, even without magic," he spat, causing Severus to tighten his grip on his wand. Sirius then seized Severus' wrist and twisted it with surprising ease, causing the wand to fall from his hand. Without hesitation, Sirius snatched the wand and held it to Severus' neck. A cruel smirk played across his lips as he taunted, "Say... what will happen if I cast Sectumsempra on you right now?" he asked, smiling mischievously.
Severus gazed into Sirius' eyes with a mix of fear and disbelief. "You won't do it," he whispered, his voice barely audible.
"Why won't I?"
Severus felt his heart pounding in his chest as he tried to push Sirius' hand away from him. He knew the consequences of what Sirius was suggesting, and he didn't want to die. "Madam Pomfrey is not here. You can do it if you want to be thrown to Azkaban for murder. But don't say I didn't warn you," he said, his voice quivering with fear.
Sirius observed Severus in silence, his eyes darting back and forth between Severus' pleading expression and the wand in his hand. It dawned on him that Severus wasn't bluffing, the Sectumsempra spell was not something to be taken lightly. With a sense of trepidation, Sirius lowered his wand and slipped it back into his robe pocket. He stood up and tossed Severus' wand back to him before leaving the hospital wing without a word.
A (very) small development in Sirius! Slowly but surely, am I right?
"Can't you just stay calm for once?" I couldn't help laughing when I wrote this part. He was all alone in a room with the person who attacked him and was expected to be calm - talk about ignorance on Sirius' part!
One thing I really enjoyed writing in this chapter was Evan Rosier. I'm hoping to turn him into an older brother figure for the Slytherins. Whether or not this will change anything in the future is up in the air!
Anyway, thank you so much for reading this chapter. Don't forget to subscribe to get notification whenever I upload new chapters! Have a nice day, everyone! 3