Hogwarts, Severa's dorm
Severa sat curled up on her bed, reading a book her mother had given her, having already completed her morning routine. A knock on her door brought her out of her reading. She let out a small sigh, marked her place in the book, and slid off the bed. Opening the door, she found Bruce standing there, smirking as he leaned against the doorway holding a single rose.
Raising a brow, she stared at him as he held the rose out for her. "For my lovely girl~" Severa scoffed as she grabbed the rose and took a sniff, noticing the abnormal smell.
It was a mix of vanilla and strawberry, nowhere near a normal rose. Intrigued, she looked up at Bruce, who was still smirking. "What's this about?" she asked, twirling the rose between her fingers.
Bruce straightened up, his smirk transforming into a genuine smile. "Just thought I'd surprise you with something special," he replied, stepping closer. "I had it specially made. Figured you might appreciate something a little different."
Severa gave him a skeptical look but couldn't help the small smile tugging at her lips. "It's certainly unique," she admitted, gesturing for him to come inside. "Come on, you might as well sit down."
Bruce entered the room, relaxing as he lay on her bed. "So, what were you reading?" he asked, glancing at the book she'd set aside.
"Just a novel my mom gave me," Severa replied, placing the rose in a small vase on her desk. "It's pretty good so far." She glanced at the clock, noticing breakfast had already started nearly an hour ago and she needed to get ready.
Walking over to her wardrobe and getting dressed in her uniform, She felt Bruce's arms encircle her waist, his warmth seeping through the fabric of her uniform. She met his gaze in the mirror, a smirk playing on her lips.
"What's this for?" she asked, leaning back slightly into his embrace.
Bruce shrugged, his expression fond. "Just wanted to take a moment to appreciate how amazing you are," he replied, pressing a gentle kiss to her temple.
Severa maintained her smirk, though a flicker of warmth glimmered in her eyes. Bruce had a knack for catching her off guard with his unexpected displays of affection, and she found herself oddly charmed by it.
"Smooth talker," she teased, turning in his arms to face him.
Bruce grinned, his eyes sparkling with affection. "Only when it comes to you," he said, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.
Severa chuckled, rolling her eyes playfully. "You're lucky you're kinda handsome," she remarked, turning back around to do her hair.
Bruce chuckled, his arms still wrapped around her. "I'll take that as a compliment," he replied before reaching over to her dresser and grabbing the necklace he bought her, placing it around her neck.
Severa glanced down at the necklace, her fingers brushing against the delicate pendant. She met Bruce's gaze in the mirror, her smirk softening slightly before she fastened the clasp and adjusted the pendant so it sat perfectly.
"Okay, let's head up to breakfast." She grabbed her bag and made her way out the door, Bruce following behind. As soon as they stepped out of the Slytherin common room and into the halls of Hogwarts, Severa transformed from the calm girl in her room to the embodiment of a Slytherin.
That's how it was; it didn't matter how you acted inside the Slytherin house, it only mattered that no Slytherin showed weakness outside of it.
Severa's stride was confident, her posture impeccable, and her gaze sharp as they navigated through the bustling corridors. Other students parted as she passed, some casting wary glances, others nodding in respect. Bruce walked beside her, his own demeanor shifting to match hers, though with a hint of his usual charm that always seemed to follow him.
They entered the great hall hand in hand as they made their way over to Slytherin table, ignoring the eyes and whispers that followed.
Great Hall, Grrifindore Table
"And then she tried to get me to say I'm sorry when she's the one who—Sirius, are you listening?"
Sirius looked up from his food, his fork frozen midair as he was about to eat his eggs. "What?" he asked, clearly distracted.
James sighed, shaking his head in exasperation. "Never mind, mate," he said, giving up on his rant. "You never pay attention when I'm talking about Lily."
Sirius grinned, finally taking a bite of his eggs. "Can't help it, Prongs. Your love life is like a never-ending soap opera," he teased. "Besides, I have other things on my mind."
James raised an eyebrow, curiosity piqued. "Oh yeah? Like what?"
Sirius's gaze flicked over to the Slytherin table, where Severa was nowhere to be seen. Following his gaze, Remus sighed before continuing to push around his food. "Still haven't talked to her?"
Sirius shook his head, a faint frown crossing his features. "She won't even look at me...it's like I don't exist to her anymore..." Peter popped his head up from his food, crumbs falling from his mouth.
"Maybe she got mad 'cause you didn't kiss her before you left her?" Sirius's frown deepened, and he looked down at his plate, pushing the eggs around absentmindedly. "It's more than that, Wormtail," he said quietly, he knew that wasn't the reason
James sighed, his frustration with his own situation momentarily forgotten. "Look, Padfoot, you know how Slytherins are. They have their own way of handling things. Maybe she just needs time."
Sirius nodded, but he didn't seem convinced. "Yeah, maybe," he muttered, though his gaze remained fixed on the empty spot at the Slytherin table where Severa usually sat.
Remus put a reassuring hand on Sirius's shoulder. "Just give her some space. If she cares about you, she'll come around."
Peter nodded enthusiastically, even as he continued to stuff his face with food. "Yeah, and in the meantime, you can work on a grand gesture to win her back!"
Sirius managed a small smile at that, the idea of a grand gesture appealing to his dramatic nature. "Maybe," he said, his voice a little lighter. "I'll think about it." just as the words left his mouth the entire hall got quiet as he turned to look.
The sight of Severa walking into the Great Hall with Mulciber at her side made Sirius's heart sink. The transformation in Severa was evident—her new look exuded confidence and poise, and the whispers of admiration followed her as she made her way to the Slytherin table. Mulciber, ever the protector, seemed to revel in the attention their entrance garnered.
Sirius's eyes remained fixed on Severa, feeling regret and pain as his fork fell from his hands. James nudged him lightly. "Looks like you've got some competition, mate," he said, half-joking, half-serious.
Remus stared on in shock before trying to voice reason. "M-Maybe they're just friends—"
Sirius shook his head vehemently, his jaw clenched tightly. "Friends don't walk in together like that," he muttered, his voice tinged with bitterness. "Besides, Mulciber's always had a thing for her."
His knuckles whitened as he gripped the edge of the table, struggling to keep his composure. The sight of Severa with Mulciber was like a punch to the gut, and he couldn't shake the feeling of betrayal that gnawed at him. He had hoped to win her back, but seeing her with Mulciber made him question everything.
James sighed, trying to offer some encouragement. "Well, whatever the case, it doesn't change your plan. You've got that grand gesture to plan. Focus on that."
Sirius nodded, maybe they were just friends...but that hope was quickly cut short when someone down the table piped up.
"Wow, looks like Snape found herself a boy toy."
The comment drew the attention of everyone at the Gryffindor table. Sirius's expression darkened, his hands clenching into fists. He shot a glare in the direction of the voice, but his attention was quickly pulled back to Severa and Mulciber, who were now sitting at Slytherin table.
"Ignore them, Sirius," Remus advised quietly, though his own face showed signs of unease.
Sirius couldn't help but stare, his heart aching at the sight of Severa with Mulciber's lips attached to her hand, planting kisses every minute. He knew he needed to focus on his plan, but the jealousy and hurt were overwhelming.
Why when everything was going good did he have to fuck it all up?...