Hogwarts, Great Lake
Severus swam around the lake, watching the giant squid try to catch fish, as he waited for Charity to arrive. The gentle ripples in the water and the serene environment were a stark contrast to the turmoil in his mind. The cool water soothed his nerves, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to relax.
A splash behind him alerted Severus to Charity's arrival. He turned to see her standing at the water's edge, hesitating. Her blonde hair glinted in the sunlight, and she looked around nervously before waving at him.
"Come on in, the water's perfect," Severus called, trying to sound encouraging.
Charity smiled timidly and waded into the lake, shivering slightly as the cool water enveloped her. "It's colder than I expected," she admitted with a laugh.
Severus swam closer, his expression softening. "You'll get used to it. Just take it slow."
They swam together for a while, the conversation light and easy. Charity's initial nervousness faded, and she began to enjoy herself, laughing as the giant squid playfully splashed them with its tentacles. Severus found himself smiling more than he had in a long time, the weight of his usual worries momentarily lifted.
As they floated on their backs, gazing up at the sky, Charity turned to Severus. "Thank you for inviting me. I really needed this," she said softly.
Severus nodded, his eyes still on the clouds. "We all need a break sometimes," he replied. "Especially with everything going on."
A comfortable silence settled between them, the sounds of the lake and the distant chatter of other students creating a peaceful background. However, a nagging thought tugged at the back of Severus's mind. He couldn't shake off the feeling that this moment of calm was merely the calm before the storm.
"Charity," he began, choosing his words carefully, "you need to be careful. Things at Hogwarts... they're changing. People are becoming more dangerous."
Charity frowned, turning to face him. "What do you mean?"
Severus sighed, the weight of his worries returning. "Just... keep your guard up. There are people who wouldn't think twice about hurting others to get what they want."
Charity's expression grew wary. "Like Lily?"
Severus hesitated before nodding. "Yes, and others. Just promise me you'll be careful."
Charity reached out and took his hand, squeezing it gently. "I promise, Severus. And thank you for looking out for me."
They swam back to the shore, the evening sun shining bright and casting a warm glow over the lake. As they dried off and prepared to head back to the castle, Severus couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. The shadows were growing longer, and a sense of foreboding settled over him.
Just as they were about to leave, a name was suddenly yelled out. He turned and saw Amelia Bonds and Luke Base rushing past him and to Charity, their mouths moving at rapid speed.
"Charity!" Amelia called, her voice edged with panic. "We were so worried about you!"
Charity looked surprised and a little embarrassed as her friends crowded around her. "I'm fine, really. Severus and I were just swimming."
Luke glanced warily at Severus, then back at Charity. "Are you sure you're okay? You were in the hospital wing, and now you're out here..."
"I'm fine," Charity insisted, her smile faltering slightly under their intense scrutiny. "Severus was just helping me clear my head."
Amelia turned to Severus, her eyes narrowing as she whispered to Charity who shook her head frantically. With no glance at him, the two hooked Charity's arms and pulled her to the castle, leaving him standing there dripping wet.
With a sigh, Severus pulled out his wand and dried himself off before slipping back into his uniform and heading inside.
As he walked the corridors, his mind on the letters he sent out last night, he heard the sound of voices, each one louder than the other. Turning around, he made his way to the noise, his eyes landing on a group of students from every year and every house, all gathered around.
Curiosity piqued, Severus pushed through the crowd to see what was causing the commotion. At the center of the group stood James Potter and Sirius Black, wands drawn and faces flushed with anger. Opposite them, Regulus Black lay on the ground, blood seeping through his white shirt, his expressions equally fierce.
"What's going on here?" Severus demanded, kneeling beside Regulus, checking over his wounds.
"Your friend here," James spat, pointing his wand at Regulus, "is the one who attacked my Lily, even made her bleed. We even caught him around the Gryffindor common room."
Regulus sneered, pushing up on his arms. "I already told you, Potter. I have nothing to do with your 'little flower', I was on my way to Transfiguration when you attacked."
Sirius laughed mockingly. "Nice try, Reg. But we all know what a lowlife you are."
Severus's eyes narrowed, his anger boiling over. "Fuck off, both of you. If he said he did nothing wrong then he did nothing wrong, maybe you should ask 'Lily Flower' where she really got her scars instead of attacking an innocent person."
James sneered, his eyes flashing with hatred. "Defending another Slytherin, Snivellus? Why am I not surprised?"
"Why do you even bother?" Sirius added, his voice dripping with disdain. "You know what people say about you, Snape? They say you're a freak, you and your pathetic parents." Sirius took a step closer, jabbing his finger into Severus's chest. "I mean, Why are you defending my brother? Is he the only one who would even want to touch your little prick? No wonder they're dead. They probably couldn't stand the sight of you either."
Severus froze, his heart pounding in his chest. This wasn't the first time he heard cruel words from black, but the last time, Regulus wasn't around to be caught in the crossfire, and the feeling of rage cut through him like a burning knife. "The fuck you say?" he hissed softly, stepping closer to Sirius.
"You heard me," Sirius taunted, a malicious grin spreading across his face. "Whatch ya gonna do? go cry to your dead mummy and daddy? Or maybe join them? Maybe they're in hell, wishing they'd never had you."
Without thinking, Severus raised his wand, his hand shaking with fury. "Expelliarmus!" he whispered, the spell knocking Black's wand out of his hand and onto the floor.
"Oh, look, Snivellus wants to play," James mocked, raising his own wand. "Let's see what you've got."
The duel began, spells flying back and forth as the crowd of students watched in shock and excitement. Severus fought like a man possessed by the souls of his past lives, but it was two-on-one, with some spells coming from the crowd, causing distractions.
In a moment of distraction, James cast a powerful spell, "Confringo!" The explosive curse hit Severus square in the chest, sending him flying into a wall, his wand breaking on impact. Severus fell to the ground, clutching his chest in pain as he struggled not to scream. When he tried to look up, his eyes landed on the broken wand remnants in disbelief, his anger turning to desperation. The world seemed to close in around him, his mind racing with panic and humiliation.
James and Sirius laughed, stepping closer. "What now, Snivellus?" James jeered. "Going to cry?"
Severus blocked out every noise, his eyes trained on the broken wand. The truth was, it was never his wand. It belonged to his mother, the only thing he had left of her when he was taken into the foster system.
A flood of memories he had forgotten surged through him—his mother's gentle smile, the way she used to chase after him and his father at the park, her hair blowing in the wind. That wand was a lifeline, a connection to a past that had been ripped away from him. Now it lay in pieces, just like the fragile remnants of his heart.
His body trembled with a mix of grief and fury. James and Sirius's laughter echoed in his ears, fueling the fire within. Slowly, Severus rose to his feet, his eyes blazing with a new, unrelenting determination.
"You shouldn't have done that," Severus said, his voice low and dangerous. His fists clenched at his sides, the pain in his chest now mingling with an overwhelming rage.
"Oh, really?" Sirius mocked, stepping closer. "And what are you going to do about it, Snivellus?"
Before Sirius could react, Severus lunged at him, his fist connecting with Sirius's jaw with a sickening thud. Sirius staggered back, shock and pain etched across his face.
"Get off him!" James shouted, aiming his wand at Severus, but Severus was already moving, his mind a whirlwind of anger and loss. He tackled James to the ground, raining blows on him with a ferocity that stunned the crowd.
Sirius recovered quickly, grabbing Severus by the collar and trying to pull him off James. Severus swung around, landing a solid punch to Sirius's ribs, making him double over in pain.
The crowd's shouts grew louder, some calling for help, others cheering the fight. Blood dripped from Severus's knuckles, but he didn't care. All he could see was red—the red of his mother's blood, the red of his father's blood, the red of his own fury.
"Enough!" a voice shouted, cutting through the chaos. Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn pushed through the crowd, their expressions a mix of shock and anger. "What is the meaning of this?" McGonagall demanded.
Severus stood over James and Sirius, his breath coming in ragged gasps, his body shaking with a mix of adrenaline and pain. He didn't even notice his punches growing softer, the pain in his chest growing as his rage simmered down.
He staggered away, his hands shakily coming up to his chest as he heard McGonagall gasp in horror at the huge patch of blood seeping through his shirt to the point of dripping onto the floor.
He looked up at McGonagall, his eyes shining with tears making his vision blurry. "...I'm sorry...I don't wanna die..."
McGonagall's stern demeanor instantly softened, her eyes widening in alarm. "Severus! Horace, get Poppy, now!" she barked, her voice laced with urgency. Professor Slughorn nodded and hurried away.
Severus swayed on his feet, his vision tunneling. The pain in his chest was growing unbearable, each breath feeling like fire. "I...I didn't mean to..." he murmured, his voice growing weaker.
McGonagall was at his side in an instant, her arm supporting him. "Stay with me, Severus. Help is on the way," she said, her tone uncharacteristically gentle.
The students around them were silent, the gravity of the situation sinking in. James and Sirius, still not realizing the extent of the damage, exchanged glances but remained silent.
Severus's knees buckled, and McGonagall eased him to the ground, her expression a mix of fear and determination. "Just breathe, Severus. Keep your eyes open."
Severus tried to focus on her voice, but the pain was overwhelming. His thoughts drifted to his mother, to the wand that now lay scattered across the floor. The connection to her, the last piece of her he had, was shattered, and he felt an immense wave of grief.
His whole mouth suddenly felt metallic as he felt warm liquid drip down his chin and onto the floor. Blood. He realized he was coughing up blood. His vision blurred further, the edges darkening as he struggled to stay conscious.
"Horace, now!" McGonagall's voice sounded distant, echoing in his ears.
Suddenly, his dad was in front of him, holding out his hand and everything went dark.