Hogwarts, Headmaster's Office
Dumbledore sat in his office, staring out the window, lost in thought.
He had everything under control, James and Sirius were easily patched up and now off having fun, Regulus Black was in detention for attacking Miss Evans, and Mister Snape was going to be in his little coma for a very long time.
It was easy to cover up the story. All he had to do was stick to the boy's story: 'They were defining Lily after Regulus attacked her and Mister Snape walked up and started fighting out of nowhere.'
It was an easy story and nobody would dare to tell him as they were all scared to be on the receiving end of the marauder's pranks. And for Mister Snape, All he had to do was tell Poppy he would handle the care for him and then put the boy in a coma, easy as pie.
As Dumbledore was about to call out for a house elf, the door to his office slammed open, and in walked a very angry black woman- A muggle woman.
"Headmaster Dumbledore," she said, her voice trembling with a mix of fear and fury. "I demand to see my son. I received a letter saying he's in the hospital wing."
Dumbledore looked up, his expression a carefully constructed mask of concern. "Mrs. Creed, please, have a seat," he said with feigned warmth. "I assure you, Severus is receiving the best care possible."
Mary-Anne Creed shook her head, refusing to sit. "I don't want assurances, I want to see my son."
Dumbledore sighed, a hint of impatience flickering in his eyes. "That's not going to happen. Understand that Severus is currently... resting. He needs time to recover."
Mary-Anne's eyes narrowed as the rage built. "What do you mean that's not going to happen? He's my son!"
"No. He isn't your son." Dumbledore said smoothly. "From what a little bird told me, His parents died when he was young making you just a random muggle lady who somehow broke into our school."
Dumbledore couldn't help but smile at the way her hands went slack, her purse falling to the floor.
Mary-Anne's breath hitched, and for a moment, she was too stunned to respond. But then she straightened, fire igniting in her eyes once more. "You think you can intimidate me with your words? Severus is my son no matter his blood, and I will see him. You can't keep a mother from her child."
Dumbledore's smile widened, though it did not reach his eyes. "I have the authority to ensure the safety and well-being of my students, Mrs. Creed. And right now, that means keeping you away from Severus. I suggest you leave before I have you escorted out."
Mary-Anne took a step forward, her voice low and dangerous. "You may have authority here, Dumbledore, but mark my words: I will not rest until I see my son. If you think you can keep this up without consequences, you are sorely mistaken."
With that, she turned on her heel and made her way to the door, only to stop when he called out to her.
"Mrs. Creed," Dumbledore said, his voice dripping with false sympathy. "You must understand that Severus's condition is delicate. He needs to remain undisturbed to have any chance at recovery."
Mary-Anne turned slowly, her eyes locking onto his with a fierce intensity. "And you must understand, Headmaster, that I am his mother. I will not be dismissed so easily. If you won't let me see him, I'll find someone who will."
Dumbledore's expression hardened, his patience wearing thin. "If you persist in this course of action, you will be escorted off the premises, and your access to Severus will be permanently revoked."
He saw the way her eyes widened in fear, her bottom lip quivering as she spoke. "W-...What?"
"That's correct," Dumbledore continued, his voice cold and unyielding. "Severus is only sixteen, a magical child, and since his birth parents are dead, I have the power to ensure he will never step foot in your home again. A few words to the Ministry about a Muggle abusing a magical child, and you'll lose any claim you think you have over him."
Mary-Anne's face drained of color. Her entire body started to shake, her legs threatening to give way beneath her. Tears welled up in her eyes, blurring her vision as the weight of his words crashed down on her. Her hands, now trembling uncontrollably, clutched at her chest as if trying to hold herself together.
"You... you wouldn't..." she stammered, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I-I would never hurt Severus. They...They will believe me."
Dumbledore's smile was cold, his eyes devoid of any warmth or compassion. "They don't need to believe you, Mrs. Creed. I only need to speak to the right people at the Ministry, and your rights as his guardian will be revoked. Now, I suggest you leave before I call for assistance."
Mary-Anne's vision blurred further as tears spilled down her cheeks. She felt as if the ground was slipping away from beneath her feet. The room seemed to close in around her, suffocating her with the enormity of the threat Dumbledore had just made.
"You can't do this," she choked out, her voice breaking. "You can't keep a mother from her child."
Dumbledore's smile widened slightly, a cruel glint in his eye. "You'd be surprised at what I can do. Now, I strongly advise you to leave."
With a sob, Mary-Anne turned and fled from the office, her body wracked with fear and despair. As she stumbled through the corridors, her tears blinding her, she felt the crushing weight of hopelessness pressing down on her. How could she fight against someone with so much power?
Her thoughts raced, desperate for a solution. She needed to find someone who would listen, who could help her.
Hogwarts, Hospital Wing
Regulus sat next to Severus' hospital bed, watching his chest rise and fall with a steady rhythm. The room was quiet, save for the occasional creak of the old hospital wing and the soft murmur of distant conversations.
Narissa had convinced Bellatrix to take a break—something about the need to shower, eat, and sleep. The condition was that someone had to stay with Severus, and Regulus was more than happy to volunteer.
Regulus recalled the fight with a mixture of awe, longing, and lust. Seeing Severus take down his brother and Potter for the second time was one of the most sexiest things he had ever witnessed.
But now, seeing Severus lying unconscious in front of him, Regulus felt a pang of pain that went beyond just being worried for a friend. His feelings for Severus were consuming him, filling him with a desperate, almost unbearable need to protect and love him.
As he sat there, lost in his thoughts, an idea came to him. Quickly, Regulus took off his shoes and tie and slipped into the hospital bed next to Severus. He could immediately feel the pure warmth radiating from Severus's body, a comforting heat that made him shiver with both excitement and nervousness.
Regulus could feel the outline of Severus's body through the thin hospital shirt, and it was almost too much to handle. He let out a soft, involuntary noise—a mix of a sigh and a barely suppressed whimper—as he pressed closer. The sensation of Severus's body against his was overwhelming, and he couldn't help but revel in the closeness.
Regulus rested his head against Severus's shoulder, his breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps. He tried to focus on the comforting warmth and the gentle rise and fall of Severus's chest, losing himself in the feeling of being so close to him. For a moment, everything else faded away, leaving just the two of them in this intimate, stolen moment.
The feeling of a hand against his arm made Regulus freeze. Turning his head ever so slightly to the side, he stared at the hand gripping his arm before whipping his head to look at Severus's face.
He watched as Severus's eyes slowly opened, blinking against the dim light of the hospital wing. Regulus's heart skipped a beat, a mix of shock and overwhelming relief flooding through him.
"Severus?" he whispered, his voice barely audible. He couldn't believe what he was seeing.
Severus's eyes focused on him, confusion and weariness etched into his features. "Regulus... what... what are you doing here?" His voice was weak, but hearing it was enough to bring tears to Regulus's eyes.
Regulus couldn't help the smile that spread across his face, even as tears threatened to spill over. "I was worried about you. I had to make sure you were okay."
Severus looked around, trying to take in his surroundings before his gaze returned to Regulus. "I-... How long..?"
"Um..," Regulus said, trying to keep his voice steady. "About... 3... 4 days." He quickly realized the position he was just caught in, lying on Severus's chest like they were lovers. Panic surged through him, and he rushed to remove himself from the bed, tripping in the process.
He stumbled, almost falling, but caught himself just in time. "I-I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't mean to—" His face was flushed with embarrassment, and he couldn't bring himself to look directly at Severus.
Severus, still groggy from his coma, managed a small, weak smile. "It's okay, Regulus. Thank you... for staying with me."
Regulus nodded, his heart pounding. "I just... Bellatrix did most of the staying with you... I'm only here while she gets some rest." He finally met Severus's gaze, the intensity of his feelings still raw and overwhelming.
Severus's expression softened, and he reached out a hand toward Regulus. "Still, I appreciate it, really."
Regulus hesitated for a moment, but before he could pounce on Severus like a starved man, Madam Pomfrey rounded the corner, the tray of medicine in her hands falling to the floor as she spotted Severus.
"Merlin's beard!" she exclaimed, rushing to Severus's side. "Severus, you're awake!"
Severus turned his head slowly, trying to focus on the matron. "Madam Pomfrey... what happened?"
Pomfrey quickly gathered herself, picking up the scattered items from the floor. "You were in a bad state, my boy. It's a miracle you're awake so soon."
Regulus took a step back, watching the exchange. He felt a mix of relief and frustration—relief that Severus was being taken care of, but frustration that their moment had been interrupted.
Madam Pomfrey checked Severus over, her professional demeanor taking over. "You need to rest, Severus. You've been through a lot, and your body needs time to heal."
Severus nodded weakly, his eyes drifting back around the room before landing on a hair ribbon Bellatrix had left. "Thank you... for everything."
Regulus forced a smile, his heart aching with the unspoken words he wished he could say.
He took a few steps back, knowing he needed to give them space. But he couldn't help the lingering gaze he cast on Severus, the longing in his eyes evident to anyone who might look closely enough.