Los Angeles, California. Creed Estate
He had six months to get back in shape.
He had six months to work his ass off.
He had one month until he could see Bellatrix again.
And he was still stuck on the 'magical cleansing' regimen the healers had put him on. The restrictions were less suffocating now that he was out of the magical school. Without the constant reminders of what he couldn't do, he found it easier to focus on other things.
Training became his refuge. Each day, he pushed his body harder, feeling the burn in his muscles and the sweat dripping from his brow. Every rep, every mile, was a step closer to regaining not just his physical strength but also his sense of self.
He joined a local gym, the kind where the air smelled of sweat and determination. It felt different from the polished, pristine halls of Hogwarts or Ilvermorny; here, it was gritty, raw, and real. He found solace in the rhythm of his heart pounding against his chest and the sound of weights clanking against each other.
With the sun rising early each morning, he'd start with a jog around the neighborhood, the cool air filling his lungs and pushing him forward. It wasn't just about getting fit; it was about reclaiming his identity, about shaking off the chains of expectation and stepping into his own skin.
As the days turned into weeks, Severus noticed changes. His body was becoming stronger, more defined, and with each training session, his confidence began to creep back. He imagined the ring, the crowd cheering, the thrill of the fight ahead of him. But it was Bellatrix's face that pushed him hardest. The thought of seeing her again filled him with both excitement and fear.
Would she still want him? Would he be enough for her? The questions gnawed at him, but he buried them under the weight of his training. For now, all that mattered was the grind, the sweat, and the relentless pursuit of his goals.
He didn't have time for distractions, Bellatrix included. He needed to train, study, learn. He had no time to think about her or how much he missed her. He was not going to allow her to distract him—
But then he was jolted out of his thoughts by his mother's voice echoing from downstairs. "Severus! Your girlfriend is calling you on your mirror thing!"
His heart raced. He immediately dropped whatever was in his hands, yanked on a shirt, and dashed down the stairs, nearly tripping over the last step. The rush of adrenaline surged through him, his mind racing with thoughts of what she might say, how she might look.
As he entered the living room, he dashed over to the couch and yanked his hand-held mirror off the couch, his heart pounding against his ribs.
"Sev!" Bellatrix's voice crackled through the mirror, her image flickering to life. She looked stunning as always, her dark hair spilling over her shoulders, eyes bright with that familiar spark he hadn't seen in what felt like ages. "Are you okay? You look like you just ran a mile."
He had run a mile. But he wasn't ready to tell Bella about any of this. Not yet. Not about the grueling training sessions. Not about the muggle former pro boxer who'd taken him under his wing, a man who was starting to feel like the closest thing he had to a father. He hadn't even mentioned Rocky to her.
"I'm fine," he replied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just a bit of a workout, that's all."
Bellatrix raised a skeptical eyebrow, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Uh-huh. You better be following what te healers said and be relaxing." Her voice softened, her gaze becoming more serious. "But Severus, We need to talk about something."
His heart dropped at the shift in her tone. The way she said it, so heavy and deliberate, sent a rush of anxiety through him. What could it be? He glanced quickly around the living room, checking for any sign of his mother. Satisfied she wasn't listening, he bolted from the couch and hurried up to his room, closing the door behind him.
"What's going on, Bella?" he asked, breathless, gripping the mirror a little tighter now.
Bellatrix's image wavered for a moment before she looked back at him, her face unreadable. "It's about our families, Sev. And the expectations." She hesitated, which was rare for her. "I've been hearing things... things about your namesake and..and things you haven't said a thing to me about."
His chest tightened. "What kind of things?" His voice was sharper than he intended, but he couldn't help it. His past, his fathers's legacy—it was something he'd fought hard to get away from.
"Who's Rocky?"
Severus froze, the name hitting him like a punch to the gut. Rocky. The one person he'd managed to keep hidden from Bellatrix, the one link to a world outside of magic he wasn't ready to mix with hers. How did she know?
His grip tightened on the mirror, his mind racing as he tried to come up with a response, but nothing came. He could feel Bellatrix's piercing gaze through the glass, waiting, expecting an explanation he wasn't ready to give.
"Severus," she said, her voice steady but with an edge. "You didn't think I wouldn't find out, did you? There are rumors about you training with a Muggle boxer. It was already bad enough you're a halfblood with a muggle mother but now you're the son of some boxing legend!"
Severus clenched his jaw, the sting of her words sharp and cutting. "What does that even mean, Bellatrix?" he snapped, his voice tight. "What difference does it make if my father's a boxing legend or if my mother's a muggle? I thought we were past this."
Bellatrix's eyes narrowed. "We're never past blood, Severus. You know that. My world—our world—is built on it. I just got my mother to not gag at the thought of me dating a blood traitor, and now you're dragging my name down with yours. You're better than this."
Severus's hands trembled, but he kept his voice steady. "I didn't ask for any of this, Bella. My whole life, people have tried to tell me what I am. A Snape, a half-blood, a nobody. Rocky doesn't care about any of that. He just sees me."
"Sees you?" Bellatrix scoffed. "Sev, he probably sees you as a pawn. A tool. You think he's the first Muggle to take advantage of a wizard who doesn't know better? You're playing with fire, and I can't just stand by and watch you burn yourself."
Severus took a deep breath, the weight of everything crushing down on him. "I'm not abandoning who I am," he said firmly. "But I'm not going to be living in someone else's shadow. I'm fighting for my own life, Bellatrix. I'm not asking for your permission."
Her face twisted in frustration. "You're throwing away everything I've worked for. I can't—" She cut herself off, closing her eyes as if trying to keep her anger in check. "I want us to work out. I want to be with you but that's not gonna happen if you keep this up! I fought to get the chance to pick who I wished to marry! and if you can't figure this out then...then I have to marry whoever my mother says is my betrothed."
Severus felt his chest tighten as Bellatrix's words cut deep. He hadn't expected this—her ultimatum, the weight of what she was risking just to be with him. He swallowed hard, his voice coming out softer than before. "Bellatrix, I didn't ask you to fight for me like that."
She shook her head, her eyes flashing with anger. "You didn't have to, Sev! But I did! And now you're making decisions that could ruin everything—for both of us. Do you think I want to marry some pureblood puppet just because of my family's name? Do you think I want to be tied to a man I don't love, just to keep up appearances?"
Severus opened his mouth to respond, but she cut him off again, her voice trembling with frustration and fear. "If you keep down this path, you're going to lose me. And I don't want that. But I can't keep fighting for us if you won't fight for it, too."
He stared at her image in the mirror, feeling torn. This wasn't just about his fight, his future, or his legacy anymore. This was about them—about Bellatrix, who had stood by his side, despite everything. He hadn't realized how much it mattered to her until now.
"Bella, I—" He paused, not sure how to respond. "I'm not trying to push you away."
"Then stop making decisions like you don't care about the consequences!" she snapped, her voice softening as she added, "I love you, Severus. But love isn't enough if we're going in different directions."
Her words hung in the air between them, heavy and full of meaning. Severus stared at her image, torn between his own ambitions and the love they had fought so hard to protect.
"What do you want me to do?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
Bellatrix's gaze softened, but the tension in her face didn't fade. She sighed, the weight of everything hanging between them. "I want you to be honest with me, Sev. I want you to trust me enough to tell me what's really going on. I can't stand being left in the dark while you go off, making plans I know nothing about."
Severus ran a hand through his hair, feeling the weight of her words. "I didn't want to drag you into this mess. You've got enough to deal with, and this... this is my fight."
"It's our fight," she corrected, her voice firm but not unkind. "If we're going to be together, then we face things together. Not separately. That's how this works, Severus. I need you to stop shutting me out."
He swallowed hard, his throat tightening. He'd always kept people at a distance, trying to protect himself and them. But Bellatrix wasn't just anyone. She had a right to know, to understand what he was dealing with, especially if their future was on the line.
"My parent died within 6 months of each other and then I was adopted by my mum. My dad..h-he was a muggle and he was a pro boxer. He was friends with these two guys...Rocky and Apollo." he finally admitted, his voice rough. "I don't remember much of my parents but I've always wanted to be like my dad yet at the same time I wanted to be my own person with being in his shadow. I saw how it affected me and I didn't want you to see me as weak and I didn't want you or anyone to carry my problems with them."
Bellatrix's expression softened as she listened to him, her eyes filled with a mix of understanding and concern. She didn't interrupt, letting him speak, giving him the space he needed to share the part of himself he'd kept hidden.
Severus continued, his voice quieter now. "I've been torn between two worlds, two expectations. One side pulling me toward the legacy of being a wizard, and the other... my dad's world, his reputation as a boxer. I wanted to prove I could stand on my own, away from both shadows. That's why I've been training with Rocky."
Bellatrix slowly nodded, absorbing everything. "Sev, you're not weak for wanting to honor both sides of yourself. You're trying to make sense of who you are, and that's not something you should have to hide from me."
Severus looked down, the weight of her words sinking in. He'd spent so long running from his past, from his fears of being trapped in a legacy he didn't fully want. He hadn't realized how much he'd been pushing her away in the process.
"I didn't want you to feel like you had to carry my burdens too," he said, his voice rough. "I thought if I could just handle everything on my own, then maybe... I wouldn't drag you down with me."
Bellatrix shook her head, stepping closer to the mirror's surface, her gaze intense. "That's not how it works, Severus. If we're in this together, then we face it all together. I can handle whatever you're dealing with, but you have to let me."
Severus swallowed, feeling a lump form in his throat. For the first time in a long time, he realized how much he wanted—needed—her by his side. "I'll try," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "I'll try to stop shutting you out."
She gave him a small, almost relieved smile. "That's all I ask. We'll figure this out, Sev. Together."
For the first time in months, Severus felt a small flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, he could find a way to balance everything without losing himself—or her—in the process.
"I didn't get the chance to say this when I last saw you but," He took a pause, hoping to change the topic. "You look ravishing."
Bellatrix's serious expression softened, a sly smile curving her lips at his sudden change in tone. She tilted her head, her dark hair cascading over one shoulder. "Is that so?" she teased, her voice lightening a little. "Trying to charm your way out of this conversation, Sev?"
Severus shrugged, trying to look casual but the slight blush creeping up his neck betrayed him. "Just stating the truth," he muttered, avoiding her eyes for a moment before glancing back at her.
Bellatrix chuckled softly, the tension between them easing ever so slightly. "You're lucky you're handsome when you're flustered," she said, her voice playful now, but there was still a lingering seriousness in her gaze. "But don't think I'm letting you off the hook completely."
Severus smirked, feeling some of the weight lift off his chest. "Wouldn't dream of it," he replied, his tone matching hers.
