CHAPTER 21 - RETURNING TO THE DUNGEONS

NOTES:

Hello, reader! Welcome to another chapter, and Severus is finally returning to the dungeons! About time, if you ask me lol

ENJOY!

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Soon, breakfast was done, the second pot of coffee was finished, and Harry could change into more appropriate attire for the day. Around mid-morning, Poppy came through the door, bringing a folder with her. She looked directly at Severus, who sat straighter.

"Severus, the day has come. I think you're recovered enough to go back to the dungeons, as I'm sure you're dying to do," she said as she read what looked like his medical history.

Severus immediately got up, unable to hide his elation at the prospect of leaving the Hospital Wing.

"This is fantastic news, Poppy. Thank you," he said, his lips pulling at the corners.

"You are much stronger now. Your magical core is recovering and you have more stamina," she continued, and then she pointed a finger at him in warning, "but I know you, Severus. Don't overdo it, you are not totally recovered. Now comes a second, longer period where you don't need constant monitoring, but you will still have to be careful and take things easy."

Severus smirked and arched an eyebrow, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Where in the name of Merlin have you heard that I 'take things easy', Poppy?"

Poppy chuckled as she shook his head, hands on her hips and arms akimbo.

"Never, but you'd better start doing it now, young man, I don't want to see you here until your next checkup! You've given me enough grey hairs already," she said with a smile, Severus nodded.

Right then, Severus noticed a warm presence close to him and a shadow of someone standing next to him.

"Don't worry ma'am," Harry interjected with a smile, as he briefly placed his hand on Severus's shoulder, "I'll make sure he rests plenty,"

And Severus turned to him, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, speaking about that, Potter. Remember that the wound is much better and there have been no signs of infection for months, but it's not entirely healed. You will have to apply the ointment until it is. Agreed?"

Both Severus and Harry nodded their agreement.

"Very well, in that case, you may go. Go easy on your first trip down, alright? Potter, I don't think I have to ask, but accompany him," she said looking at Harry, "I'll see you back here in a week for a checkup."

"Thank you, Poppy. For everything," Severus said before Poppy nodded with a smile and left the room to his office.

Once alone, Severus stood with his back straight, his heart beating fast. He could feel Harry's presence beside him, really close now, as he leaned to his side.

Severus's breath hitched as Harry's hand hesitantly rested on the back of his neck, gentle fingers threading through his hair. Instinctively, he leaned into the touch, his eyes falling shut as a wave of comfort washed over him.

"I've seen your face when I said I'd make sure you rest. You didn't think I wouldn't come and see you just because you were released from the Hospital, did you?" Harry whispered in his ear.

Something warm rose in Severus's lower belly and clenched at his chest, and he swallowed, his eyes shut.

Harry's hand went, slowly, from the back of his neck to his shoulder, squeezing as he leaned in even more. Severus looked down to his right as Harry stood on his toes; since he was still a few inches taller than him.

His eyes behind his glasses were warm and glistening, and a soft smile adorned his lips.

Gently, painfully slowly, Harry reached and nuzzled his nose. The touch was so light, so soft, it felt like the brush of a feather, the warmth of it delicate yet grounding. It was a gesture so tender and warm it made Severus close his eyes and breathe in, pleasant tingles spreading from the base of his spine.

There was no distance between them, Severus could feel Harry's steady gaze on him.

The gentle pressure of Harry's hand on his hair sent a shiver of warmth coursing through Severus. The scent of him, of parchment and ink, of home, wrapped around him, anchoring him in this moment.

"I see you did think that," Harry murmured, "well, you heard Pomfrey, you are not totally recovered and the wound is not healed yet. That's one."

The silence stretched, their breaths mingling in the space.

Severus took a ragged breath. He opened his eyes and saw a fiery fire in Harry's eyes. But it was warm. Warm and welcoming. He swallowed around the lump in his throat.

"And—what's two?" he rasped.

Harry smiled and he pulled away, only a bit, to be able to see him. Severus kept staring at those glistening green eyes, he could get lost in those. The colour was clear and bright, and they were looking at him with such warmth he felt the heat rise to his cheeks.

And then, Harry closed his eyes a split second before his lips pressed against the tip of his nose.

His nose.

One of the features he most hated about himself, one of the things that made him stand out in the crowd. He'd suffered abuse and ridicule about his nose for decades.

But Harry was kissing it.

Harry's lips were soft against the sharp ridge of his nose, warmth blooming beneath Severus's skin. As his lips brushed against the skin, Severus's heart raced in his chest, he could even hear it ringing in his ears.

He couldn't tell if the world had stopped spinning or if it was whirling too fast for him to keep up. He wasn't sure whether he was still standing or if gravity had ceased to exist, leaving him weightless.

The only thing grounding him was the fistful of Harry's shirt in his hand; as if that alone tethered him to reality.

"Two… is that I want to spend time with you, as much as we can, before the term starts and we're drowned in responsibilities," Harry murmured. He paused, nuzzling his nose, and he smiled, "If you will have me, of course."

Severus hummed, finding it difficult to even scoff at Harry's words. He blinked, focusing on the thumping of his heart, on Harry's warm fingers on his shoulder, on Harry's lips so, so close. They were only inches away from each other, Harry's lips were drawing a small smirk, his stubbled face tanned from the sun.

He swallowed, and nodded, breathing out.

"If I must…" Severus whispered, but he leaned into him. Harry chuckled, his smile so big his teeth were showing as he pulled him in, resting his chin on Severus's shoulder and kissing his cheek.

They stood there, in the middle of the Hospital Wing, breathing in each other's space. A tingling sensation that pulled Severus even further against Harry's body.

He didn't know how long they stayed in the same position, almost holding each other, until Harry shifted beside him.

"What do you say, are you ready for your first trip down the dungeons?" he asked.

Severus looked at him, and with a smile that pulled at the corners of his lips, he nodded.

When Harry stepped away, Severus felt a strange rush of air flood his lungs, and he nearly panted, his cheeks burning hot.

Turning around, he shakily gathered the scattered clothes from the bed, placing them into the duffel bag. The sound of Harry moving around in the bathroom grounded him, likely picking up his toiletries.

Severus took in two slow, deliberate breaths, feeling his heartbeat gradually steady and the flush in his cheeks begin to fade.

After he'd calmed down enough and made sure he didn't leave anything, he sent the bag to his rooms, and he and Harry began the descent to the dungeons.

Severus walked slowly, with Harry by his side. They walked along the corridor he'd walked so many times as he was gaining strength, and then, they started to descend the stairs of the first floor.

They both had discussed it before and had decided to take the fastest route. So, it took them a bit longer than in other circumstances, but soon they were near the Entrance Dungeon.

The stairs were narrow and tiny, and Harry turned around to face him.

"Alright?" his voice was low, though it echoed in the empty stone corridor.

Severus was breathing hard, his heart pumping blood a bit faster, but he felt fine.

"For now, yes, I am," Severus said, though he looked at the stairs with apprehension. "I may need longer to walk up the stairs, but descending them doesn't seem to be a problem."

Harry nodded as he turned around. Severus narrowed his eyes, looking ahead at the darkness enveloping them. But Harry gave him a wink, his lips curling into a teasing grin, a hint of mischief dancing in his eyes.

With one sharp movement, he snapped his fingers once, and all the torches of the staircase lit up instantly as if they'd been burning for hours.

Severus raised his eyebrow.

"Show off," he whispered as he shook his head.

Harry laughed and stuck out his tongue.

The stairs continued, and Severus focused on putting one foot after the other until they reached the end of the spiral staircase.

"Blimey, I'd forgotten how cold it is here," Harry complained as he wrapped his arms around himself and rubbed them to give himself warmth.

Severus nodded, a smile across his face as he breathed in.

The smell of the dungeons was something he couldn't place, like musk. He picked up on the gentle hum of the water rippling against the rocks, the silence of the stone floor and walls. His heart beat a bit faster.

He was home.

When he opened his eyes and looked to his right, where Harry was standing, he didn't say anything. But he returned his smile, before following him along the corridor. They walked past the Potions classroom and office until they reached a big, dark wooden door, partly hidden by a pointed arch.

"We're here," Severus whispered.

Severus placed his hand on the wood, breathing deeply, and it unlocked with a "click" sound.

And the door opened.

The first thing he felt was warmth. The fireplace was roaring as if it had been burning for hours. His senses picked up a musty smell that made his nose wrinkle, but it was soon replaced by an easy smile.

Everything was as he had left it the last time he'd been here.

He'd been back to these rooms once during the last school year, to pick up some essentials he needed to be brought to his Headmaster office. Other than that, everything was as he'd left it.

The piles and piles of books. The big dark burgundy sofa in front of the fireplace. The coffee table. His favourite armchair beside the fire with a dark brown cushion and a throw blanket on the backrest. Even the glass of firewhisky he liked drinking when he had enough free time to read beside the fire; if he wasn't drowned in markings and paperwork.

"Wow, you have… so many books," came Harry's voice.

He was looking around with his mouth open and his eyebrows raised, checking the bookshelves that were filled to the brim. His eyes fell onto the desk with a quill, some ink and papers left behind, and the large enchanted window, which depicted a dark forest.

Harry turned back to him, his eyes flickering to the small kitchenette behind him before they focused on him.

"Were you expecting blood jars and chains?" Severus asked raising an eyebrow.

Harry chuckled, nodding and shrugging.

"Maybe not blood or chains, no. But I was expecting something… a bit like the Potions classroom or your office. Dark, cold, dingy and full of disgusting potion ingredients," Harry said as he shrugged. "But this is surprisingly comfy and cosy."

"Unbelievable as it might seem, not everything in my life is potions," Severus said as he walked towards the couch.

As soon as he let his body sag down, a cloud of dust expanded, covering the entire area and making him start coughing immediately. He felt his eyes itching and he sneezed, as Harry coughed as well.

"Well, I think this needs a good dusting," Harry said as he took out his wand from the holster Ron had gifted him for his birthday.

He muttered Tergeo and the dust began to disappear from the surfaces, including the floor, the sofa and the armchair.

"How long haven't you been here?" Harry asked as he pocketed his wand and sat down beside him.

"A bit less than a year," he replied, stretching his legs. "Once I was appointed Headmaster I took the essentials, I sealed it and placed a stasis on the room to keep everything as it was. I didn't want to let anyone wander here, though not a lot of wizards would know how to enter."

"You didn't use magic for the door," Harry observed. Severus nodded.

"It has my magical signature and several protective spells, including an anti-alohomora spell. I had secrets to keep," Severus explained with a shrug.

Then he looked away, his eyes falling onto the dancing flames in the fireplace. Clearing his throat, he blinked, feeling the heat rise to his cheeks.

"I can add you to the magical signature as well," he murmured, not quite meeting Harry's eyes. "That way you can… come and go as you please."

For a moment, Severus kept his eyes on the fire, unsure if Harry understood the weight of that offer. His heart thudded in his chest. He didn't know how else to say what he wanted. He could only hear his thoughts, swirling in his mind— Come back. Stay with me.

Harry smiled beside him and leaned closer, the warmth of his presence wrapping around Severus like a blanket. His hand found Severus's lap, gently holding one of Severus's hands, thumb tracing soft circles on the back of it.

He swallowed as Harry's thumb traced circles on the back of his hand. The warmth of that touch, so small yet so grounding, spread through him. It was a touch he hadn't known he'd needed, and yet, now that it was there, he wasn't sure how he could let it go.

"No, Severus..." Harry's voice was low and tender. "While I appreciate that you're willing to do it, you don't have to."

Severus blinked, his fingers tensing briefly before relaxing under Harry's touch.

"This is your space," Harry continued, his voice full of understanding. "I'll still come if you want me here, and I'll be incredibly glad to be here with you. But—"

"You've been coming to see me every day at the Hospital Wing," Severus cut in, his voice tight. "Wasn't that the same?"

"No, it's not the same," Harry said, shaking his head. "That was the hospital. This... this is your home, your space. You're a very private man, and you haven't had that privacy for months. Don't you want that back? Without feeling like I could just walk in at any moment?"

Severus didn't answer. His mind warred with itself, wanting, craving Harry's company, his closeness, his touch, but not even knowing how to voice it.

Yet, Harry seemed to read his silence perfectly.

Harry leaned in, resting his chin on Severus's shoulder, watching him with those warm, steady eyes that always seemed to pierce his defences.

"And most importantly, you don't need to add me to your magical signature to make sure I'll be back," Harry whispered, the words barely more than a breath.

Severus swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, his grip on Harry's hand tightening as if he were holding onto a lifeline.

"I'm right, aren't I?"

Severus had no idea how Harry could read him so easily now, but he was glad he did. He nodded, avoiding his gaze, and Harry's hold tightened a bit.

"I told you before— as long as you want me here, I'll come back. This is your space, Severus. You don't have to force yourself to give that up just to keep me close. I'll be here, either way."

Severus nodded, his chest tightening. He leaned back into the cushions, the tension in his chest loosening. For the first time in months, the weight of his own space—the safety of his own walls—felt like something he could breathe into, not hide behind.

He exhaled slowly, feeling, for the first time in ages, like he could breathe again.

"Thank you, Harry," he whispered, blinking as he focused his eyes on Harry. On his beautiful green eyes, which were sparkling with warmth, looking at him.

Harry smiled and nudged him, playfully, on the side.

"That's fine, I had an inkling that's what was happening, but you don't have to worry. Come on, let me make you comfortable," he said as he got up from the couch. He knelt beside Severus, untying his boots, and accio'ing the slippers that levitated to his hands.

As he put the warm slippers onto Severus's feet, Harry glanced up, pausing for a moment, an easy smile on his lips. Their eyes met, and in the soft glow of the fire, Harry's gaze held a quiet promise, warm and steady. He said nothing, but Severus understood what that warm gaze and easy smile meant.

A warmth bloomed in Severus's chest, and, for once, he didn't look away. Instead, he allowed himself to hold Harry's gaze, letting the comfort of the moment settle over them like a shared secret.

Then he reached behind him and draped a blanket over Severus's shoulders, who almost immediately felt the warmth around him.

"You might notice the cold more now than before," Harry said, "your joints and your scar will probably hurt with the humidity and cold of the dungeons."

"It's just cold, I am accustomed to it," Severus shrugged but pulled the blanket more around him.

Harry then rummaged through his pockets, until he found the ointment jar he was looking for.

He then looked at Severus, and back at the jar.

"You're well enough to do it yourself now, so… would you rather do it?"

For a moment, Severus hesitated, his eyes narrowing slightly as he contemplated the offer. But instead of responding, he simply shook his head.

He smiled, and only rested his back on the sofa and his head back as far as it could go. And even though he'd closed his eyes, he could almost see Harry's bright smile as he leaned closer to him, jar in his hands, to apply the ointment.

As he'd done countless times. And as he would continue to.

The process was as it had always been, but somehow, Severus was even more relaxed under Harry's fingertips. He hadn't realised just how this place made him feel at home, safe like no other part of the castle could.

And Harry seemed to get it too, as he leaned forward, so close their breaths mingled in the space between them.

"You're home now," Harry whispered, his voice low and deep, "you can rest. Finally."

"Mhm," Severus only agreed as he nodded, careful not to move his head too much and disturb his work. The wound was healing up at a fast speed, so now it was only a matter of making Severus recover more of his magical core, strength, stamina and muscle mass.

After Harry finished he closed the jar, leaving it on the coffee table. And then he leaned closer to Severus.

"Do you want me to stay for a bit?" he asked.

When Severus opened one eye and looked at him, one eyebrow elegantly raised. He tried to look serious, but a dry laugh escaped his throat, which made Harry grin.

"If I must suffer your company for a bit longer…" he said as he shrugged, but he leaned closer to Harry, resting his arm against his.

Harry chuckled and nudged him, taking his wand again and conjuring a teapot and two cups. Tea was served and they drank, in silence, their eyes focused on the fire crackling in the fireplace.

They talked and talked, and the rest of the time Harry stayed in Severus's rooms, their arms never stopped brushing each other.

At one point, Severus took his wand in his hands.

Poppy had allowed Harry to give it to him just a few days earlier; when she was sure his body would be able to bear the impact of using magic again after so long. Severus traced the carvings in the handle, the magic pulsating under his fingertips. He smirked before he focused his eyes on the fireplace, where the fire was burning the last logs and twigs of wood.

"Engorgio," Severus muttered, and the flames were brought back to life.

Harry raised his eyebrow at him and smirked.

"Wow, show off," Harry said as he nudged Severus on his ribs and he pushed him away slightly.

"Show off? I'm not the one who lights all the torches by snapping my fingers," Severus said, "I wonder who the show off is here…"

Harry chuckled and rested his back on the couch.

"Point taken," he said as he rested his back on the couch and rubbed Severus's back, "so, have you thought about what you'll do now that you're here?"

"Well, I do have lessons to prepare and I must take a look at the current curriculum for Potions," Severus replied. "After two years without teaching the subject, there is a lot both the students and I have to catch up on."

"But Slughorn did his job well, didn't he?"

Severus raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"You like Horace, don't you? Yes, you needn't worry. He did an excellent job," he said. "But he and I teach vastly differently and have differences of opinions on what constitutes an acceptable curriculum. Especially for OWLs and NEWTs."

"I know what you mean. He admitted me when I got an Exceeds Expectations in my OWLs, when you only accept Outstanding…" Harry said, nodding as he took a sip of his tea.

"It may sound petty, but there's a reason for it," Severus explained, his tone firm. "Most of the Potions we brew in the sixth and seventh years are quite volatile and potentially dangerous. We have more accidents—more exploding cauldrons—than first-years." He paused and took a sip of his own tea. "I feel that only Outstanding students can truly grasp the dangers of what they are brewing. Horace disagrees."

Harry nodded again, his gaze drifting to the fireplace, he seemed deep in thought.

"I realise now how little I know about how the school operates. I just assumed the Ministry of Magic passed laws dictating what should be taught, and you only had to prepare the materials for it," he shrugged, shaking his head.

"If that were the case, we wouldn't have suffered such appalling Defense professors in recent years," Severus remarked, his voice dripping with annoyance. "We do have a set of materials that must be taught by law, but the methods we use to teach them are based on experience, not the Ministry."

"Do you help other teachers? I mean, do Professors ask each other's opinions on how to tackle this or that?"

"Not recently, no. Most professors have taught their subjects for years—decades, even. The new Defense professors simply follow the agreed-upon book and syllabus," Severus replied, a hint of frustration creeping in. "After Albus learned about the jinx on the Defense post, there was little need for concern among the professors."

"Yeah, about that—how did you avoid it?" Harry asked, curiosity piqued. "You were a Defense Professor, but the jinx didn't affect you, did it?"

"It did," Severus said, his voice dropping. "I left my post before the school year ended, on the night of the Astronomy Tower." He hesitated, the memory still bringing a sharp pain in his chest, causing a shadow to cross his features. "One of the benefits of my actions that night was that the jinx wouldn't harm me further by the end of the year."

Harry nodded his understanding, and leaned into him, resting more of his body against Severus. He did the same, leaning onto Harry, who wrapped an arm around his middle frame and stroked his back.

"You command your classes in a way that I've rarely seen," he whispered, "only you and McGonagall are able to keep us silent without much effort. Who taught you how to be a teacher?"

Severus scoffed, a smirk forming. "Funny observation, that one, because she gave me advice," he replied, his eyes fixed on the flames dancing in the fireplace, lost in thought. "She was my professor when I attended school—like most of the staff now teaching you. When I was a fresh-faced twenty-year-old, I didn't know how to command respect from students only three years younger than myself."

"Twenty years old… Merlin, that's so young," Harry commented, his surprise evident. "So, she taught you?"

"Not exactly taught, more like advised me on how to conduct a class," Severus clarified, a touch of nostalgia in his tone. "She knew I wouldn't struggle with the syllabus itself, but she made me promise I'd stay updated on recent discoveries." His smile faded, a hint of sadness creeping in. "Only recently have I failed in that promise…"

"You miss her, don't you?" Harry soft voice asked, and it wasn't even a question.

Severus nodded.

He did.

He missed the banter he had with her, her knowledge and wisdom, her rectitude and morals. He missed seeing complicity in her eyes. Her strength of heart, her capacity to put the students' safety first when he couldn't.

Merlin, even their rivalry when it came to the Quidditch House Cup.

"She… Minerva is special. She was the first member of staff besides Albus to really trust me," he said, "the school isn't the same when she isn't here."

Harry smiled and nodded.

Harry smiled and nodded, a knowing look in his eyes. "I know what you mean. I sort of knew you liked her. Remember fifth year, when she was at St. Mungo's recovering from those Stunning Spells?" His tone turned mischievous. "You were about to take points from us, but we had none left. And when she came back, you were so happy you let her award us 250 points for alerting everyone that the Dark Lord was back. You didn't even complain!"

Severus scoffed, shaking his head. "I didn't, did I?" he said, but his smile faded, replaced by a deeper sadness. "I suppose I do enjoy her presence in the castle."

He fell silent, inhaling deeply before exhaling slowly, as if releasing years of pent-up sorrow.

"I remember one Christmas evening, years ago… when your parents were already gone," he began, his voice low. "She got a bit tipsy and told me she'd never believed I'd truly turned to the dark side. Even before I had deflected. She said I'd just had my heart broken so many times that the darkest circles seemed to offer me a sense of belonging. But she never lost hope in me."

Harry inched closer, tightening his hold, and resting his chin on his upper arm.

"Now, her words haunt me. I can feel her icy stare piercing into my very soul, suspecting me. I hoped she would understand with time, remember who I was—who I'd been since I was eleven. Who she always believed I was. But…" His voice faltered as tears threatened to rise, but he swallowed them back, fighting against the tide of emotion.

He stopped suddenly, tears coming up his throat, but he swallowed them back.

"You need to talk to her, Severus," Harry whispered.

Severus blinked, raising his gaze to meet Harry's, and shrugged.

"I'm unsure of what I would even say. How can I begin to explain?"

"The beginning is always a good start," Harry said.

Then he tilted his head, gifting him that smile that made Severus's heart flutter, what had he deserved to be looked at like that?

"You know her far better than I do, but she does have a good heart underneath that strict appearance. Maybe she needs you to be sincere with her, lay everything out in the open."

"I've been hiding secrets all my life. That's what I am."

"No. That's not who you are, that's who you were forced to be. You have been hiding secrets to survive, but you don't have to anymore," Harry argued, "with her, the truth is always the way forward."

Severus nodded but didn't agree.

What Harry was suggesting was something out of his depth. He had lived his life in the comfort zone that so many people referred to, he didn't even know if he knew what the comfort zone was for him. But he couldn't deny that opening his heart to someone, even if it was Minerva, was daunting.

But a small voice in his head told him that he'd already done that.

With Harry.

And Minerva still held a special place in his heart. He owed it to her and himself, and their friendship, to at least try.

He leaned against Harry, resting his head on his shoulder. The warmth of Harry's body enveloped him, and he felt fingers gently tangling in his hair, a soothing gesture that anchored him. At that moment, he took strength from Harry. His heart whispered that he had done it once before; he could do it again with Minerva.

Time slipped away, and before either of them realized it, the early evening had crept in.

"Right, I think I've abused your company enough today," Harry said with a laugh as he got up from the couch, "I'll let you some time on your own here, let you settle in."

"I'm already 'settled in', but thank you," Severus said as he got up too, "and thank you for the company."

Harry nodded as Severus also got up from the couch, and walked him to the door.

"Will you come tomorrow?"

"Sure. I'll bring some books and notes I've been taking these past few days," Harry said "and we can maybe go out for a stroll around the grounds, what do you think?"

Severus breathed out and nodded with a small smile. For some reason, there was something in him, something that pulled him towards Harry, to make sure he would come by.

"I'll be writing to Ron and Hermione today, haven't talked to them in a while. I'll be sure to send your greetings to Charlie," Harry said with a wink and a laugh before he opened the door.

Severus feigned offence, but he just shook his head, chuckling internally, before he closed the door behind Harry.

As he took a deep breath, the familiar scent of his usual rooms washed over him, yet everything felt different now.

And, for the first time, he realised how exciting that was.

.

NOTES:

AND DONE! Severus is back home! Isn't that exciting?

Did you like this chapter, what did you think?

Any future predictions for what will happen?

Let me know in the comments, I love reading your insights!

And that's it from me, I'll see you soon :) as always, thank you for reading, I appreciate your support immensely!