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shouldaspunastory · 5 months ago

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Thank you @broodsys! @dadrunkwriting

This might be wildly out OOC once we get more details or the game drops, but Emmrich Volkarian has bewitched me body and soul, and I love and have already drawn and begun collecting headcanons and lore for my Rook that is going to woo/be wooed and marry the gentleman necromancer. Hope you enjoy.

Emmrich Volkarin x Tobias Rook (SFW, Pre-relationship, pining. 1192 words) ------------------

The thing of it is, Emmrich is far more accustomed to dealing with the dead, isn’t he? Skeletons, in particular. Nevarra may be a warm enough clime, but the necromancer knows the cool, stale air of the Necropolis and his study filled with bones, old tomes, parchment, ink, and the scent of his favorite teas far better than that of the sun and bustling markets miles above. What he knows of the living- aside from that of a few colleagues- is primarily of their connections to and beliefs surrounding death and what rites should follow. Anything outside of that, well, it is largely theoretical. That’s never troubled him before. That it should do so now, so late in life, is… unexpected, to say the least.

And Tobias Rook is… warm, bright, and more alive than anyone Emmrich has even known. A series of utterly baffling and delightful contradictions Emmrich could spend the rest of his life puzzling over and never entirely figure out. Exactly the kind of challenge, the sort of puzzle, he adores. He adores them, a realization that had shaken him to his very core. They make Emmrich feel more alive than he has in years, and, somehow, both younger and older at the same time, makes their heart stop and race. It’s probably a lucky thing he’s already gone gray, or some of their more reckless antics would almost certainly inspire some new ones. They’ve come away from today’s battle on a little more bruised and worse for wear, but the mage is well aware how easily it might have been otherwise.

“Do you ever think about it,” Emmrich asks when he and Rook are finishing an evening cup of tea, the rest of their companions having already turned in for the night. Given his area of expertise, and the odds of what they’re up against it seems prudent to ask. Truthfully, it seems almost shamefully neglectful he’s not done so before now.

“What’s that?”

“Death. What comes after. What rites you would like others to perform for you,” the necromancer prompts, but Rook shakes their head.

“Not as often as you, I suspect,” Rook replies with a soft, amused chuckle, then, sobering a little, mulls the question over in order to give him a more serious response.

Rook does that a lot. They are playful- albeit sometimes a bit irreverent soul. But they never shame or discourage Emmrich when he spirals into an impromptu lecture about his latest studies or curiosities, even when they don’t entirely understand them, they ask him questions and do their best to provide him both with humor, and thoughtful responses in equal measure.

Emmrich is used to being the butt of a fair number of jokes over the years, not that he’s ever paid those much mind, but Rook is inexplicably far more interested in making him laugh than laughter at his expense. Where some of his colleagues and acquaintances over the years deemed him peculiar, even somehow vaguely off-putting for being so committed and interested in his grim work, Rook consistently seeks out his company, praises and seems to admire his passion, even if they don’t share it for the same things.

“I don’t want or need any pomp or circumstance, and I’d hate to think the last thing I ever did was inconvenience my friends. I don’t know for certain what comes after, but I don’t believe I’ll be needing my body for it. Whatever is easiest, does the least damage- to your purses- that’s what I want.”

Emmrich frowns thoughtfully. It’s not that he expects Rook to share his exact views on death, their answer is a pragmatic one, but hearing them speak with so little reverence for their body and its care after death- a body he’s come to… appreciate since first they met- is difficult for him to reconcile.

“I never-“ but Rook cuts themselves short, biting their tongue, and taking a sip of their tea to give them a moment’s pause. “I’ve never cared if anyone knew my name,” they continue finally, refining the thought as they set their cup of tea back on its saucer. “That was never why I joined up with the Shadow Dragons, and it’s not why I’m doing this now.” Emmrich nods as they continue.

“I don’t care if the world knows my name. I’ve never needed that. I just want to matter to someone… one person to remember me- even if that memory fades with the two of us. If it was the right one, that would be enough,” Rook concludes. This is a sentiment Emmrich can understand, and one he shares. He sighs softly, a little wistful. Were he a younger man…

“For what it’s worth, Little Bird, I know I’m not the right one, but I could live a thousand lives and never forget you. I don’t know how anyone could.” Rook draws in a shallow breath, pupils blown wide as they try to meet Emmrich’s eyes which are suddenly rigidly fixed upon the floor in front of them.

“Why not,” Rook asks softly. These words catch the necromancer by surprise if the way his head shoots up at their question is any indication.

‘What?”

“Why not you,” Rook repeats, their voice is soft, almost like speaking too loudly will shatter whatever this strange, beautiful, and fragile moment between them is. Perhaps it will. Emmrich’s throat feels dry, despite the tea, tighter than it had a moment before. Were it not for the way it hammers against his ribs, quite as if it wishes to escape the confines of its bone prison to reach them, Emmrich would swear his heart has stopped.

“I wouldn’t mind if it was you,” Rook admits, suddenly uncharacteristically shy. “I, um, I’d really like that, actually,” they confess softly.

Their cheeks are flush, Emmrich thinks, unable to do anything for a moment but to gape at them. Full of blood, of life, warmth, their eyes full of light, of nerves, yes, but also, hope, a tenderness he’s seen before now, but clearly not for all that it was. They bite their lip and Emmrich realizes he’s been silent, lost in his swirling thoughts, for too long. His gloved hand gently clasps one of their hands, his thumb finding Rook’s pulse and caressing the inside of their wrist. Their heartbeat more akin to a hummingbird than their namesake, but precious all the same. I’ve done that, Emmrich marvels, cool fingers of his bare hand reaching out to rescue their bottom lip, bangles on his arm tingling softly, joining the symphony of his quickly beating heart and shallow breaths.

“Are you sure,” Emmrich asks, words scarcely louder than a whisper, but needing to offer them one last out.

“Please,” Rook nods, and Emmrich doesn’t keep them waiting, fingers moving to card through their hair before coming to cradle the back of their head as his lips meet theirs in a kiss of infinite care and patience, as though the pair have all the time in the world, and he, can think of nothing better to do with that time than this. And just now, he can’t.

#dragon age fanfic #dragon age #da drunk writing circle #dwc #broodsys #emmrich volkarin #Rook #emmrook #emmrich x rook #dragon age: the veilguard #da:v #stories: tobias

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xxbyimm · 2 months ago

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Anima Nera - Severus Snape x OC - Chapter 2 - Night Terrors

New to Sev's journey? Chapter 1.

Anima Nera - Severus Snape x OC - Chapter 2 - Night Terrors

Summary: Suzy is burdened by nightmares, in which a certain Potion's Master plays a huge role. Naturally, she will make said Potion's Master aware of that fact.

Warnings: The first few paragraphs of this chapter contain explicit sexual content. If you don't wish to read that, you can easily skip them by scrolling past the italic text. Take care, lovelies! ❤❤

Author’s note: The dynamic between Sev and Suzy is killing me already (AFDFSJLJGJGJGGJG). And though this fic might be a slown burn, that doesn't stop me from adding smut here and there. You're welcome... 😈😈😈

‘Hel(l) hath no fury like a woman scorned.’

—William Congreve

August, 1990

Severus was everywhere. His hands slid up and down her back, setting the nerves of her spine on fire. His lips marked a passageway of fervent adoration from her neck down to the soft swells of her breasts. A small moan escaped Suzy’s mouth and nails dug into his shoulder blades, desperate to alleviate her sweet misery.

The room and bed sheets had been bitterly cold before—much like the man that was currently sheathed deep inside of her—but as the time passed the icy sting had turned into a rather delightful contrast to the heat that emanated from her skin. Suzy’s head spun, irrevocably intoxicated on alcohol and something much more dangerous and sweet. It had been fate that had brought them to The White Wyvern at the same time, and a little bit too much fire whisky—or had it been dragon barrel brandy?—had given Suzy the liquid courage to make her move. And Sev, as it turned out, had been just as eager to take her home.

Comfortably seated on his lap, Suzy rolled her hips against his, and a shaky breath escaped her as her own movements sparked delicious flutterings deep in her core. Her frame was trembling, covered in a slight sheen of sweat. She was tiptoeing a tightrope, trying her hardest not to fall—if she did, he would follow and all would be over. But he was so tantalizing, so distracting, so, so— ‘For heaven’s sake,’ Severus moaned in his low tone as she delivered another stroke, his hands brushing over her neck and pulling her into yet another messy kiss that left them both speechless. Their eyes locked—the darkest shade of chocolate mingling with hazel tones—and Suzy couldn’t help but smile, her cheeks painted in a rosy pink. ‘Losing control?’ She breathed, her hips resuming their rhythm.

Severus' eyes flashed with an emotion she and her drunken state couldn’t properly place, and Suzy found her world spinning on its axis, her frame rolling onto the mattress and her face landing on the cold pillow that had been tragically vacant before. A light-hearted giggle escaped her, turning into a breathy sigh as Severus entered her core once more, the stretch eliciting a slight sting. Oh God—he was perfect.

Severus didn’t give her time to adjust—rightfully so—and set a harsh, torturing pace that made her cry his name in the pillowcase. He groaned darkly at that, his right hand wrapping around her hair, his fingers digging harshly in the unruly strands. Suzy’s mind fluttered and pleasure coursed through her veins. It was too much—his touch, his hot breath fanning her neck, his manhood burying itself in her core again and again—she was not going to last, not while he was so unrelenting…

But then, it was there. So soft, so fleeting that one could easily have missed the sound that was uttered. A name, quietly spoken under a labored breath.

‘Lily….’

Suzy woke up, a small cry echoing through her bedroom. With her heart still drumming in her chest—rushing her blood through her system—Suzy sat up on her bed, checking in on Hel first. Relief washed over her when she found Hel soundly asleep on her nightstand in a self made nest—the blanket Suzy had provided her small draconic companion with.

Suzy’s arm tingled—as if a hundred Cornish pixies were gnawing on her skin—and she groaned, impatiently shaking her limb until the heavy feeling eased. She cast a glance upon her skin, but it was too dark to see the cause of the numbness she currently experienced. She knew the change was there though; despite her best efforts, her body still betrayed her in her sleep—especially after a nightmare.

A quiet sob escaped her, the first one of many to follow. Hadn’t this burden that was hers to carry been more than enough? Why did he have to make it worse?! Her heart ached with a deep shame and sorrow, the kind she hadn’t allowed herself to feel for a long time. It was his fault she was back at square one, and his alone. Suzy clenched her jaw and kicked her duvet cover away. Over the years she had learned that sleeping after a dream like this was hopeless; she had been driven insane by the echoes of Lily’s name bouncing around in her mind. Unfortunately there was only one remedy: a splash of cold water to properly wake her up and hard, physical labor to drown out every possible thought after.

With a sigh, Suzy dragged herself out of bed and retrieved her wand from under Hel’s blanket. She had yet to find out what her draconic friend actually hoped to achieve by stealing her wand, but Hel slept more soundly with it. Suzy stumbled through the unfamiliar surroundings of her room and to her own surprise, she made it to the bathroom relatively unscathed, only stubbing her toe once on the doorpost. ‘Lumos,’ she murmured and a small orb of white light extracted from the tip of her wand, rising to the ceiling. Suzy walked up to the washbasin and leaned against it, soothing the dull pain in her toe by massaging her foot. After the worst of the pain had passed, Suzy peered into the mirror. Her face bore the telltale signs of a nightmare—messy hair, a frazzled expression in her eyes and tear stricken cheeks. ‘Keep it together, Brown.’ She instructed her reflection, anger coating her voice. ‘It’s been five years and twice as many men ago, get a grip on yourself.’

The bottom lip of the woman in the mirror trembled, the rims of her eyes already overflowing with tears again. ‘Stop it!’ Suzy murmured, throwing her wand on the shelf above the sink and opening the faucet. She watched the water splash over her hands and wrists and absentmindedly stroked her arm—the skin looked normal, yet was still a bit rough to the touch. She heaved a sigh and splashed some water in her face. This nonsense had to stop. She had vowed that she would overcome this stupid infatuation, that it wouldn’t hurt her as much as it once had. But yet, here she was.

It still hurt.

There was one advantage to those accursed dreams—by the time noon rolled around, Suzy had scrubbed and organized her new office from floor to ceiling, only leaving her post once to call upon Argus Filch’ help; Hogwarts caretaker had begrudgingly agreed to come see her later.

Suzy’s stomach rumbled as she exited the door of her office and moved to her classroom. She knew she should take a break, but that awful name was still there—like the black stain on her desk that had taken her an hour to remove. The more she tried to push the memory away, the more incessant its’ singing had become. ‘Lily, Lily, Lily….’

The worst of it all was that Suzy couldn’t bring herself to hate Lily Evans; thanks to Professor Slughorn parties she had come to know Lily as the kind, gifted woman she had been. It hadn’t been Lily’s fault that apparently Snape still was hung up over her. If anything, it was a shame what had happened to Lily and her family, even more so because evil tongues had claimed Snape to be responsible for the Potter’s untimely deaths.

Her stomach gurgled again and Suzy heaved a weary sigh. Maybe some form of human contact would help her drown out her unwanted thoughts, given that Severus Snape remained out of her sights. Which, considering her luck, would be impossible.

Suzy straightened her black velvet flared pants and brushed a small glitter—which came from the crescent moons printed upon said pants—from her white blouse. She had put her hair into a messy bun with a festive silver ribbon, which bravely held her updo together. It was a miracle that the ribbon had made it this far, usually Hel would have tried to snatch it from her head already—for as a true dragon, Hel adored shiny things. Suzy eyed her companion, who was still lounging on Suzy’s desk, following her human with her observant, golden eyes. ‘You probably sense something’s off,’ Suzy murmured, more to herself than Hel. ‘And you’re right.’

‘Good afternoon, Miss Brown.’

Suzy whirled around at the sudden sound of a voice materializing in her classroom. She had half expected one of Hogwarts’ ghosts, but she was met with none other than Argus Filch, eyeing her with that signature surly expression of his while balancing a ladder over his shoulder. A long-haired cat with pointy ears and reddish eyes with the interesting name of Mrs. Norris circled around his feet and Suzy briefly wondered if Filch had ever stumbled over the feline—it seemed so inevitable.

Suzy put on a smile. ‘Hello Mister Filch. Thank you for coming so soon.’ Filch eyed her like she personally had dragged him from his comfortable office—she had, though in her defense, not physically—and it made Suzy grin. She might have been a tad too direct for the caretakers’ taste, but she needed to get this done sooner than later. ‘I would appreciate it if you—’

Behind them, Hel growled—her golden eyes focused on Mrs. Norris, who was watching her draconic counterpart with the same distrust. ‘Play nice,’ Suzy instructed Hel in a firm tone. ‘Mrs. Norris is here with Mister Filch.’ ‘Is that a dragon you have there?’ Filch asked slowly, peering behind Suzy and his eyes slightly widening. ‘Dragons have been forbidden to enter the castle since the early twelve hundredths. The headmaster—’ ‘I assure you that the headmaster already knows about Hel’s existence,’ Suzy cut him off. ‘If you wish to tell him anyway, then you’re free to do so. For now, I’m glad that you came.’ ‘Aye,’ Filch replied, though his eyes were still fixed upon Hel. ‘You said you had a problem with your broken….’

To the ailment of her broken heart Filch probably had no cure, so Suzy gestured at the practical issue she had encountered. ‘Like I said this morning, the windows won’t open. I fear they are glued shut, but I would be happy if you would take a look for me.’ Filch nodded quickly and set out to work while Mrs. Norris now circled the ladder—as if she could break her master’s fall if he toppled over. ‘I have tried all kinds of spells,’ Suzy told Hogwarts’ caretaker as she watched him pry at the small ceiling windows. Hel landed on her shoulder, no doubt in wanting to oversee the affair. Suzy absentmindedly patted her dragon’s neck. ‘They just won’t budge.’

A few minutes passed, in which Suzy watched Filch murmuring to himself and Mrs. Norris meowing back at her human, as if they were having a private conversation. ‘It appears they are glued shut,’ Filch determined after at last and Mrs. Norris hissed. ‘Okay,’ Suzy replied. ‘Now what?!’ ‘Not to worry, Miss. I know just the thing,’ Filch reassured her as he descended from his ladder. ‘I’ll be back.’ With that, Filch exited the classroom, leaving Suzy and Hel behind. Mrs. Norris eyed the both of them for a second, her stark gaze burning through both dragon and human, before turning away and chasing after her human with a loud cry.

Hel made a disgruntled sound, to which Suzy shrugged. ‘I have no idea what’s up with that cat,’ she told her draconic friend and peered at the ladder. ‘She’s rather creepy, don’t you think?’

Her stomach rumbled for a third time, begging Suzy to find herself something to eat, but Suzy ignored the urgent call and climbed the ladder to inspect her windows upclose. Hel snarled and flapped with her wings—probably trying to tell her human that climbing a ladder on an empty stomach wasn’t the best idea—but Suzy ignored that protest too—simply too engrossed in her goal to notice.

Upon closer inspection, nothing seemed wrong with the windows—the brass hasp looked in perfect condition and certainly not tempered with, magically or otherwise. Suzy frowned and leaned against the small ridge before pushing against the handle. ‘Come on,’ she murmured as she increased the pressure, causing the ladder to wobble slightly. ‘This is ridiculous, it’s just a—’

‘You’re not going to be able to open them,’ a lazy, low tone informed her. ‘These windows have been closed off for years.’ Suzy shrieked and shot up, causing the ladder to wobble precariously. Hel yelped and jumped off her human’s shoulder—no doubt to save her own skin, the egoistic serpent. Suzy froze and held her breath, her fingers curling around the sturdy wood as she prayed the ladder would not topple with her on it. (Un-)luckily, Severus Snape calmly strode her way and steadied the ladder before anything went truly wrong.

‘Goodness,’ Suzy hissed, looking down on him. ‘Must you truly startle me like this?! I could have hurt myself!’ ‘And you could have used your magic,’ Snape retorted, looking up. He raised a brow. ‘Tell me, are you always so… painfully rude?’ At least she remembered each of her lover’s names when she was with them. Suzy eyed him defiantly. ‘You call it rude, I might call it being straightforward.’ ‘Really?’ he countered. ‘You call that being straightforward? How intriguing.’ ‘I’m glad I could be of service,’ she said as she clambered down the ladder. ‘Yet I could learn a thing or two from you. You seem to deliver insult after insult with such grace!’ ‘Thank you for noticing, Miss Brown,’ he said, the sarcasm dripping from his voice. ‘It’s Professor Brown,’ she argued, looking up at him now—a consequence of having her feet firmly planted onto the stone floor again. Snape awarded her with a cold smile. ‘You haven’t even survived one day of class, Professor.’ ‘I’m sure I’ll be fine,’ Suzy replied with a shrug. ‘Though we can’t all be as brilliant as you, Professor.’ ‘While that is true,’ Snape agreed. ‘I advise you to stop mocking me. It’s not a good color on you.’ She laughed mirthlessly and spun around for him—her black and white outfit clearly matching his. ‘That’s just too bad,’ she remarked. ‘It’s precisely your color palette. You, on the other hand, should do well toning the sarcasm down.’

He eyed her with disdain and heaved a weary sigh. ‘I see you view our conversations as a misguided challenge of some sort.’ ‘Are they not?’ She questioned with a seemingly innocent tone. ‘And if you don’t enjoy them, then why did you decide to bother me?’ His retort was on point. ‘Because my office is across the hall and you have a very boisterous nature, Professor Brown. I know you’ve been hauling around things in your office since four in the morning.’ ‘You must excuse me for that. I had a nightmare, which greatly unsettled me,’ Suzy told him, her gaze skimming his frame—buttoning up his black coat every day surely had to be a tedious task indeed. ‘If you must know,’ she continued. ‘It was about you.’

There was a short pause, in which Snape had the decency to look slightly unsettled. Then, a faint trace of a genuine smile crossed his face, disappearing so fast that Suzy doubted if it had been there in the first place. ‘I apologize for the inconvenience,’ Snape said dryly. ‘Usually I only haunt students.’ ‘Truly?’ She asked as she fought with the corners of her mouth—she was still mad at him, he didn’t deserve to see her laugh. ‘Well, the next time you decide to float your way into my bedroom and scare me, I will have my revenge.’ ‘Trashing your own office in the middle of the night seems sufficient, doesn’t it?!’ ‘No, that’s not going to be enough,’ she argued. ‘So you must understand that I will continue with yours.’ ‘Naturally.’ ‘So stay out of my nightmares,’ Suzy told him, sending him an awful glare. ‘I have enough ghouls to entertain me as it is.’ ‘I assure you I will do my best,’ Snape said. ‘I have no desire occupying your subconscious more than I have to.’ He eyed her with an unreadable expression. ‘In the meantime, you probably should eat something before Filch arrives with one of his glue removing concoctions.’ She crossed her arms. ‘And you care because?’ He shrugged. ‘By all means, stay in here and see if you can endure the stench. It will relieve you of your appetite for the rest of the day.’ ‘I’m not—’ Suzy began, but then Hel uttered a small squeak, causing the two Professors to look up.

Hel was perched upon the small ridge near the windows, her tail swishing as she watched her human with terrifying precision—her golden eyes glinting. Suzy knew exactly what was going to happen: in a few seconds, Hel would launch her attack—she was going to chase her human until she had the much coveted silver ribbon in her claws. ‘Oh for fuck’s sake,’ Suzy muttered under her breath. ‘Here we go.’ ‘What—’ Snape began, watching the event that was about to unfold in confusion—evidently he had never dealt with a teacup dragon before. ‘Hel, no.’ Suzy warned, slowly backing away. ‘This is my ribbon. I bought it only three weeks ago and you have five already in your den.’ Hel squeaked again, clearly not impressed by the argument laid out before her; those five ribbons were already chewed upon, the fabric torn and tarnished. This particular ribbon was fresh and so… shiny. ‘Damn it,’ Suzy groaned and reached for her wand, ready to change the ribbon into a less attractive color. ‘That was my last one. I swear she—HEL, I SAID NO!’

It was too late to wave her wand now. Hel had launched herself from the window sill and dove claw’s straight at her human’s hair. Unfortunately for Hel, Suzy had been dealing with these antics for a few months now—she snatched her pet from the air with ease. Hel hissed at such uncivil behavior, but Suzy wasn’t having it. ‘Hel, I told you no!’ She said sternly. ‘I know you know the meaning of the word.’ Hel struggled in Suzy’s grip, her small claws scrawling against her human’s hands. When her resistance proved to be futile, she growled and let a small flame escape from her nostrils. ‘Young lady!’ Suzy cried out, holding up Hel in front of her face. ‘This is unacceptable! What did I tell you about fire indoors?!’

‘So you brought a fire-breathing dragon inside the castle that doesn’t deign itself to listen to your instructions?’ Snape questioned in his lazy drawl. ‘How… characteristic.’

Both Suzy and Hel turned their heads, simultaneously glaring at the Potion’s Master—their battle over the sparkly ribbon already forgotten. How dared he insult them like that? ‘Excuse me?!’ Suzy demanded and Hel squeaked. ‘You two are ridiculous,’ Snape said, exasperation coating his tone. ‘I’m on the fence whether that dragon will destroy the whole castle first or if you will beat it to it.’ Suzy allowed Hel to wrestle herself out of her hands and watched her pet dragon fly towards their shared office. ‘Well,’ she then said, turning to Snape again. ‘I’m sure that answer will be far less difficult for you to unwrap when you keep vexing me.’ ‘You really think I wish to be here?!’ he clapped back, his dark eyes flashing. ‘Dumbledore gave me orders to keep an eye on you, which is the only reason why I bother to spend my precious time in the same room as you.’ ‘You arrogant. insufferable—’ ‘Ah, you’ve decided to extend your expert analysis on my character, Professor Brown? Do go on, I still wish to hear it.’ Suzy waved dismissively with her hand, knowing it would annoy him to no end. ‘Your character hardly needs any extensive analysis at all, Professor Snape.’ ‘Meaning?’ Snape demanded as he crossed his arms.

Hagrid had made her promise him that she would apologize to Professor Snape and though Suzy knew it would be for the best if she did, she just… She eyed the man that had broken her heart, who was currently looking at her like she was the worst thing that had ever happened to him—a sentiment she shared. Apologizing felt like admitting defeat; as if she was going to let him have that.

‘An extensive analysis requires a subject of a certain complexity or its’ purpose is rendered useless,’ she mused, firmly aware she was only making it worse for herself, but losing this match was impossible. ‘In your case, any additional information is unnecessary because the conclusion is already clear as day.’ ‘The fact that you didn’t consider educating yourself through multiple sources before drawing a conclusion makes you quite short-sighted,’ Snape argued in a calm tone. ‘And may I remind you that not forming or testing a hypothesis before hasting to a conclusion is yet another grave mistake?’

He could pull the academically inclined Professor card on her all he liked, but Suzy had grown quite accustomed to working in the field—especially the quick thinking that had come with it. She smiled sweetly at him, her eyes sparkling with glee. ‘So,’ she began as she tried her best to hold back a grin, but the corners of her mouth were unrelenting. ‘You mean to say I should give you another chance? To prove myself wrong?’

Severus took the blow in stride, eyeing her shortly with that annoying unreadable expression. ‘What an interesting change of tactic, Professor Brown,’ he said. ‘However, it’s abundantly clear that you are the one who should be begging me for a second chance.’ She chuckled. ‘Oh, I beg to differ.’ His dark eyes gleamed dangerously. ‘We’ve reached a stalemate, then.’ ‘Certainly.’ ‘Very well,’ Severus established. ‘I will tell Dumbledore you won’t need any further assistance. Good day, Miss Brown.’

With that, Snape turned around and strode towards the door, his cloak floating dramatically in his wake, his pace certain and sharp. Suzy watched the Potion’s Master disappear into the hallway, her eyes set on his jet black hair that matched the shade of his heart, certainly not recalling how her fingers had once raked— Suzy pinched the bridge of her nose, while mentally shoving the images that flooded her mind aside. An exasperated sigh escaped from her lips. What was happening here? She had no intention of being dragged into these pointless arguments, but he managed to push all her buttons. He was so aggravating, so utterly condescending, so… mean!

Though she would rather die than admit it to a certain Potion’s Master, after their encounter Suzy quickly realized that he had been right about Filch—the stench of the glue remover was so horrible that she had been forced to flee her classroom and abandon her office directly after. But even as she had sought refuge in the safety of her bedroom, the odor simply seeped through the cracks of her door and made both Hel’s as her own eyes water. A dung bomb was no match for the pungent smell that this concoction emanated; she could only hope Filch knew what he was doing. And that a certain colleague of theirs wasn’t right about the effectiveness of this remedy.

Protecting Hel from the worst stench, Suzy cradled her dragon friend in one of her shawls and fled the dungeons—the staircase seemingly endless. She hadn’t heard Snape leaving his quarters; was it bad of her to hope he was suffering from the stench too? Or even better, maybe he had passed out, relieving the world of his condescending presence for a minute.

‘Good afternoon, Professor Brown!’ a house-elf with lopsided ears and gray eyes that almost bulged out of their sockets greeted her at the top of the stairs, causing Suzy to stumble. ‘I apologize, ma’am!’ It squeaked. ‘I didn’t mean to startle you.’ ‘No matter,’ Suzy replied with a firm nod after she had steadied herself. ‘I was in thought.’ The house-elf sniffed. ‘And running from that stench down below, I presume? Has mister Filch persuaded you to let him use his glue remover on those windows? I fear they have been stuck forever, us house-elves have never succeeded in opening them.’ ‘So Professor Snape was right,’ Suzy said with a sigh. ‘Of course.’ The house-elf watched her with interest and fiddled with his frock, which seemed to be a velvet pillowcase in a rich purple color. ‘Professor Snape—I mean, I wish to inform you that we missed you at breakfast. We’ve prepared a meal for you, which is waiting in the teacher’s lounge.’ Hel showed her face at the mention of breakfast, a concept she knew too well. The house-elf didn’t seem surprised to find Suzy’s draconic companion comfortably curled up in her arms. ‘We’ve prepared something for Helena too,’ the elf said. ‘We do hope she likes chicken.’ Hel purred and Suzy chuckled. ‘Actually, chicken is her favorite. Though she doesn’t mind eating the odd bug she finds here and there.’ The house-elf inclined his head. ‘I’m glad to hear that. Now if you excuse me, Professor Brown, I must continue with my work.’ ‘Yes, of course!’ She said. ‘Thank you so much for setting aside breakfast for me. Hel and I could have waited for lunch, truly.’ ‘You could,’ the house-elf agreed. ‘But you’ve already made friends here at Hogwarts, and they don’t wish to see you starve.’

After Suzy and Hel had eaten their fill at the empty teacher’s lounge—for which she was glad—Suzy made her way towards the former History of Magic classroom. She still had ample time to prepare for her first term, but starting from scratch while her predecessor was still mentally present, would be a stupid thing to do. Though Professor Binns could easily bore one to death, surely he had developed some sort of a lesson plan she could put to use.

With Hel perched upon her shoulder, Suzy made her way through the castle and entertained her dragon friend with all kinds of anecdotes and facts. ‘Oh, and remind me I have to show you where I received my first kiss,’ Suzy told Hel, pointing in the way of the clocktower courtyard. ‘It was Amos Warrington, who you will surely meet in no time. I’m not sure how we should feel about that, but it certainly will be interesting enough.’ Hel squeaked, probably not that interested in her human’s former romantic conquests, her golden eyes already following a dragonfly that was roaming through the empty hallway. ‘Not now, Hel.’ Suzy murmured. ‘You just had breakfast. I don’t want you to get sick.’ Hel growled at that, certainly not agreeing with the mentioned fact—every dragon knew that a dragonfly was nothing more than a complimentary snack… ‘Forget about that stupid insect,’ Suzy told her dragon as she knocked upon the History of Magic classroom’s door. ‘We have stuff to do.’

They waited for a few seconds in silence, during which Hel mewled longingly at the dragonfly that still occupied the hallway. Suzy heaved a weary sigh before opening the door and stepping inside—Professor Binns was a ghost, surely he would not deign himself to answer her call.

The History of Magic classroom was exactly as she remembered; the vivid stained glass windows on the right, depicting Merlin and King Arthur, the dozen oaken study desks, the moldy odor of decaying parchment and old books… Suzy inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar surroundings as several fond memories flashed before her mind’s eye. Despite the fact that this class had been the most boring of all, Suzy always loved learning from the past—a passion her father had bestowed upon her. Her heart ached. She missed him dearly.

Suzy found Professor Binns in his usual spot: sitting hunched over at his desk in front of the classroom, engrossed in his studies. He was murmuring in himself, evidently unaware of his visitor. Suzy cleared her throat and waited, but Professor Binns went on with his studies like she was nothing but thin air—an ironic paradox indeed. ‘Excuse me,’ Suzy announced herself, ignoring Hel, who was fidgeting upon her shoulder. ‘Professor Binns?’ ‘The dates do not add up,’ Professor Binns said to himself. ‘Which is strange. The war must have been….’ ‘Hello?!’ Suzy tried again and Hel squeaked—already having enough of this ghost-man who wasn’t giving her or her human any attention. ‘Ah, of course. That 9 must be a 7, then it—yes.’ ‘Professor Binns!’

Hel flapped her wings and leapt from Suzy’s shoulder. She soared through the room, flying straight across Professor Binns—a strangled cry rising from her as she did so; apparently passing through a ghost wasn’t a pleasant experience, how surprising! Professor Binns, on the other hand, looked up—the disturbance big enough to distract him from his work.

‘Hel!’ Suzy cried out, rushing towards the front desk. ‘Come back here, young lady! It’s not polite to fly through ghosts, let alone our colleagues!’ ‘Ah,’ Professor Binns said, finally noticing Suzy. ‘Miss…? What can I do for you? I haven’t looked at your paper yet, I’ve been busy with my studies.’ ‘Susannah Brown,’ Suzy informed him as she took Hel in her arms. ‘Professor Dumbledore asked me to take over your classes. I came to ask—’ ‘I’m rather busy, I’m afraid.’ ‘I know that,’ Suzy said. ‘I just want to know if I can borrow your lesson plans to prepare myself for the upcoming term.’ ‘Lesson plans?’ Professor Binns repeated, a befuddled expression written on his face. ‘I might… It has been years… Let me see—’

He floated away to his personal quarters, leaving Suzy and Hel to stand in front of his desk. Suzy gave Hel a stern glare, to which her little draconic companion purred. ‘It did work,’ Suzy caved in, placing a kiss on Hel’s head. ‘And I have to thank you for that. But remember, it’s not polite to fly through people; not to mention it can be a rather uncomfortable experience.’

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