Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-28-

Later that day, I'm walking in a hallway of the castle middle of the night. I have been doing the night shifts after the holidays now few times. Can't lie, they are pretty boring. Walking around the castle at night, nothing's happening. No one to talk to. Only me with my own thoughts. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's nice to just be on my own, but... Sometimes it gets dangerous to be alone with your own thoughts. You start think too much of things, you know? Luckily, my shift is about to come to an end in half an hour. My thoughts being in all of the things I need to do before I can press the head against the pillow. ...Then I'll change quickly into the pyjamas and head to bed. "Already told you; Leave it." a deep, monotonic voice echoes thru the hallways right around the corner. Huh? "Oh, come now! We are both men here, you can tell me." another voice says. I recognize both of the voices. Lockhart and Snape. Quickly, I put Lumos away and sneak closer to hear them better. Can't take a peek since they would see me right away, so I press my back up against the wall and just wait.

Snape hasn't answered anything yet, so Lockhart continues:"Is she as good as I think she is?". Right after those words escapes from his mouth, Snape slams his back up against the wall hard. Sounded like that actually hurt Lockhart's back. The Potions Master is holding onto Lockhart's collar and has very threatening look in his dark eyes:"I recommend to keep that abnormally large mouth shut, if I were you... Talking about those impure thoughts you keep having about her.". Even I'm not seeing what's happening, I'm getting stressed by how intense Snape sounds right now. Who are they talking about? There is fear in Lockhart's eyes and doesn't know what to do. Snape twitches his face out of disgust, lets go of him and continues walking:"Let this be the last time I hear about you in this matter.". Cold shivers goes down my spine when the Potions Master whooshes right past me without seeing me around the corner. Lockhart in the other hand, tires to fix his collar and continues his way to the direction they originally came from. What was that all about?

The next day comes around. Umbridge hasn't done anything crazy yet, so we are all kinda waiting something to happen soon. In between the classes I'm standing right outside of the Great Hall, watching all of the rules that are hanging around the big doors. These are ridiculous. In so many ways. Then I hear how our Caretaker, Argus Filch comes with ladders and starts putting something high up to the wall near the door. "E-excuse me, Mister Filch? May I ask what are you doing this time?" I ask while looking him struggling to climb the unsteady ladders. Him and I never really have talked much. Some little words here and there, but he usually likes to stay in his own chamber. More than Snape himself. Filch scoffs:"What does it look like? I'm installing all of these megaphones around the castle, like Miss Umbridge has asked me to.". Megaphones?

Then, I feel how something is rubbing and purring against my leg. It's Mrs. Norris, Mr. Filch's cat. "Why hello there." I smile down to her. Can't lie, I feel somewhat special how Mrs. Norris - who likes to hiss most of the people, actually likes me. While petting the cat, my ears caught up familiar laugh further away. Lifting my head up to see I was right. It's Lockhart, chatting with a girl from seventh year. Can't remember which House she's from, since she's wearing casual clothes instead of the school uniform. I remember how nice it was back then to be able to dress up freely in other clothes than the robes as you became certain age. Lockhart leans against the wall with one arm smiling while talking to the student, almost as in flirty way. The girl is blushing and giggling, clearly one of his fans. Is that the girl they were talking about last night?

Just when he is about to reach his hand to touch her, I stand up and raise my voice:"Professor Lockhart?". They both gets startled a little and quickly turn their heads right at me. Lockhart smiles:"Professor (Y/L).". Forcing a smile back at him:"A word with you, if you please.". Lockhart gives a quick smile to the student and she leaves. The Professor's eyes quickly visits up and down the young girls body, then he comes to me:"(Y/N), where do I own this pleasure?". Quickly, I glance up the ladders where Filch is, clearly trying to listen to our conversation while installing the megaphone. There are also a few students walking right past us, chatting and laughing at their own stuff. Thinking this conversation is best to have without any audience, so I give little push side of Lockhart's arm:"Follow me, will ya?".

We walk a little bit away from other people's sight and continue walking along an empty hallway. "Is everything alright?" he asks. "I believe you are familiar with how to behave around students?" raising him an eyebrow while walking. He chuckles:"Is talking with a student not allowed?". "Talking and grooming are two different things." I stop walking and turn to him. "Grooming? Oh, (Y/N), my dear..." he stops too and shook his head amused. Crossing arms over my chest and wait him to continue. He lifts those blue eyes on me:"There is no need to be jealous.". "What?" I let out confused. Jealous? Lockhart reaches his hand and takes one of the strings of the knot of my cape between his fingers.

Slowly, in flirty way, he keeps fidgeting it between the fingers, looking deep into my eyes:"All you need to do is tell me the time, place and the price.". Huh?! Baffled what he just said, I can't do nothing else, but stare back at him. He smirks and whispers:"Just think about it.". Side of our arms brushes against each other when he leaves. Unpleasant feeling keeps crawling around inside me as I watch him getting further and further away. "(Y/L)." Snape calls other end of the hallway. Still shocked by what I just heard, I turn to face him:"Yes?". He walks up to me with the usual expressionless look on his face. Quickly, his eyes visits the direction I was staring before he came, then back to me. Lockhart was already long gone.

The Potions Master starts talking about something I can't quite focus on right now. Did Lockhart just... Insinuate us to have sex? Creepy shivers goes down my spine as I stare at the direction Lockhart went. And why did he mentioned something about naming the price? All of sudden, I feel Snape's big and heavy hand above my head as he turns my head back to him. "Eyes on me when I'm talking to you." he orders. Surprised by this, my eyes widens:"I'm..-! I'm sorry, what were you saying?". "Occlumency. I will teach you how to block if anyone tries to enter your mind..." he says. Still too thrown off by everything:"Oh? Sure, however... Yeah.". Snape raise his eyebrow, slightly surprised I agreed so easily. "Then I shall bring you some books regarding the teaching, so you'll be prepared when the time comes." he says. I shook my head, not really knowing where I just signed up for:"Yes, yes. I will meet you later in that matter.". He sighs frustrated and mutters something under his breath before leaving.

That night, I couldn't sleep. All I could do was toss and turn around while thinking about what Lockhart said to me. It bothers me. The times he has placed his hand on me. The words he has said over these months, hinting me to come to him more often and such... This is all just so absurd! Going from 'this is sexual harassment and I should report him!' to 'maybe I'm just overreacting'. Then I start thinking about the student he was talking with. Wonder if he has actually said things like that to students too? Can't bare the thought he has taken advantage of under-aged student who most likely is his fan. Because of that, I decided I'll tell our boss about it the next day. Since Dumbledore isn't available, I need to turn to Umbridge. Even though we both have had our disagreements, I bet she'll side with me when it comes to harassing women. After all, she is all about rules and how to behave properly.

The next day, after the classes are over, I throw my dirty robes from the mud into wash and put on some casual clothes. Black pants with a dark blue shirt that has florentine neckline. This will do. Then I travel around the castle to get to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. As I enter the room, I see it's empty. It's been a while last time I have been in here. Remus comes to my mind right away. The image of him standing other side of the room, ready to listen what I would haveto say... Oh, how I miss him. Then I head to the door that will lead to Umbridge's office. There is a small pause before I raise my hand to knock the door. Somehow I'm quite nervous. Is this such a good idea after all? But then the students and their safety crosses my mind and I get the bravery to knock. "Come in." can hear Umbridge's voice thru the door. Here we go.