Stay With Me (sequel to Forever Yours)

14. Flashback

Everything around him was familiar.  He had spent so many years at this castle and loved being there for the most part.  It was a beautiful place.

Severus trudged along the path that had led him through the courtyard.  He knew where he wanted to go.  He loved it so much when they had gotten to take their trips to Hogsmeade Village.  It was sort of a place of a refuge for him.  At least it had been before he overheard the prophecy there.  That had changed everything.  Before he realized it, he was at the one place he could never go while he was in school: Madame Rosmerta's Pub.  He opened the door slowly and walked inside.

The smell of firewhiskey and beer hit him square in the face, causing him to wrinkle his nose a little.  The mixture of the aromas wasn't something that was particularly alluring, but it wasn't enough to make him leave either.

Severus found a stool at the end of the bar and sat down.  Something about the place made him feel as if he had been there before.  Maybe he had, but he couldn't remember anything.  It was frustrating to know that there was eleven whole years of his life missing.  What had happened to him?  He didn't even know how he'd gotten this way except for the word of the Healer that was taking care of him.  Madame Pomfrey seemed like a nice enough woman.  She even seemed to like him pretty well.  

"Hey handsome, can I get ya something?"

He looked up.  There was a woman in front of him smiling like she'd just won the lottery.  "I guess."

She rolled her eyes.  "Do you want your usual, Severus?"

He frowned.  "Wait.  My usual?  So I have been here before?"

She stared at him strangely.  "You're here some, but not everyday or anything.  Are you alright?"

"I-I'm fine.  I just can't remember anything.  They tell me I have amnesia."

Her eyes widened.  "That's terrible!"  She leaned down toward him.  "Well, you usually drink a firewhiskey.  I'm Rosmerta."

He stared at her blankly.  "You own this place, right?"

"That's right.  Hey, you remembered!"

"No.  The name-your name- is on the door."

Rosmerta's expression was a little defeated.  "Oh.  Right."  She left to go get his drink.  When she came back, she had a shot glass full of a tan colored liquid.  "There you go."

Severus thanked her and picked up the small glass and examined it curiously.  He smelled it.  The aroma was sweet, nothing like it was when he had come in.  After several seconds of studying it, he finally tipped it up and swallowed it down.  The burning sensation filled his throat.  He squinted.  It wasn't the best tasting stuff in the world, but the hint of sweetness he had smelled also gave it a possibly addicting taste.  He put the empty glass down and shoved it away from him.

"That's good stuff isn't it?"

He turned at the sound of his voice.  He hadn't even noticed that someone had sat down beside of him.  It was a man that seemed to be in his early thirties, maybe even about the same age as he was.  He had three shot glasses sitting in front of him.  "It's alright."

The man smiled.  "I was sitting on the other end a minute ago and I couldn't help but overhear you tell Rosmerta your story.  That's a bad break losing your memory like you did.  You never know who you might meet away from Hogwarts.  I know you teach there, right?"

Severus nodded.  "So I've been told.  Potions, I believe.  The Headmaster tried to convince me of that.  I've always loved making them and learning about them, but I can't remember ever teaching small children to do the same."