"Ancient Runes" a Severus Snape ff - Snape x OC

Chapter 34

Severus was already on his way to his childhood home in Spinner's End early in the next morning. He needed to put some distance between himself and Hogwarts, and this house was just the ideal place to get his thoughts sorted out in peace. There was nothing there that would remind him of anything beautiful. There would only be him and his thoughts. All he had to do now was inform Albus that he intended to spend the entire vacation there.

"Sherbet lemon.", the password slipped from his lips only reluctantly. Why couldn't Albus even use a sensible password instead of such silly sweets.

"Ah Severus. Come in!" Albus, at least, seemed to be in a good mood, something that couldn't exactly be said of Severus.

"I just wanted to let you know that I intend to spend the holidays away from Hogwarts," Severus stated curtly, hoping Albus wouldn't ask any more questions. But the curious grin on the headmaster's face didn't bode well.

"Well well, may I ask where, or better yet, with whom you intend to spend your vacation?" Albus asked curiously.

"Alone, Albus!" Severus blurted out a little angrily. He was fed up with this silly questioning, it was nobody's business how and where he was going to spend his vacation.

"Severus.. I did not mean to." Albus tried to calm him down. Unsuccessful.

"What is it you do not want? It is absolutely nobody's business what I do on my vacation! But since you do not seem to see it that way - I will be alone. All alone in my house. Satisfied? That certainly was not the answer you wanted to hear, am I not right? But it's the sad truth!" Severus was angry and didn't make a secret of it for a short moment. Dumbledore gave him a startled look.

"Go Severus. I bid you pardon. I did not mean to offend you. Go now."

Indeed, Severus didn't need to be told twice and before he could even say "sherbet lemon" he was already on his way back to the dungeons. It was time to get out of here.

-

The door slowly creaked shut behind Lysanna. The small apartment was just as untidy as she had left it. The landlord had already considered evicting the apartment after Lysanna had been away for so long, but after the rent was paid every month, he changed his mind. In fact, Lysanna hadn't been here once in the entire ten months and that was exactly how it looked like here now. Everything, absolutely everything, was covered in a thick layer of dust and in the corners there were a few spiders showing off their architectural skills. Whatever Lysanna had expected, this surpassed even her worst fears. And if all this wasn't bad enough already, she now found herself in a home that didn't even feel like a home.

-

It was already getting dark when Lysanna was finally finished and had restored the apartment to a condition that could be described as acceptable. She collapsed onto the old sofa with a glass of whiskey. She was on the verge of tears. Everything here just felt so unbelievably wrong, she didn't belong here. This was not her home. She already missed the overflowing bookshelves and the crackling fire in the fireplace, the soft, comfortable four-poster bed and the beautiful view over the grounds of Hogwarts. Through her small windows, all she could see was the crowded street below, with all its noise and dirt. What had she done?

In addition to all the accusations that Lysanna made to herself, Lucius Malfoy's remark also stuck on her mind. What did he want to tell her? Lysanna would probably find out as early as Monday. Then she had her first day of work in her new old position. She didn't even want to look forward to that at the moment.

Plagued by all the self-doubt, the guilt and this uneasy gut feeling that she just didn't want to let go of, Lysanna went to bed early. What she wouldn't have given that evening for a feast at Hogwarts and a little chat with her colleagues. With her former colleagues. Those times were over.