Chapter Text
“Professor Dumbledore, I assure you, I do not need a personal healer—“
“Sorry I’m late, headmaster, an errand kept me,” You weren’t the slightest bit regretful that you interrupted the escalating conversation. Holding your head high, you stepped out of the fireplace and mustered a polite smile to the headmaster. In front of him was a man in tattered clothing, standing and gripping the desk. He turned to you with a mildly irritated look.
“Lupin,” You nodded in greeting, your tone not the slightest bit friendly.
“…Black,” He nodded just as coldly. Must be odd for him to call you by your family name… especially in the current circumstances.
“With all due respect, sir,” You addressed Dumbledore, “Perhaps you should have provided me with more details before I arrived here.”
Dumbledore stood up from his chair and smiled.
“Then I applaud your interest for getting you here either way,” He made his way around the desk. You clenched your teeth. Well, this man was the greatest wizard of his time… “As you know, our friend Lupin here is afflicted with—“
“Sir, she doesn’t—“
“Lycanthropy.” You finished for them. Lupin stared at you in shock. “Forgive me, the discovery was most certainly accidental.” Your tone was even and business-like, “But that’s not the point. What exactly do you need me for, headmaster?”
“First of all, I apologise if I’ve offended you, Lupin. (f/n) will only assist you if you so require, but other than that I’m sure she will stay away from your personal business.” Dumbledore looked at you pointedly.
What? It’s not like you have any interest in meddling with Lupin’s personal life.
This bit information seemed to at least calm lupin down.
“And (f/n), I believe Severus requires assistance in making the Wolfsbane Potion. He has successfully made the first batch, but the process could be greatly sped up if he has a helping hand. I’m sure he would be pleased to teach you,” The headmaster had a suspicious twinkle about his eye. “She will also be the one to escort you to the shack instead of Madam Pomfrey, I’m sure you understand that the Madam is getting weary with age, as she so puts it,” He chuckled and turned to you, “She will see you tomorrow to provide the necessary equipment for a first-aid kit.”
He let the silence capture the room and took it as a sign of agreement from the two of you.
“You are welcome to my office if any of you have anything further to discuss. In the meantime, I suggest you get acquainted with one another,” With a smile and a twinkle in his eyes, he left the office.
You turned to Lupin silently.
Agreeing to come to Hogwarts seemed to get you acquainted with people your family wouldn’t approve of.
There was nothing more you needed to know.
“Good night, Lupin,” You sidestepped him and went to the door.
“How?”
You stopped by the open door and looked over your shoulder.
“How did you discover it?”
“One morning, I was helping Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing and I saw her mix powdered silver into your wounds. I didn’t think it more than odd at the time until I learnt what it meant years later.” You walked out of the room without a second glance.
.
.
.
You stepped onto the circular staircase as it descended.
At times, you wonder why you constantly put your inheritance on the line in exchange for knowledge. You supposed you were never satisfied that way. You realised that Dumbledore requesting it be kept secret was not just for privacy.
Your parents would send a howler if they discovered you were in contact with a werewolf.
No matter, this school year would certainly be interesting.
What did Dumbledore even say to the head healer to let you discreetly leave? Well, it’s not like they would notice you missing, ever since your promotion—
"I take it you're resigning?"
You clutched your chest and turned towards the voice with your wand drawn.
"Merlin's beard, Severus! You startled me!" You hissed. Even in the faint moonlight, you could see his satisfied smirk. Well, this was not how you imagined your reunion at all. "Why on earth are you standing there in the dark like a Dementor?"
Which were, to your credit, currently roaming the grounds.
"Dumbledore told me to escort you to your quarters," He stepped out of the corner and you could see his smirk even clearer now. What a smug bastard. You exhaled and lowered your wand, trying to calm your spiked heartbeat.
You've spent the last week of summer formulating what to say to him once you meet, and he goes about greeting you by scaring you half to death.
You supposed it indicated that the game of pestering was still on.
You nodded and started walking towards the dungeons. Severus kept your pace and walked beside you.
"Well?"
"Well what, Severus?"
"Will you be resigning?" His tone had a strange edge that you couldn't quite place.
"Why do you think so?" You glanced over to him and saw his hands clasped in front of him. He was fidgeting like when he saw you off that last day.
"As I understand, Dumbledore invited you here under... somewhat vague explanations. I didn't think you would... accept."
"Those vague explanations were apparently enough to pique my curiosity," and I (desperately) wanted to see you— you drew in a breath to avoid shaking your head, "and at this point, I'll do anything to get away from my current job situation."
"Really? I suppose the promotion has been awful, then,” He said. There goes the sarcasm.
“I was promoted to a desk job, Severus. All summer the only thing I've been doing is menial paperwork. Perhaps the occasional patient required my help, but other than that..." You realised you were ranting and sighed, "and you," you pointed at him as you stopped in the dungeon corridor. He paused, raised his eyebrow and tilted his head.
Merlin, he's even more adorable than you remembered.
“I recall you saying that you would write," You said almost threateningly.
"I... didn't think my personal life relevant to your interests," He looked away and shifted his weight.
On the contrary, it didn't matter if he had written about dull things in his life, you just wanted to... hear from him.
You missed him.
You inwardly groaned. You seem to have developed a habit of admitting things to yourself whenever you're around him. Well, at least you weren’t admitting them out loud.
The awkwardness stretched on until he unclasped his hands and sidestepped you to walk to his door. "If you're not resigning,” He seemed almost hopeful… perhaps you were imagining things, “then I suggest we start on the potion tomorrow."
Odd, that was a straightforward invitation from him. When Dumbledore told you you'd be working with Severus, you assumed that it was the headmaster's idea and that Severus would be reluctant to accept your help— being as he was.
He stood by his open doorway and the light from his office illuminated his silhouette. You could clearly see his tired eyes. The term hasn't even started… and he's already tired.
"What time?" You asked.
"Preferably after dinner,” He looked into your eyes and to your surprise, you didn’t feel that tug in your mind he so frequently caused.
You took in the face you haven’t seen all summer. Somewhere between the dull paperwork, you questioned yourself if your memory had been failing you, or was Severus really as… attractive as your mind made him out to be. Standing there in front of him, you supposed… he was.
Another thing you’ve just admitted to yourself. Damn.
It made you dread (but at the same time anticipate) working with him.
"Very well," You nodded, "Good night, Severus.”