The Professor

Chapter


Chloe turned the corner towards her private chamber, very aware of the stares she was receiving from the people who saw her and Severus tonight.

She watched as Severus continued to walk, without even glancing at her, back to the dungeons.

Chloe entered her room and closed the door.

She sighed heavily and felt her chest tighten. She loved being with Severus tonight. She couldn’t have imagined a better night with him. She also couldn’t have imagined a worse ending. Severus was such a private man. Solitude had always been his best friend. He had opened the doors for her and now…

Now the whole school would know of their relationship and it would once more put him in the spotlight he so hates.

Chloe pulled her robes off and dressed in her night clothes. She knew she couldn’t sleep, so she grabbed a book and stared at the pages.

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Severus could not have imagined a worse scenario. He had taken a huge leap of faith by planning this excursion with Chloe. It wasn’t her fault. It was that large ogre of a man’s.

Severus stalked back into the dungeons and began pacing his office. What was he to do? The entire school would be ablaze with the news of he and Professor Browning come dawn’s first light. He wasn’t concerned really what people thought. It was his concern for her safety that made him sick.

He realized tonight, just how much he really did care for her. And it scared him.

By allowing Chloe to associate herself with him was dangerous. He was a marked man and if she was with him, she was marked as well. The remaining Death Eaters could capture and torture her, just to get to him. The thought made him nauseous.

He wanted to be with Chloe more than he had ever wanted anything before. This was the first thing he had ever wanted for himself in a long time. But now…now he couldn’t have her.

If the threat of Bellatrix and her cronies were gone, then….then he and Chloe could continue. But not before. He had to speak with Albus…

His head turned as the flames in his fireplace turned a vivid green and out stepped Albus.

Bloody old man can read minds.

“Severus.” he said as a greeting, noting as he did so the expression of sheer agony on Severus’ face.

“Headmaster.” Severus mumbled.

“Severus…would you like a brandy? I have some here that I thought you would enjoy..” Severus frowned as Dumbledore made himself comfortable in the chair facing the fireplace. He conjured an extra glass and poured two glasses of brandy. He floated one towards Severus.

They drank in silence for a few minutes. Severus was still pacing with a scowl on his face.

“It might ease your mind a bit to know that I have sworn all who saw you and Chloe together tonight to secrecy. Mainly the students. They are Prefects and can be trusted. So you need not worry about that any longer.” Severus stopped pacing and shot Dumbledore a look of pure menace.

“You think I am worried about some snotty brats knowing that…” he stopped talking. He had just caught himself from saying something completely absurd. Dumbledore chuckled. “I worry for her safety Dumbledore. Someone could take her to get to me! I can not have that on my conscience.” he took a large gulp of the brandy and swallowed it. Dumbledore didn’t say a word.

“Let me go with Potter.” It wasn’t a question, but a demand.

Dumbledore let out a slow breath. He massaged the bridge of his nose between his eyes and spoke softly.

“I can not allow that Severus. I understand you are worried about her. In the same regard, we are all worried about you.”

“I do not need anyone worrying over me.” he hissed.

Dumbledore had almost had enough of Severus’ games. He was tired, it has been a long holiday night. Enough was enough.

“Did it ever occur to you Severus that people do care about you? Other than Chloe I mean. Myself, including most of the staff here at Hogwarts do. And I might add….much to your displeasure…a certain young man who owes you his life. He came here to see you when we all thought we had lost you. He vowed vengeance for you Severus! You owe him to stay out of it! You saved his life more times than we can count. You saved many of us for that matter! I watched you Severus…” his voice was breaking as he continued on. The tears were welling in his eyes. “I watched you lie in that very bed and scream in agony. I watched you dying. I was helpless to do anything. Chloe offered you comfort and for that I am indebted. I was afraid for you. I didn’t want you to go then. You have been cheated from a good life Severus. You are the man I admire most for your resolve, your strength and your loyalties. However, I owe you so much that I can not repay. However, I can repay you by making you step back and have a normal life. Chloe is your ticket to a normal life filled with love and happiness that you so richly deserve. And if it means you can not go to one last battle, then I will ward these doors and lock you in if that’s what it takes. I will not be the one who takes from you…anymore. You have done enough Severus. But I fear I have not done enough for you.” Tears slid silently down Dumbledore’s face.

Severus stood, rooted to the floor. He was staring into the brown liquid that was in his glass. He felt his eyes stinging and he dared not look at Dumbledore. He heard the pain and the guilt in his voice. Dumbleore blamed himself for Severus’ worthless existence.

He saw, in the corner of his eye, Dumbledore stand and walk into the fireplace.

“Goodnight Severus.” With a flash of green flames, he was gone.

Severus hung his head and felt his chest tighten. He squeezed his eyes shut and cursed.

He hurled the glass, half full of brandy against the wall. It shattered and the wall was painted with the brown liquid.

Severus ran his fingers through his greasy hair and breathed deeply.

He was angry.

No at himself, not at Chloe, not even at Dumbledore.

He was angry because he knew everything Dumbledore had just told him rang of the truth.

**************

Albus sat in his own office, stroking Fawkes. He was on his second glass of brandy.

He had told Severus all that he had sworn to himself he would not. Those sort of sentiments always seemed to hurt the man, instead of make him feel better.

Albus was scared.

He as scared because he remembered another young man, long ago, whom he had tried to protect by locking him away. It had made him angry, moody and he blamed Dumbledore for keeping him as a prisoner in his own house. He had rebelled and died because of it.

He expected no less from Severus Snape.

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A/N: Oh...Severus has a flare for the damatics, doesn\'t he? What will he do????