A Little Bit of Love and Laughter

I was frozen, standing there dumbfounded, staring off into the darkness as Fred tried to pull me away. It was almost as if he hadn't heard it. But when the figure emerged from the shadows, I was sure that he had seen it, too. It stayed just outside of the area of visibility, remaining little more than a cold, distant silhouette.

We had been standing there for what felt like hours. No one had spoken; no one had moved. The three of us just stood there in unaltered silence as I tried to make out the profile or recall the sound of the voice. I could feel my chest rise and fall with my sharp breaths, and I managed to break my paralysis, if only for a moment, to brush my hair off of my face.

As the figure finally stepped into the light, I felt my heart pounding within my chest, as if, at any second, it could just burst through the skin. His shoes were the first to be seen – black and sole-less, silent. His dark cloak swirled as he stepped forward, the fabric rippling behind him. His face – cold and stoic – was the last part to be illuminated, and the dark, greased-back hair made his identity clear to me.

"Excuse us, Professor," Fred started, bravely. "We had just stepped outside for some fresh air."

"Do you take me for a fool, Mr. Weasley?" Severus snarled in response, and Fred flinched.

I turned back toward the wooden doors to go back inside when Severus hissed my name.

"Miss Prince," he repeated, "why do you insist on finding trouble with every move you make?"

"I – I –" My throat was dry, and no words could come out of my mouth.

Severus took a deep breath. "My office. Now."

I bit my lip and closed my eyes, following him. Fred began walking behind me as well, and Severus stopped, turning to Fred and barking, "Not you, Weasley."

In silence, Fred took my hand and laid upon it a gentle kiss before departing, heading off in the opposite direction and back toward the double doors. Severus and I continued the other way.

When Fred was out of earshot, I found the courage to speak up again. "Severus, I –"

"I told you never to call me that!" His voice echoed through the stairwell leading down to the dungeons, causing me to shudder.

Shortly thereafter, we arrived at his office. He angrily slammed the door open, and it got caught on his cloak, tearing it and exposing part of his left forearm. It was then that I saw the skull and snake.

Once inside the room, I said breathlessly, "You're one of them... a Death Eater."

He closed the door and tried to cover his arm, though he knew there was no use. I had already seen it. I knew.

"That means you were there," I continued, "the Ministry invasion... You killed Dad and Oliver!"

"I did no such thing," he growled.

"The mark on your arm seems to claim otherwise, Severus." I purposely sneered his name. "What, did you think that watching over me and acting like my father would take away your guilt?"

His breath grew shaky. "It has nothing to do with that."

"You murderer!" I roared.

"I am nothing of the sort," he snarled in response.

And I repeated, "You goddamn murderer!"

He reached out his hand and slapped me across the face. My own hand reached up to touch the new red mark in an attempt to stop the stinging, and we stood there, just glaring at each other. Another moment of silence ensued before I stormed out of the dungeon, leaving him in a stunned stillness.