100quills prompt: Moon (SS/LE, G)
Title: Morning After
Author: fabricatedemons
Rating: G
Prompt Set: 100.1
Prompt: 063 Moon
Word Count: 1248
Summary: A physically and emotionally bruised Snape has to deal with a barrage of questions from Lily the morning after his encounter with a werewolf.
Warnings: No warnings
Disclaimer: This is JK's world, I merely play in it.
Lily accosted him in the library. He should have seen it coming, admittedly, yet he found himself slack-jawed and speechless as she marched up to him and jabbed her finger in his face.
“What happened last night?” she demanded, eyes glinting dangerously.
Severus, no longer overwhelmed by her sudden appearance, clamped his mouth shut and waited a beat before answering, attempting to regain control over himself. “I have no idea what you’re on about,” he said shortly. Giving her a dark look over the bridge of his nose, he returned his attention to the book in his lap, hoping that she would go away, but knowing better than to expect this to happen.
“Liar.” Lily folded her arms across her chest and harrumphed sound. “Don’t even try that with me, Severus.” He didn’t need to look at her to know that her cheeks were bright pink with fury, but he made no move to calm her. “I don’t know the details yet,” she continued, pitch rising steadily with anger, “but I know that it involves you-“
“-YOUNG LADY!” Madam Pince skulked out of a shadow and her vulture-like face hovered over Lily’s left shoulder. “If you are unable to keep your voice down, you will have to leave the library. How am I supposed to keep a peaceful environment for studying when you are making such a racket?”
Lily, cheeks burning from embarrassment, bowed her head submissively. “I apologize Madam Pince,” she replied softly. “I promise I’ll stay quiet.”
Madam Pince looked unconvinced. “I should hope so.” The tight bun in her hair made her look very severe, indeed. For a moment, Severus almost pitied Lily. “If, however, you cause any more disturbances, I will be forced to give you a week long library ban.” Before Lily could manage a meek reply, the stern librarian swirled around and scooped up a stack of abandoned books that needed to be shelved.
Lily waited until Madam Pince was out of earshot to take a seat in the chair next to Severus. “Tell me it has nothing to do with Sectumsempra,” she hissed.
Severus looked up from his book and blinked at her. “It had nothing to do with Sectumsempra,” he repeated flatly. Of all the things that she could have asked him, he was astounded that his curse was what plagued her. He was also angry that she assumed that he was primarily behind last night’s disaster. He was, of course, but it irked him that she thought so. “Why are you asking me this?” he added, narrowing his eyes.
“Because Gryffindor and Slytherin each lost two hundred points last night,” Lily replied sharply. “And because Remus is in the Hospital Wing again, and Sirius has been walking around like a beaten dog,” she flung her hands up in despair, “and James has hardly said two words to me. All I can get out of Peter is that you were all involved in something really terrible last night.” She lifted a shoulder and shook her head. “That curse is too dangerous,” she added. “I’ve told you that.”
“And I told you to mind your business, as I recall.”
“You don’t belong in Azkaban, Severus.”
“Evans.” Severus’s voice cut the space between them like a knife. Thankfully, Madam Pince seemed not to notice. He coughed, attempting to gather his wits, and then continued in a low, hostile voice. “I am quite aware of the outcomes involved with the Sectumsempra curse, thank you. I do not plan on going to Azkaban any time soon.”
“Then why is Remus in the hospital again? And why are James and Sirius acting so oddly?”
Severus shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The bruises from last night’s escapades were long from healing, as his right elbow reminded him with a painful throb. “Listen,” he said, finally stripped of the last bit of tolerance he possessed, “I don’t know why you must always assume that I am behind every single disaster that happens here at Hogwarts.” His fingers, scraped and raw from clawing through darkness the night before, curled around the edges of his book until his knuckles were white. “Contrary to your suspicions, I did not mastermind what happened last night, nor do I plan on divulging any part of the matter to you.”
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but Severus silenced her with a cold look. “If you want to know what happened, I suggest you stop playing Nancy Drew with me and go have a little chat with your fellow Gryffindors.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “Particularly Black and-and Lupin, who I assure you is not an innocent party.” Or likely ever would be. Severus could hardly even consider Lupin human now. Every time he thought of the pale-faced whelp, the image of a violent, bloodthirsty monster came to mind and made his blood run cold.
Lily made a face at him, but her features softened. “Swear you didn’t hurt anyone,” she insisted, eyeing him steadily.
Snape exhaled out of his nose indignantly. “Lily…” There was a tone of warning in his voice.
“Swear it.”
He gave her a penetrating look before lowering his gaze to the book before him. “I swear it.” He had made too many promises in the last twenty-four hours for his taste, and though he was still hurt that Lily suspected him, part of him wanted to appease her.
Lily nodded solemnly. “And you won’t tell me what happened?”
“No.”
She didn’t reply, but surveyed him intently. Her eyes flickered to the book, and his hands wrapped around it. “Severus,” she whispered suddenly, “your hands-“
Severus flinched, wrapping his fingers around the book once more to veil his wounds, but it was too late. Lily leaned forward and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling his hands towards her so she could inspect them thoroughly.
“What on earth?” she murmured, giving him an inquiring look.
“I’m fine.”
“This doesn’t look fine-“
“I’m fine,” he assured her, and left it at that.
She ran her thumb across the back of his hand before letting go, and his skin prickled in its wake. He swallowed and grabbed his book again, trying to look unaffected. Lily stood up, pressed the folds of robes with a hand, and surveyed him once more, shaking her head.
“I don’t know what gets into their heads,” she said sharply, “but they go a bit mad when the moon is full.”
Severus’s insides flinched, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Why you’d even bother getting involved is beyond me,” she finished. There was a note of matronly disapproval in her voice.
Severus shrugged. “I don’t see why you must meddle in other people’s affairs,” he replied.
She snorted. “You wouldn’t.” She must have realized that their discussion had come to an end, because she turned to go, pausing only to look over her shoulder. “Do you still want to work on Slughorn’s project tonight?”
He considered this. “Do you plan on prying into my private affairs?”
“I haven’t any plans of doing so, no.” She gave him a rueful grin, so he lifted his eyebrows meaningfully.
“Swear it.” What Severus really wanted was to forget the entire night, though common sense assured him that it wouldn’t be possible. Still, a little distraction would be welcome.
She snorted. “I swear.”
“I’ll see you tonight, then,” he replied, and with a nod goodbye, gave his full attention to the book in his lap.
Author: fabricatedemons
Rating: G
Prompt Set: 100.1
Prompt: 063 Moon
Word Count: 1248
Summary: A physically and emotionally bruised Snape has to deal with a barrage of questions from Lily the morning after his encounter with a werewolf.
Warnings: No warnings
Disclaimer: This is JK's world, I merely play in it.
Lily accosted him in the library. He should have seen it coming, admittedly, yet he found himself slack-jawed and speechless as she marched up to him and jabbed her finger in his face.
“What happened last night?” she demanded, eyes glinting dangerously.
Severus, no longer overwhelmed by her sudden appearance, clamped his mouth shut and waited a beat before answering, attempting to regain control over himself. “I have no idea what you’re on about,” he said shortly. Giving her a dark look over the bridge of his nose, he returned his attention to the book in his lap, hoping that she would go away, but knowing better than to expect this to happen.
“Liar.” Lily folded her arms across her chest and harrumphed sound. “Don’t even try that with me, Severus.” He didn’t need to look at her to know that her cheeks were bright pink with fury, but he made no move to calm her. “I don’t know the details yet,” she continued, pitch rising steadily with anger, “but I know that it involves you-“
“-YOUNG LADY!” Madam Pince skulked out of a shadow and her vulture-like face hovered over Lily’s left shoulder. “If you are unable to keep your voice down, you will have to leave the library. How am I supposed to keep a peaceful environment for studying when you are making such a racket?”
Lily, cheeks burning from embarrassment, bowed her head submissively. “I apologize Madam Pince,” she replied softly. “I promise I’ll stay quiet.”
Madam Pince looked unconvinced. “I should hope so.” The tight bun in her hair made her look very severe, indeed. For a moment, Severus almost pitied Lily. “If, however, you cause any more disturbances, I will be forced to give you a week long library ban.” Before Lily could manage a meek reply, the stern librarian swirled around and scooped up a stack of abandoned books that needed to be shelved.
Lily waited until Madam Pince was out of earshot to take a seat in the chair next to Severus. “Tell me it has nothing to do with Sectumsempra,” she hissed.
Severus looked up from his book and blinked at her. “It had nothing to do with Sectumsempra,” he repeated flatly. Of all the things that she could have asked him, he was astounded that his curse was what plagued her. He was also angry that she assumed that he was primarily behind last night’s disaster. He was, of course, but it irked him that she thought so. “Why are you asking me this?” he added, narrowing his eyes.
“Because Gryffindor and Slytherin each lost two hundred points last night,” Lily replied sharply. “And because Remus is in the Hospital Wing again, and Sirius has been walking around like a beaten dog,” she flung her hands up in despair, “and James has hardly said two words to me. All I can get out of Peter is that you were all involved in something really terrible last night.” She lifted a shoulder and shook her head. “That curse is too dangerous,” she added. “I’ve told you that.”
“And I told you to mind your business, as I recall.”
“You don’t belong in Azkaban, Severus.”
“Evans.” Severus’s voice cut the space between them like a knife. Thankfully, Madam Pince seemed not to notice. He coughed, attempting to gather his wits, and then continued in a low, hostile voice. “I am quite aware of the outcomes involved with the Sectumsempra curse, thank you. I do not plan on going to Azkaban any time soon.”
“Then why is Remus in the hospital again? And why are James and Sirius acting so oddly?”
Severus shifted uncomfortably in his seat. The bruises from last night’s escapades were long from healing, as his right elbow reminded him with a painful throb. “Listen,” he said, finally stripped of the last bit of tolerance he possessed, “I don’t know why you must always assume that I am behind every single disaster that happens here at Hogwarts.” His fingers, scraped and raw from clawing through darkness the night before, curled around the edges of his book until his knuckles were white. “Contrary to your suspicions, I did not mastermind what happened last night, nor do I plan on divulging any part of the matter to you.”
Lily opened her mouth to reply, but Severus silenced her with a cold look. “If you want to know what happened, I suggest you stop playing Nancy Drew with me and go have a little chat with your fellow Gryffindors.” The corner of his mouth twitched. “Particularly Black and-and Lupin, who I assure you is not an innocent party.” Or likely ever would be. Severus could hardly even consider Lupin human now. Every time he thought of the pale-faced whelp, the image of a violent, bloodthirsty monster came to mind and made his blood run cold.
Lily made a face at him, but her features softened. “Swear you didn’t hurt anyone,” she insisted, eyeing him steadily.
Snape exhaled out of his nose indignantly. “Lily…” There was a tone of warning in his voice.
“Swear it.”
He gave her a penetrating look before lowering his gaze to the book before him. “I swear it.” He had made too many promises in the last twenty-four hours for his taste, and though he was still hurt that Lily suspected him, part of him wanted to appease her.
Lily nodded solemnly. “And you won’t tell me what happened?”
“No.”
She didn’t reply, but surveyed him intently. Her eyes flickered to the book, and his hands wrapped around it. “Severus,” she whispered suddenly, “your hands-“
Severus flinched, wrapping his fingers around the book once more to veil his wounds, but it was too late. Lily leaned forward and grabbed him by the wrist, pulling his hands towards her so she could inspect them thoroughly.
“What on earth?” she murmured, giving him an inquiring look.
“I’m fine.”
“This doesn’t look fine-“
“I’m fine,” he assured her, and left it at that.
She ran her thumb across the back of his hand before letting go, and his skin prickled in its wake. He swallowed and grabbed his book again, trying to look unaffected. Lily stood up, pressed the folds of robes with a hand, and surveyed him once more, shaking her head.
“I don’t know what gets into their heads,” she said sharply, “but they go a bit mad when the moon is full.”
Severus’s insides flinched, but she didn’t seem to notice. “Why you’d even bother getting involved is beyond me,” she finished. There was a note of matronly disapproval in her voice.
Severus shrugged. “I don’t see why you must meddle in other people’s affairs,” he replied.
She snorted. “You wouldn’t.” She must have realized that their discussion had come to an end, because she turned to go, pausing only to look over her shoulder. “Do you still want to work on Slughorn’s project tonight?”
He considered this. “Do you plan on prying into my private affairs?”
“I haven’t any plans of doing so, no.” She gave him a rueful grin, so he lifted his eyebrows meaningfully.
“Swear it.” What Severus really wanted was to forget the entire night, though common sense assured him that it wouldn’t be possible. Still, a little distraction would be welcome.
She snorted. “I swear.”
“I’ll see you tonight, then,” he replied, and with a nod goodbye, gave his full attention to the book in his lap.