Where Your Loyalties Lie - {Severus Snape x Reader}

-97-

Every running step I take echoes around the castle's stone walls. I need to find Severus and let him know that I lo..- All of sudden, familiar girl runs behind a corner. We almost run into each other, but managed to stop ourselves just in time. "Woah!!" I let out. "Professor (Y/L)! There you are! We have been looking all over for you." Cho's eyes widens out of surprise. I pant and try to continue my way:"Cho..- I-I'm so sorry, I need to..-", "But..- Professor!" she calls after. I keep glancing over the shoulder after walking past her:"I just need to..-", "Professor Snape left five minutes ago!" she informs. Huh?! My legs stops themselves and head snaps at her:"What?! W-where?". She shrugs:"I'm not sure. He left right after solving the fight in the Great Hall. Neville guessed probably to see You-Know-Who.". Of course. Cho frowns determinedly:"But we need to go now, Professor.". I'm still too focused on going after Severus here:"But..-", "We are not going to get another change like this again. Come on!" she quickly holds onto my wrist and we start running to the Room of Requirement.

Right away when we enter the room, I see everyone is already here. Remus shoots up from his seat:"You finally found her. Brilliant! Let's get to work.". All the rest of the group got up as well, ready to do as we planned. Which is; Neville and I will take the Polyjuice potion, and turn into the Carrow twins. Therefor, we can easily get out of the castle without anyone's notice. Luna and Vivian keeps an eye on Alecto and makes sure she stays asleep during this whole time. What's good about this, is Amycus hasn't stepped his foot in Hogwarts after what happened in the girls bathroom. Our Headmaster has taken care of that - luckily. So we don't need to worry about him as well during all of this. To keep everything calm and collected, Cho is also going to turn into Alecto as well, so she can go to the Dark Arts class and order students write some essays rest of the day. That way no one will suspect a thing.

"Who's going to take care of History while you're gone, (Y/N)?" Neville asks back when we were planning all of this. "Remus." I answer. "W-why? Who's going to teach Muggle Studies then if he takes your place?" he asks confused. "Cedric." I simply answer. He and the others are now more confused:"Now you have lost me.". "To play it safe, I'll let Remus be me. As we all know, Remus is 'untouchable' to the Death Eaters. Therefor, if anything happens while I'm away, Cedric is going to be safe if he pretends to be him. Remus knows me well, so he can play the part - even if he ever happens to run into the Headmaster himself, for example. Which will be unlikely, but we need to be prepared." I tell them. Slowly, Neville nod his head:"Right... Sounds reasonable.".

The Room really knows what we need since couple dressing walls appeared before us, and soon enough, we all started to dress up ourselves and get ready what's about to happen. The students managed to collect some hair and clothes from the twins chambers. "There, all dressed up! Not much of a fashion icon, but will do." I come behind the wall, all dressed up as Alecto. Neville comes behind the other one, dressed up in Amycus's clothes:"Don't think I have ever worn this much black at once in my whole life.". Small chuckle comes out of me and I turn to Luna, who is holding the Polyjuice potions:"Think we are ready here, Luna.". The girl is holding two identical bottles in her hands. For a moment I stare at the bottles with awkward smile, then lift my gaze up to her:"So... Which is which?". Luna looks down to the bottles:"Oh. I'm not sure.". You got to be kidding me.

Staring at the students in disbelieve:"You... You didn't..-", "Try this one." she hands me one of the bottles. Before taking the gulp out of it, I take a quick glance at her:"Alright...". Then, I drink the potion and immediately taste the bitterness that sends shivers down my body. Turning my head away and cough couple times:"Urgh..!". Never going to get used to the taste. Neville drinks the other potion and makes a face as well. Soon enough, we both started to form into the Carrow twins. Only... "For Merlin's sake..." I sigh under my breath while looking in the mirror. I have turn into Amycus instead of Alecto. Last person on this earth I wished to be... And feel. Neville isn't happy about this either as he's looking his new form little bit stressed:"What do we do now?". I shook my head quickly and went back behind the dressing wall:"Change our clothes.". After all, these potions should last two hours and we have no time to waste!

After changing into Amycus's clothes, I come behind the wall and take a look at everyone in the room. Cedric is now Remus. Cho is now Alecto. Remus is now me. This is a weird sight overall. We then gathered around and gave each other a small prep talk that we can do this together and everything is going to be alright. After we all head out of the Room of Requirement, we all carefully walked out of the seventh floor without anyone seeing us. Soon we all separated on our own ways. Before leaving, I turn to Remus to give him the last glare:"Don't do anything weird while being me.". He scoffs, acting offended:"Me?! Don't you dare think so little of me, (Y/N). I am a gentleman. Just be glad I'm not Sirius.". Soft chuckle escapes from my lips:"Right.". "Just be careful out there. And do come back in one piece - whether or not you get the locket." he smiles in my form with hopeful eyes. I nod:"I will.". For a second we forgot who we were and gave each other a quick hug. After that, Neville and I start rushing out of the castle. Let's get that locket!

We got out of the castle without any fuss. It gives me pretty mixed feelings to just walk around, not saying a word and people quickly steps aside as soon as they realize who we are. Maybe the first minutes this all feels cool and powerful, but after awhile... It does make me feel unwanted and... Pretty alone, actually. Wonder if this is how Severus also experiences anytime he walks into room? Since I don't trust my abilities to use the Apparate spell when it's the two of us, we travel by the train to get where we need to go. Good thing we got in private carriage, so we don't need to pretend and talk normally. My thoughts are in what's ahead of us while staring outside of the window right next to me.

After we get the locket and come back in Hogwarts, I will find Severus and tell him I saw the mem..- "(Y/N). Can I ask you something?" Neville all of sudden asks. My eyes shifts from the passing by view to him, ready to hear what he wants to know:"Hm?". He looks hesitant. It actually looks odd as he's doing so as in Alecto's form. "Yo-you and Professor Snape... You two seem close." he starts while fidgeting his fingers on his lap. Huh? My heart misses a beat and eyebrows raise. Didn't expect him to say anything like that. After all, I haven't told Neville or the other kids about me and Severus. Weren't we as careful as we thought we were? He then continues:"He has always scared me. Ever since the first year - till this day, actually.". "Well, you aren't the only one. He can be quite scary at times." I shrug, trying to ease his discomfort. "...Even so, since you came in Hogwarts, he hasn't been as... Abrupt towards me like he used to." he tells. "Really? How so?" I ask with little surprised look on my face.

He then began to tell me how the Potions Master used to bully him ever since he came to this school. After hearing all those stories Snape has put him thru... No wonder this kid is afraid of him! I would be too if he ever was my teacher back then. I have always known Severus is quite bold and unconsidered with his teaching methods and when it comes down punishing children, but... I must say, he has gone over board at times. But, after I came in the picture - and Snape saw how close Neville and I are... Slowly, but surely the Potions Master let Neville be. Or if he ever happened to run into the students, he just gave him the usual cold glare and left the place, leaving the scared student relieved, yet confused. "So, my question is... How did you managed to tame him like that? Are you blackmailing him or something?" he eventually asks nervously. "Blackmailing?!" my eyes shoots wide out of confusion. "...Yes. How else would he be nicer to all of us out of no where?" he ask. It's hard to hold a laugh here. "No, no one's blackmailing anyone. Perhaps, I'm just too scary to him." I joke which earns a small smile from him. Neville's whole story only made me feel more wistful and eager to run up to Severus and hold him tight. Soon. Now all we need to do is focus on this mission.

In the meantime, as Neville and I are about to reach our destination, Headmaster arrived back to the castle from meeting Voldemort. With the usual dark look on his face, he walks along the corridors, heading back to the office. "What?! Really?!" a student whisper yells to her friend surprised what she just heard. That got Snape's attention and he lowers down his steps to hear what the two students are whispering about. They haven't seen him, so they continue gossiping. "It's true! I really saw them hugging - in middle of the corridor, near her classroom. I couldn't believe my eyes!" the other one tells eagerly. A third one comes up to them:"Who are you talking about?". "Professor (Y/L) and Amycus Carrow! I saw them giving each other a hug almost an hour ago!" one of them giggles about the juicy gossip. "What?! No way!" one of them gasps. This all raise Headmaster's eyebrows for multiple reasons. And with that, Snape turns his heel and heads towards the History of Magic classroom while the long cape trails right behind him.