Nox

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Severus Snape

♡ The Secret is Out Dear ♡ AO3

♡ Pairing: Severus Snape x Professor!Animagus!Reader ♡ Summary: A seemingly normal day in Potions class is about to begin, but unexpected events unfold, revealing a secret no one saw coming. Just how well do they really know Professor (L/N) and Professor Snape? Do they even know them at all? ♡ Warnings: Fluff, Established relationship, Animagus Reader, Female Reader, Cat Animagus, Soft Severus Snape, Secret Relationship/Marriage, Reader is the Herbology Professor

Theodore Nott

♡ "Theo, whose cat is that?" ♡ AO3

♡ Pairing: Theodore Nott x Animagus!Reader ♡ Summary: (Y/N) and Theo are enjoying a quiet evening that is interrupted by others who are confused about the cat with Theo, but soon the cat reveals their true identity. ♡ Warnings: Fluff, Fluff, Established Relationship, Female Reader, Soft Theo, Cat Animagus, Animagus Reader

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Eddie Gluskin

♡ A Match Made in Hell ♡ Part 1 ♡ Part 2 ♡ Part 3 ♡ AO3

The door opened, and Eddie walked in, shutting it behind him. “Sorry I was gone for so long, my love, but I just needed to run some errands,” he said, his voice low and calm. He looked around the room, then down at his feet. “I also want to apologize for dragging in water.”

Waylon watched him from his hiding spot under the table, giving him a clear view of the scene. Eddie’s clothes were soaked from the rain, he still looked perfectly put together, his hair neatly slicked back as if he had just stepped out of a shower.

Eddie walked to the dresser, picked up the empty vase, and carried it to the nightstand. As he was setting it down, he paused, his eyes fixed on the journals. He placed the vase on the table, then arranged the flowers inside. Eddie was about to open one of the journals when a piece of paper slipped out. The journal slammed shut, and he quickly bent down to pick up the note.

A quiet silence fell over the room. From his hiding spot, Waylon watched as Eddie read the paper, tears rolling down his cheeks and onto the paper. A loud noise and a groan from the hallway caught Eddie’s attention. He placed the letter on top of the journal.

“I will be right back, my love,” he muttered to (Y/N) before walking out of the room towards the noise. His heavy footsteps faded down the hallway, and then a gut-wrenching scream echoed. The sound of someone being dragged followed right after.

“I swear I didn’t do it!” A man’s terrified scream echoed down the hallway.

The door remained open as Eddie stopped in front of it. He turned the man to face him, then leaned down, his gaze locked with the man’s. “You mean to tell me you didn’t take that necklace from anyone?” he growled, his voice low and full of anger.

The man just grinned widely. “You mean the girl in the supply closet who was wearing it,” he replied. “You know, she’s quite a beauty, huh? If you wanted her, why didn’t you ask?”

“So you do know who she is,” Eddie growled, his voice low and dangerous as he clenched his fist in the man’s shirt. “What did you do to her?”

He grinned again, a slow, malicious smile spreading across his face. “You want to know what I did?” Then told the man every vile detail of what he had done to the woman.

Waylon listened but looked away, wishing he could ‌escape the man’s vile words. His eyes glanced over at the woman, then crept from under the table and moved toward her. Before he reached the bed, he saw a pair of earmuffs sitting on top of the table. He grabbed them, walked over to her and placed them on her head. He doesn’t know why he did this, but he had a feeling Eddie would be disappointed in himself for letting her hear what was going on, and if she was still breathing, she probably wouldn’t want to hear it either. Waylon backed away, turning towards the door, meeting ice-cold eyes staring into his. Eddie didn’t move any closer but rather stayed where he was, just watching him.

Waylon listened but looked away, wishing he could escape the man’s vile words. He glanced over at (Y/N). ‘If she were still here, she probably wouldn’t want to hear this either,’ he thought. He crept out from under the table and looked for something to block out the noise until he spotted a pair of earmuffs. ‘Why would these be here?’ he wondered in his head. Quickly shaking his head, he grabbed them and walked over to (Y/N), gently placing them on her head. At the moment, he wasn’t sure why he did this, but he had a feeling Eddie would be disappointed in himself for letting her hear what was going on.

Waylon backed away from her, turning his head towards the door, only to meet a pair of ice-cold eyes. Eddie stood frozen, not moving closer, just watching from afar as if was making sure Waylon wasn’t doing anything he shouldn’t be.

‘Maybe he is staring at me as a thank you.’ Waylon broke eye contact, looking at the man Eddie was holding. The man didn’t look any better. His eyes were swollen and bruised, with blood trickling down his face.

Eddie dragged the man away, out of sight of Waylon and (Y/N), leaving them alone. The man’s screams and pleas for his life echoed down the hallway, but no one came to help, they were all terrified of having the same fate.

“This is all I’m going to say,” he growled, his voice a cold promise of revenge. “You’re going to wish I’d gotten to you sooner. Knowing what you did, what’s coming to you is going to be worse than what you did to her.”

A loud slam echoed down the hallways, followed by more sounds from the room, sounds no one wanted to hear, sounds that would make anyone’s stomach turn.

Waylon shook his head, trying to get the sound out of his mind. His hand was trembling as he reached out and grabbed the piece of paper Eddie had just been reading.

My dearest Eddie, It’s been a while, huh? I never forgot you, not for a single day. When my parents moved, taking me with them, I’m not going to lie, I did go on dates. Each one meant nothing to me because they weren’t you. They were just a distraction from the one person my heart has always belonged to. Ever since our departure, I’ve always dreamed about meeting you again. Funny enough, I’ve also dreamed about what we could be. I never would have thought I could see you again until I started working here as a nurse. I asked my mom about you and all the things I saw. She told me gossip about your family, but at the time I wasn’t sure if it was true or not until I went to school. The evidence that I saw, all the cuts, bruises, you crying, and you wanting to be alone, led me to realize what they did to you. I want you to know I never saw you any differently. I wished I stayed with you so we could have been together for the rest of our lives, if you would take me, that is. I’ve always dreamed of marrying you, Eddie, and building a life where all the pain you had to deal with would seem like a bad dream. If you ever proposed to me, I would have said yes without thinking. I made a promise that if I ever found you again, I would never leave you alone. I don’t know if I will ever give you this letter but hopefully if fate aligns, this letter will be given to you. I have always and forever love you, Eddie Gluskin. ~Love yours truly (Y/N) (L/N)

Waylon looked over the letter, feeling pity for both of them. (Y/N) would never know how Eddie felt for her, and now Eddie could never confess his feelings either. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hand.

‘I can’t believe this,’ he thought, putting the letter down. He took a moment to compose himself. ‘Okay. The journals are here. Now I just need to get out of here.’

Waylon did exactly that, but Eddie’s pursuit was relentless. Despite Waylon giving him the journal and putting the earmuffs on (Y/N), Eddie continued to chase. At least, he gave Waylon a head start. For several minutes, he wasn’t roaming the halls. He was in the room, doing who knows what, but Waylon had to guess he was reading her journals. Later, Waylon saw him walk out of the room, continuing his mission with a terrifying focus. Waylon was captured and then rescued by a patient and then found the key. He continued on his journey until the very end, where he was about to escape the gynasium through the vent, until Eddie grabbed him.

The next thing Waylon knew, he was being strung up on the ceiling with the rest of the men. He struggled against his restraints as Eddie pulled on the rope, all while talking to him about everything that had happened. The pulley system broke, impaling him on the iron rod.

Waylon fell to the ground. As he was getting up, Eddie grabbed his arm. He noticed tears rolling down Eddie’s face. His mouth fell open, and his eyes widened. He had no idea what would happen next.

“Please, please give this to her,” Eddie said in between sobs. “I know what I’ve done is wrong, but please give this to her. Maybe in the afterlife we can be together.” He desperately grabbed at Waylon’s hand, and Waylon, in a moment of pity, let him. Eddie clasped Waylon’s hand in his, placing something cold into the palm.

“This is all I ask. If not for me, for her,” he pleaded, his gaze locked on Waylon’s eyes. Then the pulley system snatched him away, impaling him even more.

Waylon glanced down, opening his palm to find a band and a necklace, which he assumed Eddie had taken back from the man. He glanced back up to meet Eddie’s tear-filled blue eyes.

Waylon nodded his head, his gaze not breaking eye contact. “I will give this to her,” he promised, letting Eddie be comforted.

“Thank you,” Eddie blurted out, a single final word before he slowly fell unconscious.

A glint from Eddie’s hand caught Waylon’s eye. On his ring finger was another band, identical to the one in Waylon’s palm.

Waylon walked out of the room and made his way to (Y/N)’s final resting place. When he finally reached the room, everything was in the same spot, but his eyes traveled towards (Y/N) on the bed, and he noticed the earmuffs were gone. A sad smile appeared on his face, followed by a sigh. Waylon’s eyes began to water. He didn’t know why, but it was probably because their life story together came to a bitter end instead of a happily ever after.

“I just want you to know, Eddie, your Eddie, wanted me to give this to you,” he said, his voice low, out of respect. “It's a wedding band and your necklace. He would be here right now, but he’s in a better place. I-I also want you to know that he loved you and continued to love you until his last breath, (Y/N).”

He gently lifted her head, clasping the necklace around her neck before carefully placing the ring onto her finger. He then positioned her hands, with the one with the ring on top.

“May you rest in peace,” he muttered, looking down at her one last time before leaving the room.

A peaceful silence settled over the grounds as Waylon made his way out of the building, a welcome relief after the chaos he’d endured. Once outside, he looked back at the asylum one last time, a heavy wave of pity washing over him for both Eddie and (Y/N).

‘Maybe in another life you two can be happy together,’ he thought, before turning and walking, leaving the asylum behind for good to go to his life.

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Prev<Masterlist

A few minutes later, Waylon walked into the room. His gaze scanned the shelves, trying to search for anything that would help him, but his eyes settled on a door at the back. He crossed the room and turned the doorknob. 

Inside, a row of cold, steel lockers stood waiting, each holding a silent memory and hoping for its owner to reclaim their belongings. Waylon’s eyes darted over each name, searching, until he saw the name he was looking for: (Y/N) (L/N). A heavy, defeated sigh escaped him as he saw the combination lock, which seemed to smirk up at him. He needed a code that he didn’t have. 

He slipped out of the locker room and into the storage room, ready to make his escape. Then he heard it—the soft, shuffling footsteps of dress shoes against the floor. Only one person wore shoes like that: Eddie. A low hum followed each step. Waylon quickly raised his camera, turning on the night vision, watching as Eddie’s figure passed the doorway. 

Waylon released the breath he’d been holding. Eddie’s footsteps faded into the distance, followed by the door creaking open and the subtle sound of rain. Then came a loud bang that echoed down the long hallways. He waited a few more minutes. When he was certain Eddie was gone, he crept out of the storage room, still on high alert. He moved quickly and silently, using his camera to light up the dark maze of hallways. 

Waylon moved from desk to desk, checking the nameplates of different nurses and staff. A desk off in the corner was the only one he hadn’t checked. He walked over and saw the name he was looking for. Her desk was neat, with a vase of wilting flowers, a small lamp, papers, and other office supplies decorating her space. Waylon opened each drawer, his fingers combing through the contents, until he saw a small piece of paper. It had the numbers he needed along with a scribbled note: ‘Just in case I forgot the combination for my lockers.’ A sigh of relief escaped him as he shoved the note into his pocket and made his way back to the locker room. 

“How convenient,” he muttered to himself, but he was grateful she had written it down. 

A chill went down his spine with each corner he turned. He hoped no one, especially Eddie, was lurking in the shadows. The hallways were still and silent until a man’s scream tore through the silence. The sound echoed through the halls, a horrifying, desperate cry for help, piercing Waylon’s ears. 

‘Oh god,’ Waylon thought, the man’s scream still echoing in his ears. He had to push past the fear. He had to. After recovering from the scream, he rushed back into the locker room. His hand was trembling as he entered the code. With a soft click, the lock gave way. He pulled open the locker to reveal several notebooks, a bag, and a collection of forgotten trinkets. He turned around, seeing the door still open. Cautiously, he crept over and shut it as quietly as he could. Returning to the locker, he pulled out the journals. As he flipped to a random page, he quickly realized it was her diary. His eyes glanced over her writing on each page, uncovering details about her life. He continued to flip through, his eyes just glancing, until one page stood out from the rest. 

     Today I moved into a new house. It’s pretty big with a huge backyard. I even have my own room. Anyway, I had to move away from all of my old friends but hey at least I can make new ones :) When I got out of the car today, I saw a boy in the window watching as my family and I unloaded the car. He didn’t even notice I was there until I waved at him. He just stared at me. He didn’t wave back or leave just watched us from his home. Or maybe it's just me? I’m not completely sure though. For some odd reason as we stared at each other I wanted to go over and play with him but I asked mom and dad and both of them told me no. They said I need to settle in before bothering the neighbors but I just wanted to go play with him really badly like you don’t understand how much I wanted to. Before I looked away, I noticed that he was kinda cute. Anyway that was all that happened today. Stay tuned for tomorrow. I honestly don’t know who would be reading this but anyway bye bye :)

Waylon then flipped to another page, his eyes scanning the familiar handwriting. Though (Y/N) never wrote his name, Waylon’s gut told him exactly who the boy was. He leaned in, uneasiness filled his stomach, and his heart pounded in his chest as he read the next entry. 

     Well today I tried to go to our next door neighbor. When I was there I was kinda scared to knock on their door, so I just looked around their house. There was a sign with their last name on it: Gluskin. That’s such a unique name, at least to me. Anyway. I finally got the courage and knocked on their door, wondering if the boy I saw in the window would want to play. But his father, I guess he was his dad, just told me to go away, so I did. I’m not going to lie to me they seem odd, different from the rest of the neighbors. I even told my parents, but they just said the neighbors might not want me hanging around their son. But I’m determined to make him my friend. At least I hope he wants to be my friend. Anyway, hopefully tomorrow will be better.

Waylon’s eyebrows furrowed. “Why didn’t his parents just let him play with the poor girl?” he wondered out loud, feeling pity towards her. He took the paper between his fingertips and flipped it.

     I haven’t had any time to write since moving and everything. Every day I’ve been over to the Gluskin’s house but every time they would tell me no. Sometimes, before I leave, I hear them mutter some words that aren’t the nicest. Other times they just slam the door. But I’m always there. I started carrying a book around with me so I could sit on their porch and hope they would let their son come outside. I’d try to read, but I alway ended up daydreaming about all the fun things the boy and I would do together. Anyway, before they shut the door, I sometimes see the boy hiding further inside but I know it’s him. Eventually I would just go home. When I get there, I go to my room and look out the window. Most of the time, I see him playing in his backyard all by himself. Next time, on trying to be friends with the boy next door :) hopefully.

Waylon dragged a hand down his face, a sigh of frustration escaping his lips. “This poor girl,” he muttered, his fingers fumbling as he quickly flipped the page again. 

     Finally, my first day of school. Everyone was so friendly towards me, but at lunch, I noticed Eddie sitting by himself. I wanted to go over and eat with him, but some of my new friends told me to leave him alone. They said he doesn’t like being around people or something. Personally, I think they just made him feel like that. I found out what class he was in by watching him walk in. I swear I’m not a stalker or anything… just, uh, well, curious. Anyway, when recess was in session, I asked if I could use the restroom in the school and luckily for me, the teacher let me in. I went to his classroom, found his desk, and left some candy I had along with a bracelet I was wearing. Before I left, I wrote him a note. I found out his name was Eddie. How cute is that!! I hope he liked what I left him. Ohh what if he was allergic to the candy, or he didn’t like the bracelet? (Y/N), get yourself together. Anyway first day of school completed and one step, hopefully, to being Eddie’s friend :) 

Waylon chuckled, rereading the page. He shook his head, a small smile on his face. ‘This girl is really determined, huh?’ he thought to himself. He flipped through a few more pages, his smile fading as he noticed a disturbing theme. Several entries mentioned her hearing yelling from the Gluskin residence, sometimes even Eddie’s name being shouted. The sound was always ‘odd,’ as she wrote, and as he continued to read, a sense of dread began to appear. Then Waylon stopped on a page. 

     Nothing was happening today. I happened to look outside and noticed Eddie was there, playing by himself again. Every time I see him, I want to run down and play or just talk to him, but I always get distracted or disturbed by Mom or Dad. I noticed something quite odd today. Eddie was crying. He was wiping his tears away with his sleeve. I wonder what could have happened to him that made him cry. I made a plan to go outside and make him feel better, but as I was changing into more comfortable clothes, Mom came up asking if I could help with something. I guess it’s not meant to be. My time will come, just like in the fairy tales where the princess will eventually meet her prince.

‘So both of them like fairy tales, then?’ he thought to himself, a grim smile on his face. For (Y/N), he realized, fairy tales were a beacon of hope, a simple dream of a happy ending any kid at her age would think of. But for Eddie, he was the same, in a twisted version. He wanted to be her prince, but as he grew older, he became a monster, and she was the princess he would never let go from his mind.

     Today was finally the day I was able to talk to Eddie, can you believe it? I, (Y/N) (L/N), was able to talk to the Eddie Gluskin, the boy I’ve been trying to talk to forever, it feels like!! :0 I’m so happy!! Anyway, here is how it happened. All part of the plan, might I add, not really. I was just minding my own business until I heard the Gluskin’s back door shut. Of course, I looked out my window and noticed he was outside. Mom and Dad were busy doing something that didn’t need me, so I went downstairs and into the great outdoors, which I called my backyard. I ran out so fast I could have been a runner. I’m not going to lie, after doing that, my legs were hurting, yay, fun times for me. 

    Anyway, I ran to the fence and introduced myself. I told him I knew who he was, but even through the cracks of the fence, I could tell Eddie didn’t look at me. He was just playing with one of his toys, but he just sat there and listened to me as I talked about my day. Then I told him we should meet up every day at this exact time. I hope he will listen to me. If not, I might climb over the fence and drag him out myself… Now that I think about it, probably not a good idea. Considering his family is kinda scary but you get the point. 

     Even though today was really great for me, I don’t think it was for Eddie. I noticed some cuts on his hand and bruises. I hope he’s doing okay… Leaving on a sad note is not ideal, but this is important. 

Waylon let out a laugh as he read the first part. ‘Finally, she was able to talk to him,’ he thought to himself. He felt proud of the girl for her determination. His mood shifted as he continued to read what she noticed about Eddie. Even if she didn’t know the full story, she still noticed details about him. He flipped to the next page, eager to know if Eddie had shown up, and he had. Each page that followed showed their ever-growing bond. Eddie began to open up to her more. Eventually, Waylon hit the last page of this chapter of her life. He picked up the next journal, glancing through it, noticing this was her life in high school. Of course, each page was filled with conversations until one piqued his curiosity. 

    Something odd happened today. I was passing by some girls with my friends until I heard them talking about Eddie, my Eddie. I understand he is quite attractive. I’m not going to lie, he is attractive, especially since now we are older but he’s mine, not theirs. Anyway, I heard one of the girls giggling and talking about him, so I decided to deal with it later after school. Before I left school, I found her in the bathroom and cornered her. I told her to stay away from him or I will do something to her. I hope she realized that he’s mine and no one else’s. 

Waylon’s eyes widened as he read the entry over again. “Well, damn, she is really obsessed with him,” he whispered. “When did she become like this?” He quickly flipped through the pages, hoping to find an answer staring right at him. Most of her high school life was classes, socializing, and, of course, Eddie. What started as an innocent crush had grown into an obsession, and the page he stopped on proved it.

     Can you believe people, girls, don’t realize that Eddie is MY FRIEND and MINE! I’m always around him, even though he’s told me not to because he’s scared my friends won’t like me around him. I’ve always told him it doesn’t matter what they think about me and him. After all, that’s none of their business, and if they don’t want to be my friend because of him, then I don’t care. Of course, he didn’t like it and started to distance himself from me at school, but we still talk after school though. He walks me home every day—score one for me and zero for the other girls. 

     Anyway, I was at lunch sitting with some of my friends. Unfortunately, Eddie didn’t have the same lunch as me. What could I possibly have done in my previous life for this to happen to me? Back to what I was saying, I overheard the table behind me playing truth or dare. One girl picked dare, and the dare was simple: ask Eddie on a date but not show up. When I heard that, I was fueled with anger and rage at the girl and the group. After school, I caught up with Eddie, telling him I had something to do and couldn’t walk home. He, being the gentleman he is, told me he would stay and wait, but I told him I would be home before we met up. So he caved and left. I found the girl who was going to do the dare and told her not to mess with Eddie. We argued, then it got physical, and I’m not going to lie, she doesn’t look any better. Luckily for me, I just have a busted lip, while she… well, we don’t talk about her. Of course, our parents were called, but surprisingly, I wasn’t suspended, and I didn’t really care about the other girl.

     When I got home, I was about to get comfy until I saw Eddie sitting in the grass waiting for me. I wanted to go outside and talk to him, but I didn’t want him to see me like this, so I sat and observed him. Seconds turned into minutes until it was getting dark and he disappeared into his home. I just hope he knows I did this so he wouldn’t get his heart broken by some other girl that isn’t worth his time.

Waylon shook his head and turned the page. His eyes scanned the entry, but he quickly realized he needed to read it more carefully.

     Today was just your average school day. Go to school, classes, lunch, talk to friends, etc. I decided to walk outside to get some fresh air until I noticed my best friend, Eddie. I hope he knows he’s my best friend, but who knows. Back to what I was saying, he was sleeping against a tree on campus. I walked over to him. As I sat down in front of him, I turned around, making sure no one was around, and looked at him again, noticing his features up close. I’ve seen them, but this time was different. I could see every facial detail. He once told me some aspects he didn’t like, but now that I look at them, I think they’re perfect on him. Same with the hairstyle, always slicked back and put together. 

     Sometimes I wished I could just put my hand through his hair and make it messy. My eyes drifted to his sleeve, which wasn’t where it normally was, so I was about to pull it down until I saw those awful marks. I always thought he was just clumsy at home, but as I grew older, and even now, reality is hitting me in the head. The constant yelling, him having bruises and cuts, and him crying, along with how Eddie doesn’t want to talk to me sometimes and how he is alone, make me wonder if something is going on at home. I hope you’re doing okay, Eddie. I really do. 

     After what happened yesterday, when I got home I couldn’t stop thinking about everything I saw. I know I shouldn’t pry into his life without asking, but I just wanted to know. After school, I told Eddie I was going to the library to study, but I didn’t tell him the real reason why. Eddie, surprisingly, didn’t come with me, saying his father and uncle needed him. I let him, even though I felt my stomach drop with uneasiness, wanting to just drag him with me, but I had to let him go. So, I went to the library to research my suspicions. I found a few things that confirmed my fears, and it shattered my heart. I’m not sure if Eddie was being abused by his family, but everything in the books pointed to that. I remembered how if I scraped my knee or got some sort of bruise, my mom would give me this ointment. I found it in the bathroom cabinet when I got home. Tomorrow, I will sneak it into his bag with a note. Hopefully, he knows I’m here for him, and he can talk to me about it. 

Waylon turned the page, a sigh of relief escaping him as he read the entry. His shoulder relaxed as he read that (Y/N) had slipped the ointment into Eddie’s bag and a note. When they were walking home, Eddie muttered a ‘thank you,’ to which (Y/N) said, ‘Don’t worry about it. After all, I’m your friend.’ Waylon continued to read through her entries. 

     For some reason my parents and friends ask me why I haven’t gone on a date with other boys or if I’m interested in any of them. But what they don’t know is that I am utterly in love with the boy next door. After all, who wouldn’t be? Eddie is just perfect in my eyes. He’s attractive and very, very tall, but I’ve known him for quite a while now. I would consider us childhood friends. None of the boys are like Eddie, with how he’ll listen to me talk or how he talks about random topics he finds fascinating. A while back, I mentioned he had a sense of fashion and he should become a tailor, and guess what? His eyes sparkled when I said that!! The cherry on top is he agreed with me! How crazy is that!?! That just makes me excited because imagine if we got married and he would talk to me about all of his different designs. Maybe he would make me something in particular. (Y/N), stop talking about this. Who knows if this is going to happen, but a girl can dream, right?

     Anyway, some of my friends asked if I would be willing to go on a date with this boy. I think his name was Ted? Or was it Timothy, John, or Andy? I don’t know, and honestly, I couldn’t care less about them, but I agreed. I feel bad for Eddie, considering I was talking about this boy for a while for some reason. In the back of my head, I thought this would make him jealous, but from the outside, he just smiled and told me to go, so I did. 

     The date was set, but I couldn’t figure out an outfit, and my time management skills aren’t the best—something Eddie told me I should probably get better at, but that’s beside the point. My parents weren’t home—thank every god in the world—so I picked out several dresses I thought would look good and ran downstairs and put them in a nearby room. Then I ran out into the backyard. I asked Eddie for his advice on each dress and commented on them myself, but he didn’t like any of them, saying they are boring, which kind of hurts, but I trust his opinion, especially his. He told me about the (f/c) dress with the design on it with some type of fabric. I don’t remember what it’s called. I would never have thought to wear that one, but he was right about it being a showstopper. When I wore it, the boy I went out with was stunned. 

     I did notice how he didn’t bring me flowers, and my mind drifted off to what Eddie would do. He would have definitely brought me flowers, and my mind continued to drift to him. Before we left, my mind was screaming at me, yelling to look at his house, and when I did, I saw him looking at me. Our eyes met, and a smile appeared. I mouthed a ‘Thank you,’ and he nodded. To me it felt like some sort of romance movie, and honestly, I craved more. 

     Then the boy and I left. I’m not going to lie; it wasn’t the best date. He talked about himself and his ambitions while I just listened and ate. He wasn’t even interesting, not like Eddie was. The whole time I continued to wonder what it would be like to go on a date with him. That’s the only way I could have endured this torture. Thankfully, I did survive the date and told him I wasn’t interested in him. I know it's a cold blow but I have to. I already have eyes on someone I want.

He flipped the page, expecting her to talk about the date. At first, their conversation was normal, flowing from one topic to the next. Then, just as Eddie had mentioned earlier, she began to describe what had happened during the date. She stopped talking, looked him straight in the eyes, and told him the boy she went out with wasn’t her type at all. Waylon turned the pages, the sound of paper rustling, until he stopped on another entry. 

     I usually never really talk about my parents that much. I thought I had a normal family. Both of them are loving and caring and want the best for me, even though I could disagree with some of their advice. But parents know best, right? Right? 

    At dinner today, everything was normal, with jokes and conversations thrown around until my dad looked over, asking me something he’s always wanted to ask me since I was a kid. “Why do you want to be around that Gluskin boy anyway?” I just laughed and shook my head. “He just seems lonely.” My mother smiled at me. “You’ve always been drawn to people that seem like that, huh?” Then my dad just shook his head. “I guess this is what happens when you teach your daughter to be nice and friendly to everyone.” 

     I just turned my head towards them, confused, and asked what they meant by that. They just told me to be careful with the Gluskins because of gossip about the family. But I just told them Eddie and I are really good friends. Plus, I also told them that we have to be friendly with our neighbors, right? Both of them told me that I’m doing good but to be careful. 

    Then dinner ended as the sun was setting and it was getting darker. Mom walked into my room, asking me about Eddie. I told her my thoughts on him since I trusted her so much. She kissed my forehead, saying he seems like a good boy and if they did decide to date, she would be supportive. 

    Then I asked her a serious question regarding the gossip. A question I don’t think any parent or adult wants to answer. “Is the gossip by any chance relating to them being abusive?” When I asked her that, her eyes widened, and soon after, her eyes were watering. She put her hand over her mouth and nodded. “How did you know?” she questioned me, but I just simply told her what I noticed when I was around Eddie: all the cuts, bruises, yelling, and him crying. I kept going on and on. I also told her about how I had some sort of strange pull towards him. Then I snapped my head to look at her, asking if we could help him, but she wasn’t sure what to do or even if the gossip was true. Then she left. She left me with all of these thoughts swarming around my head like bees, and I wasn’t sure who to talk to about them, so here I am writing all of this down so hopefully, I can fall asleep. Maybe one day Eddie will read this. Eddie, if you are, I hope you are doing well.

Exactly two months had passed since the last entry, and the paper was warped with tears and black smudges. A knot of dread tightened in his stomach as he realized something bad might have happened to (Y/N).

     My family moved again, and unfortunately no time for me to write anything in here. I don’t know why we moved, but my gut is telling me it’s about Eddie. Oh, I miss him so much. I miss the conversations we would have at the end of the day until both of us were called in by our parents. I miss how after school he could take my belongings into his arms and walk me home while we hold hands. But now, now we can’t do any of that. The white fence that once separated us has been replaced by miles upon miles. 

     Do you think Eddie is thinking about me? Maybe he doesn’t care and thinks I was annoying, but if he told me to go away and I heard it from his mouth, then I would. I hope he doesn’t think of me like that, though. 

     I miss him so much, and when I’m older, I’m going to find him so we can be together and make up for all this lost time together. Until then, Eddie Glusklin, I hope you are doing well until I find you again. 

Waylon continued flipping through the entries until he reached the last page. With a sigh, he picked up the next journal. He skimmed through it, looking at the pages until he realized there were only five pages. He went through the first three, most of them quick life updates, and talked about Eddie. As he skimmed the next page, he knew he had to read this one.

     I haven’t written in this journal as much since, you know, life, but I decided to pick it back up. I wasn’t able to find Eddie. I even went back to the neighborhood after graduation but found out he left a while ago. Now years have passed, and I still haven’t been able to find him. So I went to school for helping people with an abusive past, along with studying to be a nurse. I recently got an offer at a place called Mount Massive Asylum, so maybe this is a sign I need to move on in life. No matter the number of dates I’ve been on, none of them could compete with Eddie. Well anyway, I should probably pack some of my belongings and get going. Yay! A life update—score one for me and a point towards a new beginning!!!

Waylon continued to read, a mix of emotions washing over him. One second, he was happy she had an offer, but the next, he remembered what happened to her in the asylum. A deep sigh of pity escaped his lips as he wondered what could have happened if she hadn’t taken the offer. He carefully flipped the page, knowing it was the last one she wrote.

     I’ve only been working here for a few months now, in the vocational block. Why here, I don’t know. Every day, I take care of patients and try my best to help them find some hobbies or just something to make them feel better, but then I noticed someone familiar. At first, I didn’t want to look at him since I thought I was going crazy, but then I heard one of the doctors call his name: Eddie Gluskin. 

     He sat at one of the sewing machines, focused. Sometimes he would nick himself, but after getting patched up, he would continue. Some of the other nurses I’ve talked to said he keeps talking about a woman. At times, I would pass him to see what he’s making, and most of the time he’s using white fabric. He would mutter under his breath about how this isn’t right or she wouldn’t like this. Then I quickly realized it was a wedding dress.

     I wonder if he recognizes me, even though we are told to cover our faces. Maybe he does. He’s definitely taller than the last time I saw him. He towers over everyone here like a mountain. His hair is slicked back with an undercut, along with the fact that his hair is a darker brown. He’s so handsome. Even some of the other nurses have talked about him, especially his appearance. I hope one day I can give these journals to him. One day… one day I will. 

     Overall, my experience here isn’t bad but the one downside is the dorm rooms. The rooms are so small we can’t store many of our personal belongings, so we have to use our lockers downstairs. I don’t understand why, since that doesn’t seem safe, but I can’t really argue, to be honest. Now that reminds me, I need to write my code down and leave it in my desk. 

Waylon flipped to the last page, a grim realization settled in about how this is the final entry she ever wrote. He quickly grabbed the three journals and walked this way out of the locker room, making his way into the storage room. After a cautious peek into the hallway, he listened for a moment. When he heard nothing, he made a sprint, or at least tried to, toward the room where (Y/N) rested. He remembered her last wish written on one of the pages, her hope that Eddie would read it. Now, Waylon was determined to deliver the journals to him, hoping this would calm him down. 

He saw the pristine door and took the doorknob in his trembling hand, turning it. The door opened with a silent creak. He slipped inside, his eyes immediately falling on her. She looked like she was fast asleep, like Sleeping Beauty waiting for her prince to save her. 

Waylon shook his head and placed the journals on the nightstand. He was about to leave when he heard loud footsteps getting closer. He scurried underneath a nearby table like a scared animal. His eyes locked on the door. The footsteps stopped, and he held his breath. A low groan of a creak filled the room as the door opened slowly.

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Each corner Waylon turned felt like a never-ending maze. As he met new patients, he was slowly losing his sanity. He was trapped in an endless cycle: being chased, a confrontation, and then the knowledge that it would begin again. After each encounter, another one would appear, each leaving a lasting impact on his mind. 

Waylon could finally feel it in his gut—the nightmare would end. He moved with extreme caution, his ears perking up at every sound echoing through the hallways. As he passed a room, he heard a muffled cry, causing him to jump back and halt in front of the door.

‘Is this person going to be normal for once?’ Waylon thought, looking left, then right, making sure no one was in the area before placing his hand on the doorknob. As he peered into the room, he expected to see someone, but was instead met with rows of medical supplies. 

Waylon walked deeper into the room, stepping on eggshells and trying not to make any noise. As he walked around, he heard the same muffled voice, and his eyes darted towards the noise. Instead of meeting a person, he saw a table. His gaze lowered to the bottom of the table, where he noticed a woman hiding underneath. Her eyes were wide, and her hands were pressed over her mouth, silencing every noise she made. 

“Please don’t hurt me,” she muttered, her voice shaking, her worried eyes staring directly at him.

“I’m not going to hurt you, miss,” he said, raising his hands, trying to reassure her. He crouched down to her level. “I’m Waylon Park,” he introduced himself with a smile.

“I’m (Y/N),” she muttered, going further back into the corner. “(Y/N) (L/N),” she repeated. 

“Why exactly are you here?” Waylon questioned in a whisper, looking over her features to ensure she wasn’t hurt.

“I worked here as a nurse,” she said, her eyes flickering to him, “but when the outbreak happened I went and hid in here.”

‘A nurse?’ Waylon thought, staring at her. ‘Why would a nurse be in a place like this? Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen any nurses since I’ve been here.’ 

The subtle, steady breathing of someone normal was a small comfort for Waylon. His shoulders relaxed, and he felt, for once, normal and tranquil. But reality quickly hit him in the face. 

“I’m trying to get out of here,” he explained, his eyes fixed on hers. “Before I leave, I will come back and find you.” He took a deep breath, the promise a heavy weight on his chest.

She nodded. “You don’t have to do that,” she responded with a small, sad curve of her lips. “I think my luck is running out,” she admitted, looking down, trying to avoid eye contact.

“Let me help you, please,” he begged, taking a small gulp. “I’ve seen the people here, and I want to make sure you get out alive.”

“Fine.” She tilted her head up and nodded. “If you insist, then I will wait here.”

He glanced around the room, then at the door, before his eyes settled on her. “Will you be okay in here?”

“I will be fine, Mr. Park,” she responded with a bright smile. “I’ve been in here since the outbreak, and nothing has happened so far, so I will be fine for now.” 

“Okay,” he nodded, standing up, but he hesitated, not sure if this was a good idea. “Make sure to lock the door when I leave.” 

He walked toward the door and opened it, but before stepping out, he turned back, noticing she was getting up.  

“Be safe,” he said, his voice filled with concern for the woman. After all, having seen a lot of what’s going on in the asylum, he couldn’t help but worry about her. 

“I will, and you too,” she responded, flashing him a smile. 

He peeked his head out into the hallway. Luckily, no one was lurking, so he slipped out gently, closing the door behind him. Before he left, he heard a click sound. The sound traveled through his ears, allowing his shoulders to relax, knowing she would be okay.  

As he walked down the dark hallway, he heard heavy footsteps behind him, then a familiar voice.  

“Darling, where are you going?” Waylon looked behind him to see the man who had been patrolling the area and searching for him: Eddie Gluskin. 

Eddie trailed behind him. His footsteps grew louder as he got closer.

“Did you know before you, I was in love once?” Eddie said, out of nowhere. 

Waylon tried to run, but his legs felt heavy as he tried to get distance from the man. 

“She was breathtaking. Her beautiful (H/C) hair and bright (E/C) eyes would shine no matter where she was. She had beautiful, unique facial features. She was and still is everything I want in a wife, but I can’t find her anywhere. Then you will have to do,” Eddie announced, his voice traveling through the hallway. 

Waylon’s breath grew heavy as he ran, but hearing the description left him wondering. He looked ahead, noticing he was getting cornered. As he repeated the man’s words in his head, it clicked on why her description sounded familiar to him.  

“Was her name (Y/N) (L/N), by any chance?” he called out, his voice shaking. He hoped this was right.  

The footsteps stopped, and Waylon turned around. He noticed Eddie, frozen in his tracks.

“You know my darling princess?” Eddie questioned, taking small steps towards Waylon. He started to back up, trying to get away from the tall man, until his back hit the wall.

Waylon gulped, his eyes focused on Eddie, who was walking closer. He nodded his head. “Yes, yes, I do, and she’s in this building!” he shouted, closing his eyes and turning his head away from the man, hoping he wouldn’t get hurt.  

“Where… where is she?” he demanded. Waylon could feel his breath on his face.  

“In the only nurse’s supply closet,” he burst out. Waylon felt the man pull away and turn. Soon, his footsteps echoed down the hallway, growing distant. Waylon opened his eyes, watching as he disappeared down the hallway.  

‘I need to make sure she is okay,’ he thought, quickly composing himself. He trailed right after Eddie. In that moment, he realized the roles had reversed. He was no longer the one being hunted. 

A few minutes passed, and both men were near the nurses’ supply closet. Waylon looked around, trying to find something nearby, until he saw a hospital bed. He ran to it, hiding at the end. He peeked his head out, but was stunned to see that Eddie wasn’t at the door. Waylon frantically searched around the hallway, trying to find the man’s huge frame until he found him. Eddie was standing near a mirror on the wall. He dragged his fingers through his hair. His hands went down to his clothes, trying to get out any wrinkles. 

‘Why is he making himself more presentable?’ Waylon wondered, taking in his every movement. Eddie smiled at his reflection, then shook his head.  

“That won’t do,” he said. He tried again and again until he was eventually satisfied. Waylon watched as Eddie’s gaze dropped back to his clothes.  

“She’s going to get angry at me for wearing this,” Eddie expressed, his voice filled with disappointment. “I hope she won’t mind, though.” 

He slowly walked toward the door but stopped. His head lowered, and he stared at his hands. “I should have brought flowers. What type of gentleman am I if I didn't bring her flowers? I'm no better than that stupid boy,” he spat out the last part. He clasped his hands, then unclenched them. “I will get some later. Hopefully, that will make her happy.”

Eddie walked toward the closet and knocked gently. “Princess, it’s me, Eddie Gluskin, do you remember me? We used to be neighbors,” he called out. He knocked again, but the door fell inward with a loud crash. Eddie stood in the doorway like a statue, his arm still outstretched as if he were about to knock again.

Waylon followed Eddie’s movement, his mouth open, staring at the door. He had just been in Eddie’s place, and now it looked completely different. The hinges and door, which had been intact earlier, were now ripped off and put back, as if a monster had just torn them apart. Waylon was left speechless. 

‘How did I not recognize this?’ he thought, a wave of regret washing over him.

“Princess,” he repeated, leaning down and stepping over the door lying on the floor. The moment he stepped through the doorway and disappeared into the room, an eerie silence filled the hallway. No sounds escaped the room, not even footsteps or whispers, but a wave of discomfort filled the air.

‘What’s going on in there?’ Waylon thought about getting up, but then he saw two figures walk out. Eddie was carrying the woman he had seen alive a while ago, but now she looked different. (Y/N) was just lying in his arms. Her eyes were closed as if she had fallen asleep and Eddie was carrying her to bed. Waylon couldn’t see what happened, but he knew she wasn’t breathing. A wave of regret and nausea washed over him. He was the one who found her and exposed her hiding place, and now she was dead because of him. Waylon’s eyes drifted to Eddie’s face. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes, his gaze was fixed on the girl he held.  

“You don’t deserve to have your final resting place be here, in this disgusting place,” Eddie said between tears.

Eddie’s footsteps echoed through the long hallways of the facility, a warning, allowing anyone still alive to scurry away from him. He walked past Waylon without noticing him, his entire focus on the woman he was carrying—in his own world.

Waylon followed him again, making sure not to step on anything in his path that could make noise.  

The hallway felt different, as if a storm of emotions had just passed through, leaving behind a heavy, suffocating atmosphere. Dread and sadness filled the air like a thick fog. Eddie’s footsteps, once a terrifying threat, were now soft and slow.

“I remember the first time I saw you,” Eddie said, breaking the silence. He took a deep breath. “You were so breathtaking, as if I saw a real princess in front of me.” His chuckle echoed through the hallway.

“When you were walking to your house, your hair was blowing in the wind, and a bright smile appeared on your face when our eyes met. Even though I was in the window of my house, you noticed me there and waved,” he said softly. “And… and to this day, I regret not waving back at you.”

“Every time you were outside, you’d knock on the door, asking if I wanted to come play,” he beamed cheerfully. 

He looked down at her. “Inside was a different story.” His voice trembled. “I just wanted to run out the door, but I was scared. I was scared of you—or rather, I was terrified of what my uncle and father would do. In the depths of my mind, I was worried about what you would think of me,” he cried out. “To me, you were and still are perfect—like a princess from a fairy tale.”

“When one of my family members would get to the door before me and tell you I wasn’t interested or make up some excuse, I was always there, hiding in the shadows of the place I called my home. You always frowned when they told you to run off, but when the door would close, you never left,” he paused, stopping in his place as his head looked down the hallway. “You stayed sitting at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for me, but eventually you would leave.” 

Eddie shook his head and continued down the never-ending hallway. “My family would whisper about you, princess. They said you were a strange girl, wanting to play with a boy like me—a boy who was not worthy to stand by your side. My own father wondered if your parents had forgotten to teach you better. They said terrible, filthy, things—things I could never bring myself to repeat, for you were and are far too worthy to hear those awful words.”

“But then one day, I was outside in the backyard playing by myself. I heard your back door opening and then footsteps. Every part of me wished it would be you—with your bright smile that could brighten a room—and luckily for me, as if every god could hear me, it was you.”

He let out a laugh. “I never would have imagined someone to shine their bright light on me. After all, what did I do to deserve your attention? But every time you saw me or simply looked in my direction, I felt normal and alive. Even though you talked most of the time while I listened to you ramble on and on, I enjoyed and cherished every second of it. To this day, I still think about those conversations we had together.” He looked down at her, his voice dropping to a choked whisper. “You have no idea how much I had to control myself. I just wanted to destroy that stupid white fence between us. Set it on fire so it could disappear from our sights, just so I could play whatever game you decided to play that day,” Eddie desperately said.

Waylon trailed behind him, a silent observer of their life. Eddie’s once, rushing footsteps were now soft and thoughtful, each step making sure not to disturb the sleeping woman. One step after was an attempt to reclaim the lost time between himself and (Y/N).

“I remember we would meet at the exact same time every day. With each passing day, our appearances changed, but you, my love, always looked—and still look, might I add—breathtaking, as if you were destined to be a princess. In my mind, no one could look away from you—I know I couldn’t,” he admitted.

“But one day you ran down the stairs and into the grass with your bright smile. The happiest look on your face told me everything, and then you said exactly what I dreaded. You were going on a date with some boy,” he spat out. “You have no idea how much you corrupted every part of my body and mind, Princess, but you did,” he said, his voice turning from nostalgia to being laced with venom. 

“I never understood why you thought this about me, but you did anyway. You always thought I had a sense of fashion. Darling, remember when you asked me about what dress you should wear?” His voice became a soft whisper. “You rambled about different options, but I already had one in mind that would take his breath away because I know you did that to me. Any dress you would have worn would have been breathtaking, but this one… this one would be perfect on you. The (f/c) dress with a lovely pattern along with the delicate design that caught the light just right, as if it was made for you.” Eddie’s loud footsteps continued to bounce off the walls.  

Waylon continued to listen to the tragic life story unfolding before him, a silent story of Eddie’s life, one not in his confidential files. He realized how long the hallways of the asylum truly were. Instead of being chased, now he was the hunter, trailing the very man who had been chasing him a while ago. 

A disappointed sigh escaped Eddie. “When you ran off, I walked back inside the house to wait for you, watching by the window for you to appear. Then, the guy you were going on a date with walked up and rang the doorbell. You have no idea how jealous and angry I was with him. How could he not bring you any flowers? What type of gentleman doesn't bring anything for their date?” A sigh filled with anger echoed down the hallways. 

“If I were him, I would have given you a bouquet of flowers and promised you a lifetime of bouquets—as long as you would have me—to show how you will always be the only woman who matters to me,” his voice softened, filled with desperate longing and the fragile hope that the woman he carried would come back from the dead. 

“Soon enough, you walked out the door. I still remember how pretty you were. When I looked at you, I was left speechless—I mean, who wouldn’t be? Then you walked down with him, but before you got into his car, you glanced at my house. Our eyes met, and a smile bloomed on your face. You mouthed a ‘Thank you’ to me, even though you didn’t have to. I would always help you out, no matter what you needed or the reason. I, of course, nodded, but inside, a raging beast screamed for me to be the one to take you out instead of that pathetic boy.” 

Eddie stepped through the doorway and into his domain. Waylon continued to trail after him, watching as the man he once feared was now heartbroken. A sense of dread settled in Waylon’s stomach—not for himself, but for what the man was capable of doing. He had seen what Eddie had already done, but now he knew it would only get worse. 

Eddie took a deep breath. “The next day, you gushed about your date, and your eyes sparkled. But then you stared right at me through the fence and said, ‘He’s not the one for me.’ When you said that, my heart skipped a beat, and I thought I had a chance with you. Even though my family wouldn’t appreciate what I was going to do, I made a plan right then and there. I was going to take you on a date before the end of the year. Each day passed, I would plan and plan. No matter the abuse I had to endure, I still looked forward to going out with you.” Eddie’s head lowered to look at the woman.  

A door off to the side stood out from the others, pristine and untouched. Eddie walked over and turned the knob with a click. As the door swung open, Eddie.

disappeared inside. Waylon quickly ducked behind a nearby mannequin. His heart pounded in his chest as he peered out from his hiding place, not knowing what Eddie was doing in the room. 

The room was out of place compared to the rest of the building. A perfectly made bed sat in the middle of the room against the wall, waiting for its owner. There was no dust or misplaced items. It was as if each object had its designated place. The room was in perfect condition compared to the chaos outside the door. Sketches were pinned to the wall, and an empty vase sat on a nearby table. To the side, a makeshift vanity held a large number of products. 

Eddie walked over to the bed, his hand reaching for a lamp before he turned it on. He quickly undid the covers and placed (Y/N) on the bed, then covered her up. He positioned her hands on top of the blanket as if she were peacefully dreaming. Eddie just stood there, looking over her. He reached out, gently took her hand in his, and held on to it, as if she were going to disappear into thin air.

“But then you left me there to suffer with my family. I can’t blame you, since you didn’t have a choice. You were my shining light in the dark shadow I called my home, but when you were around, I felt normal. I felt alive with you,” Eddie cried out, his tears falling onto her hand. 

“When you left me there, I didn’t know what to do. As I grew older, I wanted to find you, but I couldn’t, as if I had made you up in my mind.” He brought her hand to his chest, clasping it with both of his. “Then my mind was consumed by the pain and darkness. If you would have seen what I did, you probably wouldn’t want to be around me.” More tears began to fall from his eyes, like a dam being broken loose.  

“As long as I live, I will protect you and cherish you,” he vowed, crossing her arms. “But for right now, I must find who did this to you,” he muttered. He stood straight and scanned the room, as if someone were watching him. Still hidden, Waylon shivered as a new wave of uneasiness and fear washed over him. To him, Eddie was on a mission—a mission that he wouldn’t stop, no matter who stood in his way, if it meant revenge. 

Eddie wiped away the last of his tears with the back of his hand. He straightened his body. The heartbroken man was replaced with a more sinister version of himself. He turned and walked out, the door clicking shut behind him. He then walked down the long hallway. 

Waylon pressed himself against the walls, trying to disappear into the shadows. His eyes widened with terror and disbelief. His mouth fell open as the full weight of what he had just witnessed crashed over him. 

‘What did I just hear?’ he whispered to himself, looking straight at the wall. In his blurred vision, he saw Eddie walk past him and into another room. 

In some twisted way, Waylon felt a pang of pity for the man. The details he had just heard, combined with the files he’d found earlier, were overwhelming. He took a deep breath, trying his best to compose himself, and pushed himself to his feet. Then an idea formed in his head in desperation. 

‘What if some of her belongings are still here?’ he wondered, making his way out of Eddie’s domain. As he was heading toward where he found the woman, a scream cut through the silence, followed by a man’s shouts. 

“Please, please don’t hurt me,” a man begged, his voice traveling through the dark hallways.  

Waylon flinched at the sound, but he had to continue. A flicker of hope sparked in his mind. ‘This might help Eddie calm down. Maybe Eddie will let me out of this place. It’s a long shot but worth it.’ 

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“Theo,” groaned (Y/N), as they walked down the long hallway.

“Yes, love?” he asked, turning his head towards the girl. He chuckled, noticing her eyes were slightly closed and a yawn escaped her mouth. “Tired,” he said.

She hummed in response. Both of them stopped in the hallway. He gently pulled her bag off her shoulder and placed it on his shoulder. He then draped his arms across her shoulder, pulling her closer to him. (Y/N) rested her head against his chest. They started to walk again, Theo leading the way.

Comfortable silence filled the couple as they walked. Surprisingly, not many classmates were walking around. A few minutes went by, and students started to appear, walking in the opposite direction, then (Y/N) and Theo. Some would give them questionable looks but wouldn’t speak their mind, just minding their own business. As the students walked away, Theo stopped in his tracks soon after (Y/N) followed right after.

“Love,” he muttered, glancing down and noticing her eyes were closed. A small smile appeared on his face. “Do you want to get on my back?” he asked, watching as her head tilted up towards him.

“Why?” she questioned, her voice filled with confusion. Her (E/C) eyes opened.

“So, you can sleep for a bit,” he suggested. His eyes softened while looking at her.

She nodded her head. “That sounds like a wonderful idea.”

Theo shifted the weight of his and (Y/N)’s bags so they were on his chest. (Y/N) walked behind him, and he reached out his hands in a silent invitation. Her arms coiled around his neck and hoisted herself onto his back. Theo adjusted his grip while securing her thighs to him.

“You good?” he asked, turning his head towards her.

“Yeah,” she muttered into his ear as she laid her head on his shoulder.

His lips curved into a smile. He quickly adjusted again, then started to walk towards the Slytherin common room. Soon enough, Theo could hear her quiet breathing in his ear. He shook his head but continued to walk towards the room.

Several minutes went by before they finally arrived at the dungeon they called their home. He muttered the password and walked in. His feet carried him down the stairs, but as he descended, he looked around the room.

The Slytherin common room was eerily silent. No one was in the room. The only sound filling the room was the crackling of the fire. A green couch sat in front of the fire, waiting for anyone to come and sit.

Theo walked over to the area, and in a low voice, muttered, “Amore (love).” He nudged her thigh. “Can you wake up for a second?” he asked.

She stirred, opening her eyes. “What is it, Theo?” she grumbled, sleep lingering in her voice.

“Can you let go so I can place you down,” he asked, tilting his head towards the girl.

She hummed. “What if I just let go and I fall on the couch?” she asked, looking at her boyfriend.

His laugh echoed throughout the room, along with a shake of his head. “I can’t believe you, love.”

“So, is that a no?” she teased with a lazy smile on her face.

“Do you want to?” he asked, making sure she was okay with it.

“Yes, Theo,” she replied, her head a little forward, with a smirk on her face. He shook his head.

“Fine,” he muttered. He walked towards the side of the couch and stood so his back was towards it.

(Y/N) looked, glanced over and let go of his neck. Theo let go of her and she fell onto the couch. A giggle filled the room. Theo turned around and noticed his girlfriend was lying down, with messy hair and a bright smile on her face. A smile crept onto his face as he watched the scene, wishing he could take a picture of the moment.

She then sat up and patted the seat beside her. “Come sit, Theo,” she said, looking up at him.

He sighed and followed what she said. Theo went over to the couch, sitting down right beside the girl.

“Sooo, what are you going to do?” she asked with a playful smile on her face.

“Probably read, and you are probably going to take a nap, right?” he said, giving her a smirk.

“Yep,” she said with a thumbs up. “But I’m taking a catnap, though.”

He hummed, reaching down into his bag, digging around trying to find the book. He found it and pulled it out, but when he looked beside him, a cat was there sitting and looking up at him.

At this point, almost everyone in the castle was asleep besides some stragglers walking to their dorm. The common room was filled with the sound of crackling fire and the soft rustle of pages being flipped. With each page, Theo was pulled into his own world.

A sigh escaped his lips as he turned a page. He sat in front of the crackling fireplace in the common room. Flames illuminated his face, casting dancing shadows around the room.

He sat on the dark green couch, one foot over the other. A book rested in one hand while the other gently stroked the cat curled up on his lap. A low hum filled the cat’s ears, comforting the fluffy, white, and gray feline, lulling it to a deep slumber.

Both of them sat in comfortable silence, but were soon disturbed. Suddenly, the main door swung open with a bang, followed by rushed footsteps and low chatter.

Theo flinched at the noise, his peaceful expression, which he once had, disappearing as he heard the group. A sigh left his mouth. He could almost hear his girlfriend’s voice, ‘Told you so, Theo,’ if she knew what was happening right now. He closed his book, about to rise, but a voice stopped him.

“Nott!” shouted Draco, walking closer him. “Leaving so soon?”

“I was just about to go to sleep,” he retorted, glaring at the platinum blonde as he relaxed back into his seat again. Draco’s laugh echoed through the room. The cat, Theo was petting, twitched in its sleep.

“Can you be a little quieter?” Theo suggested, covering the cat’s ear, hoping it would help muffle the sound.

Draco walked closer, standing right beside him near the arm of the couch. “Now, why would I do that?” Draco challenged with a smirk. He peered down, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the cat curled up on Theo’s lap. “Theo, whose cat is that?”

“Why does it matter to you, Draco?” the brunette said, glaring at him as if his stare alone could kill.

Draco froze in his spot. “Well, I’m just wondering because, after all, you could have kidnapped the poor cat from someone,” he remarked, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“And why would you care?” Theo challenged, his arms instinctively moving to scoop up the cat, wanting to hide away in his dorm, but decided not to.

“I’m curious. This,” he gestured towards the cat and Theo, “isn’t normal for you, Theo. What I’m seeing right now is quite odd,” he teased with a slight sneer.

Theo rolled his eyes. “Is it really that odd to see me with a cat?”

Another set of footsteps echoed through the room, drawing closer to the two boys.

“Well, yes, Theodore,” Pansy answered, her voice laced with amusement. “Who would have thought you, Theodore Nott, would allow some random cat to sit on your lap? On top of that, you’re also petting the poor creature,” Pansy said with a smirk.

Theo felt a twitch under his hand. “Can you two keep it down? You’re going to wake her up.”

“'Her', what do you mean by 'her'?” Draco shouted, his voice echoing through the room. If anyone were in the room, heads would snap in the direction of the group.

“I told you to lower your voice, did I not?” he commanded, his voice grew louder despite his efforts, glaring at the two. The cat yawned, but didn’t move from her spot. Her bright, (E/C) eyes slowly opened, peering up at the boy she was napping on.

Theodore’s attention completely shifted, his gaze fixated solely on the cat. “Hello, amore mio (my love),” he cooed, gently taking his hand off her.

The cat sat up, stretching her limbs and arching her back. She turned her body so she was facing Theo, along with the other two. Her head tilted, as if confused by what was going on.

“I’m sorry, they woke up, cara (dear),” he muttered to her, scratching her head. A loud purr filled the room. The corners of Theo’s mouth curved upwards, his eyes softening as he watched the cat.

Both Pansy and Draco glanced at each other, not knowing what to do. Should they speak up and interrupt this tender moment, or should they just allow it to happen and then interfere? But neither one of them noticed something very familiar about the cat.

Her (E/C) irises stared deep into both Draco and Pansy’s eyes, as if she could peer into their very souls. Draco felt like he was staring at someone he was familiar with, who was usually with his friend.

“Why do the cat’s eyes look like your girlfriend’s,” Draco spoke up, staring right at the cat.

“Because this is my girlfriend,” Theo confirmed, turning his head to look at Draco. Draco let out a laugh.

“Oh, come on now, you must be delusional or something, Theo, because last time I talked to her, she said she was going to sleep,” Pansy responded, shaking her head and letting out a giggle.

The cat jumped down onto the floor. Before any other words could be exchanged, the feline disappeared, replaced by their dear friend.

“I wish you guys had listened to Theo,” she groaned, her voice still thick with sleep. She crossed her arms, looking at the three of them, but her eyes were fixed on her boyfriend. “I told you we should have gone to the library, or even to your dorm,” she scolded.

“I know, but I wanted to sit near the fire, and I knew no one else would be here at this time of day. Clearly, I was proven wrong by you, love,” he admitted, a pink hue creeping up his neck to his cheeks. “Even if we did go to the library earlier, we would have been kicked out.”

She tilted her head, annoyed. “At least it would be quiet, and you could read without being disturbed.” Theodore shook his head at his girlfriend.

“(Y/N), why didn’t you tell us about being an Animagus?” Pansy spoke up, breaking the moment between the couple.

(Y/N) shrugged, her eyelids droopy and lazy. “I thought you knew, because I’m always with Theo all day,” she responded.

“Well, I never really see you in this form,” Pansy retorted.

(Y/N) looked down at her shoes, then quickly back up as if she remembered something. “Now that I think about it, whenever I do change, Theo usually puts his jacket on me,” she said, a sheepish look crossing her face.

Theo just leaned back on the couch, watching the conversation between all of them, but mostly his girlfriend. His eyes lingered on her, taking note of her movements.

Both Pansy and Draco glanced over at each other, then (Y/N) with a confused expression. (Y/N) quickly noticed the stares from her friends in front of her.

“The only reason he does this is because I didn’t want people to know. I also hate when there’s too much light when I’m trying to sleep,” she defended herself.

“Figures,” Pansy mumbled, looking at her friend with a smile. 

“What do you mean?” (Y/N) questioned, tilting her head. 

“Well, now that you mention it, Theo usually talks quieter when his jacket is placed on his lap, covering something underneath, so I guess it was you then,” she replied.

(Y/N)’s mouth opened slightly, but then closed. “Yeah, that’s probably me then.”

“It is you,” commented Theo with his arms crossed, with a smirk. 

“I wish we knew this sooner,” admitted Draco.

“And why is that?” (Y/N) questioned, turning her head towards him.

“Oh, think about how much information we could get from sneaking around,” Draco said, looking at the girl.

She shook her head. “Even if you asked me to do that, I wouldn’t have,” she responded. “But now both of you know.”

She walked closer to Theo. “I’m going to sleep,” she said, kissing the top of his head, then walking in the direction of his dorm. Theo turned his body, watching as she walked away.

“I will see you guys later,” she replied, waving her hand lazily. Before anyone could tell her anything, she disappeared in a blink of an eye.

“I swear your girlfriend is odd,” Draco commented, crossing his arms.

Theo got up, grabbing his and his girlfriend’s belongings. “Well, I love her so I don’t really care about your opinion.” Draco’s eyes widened, while staring at the brunette.

“Love looks so odd on you, Nott,” Draco retorted, grumbling.

“When you get a girlfriend, let me know how that goes. Because I would do anything for (Y/N),” he responded, walking away from the two.

“You’re whipped,” Pansy commented with a smile. “But I’m going to be honest, you look good being in love.”

“And I agree with that,” he agreed, turning around. “Well, I’m off.” He walked off, bags slung over his shoulder, book in hand, towards his dorm.

Silence filled the room, besides the fire crackling in the background.

“There they go,” Pansy said, breaking the silence, still looking at where Theo had disappeared.

“Yep,” Draco responded, taking Theo’s place on the couch.

“You’re not going to bed yet?” questioned Pansy.

“Not yet,” he responded.

A sigh escaped the girl. “You have to admit, Theo looks good being in love. Plus, both of them complement each other.”

“I never said they weren’t good together.”

“Whatever you say, Draco.”

Every step Theo took felt like minutes being wasted instead of being in his girlfriend’s embrace. A sigh filled the corridor, but he could see the door leading to his room.

He gently grabbed the doorknob and twisted it. The door opened, but the room was pitch black. Snores filled the room from his roommates. His hand went to his back pocket, finding his wand, then raising it.

“Lumos,” he muttered, an orb of light appearing at the tip of his wand.

‘Where is she right now?’ he thought to himself, without reasoning or thinking for a second. ‘Probably lying in bed asleep,’ he responded to himself. He felt like hitting himself with a book for being stupid, but he brushed it off.

“Nott, turn that off,” groaned one of his roommates, who wasn’t asleep.

“Sorry,” he replied, walking further into his room. He set the bags on the floor near his bed and his book on the bedside table. He was about to drag himself to his closet until his eyes noticed movement under the covers, moving towards the end of the bed.

‘There she is,’ he concluded, walking to his closet and grabbing his clothes.

“Nott, I told you to turn that off,” his roommate yelled again.

“Be quiet before you wake someone up. Let me change, and after I walk to my bed, I will,” he responded, heading into the bathroom.

As Theo was changing, a soft scratch caught his attention from outside the door. He turned around, about to open the door, when he saw familiar paws slide beneath it. He gently pressed his foot on the paw. The paw quickly pulled away. He then stuck his foot underneath the door again, feeling the familiar paws press back. A chuckle escaped his mouth.

He pulled his foot away and opened the door. There, sitting innocently in the middle of the threshold, was (Y/N) in her cat form, as if she hadn’t done a thing. Her bright eyes stared at him with innocence. She walked in and jumped onto the counter.

Theo grabbed his toothbrush and ran it under the faucet, dampening the bristles. He squeezed some toothpaste and began to brush his teeth, but he felt piercing eyes on him. glanced down, meeting her eyes.

“What?” He questioned, muffled from the brush in his mouth.

(Y/N) tilted her head at her boyfriend. She then stood up and brushed against his bare chest.

“You’re unbelievable,” he mumbled, the corners of his lips turned upwards.

A few minutes went by, and Theo finished getting ready for bed.

“Do you want me to carry you?” he asked, looking down at the cat. All of a sudden, she leaped onto him. Luckily, he caught her in his arms.

“Don’t do that. I could’ve dropped you,” he scolded, turning off the lights and walking in the dark to his bed. After all, he could navigate to his bed with a blindfold on.

Theo walked to his side of the bed. He pulled back the covers and got in. Soon enough, he felt a soft fur lying on his chest. He looked down and noticed a mound on his chest, then a head sticking out.

“I thought you’d be asleep by now. Sorry if I disturbed you, cara (dear),” he muttered, his voice barely a whisper, meant only for her. (Y/N) moved closer to him, nuzzling his chin. He kissed the top of her head.

Morning rays poured through the windows across Hogwarts. Yawns echoed through the dormitories, along with the rustling of bedsheets from the previous day of classes. Footsteps-light at first, then began to grow louder as time passed-echoed through the corridors. A variety of food was placed on the tables, wafting the smell around. As students ventured into the hall, chatter among one another and the clinking of cutlery buzzed with life.

Even though the room felt alive, one student noticed how someone wasn't in their normal spot.

“Hey Charlotte, have you seen Professor (L/N) this morning?” commented Ember, taking a seat in front of her friend. Her gaze swept over the teachers’ table. “Usually, she’s here by now.”

Charlotte glanced over with a croissant in her hand. “Now that you mention it, she isn’t here.” She took a bite. "Professor Snape isn't here either."

“Usually, Professor Snape isn’t here anyway, Char,” Ember mentioned, serving herself some breakfast. "Even if he were here, he probably would have left by now to do whatever he normally does by himself," she added.

“You don’t have to be rude,” Charlotte pointed out, her voice lowered while looking cautiously at the girl in front of her.

A long sigh escaped Ember's lips just as her eyes rolled. “But it’s Professor Snape.”

“Even if you don’t like him, you don’t have to be mean,” Charlotte responded.

“Fine, fine, whatever you say, Char,” Ember acknowledged, while she began to eat.

“Professor Snape probably left already. Though, if Professor (L/N) were here, he'd usually linger a bit longer before heading off to prepare for his classes or something else,” Charlotte notified her best friend.

Charlotte and Ember weren’t the only students to notice the herbology professor missing. A ripple of quiet chatter began to spread through the Great Hall as students from other tables scanned the teachers' table for the famous herbology professor. No matter the day, Professor (L/N) was always present during breakfast. She was always at the table, smiling and chatting with the rest of the professors, but today the table was quieter without her.

The Potions professor was another story entirely. His presence was unpredictable most of the time. He would appear and then vanish as if he was never there to begin with. If he happened to see the herbology professor, he would stay, as Charlotte mentioned, but he would leave a little later than normal to prepare for his morning classes.

While the castle slept, the Potion Professor had been up before the first dawn touched the horizon. Potion cabinets flew open as Snape rummaged through different ingredients. With each ingredient, he pulled out an audible grumble left his mouth. For every grumble the quill wrote on a piece of parchment, off to the side, noting the ingredients he needed. After he inspected every cabinet, he was left with ingredients on every surface, a piece of parchment, along with a scowl present on his face. He grabbed the parchment, waving his wand around with a command, and left the room without batting an eye.

The cool air from the morning breeze hit Snape in the face. A sigh escaped his lips, washing away the comfortable warmth from the castle. He walked along the path leading toward different areas for ingredients.

If students-or anyone for that matter-walked by the stern, intimidating professor, they would realize his walk was different. Rather than his long strides, he had a slight spring in his step.

On his walk, he was deep within his mind. He could feel something odd about himself, but could not place why. Every year, he taught the same potions, depending on what class he had to teach. He never really felt excited-after all, he was used to teaching potions-until he figured out why. His morning class was going to learn about Amortentia.

His life changed in the last few years, even though he didn't need to smell the potion. This time-this time was different. He felt as though he needed it like a dying flame craving oxygen. Unconsciously, he didn't notice, but when he thought about it, something within him screamed at him to smell it.

Time flew by, and a soft, pale gold light began to spread across the sky. After several stops, he made his way to the Herbology classroom. Hoping the person who occupied the class was there.

He raised his fist and knocking on the door. A few seconds go by, no sound or movement could be heard from beyond the door. A word escaped under his breath. Then a soft click echoed from the door. He gently opened it, hoping not to disturb anyone who might be inside.

“(Y/N), are you here?” he called out, glancing around the room, but realized she wasn’t here.

‘I wonder where she is right now?’ he thought, walking into the room towards the back, where her office was.

A chime filled the room, gaining Severus' attention. He glanced up, taking note of the time. ‘She’s probably at breakfast right now,’ he sighed, then quickly made his way to the room that housed all the ingredients and other plants.

He pulled out the parchment, which had a few strikes through different ingredients. He searched around the room for the remaining ingredients. Several minutes later, he walked out of the room, heading towards her desk. His eyes glanced over all of her belongings until he found what he needed, a piece of paper. He grabbed a quill, dipped it in ink, then wrote what he took. Before placing the quill back-at the bottom of the note-he wrote a small message, leaving him with a small smile on his face. Soon after, he left the room, venturing out into the familiar breeze.

A thought circulated, 'Before class starts, I will come see her.'

Snape rushed back to his classroom. He swung the door open, then waving his wand, lighting the candles scattered around the room. The candles cast shadows onto the floor, illuminating different potion bottles along with other miscellaneous items. Severus did not bother going towards his office but instead walked straight to his desk at the front of the class. He disposed all of the ingredients and began to prepare for his morning class.

In the Great Hall, students began to filter out, making their way towards their classes. Potions students made their way into the dark, cold dungeon. Most people dreaded going down there; after all, who wants to learn about potions first thing in the morning and wake up to the smell of different potions?

Snape, on the other hand, did not notice the time. He was too caught up in preparing all the ingredients. Out of the corner of his eye, students started to roll into the classroom. Luckily for him, he finished up what he needed for this class. He waved his wand in the air, and suddenly, his station was spotless, besides the ingredients.

He sighed, realizing he didn't have time to stop by and make sure (Y/N) was okay, but the class was about to start, so that thought went to the back of his mind. After a few more minutes passed, the sound of chairs screeching across the floor, along with materials being placed on the tables, filled the room.

The Potions professor glanced around to room, noticing some students glancing behind him and careless whispers floating around the room.

'This is odd,' he thought to himself. After all, this wasn't normal, the room was usually silent. He shook the thought away, focusing on his lesson for the class.

“Today, class, we will be brewing the potion called Amortentia. Does anyone know what that potion is?” he questioned, his stern voice filled the room.

He looked around the room, expecting at least one hand to be raised-especially from a certain student-but was left disappointed. He waited a few more seconds, his eyes scanning around the room to see if anyone wasn't paying attention.

“Mr. Potter, what is Amortentia?” he called out, putting his hands behind his back. His foot tapped on the floor.

“Ummm…I’m not sure, Professor,” Harry admitted, looking everywhere except for the man.

A faint sneer touched Snape's lips. "As expected. Ten points from Gryffindor."

He moved his hand from behind his back, placing it on the table. “Does anyone in this classroom know what Amortentia is or what it looks like?”

As Snape was standing in front of everyone, a piece of metal caught in the candlelight flared with a powerful bond represented by the shiny metal. The object was a gold band with black accents and engravings.

A few students' eyes flickered to the band, but their gaze quickly slid away,, focusing on what Snape was saying. After all, the stern, cold Potions professor wearing a piece of jewelry-let alone a wedding ring? The thought was ignored as quickly as it arose.

One of the students, Christian, noticed the ring. For a second, he ignored it, but he couldn't contain himself. He just had to tell someone, so he leaned over to his desk mate.

"Professor Snape has a wedding band on his ring finger," he muttered into his partner's ear.

“He has a what?!” The partner shouted quietly, or at least he tried to.

Before Christian could respond, Snape interrupted their conversation.

"Is there something the matter, Mr. Thomas and Mr. Wilson?" Snape looked directly at the two boys.

“No, Professor Snape," both of them said simultaneously, looking at the professor.

"Are you sure? Both of you seem surprised-or rather, shocked-at something you saw," suggested Snape.

"It was nothing, Professor," replied Christian.

Out of the corner of his eyes, a girl with brown hair raised her hand. A quiet exhale escaped him, and his shoulders relaxed.

"Yes, Miss Granger," he said, his voice flat, but without the usual cutting edge.

"Umm… Professor, there seems to be a cat lying on your chair," Hermione glancing past him to the corner of the room.

Snape looked toward Hermione, narrowing his eyes at the poor girl. 'Why would she lie?' he thought, but shook it off, looking behind him instead. A chair placed in the corner of the room.

“When did I have a chair in here?” he questioned aloud, though he thought he’d said it quietly.

‘I thought I put this chair back last night after grading paper with (Y/N),' he thought, rubbing his brow with his hand. 'Actually, now that I think about it… I didn’t,' he thought to himself.

He walked over; even though the distance wasn't that far, he still felt like he had walked a mile. A rare and unexpected tug at the corner of Snape's mouth. He recognized the fluffy, white, and gray cat curled up on his chair.

With Snape's attention elsewhere, a soft buzzing of hushed chatter filled the room.

One student whispered, glancing toward the person beside them, “Did you see the ring on his finger? If I’m going to be completely honest with you… the ring is nice.”

“I feel bad for whoever is wearing the other ring,” someone else commented.

“Maybe whoever is wearing the other ring was forced to marry him,” another added with a laugh.

“Don’t say that. I don’t think Professor Snape would do such a thing to anyone,” Charlotte defended, eyes narrowed at the group.

“Why are you defending him, Charlotte? He probably poured Amortentia into the drink or something,” the person replied with a smirk.

"I agree with Charlotte on this one. Even though Snape is strict and cold, I don't think he would do such a thing; after all, he knows a lot about the effects of potions," Ember said, helping defend the potion master.

“Is anyone going to talk about the fact that there is a cat in the room? I didn’t even know Professor Snape had a cat, or if he even liked cats in the first place,” another student observed but was quickly ignored.

“Would all of you be quiet before all of get in trouble,” a student hissed, glancing between Snape and the group, whispering to each other.

The last whisper died in the classroom, leaving only the rustle of robes and the flickering of flames, before Snape's voice cut through the stillness. Heads turned, eyes focused on the Professor.

“Why might you be in here, especially at this time?” he questioned, with a hint of disappointment in his tone. He gently placed his hand on the cat and crouched down to meet its head. While Snape was petting and rubbing the cat, he felt a twitch beneath his hand.

The cat yawned, opening its eyes, looking right at Snape. He noted the cat's head being tilted leading him to reciprocate the motion. Both of them stared at each other, eyes locked on eyes, heads tilted identically-challenging the other.

Severus pulled away, standing up in his stop, letting the cat wake up fully. His hands fell onto his hips. The cat stood up and stretched its limbs, but quickly sat back down, staring at him with curious, (E/C) eyes.

“Darling, you shouldn’t be in here right now.” One of his hands fell off his hips than placed it on top of the cat's head. He began to scratch the top of its head. The cat pushed its head against the palm of his hand. Snape's gaze sharpened, and a hint of the corners of his lips turning upwards as his attention locked onto the small feline. Purring filled every corner of the room but quickly died down. Snape removed his hand, staring into the depths of (E/C) colored irises. The cat stared into his eyes, letting out a meow.

"My dear, you really ought to be preparing for class," Severus stated, his voice a low, almost tender murmur. "Yet here you are, occupying my chair when I have class to teach. I love you like a moth to a flame… but why exactly are you here?" He looked down, narrowing his eyes slightly, but filled with love. The cat stared right back. A silent conversation passes between the two, a language understood only by them.

Students glanced at each other, leaning in close to their friends, whispering questions about what they just heard, making sure this was real. The Potion Master's usual stern facade seemed to soften.  Whispers spread throughout the classroom as they hoped not to disturb the moment for the man.

“Did I just hear that, Ron?” said Harry, confused but with a hint of surprise in his voice, leaning towards his best friend. The boy nodded; his eyes were saucers. Ron could only nod, never breaking his gaze from the professor.

Snape had called the cat ‘dear’ along with using the word 'love' several times. Questions erupted in several students' minds. These terms were known for showing endearment and affection, but why exactly is the Head of Slytherin, the Potions Professor, using it now-especially towards a cat? Then a question that was brought up earlier appeared. Did Snape even have a pet cat in the first place or rather does he even like cats? Questions upon questions appeared, but never spoken out, rather dismissing them since this has to be some sort of dream.

The fluffy cat stood up from the chair, perched on the edge, ready to launch itself.

"So... now you decided to jump down.” Snape's lips thinned slightly as he looked down at the cat. He crossed his arms across his chest.

The fluffy, white, and gray cat shook its head and rolled its eyes before hopping down, but before its paws touched the ground, the candles flickered on and off until a figure appeared out of nowhere, replacing the cat. None of the students witnessed the transformation, only noticing Snape's wide frame blocking whoever appeared. The candles flickering were noticed, but no one said anything about it rather focused on Snape.

Severus turned around, lost in his thoughts, completely forgetting about how he was supposed to be teaching. Right behind him, the sound of heels hitting the ground echoed through the room. Snape paid no mind to anything else, instead focused on what had occurred. He continued to walk towards his station.

"I'm sorry, darling, I didn't notice the time. Plus, I missed seeing you this morning before you left," a voice, a little soft and apologetic, said from behind him. Severus, already halfway to the table, paused mid-stride, slowly turning to face the sound.

Snape and whoever he was talking to moved closer to him. Snape's frame still hid her away, but students could hear her along with they saw a glimpse of her. The identity of the mysterious woman was still a mystery to them.

“You know you could have come into my office to rest, yes?” Snape's words infused with concern but love. He tilted his head slightly, one eyebrow raised slightly. As he looked at her, waiting patiently, as if in bold letters would appear telling him.

“I know... but your office door was locked, and I noticed that your chair was also out here from the other day when I was helping you grade papers,” she said, pausing. "I wanted to see you before class started, but I fell asleep in your chair waiting for you, dear," she finished, meeting his dark eyes like a starless night, but a flicker of deep warmth softened in their depths.

Snape's gaze fixated onto hers, and for a moment every other presence in the cold room faded into the corners, but welcoming arms surrounded the two. An unfamiliar, unguarded smile spread across his face. He spoke without any hesitation, "You look beautiful, my love."

A soft, red hue appeared on her cheeks. "Well, I hope I do," she teased with an affectionate smile. She stepped closer to him, closing the distance between them until she stood directly in front of him.

Severus reached down, taking her hands into his. His shoulder relaxed, letting go of the build-up of tension. Students couldn’t see the interaction, but the Professor from the start of class was completely different from the man, standing with his back turned, in front of them. The man who stood before them, known for being cold, stern, and commanding, was not softer, the way he spoke drenched in a quiet tenderness none of them could have imagined.

All the information and interactions between the two hit the students in the face. From the gold band on Snape's finger, to the cat in the chair, and now a woman blocked by Snape. Everything just felt…odd. Different. Questions began to swarm the room like hornets wanting answers.

Snape and this mysterious woman were still talking-no, flirting-with each other. Their eyes lingered, hands intertwined in a way that left for no questions.The Potion Master moved slightly, letting everyone in the room to see the woman a little more.

What stood out the most wasn’t her face, or how close she was to the man, it was her outfit. A certain famous professor in the castle wore similar outfits to the woman Snape was hiding.

The woman was wearing a black robe with white details, along with a white blouse and a black skirt that touched the floor. She was also shorter than Snape.

“YOU’RE PROFESSOR (L/N)!” yelled Ron, his eyes widened.

Heads turned towards the boy. He looked around the room, realizing all eyes were on him, students and both professors. He gulped and trembled. His eyes met the obsidian eyes waiting for him to get in trouble but he was alive, but the glare spoke unspoken words directed at him.

The woman in question was pale. Her entire face was noticeable now. (E/C) eyes dilated, utterly still at this boy.

A heavy silence settled in the room. A minute goes by, Professor (L/N) swallowed but looked up at Severus noticing his head is turned towards the students. She moved her head looking at them, a soft smile appeared on her face.

She replied, slightly stuttering, “Yes… yes, I am.”

“I kind of forgot you had students in here, and I’m going to guess you did as well, dear,” said Professor (L/N) murmured, her voice low, meant only for his ears alone. She slowly moved to the side, walking past him towards the table. Before she made it to the table, she heard his reply.

“Yes, I did forget about the students in here,” he replied with a deep sigh.

Realization landed on Snape's face. Severus whipped around, facing away from the questions and the looks of students. He rubbed his hands on his face. Soon enough, a blush crept up to his neck and onto his face. After a few seconds of composing himself, the heat from his face faded away like a potion effect wearing off. A sigh escaped his lips, his hands lowered. He turned around joining (Y/N) behind his workstation, both of them facing the judgmental gazes of their students.

“Well, I guess the cat is out of the bag unless-" she began, but was cut off.

“You also have a wedding band!” gasped Luke, looking straight at her hand with wide eyes. (Y/N) noticed Luke looking at her ring finger.

"Could you please clarify what you're implying with ‘also,’ Mr. Thomas?" Professor (L/N) inquired, her brows furrowing slightly. Unconsciously, she reached for her ring finger, feeling the cold, metal, gemstone of her wedding and engagement ring. Her gaze drifted, and she noticed another detail; Severus, too, was wearing his wedding band.

‘I guess both of us forgot to take off our rings this morning,’ thought (Y/N) to herself, a sigh escaped her lips.

During the conversation, Snape noticed she glanced down at his hands. Severus heard her sigh and followed her gaze. His eyes noticed the gold band shiny back at him, mocking him. He quickly glanced at her hand, noticing the same bands were twinkling at him. He sighed, a flicker of dread passed through him, wishing he could take his wife with him back to their shared room and hide away from the world. Every ounce of him wished his students wouldn't realize what was between him and (Y/N). After all, this was a secret not many people knew about, and that's how it was supposed to be-kept away from prying eyes. He noticed Mr. Thomas was speaking again.

"Well, you see, Professor (L/N)…" Luke gulped down a quick breath, then continuing. “Professor Snape is also wearing a wedding band on his finger. And I think most of my classmates will agree with me, but we've never seen Professor Snape or you wear those rings to class before. Not to mention how you, Professor (L/N), are in here as well. Along with why would you be here sleeping, and the discussion you and Professor Snape were having a while ago?” He rushed the words out, barely pausing for air. "So, if the evidence is correct, you two are married," he concluded with a smile.

Silence descended on the two professors and the class. Both (Y/N) and Severus froze, their faces pale, eyes wide with the sudden, undeniable truth that was let out. (Y/N) recovered quickly; her gaze found Severus, whose own stunned expression mirrored hers a second ago. Severus remained still in his spot, speechless. Despite knowing this was going to happen eventually, it's still surprising when the truth was laid out on the table for everyone to see.

“I knew this was going to happen one of these days. I guess the cat is out of the bag then,” she murmured to her husband. Both of them staring into each other’s eyes. The corners of (Y/N)'s lips curved upwards in a sincere and warm smile. He returned the gesture but his actual smile, one only she sees in private, appeared.

“So...am I correct?” said Luke, smirking.

"(Y/N)... just tell them," muttered Severus. His shoulders slumped, and a defeated look was featured on his face. He slowly reached her hand, his fingers finding hers, unconsciously drawing comfort from the metal bands on her finger. As their hands clasped, his shoulders relaxed and he could finally breath.

“Ok, umm… yes, you are correct; the two of us are married,” (Y/N) said, a soft smile touching her lips as she felt Severus gently take her hand in his while she spoke.

Gasps all around echoed through the room. Conformation about the two left questions circulating. This kept secret left everyone in the room in shock along with Draco hearing the news.

One student whispered to their friend, “I can't believe he married her. Like, she is the complete opposite of him.”

Another student said, “I think it's cute that both of them are total opposites of each other.”

The married couple looked at each other, sharing a soft smile on their faces. The weight of this secret lifted off of them, realizing neither one of them needs to hide their affection for one another anymore. Even though (Y/N) would favor this while Severus, not so much ,at least not in public. Gasps filled the room. (Y/N) hears a familiar voice that piqued her interest.

One student spoke up, “That explains so much.”

(Y/N) raised an eyebrow. "Like what, exactly, might I ask?" she questioned, looking away from Severus and now fully looking at the student. She recognized the student as Lizzy, one of the many students who would come to her class to talk or hang out.

“Well, I noticed that you have potion ingredients in your office placed on the desk, along with Professor Snape's graded papers stacked on your desk as well from one of his classes,” Lizzy rambled, but paused, taking a deep breath before speaking again.

(Y/N) heard her husband muttered under his breath, “That’s where I put those bloody papers." She smiled, a spark of amusement danced in her eyes. Her focus went back to Lizzy.

"Oh, did I mention that sometimes there's a robe similar to Professor Snape’s hanging behind your chair? Along with just other things in your classroom and office, Professor (L/N). Don’t even get me started on what I noticed in here!” She took another breath, ready to continue on, until Severus cut in.

"I believe that my wife and I understand what you're saying,” Severus interrupted, his voice sharp. He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall, noticing how much time had passed. The class was about to be finished, and he needed to make a quick decision, but it was right in front of him in bold letters. He heard a tick; his decision was set in stone.

"Class is dismissed, and do not ask any more questions,” he demanded, looking at all the students. He released his wife's hand.

Some students got up and left, but others hesitated, eager to ask more questions, but decided to leave those questions behind for now. Their burning questions would have to wait; none dared to risk getting detention or losing house points. These questions wouldn't be answered by the Potions Professor, but the Herbology Professor was a whole other can of worms.

A group of students began to walk towards the door, but all of their voices were loud and noticeable. Both Professors turned their attention to them, eager to hear the conversation.

One student said, “When was Professor (L/N) an Animagus, especially a cat? I don’t remember her speaking about being one in the first place. Did anyone notice that, or was it just me?”

“Now you say that, I did notice that,” another student confirmed.

“Eh… we can just ask Professor (L/N) after all; she's our next class anyway, so it works out,” a third student mused, shrugging as they walked out of the classroom.

When the last group of students left, Severus looked at his wife beside him. She was giggling softly at what she overheard from the students. He offered her a gentle smile, his gaze lingering on her face, taking in every aspect of her as if she was going to disappear.

(Y/N), still shocked from everything the happened, hadn't noticed her husband's gaze until her eyes met his. A soft smile appeared on her face. Caught in the action, Severus smiled back. Silence filled the room, the only sound being the flames from candles and footsteps outside the classroom. The couple held each one another's gaze, a quiet understanding passing between them. Moments later, the stillness was broken.

“I love you, my love,” (Y/N) murmured, the words carefully breaking the silence.

“I love you too,” Severus replied, slowly leaning forward and pressing a gentle kiss to her lips.

(Y/N) hesitantly broke the kiss, realizing her class would start soon. They were disappointed, but both understood they'd continue what they started later, within the comfort of each other's arms in their quiet, hidden-away chamber.

"I have to go, my love," (Y/N) said, grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him down for a quick peck on his lips and then his cheek.

“I told you to stop doing that,” Severus chuckled, his fingers automatically went up to his collar, straightening it. A faint flush crept up his neck and onto his face.

(Y/N) let out a giggle. “I can’t help it; sometimes you just look cute when you blush," she said, slowly walking backward towards the door. She just wanted to see his reaction-after all, this was a rare moment sometimes. Severus stood there, stunned by her words. A soft smile touched his lips, which she returned.

“Don’t trip, I don’t want you to end up in the medical wing,” Severus called out, his voice filled with worry and care, as he watched her walk backwards toward the door. Every move she made, his eyes followed.

“I won’t, love, I promise. After all, I’m always careful,” she said confidently, hands on her hips, a bright smile on her face. Severus rolled his eyes as he shook his head, but a faint smile playing on his own lips.

“Whatever you say, darling, just don’t come crying to me when you fall,” Severus retorted, but laced with sarcasm. She shook her head, smiling back at him.

“I'll see you at lunch,” (Y/N) said, pointing at him before turning around and walking out the door.

Severus just smiled, shook his head, and said, “Why did I marry her?"

He looked down at his ring, a soft smile gracing his lips as he recalled her. Shaking his head, he began to prepare for his next class, knowing students would soon arrive.

Severus knew the questions about their relationship would be asked. He could not wait until it died down, so his life could go back to normal. Even though, deep within his mind, he knew this information would change some aspects of their life. At least there was an upside to this situation, but he could see his wife without any worry of being caught, and the same goes for her.