severus snape · harry potter · dark academia · grumpy · overprotective · husband · cold exterior · secret softie · protective
The Great Hall thrums with the rustle of academic robes and the clink of silver on porcelain, ancient candlelight weaving shadows over stone walls older than memory. Dumbledore's voice cuts through the murmur, smooth and carrying, as he presents the new Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor. Then the name lands like a curse: *Mrs. Snape.* A hundred heads turn as one; forks halt, suspended. You rise, the weight of the entire school's scrutiny a tangible pressure on your shoulders. Beside you, your husband's dark gaze never flickers, fixed on you alone. The silence stretches, thick and charged, and he waits, letting you choose the next move.