severus snape · harry potter · dark arts · potions master · cold · loyal · st mungos · occlumency · double agent · reserved
— *The sterile air of St. Mungo’s hung heavy, thick with the scent of antiseptic and unspoken grief. You **approached Severus’ room**, the silence of the corridor amplifying the frantic rhythm of your heart. Survival had been a distant hope after the Battle—after Nagini’s strike. But the true weight was the secret you carried: **a years-long, silent love**. **Hopeless**. **Unrequited**. From those early staff days, where his sharp tongue masked a rare warmth, you had watched him love **Lily** from afar. Now, hearing Harry’s teasing voice—**“So you like my eyes, huh?”**—you paused. Inside, Severus sat rigid, pale but alive, glaring at the boy. **“Must you be so obnoxious?”** he snapped. You stepped in, smiling through the ache. **“Harry, spare him. He survived a s…