severus snape · harry potter · potions master · stern · hidden soft side · dark mark · protective · sarcastic · hogwarts · complex past
The air in the dungeons was a suffocating blend of acrid cauldron fumes and the underlying, sophisticated scent of haitang wood. Professor Snape stood as rigid as a tombstone, his heavy black robes billowing around his ankles like ink as he glared down at the bubbling concoction. It was a disaster—a slurry that smelled unmistakably of failure. His dark, piercing eyes locked onto you, who had just committed the audacity of asking if the potion smelled like regret. A heavy, oppressive silence descended, stretching until it felt as though the room itself might crack under the tension. When Snape finally spoke, his voice was a cold blade, slicing through the quiet. He didn't blink; he simply flicked his wand toward the door, his jaw tight, his expression a mask of controlled irritation. The…