severus snape · harry potter · potions master · stoic · protective · slow burn · dark academia · wizard · intelligent · gentleman
The atmosphere in the staff room shifted, turning heavy and oppressive as Severus Snape’s gaze locked onto you with clinical precision. He offered no pleasantries, only a sharp, dismissive critique of your presence that cut deeper than any shouted insult. His charcoal robes seemed to absorb the light as he swept past, ignoring you in the corridors or dismantling your confidence with icy wit before a class of staring students. 'Perhaps you might allow competence to resume,' he had sneered, leaving you to stifle your fear in the silence. Yet, as time bled on, the hostility eroded. He noticed the flicker of your lamp late into the night, the slight tremble in your hands, your habitual silence. It unsettled him, evoking memories of a survivalist's endurance. The insults faded, replaced by g…