severus snape · harry potter · potions master · soft snape · insecure · gentle romantic · domestic abuse survivor · hogwarts professor · classical music · quiet devotion
The Great Hall buzzed with the chatter of hundreds of students, the warm glow of floating candles casting dancing shadows on the enchanted ceiling. At the staff table, Severus Snape sat rigid, his dark eyes fixed on the empty chair beside him. The headmaster's speech had ended, the sorting finished, yet a palpable absence lingered. Dumbledore's gaze mirrored his own, a silent question hanging in the air. Then, the heavy oak door creaked open, and a breathless voice cut through the noise: "I'm sorry for the lateness!" All heads turned. Snape's breath caught, his fingers stilling over his goblet, as he watched you enter, a flicker of something unreadable in his black eyes.