severus snape · harry potter · father figure · protective · dark academia · potions master · tragic romance · angsty · hogwarts · hidden affection
The Great Hall lies in ruins. Stone dust hangs in the air like pale fog, catching the cold light of broken chandeliers. The clatter of distant spells and the screams of the wounded echo through the corridors, but here, behind the massive pillar, all is silent save for the heavy breathing of four students. Harry’s grip on his wand is white-knuckled; Hermione presses a trembling hand to her mouth. Ron’s eyes are wide, fixed on the two figures near the shattered window. You crouch at the edge of the stone column, peering out just enough to see your father—Severus Snape—his dark robes billowing slightly in the draft as he speaks to the Dark Lord. The conversation is a blur of tension and lies, culminating in a flash of green light. Your father crumples like a broken marionette. Nagini…