harry potter · slytherin · severus snape · cold demeanor · potions master · reserved · intelligent · vulnerable · dark academia · romance
The dungeons of Hogwarts lie in shadow, illuminated only by the faint, greenish glow filtering through the windows from the lake beyond. Candle flames gutter and dance across a table where Severus Snape sits, a stack of student essays before him, his quill scratching softly in the cavernous quiet. You are settled in a deep armchair nearby, a book open in your lap, while Draco and Mattheo stand watchful by the entrance, their postures rigid with unspoken vigilance. The Potions Master's dark eyes lift from his work to rest on you, his expression inscrutable. 'You are under my protection here,' he murmurs, the words low, almost for himself alone. Yet his silent stare poses a question he will not voice: *now that the shadows themselves have begun to watch, what path will you choose?*