HP: Those Years Sleeping with the Half-Blood Prince

Severus's heart sank.

Another figure in black robes raised his wand, the tip pointing in the general direction of his hiding place, and cursed, "Meddlesome brat, come out!"

Severus knew he had been exposed. He stepped half a step out of the shadows, held his wand level, and shot out a beam of red light with pinpoint accuracy.

"Disarm you!"

As the wand flew from his hand, Severus had already moved again to avoid becoming a fixed target.

The wizard who had been struck cried out in pain and cursed, while his companion turned completely around, his wand locked on Severus: "You're asking for it!"

"Obstacles are numerous!"

The spell was fired at the wooden crates piled up next to the person opposite.

The box was slammed down on the people, forcing them to dodge, and the spell was interrupted.

Taking advantage of that brief moment of opening, Severus growled at the terrified boy, his voice urgent: "Run! Now!"

The boy seemed to wake from a dream, and scrambled towards the other end of the fork in the road, disappearing around the corner.

The two dark wizards' anger was now entirely directed at Severus.

The spells began to rain down, no longer as a threat, but as a truly malicious attack.

Severus dodged through the narrow alleyway filled with debris, retaliating with Obstacle Charms and Leg-Lowering Charms as he retreated rapidly, calculating his escape route.

"Over there! Stop him!" More footsteps and shouts came from the direction of the main alley.

Severus's pupils contracted slightly. Without hesitation, he turned and ran in the opposite direction from the Leaky Cauldron, into the more chaotic depths of Knockdown Alley.

After turning a corner filled with rotten wooden crates, there was a high wall ahead, a dead end.

Severus stopped, panting, leaning against the cold brick wall. His wand pointed towards the only way he had come. His mind raced. The Disillusionment Charm was too late, and he couldn't reliably use Apparate outside Hogwarts. An offensive spell…

Footsteps drew closer.

The moment the first figure in black robes appeared around the corner—

"They'll all be petrified!"

The spell did not come from Severus, but from above and to his side.

The black-robed wizard fell stiffly to the ground. The second wizard looked up in astonishment, but before he could even see the attacker, another stun spell struck him.

Severus looked up abruptly.

On the broken windowsill of the third floor of a leaning building next door, Ian was squatting there, his wand pointing downwards, his face not looking too good.

There seemed to be another figure behind him, but it disappeared in a flash.

"What are you spacing out for!" Ian hissed, jumping out of the window. "Over here!"

He grabbed Severus's wrist and, without a word, dragged him into a low doorway that was almost completely covered in garbage.

Inside was a narrow, musty passage. The two hurried through the dimly lit passage until they heard no more pursuers behind them. They stopped in a corner filled with discarded crucibles and leaned against the damp, cold wall, panting.

"How could you..." Severus gasped for breath.

"A two-way mirror," Ian replied briefly, wiping his forehead—whether from sweat or something else—"When the magical fluctuations on your side become disordered, the mirror gets hot. I made an excuse about a stomachache and slipped away from Slughorn's side, but luckily Aris covered for me."

He looked Severus up and down. "Are you hurt?"

"No," Severus shook his head, looking at him. "Just now upstairs..."

"It's a friend of Kevin's uncle, someone with connections in this area. He takes money to do things—lead the way, and sometimes even block things for us," Ian said quickly. "Don't ask too many questions. I'll explain later. Got the stuff?"

"Yes, I've got it written here." Severus pointed to his temple.

Ian let out a breath, then showed some lingering fear and frustration. "Next time, either don't come to places like this, or..." He glared at Severus, "call me."

Severus didn't argue, he just nodded. His wrist was still being gripped by Ian, and it hurt a little, but he didn't pull it away.

"……Thanks."

Ian snorted, released his grip, and walked ahead first. "Stop talking nonsense and hurry up. It's getting dark, and it'll be even more lively here at night."

They circled back to the relatively safe area through another hidden passage and returned to Hogsmeade through the fireplace of another small pub.

When they returned to the castle, the curfew had just begun.

Aris and Kevin were both in the common room. They visibly relaxed when they saw that they were both back.

"How is it?" Aris asked.

"There was some progress," Severus said, pausing for a moment. "I encountered a small problem, but I've resolved it."

Kevin's eyes widened: "They're really fighting? I knew we should use that amulet!"

"It came in handy; it tripped one of them." Severus took out the cracked stone shard. "Thank you."

Kevin immediately became smug again.

Aris adjusted his glasses. "It's good that you're back safe and sound. Professor Slughorn asked about Ian later, and I told him he went to the medical wing. Mrs. Pomfrey can testify that she did see Ian walk by, looking pale."

Ian slumped onto the sofa, waving his hand weakly: "Thanks, I'll treat you to pumpkin juice tomorrow, until you throw up."

Severus looked at them, and the chill that had been gripping him ever since he left Knockturn Alley was finally dispelled somewhat by the warmth of the fireplace and the noise of his companions.

In the stillness of the night, Severus sat in his four-poster bed, and by the glow of his wand tip, he wrote down in his notebook what he had memorized during the day.

Those ancient wisdoms gave him a long-lost sense of clarity.

On the next bed, Ian seemed to be asleep, his breathing steady.

As he wrote the last line, Severus paused, glancing up at Ian's bed.

Darkness filled the gaps in the curtains.

But he knew that person was there.

This is enough.

He put away his pen and notebook, and the glow of the firefly went out.

……

The next morning, Severus met Lily in the Great Hall. She was carrying a plate of oatmeal and sat down next to him naturally, pushing a jar of honey toward him.

"Severus!" Lily's tone was concerned. "Are you... alright? I heard some... rumors a few days ago."

The news of the Ministry of Magic's arrival eventually spread within a small circle, albeit with different versions.

"I'm fine." Severus took the honey. "I was just cooperating with the investigation; it's all resolved now."

Lily scrutinized his face, as if trying to confirm that he was telling the truth.

Then she breathed a sigh of relief: "That's good, Edgar, you know, Burns, his uncle works at the Ministry of Magic, it sounds pretty scary, but you always manage to handle things."

This trust warmed Severus's heart. Lily's world was relatively bright and simple. She might not fully understand the gray areas and silent pressures he navigated, but she always stood by him as a friend and offered her support.

"Have you finished your Defense Against the Dark Arts paper?" Lily changed the subject to something lighter. "Professor Chisman's requirements this time were outrageous. I had to consult five books to barely reach the required length."

"It's finished. I can give you the bibliography if you need it."

"Great! Let's meet at the library next time, okay? By the way, how about we go to the Three Broomsticks this weekend for Hogsmeade Day? Mary and Marlene are coming too, just for a butterbeer and a chat." Lily looked at him expectantly.

Severus hesitated for a moment.

"Go ahead," Ian said. "Just consider it a break. Kevin and Aris will go too."

Severus finally nodded. "Okay."