Chapter 14

After finishing my homework early, I left the common room and headed towards the Potions classroom in the dungeons. Severus was usually there brewing his potions at this time.

The dungeons were perpetually cool, making them ideal for preserving potion ingredients. The Potions classroom, located there, benefited from this environment. Severus had mentioned that the Slytherin dormitories were situated underwater, beneath the lake. Such a cold and damp environment seemed unsuitable for student living, especially for seven years. Not every Slytherin must have liked this tradition. Sometimes I thought Hogwarts was too old-fashioned and stubborn. Or perhaps it was the entire wizarding world clinging to their antiquated ways.

I gently pushed open the door to the Potions classroom and, sure enough, there was Severus. His potion was bubbling in the cauldron as he stirred it methodically. Noticing my arrival, Severus didn't get distracted or greet me. I closed the door quietly and tiptoed to a table by the wall, sitting down with my book.

The classroom was serene, filled only with the bubbling of the potion and the occasional rustling of my pages. This was my favorite time of day—peaceful, with no laughter, no conversations, just the sound of breathing bringing a sense of calm.

I was reading a Muggle novel. I often read Muggle books during this time—sometimes literature, sometimes books from other fields like science, finance, psychology, or even hypnosis. I also read Chinese books, all relatively simple, making them easy to read. Despite wizards' disdain for Muggle things, they had achieved remarkable accomplishments. I wanted to maintain some connection with the Muggle world through these books.

After finishing a chapter, I marked my place with a magical bookmark and closed the book. Rubbing my tired eyes, I stretched lazily and lay my head on the desk, glancing at Severus through a tilted perspective. He was still focused, calculating time and heat, his dark eyes fixed on the potion. His hair, now long enough to touch his ears, looked a bit greasy and clumped in strands. Hmm, Severus needs to wash his hair, I thought as sleepiness crept over me.

Severus finally finished, carefully transferring the potion into a vial. Looking over, he couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of Sawyer asleep on the desk.

After cleaning up, Severus approached and sat down beside her, quietly reading his book.

"Ah—it's so late! We've missed curfew for quite a while now... Severus, why didn't you wake me?" I whispered, running my hands through my hair in distress.

"I saw you were asleep," Severus replied, closing his book and starting to pack his bag.

"Oh, Severus... Did you sit here reading the whole time?" I asked, gathering my books from the desk, feeling guilty. "I'm sorry, Severus. You could have woken me up so you could get back to your dorm earlier. It's so late now... I shouldn't have fallen asleep here."

"It's fine. I'll walk you back to the tower," Severus said, closing the Potions classroom door quietly. "Shh... We'll go this way. Slughorn's quarters are nearby, and we need to be quiet."

At the staircase, I stopped him. "You don't need to escort me. Your dorm is in the dungeons, and it's a long way to Gryffindor Tower. Plus, we have Filch and patrolling professors..."

"That's why I'm insisting. Let's go," Severus interrupted, leaving no room for argument as he started up the stairs.

I pouted but followed. "But two of us together are more likely to be caught," I muttered internally. Does he have more experience with sneaking around than I do? Hogwarts is full of secrets, and every night journey feels like a new adventure. To avoid being caught by patrolling staff or other night owls, like Potter's group, you need some skills.

"Can't you use a Disillusionment Charm now?" Severus asked, waiting for me to catch up.

I was surprised. "How did you know?" I had only learned it last week and hadn't shown it off yet.

"I noticed you were looking for books on Disillusionment Charms in the library for some time. Given your abilities, I figured you would have mastered it by now," Severus said naturally.

"Was I that obvious?" I muttered, feeling exposed. Standing in the corridor, I cast a Disillusionment Charm on both of us, making Severus vanish. I added a Silencing Charm around us to muffle our footsteps and voices.

"Severus?" Unable to see him, I reached out and grabbed his arm. "Alright, let's go."

Walking through the empty hallways, a thought crossed my mind. "Severus, are you planning to keep using the Potions classroom for brewing?"

"It's not ideal. I can only brew certain potions there with the professor's permission. Slughorn has allowed me to make some advanced potions, but the school only provides basic ingredients. For more experiments, I need a private workspace. I was thinking of finding an unused, hidden classroom."

"Maybe I can keep an eye out during my night wanderings," I offered. Perhaps I could ask the house-elves in the kitchen. They know many places we don't, besides preparing food and cleaning the castle.

"Thanks..."

We reached the portrait of the Fat Lady outside the Gryffindor common room. After giving the password, the sleepy Fat Lady swung open the frame.

"You've arrived. I'll head back," Severus said, preparing to leave.

"Severus, be careful. You can end the Disillusionment Charm with 'Finite Incantatem' when you get back. Goodnight!" I released his arm.

"Goodnight."

Hearing his reply, I turned and entered the common room, the portrait closing behind me. The common room was empty, with only the dying embers in the fireplace flickering. I dispelled the Disillusionment Charm and slipped back into my dormitory.