The door of the dungeon slammed open, announcing the arrival of Bellatrix.

“Severus!” She cooed, sidling up to him and kissing him on the mouth. “I have good news,” She purred.

“End dictation!” Snape called to the quill. He had finished a list of all the new books, another of the books he did not have, except in this new library, and was starting on a list of the potions ingredients. “Yes, Bellatrix?” He asked, turning to his wife. She sat on the stone table, and to Snape’s irritation, barely avoided knocking several very expensive vials off the table.

“I have very, very good news,” She purred, caressing the side of his face. Her hand rubbed circles on his chest. Snape had to stifle his irritation. This woman…

“Would you like to tell me what it is?” He asked her calmly. She played with the edges of his robe. A teasing grin flitted across her face. He sighed. “Either tell me or don’t. I have work to do, Bellatrix.” She pouted.

 “You’re always working, Sev.” Snape stiffened. “You should take some time off to play.” She grinned savagely. Her fingers weaved through his shirt, worming their way towards his skin. He pulled her hands off him.

“Tell me or don’t. If you aren’t going to tell, then please leave. I have work to do and you’re in the way.” Annoyance and anger flickered across Bellatrix’s face.

“I’m in the way?” She repeated, eyes flinty.

“Yes. I am in need of the table your rear is resting on.” Bellatrix’s face went red.

“Is that some kind of veiled wisecrack about my weight?” She questioned angrily. Severus threw his hands up in the air. Women and their weight sensitivities.

“No. It was a blunt remark on how your butt is occupying valuable space on my table. Until you move it I cannot continue my work,” Snape explained, but Bellatrix seemed not to hear. Her whole face was bright red, and the spark of insanity that perpetually lingered in her eyes was transformed from a spark to a blaze.

“SEVERUS SNAPE, YOU BASTARD!” She screamed. She leapt up from the table and whirled out of the dungeon. The vials shuddered as she violently slammed the doors. Snape yelled his fury. He ripped off the ring on his finger and threw it across the room. Matrimony be damned. He could not stand to be near her another minute. A thread in his mind, long forgotten, quivered. The smell of fresh rain permeated the air.

‘Calm down, Sevvy.’ Severus started. After all these years, she was still alive? ‘You’ll be ok. Deep breaths.’ Severus sat down, crossing his long elegant fingers. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

‘It has been a long time,’ Severus responded to the voice in his mind. ‘I was beginning to doubt that you still lived.’ The sound of a woman’s laughter trickled through their mental link.

‘I am alive as you are, Severus.’

‘Then why have you not taken charge of your nephew? Why have you not come back to us? After your sister’s death…’ Severus could feel the sadness through the link.

‘I am sorry, Severus. There is still so much I cannot say. So much I am not allowed to tell you. I would if I could, you know this. I am glad you have found someone who will be there by your side. Someone you love. I miss you.’ The voice carried pride and happiness, but also a hint of sadness.

“I do not love Bellatrix…’ The link snapped and his connection was gone. Severus swore. ‘I miss you too’. He tried sending the thought down the link, but halfway it hit a mental wall and couldn’t break through. She was hidden from him. Again. He sighed and opened his eyes. What happened today was so unexpected, so unpredictable, that he had no hope of it ever happening again. The one person on earth still living that he enjoyed talking to had vanished when his best friend Lily had died. However, he could not afford to dwell on it. He now had to go and apologize to the last person on earth he wanted to talk to. Bellatrix. He knew if he did not, both Dumbledore and Voldemort would kill him, Voldemort quite possibly literally. Sighing, he picked up the ringg, placing it back on his finger, and trudged up the stairs to the room they shared. He knocked tentatively on the closed door.

“Bellatrix?” He called.

“GO AWAY,” Was the screamed answer. Hidden behind the words Severus could hear the hint of a sob. He grimaced. Dealing with a hysterical Bellatrix was even more trying than dealing with the normal one. This would require precision and, God forbid, pleading.

“Bellatrix, darling, would you please open the door? I would like to speak to you.”

“I SAID, GO AWAY!” Bellatrix yelled back. Snape sat down outside of the door.

“You won’t even give me a chance to explain?” Snape wanted to retch. This sickly sweet begging was beneath him. His mind had already come up with a suitable explanation for what was perfectly natural behavior. To Bellatrix, though, it was a grievous slight against her person. Now all he had to do was sit and wait for her to take the bait. It would not be long.

He was right, as usual. A few moments later, the door to their bedroom opened a crack. A teary-eyed Bellatrix stuck her head out of the opening. She leaned against the doorpost, trying to look casual.

“Explain.”

“Until I married you,” Snape began, “my work was first and foremost in my life. I abhor children, and when I am around potions I slip into potions professor mode. I treated you how I would have treated an annoying student whom I found sitting on my desk.” Bellatrix sniffed.

“So you didn’t mean it?” She asked, her voice quavering. Severus pulled her into a hug.

“Of course not.” He reassured her. In his mind though, he screamed ‘ABSOLUTELY! I meant every word.’ A quiet laugh resonated in his mind. He quickly checked the link. Still closed. Only a memory, then. He was disappointed. Bellatrix startled him back to the present. She clung to him, crying into his robes. ‘Ugh.’

“I was so scared… that… you hated… me… and that…you didn’t want me anymore…” She wailed. Severus nearly laughed aloud. Would no longer want her? What was she, four? He methodically smoothed her hair, remembering the last time he was put into this position. Severus grimaced. The last time held no better memories than this new one.

Many years ago, in Severus’ Final year at Hogwarts

Severus sits at a table in the slytherin common room. A girl with long, dark hair sits next to him. Books are strewn all over the table, and both have their quills out and are writing frantically on scrolls. The girl sighs and rubs her forehead, smearing ink across her face. Noticing it, Severus smirks. She sees his smirk.

“What?” She asks quizzically. He laughs.

“There’s ink on your head,” He informs her. She sighs.

“Naturally.” She winces. “Listen, Sev, I’m sorry, but I can’t stay up with you any longer. I’m exhausted and I don’t feel very well. I’m sorry.” She packs up her scroll and quill, but leaves the books on the table. He doesn’t look up.

“Ok.”

“Goodnight Sev,” She says, heading up the stairs to the girls dorm.

“Night June.” He responds, quill still frantically scratching away at the paper. An hour passes, and the clock chimes eleven. He rubs his tired eyes. Suddenly there is a noise outside the common room. He ignores it, but it comes again. He sighs and gets up, peering out of the common room. Snape stiffens. Standing in the shadows is a familiar figure. The candle flame he holds illuminates the tearstained face of his former best friend, Lily Evans, the sister of his actual best friend, June Evans. Lily hasn’t talked to him since that day when that infernal James and his intolerable friends pushed him too far. When he called lily that terrible name.

“Sev,” She whimpers. He stares calmly back at her.

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry.” She whispers. “I…” She begins to sob. Without even thinking, he gathers her up in his arms. She was his best friend. Contrary to popular belief, he held no romantic desires for Lily. She was one of his best friends, that was it. She was one of the most important people in his life, even if she had ditched him for James. He would do anything to protect her.

“What happened?” He asks her.

“I… my sister…It was a dare… I didn’t want to do it… James…” She sobs harder, her words barely understandable. His blood turns to ice.

“What… what did you do to June?” He asks, his heart pounding in his ears. Lily sniffs.

“Sirius was bored.” Snape grits his teeth. Bad things always seem to come when Sirius gets bored. “He dared James to cast a memory charm that would make someone forget their entire self for a full day and to cast it on the first person he saw. It takes effect tomorrow.” Lily looks at Severus miserably. “Guess who came around the corner.” Snape sighs.

“June. Naturally.” Lily nods wretchedly. “I didn’t hear about this until after it happened. James pulled it off brilliantly, but…” Snape glares at her.

“Let me guess. He has no idea how to remove it.” Lily nods again, his words bringing on a fresh spray of tears. “And you didn’t tell me until now because...?” Snape trails off irritably.

“I… I was afraid… and I didn’t want you to be mad at me…” Severus snarls at her.

“You were afraid. Your sister could lose memory of her entire life, and you do not tell anyone about it because you’re afraid. Aren’t you supposed to be a Gryffindor?”

Present Day

Snape shook his head angrily. It’s been many years, and the memory of that night still makes him angry. Suddenly, a loud growl erupted from his stomach. Bellatrix laughed through her tears.

“Honestly Severus. One would think you’d be satisfied with breakfast.” Severus shrugged.

“I believe that would require one to have breakfast.” He released Bellatrix with a shudder. Touching her was like touching something slimy and revolting. She grabbed his hand and led him to the dining room.

“Well, let’s get something to eat, and then I can tell you my news!” She exclaimed. Severus followed obediently behind, not wanting to risk raising her ire once more.