-33-
The Greenhouse is dead silent. Both of us are trying to let everything to sink in. Severus has his mouth slightly open out of shock what he just saw. While keeping my head low, couple tears are rolling down my face. I feel so powerless, weak, ashamed... "I-I didn't... I mean, I..." I shudder. Still not able to look at him in the eyes. Then, he closes the mouth and hardens the gaze. Why isn't he saying anything? There is darkness in Severus's eyes:"I just realized, I have a meeting with the Professor of History of Magic.". Huh? Just when I lift my head up to see him, he's already on the move. "Wait..!" I run after him. What is he going to do?! As he walks out of the classroom, he whips his wand and the door gets closed behind him, leaving me alone to the class. "No, Severus!!" I try to open the door. Seems like he has locked me in here!
Panic hits. I don't want him to get into trouble! Quickly, I draw out my wand to open the door:"Alohomora!". No use. Damn it! He must've shield with some another spell. Having no time to think other lock opening spell, I point the wand at the door again and take couple steps back:"Bombarda!". BOOM! The door breaks and I rush out. Severus keeps heading the History of Magic classroom with long steps, determined look on his face. The cape behind him barely touches the floors as he's walking. No idea what's on his mind right now. I'm actually scared. "What do you think you are doing?! Don't be a fool, Severus! He's not worth it!" my voice echoes thru the castle when I finally get to the hallways. He's way too fast. Every possible door he walks thru, he closes them with the spell, which slowers me down. Merlin!
Lockhart happens to be sitting behind the desk in peace, writing some autographs on his moving black and white pictures. While I'm struggling with the damn doors far behind, Severus enters the History of Magic classroom - by blasting the door open with his wand. It won't break the door, but sure swung it open and it hits hard against the wall. As soon as the door blasts open, Lockhart shoots up stunned what's going on:"What in the name of Mer..-", "Expelliarmus." Severus uses the spell without stopping his walk towards the scum. Lockhart gets slammed back on the chair. He has no time to react when the Potions Master has already come stand so close, sticking the wand right up against his neck.
Severus has pure rage in his eyes as he stares at the man down. "Not only did you not listen my advice to stay away from her... You actually acted on your disturbing thoughts." he hisses thru his teeth, holding himself back from actually using physical violence. Lockhart is terrified and doesn't really wanna believe Severus has found out what he did, so he desides to play dumb. "...Wh-who are we talking about again?" he chuckles weakly. The audacity that this man has makes Severus see red. "Stealing the cape under my nose and pretending to be me, is already unforgivable - but taking advantage of (Y/N) and her pure heart... You have no idea who you are dealing with." Severus hisses with very threatening tone. Lockhart starts panicking even more now:"N-now, calm down now, Severus... I'm sure there is some misunderstanding here. (Y/N) wanted it..-", "If she wanted it so much, why did you had to poison her drink in Hog's Head Inn?" Severus snaps back and holds onto Lockhart by the collar with the other hand. Lockhart's weak smile falls down slowly.
Just then, me and Minerva rush in and stop right at the doorway. "Severus!!" I gasp. I happened to run into Minerva in her nightgown after she rushed to see what's going on, since she heard me blasting the doors open around the castle. Didn't have the time to explain her what was really going on, only told her Severus might end Lockhart's life soon. Severus doesn't pay any attention to us and continues to stare at the man in the chair:"Malevolent Mixture. With the right amount, used as a tool to make innocent victim to feel sick and loose control of themselves. Easy target for someone who has impure thoughts on their mind.". Malevolent Mixture?! My eyes widens as I began to realize, it was Lockhart who poisoned me!
Lockhart's eyes shifts on us, then back to the Potions Master:"...I don't know what you are talking about, Severus. Clearly, you got the wrong..-", "Thought you would say that." Severus quickly pulls out something from his pocket, grabs Lockhart by the jaw and forces him to drink the potion he just pulled out. Minerva and I gasp and take couple steps forward:"What are you doing?!". Neither of us knowing which potion he just used. It could be anything at this point. For a quick moment, Lockhart gurgles the liquid, but ends up swallowing it. Severus lets go of his jaw and keeps pointing at him with the wand:"Now tell me, did you or did you not put the Malevolent Mixture in (Y/L)'s drink at the Hog's Head Inn?". Lockhart tries to fight back against the potion, but blurs out:"...Yes. I did.". "What in the..?" Minerva's eyes are wide as she keeps turning her head from the men to me and back to them. After all, she had no clue what happened to me back then.
Severus continues:"You assaulted (Y/L) in the Broom Cupboard last night, didn't you?". My heart drops and I feel tensed up as he said that. Can feel how Minerva puts her hands around me from behind, gently stroking side of my arms. She's clearly shocked and broken what she's hearing. Lockhart puts his hand into a fist as he once again tries to fight against the potion in him. "I did tried to have sexual intercourse with her, yes. But she wouldn't give in! No matter how nice I was about it! She clearly wanted it." he rasp out. My eyes gets glossy, but I push the tears down. Minerva leans closer to my ear, suggesting us to leave, but I won't budge. All I want to do is go up to him and scream right up his face, but I can't. There are no words coming out my mouth, even I try to. "...re you." I manage to stutter out.
Severus now becomes aware we are in the room, and he sees how upset I am. Knowing no one heard what I just stuttered, so I repeat:"...How dare you! I never con-consented to anything like that with you!". Seeing how broken I am makes rage pump in Severus's veins again. He puts the wand up against Lockhart's cheek, ready to say something until another person walks in to the room. "That's enough, Severus." strong familiar voice says with very stern tone. It got us all off guard and we turn to see who's at the doorway. "Albus!" Minerva gasps out of surprise. None of us can believe our eyes. Dumbledore, he's back! "Albus! The-these people are throwing very serious false accusations..!" Lockhart panics, too afraid to get up from the chair either. Seems like the potion worned out already.
The Headmaster walks deeper into the room and stops right beside me and Minerva. Somehow, all three of us feel way more calm when he's in here. Then, Dumbledore places his hand on my shoulder and looks at my friend behind me:"Please take (Y/N) back to her chamber. Severus and I need to have a... Little talk, with Mr. Gilderoy over here.". Before I can react, Minerva starts leading me out of the classroom:"Come on, dear.". I keep glancing over my shoulder and see how Dumbledore approaches Potions Master hands behind his back:"Put the wand down, will you.". Severus does as told with gritted teeth:"But, Headmaster..-", "I'll handle the talking, if you'll please." Dumbledore keeps very calm tone the whole time. What are they going to do?
There was no point for me to hide or lie to Minerva anymore. After she used Reparo to fix the doors I have broken, we sat down in my chamber and I told her everything. Everything that happened in Hog's Head Inn. How I didn't just get drunk and head back to the castle on my own. How Lockhart has been making these weird approaches here and there. How he acted around with that one student. What Umbridge said to me when I went up to her. And what happened in the Broom Cupboard... Fire keeps flaming in the fireplace as we are sitting on the sofa. She keeps staring at me, looking all worried:"(Y/N)...". I can't look at her, so I keep my gaze down:"How could I be so dumb?". As soon as those words came out of my mouth, I can't hold it in any longer and I just break down crying. Minerva wraps her arms around me and pulls me close to embrace like a caring a mother:"Ouhw... It's alright, love. It's over now.".
Minerva stayed in the chamber two more hours to make sure I'm alright. Even I told her she can go back to her chamber, so she can get some sleep before the morning. After I fell asleep under the blanket in my own bed, Minerva got up from the sofa and heads to the door quietly. The little creak noise the wooden door makes as she carefully opens it, wakes me up from the cozy sleep. Hm? I'm so sleepy it's really hard tell if I'm dreaming at this point or not. Can see how she has her back on me. My eyes feels so heavy from all that crying, so I just keep my head on the pillow and watch her leave. Thank you, Minerva. For everything.
All I can see is how she gets out of the room and just when she's about to close the door behind, she whispers slightly surprised tone:"Severus?". My eyes gets a little bit more open, but I don't dare to raise my head up from the pillow. From my point of view, I can't see him. Deep familiar voice says something with very calm tone which I can't quite hear, but guessing he asked how I was doing. Minerva starts closing the door behind her:"She's asleep...". The door makes a tiny sound as it gets closed. Can't hear anything what they are talking right outside of the chamber, but they walk away together and I fall into sleep again. Severus... I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner.