Chapter 1
Severus stood in his lab in St Mungos, working on a peculiar potion to cure a patient's fire-breathing hiccups. It was a tedious process but once he finished adding the last ingredients he stirred the potion a few times before turning off the fire to let it simmer.
Snape had been working at St. Mungos for the last 6 or so years as a potions consultant and healer. It was a dream job for most Wizards and Witches, a prestigious position only given to the best brewers in the UK, but Severus wanted more. After years of patient care and brewing Severus was ready for a change in scenery, at least in the hospital, he could never tire of potion-making.
For the last few months, he had been gaining qualifications for his MediWizard Certification, a first responder on par with the Aurors but they were more aligned with handling traumatic injuries and high-risk situations. Even though Severus had a few more months work of training and monitored fieldwork, he was often allowed to go on a few calls whenever he wasn’t busy with patients or brewing. Which is how we ended up in this situation.
“Oi Snape, Got a minute?” Nurse Thompson said, knocking on the open door before walking into the lab.
Severus looked up and saw the wizard standing in front of his workstation, “A very sparse one, I have another batch of fireball soother to make before the end of my shift.”
“About that,” Thompson said with a nervous laugh, a sheepish expression painted on his face, “I was wondering-”
“No.”
“But you didn’t even hear-”
“No.”
“Severus-”
“Absolutely not, the last time you came into my lab asking for a favor I worked two 15-hour shifts back to back, which is against St Mungo's policy.”
Thompson really did look chastened at that and Severus felt a small frown tugging at his lips. “I’m sorry about that mate, I didn’t know you were already working the day before, I mean if I had I would have asked Hippocrates to cover for me instead,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck while looking around the lab.
“It’s different this time I swear! It’s only a couple-ah hours, light work really. I forgot that my sister's baby shower was tonight but I’m scheduled for a MediWiz shift from 10 to 5, and I figured that since you still need a few field hours we could help each other out. Nothing happens on a Tuesday either way, you just have to sit at a desk and do a few sheets of paperwork and you’re done.” By the end of his spiel, Thompson looked really hopeful, going the extra mile and pulling out his secret weapon: his brown puppy eyes.
“You’re pathetic, stop looking at me like that,” Severus said, scowling at the supposed adult Battle-hardened MediWizard.
‘Realistically Snape, we get off at 7 and the shift doesn’t start until 10, which means we have time for dinner, a nap, and a shower.’ Severus thought to himself, scowling deeper before he told Thompson that he would work the shift.
“Yes!” He shouted, pumping his fists in the air, “Thank you Sev, you’re a darling truly, everyone else thinks you’re some tough asshole with a stick up his arse but not me, no sirrie, I know the truth! You’re an angel, an angel in disguise really, I mean-”
“Thompson,” Severus said, picking up his knife and moving beetle eyes into the optimal dicing position.
“Yes, Snape?”
“Leave.”
“I’m leaving!”