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Much Ado About Nothing	By : goblet Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 2534 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by The Goblet

Chapter 30

Severus sat in an empty dormitory in the Hufflepuff residences. He was heart-broken; he felt as though every bone in his body had been crushed, every muscle ripped from its tendons.

His chest hurt.

It felt as though there was an elephant sitting on his ribcage, it hurt so much.

Throwing himself down to lie down on one of the beds, Severus lay sprawled on the blankets. He didn't want to eat the sandwiches Minerva had sent up. He didn't want to read any of his potion texts. He didn't want to brew any potions.

He couldn't help but revisit the morning's events over and over again in his mind.

…Not to knit my soul to an official wanton…

…I am ashamed enough that I helped Remus acquire the affection of a common whore…

…He is anything but the figure of love, devotion and faithfulness…

…He is not worthy to enter into the matrimonial state…

…I saw him; heard him; smelt him engaged in sexual intercourse with another man…

…This other man spoke of the vile encounters they have had a thousand times in secret…

…I fare you well: you and your pure impiety and impious purity…

…I hate you. I never want to see you again. Is that clear, Snivellus? You are nothing but a common Knockturn Alley whore!

He couldn't understand why Remus and Sirius had acted this way. If they had, indeed, seen what they alleged they saw the previous night, why had they not mentioned anything to him? Why had they not returned to his chambers immediately and questioned him? Why did they think to accuse him at what was meant to be his wedding? Why did Remus reject him so publicly?

As Severus lay there, sobbing, his chest so tight it ached, he knew the answer: Remus wanted nothing more to do with him. Nothing. Ever Again. That was why he had been publicly humiliated. That was why he had been left at the altar.

Severus knew that there was nothing that he could say or do or prove that would ever change that.

There was naught he could do to win back his lover. The man he loved. The man he used to love. No – the man he still loved.

But part of him could not comprehend how Remus could have believed him capable of this. Why had his fianc� automatically assumed that Severus was guilty? Did he not know Severus well enough by now to realise that Severus would never, ever do anything like that?

Did he not know that he was Severus' one and only? That Severus had lost his virginity to him? That Severus would never cheat?

He ought to have known that! Severus had even broken up with him because he would not take their relationship to the next level.

How can Remus not have known that I love him, with all my heart, with all my mind, with all my soul?

Severus could not believe that Remus could have forgotten that: but if he knew that, believed that then he could not have thought that Severus would cheat on him, that Severus had been cheating on him, that Severus was a Knockturn Alley Whore.

Severus cried out in pain. "WHY?" he screamed to the heavens. "WHY? Why? Why?" he mumbled into his pillow as tears began to flow freely.

Later that afternoon, Severus was startled by a large brown falcon landing on his stomach. Recognising the falcon as Wilkes' messenger bird, he hastily wiped the tears away from his eyes with the cuff of his robes, sat up, and detached the scrolls of parchment from the bird's leg.

Before opening the scroll, Severus offered the falcon the sandwiches Minerva had sent up to his room earlier. As the bird devoured the turkey breast filling, Severus broke open the seal on the scroll and unrolled the two pieces of parchment which sprang open.

Putting Remus' betrayal out of his mind as much as he could at the moment, Severus smoothed out the first parchment and began to read.

~~~

30 June 1979

Severus,

I am writing to you to congratulate you on the successful completion of your Potions Apprenticeship, and your achievement of the qualification of Master of Potions.

Your accreditation for this level of competency has been registered with the Ministry of Magic, and your certificates and registration papers will be forwarded to you via registered owl once the paperwork has been processed (i.e. when the ministry monkeys get their arses into gear). In the interim, please find enclosed a copy of your application for registration.

I would like to take the opportunity to compliment your skills as a true Potions Master. I knew, from the moment I first saw you brew a potion, that you had the makings of a true Master. Your work to date has been outstanding, and your diligence: excellent. As such I would, at this time, like to offer you a contract of employment with me, in my laboratory.

Miss Evans, has not, yet, achieved the status of Potions Master and as such I would appreciate your discretion on this matter, and any arrangement that we may come to in the future.

This letter also serves another purpose. Your superb work aptitude and your refreshing views on our current government and political climate, has brought you to the attention of one of my close friends. He would like to meet you to discuss with you your ideas on the future of the wizarding race.

I, personally, believe that you have many interests in common, and would benefit from each other's respective talents. I have mentioned to him your recent experimentations with truth serums and the like, and he is very interested in what you have discovered.

If you would care to meet with me and my friend, please accept my invitation to dinner this evening at my home at seven o'clock. Again, I would ask for discretion in this matter, as I do not care for Miss Evans to get her knickers in a knot.

You are under no obligation to attend this evening, I only ask that you reply via return owl your acceptance or declination of this invitation.

Congratulations, once again, upon attaining your Masters and I hope to dine with you this evening.

Nero Wilkes
Potions Master

~~~

Severus quickly glanced at the second parchment, which was a copy of his application for registration.

If it had been any day, other than today: the day his heart had been shattered, Severus would have felt happiness at achieving his Masters and nervousness at being asked to meet, and have dinner with, Wilkes and his associate. Instead, he felt numb: neither happy, nor nervous, nor pleased, nor scared, but numb.

Knowing that Wilkes was awaiting his response, Severus rummaged through his bag for a scroll of parchment and a quill. Hastily, he wrote a letter of reply to his former Master.

~~~

30 June 1979

Nero,

I am delighted and surprised to learn that you have deemed me qualified enough to be deemed a Potions Master. I thank you for your commendation of my skills to the Ministry of Magic, and I hope that I can make you proud.

With regards to your invitation for me to visit your home this evening, I am most humbled and honoured to accept your kind invitation for dinner at seven o'clock. I look forward to meeting your friend, and am curious as to how we can work together to make the wizarding world a better place to live.

Yours truly,

Severus Snape

~~~

Severus re-read his letter, and after making a minor grammatical change, sealed the scroll and attached it to the falcon's leg. In a flurry of wings, the bird took off and flew out of the window in the direction of Wilkes Manor, leaving Severus alone, once more, in the Hufflepuff dorms.

He sat, brooding, for several minutes, before reaching for another scroll of parchment and dipping his quill into his inkwell once more.

~~~

30 June 1979

Minerva and Lily (and Albus, as I presume you will soon be reading this as well),

Please do not be alarmed when you find me departed. I have not lost my head or done anything foolish. I am not in any immediate danger. Do not try to contact me.

I have been invited to Wilkes Manor for dinner this evening. I do not expect to return: at least not for a few days. I have reason to believe that the Dark Lord will also be in attendance, and that he wishes to discuss certain matters with me, more intimately.

Please find attached my last Will and Testament, to be executed precisely as per my wishes, should anything adverse should occur.

Also attached is a letter to Remus, which I would appreciate you forcing him to read if I do not return. I suggest restraining him with a set of Filch's shackles and reading my epistle aloud to him if he proves to be stubborn.

I will be in touch when it is safe to do so.

Take care,

S

PS You are now speaking to the youngest Potions Master on record. You both owe me five galleons.

~~~

While the ink dried on Severus' letter, he reached for a fresh sheet of parchment. He pondered long and hard, and after he had composed himself and ordered himself to write logically and rationally, Severus began to compose a letter to Remus.

~~~

30 June 1979

My Remus,

As I leave you, I find that I need to speak with you regarding the accusations you levelled against me at what should have been our bonding ceremony.

There is no doubt in my mind that you do not wish to communicate with me at this time, and, as such, I have entrusted this letter to Minerva and Lily, with instructions to ensure that you are made aware of my feelings.

I feel that it is essential that you know that you hurt me terribly today, accusing me of crimes we both know I would never commit. Yet, in spite of your behaviour, I still love you.

For many years now, I have wanted to formalise our relationship; I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with you. Nonetheless, as you are reading this letter, you may safely assume that that will not be occurring, as I am no longer with you.

I admit that I do not understand why you did what you did, but I do concede it was done in anger and confusion, and that you may not have been thinking coherently. That granted; I still feel betrayed, hurt, angry and confused. It never crossed my mind that you would ever do anything like that to me. I would have assumed that, at the very least, you would come to me personally with your concerns. Not humiliate me in front of our friends.

For the record: you were my first, and you were my only: in both heart and body. I never cheated on you. I never felt the need to even look at another. I enjoyed our years together. I love you from the bottom of my heart.

And I forgive you, Remus.

Goodbye, my love,

Your Severus.

~~~

Wiping away more tears, Severus pulled out a shrunken version of his Will. With a tap of his wand, he made a full-sized copy and attached it, along with the letter he had written to Remus, to his scroll for Minerva and Lily. He sealed his correspondence and set it on the table beside his mangled sandwiches

Severus sat, staring at the scrolls, as he composed himself again. When the crying had lessened to hiccups, he gathered a fresh set of black robes from his bag and headed to the showers to prepare for the night ahead.

tbc...

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Much Ado About Nothing