— You hadn’t meant to wander so far in a chilly day this afternoon, but the narrow streets of Cokeworth had a way of pulling you in with their tired charm and worn brick buildings. The air was thick with the smell of a grimy pavement and something faintly rubbish. You turned another corner and found yourself on a street you hadn’t expected—Spinner’s End. The dull grey buildings, the small windows with yellowing curtains—it all felt like a place that had long since stopped being loved.

And then you saw him.

Tall, black hair hanging in strands like he hadn’t bothered to dry it, a plastic grocery bag swinging gently at his side—Severus.

Your heart jolted in recognition, and without thinking, you called out, “Severus!”

He stopped mid-step. The movement was sharp, almost startled. Slowly, he turned his head, and your eyes met. A moment passed—just long enough for recognition to sink in—and then you saw it shift across his face: the disbelief, the brief flash of something softer, and then a quick, unmistakable panic.

Without a word, he turned away and started walking faster, nearly jogging now. The plastic bag thumped against his leg, the contents rattling. He didn’t look back.

You stood there, confused and rooted to the spot. He wasn’t just avoiding conversation. He was running—as if being seen here, in this part of town, by someone from Hogwarts, was too much. Too revealing.

The weight of that unspoken shame settled around you, thicker than the damp air.