It was early October at Hogwarts Castle. The air already carried the chilly bite of late autumn.
Ileana Thorne arrived earlier than usual today.
She didn't look for a remote corner like she normally did. Instead, she walked straight into the deepest part of the library.
She found a square table near the Restricted Section, surrounded by towering bookshelves. She knew this was the "private territory" of Severus Snape.
Today, she was going to perform a small, secret experiment.
She sat directly across from where Severus Snape usually sat. It was the perfect spot for observation, but also a challenging place for a confrontation.
She made a plan in her head. 'If he comes and sees me here but still chooses to sit, I'll find a chance to talk. That will be his signal that I'm allowed in his safe zone.'
'But if he turns and leaves... then my watching has made him suspicious. I'll have to find a more indirect way to study him.'
Ileana placed a stack of books on advanced Potions on the table. She opened her research notes and pretended to be focused.
Only she knew how fast her heart was beating.
This was different from a spell duel against an older student. That nervousness came from wanting to win.
This was a strange thumping in her chest, a mix of hope and uncertainty. Her fingertips were even a bit cold.
She forced herself to calm down and looked at her notebook. She was working on a difficult problem: [Felix Felicis].
This potion was famous for bringing "luck," but the recipe was insanely complex. Every step required perfect precision. One tiny mistake could ruin a fortune's worth of ingredients.
Minutes passed. The sound of Madam Pince's footsteps faded in the distance. A few Hufflepuff students whispered as they walked by.
Ileana's heart began to sink. 'Is he not coming today?'
Just as she was about to give up, a tall, thin figure appeared around the corner of the bookshelf.
It was him.
Severus Snape carried a stack of books taller than his head. He kept his head down, walking silently.
He seemed lost in his own world. He didn't stop until he reached the table and went to pull out his chair.
Then, he froze. He saw her.
Ileana felt his gaze on the top of her head for five long seconds.
Her heart nearly stopped. She gripped her quill tightly. Her palms were sweaty, but her face remained as cold as ice. She didn't even look up.
'Come on, sit down,' she whispered in her mind, like she was casting a silent spell.
Snape's body leaned back slightly, as if he wanted to retreat. He was hesitating.
Ileana could imagine his thin lips pressed together and the suspicion in his dark eyes.
The hesitation only lasted a few seconds.
He pulled out the chair across from her. He dropped the books on the table with a heavy thud and sat down.
He didn't make any other noise, but Ileana's heart started racing.
She had won.
A wave of joy rose from her chest, making her fingertips feel warm.
She fought the urge to smile. She slowly raised her head and let her bright, star-like gaze fall on him.
Severus Snape seemed burned by her sudden, sparkling stare. He looked down immediately and pretended to organize his books.
He lined them up neatly. Then, he opened a book titled *Compendium of Asian Poisons* and hid his face behind the pages.
Ileana didn't look away.
He looked focused, but he was flipping the pages much faster than usual.
In the orange glow of the fireplace, she saw his ears turning red behind his black hair.
This discovery was like a drop of honey in a lake. It sent sweet ripples through her heart.
He looked like he wanted to crawl inside the book. Ileana thought it was funny and cute.
She didn't push him any further. She went back to her own research.
Her small victory had made her mood wonderful. She could take the conversation slow.
A strange but peaceful scene formed in that lonely corner of the library.
At one end of the table sat a Slytherin boy with black hair and dark eyes. At the other sat a Ravenclaw girl with black hair and amber eyes.
They were both buried in their books. They didn't speak, but they were wrapped in an invisible energy.
The only sounds were the scratching of quills on parchment and the occasional rustle of a page.
Ileana became lost in the complex recipe for [Felix Felicis].
'After adding the Ashwinder eggs and horseradish, the book says to stir... but it's so vague. Do I add the squill bulb before stirring, or after?'
She wrote down step after step in her notebook, then crossed them out with her quill.
After a long time, her neck and shoulders felt stiff.
She put down her quill and let out a long breath. She leaned back against her chair and took a deep stretch.
She closed her eyes and stretched her body. Her long legs naturally reached out under the table.
Suddenly, her toes hit something warm and firm.
The sensation traveled clearly through two layers of fabric.
It was his leg!
Ileana's eyes snapped open like a startled deer. She pulled her foot back instantly. Her heart hammered against her ribs.
"I... I'm sorry!" she blurted out. Her voice was shaky with a panic she had never felt before.
This was the first time in her life she felt so clumsy for bothering someone.
Across the table, Severus Snape finally looked up from his book.
His dark eyes looked deep in the orange evening light.
He looked at her with a complicated expression.
"It's fine," he said. His voice was low and raspy, as if he hadn't spoken in a long time.