Chapter 42

Sawyer gave me a quick kiss at the door, smiling mischievously. "See you tomorrow!" she said, her eyes twinkling.

Before that day, I never would have imagined Sawyer would confess to me. She said, "Severus," and then kissed me. I thought that moment was the best of my life, though I didn't know it would be surpassed many times over in the future.

I could hear my own heartbeat, feeling the pulse behind my ears. It seemed all the obstacles I had worried about vanished, and Sawyer's few words dissolved everything so easily. Letting my emotions be controlled by one person was irrational, but a little relaxation was okay. Yes, that's right.

Returning home, I went to my potion lab, which had stayed nearly unchanged since I left almost a year ago. There was no dust.

There were no potion ingredients here; most were stored in the Prince Manor's storeroom, which had good preservation conditions and house-elves accustomed to taking care of the materials.

It seemed I couldn't research potions at home today. I pondered briefly and decided to go to the manor. Practicing dark magic there would be good, too.

As I turned to leave, I remembered that Sawyer and I had talked on the Hogwarts Express about studying dark magic together. But I couldn't take her to the manor right now. Mother had strengthened the defenses there. Although it looked abandoned on the outside, it was set to prevent anyone from entering without the owner's consent. Currently, the owner was my mother, and even I couldn't bring anyone in without permission.

Researching dark magic was dangerous, and this place wasn't as carefully arranged as the manor's practice room. Nor could it provide the needs as the Room of Requirement did at school. It seemed this summer, we couldn't study together.

I walked to the fireplace, grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder, and thought about writing a letter to Mother about bringing Sawyer to the manor.

"Prince Manor."

Mother was planning to settle in Romania for a while. From her letters, it seemed she had a boyfriend. I didn't oppose her starting a new relationship, but it made me a bit uncomfortable. I had to convince her to bring that man back so I could check him out. I couldn't let Mother be deceived.

Before going to the practice room, I prepared some stationery and ink in the study, deliberating for a moment before starting to write.

The rest of the holiday felt like it always did. I spent my days in the potion lab, with Sawyer making sure I had my meals to prevent me from starving myself. Occasionally, Lily and Petunia would visit, with Sawyer or Kreacher preparing our tea. It was a familiar routine.

I suddenly realized that Sawyer was like the lady of the house. I had grown used to her presence. Watching her laugh and joke with Lily, her smile was the same as always. I once thought Sawyer's smile was as dazzling as the sun, warm yet dangerous. Now, I saw it more like a light, a lamp she had lit for me. If this was to be my future reality, I would do anything to keep it.

"Severus, Sawyer isn't going to disappear. You don't need to keep staring at her," Lily teased. I realized I had been staring too long. Feeling a bit embarrassed, I cleared my throat and looked away.

Sawyer faced Lily's teasing boldly. "It shows Severus cares about me. If you're jealous, you could get a boyfriend too." She winked at Lily. "Potter likes you. If you just..."

Lily's face turned red, probably from anger. "Sawyer! You know I..." She trailed off, unable to find the words. Defeated, she sighed. "Fine... I give up, Sawyer. I can't win against you..."

Sawyer hummed triumphantly, sipping her tea.

Petunia hugged Lily and patted her shoulder. "Lily, they're just like a married couple now. Don't be sad; you still have your sister."

The word "married" made me catch my breath. I looked at Sawyer. She was mid-sip when she sputtered and choked on her tea. Annoyed, I glared at Petunia and quickly used my wand to help Sawyer breathe. As she regained her composure, I felt anxious. How would she react? Angry, shy, or disgusted? Probably not the same as me... hoping.

Sawyer caught her breath and, seeing the laughing sisters, forced a smile. "Thanks for the well-wishes. We'll be sure to invite you to the wedding."

"When you say 'we,' when would this hypothetical wedding be?" Petunia asked, still giggling.

"Definitely before any of you!" Sawyer said confidently, though her face was still red. I guessed she was bluffing, but I was happy. Maybe we would have a wedding someday, create a family. Although thinking about it now seemed too early, we were only fifteen.

"Fine, let's make a bet!" Lily said, not letting Sawyer off the hook. "Bet that you and Severus will be the first to marry among us. If not, the bet is void."

"What do I get if I win?" Sawyer challenged.

"Isn't the reward enough? A deeper relationship and a happy marriage with Severus! Unless you lack confidence in your relationship, you can refuse." Lily's expression was one of smug triumph.

Sawyer was cornered. If she refused, it showed doubt in our relationship. If she accepted, it could turn into a cruel joke if things went wrong. I tried to ignore the discomfort of thinking about Sawyer marrying someone else. She probably wouldn't accept such a bet; we had just started dating. Maybe after some time, she would find me unsuitable, and then...

I closed my eyes to hide my rising emotions.

Sawyer was silent, her face unreadable. Then she mumbled, "Marriage isn't something I can decide alone."

"So you agree," Petunia said decisively, turning to me. "Now, Severus, do you accept?"

Why was the pressure on me now? Speechless, I looked at Lily and Petunia. They were relentless. I hesitated, unsure if I should play along. I turned to Sawyer. She looked at me with a hopeful expression.

My heart softened, and I nodded, then forced a smile. "It's just a harmless bet, right? Why refuse?" Maybe this bet wouldn't be so hard to win.

The sisters exchanged sly smiles. Sawyer saw and pouted, then looked at me apologetically. Did she think I was at a loss? I squeezed her hand to reassure her.

I silently thought, I actually gained something here.