#protective aesop sharp

[aesopsharpmybeloved]

In the Light of Care

The Aftermath of In The Shadow Of the Study. Aesop Sharp finds the new fifth-year half unconscious in the Slytherin dungeons following an adventure gone wrong.

Shout out to my ever-fabulous partner in crime @tea-withjamandbread

I have a love-hate relationship with Sebastian, on one hand, I love him, on the other, he is an irresponsible blinded hot-headed dumbass.

And then I have a love-love relationship with Aesop, who despite knowing you are going to give him a heart attack one of these days is never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you.

In the Light of Care (5.7k words)

tw: descriptions of pain, vomiting

You felt godawful all over. Ominis and Sebastian left you alone a while ago. You put up a brave face for them, but truth be told, you've never felt this terrible before. Your vision was blurry and all of your muscles were still cramping up with a pain that burned so much, you were certain it was burning your veins, dissolving you from the inside like acid. It was only when you were alone in that blasted corridor that you allowed yourself to fall down onto your bum, tears escaping your eyes and falling down freely. You tried to stretch as if that would help. You felt your body was inflamed, fever settling into your skin. You were sweating like mad and it took everything within you not to scream, not to sob, not to let your dinner travel up from your stomach and out of your mouth.

You were glad not to have learned the Cruciatus curse when Sebastian offered to teach you. However, you supposed, that even if you had learnt it, you would never ever use it. Even though the poachers, the goblins, and the dark wizards you've often engaged in combat were absolute scum, nobody deserved to have this cast on them. It was terribly unfair, terribly cruel. This wasn't offence-defence, it wasn't about prowess, or skill, or just plain luck. It was terror. There wasn't a right side of the wand to be on when it came to this. Both sides were horrible. 

You curled in onto yourself. Even after you broke down and onto your knees before the boys, Sebastian seemed to disregard it, being only interested in that blasted scriptorium. He was your friend and you loved him, but at that moment... At that moment you hated him, at that moment he was your tormentor. And he didn't even feel bad about it. You wanted to shake his stupid head, to scream at him, to tell him that he was going to find nothing in the scriptorium but more dark magic, more pain. Salazar Slytherin was a vain and cruel man, why on earth would he have made a cure for something, when it was only agony he wanted to create? It was pointless, and foolish and dangerous to have come here and you regretted it dearly as you tried to bury your pain, keep your tears contained. 

Yet, at the same time, you were glad that you went with them. Because if you hadn't, either Ominis or Sebastian would be forced to cast the curse on one another. And Ominis wouldn't, you knew now. And Merlin knows what would've happened to their friendship then if Ominis' best friend cast that curse on him, the very curse because of which he now had no family. So you chose to power through it, you put up a brave face. 

It almost crumbled immediately after. Sebastian looked like a child on Christmas, looking at everything in the scriptorium, while you were still cowering on the floor. A warm hand landed on your shoulder. On any other occasion, you might have welcomed it, but now the hand burned you, made the already aching muscles hurt even more, and you winced. "Are you alright?" Ominis asked, sounding just as close to crying as you were. And though you were still in agony, you did what felt like an Herculean feat, and put your own hand on top of his and squeezed. "Alright," you said simply. You really should stop lying to your friends.

You felt horrible for making Ominis go through this. When he asked the two of you to swear to never ever engage with dark magic after that endeavour was done, you agreed with him wholeheartedly. Mentally, that is, as you couldn't speak by then. You knew you had to apologise to him later, make it up to him. 

You wondered who would lose first, your consciousness or your stomach. What were you to do? You didn't bring any Wiggenweld potion with you, because you didn't think you might need it. You envied the boys now for being Slytherins, the comfort of their common room so close, while yours was so many flights of stairs away. There was no way you'd be able to crawl all the way there. There was no way you'd be able to crawl anywhere, not Ravenclaw Tower, not the Room of Requirement, not the Hospital wing. Now that you thought of it, you really shouldn't go to the Hospital wing anyway, the questions Nurse Blainey would have would only get yourself and your friends in more trouble.

As you sat and thought, your stomach finally lost its battle. You keeled over and promptly emptied your stomach on the stony floor. You felt the bile burn your throat, your eyes were losing focus. A voice came from somewhere far away. Annoyed at first, but as it got closer, you heard genuine concern. You were dry-heaving when a hand - larger than Ominis' - grasped your shoulder and forced you to turn. It didn't help your nausea at the very least, but seeing as you've already vomited all of the contents of your stomach out, you thankfully didn't throw up into the potions master's face. His striking dark eyes were panicked, his jaw hard, and he was kneeling next to you, which most likely did nothing for his leg. You would've attempted to speak, but your vision got dark and it dragged you down into the abyss.

You fell in and out of consciousness for a while. At one point, you looked down, professor Sharp still at your side but something was different. The smell of vomit was gone. You looked down at your robes and they were entirely clean. So was the floor. It was dark again. You saw professor Sharp's face, the underside of it, to be exact. He looked worried to bits. You felt movement and saw the surroundings change around Sharp's head. You felt strong arms underneath your back and legs. You wanted to comfort him, to tell him you were fine, that he needn't worry for you. Everything went black again before you managed to do so. Before the darkness consumed you, you felt the prickle of his chin on your index.

You woke on a bed after, and this time you stayed awake. You weren't in the Hospital wing, that was for sure. You weren't in your dorm or the Room of Requirement either, however, and you felt rather disoriented by that. Where else would you be, where else was a cot you'd use? When your eyes began focusing once more and your brain regained control of higher functions, you actually took in your surroundings. The air was cool, chilly almost, and it felt like heaven on your still feverish skin. There were shelves around the room, and in the middle of it stood a slightly curved desk. You were in professor Sharp's office.

The door to your left opened and the man in question came into focus. "I am very cross with you," he said, though his voice lacked any actual cut. He sat on your cot, and you now noticed he had a phial in his hand. It contained some dark liquid, still bubbling and looking utterly awful. "Drink," he said as he pushed a hand under the nape of your neck and lifted your head. He brought the phial to your lips and poured it into your mouth. You wanted to resist, the potion being foul enough to cause a dangerous churn in your stomach again, but you were so tired and the professor was unyielding.

You panted heavily after you swallowed the last drop, your body trying to bring it up again, but then you began to feel... Comfort. The pain was being flushed from your body. You didn't notice when professor Sharp grabbed your hand, but you felt his thumb stroking the back of it now. You looked up at him and regretted it immediately. He looked so tired. Once more, you unknowingly reached to touch his cheek. He startled when you did, yet almost right away closed one of his hands around your own.

"You know, I often say that the students will make me go grey prematurely, but I swear, you will make me go bald before you graduate," he said humourlessly. "Either you or your dear friends, Mr Sallow and Mr Gaunt. They told me what happened. Not everything, but the main gist of it. I've half a mind to give them both detention for the rest of their time here for leaving you the way they did. I've half a mind to give you detention as well for getting your stupid self into this, for not speaking up that you're unwell," he paused, his voice quivering slightly, "so clever, the lot of you, yet so incredibly stupid.”

The professor sighed then: “Look, I think I’m really starting to think I understand who you are - a good person who’s always willing to help her friends, which is, of course, noble of you. However, someone should finally tell you that you don’t have to insert yourself into every potentially life-threatening situation for them. In fact, as a Ravenclaw, you should be, and I believe you are, clever enough to talk them out of entering such situations themselves, which is just as good.”

You wanted to tell him that quite the number of these situations you didn't expect to be as dangerous as they turned out to be, and you were literally thrust into many of them. Not to mention there were simply some things you had to do… 

But you didn’t say a single word. Not only did Professor Fig specifically ask you to keep quiet about your ancient magic abilities (which were the reason you got into these situations in the first place), but you knew that if professor Sharp knew… Well, he’d most likely try to get you to stop. Something that was absolutely unthinkable.

Sharp was watching you like a hawk, obviously trying to see if he could find an answer to at least one of his no doubt plenty of questions fleetingly appearing in your eyes. The feeling of comfort the potion he gave you turned into mild dizziness again, and you felt a sudden need to sit up. The potions master seemed to have anticipated as such because he was helping you into a sitting position not a second later, his strong hands having no problem lifting your upper body up from the cot. You were glad for his help, as you honestly felt like you were suddenly made of solid lead.

"Could you kindly enlighten me as to why you mad lot would even enter such a place?" He asked after the dizzy spell went away again. You still felt exhausted, but decided it was easier to answer his questions now, especially if he let you off the hook afterwards.

"Sebastian's sister… She's ill. Well, cursed. But you probably know that sir," you rasped out, wrapping your arms around you to battle the coolness of his office. "Indeed I do," answered the professor, "truly awful what happened to her."

He actually sounded remorseful, but also appeared to have lost himself in his head a little bit: "So what, were you searching for a cure down there? I can assure you, you will find no cures to any ailments under Salazar Slytherin's name, it's not one of the things he was famous for… And unless Mungo Bohnam himself left a little scriptorium of his own here, I am afraid you won't find Miss Sallow's cure in these corridors at all."

The teacher suddenly looked ten years older than he usually looked. You didn't know just how old he was, your guess was perhaps mid-forties, but then again, this and his previous job may have caused him to age prematurely. You realised that he and Anne were in quite similar situations, and seeing as he, an adult, and an experienced former auror was not able to find a cure for his leg, he didn't give Anne too many chances either. 

It was all rather horrible, you thought. You've only met Anne for a while, but she seemed like a genuinely sweet person you could see yourself being friends with. And professor Sharp? Well, he was very different from the teachers you used to have before you came to Hogwarts. In the best way possible. He was strict, like they were, but also fair. He was tough and looked like a man not to be messed with. He administered both criticism and praise where they were due, and was very honest and open about everything. You had to admit that you enjoyed both the potion class, and his extra lessons to help you catch up to your classmates. 

It was a little alarming to see a man who normally radiated authority so… down.

"I think," you said after several minutes, "I think Sebastian is trying to find… the curse itself. Because when he does, finding a cure should be easier…"

"His sister was cursed by a goblin though, no? What makes you think you'd find something about goblin curses down there?"

"I don't… I don't know. I just wanted to help Sebastian."

The potions master sighed heavily, tapping his healthy foot on the stone floor, and you thought you heard him utter something about you being 'so bloody loyal, it’s a wonder you’re not a Hufflepuff.'

"And did you find anything?" He asked after a while, once more fixing you with an intense expression.

"No, not a thing, sir. Some old books and scrolls, half-eaten by rats and other vermin, some egocentric busts and statues of Slytherin himself, a goblet of something I almost drank after… after the torturing curse, because I was so thirsty, but then I realised that the cup's been sitting there for maybe 900 years at least and it might not be wise."

"See, Miss (L/N), you're learning the art of 'not dying' quickly. Indeed, you should not drink anything that's been standing in a cup for 900 years," Sharp said in a deeply sarcastic voice, and he looked like he wanted to throw his hands up in the air. He calmed himself down with several deep breaths: "And that's it?"

"That's it."

Hold on… Something was amiss. What was it? There was one book that wasn't eaten away by any creepy crawlies, wasn't there? A book…

"Are you perfectly certain?" the teacher asked once more, watching you intently.

Should you tell him about the spellbook Sebastian picked up? Did he and Ominis tell him about it? Sharp wouldn't be asking you if you found anything of interest if he knew about the spellbook, would he? It was at the tip of your tongue when you remembered:

'It’s a personal spellbook of one of the founders of Hogwarts! There’s got to be something in there that will let me reverse the curse! Anne will be cured!'

Sebastian sounded like a child on Christmas when he said that, all the while Ominis was pale as a ghost and you were trying not to tremble too much from Crucio’s pain. In the brunet’s voice was something that was just so absolutely convinced that he was right. And what is he was? What if he could really cure his sister with some counter-curse from the book? Maybe then you could also use it and help heal Sharp. What if Sharp took it away in fear that you may use the book for wrong, or that the book itself had a curse put on it? 

Should you tell him?

Your mouth opened and you took a deep breath. A feeling in your chest was telling you that you were signing a deal with the devil, but the 'yes' that rolled from your lips sounded perfectly calm and sincere. 

And there it was. You lied to a teacher who told you explicitly that he hated it when somebody lied to him. But you decided you were doing so out of good intentions. Like when you kept your mouth shut about ancient magic.

He sighed once more: "Alright then… I hardly think that you'd tell me if your goal was to become a dark witch, so I suppose this will have to do."

"I can assure you, sir, that's not the case," you replied weakly before you could stop yourself, "I hate those."

"Oh," Sharp asked, his interest seemingly peaked again, "meet many dark witches?" You cursed yourself inwardly, the last thing you needed was for him to probe at you even more: "I've met a few, sir. But it was enough for me to decide that I hated them…"

The professor's eyes were as sharp as his name, and you felt his gaze burning holes into you. Finally, he sat back and crossed his arms over his chest, deep in thought. And then he spoke again, his voice softer this time: "What is it you're not telling me? What is it that causes the bruises and the cuts on your face I see each time you come back from 'a visit to Hogsmeade'? And do not try telling me that you crashed into a shrub or fell off your broom, this excuse can only work on me so many times…"

The professor looked genuinely concerned. He was the first professor to question your occasionally banged appearance, the only one who insisted you tell him over and over again. "Are you in any kind of trouble?" He continued, "Because if you are, just tell me, and I promise I'll do my best to help you."

You put your hands on your face.

"Why can't you tell me?"

You did not answer. You didn't even take your hands away. The office was overtaken by silence. It must have been after curfew, as you heard no sounds from the corridors beyond the potion classroom. After what felt like hours, Sharp sighed once more. "Despite what some students may say about me, I am actually not some heartless monster. I won't make you tell me by force. But please, please, Miss (L/N), can you promise me one thing?"

It took a while, but you cautiously lowered your hands to look at him. He looked tired once more, but he didn't drop his gaze from you for a single second: "If you start feeling you're in over your head, if you feel like you need help, be it anything you're dealing with, please... Come to me. Even if it's just for a phial of Skele-Gro…"

Aesop Sharp was a good man, you decided, and a minute later, you found yourself nodding your head.

"Good," he said.

"May I be dismissed, sir?"

"Dismissed? Lass, the only place you're leaving here for is the Hospital wing! And given the nature of the curse that was cast on you, and the caster, I rather think that you wouldn't like that, would you?" You grimaced. Damn. You truly did not need more attention drawn to your little adventure into Slytherin's scriptorium. Obviously having no other options, you carefully lowered yourself until you were lying down again.

"Do you need anything? Food, water, are you warm enough?" Asked the teacher then, his voice softer once more. "I'm alright, thank you, sir," you replied and closed your eyes. They were so heavy, you felt like you might not open them again. 

"Sleep, Miss (L/N)."

—

When you woke up, you felt disoriented once more, and it took you a few seconds to realise where you were, and what sort of events led up to this situation. Looking around the office, illuminated by the faint morning light coming from the window behind professor Sharp’s desk, you saw the man himself sitting in his chair, sound asleep. His hands were loosely folded in his lap, his leg was propped up on a little footstool he must’ve conjured up for himself, as you’ve never seen it there before (could teachers, unlike students, conjure things in Hogwarts outside of the Room of Requirement? Most likely, how else would he have gotten your cot in here?), and his head was hanging to the side. The silence of the room was occasionally cut through by a snore from the teacher. 

He looked quite a few years younger while he slept, the line between his eyebrows gone, his face relaxed and open, much softer than it normally was. You supposed he was not at all bad-looking when he wasn’t currently giving Garreth Weasley the snarl of Chimaera. 

You lay there, panic slowly creeping in. Was he going to tell the Headmaster about your little adventure to the Scriptorium? Maybe professor Weasley? Fig? Has he already told them? Were you in trouble?

You shortly considered sneaking past the professor and away into your dorm. You were itching to have a nice hot bath and change into a different set of robes. You fainty remembered that Sharp cast a cleaning charm on them, yet they still felt grimy on your body, because what you remembered perfectly was the pain you went through in them. At that moment when Sebastian cast Crucio on you, it felt like your very clothes were choking and burning you, like they were covered in salt and your skin under them was scratched and cut up. You decided to burn them the first chance you got and get a new set from Mr Hill.

Once more you thought about making an attempt to leave but ultimately decided against it. The man was an ex-Auror for crying out loud, there’s no way he wouldn’t wake up if you as much as made a single step from the bed. He probably put a ward on it to alert him were you to get up. Not to mention it would solve absolutely nothing. He knew of the Scriptorium, and he knew of the Cruciatus curse. The only thing you’d achieve if you tried to sneak past him would probably be angering him. 

And so you stayed put, reclining on the cot. It was quite comfortable, which was something you couldn’t appreciate much most mornings. Even when you didn’t have classes to attend, you rarely allowed yourself to indulge in sleeping in, much less just lazying around in bed after you woke up. There was always something to do, somebody to help, someone to run an errand for, a beast to rescue, a potion to brew, a plant in need of fertilising or harvesting, a hot spot of ancient magic, or a Merlin trial to solve. You were a busy woman, you didn’t have time to lie around. And yet, as you did, you had to admit that you felt more well-rested than you had in weeks. 

Professor Sharp on the other hand you thought couldn’t be very comfortable. You were never able to fall asleep sitting up, even during long hours spent on the train when you and your family went for a holiday to St Ives, and the first class coupe you used had seating that was much more comfortable than his chair seemed. But then again, maybe there was some sort of cushioning charm placed on it to make it comfier. 

But then again, maybe not, you thought as a quiet but obviously pained groan replaced the professor’s snore suddenly. “Oh, Merlin’s saggy left-...” growled professor Sharp, his lips forming into a thin line and and the wrinkle returning to between his brows. His hand disappeared into the insides of his robes and searched around in the breast pocket for a bit, before resurfacing with a vial of green liquid. He pulled the cork out with his teeth and gulped the potion down in a single swallow, breathing heavily before his muscles finally relaxed once more.

The potions master opened his eyes, dark circles underneath them indicating that he himself didn’t rest quite as well as you. “Miss (L/N),” he said his voice rough from his slumber, “please know that I hope that you won’t get yourself into such a situation again not for only your sake, but for my own as well. I am entirely too old and too tired for sleeping arrangements like these.” Your quiet apology went unanswered.

A few minutes passed with the teacher having closed his eyes once more, and you would’ve thought that he had fallen asleep again, had his hand not been slowly tapping on the armrest. “How do you feel?” he asked without opening his eyes, and you were actually quite glad for that. “Much better, sir,” was your answer, “thank you… For taking care of me.” His dark eyes opened and bore into your own, their intensity nearly enough to make a chill run down your spine: “That’s not what you’re supposed to thank me for. Or did you think I’d just leave you there, half collapsed in your own sick? Is that what you think of me?” You cringed, your eyes screwing shut.

After a few moments of silence, Sharp sighed. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly, “I suppose I am a bit… grumpier than usual because of my aching body. And while I wouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of sleeping in a chair were it not for your little suicidal adventure, it is not your fault that I am an old man…” “You’re not old… sir,” you replied, not really knowing why, you just… you just didn’t like seeing him so resigned. You respected the professor a lot, and you were confident that despite his bad leg, he was very much a force to be reckoned with.

He sighed again: “Be that as it may, know that I would not leave you there. I’m responsible for each and every one of my students. The official job description is teaching you lot the art of potion-making, but every member of staff is sworn to do everything in their power to protect the students. Yesterday evening’s events mean that we have failed in this aspect. And while failure is undoubtedly a part of the learning process, I certainly do not take it very well.

��Now, you shouldn’t be grateful to me because I took care of you, as absolutely any and every one of your professors would’ve done the same. What you should, however, be grateful for is the fact that I kept your little adventure to myself. And I am still not convinced I am doing the right thing doing so.  The fact that Mr Sallow used the Cruciatus curse on you is very concerning. The fact he even knows the curse is concerning! However, as he used it to get all of you out of that place, I might be able to forgive it. I plan to have a long talk with him about it, however. Being friends with Mr Gaunt, he should know better than to meddle with dark arts. He’s a bright young man, I don’t want him to end up in Azkaban because of youthful stupidity. You’re all terribly clever, it’d be an awful waste to lose you because you decided to bite off more than you can chew. And entering a place built by a man who was a single Unforgivable away from being considered a dark wizard is absolutely more than a fifth-year can chew, no matter how capable.

“That said, I offer you a deal - you tell me all about this excursion of yours, beginning with the location of the entrance, so that I can later make sure it is no longer accessible to anyone, followed by a detailed description of the events that transpired so that I can make a clearer picture about the whole situation, and I in return keep it all to myself. Mind, you and your friends will be scrubbing cauldrons by hand for the following few evenings so that I can make sure you’re staying out of trouble and not, for whatever reason, doing something as insane as going back.” You opened your mouth to protest, but before you had the chance to even take a breath, the professor spoke again: “You were mad enough to go there in the first place, how do I know you’re not mad enough to return, even with all that happened? 

“Well, Miss, what do you say? Do we have a deal?”

And so you told him. You told him about Ominis’ aunt and her disappearance within the centuries-old Scriptorium. You told him about a passage that could only be opened by one who can speak the tongue of snakes, therefore making the very first of the rooms a certain deathtrap for anyone and everyone who is not of Slytherin’s descent. You told him of statues that would strike as real snakes would if one took too much time solving their riddles. And finally, about learning of Noctua’s heart-wrenching and untimely demise at the hands of Salazar’s cruel trial. You then described the Scriptorium itself in length, leaving out the part where you found Slytherin’s spellbook.

“So there is another entrance?” asked Sharp, his arms crossed over his chest. He was listening to you attentively, only occasionally asking you to specify or fill in a few things. “Yes, professor,” you replied, “however, I don’t know whether it can be accessed from outside as well.” The potions master thought for a bit: “It would be good to retrieve the poor woman’s remains from there so that she can be given a proper burial, but I do not want to distress Mr Gaunt even more than he already was when I spoke with him yesterday by asking him to go back with me, not to mention bearing witness to yet another instance of the Cruciatus curse, so it would be convenient if the room could be accessed from the other side.”

You bit at your lip nervously. “With all due respect, professor Sharp,” you spoke then, your voice quiet, “Ominis said his aunt and the rest of his family weren’t exactly on the best of terms. I’m not sure if they would give her a proper funeral.” “They may not, but your friend Ominis might… Well, best not to trouble the young man even more now, he seems to have a lot on his mind as is.”

“Will you… will you keep this whole thing to yourself, sir?”

“I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep, Miss (L/N). You told me everything I wanted to know, and I will keep my end of the bargain. I must, however, still discuss with Mr Sallow about his knowledge and uses of Unforgivable curses. There are some curses whose usage could perhaps be excused in some cases, but when we start to do so with the Unforgivables, we’re on our merry way back into the Dark Ages, when wizards and witches would calmly cast the Imperius curse at anyone who was merely mildly inconveniencing them. These curses were outlawed for a reason. Please, tell me that your classmate didn’t teach it to you…”

You squirmed in your seat. Sebastian did offer to teach it to you, but you said no. Should you tell Sharp? No, no… Best not to, Seb was in enough trouble as it was, no need to make it worse.

“He did not. And after I felt what it can do, I know it’s for the best… Nobody should know a spell like that! It’s so… unfair. It’s like… It’s like bringing a rifle into a sword fight.”

“That is a very good comparison, Miss,” said the potions master, “and you best never forget that. These spells are like poison, they’re unnatural, and each one tears away at your very humanity. I know that you wish to remain loyal to your friends, and I, once more, praise you for that. But I implore you to discourage your classmate from using such a spell again, even if it’s for a ‘good thing’. The road to hell is paved with good intentions.”

You nodded solemnly. You truly hoped there never came a time in which you’d have to once more witness the foul spell, or any of the other two Unforgivables. Sebastian wasn’t that kind of boy - yes, he did teach you one unsanctioned spell once before, but it wasn’t exactly a dark spell. If you were honest, you used it more during Merlin trials than against adversaries. 

You hoped you were doing the right thing still, not bringing up the book your friend your friend left the Scriptorium with.

Aesop Sharp watched you intently, possibly hoping that you’d perhaps shed some more light on the situation, but when several minutes passed in absolute silence, he cleared his throat, stretching himself once more. “Now…” he said, “I don’t know how about you, Miss, but I could eat a Hippogriff right now.” Despite yourself, and despite the dark thoughts swirling about in your head, you actually giggled: “If you do, sir, make sure it’s not white with orange eyes, that one’s a friend of mine.” 

The professor scoffed: “Friends with a Hippogriff, all the travelling merchants around the Highlands, and two of Slytherin’s three biggest troublemakers. I will need to keep a closer eye on you. This isn’t a joke, by the way, I do intend to keep an eye on you - the things Fig tells me combined with what all I hear about you doing is quite concerning.”

You gulped. You knew he’d find out about everything, sooner or later. After all, even professor Weasley was more than a little suspicious about your activities, but you managed to evade her questions by performing brilliantly in class and helping everybody you encountered. Professor Sharp, a former Auror, would certainly have no problem finding out the truth in the end.

There was only one solution. You had to work faster and harder, You had to carry on with the Keepers’ trials, and you had to stop Ranrok from opening war upon the Wizarding world. And ideally not die in the process. And, hopefully, then Sharp would understand. Maybe he’d even forgive you for the secrecy and the lies.

The teacher sighed and ran his hand over his face. 

“What I said yesterday stands. If you need help, you know where to find me. I won’t turn you away. I promise…”

He stood then, towering over your form, still reclining upon the cot.

“Come on, you’ll tag along with me to the Great Hall, so I can make sure your encounter yesterday didn’t leave any lasting effects. In case it has, perhaps your fellow students will find the sight of you limping next to me amusing.”

You grinned. Despite everything, you truly appreciated Sharp’s sense of humour: “Very well, sir.”

Thank you so much for reading, I hope you enjoyed the story. As always, you can find this fic and all of my other works over on my AO3

I am always very grateful for feedback 🥰

[legacybxth]

The Concerning Case of Florence Woods: Chapter 2

Aesop Sharp x F!OC (protective teacher/student, no romance... in this one!)

Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, Big Cries

Chapter 1: The Observation (1/3) - 9.1k words (link) Chapter 2: The Investigation (2/3) - 9.1k words (link)

Photo from Phinik on Pinterest

As days passed and a new week began, Aesop Sharp took comfort at least in the fact that Florence Woods was still attending his classes. A little further investigation revealed that his fellow professors reported the same. Shame had been gnawing away at him for turning her away that evening, and he had lied through his teeth when telling Matilda that he felt good about his new boundaries.

Yet he stuck by them. He watched as she worked just as hard in potions, though with less enthusiasm, and somehow still excelled at all her assignments. 

Florence Woods believed she was doing the bare minimum to get by. Her education now came second to everything else, but that didn't mean she would let it fall by the wayside. She hoped that—and was desperately relying on—her first year at Hogwarts being an anomaly. That she would pass her O.W.Ls and come back to sixth year with renewed energy and not be top place on any most wanted list. 

And it was going as well as it possibly could until the day her potions station remained empty, and Aesop Sharp threw every professional instinct into the wind. 

Read the rest of chapter two on AO3 >>

[choccy-milky]

no talking in class 💢

[myveryownfanfiction]

SharpMarch day 18: Muggles

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

tags: @illiana-mystery, @iobsessoverfictionalmen

warnings: swearing

Aesop tensed slightly as we walked down the cobblestones. I squeezed his arm and nodded at the passerbys as we continued on our way back to the Leaky Cauldron. His eyes darted around, looking for threats at every turn.

"Relax." I whispered, leaning closer to him as a chill set in. "Nothing is going to attack us. Especially not with all these muggles around. Ranrok wouldn't dare. Too big a mess to be hushed up." Aesop relaxed some.

"I still can't shake the feeling." He muttered. "And I really don't like the idea of using the muggles as shields to protect ourselves from a rogue goblin." I nodded as I tugged him down the street. "Where are you going now?"

"There's this shop. I always used to visit when I was young. I haven't been in ages. Not since I started teaching anyway." I took the next left and turned down the alley. "Its still here!" I turned to look at Aesop with a smile. He shook his head in amusement.

"A bookshop?" He asked, his tone clearly teasing. "Oh yes we don't have any of those. None at all." I pushed open the door as I ignored his teasing. "What's so special..." Aesop trailed off as he followed me inside.

"Is that? No can't be." The little old shopkeeper came out from behind the counter. "That isn't little (Y/N) is it?" I smiled brightly at him as I hurried over to hug him. "Oh darling. It is so good to see you again."

"It's good to see you too Otto." I breathed out. "I'm sorry I've been away so long. Teaching up in Scotland does not give one much time to slip away." I apologized, watching as Otto waved his hand at me.

"No matter. No matter." He brushed it off. I rolled my eyes as he led me over to the counter. "How is it up at that school? Hogwarts was it?" I nodded. Aesop stood in the entryway, gawking at us.

"Oh close your mouth Aesop. You're not a cod fish. Otto is a squib." I said with a laugh. "Otto, this is Aesop Sharp. He also teaches up at the school. He's also my..."

"So this is the partner you keep saying you're going to introduce me to but can never find the time to." Otto teased. I felt my cheeks heat up as I ducked my head. "Pleasure to meet you." Otto held his hand out to Aesop who shook it.

"I'm sorry. This one here has never mentioned...any of this before." Aesop looked around at the stacks of books. "I'm honestly not surprised. It is a quant little spot. I'm sure even well hid away from the rest of the world."

"Oh yes. When (Y/N) was young and I wasn't much older than you," Otto winked at Aesop who chuckled. "They used to spend all day in here. Father had business on your side of London and the mother, well let's just say the weird goings on didn't make much sense to her. So I got to spend time teaching this one here. But then they jetted off to school and barely ever returned."

"Oh shut up Otto." I laughed. "I came back every summer. You saw me then. Hell you gave me a job here." I ducked behind the counter and started digging around the drawers. "I'm willing to bet you kept my nametag just in case I ever needed a job again. Ah ha!" I exclaimed as I pulled the tag in question out of the drawer. Otto smirked and shrugged.

"Out of the two of us, you always handled the muggles better." Otto shrugged. "All day every day coming in asking for magical fantasies. When it was right under their noses every day. It was enough to turn an old man sour." I smiled softly at Otto.

"How's business been?" I asked, emerging from behind the counter. "Doesn't seem like you get many customers anymore."

"You should know better than anyone. School already started here. Of course no one is coming in." Otto patted my arm as Aesop started browsing. "But they come. Moved on to those mystery novels that are coming out of London and America. Can't keep them on the shelves."

"When was the last time you cleaned?" I asked, glancing out the window before Aesop nodded, letting me know that the shop was otherwise empty. Otto shrugged and I pulled out my wand. "Scourgify." I whispered, watching as the shop became sparkling clean. "There. Now maybe you'll get a few more customers."

"And next time I'll have to pay you for that." Otto muttered, rolling his eyes playfully at me. I had just tucked my wand away when a group of muggles came in. Aesop nodded at me before I turned to hug Otto.

"I'll come back soon. I promise." I said, breaking away to head out. "There's trouble brewing. Stay safe." Otto nodded as he waved me out of the shop.

"He seems nice." I nodded. "You're worried about him."

"Like you said before." I said quietly, watching as more muggles flooded the streets. "Using muggles as a shield against Ranrok. It isn't the greatest idea but for now..." I glanced back at the shop. "It works." Aesop nodded as he held me tightly against him, dipping down an empty alleyway before disappirating back to Hogwarts.

[coffeeandmagicaltales]

prof Aesop Sharp and his Wife's first intimate moment

full picture below 18+

She’s protective of him, perhaps physically shielding his vulnerability with her presence, symbolized by her black hair cascading around them. He reciprocates by unlocking her emotional barriers, showing his commitment through gentle kisses and a strong, reassuring grip. This moment reflects a deep connection, where both are learning to trust and comfort each other despite imperfections. Their intimacy is a shared journey of healing and growth, forging a stronger bond between them.

[hyena-like-whispers]

Sedric Snape - Harry Potter OC

Full Name: Sedric Snape

-

Name Meaning:

Sedric - “Kindly” “Beloved”

Snape - Beveled Edge of Wood

-

Birthday: September 1st, 1977

MBTI: ISFP

Ethnicity: Half American, Part British, Part Chinese

Country/Place of Origin: London, England

Country/Place of Residence: Hogwarts

-

Zodiac Sign: Virgo

Tarot Card: The Fool

Pronouns: He/Him

Blood Status: Half-Blood 

House: Hufflepuff

Sexual Orientation: Bisexual

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 165 lbs

Eye Color: Black

Hair:  Dirty Blonde

-

Body Type: Slim

Age: Age: 14 (Sorcerer’s Stone), 15 (Chamber of Secrets), 16 (Prisoner of Azkaban), 17 (Goblet of Fire), 18 (Order of the Phoenix), 19 (Half-Blood Prince), 20 (Deathly Hallows)

Personality: Kind, Loyal, Avoids conflict when necessary, Loves animals, Helpful, Dependable, Dresses edgy but has a heart of gold, Organized, Introverted, Gentle

Portrayed By: Robert Pattinson

Prominent Features:

Dark Clothes

Bright Personality

-

Talents:

Tending to and taming mythical beasts

Magic

Potions

Parsel Tongue

-

Weaknesses:

Extreme Heat

Extreme Brightness

-

Fears: Losing his family, Dolls

-

Occupation:

Student

-

Wand: 

Wand Wood: Rowan Wood

Wand Core: Unicorn Hair

Wand Length: 12 1/4

Wand Flexibility: Quite Flexible

-

Patronus: Hyena

Animagus: Hyena

Favorite Classes: Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Transfiguration

Favorite Magical Creatures: Dragons, Unicorns, Hippogriffs, Vampires

Clothing Style: Dark Academic and Light Academic

-

Friends: 

Severus Snape

Albus Dumbledore

Minerva McGonagall

Rubeus Hagrid

Draco Malfoy

Hermione Granger

The Weasleys

Lily Potter

Harry Potter

-

Neutral/Complicated:

Lucius Malfoy

Remus Lupin

Sirius Black

-

Rivals:

Peter Pettigrew

Voldemort

-

Love Interest: Kamari Chang (My version of Cho Chang) 💙

Love Status: Lovers

-

Family:

GrandMother - Witch - American - Minsi Macaria - Alive

GrandFather - Wizard - American - Kellan Macaria - Alive

GrandMother - Witch - Chinese - Eileen Prince/Snape - Deceased

GrandFather - Muggle - British - Tobias Snape - Deceased

Mother - Witch - American - Megan Macaria/Snape - Alive

Father - Wizard - British Chinese - Severus Snape - Alive

Ancestor - Wizard - English/Irish - Salazar Slytherin - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - Irish/American - Gormlaith Gaunt - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - Irish/American - Rionach Sayre/Gaunt - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - Irish - Isolt Sayre - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - American - Martha Steward - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - American - Rionach Steward - Deceased

Ancestor - Wizard - English/Irish - Corvinus Gaunt - Deceased

Ancestor - Witch - English/Irish - Noctua Gaunt - Deceased

Ancestor - Wizard - English/Irish - Ominis Gaunt - Deceased

Acestor - Wizard - British - Aesop Sharp - Deceased

Great GrandAunt - Witch - British - Merope Gaunt - Deceased

Second Cousin - Wizard - English - Tom Riddle - Deceased

-

HistoryFun Facts:

Megan and Severus are eighteen at the time that they have Sedric. The two were just two teens in love, and just having turned eighteen, they wanted to celebrate them now being adults. During their excitement, the two forget any form of protection (wizardly or muggle) , the two not realizing until it was too late. Not wanting to lose or get rid of the baby, Megan decides to keep it. While Severus didn’t really like children, he didn’t want to upset Megan, so he just went with her decision. Megan’s parents on the other hand are at first furious, especially at Severus for getting their precious daughter pregnant at such a young age, which causes Megan to defend him, explaining to her parents that it was an accident. After enough convincing and seeing their daughter’s tears, her parents eventually calm down and come to terms that they would be grandparents, even if they would’ve preferred to not be this early in their daughter’s adult life.

With this in mind, Sedric grows up quite close to Hogwarts, the young boy either being babysat by Megan’s parents or Dumbledore. Megan and Severus would never know when Dumbledore would decide to babysit until they went to Albus’ office for something, only to see the old headmaster with their young boy bouncing happily on Dumbledore’s knee while playing with one of his toys.

With pretty much growing up in Hogwarts, from Dumbledore giving him tours around as a baby, to his parents teaching there once they finished up their student years; once it was time for Sedric to go to Hogwarts as a student, he would know the large school like the back of his hand. Due to his kindness, he would often guide first years around the school and any others lost in the large school.

------------------------------

Harry Potter Taglist: @valyrra @darialovesstuff @god-of-servitude @monyokami @llunarpotter @alishauna @berserkerrose @percyjackson4lfe @rypnami @amethystandemma @thornsunicorn (if you're a mutual I consider you a part of my taglist, so if you wish to be removed let me know)

[animasola86]

↓ FANFICTION MASTERLIST

(last updated: Apr 19, 2024) > newest marked with ✨

→ TL;DR LINKS-ONLY VERSION

→ KINKTOBER 2023 MASTERLIST

HEADCANONS

Sebastian's Boggart/Patronus headcanons

General Sebastian Sallow headcanons (revisited)

NSFW Sebastian Sallow headcanons (based on the smut I wrote about him)

Headcanon/smut "drabble" (NSFW!) about Sebastian's hands ✨

NSFW Hogwarts in the 1890s headcanons

→ A NIGHT IN THE UNDERCROFT (Read on AO3)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Fluff/Smut/Angst (NSFW!)

Synopsis: After a rather disastrous visit to Feldcroft, Sebastian Sallow needs a hug - or something much more.

→ Part 1 - The Night (1) → Part 2 - The Night (2)

→ Part 3 - The Nightmare → Part 4 - The Day After

→ A BLESSING AND A CURSE (Read on AO3)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Fluff/Romance/Adventure/eventual Smut

Synopsis: Sebastian Sallow is your average teenage boy, who, despite the baggage he carries around with him, has laid his eyes on the new student and he is determined to lay even more on her.

→ A BLESSING AND A CURSE MASTERLIST

Notes: Prequel to A Night in the Undercroft, HL re-write focusing on my Ravenclaw MC Nebbia DeLuca (read her backstory/showcase here), ongoing series

→ THE DARKNESS WITHIN (Read on AO3)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc x Tom Riddle

Genre: Angst/Smut/Dark!Romance (NSFW!)

Summary: He's an Auror, she's a Death Eater, yet in a former life they were lovers. Can they rekindle their love now they're mortal enemies?

→ THE DARKNESS WITHIN MASTERLIST

→ THROW ME INTO THE TEMPEST (Read on AO3)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Drama/Angst/Fluff/eventual Smut

Summary: Your best friend is a sweetheart and you would do anything to protect her. Yet when you get to know her boyfriend, there is little you can do against those feelings he invokes in you.

Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- ongoing

→ IN YOUR CARE (Read on AO3)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc x m!oc

Genre: Angst/Smut/Drama/MODERN AU (NSFW!)

Summary: Living in the same foster home, Nebbia and Sebastian are supposed to stay away from each other, but because they are both troubled teenagers with troubled pasts, they simply can't. But then the past comes back to haunt them, threatening to destroy everything.

Chapter 1 -- Chapter 2 -- Chapter 3 -- Chapter 4 -- ongoing

→ A SPECIAL KIND OF BOND (Read on AO3) ✨

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader x A Special Friend

Genre: Smut/Filth (NSFW!)

Summary: After going skinny-dipping with Sebastian, you discover that you took a little souvenir from the depths of the Black Lake with you. And it's very happy to meet you too.

Status: completed! // A SPECIAL KIND OF BOND MASTERPOST

→ SCARS AND PEACE AND COMFORT (Read on AO3) ✨

Pairing: Aesop Sharp x f!reader

Genre: Fluff/Smut (NSFW!)

Summary: He was there to give you confidence, attention, comfort, and you were there to give him peace - and so much more!

This is a series of one-shots! // SCARS AND PEACE AND COMFORT MASTERLIST

↓ PLEASANT DREAMS... AND TENTACLES

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 3.2k

Synopsis: Sebastian can't sleep and uses his girlfriend's disturbing dream to help him do so. (somnophilia, tentacles submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ NIGHTMARES... AND HELPFUL SNAKES ✨

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 8k

Synopsis: After that first disturbing dream, Sebastian's girlfriend finds herself in even more disturbing dreams, but this time she has her boyfriend to protect her. But does he really?

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ IT IS THAT TIME AGAIN, DARLING.

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Fluff/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 8k

Synopsis: Your husband wants another child because three aren't enough. (breeding kink submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ COME BACK TO BED, BABY.

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Fluff/Angst/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 10.1k

Synopsis: Dad!Seb is back and he actually managed to put his breeding kink to good use. Or did he?

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ TAKE YOUR ANGER (and stick it where the sun don't shine)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x m!reader

Genre: Angst/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 3.9k

Synopsis: You and Sebastian are both flawed boys and there is only one way to let out that pent-up frustration.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ PAIN RELIEF

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 3.2k

Synopsis: It's that time of month and all you want to do is curl up into a ball and die, but Sebastian has another idea of helping you relieve the pain.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ A BLOODY MESS

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut/Gore (NSFW!) // Words: 1.7k

Synopsis: Diffindo, poachers and two horny teenagers engaging in a blood covered quickie. (TW: Blood/Murder/Periods)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ A SCHOLAR AND A PERVERT

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 10.3k

Synopsis: Sebastian wants to experiment on you. (overstimulation and sex toys submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE MAGIC TOY (1/2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 3.8k

Synopsis: Sebastian has gifted you a special toy and one day you find yourself using it to his very own inconvenience.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE MAGIC TOY (2/2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 10.6k

Synopsis: After just having used your special gift from Sebastian, you end up in the Undercroft with him for more toy related shenanigans.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ AVID READER

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Comfort/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 2.9k

Synopsis: Sebastian has been hunched over Salazar Slytherin's Spellbook aka that damn book for too long now and his girlfriend only knows one way to distract him.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ IT BELONGS TO ME

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 2.5k

Synopsis: Sebastian demands a quick bj in the hallway. (semi-public, deepthroating submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ MINE!

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 6.5k

Synopsis: Sebastian's girlfriend is a bit of a nymphomaniac. And he is not complaining. Or is he?

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ YOURS TO TAKE

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 7.9k

Synopsis: Sebastian and his horny girlfriend watch the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match, but focus on something else entirely. Very publicly.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ LESSONS IN LOVE-MAKING

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Fluff/Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 9.8k

Synopsis: Your boyfriend (not Sebastian) sucks in bed. After you find yourself crying in the hallway because of it, Sebastian finds you and is happy to lend a hand.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ JUST BREATHE

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x gn!reader

Genre: Angst/Hurt/Comfort/Fluff // Words: 3.1k

Synopsis: After clearing another poacher camp, you and Sebastian fall into a sticky situation that will leave you questioning your and his life choices. (TW: blood!)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ A FILTHY FANTASY (1/2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut/Horror (NSFW!) // Words: 7.9k

Synopsis: Sebastian asks you for your filthiest fantasy and then manipulates you into wanting to do it. (con non-con, bondage, sensory deprivation, orgasm denial submission of Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ A FILTHY FANTASY (2/2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader x Ominis Gaunt

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 4.6k

Synopsis: After that fantasy you talked about came to pass a little unexpectedly, you find yourself in a Slytherin sandwich. (threesome, oral/vaginal/anal submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ A FILTHY FANTASY: AFTERCARE

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Hurt/Comfort // Words: 2.4k

Synopsis: In the wake of what happened to you earlier, you contemplate your life choices and your love to the boy that keeps making it a little bit more difficult.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE HORNY GHOST

Pairing: Richard Jackdaw x f!mc x Sebastian Sallow

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 5.3k

Synopsis: Richard Jackdaw watches teenagers have sex and stalks one of them for more. (voyeurism, masturbation, spectrophilia submission for Kinktober)

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE GHOST UNDER THE TABLE

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x gn!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 2.3k

Synopsis: A bj in the library. That's all.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE GHOST UNDER THE TABLE (PART 2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 4.5k

Synopsis: The sweet revenge. Sebastian returns the favor.

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE GHOSTS ON THE TABLE (PART 1)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 10k

Synopsis: Sebastian read something in a filthy Muggle magazine...

Read here (or on AO3)

↓ THE GHOSTS ON THE TABLE (PART 2)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!reader

Genre: Smut (NSFW!) // Words: 10k

Synopsis: They find a table and do stuff on it. You know the stuff.

Read here (or on AO3)

→ JUST ANOTHER ADVENTURE, RIGHT?

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x gn!reader/mc (1st person POV)

Genre: Hurt/Comfort/Fluff // Words: 2.2k

Synopsis: What really happened in the Scriptorium

DIARY OF A SNAKE LOVER (Read on FF.net)

Pairing: Sebastian Sallow x f!mc

Genre: Adventure/Romance

Slow-burn HL re-write with added Sebastian content

[purplehyacinthriver]

Aesop Sharp [Mood board] - From my Fanfiction "Shadow of Legacy: A Hogwarts Legacy Sequel available on AO3 and Wattpad.

━━━━━━♥━━━━━━

Upon reaching the door, she grasped the handle and flung it open, nearly colliding with Aesop, who stood just beyond, wearing an expression of equal surprise.

“Aesop, I—” she began, breath catching as she struggled to articulate her thoughts, the weight of their earlier frustrations lingering in the air between them.

“Merith,” he replied softly, his voice a low, warm whisper that anchored her in place. She had never heard him utter her name with such tenderness before; it sent a flutter through her chest, her heartbeat echoing so loudly she feared it could be heard throughout the classroom.

Aesop stood framed in the doorway, illuminated by ethereal moonlight streaming through the window. Something about him appeared exquisite beneath the cool glow of night. Tugging self-consciously at her dressing gown, Merith felt uncertain about how to begin.

“I’m sorry; it seems I keep losing my temper with you. While I still disagree, Aesop, I will heed your warning. But hear me now, I am no silly girl.” Her voice steadied as she found the strength to meet his gaze. Their eyes locked, and a shared understanding began to bridge the gap the earlier confrontation had created.

“I must confess, I acted rather boorishly myself, exceedingly ungentlemanly,” he said lightly, a hint of jest creeping into his tone as he clasped her hands in his. “I regret my remark about your naivety—there are matters I am not at liberty to disclose, aspects of the situation you understandably lack awareness of.

It was unkind of me to wield that against you. My words, though perhaps too blunt, were born from concern for your well-being; I genuinely wish to protect you from harm.” His tone shifted, growing serious, and she felt the weight of his sincerity wash over her.

[mrs-sharp]

The Eyes of Graphorns

tw: mention of death, loss, pain, alcohol

I finally did it! I translated my first piece of fanfiction. Since English isn't my first language and it's still not perfect, but I hope it's good enough and you still like it. Please enjoy!

You can also find it on Ao3.

Pairing: Aesop Sharp x f! Adult mc

Summary: After the battle of Hogwarts against Ranrok and his followers was won, nothing is the same for Elaine Hopkins. Her mentor is dead, and she finds herself with a new responsibility as the guardian of the last repository. She finds support in Aesop Sharp, who escorts her after Fig's death and slowly gains her trust.

After her graduation, she disappears for seven years and eventually returns to Hogwarts, where after a long search and wait, she was finally reunited with her former potions professor. She and Sharp grow closer to each other, but soon, they discover that their destinies are interwined more deeply than expected.

-> Chapter 1 - The Battle of Hogwarts

-> Chapter 2 - Goodbyes

-> Chapter 3 - A Reunion

-> Chapter 4 - The Renegades

-> Chapter 5 - Elaine's Laughter

-> Chapter 6 - Elaine's Secret

-> Chapter 7 - Firewhisky and Despair

-> Chapter 8 - Intuition

-> Chapter 9 - The Prophecy

-> Chapter 10 - An Uncertain Night

-> Chapter 11 - A Lost Past

-> Chapter 12 - Dancing With Your Darkness

-> Chapter 13 - Haegel's Ham I

-> Chapter 14 - Haegel's Ham II

-> Chapter 15 - Night Thoughts

-> Chapter 16 - The Room of Requirement

You can find some facts about my mc below, but you will also find most of the stuff mentioned in my fic (but maybe it helps to remember things if you restart reading after a longer break).

Elaine Hopkins:

• born in Scarborough on 19/01/1875 (she doesn't know her birthplace)

• Wand: cedar wood, dragon heartstring, slightly springy, ten and three-quarter inches

• Patronus: Graphorn (surprise!)

• I believe in the headcanon that if she was an animagus, she would turn into a fox (as a child, she often wandered alone through fields and meadows, and sometimes foxes would follow her, but she was never afraid of them – it was more like they were looking out for her)

• she is a Ravenclaw

→ the sorting hat took a long time deciding whether to place her in Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw

→ she is not the typical bookworm; she learns more from practical experience, which is why she adapted well to Sharp's class from the start

→ Elaine is quiet but friendly and helpful and possesses a high degree of empathy (which is also her greatest weakness and often leads her to put the needs of others before her own)

→ although she is quiet and reserved, she is quick-witted and knows how to use sarcasm.

→ she is very good at drawing, kept all her drawings but has given it up for a reason she doesn't want to talk about

→ her favourite subjects were Care of Magical Creatures, Potions, and Defense Against the Dark Arts

→ although she is very popular, she is more of a loner; her best friend is Poppy Sweeting, as they share a passion for magical creatures

→ because she is very reserved and quiet, she mastered non-verbal spells very early on

→ she loves nature, especially the sea, where she enjoys watching Graphorns along the coast

• Elaine Hopkins is not her real name; she grew up in an orphanage where she simply appeared one day; she was 5 years old at the time

→ she didn't know who she was or where she came from, so one of her older „sisters" gave her the name

→ said older sister (Katherine Davies, or Kath for short) soon became a friend and role model for her, as she took care of the younger children; Kath liked Elaine because she was a quiet and intelligent child

→ as Elaine got older, Kath disappeared one day, and from then on Elaine took over her role, teaching the other children, among other things, how to read

→ Elaine was passed from one master to another to bring in some money for the orphanage; if a supervisor tried to discipline her, an unknown force often seemed to protect her, which is why she usually didn't stay in one place for too long

• Fig was the closest thing to a father for her, so after his death, she outwardly tries to carry on her daily life normally, but inwardly withdraws even more

• after graduation

→ even during her school days, Elaine sensed that Sharp was suffering not only from his injury but also from the events related to it

→ she decides to go on journeys to research Graphorns and find a cure for Sharp

→ after her unsuccessful search, she began training as an Auror in 1894

→ works as an Auror until 1900

→ she reopens the Scarborough case and uncovers a black market for goblin artefacts

• After an injury, she takes over the position for Defense Against the Dark Arts and returns to Hogwarts (the parallels to Sharp's story are no coincidence 🙃)

• she owns a small cottage on the Eastern edge of Cragcroft from which you can see the sea and where she finds some peace

[yellow-rose-embalmer]

Can I eat the box you always carry around? Pretty pleaseeeee

Aesop pauses, looks down at his box, then back up, holding it protectively to his chest. "...no. There are sharp implements and doses of embalming fluid in here... You will get sick, if you do not die from the many things you cannot digest."

[aesopsharpmybeloved]

Tess' Sharpuary - 16. Blush

Aesop's two colleagues and oldest friends engage in their favourite activity - poking fun at the poor potions master.

chapter specific tags: friendship, teasingy established relationship, innuendos

relationships: aesop sharp & dinah hecat & abraham ronen, aesop sharp x reader

16. Blush (1.6k)

tw: suggestive themes suggested suggestively

The potions master sat down to eat his breakfast in the Great Hall. He had himself a very lovely weekend indeed, filled with romantic and erotic adventures with one very special seventh-year Ravenclaw. He had the amazing privilege to introduce her to the world of physical intimacy, and he felt fairly confident he did a good job at it, considering their mutual feeling of utmost exhaustion and contentedness by the time they disapparated from Wales back to the village of Hogsmeade. Their state of gratification was so strong in fact, they dared holding hands on their way back to the castle when they were certain nobody could see the two of them. There wasn't really anyone to see them, seeing as they entered the castle in the middle of supper time at the Great Hall.

The young woman followed him straight to his rooms, where they shared dinner brought to them by the Hogwarts house elves, and had the chance to try how Aesop’s bed compared to the one in his ‘aunt’s’ summer house. She slipped away under the Disillusionment charm in the morning, leaving Aesop with her sweet scent lingering upon his sheets and pillows. He couldn’t wait for her to finish Hogwarts frankly, couldn’t wait to be able to wake up next to her every morning, share breakfast on their own terms, and only then part for the day. Though this part will forever be done most reluctantly, Aesop supposed.

Still, as he walked into the Great Hall for breakfast that morning, he had to admit his spirits were higher than they were in a long time. Even his leg didn’t hurt as bad - he barely felt any pain in fact, and he only did when he was walking. Sitting or lying down, it felt almost as if he was never cursed at all. It was very strange, it hadn’t felt this painless since… Well, since before that horrible day at the end of January, so many years ago…

Shaking off his thoughts for the time being, he reached before himself to take hold of a toast, and actually whistled as he slowly spread orange marmalade over it. “Ah, there you are! Didn't notice you come back yesterday,” came Dinah’s voice from beside him as the DADA professor slid down into the chair next to his, her voice uncomfortably smug “though I suppose I wouldn’t have, you must’ve slipped into your chambers immediately, completely exhausted from all the physical strain.”

Aesop swallowed his bite, his eyes looking off into the distance unwilling to connect with those of his friend: “What exactly do you mean, Di?” “Why, you two spent the better part of almost three days walking around the woods, and I know how uneven surfaces can be a problem for you,” she explained inconspicuously, reaching out to add some scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes into her plate. “Did you use protection?” she asked then, and Aesop very nearly choked on his food.

“What?!” he whisper-shouted, eyes wild. Still he wouldn’t look at the woman next to him, instead becoming very very interested in the wall opposite of him, his hand nearly crushing his toast. He knew that was she to look in his eyes, she’d know instantly. “I mean, I’ve never been particularly interested in Herbology, but I remember some of the plants you were meant to get are quite poisonous and require the use of gloves. Though, as I see no skin irritation, I suppose the question sort of answers itself, doesn’t it?”

Aesop didn’t grace her with an answer, and instead tried to eat what remained of his breakfast as fast as possible, feeling flush begin to enter his cheeks. Dinah seemed to be happily enjoying her food for several minutes, unconsciously tapping her fork against one of the tomatoes on her plate while her eyes skimmed through the Daily prophet, until: “How’s your back?”

“How would my back be?” Aesop replied, voice dull and quiet. He tried to make a plan to get out of the situation, but a part of him knew that not engaging Dinah in conversation was as good as coming clean that this ‘herb-picking expedition’, as his sweetheart called it, was so much more than that... “Well, I do hope you were a gentleman and let her have the bed. And you know how your back gets when you don’t sleep somewhere comfortable,” her voice was the essence of absolute innocence. More blood poured into Aesop’s cheeks as he attempted to answer as calmly and normally as he could: “My back is completely fine, thank you for your concern.”

It seemed the DADA teacher was all done with her innuendos for the time being, and Aesop finally heaved a sigh of relief.

“Oh, you’re back my friend!” Aesop tensed instantly. Abraham and Dinah’s favourite activity was poking fun at him whenever they could (all in good fun, of course), and it certainly felt like the older man appearing like he did to engage him in such a jovial sounding conversation was not a coincidence… That is, Abraham was always very jovial, but Aesop’s was already so strung up from Dinah’s previous words, he couldn’t help feeling suspicious.

“So, how did the deflowering go?”

Aesop almost suffocated on his breakfast for the second time. As soon as the tea was safely on its way to his stomach rather than his lungs, he turned to the Charms professor swiftly: “What the fuck, Abraham?!”

The older man looked taken aback by the little outburst, but didn’t lose the friendly look on his face: “Well, you spent the weekend collecting all sorts of magical flowers and herbs, didn’t you? Though, I do admit, the term might have sounded slightly misleading, and I apologise for that. Of course there wouldn’t be any other kind of deflowering going on, would there?”

“Precisely!” the potions master said rather loudly, accidentally attracting the attention of some of his other colleagues. He cleared his throat, and lowered his voice once more: “Listen, I don’t care what the two of you are playing at, but I’d be very grateful if you let me eat my breakfast and go prepare for my classes today in peace.”

After a couple of completely unapologetic apologies, Aesop felt stable enough to return to his meal. If he wasn’t as hungry as he was after the passionate night, not to mention unwilling to look like he was fleeing from the two, he would’ve risen and left long ago…

“So, did you show her the road to heaven?” Dinah asked then.

Aesop’s cup shattered in his hold. Luckily he had just finished drinking his tea, so there was no liquid left to spill onto his robes. The sound of the ceramic breaking wasn’t loud enough to attract the attention of his fellow teachers again, but his two closest friends definitely raised their eyebrows at his reaction.

Not that Aesop saw them - no, he was looking down at his empty plate, feeling his face turning impossibly hot, and knowing he was red as a salamander. “I of course meant the trail towards the waterfalls near one of the mines, you always called it ‘the road to heaven’,” Dinah clarified, watching for his reaction. The potions master gave none, but simply rose from his chair and walked off without a word. Rather swiftly too, but without breaking into a full run. The DADA teacher couldn’t stop the chuckles from leaving her lips as Aesop Sharp left the Great Hall.

“Did we overdo it?” asked Abraham then, sounding mildly concerned. His colleague merely shrugged her shoulders: “Serves him right for thinking he’s so slick. It’s been more than three months, if he just manned up finally and told us, I’d leave him alone… Well, I would not, but I’d tone it down a little. Besides, he'll live. Since when does a former Auror let some teasing rile him up this much; he’ll simply drag his young eagle into his chambers, and she’ll rid him of all frustrations, I’m sure.”

—

Aesop Sharp sat in his office, face still red in embarrassment. What was going on with him? Normally, he was able to take all of his friends’ teasing on the chin and reply in kind, but this morning it was impossible to do. Why? Was it because they were right in their insinuations? Because while it truly was just innocent teasing on their part, for Aesop it was very much real? Or did they actually know? He sighed, and put his head into his hands.

A knock came upon his door, prompting him to groan. Class was not due for another 30 minutes at least! “Enter,” he said anyway, not lifting his head up. The door opened. “Aesop?” came the sweetest voice in the world, and the potions master immediately raised his head to look at the woman standing on the threshold of his office. “Is everything alright?” She sounded terribly worried. Aesop couldn’t help but smile at her, her concern touching him. “It’s alright, I promise. I didn’t see you at breakfast?” he said quietly, extending his hands towards her, and she instantly took them. He pulled her closer, now noticing she was carrying a piece of parchment in her hand.

“I was a little late, had a long night…” her eyes twinkled happily with a hint of mischief, “I was just on my way to Herbology, when professor Hecat asked me to go give this to you.” The potions master swallowed audibly, but nevertheless took the letter from her hand. He braced himself mentally before unrolling it. Next thing he knew, he was smiling at the words that stood against the white parchment.

“Good news?” his young lover asked hopefully, her fingers stroking his shoulders. Aesop’s hands reached her waist, and he pulled the Ravenclaw in for a kiss, the letter ending up somewhere on his desk.

Only a few simple words were written on it.

‘We’re happy for both of you. - D & A’

---

Thank you for reading! ❤️

[AO3] - [Sharpuary 2024] - [Masterlist]

[legacybxth]

The Concerning Case of Florence Woods: Chapter 3/3

Aesop Sharp x F!OC (protective teacher/student, no romance... this time!)

Tags: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Trauma, Big Cries, Funeral time

Chapter 1: The Observation (1/3) - 9.1k words (link) Chapter 2: The Investigation (2/3) - 9.1k words (link) Chapter 3: The Conclusion (3/3) - 5.7k words (link)

Photo credit: Moni on Pinterest

The second time Florence Woods woke up in the hospital wing, after the battle against Ranrok, she wished she never had. 

Her eyelids fluttered half open, dazzled by the light of the room and the sharp aches radiating through her. Like déjà vu, her lead lolled to the side, allowing her to focus on the shape of the person next to her. Professor Sharp's normally tight-lipped expression was soft and downturned, his eyes uncharacteristically red and heavy.

As she realised that she was, indeed, in the hospital wing, the memories of what led her there began to resurface. She'd intended to pull herself up and demand to know where Professor Fig was, but instead she could only let out a low groan.

Read the (final) chapter on AO3 >>

[bohobooks]

An Interesting Turn in Time (Hogwarts Legacy x MC x Golden Trio)

Due to popular demand, what started out as a few imagines is now a full book. Here's a peak at chapter one:

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As with any other Sunday in Hogwarts if you were looking for the mischievous Slytherin Trio, you would find them in the Room of Requirement. The room itself was spacious- and despite the sun coming through the domed ceiling, rather cold.

Rose had conjured a fireplace in one of the tucked away corners of the main room, summoning all of the furniture to surround it in an aestheticcally pleasing fashion.

After defeating Rookwood, Harlow, and Ranrok, she had dedicated herself to living a comfortable life. She wanted to enjoy what the Wizarding World had to offer properly.

The Battle in the repository had wrecked havoc on her body and mind. After Ranrok made his last play- destroying the container itself- she was left to absorb all of the ancient magic, else it escaped into the world. Her mentor, Fig, was killed instantly as a piece of Goblin metal speared itself through his heart in the final explosion. She remembers flashes of things after that. Strong arms carrying her- that was Professor Sharp. Voices panicking, then black. When she awoke in Saint Mungos, Sebastian, Ominis, and Sharp were all stationed around her bed. From that day on, Ominis, Sebastian, and to everyone's surprise Professor Sharp, vowed to protect her.

Since the death of Fig, Rosalie was left without a guardian- and after asking for her permission, Aesop Sharp signed the papers to become her legal guardian.

That was two years ago for Rosalie Wayland Sharp.

Today, she sat with her closest friends, the three of them 7th years. Ominis sat on the chair nearest the fire, boredly reading a book that Rose had bought him- a muggle poet named Edgar Allen Poe. Sebatian, taking a metaphorical page from the Book of Ominis, was sprawled out on the dark ornate carpet with his sketchbook, eyes only leaving the pencil lines long enough to look up at his friends for reference. And Rosalie, she sat on the floor at the base of Ominis's chair: cross legged and levitating pages of am Ancient book around her. She studied them intently, hands free to sip her cup of tea.

This is how they spent most of their time, relaxing in eachothers company.

Breaking the quiet, the door to the Room of Requirement squeaked open, causing the trio to alert.

Rosalie figured it was her guardian, but uneasily called out, "Aesop?"

There was no answer, aside from quiet shuffling from the entryway. This time when she spoke, it was with a tone of warning. She was already on her feet, along with her boys, wands at the ready, "Father?"

Three figures stepped into the open room from the small hallway, causing the Slytherins to bristle even further.

"Who the fuck are you?" Sebastian spat defensively as he and Ominis stepped forward to flank either side of their girl. She could totally handle herself, but she appreciated the sentiment.

The intruders actually looked startled, clearly not expecting what they found. The girl of the group, a pretty thing wearing a pink sweater and what appeared to be tight fitting denim trousers stepped forward with her hands in the air to signal she was not a threat.

Her voice was soft and melodic, "We don't mean any harm."

Rose laughed wearily, gesturing behind the girl with her wand, "Tell that to the specky git behind you."

Not dropping her hands, she glanced over her shoulder and hissed at the dark haired boy behind her, "Harry! Put away your wand!"

The boy looked at her if she had lost her mind, but quietly slipped his wand into his pocket.

Ominis was the one to talk this time, "No, I'm going to need you to roll your wands to us."

The red head on the other side of who they determined to be Harry began to protest, but the intruder girl cut him off, "Ronald, just do it. Imagine if you were minding your own business in a place that should be impossible for others to find and three strangers just waltzed in."

One by one, they rolled their wands over to the Slytherins, and Luna just held out a hand, wordlessly summoning them from the floor.

Rose eyed the others suspiciously, but sighed and tucked away her wand, gesturing for her boys to do the same. Her voice was tired, knowing full well that this seemed like one of the shenanigans that the Wizarding World as a whole enjoyed tossing at her. Summoning another couch to the sitting area, she gestured for everyone to sit. She took the large gothic armchair, crossing her legs. Ominis and Sebastian didn't sit, instead opting to stand on either side of her.

The girl sat on the middle of the couch, and the boys- Harry and Ron from what Rose had gathered- sat wearily beside their friend.

Luna looked them over, hardly even wanting to engage in whatever was about to happen, "So," she smiled tiredly, "Care to tell us who the hell you are?"

The one that she gathered to be Ron snorted, "Who we are? How about who you are? And why are you dressed like that?"

The girl hissed at him, smacking the back of his head, "Ronald, don't be impolite!" She turned back to Rose and smiled kindly, "I'm Hermione, and this is-"

"Harry and Ron, we gathered as much." Ominis interrupts curtly. "Care to tell us how you found us? If I have to get Headmaster Black involved, I can assure you that the results will not be pretty for you."

Rosalie rolled her eyes, "Stand down, boys. Sit, you're making me nervous."

She looked back to Hermione, watching her eyebrows furrow as she attempted to solve something. At once, her brown eyes light up in recognition, "Godrics heart!" The girl actually got excited, "Head master Black? Those uniforms- those are the old school uniforms!"

Rose, lifted an eyebrow, "Old? I just bought these for Glad Rags yesterday!"

The girl continued mapping out her discovery, "The uniforms are from the late 1800's- Holy Shit."

Her companions looked at her surprised, clearly unused to her cursing. Rose on the otherhand shot Sebastian a look as if to communicate that this girl has clearly gone round the bend. Turning back to her, Rose speaks gently, "Hermione, dearest. It's 1893. Do we need to take you to Nurse Blainey?"

"That's just it though, it's not 1893. Its 1997. And you are Rosalie Sa- sorry." The insane girl covered her mouth quickly, "Rosalie Wayland. The Hero of Hogwarts."

Even Harry and Ron seemed to think Hermione had lost her mind, but she turns excitedly to Harry, "Don't you get it Harry? We needed a weapon, and the Room of Requirement gave us three!"

"You are insane." Ominis rubs his forehead.

"But I'm not, I'll prove it. And we will explain everything, but first I think we all need to go see the Headmaster."

_______________________________________

A/N- First chapter is a short one to get the ball rolling! I hope you will enjoy, and thank you for all of your love and support! ♡♥︎♡

[myveryownfanfiction]

SharpMarch day 17: Dueling

18+ MINORS AND THOSE WITHOUT AGE IN BIO DNI

tags: @illiana-mystery, @iobsessoverfictionalmen

warnings: swearing, magical fighting

AN: Can be seen as a continuation of day

"Ready your wand." Aesop warned. I nodded as I drew my wand, adjusting my stance. The room crackled with energy, preparing to shift if necessary. "You're sure the Room of Requirement can take this?"

"Of course." I nodded. "I've seen it change at a moment's notice to something I needed that I had barely thought of. The room is prepared for anything and everything. We'll be fine." Aesop nodded with a wary look around the room.

"On Deek's count then." Aesop said, glancing over at the House Elf that stood in the stairway. Deek nodded.

"Deek is honored Professor Sharp." He said. A ghost of a smile passed Aesop's lips as he focused on me again. "One. Two. Three!"

"Expelliarmus!" Aesop cried, a shot of red shooting out at me. I rolled out of the way and took a deep breath.

"Levioso!" Aesop drifted into the air as he twisted to look at me. "Accio!"

"Diffindo." My eyes went wide as I tried to dodge it.

"Protego." A large green bubble surrounded me as the spell bounced off the edge. "I thought that was a spell not meant to be used against other students or professors." I teased as I got back to my feet. Aesop landed back on the ground and started to circle me.

"It was. But if you remember right, I also said it could be used in dire need against an opponent." I chuckled as Aesop smirked at me.

"Oh and being stuck in levioso is dire need?" I shot back as spells continued to fly. "Aesop, darling, I do believe you've lost your touch." Aesop growled before sending a wave of water at me. It crashed through my protective bubble, leaving me wet and annoyed.

"What was that you were saying luv?" Aesop chuckled. His eyes twinkled as he regarded me. "Something about me losing my touch?" I sent the same spell back at him while he looked over at Deek. The House Elf covered his mouth, trying his hardest not to laugh as Aesop was drowned in water.

"Not so cocky now are you Aesop?" I laughed as I waved my wand, drying off quickly. "Serves you right. Damned old fool." Aesop looked over at me, shaking his head as he saw the teasing smile on my face.

"Look at that." He muttered, drying himself off. "Done in by my own fucking arrogance." Aesop shook his head as he gestured me over. "What do you say we call it a draw?"

"That's fine with me." I said as I tucked myself under his arm. "Dinah will want a winner though."

"I dare say Deek was the winner. After all, he's the only one who stayed dry during this whole exercise." Aesop chuckled. Deek ducked his head.

"Deek wouldn't say he won sir." Deek stuttered. "Deek was only keeping watch in case something bad happened." I reached out and patted Deek's head.

"And such a good job you do Deek." I murmured. "Could you be so kind as to check Teddy didn't escape again? I would hate for him to get loose in the castle. It's bad enough I have to keep stealing Aesop's watch back." Aesop chuckled as he shook his head.

"You're going to have to be careful. One of these days I'm going to steal Teddy away from you." He said, pressing a kiss to my temple.

"And one day you'll return him because you can't find any of your things." I shot back. Aesop shrugged as we headed back into the main room.

[coffeeandmagicaltales]

prof Aesop Sharp x Adult OC

Young Aesop Sharp looks after the unknown woman, he found on the beach. She's an enigma to him, both charming and mysterious...

no disclaimers

The rain drummed against the gutters and small windowpanes.

The little house was unfazed by the local storms, especially the winter ones that lashed down with rain and snow, nor was it troubled by the distant growls of thunder. It was like a warm burrow—safe and snug. In such weather, only Aesop’s herbs on the roof suffered. Despite the enchantments protecting them from the cold, they were often, to Aesop's horror, ripped out by the roots and sent flying beyond the horizon.

Through the small windows, made of handcrafted glass by the local Muggles, weak rays of grayish light filtered in. Shadows danced in the dim, warm glow of the candles that illuminated the room. Most of Aesop’s trinkets and travel souvenirs, as well as the potted mandrakes he had tucked away from the frost on the shelves, were swallowed by the darkness.

Young Sharp sat in an armchair, staring blankly at the couch he had dragged from the other sitting room to the fireplace. A mound of blankets lay atop it, with only pearl-colored strands of hair peeking out. Scattered around were empty potion bottles and remnants of ingredients. He sighed—he’d clean it up later, now he had no more strength in his hands.

He rubbed his tired eyes, his heavy lids drooping as if some invisible pixies were deliberately tugging them down. His breath was heavy, his mind clouded with exhaustion- only now did he truly feel how much he had relied on magic, bacause even something as simple as running back and forth for ingredients and bottles had drained him. And the couch—Merlin, it had been really heavy. He wasn’t exactly the strongest man, despite his daily training, still, it had been enough to get through last night—a night he would, unfortunately, remember for the rest of his life.

The woman’s steady breathing, now deep and peaceful, sleeping in the warmth, was a balm to his soul and his nerves. He rose, twinging from pain, feeling the burning ache in every muscle he knew—and even in some he hadn’t been aware of before—and trudged toward the stranger, kneeling on the rug. Her smell hit him again, and he grimaced, his stomach twisting slightly. If he had his wand, he would have dealt with the problem in seconds, but as it was, he had to wait until she could wash and change herself. Judging by her condition, that wouldn’t happen for at least another few hours. He shook off the thought, inhaled through his mouth, and held his breath as he checked her pulse to make sure she was all right.

He took her wrist—her heartbeat was normal. Her hand was small, covered in calluses and scrapes, a clear sign of hard labor. He tucked it back under the blanket, ensuring she was well covered, with a small pat he gave it. His gaze drifted to her face, and he hesitated before gently brushing away a few pale strands of hair to check her forehead. Her temperature was back to normal.

She looked utterly exhausted and sore. Her slightly parted lips released deep, steady breaths. Aesop tilted his head to get a better look inside her mouth. Surprisingly, despite her overall condition, her teeth seemed in good shape. Very white, no signs of tartar. Probably even better than his. At least they weren’t as horribly crooked.

"You really gave me a scare…" He said to himself and exhaled deeply, relief washing over him with a strange sense of pride. He never thought he’d be able to save a woman who, just a few hours ago, had been teetering on the edge of death. But he had no choice—he was alone. Who could he have called for help? He wouldn’t have even had time to send an owl to his mentor. Every second had counted.

He thought about how, in the evening, everything had seemed to be improving. Nothing had indicated that the girl’s condition would suddenly take a critical turn. He had dozed off, and after about two hours, around two in the morning, he was jolted awake by her delirious murmuring. She had developed a high fever and tremors, and the potions he had given her weren’t working—the fever refused to break. At one point, her heartbeat slowed dangerously, nearly stopping. Pressing his ear to her chest, he had known it was bad. Desperately, he had wracked his brain for the right mixture, something that, combined with good old bezoar, would bring her body back to balance.

Now, he remembered it as if through a fog, but back then, it had been pure hell. He had broken down in the bathroom, crying, when he finally managed to bring down her fever, control those awful, terrifying convulsions, and the way she had completely lost touch with reality, becoming limp…

For a moment, he was certain she had died, that it was over… A sight that still sent chills down his spine: blue lips, empty gaze, gray skin…

He had watched over her the entire night, checking on her every fifteen minutes, giving her healing potions mixed with vitamins and minerals to strengthen her.

He glanced at his pocket watch—it was time for another dose. Reaching for the prepared vial on the floor, he swirled it in circular motions until it changed color. Settling at the edge of the couch, he carefully lifted the drowsy, weakened woman and propped her against his side, steadying her head with his rough, black-stubbled chin—something he took great pride in. Her silky-soft hair, sticking out in every direction, tickled his cheek. He brushed it away so it wouldn’t get in his way and, with the utmost care, pressed the potion to her dry, cracked lips.

"Drink, please…" he whispered, and she stirred slightly. Tilting the vial, he helped her take the medicine. It was bitter—her body recoiled in disgust—but Aesop, prepared for this reaction, held her steady to make sure she drank every last drop.

"I know it’s vile, but it’s medicine… You have to take it twice more, I’m so sorry… Just one more sip, the last one…"

She squeezed her eyes shut and forced herself to swallow the final drops, bringing a smile to Aesop’s face. It was a good sign—she was aware, and she had the will to live.

He wiped her lips with a handkerchief and fluffed her pillow before settling her comfortably. This time, she didn’t immediately fall asleep like before… She looked at him, still dazed, but he could see relief and gratitude in her gaze. She wetted her lips and gathered what little strength she had to say something.

Aesop didn’t understand at first, urging her to rest, but she shook her head and tried again.

"Thank you…" she murmured, her voice hoarse, barely above a whisper.

Aesop flinched, trying to find something to say, but before he could, she had already slipped back into sleep. He stood up quietly, dragging himself back to his armchair with a grin stretching from ear to ear and cheeks burning with pride and embarrassment.

*

He woke up from his nap so suddenly that his sketchbook tumbled to the floor. He took it and placed on a coffee table nearby, and checking the time, seeing almost 5 pm, he got up to see how the girl was doing. She was still sleeping deeply—no reason to wake her—so he decided to stand up in few minutes and brew himself some coffee, then attempt to study, searching for information about wands.

Merlin, he had practically lost a day and a half. For now, he preferred to leave the woman alone, not waking her up, not yet asking if she wanted someone notified about her condition or whereabouts. She was safe. There would be time for that later—right now, she needed rest.

At least in theory, he should have been able to push her from his thoughts and focus on the task at hand. But as he sipped his large cup of coffee and read about places saturated with magic in Scotland, he caught himself repeatedly drifting back to his guest. He scolded himself every time he lost track of the text. This was something entirely new to him: her face, her eyes—the memories from the previous day were still so vivid…

Grumbling in frustration, he shut the book and set it aside, reaching instead for his sketchbook. He drew a figure in a net, telling himself it was just a "visual journal entry," and then… Then he hesitated. Should he draw her portrait? He wrestled with the thought. He didn’t know if he should… He certainly wasn’t going to sit by the couch and sketch her directly—no. He wanted to purge the image from his mind, to turn his sketchbook into a sort of "poor man’s Pensieve", as he sometimes called it.

Opening a new page, he let his hand move, transferring his thoughts onto paper with a few strokes. He did his best—he never considered himself particularly skilled at drawing—but when he looked down, a beautiful, fair-haired woman stared back at him from the page...

...Merlin… Who could have hurt her?

She was a mystery. Though he had deduced quite a lot from the start (and, admittedly, felt rather proud of himself), he now summarized the facts in his mind: she had been beaten and neglected, she had worked hard—likely as someone’s servant, though "slave" seemed a more fitting term. Or perhaps she had simply lived on the streets. Even the way she spoke—that barely audible "thank you"—gave him more clues. A very soft "th" and a bit of a lilting intonation… Something he associated more with Scandinavia than Britain. But it could have been an illusion—tiny islands east of the mainland had their own dialects, often more influenced by Germanic languages than Celtic ones.

He never even entertained the thought that she was from London, what a nonsense that would be.

He would have to be incredibly naive to believe that anyone—wizard or Muggle—caught in a fishing net in the middle of December could survive naked in the freezing water, only to endure who knows how many hours on the frigid shore.

She shouldn’t have survived.

It worried him.

He had no positive experiences with the Sea People. Those living in the Hogwarts Lake were hostile toward wizards. They were monsters—sharp teeth, claws, scales, and those distinctly more fish-like than human faces… Unpredictable, bloodthirsty, and malicious creatures.

She was entirely different. In her eyes, he saw no trace of a beast.

He smiled under his mustache, slightly reassured by the thought, and stood up, heading toward the kitchen to prepare something to eat. He was starving. She would also need to start eating soon—potions couldn’t replace a proper meal. So, he made her a very watery but vegetable-packed soup. Something easy to digest and nutritious.

Merlin, he had already forgotten what it was like to cook without a wand. He caught himself holding a spoon, thinking it was his wand, and mentally muttering, "Accio carrot," as he extended his hand, expecting it to fly directly into his palm. Well, he had to go back to the times before Hogwarts when he used to cook with his mother or Fanny—back when she was still normal. He recalled those moments fondly.

"Hello..."

The voice behind him made him jump as if burned.

The woman stood leaning against the kitchen doorway, wrapped loosely in a blanket, with a blissful, almost childlike smile on her still pale face. She was breathing heavily from the effort and almost immediately sank onto the nearest chair, resisting slightly when Aesop moved to help, intending to carry her back to the couch. He relented when she assured him she could manage.

"I'm sorry for everything..." she admitted quietly, her hoarse voice barely above a whisper, her gaze dropping in embarrassment.

Aesop blinked, confused.

She spoke quickly, anxiously, struggling for breath. "I didn’t mean to be a burden... I’ll repay you for this, I promise... I can work for it... Just please, don’t be mad at me..."

She was afraid. Truly afraid of his reaction.

Aesop felt a tightness in his chest at the sight of the tears in her eyes.

"Shhh, I’m just glad I could help... You don’t have to repay me for anything, really."

The woman looked at him, searching his face, then shook her head.

"But—!"

"Shhh," Aesop interrupted, setting a bowl of soup in front of her with a warm smile and gesturing with his chin for her to eat. "It might be a bit bland—I didn’t want to overdo the seasoning while you’re so malnourished... There are vitamins in there, a strengthening potion, lots of vegetables, some meat..."

"Thank you..." she whispered again, just like that morning, swallowing her tears.

Aesop sat across from her with his own portion and slid a glass of water toward her—she needed to stay hydrated.

With a trembling hand, she picked up the spoon and began eating slowly, blowing on each spoonful. Small hums of delight escaped her lips, as if the watery mush—resembling both the taste of a boot and the color of an ogre’s vomit—was the finest Honeydukes cake.

"You have not eaten in a while, huh?" he asked gently.

"Mhm..." she hummed a shy, brief response, her cheeks flushing as she averted her gaze. "I’ve been wandering for a while, which you can probably tell… There’s not always food, and people aren’t always kind. Doesn’t matter if they’re Muggles or Wizards."

"You don’t have a home?"

She hesitated, her gaze drifting as if searching for the right words.

"You don’t have to answer, that's ok," Aesop shrugged.

"I have a family, but... we had a falling out a long time ago," she admitted sadly. "I said things in anger that… well, it’s hard to say I regret them, so I don’t want to go back. But sometimes, I miss them terribly..."

"I understand… But what were you doing in the sea?"

Aesop bit his tongue too late—he shouldn’t be pressing her with such intrusive questions. At least not now.

The woman wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and was silent for a moment, choosing her words carefully. There it was—that mystery. Aesop could feel it in his bones.

"I dive for pearls..." she mumbled.

Aesop smirked mischievously.

"...In the middle of December?" he quipped with irony, but seeing her discomfort, he quickly added, "Sorry, I’m very curious. I tend to ask questions before I think if I should... People also say I have a dark sense of humor and no filter. Just a fair warning."

The woman grinned.

"Oh, really?....What else do people say about you, huh?"

Aesop froze, hearing the teasing in her voice, and the playful glint in her eye dulled any sharp retort he might have had.

"Er… I… um… hmmm… yyy…" he stammered like an absolute fool, which made her laugh—a soft, delicate sound, like the flutter of a dove’s wings.

She was still a mystery. An extraordinary one.

For a moment, Aesop simply stared at her, his spoon half-raised to his mouth. Sunlight streaming through the window illuminated her large, glimmering eyes—so happy and gentle, looking at him in a way that made his heart race.

In them, he saw… optimism, despite the evident burden she carried. Curiosity. A longing gaze reminiscent of a stray animal yearning for the warmth of a home.

He cleared his throat, trying to gather his thoughts, pulling himself together to change the subject.

But she beat him to it.

"I’m looking for something," she admitted, her expression darkening as she wrapped the blanket tighter around herself, pressing her head into it. She trembled slightly from the cold—after all, she was still naked beneath. "Something very precious to me… Without it… ugh… I feel like a bird with clipped wings. I’m not fully myself… Sometimes my search leads me into trouble..."

Aesop furrowed his brows and nodded in understanding.

Who was he without his wand if not a bird with clipped wings?

"Well, you could say I'm in a similar situation... I'm searching for materials to craft a new wand... This is all that's left of mine."

He pulled the sad remains from his pocket and laid them on the table.

He didn't know why he was saying this. In Auror training, they were taught to extract as much information as possible from others while keeping their own to themselves. And yet, he trusted her—just like that, without question. His heart told him that this wasn’t another training exercise or just another witness to interrogate. Here, within these walls, he wasn’t a future Auror. He was simply Aesop Sharp.

He expected her to find his situation amusing—his colleagues certainly did—but instead, she seemed deeply concerned.

"Oh no... I'm so sorry... Where can such materials be found?"

"I don't know," he admitted sadly. "I need wood and a core... The core isn't as much of a problem... I think... I have plenty of ingredients; I brew potions. But the wood... I have to look in places of old worship, sources of magic, even trees struck by lightning might work... It wouldn’t be such a problem if any of them actually grew around here... But all we have are moors, grass, stones... and my poor little seedlings on the roof, which the wind has probably scattered everywhere since yesterday..."

The woman seemed lost in thought, not entirely focused on what he was saying. She pursed her lips in an oddly charming way… "Charming"? What kind of description was that? Aesop scolded himself for the thought. He had known her for only a few hours—sure, he was prone to infatuation, but this would be an ingloriuos record...

At least he was pleased with himself for solving another mystery about the woman. That accent, the way she spoke—she was from the Faroe Islands. His stomach twisted with satisfaction, mentally patting himself on the back for his sharpness.

But it was just one piece of the puzzle. She was still an enigma.

"Hmm... in the water, near the cliffs, there's a sunken ship..." she said, gazing out the window. "Sailors say a kraken dragged it under. Wizards say lightning struck the mast, though the weather was clear. The ship burned and sank..."

Aesop held his breath to stop himself from shouting in excitement. This could be it.

"Well..." he muttered awkwardly, "I-is that a well-known local legend?"

She nodded, her voice gaining excitement as she spoke, gesturing as much as her strength allowed.

"It was a grand galleon, called The Black Swan. It only sailed these waters at night under a pirate flag, slipping unnoticed through enemy ships in the fog... They say that, once, pirates were smuggling cursed Celtic silver and other magical artifacts. They offended Gods and, depending on who you ask, Black Swan was sunken by a kraken or struck by lightning."

"I'm from the city, you see... Don't know much about a local folklore... he explained clumsily, internally reprimanding himself—an aspiring Auror should be more inquisitive. "I'll ask you more about it tommorrow, If you'd like to, of course, I won't be bothering you more now..."

She had eaten every last bite, yet she kept staring at the plate as if she wanted to lick it clean. Tired, beginning to fade, alerted Aesop that this was the last moment before her another round of sleep when she could rid herself of the lingering stench that had followed her into the kitchen.

"I can’t give you more food right now—it could do more harm than good," he explained, glancing at her sunken cheeks. The corners of her lips drooped in disappointment, but she nodded in understanding. "I prepared a bath for you upstairs, added some herbs and healing oils... I also left my sister's clothes—they should fit well enough..."

He trailed off because the woman had already risen, adjusting the blanket that barely covered her ample chest. Obediently, she began making her way toward the stairs with unsteady steps. The stairs were quite steep, and after just two, dizziness overtook her.

Aesop couldn't help but marvel at how stubbornly she struggled with the third step, refusing to ask for help. He knew she wouldn’t make it—she was far too weak. She leaned against the wall to catch her breath.

"May I?..." He didn’t wait for an answer, swiftly sweeping her off her feet and carrying her up. She rested her head against his shoulder, looking downward, embarrassed—perhaps even ashamed—at having to be carried.

"W-what do they call you, Wizard?" she murmured shyly, clutching the edge of the blanket in her hands.

"Sharp," he answered, his voice barely above a whisper.

The closeness was almost overwhelming—he could hear every breath she took, the faint rustling of her hair, even the way she swallowed. Beneath his fingers, he felt her frail body tense at the sound of his name. It unnerved him—and yet, it fascinated him.

This intimacy... Everything around them seemed to quiet, to pause, to freeze in time.

He felt a growing warmth inside him, an unfamiliar fondness for this woman. He tried to suppress his emotions, but with each passing moment, she captivated him more and more.

From up close, he could see her face marked by albinism—stained as if splattered with white ink. She had darker spots as well—freckles, moles, scratches... Her lips were full and well-shaped, as if made for wide smiles. Her nose was straight, sharply defined, with pearl-like strands of hair brushing against it.

"Aesop Sharp... A-And you?"

From beneath her nearly white, thick eyebrows, tired, glistening eyes met his.

"Rilla," she whispered, her voice softer than the breeze that brushed against Aesop’s tender heart.

Thanks for reading, end of part2

[stardew-crossings]

Sharpuary - Shadow

This is my contribution for Day 2 Sharpuary, I haven’t written anything in years but I have also not fangirled this hard in years either so…enjoy!

Aesop Sharp sat at the back of the The Three Broomsticks, a half-empty glass of Firewhiskey sat on the table in front of him. He would normally be content drinking by himself in front of his own fire in his own room, however there was a reason he was here tonight. The reason in fact, that had brought him to the Three Broomsticks for the past three weekends in a row: dancing. Not him of course, Merlin’s beard, he hadn’t danced in years. Even before his leg had been injured the most he would have done is engage in the occasional slow, formal, ballroom dance at a party, and that was a rarity. No, he was here to watch dancing, more specifically, to watch her dance.

He couldn’t help himself. She was beautiful, twirling around on the opposite end of the room, hairs falling out of place to bounce around her round, angelic face. Her smile lighting up everything around her with a radiance that rivaled the sun. She was carefree and wild and didn’t shy away from a thing, which he found endearing and annoying because it meant that she wasn’t as safe as she could be. He took a sip of his Firewhiskey. He had been like a shadow these last few months, always near, always watching. It wasn’t just to admire her either, it was to keep her safe, protected, make sure none of her enemies tried to ambush her.

He took another sip of his drink as he watched her spin around in the arms of Sebastian Sallow. He was fairly certain their relationship was strictly platonic, but still the sight made him slightly ache with jealousy. That was, it did until they spun around to where Sebastian’s back was towards him and she was looking over Sebastians shoulder, directly into his eyes. She gave him a sultry look and flashed him the smile he swore she only gave him and heat rushed to every part of his body.

He brought his glass to his lips and finished the rest of his drink while not breaking eye contact with her. As he set his glass back down on the table he thought he caught a glimpse of her winking at him just before their gaze broke and Sebastian spun her back around, causing her to giggle and make his heart flutter at the sound. Just like that the moment was over and she was back in her own world with her friends, dancing her heart out. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. He was the shadow standing on the opposite side of her light, always behind her, always waiting to envelop and protect her, and he vowed to himself that he always would be.