An Accident

As the moon cast an ethereal glow on Hogwarts, the room of requirement had been transformed into a spell training area, with dummies lined up against one wall, waiting to be targeted.

Severus stood facing the line of dummies preparing to practice a new curse he had read about in the restricted section. The crackling fireplace casting flickering shadows that danced across the walls. Seemingly unaware of the danger lurking, Severus flung the curse towards one of the dummies with precision.

Rowan meanwhile had taken a seat near the fireplace to study, seeking solace in the warmth. Just as he was engrossed in his book, absorbed in his astronomy homework, the curse rebounded with an unexpected force and struck him.

Pain seared through Rowan's body, every nerve tingling with a seething agony. He could hear someone scream, and only realised after it was over it was his own voice. His heart raced, and his breath came in shallow gasps. Panic gripped him, tightening its icy grip around his chest, his eyes widening in terror.

Severus froze, his heart plummeting into his stomach as he realized what had happened. Rushing to Rowan's side and performing the counter curse, he knelt down, a mix of concern and guilt etched across his face. "Rowan, I... I didn't mean to," he stammered, his voice laced with horror.

Rowan's vision blurred with tears as he struggled to regain control. He felt the would-be comforting weight of Severus' hand on his back, but it felt like fire to his overstimulated nerves. He couldn't breathe, trying to take in as much air as possible.

"It's okay, Rowan," Severus managed to whisper, his voice trembling. "You need to stop hyperventilating. Just copy my breathing..."

Severus guided Rowan through slow, deep breaths, matching his own rhythm. The room seemed to fade away, leaving only the sound of their synchronized breathing. Gradually, Rowan's heartbeat began to steady, his gasps for air becoming steadier and more measured.

As Rowan's panic subsided, Severus fought to contain his own swirling emotions. He couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that washed over him, tormenting him even though it had been a genuine accident. His emotional walls crumbled as he looked at Rowan, realizing the gravity of what he had done.

Wrapping his arms around Rowan, Severus whispered words of apology, his voice soft and vulnerable. "I'm so sorry, Rowan. I swear I didn't mean to."

Rowan blinked away the remaining tears, a small smile forming on his lips. "Accidents happen, Sev. What matters is that you're here, with me, helping me through it." He leaned forward, pressing a gentle kiss against Severus' cheek.

In that moment, the room of requirement seemed to hold its breath, time standing still as the pair tried to calm eachother.

After a few more minutes Rowan finally spoke up jokingly, "Well I guess you better teach me the counter curse to whatever that was before you keep practising it. I'll admit, I have been craving some excitement, but even for me that was a bit intense." Smirking towards Severus.

Severus hesitated for a moment. Their entire incident had left him shaken, the weight of guilt eating away at him from within.

"Rowan... about earlier," Severus began cautiously, "I didn't mean to curse you... I don't know if I can keep indulging in the dark arts if this is what can happen."

Rowan's joking facade faltered for a moment, the surprise evident in his eyes. "You're joking, right? You've spent countless hours studying and perfecting those spells, and you want to quit now?"

Guilt gnawing at his soul, Severus replied softly, "I hurt you. I can't stand the thought of causing harm to you again. These spells, they are meant for enemies, they don't mess around."

Rowan's face tightened, his defenses springing up like an impenetrable shield. A surge of frustration overtook him, and he lashed out pushing Severus away, his words biting and sharp. "What? So you think I'm weak? Severus a war is coming, I'd rather us both be prepared. If that means I get a little hexed so be it."

Severus bristled, his eyes becoming stormy. "A little hexed? A little hexed!? Rowan you just had a full blown panic attack!"

Suddenly, Rowan felt a heaviness engulf him. Bitterness turned hollow as realization washed over him. He had pushed away the one person who truly cared for him.

Taking a deep breath, Rowan softened his tone. "Sev, I'm sorry. It's just, you love the dark arts. I don't want you to give up on it just because of one mistake. And with war approaching we need to be prepared for anything. The other side will not hold back."

Rowan's eyes met Severus's, flickering with a mix of sadness and hope.

Severus nodded, relief and gratitude flooding his heart. He took Rowan's hand in his, a feeble smile crossing his face. "Fine. But next time we come here I'm making sure your study nook is behind me."

Rowan smirked mischievously, "Hey I won't complain, I'll have a great view" he joked with a wink.

Severus sighed and pulled Rowan up with him as he stood. "Good to know your witty charm hasn't been irreparably damaged" he replied sarcasticly, rolling his eyes.