Morgan rose up on her toes and reached as high as she could almost… got it. She pulled down the leather bound volume from a shelf above her head and gently traced her fingers across the spine.
Part of her mind was telling her to put it back and get out of here. She wasn’t supposed to be in this room. But the other part reasoned that if she was going to be left alone, day after day, she was entitled to find ways to entertain herself.
Victory! Now to sneak out of here before my darling husband returns. She fervently hoped that once they moved into Hogwarts in a few days she’d have more freedom. She could imagine Severus ordering her to stay in their rooms and avoiding all contact with students who she had been in school with the year before.
She snorted at the idea, sometimes the man was so uptight… she had her hand on the doorknob, but it turned before she had a chance to turn it. Her eyes went wide as she came face to face with her husband.
“What are you doing in here?” Severus’ voice was dangerously low.
“I was just looking for something to read.” Morgan brandished the book as she held her head high. She had caught herself becoming quite the coward where her husband was involved, but that was changing now.
“This is my private lab, I told you to never come in here.”
“I didn’t disturb anything.”
“Out. Now.”
“You can’t bloody well keep me locked up forever! I am your wife…”
“And you are acting like a child.”
Morgan continued as though she had not heard her husband, “I am your wife, not a prisoner. I think it only fair that I am treated as such.”
“I know damn well that you are my wife, and as such, under wizarding law you are also under my authority.”
“To hell with wizarding law! I may have promised to ‘love, honor, and obey’ but if I do not love you I see no reason why I should follow through with the rest of the conditions!” Morgan’s chest was heaving as she practically glowed with rage, her eyes flashed dangerously. She glared up at her husband.
Severus glared down at his wife, “I told you to leave this room.”
The man is insufferable!!! He can’t even give me the satisfaction of yelling back after that! “I hate you,” she tensed as soon as she realized she had said the last out loud.
Severus didn’t reply, only held the door open for her.
Morgan stomped out of the room, maddeningly aware that she was acting like a child, just like Severus had said. Damn the man! She had the satisfaction of slamming the door behind her... it almost made her feel better.
She sighed as she looked down, she was still holding the book that had caused all this trouble. She hesitated in the hallway not sure if she should head upstairs or return the book. She obviously spent too long trying to decide because the door to the lab opened again.
“Are you always going to be such a little doormat?” Severus’ tone was sharp and biting.
Morgan visibly flinched at his question, she had lost her anger and was starting to feel a bit vulnerable. She summoned up as much courage as she could, “I thought you would want this back,” she said, thrusting the book into his hands, “but considering the treatment I got just a short while ago I thought it might be better for my health if I stayed out here.”
Severus nodded slowly. He felt that perhaps he should do something to make amends. He had no desire to strip his wife of her spirit, but he did feel that it needed to be curbed. He was about ready to suggest they take tea together when Morgan spoke.
“I’m going to go lay down for awhile, don’t wait for me if I’m not down for dinner.” She knew that the tears would start any second now and she didn’t want her husband to see them. She didn’t think she could handle any more of his ridicule today.
Severus didn’t respond as his wife turned and walked up the stairs. He went back into his lab feeling that an opportunity had passed and he had missed it.