"I've treated a number of people for the sickness," he says, somewhat of an agreement. Yes, things out there are entirely disturbed - Severus doesn't go in with the depth and regularity that some do, but his residential proximity means he's... experimented.

Not that Lucius needs to know that.

"But there's a fairy tale come to life?" Unlike Lucius, Severus speaks - and remains quiet - with his gaze firmly on the person he's interacting with. It's something he trained himself into first as a young man intent not to be seen as weak, and then later became unavoidable habit as he learned to shield his mind. It's like a challenge. Is it that I have nothing to hide, or is it that I know you'll never find out?

He unscrews the bottle in his hands.