~The Enigma of a Rose~
By Blue Ribbon & Lady Red Rose
Author's Notes~
Both Red Rose and myself would love to say thank you to our Beta Reader for helping us edit this marvelous piece of work, thanks Rapunzel! This little idea sparked my imagination, though the nine chapters were written by me my dear friend Red Rose has decided to join me and give me more directions as well as partially writing this soon to be edited piece. Anyway please read and review, you won't be disappointed!
Chapter One: Prelude
~My immortal~
i'm so tired of being here
suppressed by all of my childish fears
and if you have to leave
i wish that you would just leave
because your presence still lingers here
and it won't leave me alone
these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
when you cried i'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream i'd fight away all of your fears
and i've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
you used to captivate me
by your resonating light
but now i'm bound by the life you left behind
your face it haunts my once pleasant dreams
your voice it chased away all the sanity in me
these wounds won't seem to heal
this pain is just too real
there's just too much that time cannot erase
when you cried i'd wipe away all of your tears
when you'd scream i'd fight away all of your fears
and i've held your hand through all of these years
but you still have all of me
i've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
and though you're still with me
i've been alone all along
-Evanescence "My Immortal"
"Running from a past you know you cannot
escape..."
Autumn 1999
The footsteps of a Death Eater hit the concrete steps. He ran down
into the forest entrance below - he was being followed closely.
Ophelia ran with all her might to catch up to the Death Eater. As they reached the forest floor, her lungs were fighting for more oxygen. She was hoping to God that something would stop her from doing what she was about to do...
Snape turned to look at her, squinting through the narrow slits of
the ghostly white mask, which he, like the other Death Eaters, was forced to
wear for the secrecy of their society.
Ophelia continued to run, holding her endless layers of petticoats
up so she could sprint even faster.
"Ophelia, for your sake don't bother!" Snape shouted to her.
There was something in his tone, which made her halt. The silence once again took over so completely that the distant sound of birds made Ophelia jump.
Tears formed in her green eyes and streamed down her cheeks. She truly wanted to help him, but her job and reputation mattered much more to her than his love did.
Her feet suddenly gave way - she fell to the dirt and cried out in pain, the autumn leaves beneath her softly fluttering away. She hoped he did not think it was a childish display.
Unmasking himself, Snape slowly approached Ophelia and knelt before her. He placed one hand on her lap, and gently stroked her damp cheek with the other. Nothing he could do would make this situation any better.
She could hear the rest of the Aurors approaching them in the
distance… and she knew that they were coming for him.
"Severus, I - I have no choice. I'm so
sorry," she said raggedly, struggling to take a deep breath.
She leaned heavily against his shoulder, clutching his cloak with
her left hand. Under the cloak, which was wrapped securely around him, she
could feel him trembling beneath her touch.
He knew that he would have to do the unthinkable to free himself from
this…
"Ophelia, you must go," said Severus. "If you do not leave, I will have no choice but to harm you… and I won't do that unless you force me to."
Ophelia looked up into his dark eyes. They were locked onto hers,
and she could feel the sadness within him, but she knew that it would all be
for the best…
"No!" she hissed, the malice in her voice returning more imperiously than ever.
Severus glared at her, suddenly hating every inch of her body.
Everything about her was cruel. It had
only taken him this long to work it out because she had hidden it behind her
ever-changing moods.
"Then so be it." His voice was impassive and uncaring.
He rose from the ground and pushed her away from him. Hearing her
whimpering, he turned to the side, hesitating for a moment. In a way, this
would be excruciatingly painful for him to do - but he knew deep within that
she deserved it: the pain she had caused him was inexcusable.
"So you have chosen yourself over me?" Ophelia asked. "Has it come to this, then, Severus - would you really murder your lover for your own sake?"
Her final words to him were clear and passionate - exactly the way he had always liked to hear her speak. But he knew better - she would not sway him this time.
Her hands dug into the dirt as she grabbed helplessly at the
ground where she had fallen. She knew that once he made a decision, he would
not back out of it.
Outwardly, Severus regarded her coldly, but his eyes told a
different story. Even for all the misery she caused him, and despite the
endless fights and disputes... he still loved her.
"I'm sorry Ophelia - I hope your soul can forgive me for doing this. I love you."
He pointed his wand at her, and she could see a tear roll down his cheek. He took a deep breath and shut his eyes.
The view of her limp body would surely crumble him. Yet at the same time, the thought of watching her chest rise and fall for the last time made him sneer...
She deserved it... but he would pay for it.