Chapter Two

Muted Tears

The next few days passed almost normally now that the castle repairs were completed. Professors went back to creating lesson plans and checking supplies. The only thing that betrayed this sense of normalcy was the knowledge that not everything was as it seemed amongst the two newest residents at Hogwarts. Severus felt this so deeply that at day's end he constantly struggled against the urge to retreat into a bottle of firewhiskey.

As he stared out from atop the astronomy tower, movement near the border to the Forbidden Forest caught his eye, and he watched curiously as Bryce Coleman spoke to the headmaster, gesturing animatedly with his hands. Another movement caught his eye and he noticed a figure walking towards the group, heavily cloaked for any Scottish summer day, this day at a relatively mild 22 degrees*. The way Bryce reacted indicated that it was probably Kelly, and Severus' concern for her welfare grew. Her presence seemed to conclude the meeting; Hagrid turned back to his hut, and the two men accompanied Kelly back up to the castle. The plot thickens, Severus thought ruefully, he himself turning from his vantage point and beginning the steps down from the tower.

Why is she so heavily clothed? He thought back over the last week since their arrival, and strained to think of a time he had seen her outside of meals, unable to find a single occurrence. He was lost in his thoughts when he heard Albus call after him.

"I was just on my way to your office, Albus."

The older man nodded, the twinkle firmly set in his eyes, and continued to lead the way up to his office as the gargoyle moved aside, neither speaking until they were settled firmly in front of his desk. Lemon drops and tea were offered, both were refused, and the conversation turned to the matter at hand.

"I assume you're inquiring after Kelyea - Kelly today Severus? As you have every day since she arrived."

The potions master nodded, taking heart in Albus' lighter tone. "I noticed you speaking with Bryce, and noticed Kelly's heavy cloak when she joined you. I was hoping you had some knowledge behind her strange summer clothing."

Albus chuckled and shook his head, mumbling something about a spy in his midst. "Ever observant, aren't we Severus? Bryce indicated that part of the curse that took her voice also causes her to get chilled periodically, and sometimes quite fatigued."

"Bryce has also told me more of his version of the incident that caused her current predicament. He says it occurred as she was travelling to him, after crossing the border into the Wizarding community hidden in the Twin Tunnels near Mosier, Oregon; he actually could see her overhead when she was suddenly hit by what he describes as a prism of light and she tumbled from her broom. He searched and found her in the woods, returning to his home and nursing her back to health."

Frowning, Severus considered the new information. For now it was all they had to go off of, but it didn't seem much like Kelyea to be flying around when she was supposed to be in hiding. He would continue to mull everything over for the time being. Realizing that the Headmaster was looking at him oddly, Severus pulled himself out of his reverie.

"Now that I have your full attention again. Bryce will be going to the States to attend to some last minute business. He will be gone about a week, he stated, and assured me his lesson plans were in place. This will give you a chance to be around Kelly more frequently I am sure. I believe that is all, and I will see you at dinner."

Severus rose from his seat with a slight bow towards Albus then turned on his heel and headed out of the office. At the base of the stairs, the gargoyle jumped closed behind him, and he stopped to pull lightly on the cuffs of his shirt to straighten them. Down the hall he heard Bryce's voice, and from the one-sided tone to the conversation, he stepped in that direction to investigate. He didn't just wear black to be intimidating; it also came quite in handy when hiding in the castle's many shadows.

Bryce was clearly agitated and held an aggressive stance, his fists clenched, his jaw set, his feet apart, the right slightly forward. On the other end of things, Kelly also stood her ground firmly, but Severus could see the look in her eye that betrayed her confidence. She was certainly upset, her signs flying so quickly that Severus was only catching every few. Piecing the information together, he slowly realized that she was angry about him leaving Hogwarts. Bryce couldn't sign as quickly, and was letting his anger be heard instead.

"Yes, Kelly, it is necessary that I go for a week – it could be longer. There are things I must attend to. Damn it, Kelly, I will not take this attitude from you, and I do not have to explain myself!"

As her fingers and hands flew through the air, Severus realized that she was demanding the explanation he had just denied. "There are matters to attend to that are none of your damn business! Now you will stop this immediately, Kelly; I will not tolerate this behavior, and if it doesn't stop we will take it back to our quarters and I will put you in line."

This stopped Kelly in her tracks, her hands falling immediately to her sides, though the tension in her limbs was still obvious, fear evident in her gaze. Severus bristled, wanting to hex the man into the ground. But wait, Severus, he reasoned, now you have your way back in.

Nodding, seemingly pleased with himself, Bryce turned on his heel and strode away from his fiancé, lifting a small suitcase from the ground and shrinking it into his pocket. Severus pressed himself into the alcove as Bryce passed by him without any heed; as soon as Bryce was out of sight, Severus returned his gaze to Kelly. Her eyes glanced down the hall, looking at the spot Bryce had just disappeared from, waiting a moment for something.

Rather suddenly, she turned away and leaned against the wall, her hand raising to her mouth. Despite no noise emitting from her mouth, Severus saw the shake in her shoulders, and watched desperately as she sank to her knees on the cold, stone floor. Stepping silently forward, his heart aching, he reached forward and lightly tapped her shoulder as he used to with his cousin. The response, however, was quite different. Kelly whipped around, her right arm flying up in front of her face, the left whipping a wand out of her back pocket.

Severus dropped down to her level, whispering calming words to her, and reaching out to her. In desperation, she welcomed the embrace and leaned into him. Controlling the urge to kiss away her tears, Severus merely stroked her hair, still whispering to her, and relishing in holding her in his arms. Somewhere in his thoughts he registered his shoulder growing increasingly wet, and his legs falling asleep, but he realized more importantly a few minutes later, Kelly had fallen asleep.

Groaning to himself, Severus lifted her gently in his arms. I cannot take her to her quarters nor mine, he mused. I don't know her password nor would it be proper for her to be in my rooms. Another groan and Severus turned and began the hike to the hospital wing.

Poppy Pomfrey looked up from her desk and set down her quill, rushing to him as soon as he walked through the door, Kelly still sound asleep in his arms. The mediwitch directed him to the nearest bed, and he gently laid her down, feeling an emptiness in his heart as well as in his arms as he left her warmth upon the sheets. Straightening, he stepped away from the bed so Poppy could draw the curtains. A moment later, she too emerged and they stepped towards her office.

"What happened?" she inquired, visibly concerned. Severus tended to forget that he was not the only one who had been closed to Kelyea as she was. Poppy and she had become close friends after Kelyea graduated.

"I encountered her after an argument she had with Coleman. She thought I was him and her arms flew up as if to defend herself. She even pulled her wand. After that she began crying, and fell asleep against me. Albus indicated earlier that the curse she was afflicted with causes her to get chilled and become fatigued. She is wearing such heavy robes, I'm sure this is related."

Nodding, Poppy stayed silent for a moment before patting Severus' shoulder. "Of course, crying is very tiring as well, Severus. Especially if she's been doing it often of late. I should best examine her. If you'd like to check up on her later – I expect she'll sleep for awhile."

The mediwitch patted his shoulder one last time and turned back towards the curtains. Severus stood staring at the spot he knew Kelly lay sleeping for just another moment before turning quickly on his heel and striding out the door.

A few hours passed, Severus forgetting himself in an old potions text he was translating. Suddenly, he heard the fire in the other room flare up, and heard Poppy calling his name. Jumping up, he did his best not to rush into the other room.

"Yes, Madame Pomfrey?" trying his best to sound disinterested.

"Kelly's awake, and she is asking for you. I would appreciate you coming too; pen and paper are so frustrating for her, and me as well."

"I will be there momentarily."

Donning his outer robe once more, Severus attempted to calm his nerves. Of course she was asking for him, he had comforted her, and he was the only other person in the castle who knew enough sign language to translate for her. Not to mention – nerves were not something for Severus Snape to concern himself with.

As he hiked back up to the Hospital Wing, Severus made a mental note to remind Albus to get the passageway between the two repaired. Inside, amongst the many empty beds, he noticed the curtains had been pulled aside, and Kelly was now propped up against some pillows. She smiled at him as he entered, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. The blankets had been tucked in tightly around her, and Poppy was just setting a bowl of soup on a tray in front of her.

Kelly quickly began signing. "She insists I stay and will not let me lift a finger."

Holding back a laugh, he told her to eat her soup and he would speak to Poppy. A moment of déjà vu later and Severus and Poppy were standing in front of her office.

"I have not been able to find out much, but now that you're here, I'd like to ask her about some bruises I found on her upper arm, and the burn on her leg," Poppy rattled off, then realized how insensitively she had said it as she watched the anger rise in Severus.

"Don't start, Severus. We haven't even talked to her yet. They could be entirely unrelated! Besides, you can't do anything about it at the moment anyway. She hasn't said anything so she obviously isn't in a position to trust any of us yet."

The doors to the hospital wing burst open and Remus came storming in. His face was an open book as he stared at Kelly with concern, and she was equally as clear in her shock. Severus sighed exasperatedly and ushered Remus over. "She's fine. Calm down. I will update you later if you will simply turn around, walk out of this room, and meet me for tea, firewhiskey, butter beer, pumpkin juice even, after dinner tonight. Now get out of here before I make you," Severus hissed.

Looking sufficiently cowed, Remus mumbled something not so polite about Slytherins, and slowly left the room, throwing one last glance at his sister who didn't even know who he was.

* 72 degrees Fahrenheit