12. Avada Kedavra

For several weeks, Severus wasn't able to visit Claire. A few times he called her on the phone which was still a very new experience for him, and he also sent her a book by owl, Confronting the Faceless by Irma Kirke. In the included letter he explained that even if this book was above Claire's level of magic, she should at least read about the more dangerous and complicated curses.

It wasn't a light read. Claire was horrified seeing what the curses can do a human body and she had to take breaks between the chapters. She almost cried when she read about the Unforgivable Curses. One thing struck her though about the Killing Curse: the book said that the curse looked like a jet of a green light.

Between training herself in magic and working at the bookshop, Claire was finally able to make some friends. She met Amy and her husband, Nate when they were buying children's books for their then 3 months old son, Matthew. Then there were Sonia and her boyfriend, Brian whom she met while attending a concert. Twice in a month, there were lectures at the local community centre – once Claire sat down next to Aaron and Scott and from then on their small group of friends contained 7 people. Of course, Claire didn't tell her friends that she was a witch because she didn't want to breach the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy, and also because she still wasn't sure if she could trust them. She told them that she had a boyfriend who was a teacher at a boarding school – what a déjà vu.

Finally, one Saturday afternoon, Snape was able to visit her. After a few hours of lovemaking, and a light dinner, they sat in the living room, reading. More precisely, Severus was reading but Claire only had a book in her hands, her thoughts were far away.

'Severus?' she said tentatively.

'Hmm?'

'Have you ever seen someone casting the Killing Curse?'

Snape's head whipped up.

'Why do you ask?'

Claire bit the inside of her mouth, put down her book, and took a seat next to Severus on the couch.

'I've read the book you sent me. And it said that when someone casts the Killing Curse, you can see a jet of green light.'

'That is true. But I don't know why you're so concerned with it.'

Claire closed her eyes, and took a deep breath.

'I … I think I saw it once. I just didn't know what it was.' She looked at Snape, tears forming in her eyes.

'When?' Severus asked in a whisper.

'I've never told you how my parents died,' she started in a calm and measured tone. 'They were home, I wasn't. I was at a friend's house. After dinner I walked home. I wasn't far from the house when I saw two jets of green lights and I heard small explosions. I ran home and I wanted to go in the house but there was already a policeman and he didn't let me in. I didn't understand how did he arrive so quickly but I assumed he was already in the neighbourhood. The police said it was gas explosion. I didn't see the bodies of my parents, only when I went to the hospital to identify them. They weren't burned or anything. The doctors said that they died of asphyxiation, and that they were farther from the explosion, that's why they didn't have burns. I asked the police about the green light, they said some chemicals could burn with a green flame, probably I saw something like that. After the accident, I sold the house, moved to Cokeworth to work in my uncle's bookshop.'

When she finished her speech, Severus took her hand in his.

'I am so sorry,' he said hoarsely.

'It's alright. It was eight years ago. It still hurts but … I'm alright now. It's just that this explanation with the gas explosion was always a bit strange for me. I never really believed somehow. Of course, I couldn't find another reason for the accident so I accepted it. Until I read about the Killing Curse. And I know that Death Eaters … And you are …'

Snape let go of her hand, stood up and started pacing.

'You think that someone casted the Killing Curse on your parents.' Claire nodded. 'And you said that after the so called explosion, a policeman arrived immediately.'

'Yes. Now that I'm thinking of it, the policeman didn't have a uniform. He wore plainclothes. He showed me a badge and it seemed alright. I was in shock, I didn't really care about how he got there. I don't know which direction he came from, he just –'

Claire went mute and the wizard stopped in his tracks.

'He suddenly appeared, didn't he? From thin air,' he said.

'Exactly.' Claire's voice now was just slightly above a whisper. 'He … he Apparated.'

Snape nodded.

'Oh God,' the witch sighed and put her head in her hands. Severus went back to her and sat down.

'The Ministry of Magic has records about the known attacks against Muggles.'

The witch's head whipped back.

'Are those records public?'

'No,' Snape replied. 'But I know people who are – ah – owing me one, and I am sure they can help,' he added with a smirk.

'Oh, Severus that would be wonderful! Finally, I could have a full closure,' she said and put her arms around the wizard's torso. He pulled her closer and gently kissed the top of her head with a frown on his face.

~0~

A week later Claire drank her morning Earl Grey tea when she heard a light knock on her window. It was a small barn owl. She let in the owl, gave her a treat and some water, and opened the envelope the owl brought to her. There was only one parchment in it which seemed like the copy of an official document. Claire put a hand to her mouth and started reading. By the time she finished it, she was sobbing hard.

Incident: attack against Muggles

Date: 2nd May, 1988

Location: 34 Violet Str., Ferncombe, Yorkshire

No. of victims: 2 (two) – Mary Adams (deceased), Henry Adams (deceased)

Method of the attack: Killing Curse

Suspects: dark wizards or witches, possibly former Death Eaters

Status: unsolved


So, this is the last update I post in 2015. See you in 2016 and I wish you all a happy new year!