To Hide Among Stars

How blessed is the last light before the dark.

That rebellious and triumphalist spark before it too becomes the ash of night.

Flashback

In a way, Kayne was in fact Severus'.

The headmaster had a bad habit of treating humans in his plans like chess pieces. Expecting much more then one should, and demanding things he held no right. Albus was known under whispers, as a man who's desire for what he wanted, rivaled Salazar in ways almost inhuman.

Chess pieces… they were all chess pieces to the old man.

From the beginning, Albus was aware of the connection between teacher and student, and it took a few good years before the Headmaster finally saw for his own eyes what was was triggering the alarms going off inside his office late some nights. Albus had always imagined it to be only Severus, possibly with Lucius or another staff. Late night magic practice where Severus could be Severus and revel in his Dark Magic in the most protected ways.

But, when he found it was a student he was teaching..

Well,

What better to tie a medical protector to the man who wasn't allowed to die.

Severus made himself a tricky bloke, always wanting to be alone and away from the emotional world. It made things difficult, but Albus took the first chance and ran miles with it.

Severus risked it all and would give it all, and his reward was a near teenage girl who in the end who would give him his chance to live through his fate.

Though he would not admit it, the thought provoked unwanted feelings and over time of only accomplishments and dedication, Severus would find himself letting her in, and allowing near dead feelings to rise in moments of tragedy.

Severus

The same situation, the same silence, the same feeling….

Severus sat alone in a darkened hall of the Hospital wing of St. Mongos, and he is sitting on the bench he had so many years ago.. Well, not the same exact bench, the same exact bench was the next bench over. The bench he had been trying not to stare at since he took his seat.

Why did they have to give her the same bloody room? He angrily thought to himself even though he knew the answer.

He felt, as he sat his own side, that when he glanced over he could see himself in the same spot he had when Kayne dealt with the effects of their study.

The last time he was responsible for her near death.

He had been in the seat since dinner at Hogwarts which had been over for hours, but yet had yet to go in or move from his spot. The medi-witch told him she was in and out, that his visit going noticed was luck of the draw.

She had spent the time unconscious, healing from a surgery, medical treatments, and multiple injections and fed potions a day. Her stay and treatment had lasted a week and a half, only healing faster as the Horcrux Vex became a velcro to his owner, and near refused to leave her without any sort of contact. But a little more than a week was not long for the extent of her injuries, and Vex had shone his talent and power with his pulsing regeneration for his beloved owner, healed.

All this was paid for by Lucius Malfoy, The room, the doctors, the nurses.. all of it he went about assigning silently and off the radar. She was receiving the best care for least amount of attention without regard for the bill. She was receiving her treatment by those who were close to the Malfoy family, and very trusted by Snape.

But this time wasn't any different and Severus was fool if he didn't understand that.

He knew better, and why he had continued any sort of friendship was beyond him. Tom had struck her moments before death, and let her bleed for much longer after. In the end, when her fight for life prevailed and became sufficient, Tom Riddle allowed Severus to take her body and do what he wished.

Now she was here. Tied down, and kept alive in ways humans should not.. It was not as graphic as the Muggles, it was not as degrading and embarrassing. She was taken care of and looked as if she was sleeping with a breathing mask on that covered her face. Heavily bruised there are stitches racing across her forehead, down her cheek and cutting and under her eye.

At one point, somewhere deep inside, when Severus saw her start to improve, he found himself wishing that he could have done what should have been done before. She was assigned to be by his side which was exposed and dangerous now more than ever for anyone to be in. He should have saved her from all this when he had the chance.

He pushed off his knees and turned around to face the hospital room door for the twenty time that night. Making himself continue where he had frozen, he took the handle and forced himself inside the room, shutting himself in privacy. The hospital bedroom was very dark, lit only by a few candles and a cracked bay window that allowed in the moon. He sat himself at the chair by Kaynes bed and fidgeted a moment, flashing his eyes to the door he wanted so very much to leave through.

The sound of a ruffling pillow, the turning of her head brought Severus's eyes down to the weakly opening ones of his student.

"Shite." Severus moved to his feet as her broken lips smirked upwards.

"Water.."

He was did she wanted as quietly as he always had, but there was a tad of rush in movements that even the extremely weak Kayne noticed.

He helped her drink before slipping out his wand

"Wait.."

'I need to let them know you're awake.."

"Just… Just wait...I..I hid Godric... Gryffindor's... sword... under the... castle in the sky." each breath sounded raspy and very painful.

"You're going to live," Severus bit as he pulled away and flicked his wand to alert.

"No shit …. It needs to be moved, ... idiot." She struggled though her broken mouth.

Severus's eyes dropped down to Kayne as both her eyebrows rose and her smile flashed broken teeth from under the mask. Before anything more could be said, the door opened and in walked the Medi witches who allowed the professor to leave before taking tests and removing patches, objects, and ailments from Kayne who could finally live on her own.

*A castle in the sky*

Severus ran the phrase in his head a few times over. He had a few options, and once outside St. Mongos he planned his next rout and weighed his options. It wasn't too late, but the day would turn to Monday which gave him only two extra hours to his mourning for him to get back before class. He had to do this now, he didn't have an option and Severus sure as hell wasn't going to send the dog pack out to play fetch.

Kayne had been the less known of and the most off chart, so Kayne was the only who knew what the others could not. And if she were lost to them, fine. The sword would hopefully return when it was needed, but simply, he wasn't allowed to know the swords location, and due to concern of information, no one knew either.

No one but Kayne.

His options were as given, the castle and slide fort that resided in the backyard of father's home. The reasoning for her choosing the spot was obvious and Severus moved on.

*Castle in the Sky..* He ran the phrase through his head again.

Skyler Park lay between Spinners End and her father's flat. It was the first of the many times after Kayne began school, where they both quickly realized how often they had naturally and unknowingly crossed paths. It was a rich park, made with climbing structures that were built many stories tall. Swings and play toys littered the woodchip and sand covered landscaped, as bright green grass grew from the stone boundary lines and little plots. It was safe, fun and built by muggles and enhanced by the magic community who protected the children who belonged to everyone around them.

Apperating from the spot. Severus traveled to his first destination.

Severus's or Severus'? How do I use that?