Serena was full of adrenalin as she and the others walked into Albus' office. "successful I believe Albus, we have captured a few- they're on their way to Azkaban right now." Minerva said, taking a seat and looking exhausted.

Albus stood up and came to them, grasping their hands in a welcome.

"are the others not back yet?" Serena asked, looking around at the empty office.

"not yet, my dear child you're bleeding."

Serena walked over to the foe glass, hanging on his wall and tried to see into it. She spotted blood trickling down her face from her temple and shut her eyes to heal it. At that moment the door opened.

"Severus!" she exclaimed turning to meet him.

Remus and Dawlish followed him into the room and shut the door.

Serena trained her eyes over their faces: they all looked grim. "where's Kingsley?" Serena said frowning, trying to look past Sirius.

"Headmaster, I need to speak with you." Severus spoke in a firm, flat voice and Serena noticed a silent, private conversation happening between him and Albus as they used legilimency to convey their thoughts.

"Severus?" she said, a slight edge to her voice. Why were they behaving so strangely? And where was Kingsley? Panic began to rise up inside of her and she pressed her question. "Where's Kingsley? Why isn't he back?"

Severus turned to face her, a sad regretful expression on his face.

"Kingsley isn't coming back."

He hated delivering these words to her, he hated himself for torturing her like this, why couldn't someone else tell her!

"wh-what do you mean he isn't coming back?" her voice was uncertain but she tried to smile as though it was a joke.

"Serena, I'm sorry, he didn't make it. Kingsley's dead." He spoke quietly, but forced himself to look at her so she could she the truth in his eyes.

"wh- what? No, you're lying!" Serena was outraged at his accusation. Kingsley was not dead!

"you- you sick liar, what the fuck are you playing at? You sick! YOU SICK FUCK! You think if you say Kingsley's gone I'll come running to you- is that it? What the fuck!" Serena drew her wand, screaming at Severus, anger and confusion boiling inside her. She felt all eyes on her, but all she saw were the dark depths of Severus' irises, like a tunnel she was tumbling down deeper and deeper.

"Serena, he went to check the hills…"

"no, no you're lying-"

Severus spoke over her protests in a louder voice. "Bellatrix was there, he wasn't expecting her, none of us were, and she was just too quick for him… the Avada Kedavra…"

"you're- no- no-" Serena felt as though she was falling. Falling from a building, from her dream, from her life. She waited for a landing, but nothing came, just emptiness, like a piece of her had been torn brutally away.

"no, no, no" she shook her head at him, turning her head to Remus for a contradiction. "he's, he's wrong he's lying, tell them Remus, tell them he's not dead, he can't-"

Remus shook his head, a pitiful expression on his face and Serena knew it was true. Tears began to pour down her face and she felt her knees weaken. She felt physically sick, she didn't know how to react and she leant against the wall for support.

"but, but he can't be because, because we've only just… he's only… fuck- fuck, he- he, you should have stopped him! Why didn't you stop him!"

She hit out at Severus' chest, pounding in fury but he grabbed her wrists with his hands tightly. She knew it should have hurt but she felt no physical pain, only this wrenching at her heart. She heard smashes of glass and knew things were freezing, but she could regain no control. She half collapsed onto Severus, letting herself go, crying her damn heart out because she felt as though it had been torn apart.

"Serena… we'll take you to the hospital wing," she heard Albus say, but his voice was an echo.

"no, no-"

"Serena-" she heard Severus' firmer voice but she shook her head, trying to get away from his strong arms.

"I- I have to find Kingsley… have to help him-"

Severus didn't even think about it- he drew his wand and stunned her, catching her body just before it hit the floor. Remus looked shocked but he shook his head "bring her wand."

He lifted Serena in his arms and walked out.

The hospital wing was far from Albus' office, but he did not feel the weight of her body, his mind was elsewhere, because that was when he realised- here was his epiphany and he was shocked by it.

Because through seeing what he knew to be a physically and mentally strong girl deteriorate before his very eyes at his own words, he had realised he loved her.

He loved her because he would do anything to bring Kingsley back, just to make her happy again, even if that meant standing by and watching her live her life with another man.

He loved her and the thought terrified him because he knew love could destroy, from his experience and now… through hers.

Remus ran ahead and told Poppy to prepare the bed in the private hospital wing room she used for staff. Severus lowered Serena gently onto the bed and glanced down at her tear stained face. He was full of sympathy and pity: he knew what it was like and he empathised with her. Poppy hurried over, carrying bottles and vials.

"what's the matter with this little dear then?"

Albus tried to explain but suddenly she shrieked as shards of glass seemed to explode from her hands.

She glared around in accusation but Severus quickly spoke first. "She froze the liquid, subconsciously. She's experiencing heightened emotions and can't control her elementarial magic- the potion I made for her has worn off for today; you won't be able to get anything water based near her."

"can't you take her wand?"

"I already have it," Remus intervened.

"well then how am I supposed to treat?" Poppy was becoming annoyed. "why is she unconscious, what happened? And where's that strong man of hers, shouldn't he be here?"

Everyone glanced around uncomfortably.

"he's dead." Severus spoke shortly, breaking the silence.

Poppy gasped and clutched a handkerchief to her mouth. She looked down pitifully at Serena's still body. "oh, the poor girl… they're so young… their whole lives ahead of them…"

Remus shivered and Severus noticed.

"It's Serena," he explained. "she's subconsciously causing the air to cool, and things to freeze. It's… the grief…"

"understandable."

"I must send an owl to the ministry. Remus, send me news as soon as she is ready. Severus I would like you to stay with her today, you are the only one who fully understands her powers and abilities, and her mind right now." Albus bowed to them both and left.

Severus nodded although he did not think she would appreciate it: he was not the man she wanted right now.

Severus and Remus simultaneously conjured chairs and sat down. Remus buried his head in his hands: he and Kingsley had been friends.

"I'll try something else," Poppy said and she scurried out of the room.

Severus' eyes wandered over Serena. She almost looked peaceful there, but he knew the moment she awoke she would not be in peace. He had flashes of her screaming, her words had hurt but he kept telling himself they were just because of the emotion, she would take them back, of course she would…

"evanesco," Remus said suddenly and the shards of glass that glittered across the floor disappeared.

Silence.

"here we are, this should-" Poppy froze and looked annoyed. She had brought a cloth doused in ointment but it had frozen, even on the cloth. She vanished it with her wand. "well now!"

She drew her wand and began hovering it over Serena. "She seems okay, a few minor scrapes, I'll just have to give her some healing potion-"

"you don't need to Poppy," Severus said quietly. "she's a telempath, when she awakes she will heal herself."

"I shall wake her now then-"

"no!" Severus and Remus both argued at the same time. There was a pause and then Remus said, "let her sleep, let her rest."

Poppy sighed and bustled out and silence resumed.

Remus glanced at his watch- he had thirty five minutes until the full moon. He shifted uncomfortably, knowing that soon he would need to return to his office.

They waited twenty more minutes in complete silence and then Severus stood up, shaking his head. "I can't do this any longer."

He waved his wand and sent a patronus to Poppy, telling her they were waking her. Remus dragged his chair up to her bed.

"rennervate" Severus muttered. Serena stirred and her eyes began to flicker and then suddenly she opened them, staring at the ceiling.

"I… Kingsley… "

She suddenly saw Remus and Severus, sitting up to her bed and she scrambled to sit upright immediately. She felt numb, she felt dead inside, she felt… empty.

"Serena" Severus began immediately. "I need you to listen to me, without interrupting. You have lost control of your subconscious mind- the potion has worn off and Poppy has not been able to heal you, you have frozen everything, I need you to use your telempath skills and heal yourself now, can you do that for me?"

He spoke to her almost like a child and she sat there, a blank expression on her face, her lips slightly open.

"Serena?" he pressed, and she jumped, muttering a very faint 'yes'.

She shut her eyes and concentrated on sending healing waves throughout her body. Focussing on something other than her emotional pain seemed to help. She opened her eyes again.

"ok."

Remus reached out and grasped her hand. She could not feel his feelings, her own were too strong and she had no capacity for anything else… her love and grief consumed her.

"listen, Serena-"

"Remus… the moon…"

"I'm sorry" he said, feeling guilty for leaving her.

She shook her head. "go… go…"

He gave her hand a squeeze and sprinted out, running to his office.

Severus shut the door with a wave of his wand, leaving him and Serena alone.

"the headmaster has asked me to stay with you because I am the one who knows your mind and abilities in the most detail."

She nodded and moved over, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm going to cry" she said, as though she were stating a solid fact.

Severus looked up at her blank face and frowned, wondering why she was telling him.

She pulled her knees up to her chest and hugged them, rocking slightly back and forth, back and forth. The rhythmic movement kept her going, kept her silent as tears ran down her cheeks. She wanted to scream, she wanted to storm and trash the entire room, she wanted to destroy everything in her way because someone or something had taken him from her. They had torn him unfairly from this world. He was such a good man, why him? Why not her?

She focussed on the rocking, back and forth, back and forth. More tears, like an unstoppable force, like her love.

Severus looked down at his clenched hands rather than watch her. He felt as though he was invading on something private. He wanted to comfort her.

He knew it was not healthy for a human being to rock like that- it was mentally unhealthy, it was desperation.

He took action and stood up suddenly, turning himself and sitting on the bed next to her. She stopped her pattern, feeling his presence, knowing he wanted to comfort her.

Tears spilled, on and on as she tried to think, just to put simple thoughts in order. She wanted him to comfort her, to protect her, because she needed it. She felt so alone. Instead he just sat there, feeling awkward until Serena worked out inside her head how to move. She shifted herself closer to him, grabbed his arm and clutched onto it, crying more and more, just craving some release from this pain.

Severus was being a comfort to her and it felt right. He moved her from his arm gently and then put it around her shoulder, shifting slightly closer to her. She buried her head in his side, shaking uncontrollably.

He wanted to tell her it was ok, that it was going to be alright, but he could not bring himself to lie to her.

The door opened quietly and Poppy froze in the doorway, her mouth gaping. Severus Snape had his arm around her- and she was crying into his side! Severus glared at her and she said nothing, instead she walked in and then uttered a small scream as her bottle smashed again. Serena barely noticed, all she felt was Severus' cloak, all she saw was darkness, all she heard was Kingsley's voice, echoing in her head, his last words: 'I love you…be careful.'

"but she's awake!" poppy hissed.

"Serena, Serena?" Severus murmured.

She raised her head slightly, her tears continuing, mascara lines trailing south as though paths were mapped across her face.

"Poppy has some tonic for you but she can't give it to you because it keeps freezing. I need you to try and control your subconscious."

"I don't want tonic."

"ok but I need you to try-"

"I don't want tonic."

"Poppy she can have some later."

"I'm going to my office," Serena murmured, trying to stand up.

"you're going nowhere" Poppy said firmly.

"I'm going to my office."

"Serena, you're staying here" Severus said firmly.

"fine."

"listen, I have to go and speak to Albus, I'll be back in ten minutes. Poppy can you watch her?"

"I'm not a child."

Poppy nodded silently and sat down on a chair. Severus prised Serena from him and walked briskly out, not wanting to leave her for too long. The corridor outside seemed so much warmer compared to the freezing air Serena was circulating about the room. He still felt her body against his side. He was looking after her, protecting her… loving her. He loved her…

He spoke quickly to Albus, explaining her telempath use and the fact she could not keep control of the elements.

"I imagine her control won't return for a week or so, and I can't give her the potion until her normal mind returns."

"so she is dangerous."

"you could say that."

"and she has no control?"

"no, she is consumed by grief."

"then severus I want you to remain with her for the next few days."

"What?"

"stay with her, she should not be left alone in this frame of mind."

"then ask Remus or-"

"you know her mind Severus; you have been through this before."

"headmaster! Ask someone-"

"what are you afraid of Severus?"

He was silent.

"you think she will not want you, she will want Kingsley?"

"of course she wants Kingsley!"

"he is gone."

"it does not stop her wanting him."

"it does not prevent her wanting your company."

"she does not-"

"we are not discussing the matter further."

"Albus!"

"severus, I'd like you to leave, go to her."

Severus scowled, turned on his heel and marched out.


Author's Note: WOOOOAAHHH! WHAT JUST HAPPENED! will kingsley rise from the dead or is he gone gone gone?

please review, tell me what you think! especially as my 'traffic' button has broken :/ :/ RIP Kingsley!