A week had passed by since the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher of Hogwarts, Gilderoy Lockhart, confessed his feelings to the smart , unconventionally charismatic Ravenclaw student - Seraphina Barclay . Not a single word escaped the lips of the ones who knew about it , but the transmuted behavior was visible .
The Potions Master, Severus Snape was cautious towards the young witch who was internally tormented . He made sure to get a look at her whenever he got time . Lucifer's anger was justified , he was furious with his teacher, and he had all rights to be. Elenore on the other hand felt disgusted towards her once favorite professor . It was hard for Elenore to digest the fact, but Lockhart's proposal lifted the curtain of uncertainty and confusion from in front of her eyes . Seraphina's reaction to the incident was the most sympathy-worthy . Although she had insomnia and she couldn't sleep at night, but in the seven nights that had passed, she spent the whole night worrying about Lockhart's next move. She looked more dreadful than ever, and it stirred up a lot of attention, but she shoved the concern off by making an excuse of bad health .
Lockhart became more desperate than ever. His desperation was visible in his crystal blue eyes. And what bothered him more was the absence of Seraphina from his classes . Seraphina received permission from Professor Snape to skip her Defense Against the Dark Arts class. She spent most of those class hours in the library, where she studied . It wasn't that she was lacking behind or she was scoring bad grades - actually she was rather good and austere with her studies . But it was hard for her to bear the face of Lockhart ever since the last Hogsmeade trip . Severus himself offered her help with the subject, but she courteously refused .
One more precaution Severus and Lucifer came up with was that she should not do her patrolling duty for a while so that Lockhart couldn't get a chance to meet her alone. Seraphina agreed hesitantly , she hated to refuse her duties, but what Batman and Lucifer were proposing was correct.
Severus's birthday passed away without any celebration from Albus and Minerva , who always threw a party on 9th of January for the young master. But the match-making pair also understood his anguish and exasperation towards the issue unknown to them . Severus promised Seraphina he wouldn't tell anyone anything about what happened at her Muggle school and so he kept the promise .
T
he adolescent Ravenclaw's brain was so engulfed with her own thoughts that Batman's birthday escaped her mind . But Severus didn't mind that .
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Just like on many of her sleepless nights, Seraphina decided to slip out of the castle to the Forbidden Forest . Studying wasn't occupying her mind anymore . As she reached the spring of the Forbidden Forest , a colossally staunch figure awaited her in the shadows of the spring .
" Angel , what is it that bothers you ?" came a husky voice from the shadows as it stepped out of the dark .
" Oh Aslan , you scared me ! " gasped Seraphina under her breath. The half-horse, half-man stepped in front of the girl and fixed her with a sympathetic gaze . Seraphina sensed his sympathy and felt disgusted yet again.
" Angel , the stars told me, " whispered Aslan .
" What - what did the stars tell you , Aslan ? " asked Seraphina , the curiosity growing inside her . Aslan was a Centaur, and they were best at star reading. Many times Aslan had told her what the stars were telling him. He even taught her how to read them, but she was a witch so it wasn't as easy for her.
They stood that way for a long time before the Centaur very hesitantly spoke. " You might gain knowledge of something you don't want to. " He stiffened with his words, as if he had instantly regretted saying them.
" Ah , Aslan, you know it doesn't matter to me what it is until it is categorized under knowledge, " said Seraphina with a pretended casualness .
Aslan was still unconvinced .
Seraphina sat on the enormous trunk of a fallen tree while Aslan sat in in front of her ,deep in the forest . They both were gazing at the starlit sky , Aslan was telling her about the constellation of star in the far north that tells the Centaurs about their upcoming fate .
They sat that way for a long time before the sound of rustling leaves came from behind Seraphina's back. At first they thought it was Aslan's pack or maybe a unicorn, but soon the sound was accompanied with many spine-chilling voices . Aslan was quick to take command of the situation . He very silently, yet very swiftly, jumped up from his place. He flung his arms around her delicate figure and placed her on his horse-back . He placed his hairy finger on her quivering lips , indicating her to make no noise, and Seraphina obeyed . The half-horse , half-man followed the voices. Soon they found themselves near the spring of the Forbidden Forest when the possessors of the spine-chilling voices ceased . Aslan stopped behind a huge tree which hid them from the sight of the people they were following . As Seraphina peeped from behind the broad back of the Centaur, she could made out 5-6 black figures .
" I still have doubts about all this," said one of the black figures in a high pitched voice with a worried tone . Although the duo had been following for almost fifteen minutes, they couldn't make out what the figures were talking about , until that very moment .
" I agree. How can we trust a person who came to us only four days ago ?" came another voice which was coarse and rough to Seraphina's ears .
" We have to trust him, Damon and Amycus. We have no other choice, do we ? " asked a third voice . This voice was feminine . A calm , prepossessing, yet evil voice .
" I am sorry to say, but I have started doubting your loyalties , gentlemen ." she continued with mocked seriousness .
" Don't you dare question my loyalty, Ravana. I am not like that bollock Severus who betrayed our Lord for that bitch !" Snorted the pitchy voice . Anger flushed down Seraphina's body as the black figure cursed her professor. She knew - the whole world knew--that Severus Snape was a Death Eater before he turned against his master and killed him . But what the world hadn't known was the reason for him doing so . Seraphina had always wanted to ask him the reason, but she couldn't conjure up the strength to ask him so .
" Leave it, you three ! We have to accomplish this mission for our Lord . And I trust him, and so will you, Damon " sneered another figure who had a gruff voice, like the creaking of the gallows-chain. The group fell silent as the forth voice made itself heard .
" Now listen to me, or I will kill you off at once . Did I make myself clear? " continued the fourth voice . The others agreed sheepishly .
" Damon , Ravana and Amycus, you will sneak inside that castle. Take that bollock Severus hostage; bring him outside . We will be waiting for you here, and then we will take him to Malfoy Manor and finish him off . Is that clear to you all ? " declared the fourth voice and sheepish agreement from the three followed .
" Now remember one thing , take away that son of a flea bitten dog's wand the first chance you get, or I can't promise you your life, " the voice continued calmly . The possessor of the pitchy voice gulped hard before nodding further . There was a movement in the group. Seraphina saw that abruptly the three grown figures shrunk in height. Subsequently, they changed their robes into something similar to what Seraphina wore everyday except for her robes had blue trimmings and the one the black figures were wearing had yellow and green ones .
" Now, get me that bollock, Severus Snape ! " hissed the fourth voice. Further movement took place as the three now-shrunken figured walked off towards the castle .
Seraphina and Aslan watched the whole scene from behind the gigantic tree. Adrenaline flooded her system, it pumped and beat like it was trying to escape. She thought her heart would explode, and her raven eyes were wide with fear. Her body wanted to either run fast for the safety of the castle or to the protection of her professors , but instead she remain where she was. The young witch wanted to take one great leap off the pressure plate and run to safety. Her adrenaline surged so quickly that she almost vomited. She could taste saliva thickening in her throat, and beads of sweat trickled down her brow. Aslan very implicitly walked off. When they were at an appropriate distance from those black figures, the Centaur paced towards the east, which was near the secret entrance of the castle . Seraphina's arms were tightly wrapped around the hairy torso of Aslan. Her mind went numb after what her ears had heard . A few people were about to kidnap Batman and then kill him ! In the blink of an eye, the duo was near the rear of the castle . In front of them was just a nondescript wall .
" Angel, go inside and inform your Dumbledore about this . " suggested the Centaur . Seraphina dismounted from the Centaur's back .
" I...have to go...after...him " sputtered Seraphina , her lips quivering badly from fear .
" No, you aren't going after them. It's dangerous. You could get killed, Angel, " protested Aslan as he stepped towards the delicate figure of Seraphina .
" I just can't let them take him. You heard them right; they wanted to kill Professor Snape . I just can't let that happen! " cried Seraphina , her body still quivering badly from fear of losing her Batman .
" What can you do ? There are three of them, and you are just a young witch, Angel, " demanded the Centaur .
" There are 11 of them . The rest are a place called Malfoy Manor . I don't know what I will do, but maybe I can assure that they don't kill Professor Snape before the Headmaster arrives, " said Seraphina who was breathing heavily , trying to calm herself and keep herself on her feet .
" There is no way you are going there ! " cried the half-horse, half-man . " You used dièrchetai "he asked further .
Diérchetai was a gift Seraphina had possessed ever since her birth . The main uniqueness about diérchetai was that Seraphina was the only one who could perform it in the whole Wizarding and Muggle world . She was gifted with a curse that helped her enter anyone's mind without their permission. She could look through anyone's life . While Legilimency helped magically navigate through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpret one's findings, Diérchetai on the other hand helped Seraphina enter the unconscious part of the brain which had many memories a person had but could not remember clearly . Seraphina could see the life journey of a person from their birth to their present . But the curse didn't end there , she also could feel every emotion they ever felt , be it happiness , anger, rejection , love or any emotion a human could come across . No person on this Earth , not even a person as good at Occulmerency as Severus Snape, could resist her, but Seraphina hated entering others minds without any permission, so she had learned to control and master it by the age of ten . So ever since then she asked permission to Diérchetai anyone, but her overwhelming emotions sometimes made her loosen the reign . She had promised her dying mother that she would never Diérchetai anyone without their permission , but she had broken her promise . She had Diérchetai'd the person who came to kidnap Professor Snape without his permission .
" Yes, I did that. I just couldn't keep my mind from doing so, " came her defeated reply .
" I need to go before there is nothing I can do. Professor Snape won't harm them as they are disguised as students, and once they disarm him , he will not be able to defend himself . I have to help him - I just can't let him die !" gasped the Ravenclaw under her breath .
" I can't let that happen, " protested Aslan as he went for her, but she swiftly backed away . Before turning to leave, Seraphina unwrapped the Ravenclaw scarf from around her neck and pressed it in Aslan's comparatively larger hands .
" Keep this with you...maybe as a gift. As a friend, I never gave you anything. Please forgive me for that," said Seraphina in an apologetic manner which was also was visible in her eyes under the starlit sky. She turned to walk away from him. After taking a step or two, she stopped again, but this time she didn't turned to face him as if she were trying to hide something which was visible on her face.
" And...just do me favor...if I don't return...keep it with you as a memory of mine. " The words escaped her lips in no more than whispers . The next moment she vanished as she crossed a wall as if it was nothing but a thick wall of mist . As the words sunk in, Aslan realized that Seraphina has sensed her upcoming fate .
Seraphina was sprinting towards the Prefect's dorm . While she made her way towards the dorm, she noticed a few black figures moving on the grounds from the large window frame of the corridor . Those people had kidnapped Batman . She had to write a letter to Headmaster Dumbledore and inform him about their whereabouts . She banged open the door of her chamber and hastily foraged for the pheasant quill , which wrote everything it's master told it all by itself . She had to write two letters at the same time, and she didn't have time to be wasted. The quill slipped out her sweaty fingers making blotches on the parchment .
Headmaster Dumbledore ,
This is a very urgent issue, sir . Professor Snape has been kidnapped, and the Death Eaters are taking him to a place called Malfoy Manor . I will be waiting for you there . Please save Professor Snape .
Seraphina
She hastily signed the letter and tied it to her owl, Hans's wooden brown claws .
Hans flew out of the open window in a swift manner without making any noise . While the pheasant quill very obediently jotted down what Seraphina dictated to it . She placed the second parchment in the envelope and took off the rusty ring from her rather thin finger and placed it in the envelope with the letter. The next moment, Seraphina found herself sprinting towards the Ravenclaw dorm where she slipped the envelope under the gate with the engraved eagle .
She ran across the long, eerie corridor towards the Entrance Hall . The young Ravenclaw was panting heavily as she approached the enormous black iron gate of Hogwarts castle .
" Alohomora, " whispered Seraphina . The gigantic gate opened silently . As soon as Seraphina stepped out of the castle's gate, she felt a tight sensation of twitching in her stomach. Black mist appeared around her out of the blue . Suddenly, the castle behind her back disappeared and she found herself surrounded by black mist. It felt like she was being forced through a very tight rubber tube. She was apparating to the Malfoy Manor.
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Severus had a very hard day . He hated seeing Seraphina in such a dreadful state.. She had been skipping her meals regularly and had been studying for uncountable hours without any break . The young Potions Master went to check on her many times a day, but all he could do was ensure that Lockhart wasn't hovering over her head or that he didn't try to kiss her again . But that was all he could do . The girl had isolated herself from the rest of the castle, and he didn't want to force her to come out of her mood because she had every right to be angry .
Severus had never felt comfortable or relaxed in the last thirty years of his life, but for the five minutes when Seraphina had collapsed in his arms, he had felt comforted . A wave of mixed emotions had flushed down his body. His tensed muscles had relaxed . Seraphina's breath on his chest had made his heart throb thunderously. In one moment, he had felt his heart would just pop out of his chest . He had wanted to pull her closer to him, but he had constricted himself from doing so . At least he could proudly say that it had been the best five minutes of his life, but also the worst five minutes, too . Seeing the admirable witch crying and hurting herself had made him feel miserable. He had wanted to confront her on a personal level, but Seraphina had clearly drawn a line which Severus respected and hadn't wanted to cross without her assent.
He walked down the eerie corridors of the dungeon . The stale air of the dark dungeon was putrid. It was around 10:30, and everyone had retired to their respective chambers. Severus had also completed his patrolling duty and was doing the same . Abruptly, he heard a few spine-chilling voices . Those voices reminded him of his few days of being a Death Eater . Those followers of the Dark Lord were immoral and had the most sinful voices one could ever listen to . Severus had never been able to transmute himself like those sinister evildoers. He had tried hard, but had always came to nothing . He turned towards the direction from where the voices were coming . Slipping down the raven wand from his sleeve, he kept it high for defense . As he wordlessly walked towards the shadows of the dungeon, his eyes fell upon two students - a Hufflepuff and a Slytherin .
" I assume you two must have a very concrete reason for roaming around the castle after the hours?" Severus broke in . The students didn't turn to face him at once, and when they did face him, there was not dread on their faces. Instead, a look of iniquity with ungodly smiles played on the faces of two .
" Ah... Severus after so a long time , right ?" said the Hufflepuff girl in a seductive tone .
Dumbstruck… Severus was dumbstruck after the girl's words fell on his ears . No student had ever tried to mess with him, but a Hufflepuff had called him by his first name as if they had known each other for a long time .
He pointed his wand at the girl as he pierced her with a furious glance .
" I don't remember giving you the permission of using my first name, " hissed Severus , his teeth clenching with anger .
" So, what should I call a traitor? Oh, sorry, I forgot you are a teacher now . Please accept my apologies, Professor Snape " mocked Ravana who was visibly a Hufflepuff student .
Severus sensed the state of affairs . They were not the students of Hogwarts , they were someone from the past he wanted to leave behind . But before Severus could have taken command of any action, a third figure emerged from the shadows of the dungeon and disarmed him with the Expellriamus spell . The Slytherin boy, who stood there with the Hufflepuff girl sprinted to get hold of Severus's wand. Every action took place so quickly that it was hard for Severus to comprehend things , the very next moment the three disguised students had had their wands pointed towards him.
" Utter a single word, and we will finish you off this very instance," hissed the boy who had appeared out of the blue. His coarse voice ruffled Severus's ears . He clearly remembered the face of the possessor of that ruffling voice . Amycus Carrow . The most loyal Death Eater of Lord Voldemort. Rumors had spread in the Wizarding world that he had died while battling a Ministry official, but now that Severus saw the more lively than ever Amycus Carrow in front of him , one thing was clear , there could be many Death Eaters like him who had faked their deaths and were still at large. The three of them pushed him towards the end of the dungeons where there was a secret passageway for exiting . Severus reluctantly obeyed them; there was no use in protesting . Once they were away from the vicinity of the castle , an inpatient man awaited them near the spring of the Forbidden Forest . Severus knew that man well . He was Diabolos Schaefer ; the most famous and the deadliest of all Death Eaters . He was the right-hand man of Voldemort . He was the one who carried the genocide of Muggle-born during the Battle of Southampton .
Severus's hands were cuffed with invisible ropes . Standing in front of Diabolos Schaefer, he breathed calmly, showing no hint of agitation . Schaefer wasn't flabbergasted by the reaction. He very well knew that Severus Snape wasn't a person who agitated nimbly .
" In the last 10 years , you never regretted killing our master , did you ?" Schaefer gritted his teeth as the words poured out of his thin lips .
" I never regretted avenging Lily " came a calm reply .
" How could you fall that low Severus ? That woman didn't even bother about your well-being . She used you Severus , and you killed the master who made you worthy ? How could you do that ? " fumed Schaefer in disgust .
" It was her choice to choose the right life partner for her. I respect her decision . And the difference is that I realized my mistake at the right moment, Schaefer," said Severus. A disgusted question didn't followed Severus's reply, but a jaw shattering punch landed on his right . It sent a throbbing pain in his skull, but he didn't screamed in agony . The punch slit his lips, and a warm stream of blood flowed from it .
The three Death Eaters disguised as Hogwarts students pushed him further towards the gate of the castle. Once they were outside the castle, all the six Death Eaters held their hands while Schaefer grabbed the collar of Severus's clock. A thick curtain of black mist came over them out of blue . Severus felt a tickling sensation in his gut, but his body felt like it was being stretched .
The black mist curtaining them faded away, and Severus saw the infamous Malfoy Manor in front of him. The large mansion once belonged to a famous pureblood family - the Malfoy's . There was a time when it had looked lavish and sumptuous, but now there stood just a wrecked building . The Malfoy's had been an affluent and powerful family who'd had connections with the inner circle of Lord Voldemort . Severus remembered it had been Lucius Malfoy who had introduced him to the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord. But the family committed suicide after the death of their master . For them doing was better than spending thief while life in Azkaban.
His chain of thoughts were broken by the pitchy voice of Damon .
" Move, you bullock ! "
Severus awkwardly obeyed him . Three more Death Eaters awaited them near the gigantic wooden door . The three of them passes Severus a very nasty look as Amycus pushed him forward . Severus was taken to a attic looking room . It was a dimly lit room with a few candles lit in an askew manner. Schaefer forced Severus on his knees, and the next thing Severus knew was that his eyes were swollen over and bloody spit drooled from his slack jaws . He was forced to sit although his body wasn't supported anymore . After what felt like an eternity to Severus, he sensed a distraction in his beaters . Ravana's demonic laugh could be heard in the background as Amycus and Damon dragged a limp body along the ground . It was hard to distinguish the person at first, but as the moonlight fell on the delicate , innocent face of the girl, Severus gasped reflectively.
" Seraphina… "
Schaefer fixed him with a awkwardly dismissive look .
" Get off the girl, you imbecile !" Schaefer yelled at Abigor , another surviving Death Eater , who was leaning over the unconscious body of Seraphina . Abigor ground his teeth in anger, but obeyed Schaefer .
" Nobody will touch this girl ! Did I make myself clear? ! " declared Schaefer . A lot of protests followed further, but Schaefer shut them all with his one statement .
" She is the girl he was talking about . That means we can't kill her ! "
The six Death Eaters frowned, yet they agreed . But the restriction from killing her didn't meant they couldn't torture her. Damon , who was the most anguished, landed a few punches in her delicate face before Amycus intruded . The young witch was bleeding mercilessly, but it didn't soften the hearts of those killers . Subsequently, Seraphina's eyes opened. She squinted around the dimly lit room . Severus felt her eyes on him as she gasped his name under her breath .
What was the stupid girl doing here ? Oh, Merlin, these demons were hurting her so badly ! thought Severus .
His heart throbbed more than his injuries . He felt miserable, but couldn't help the girl . When Damon punched her the first time, he almost jumped up in his place, but Ravana cursed him with a Crucio . He was forced to spectate the torment the young Ravenclaw was going through.
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Thud! , a sound emanated as Seraphina dropped to the cemented pathway . She stumbled along the cold walkway, and with each step, her stomach tightened and ached all the more. She kept swallowing, and her throat kept clenching, but no matter what she did, she could not stop the warm feeling rising through her chest. Then she could taste it at the back of her mouth. Seraphina buckled over. A warm, clouded, cream coloured liquid spilled from her mouth, and sizzled as it splashed over the cold stone floor.
She shivered violently as the menacing wind touched her curled up figure . Now that her stomach had stopped lurching, she merely felt bruised inside. But then she imagined the slender face of Batman. She had to go look for him , ensure that he was fine and unharmed . After a long ten minutes, she looked around her. She was standing in front of a large , long-abandoned - looking mansion with broken windows and a shattered roof . It must have belonged to a wealthy family of Purebloods. She could sense the enchantments surrounding the menacing mansion . There was a long cemented walkway that was trapped between two black walls , which might have been green at one time. The walk wound its way up to a barren fountain behind which was a low-lying staircase which led to the gargantuan door . As Seraphina quietly walked towards the doors , she was cautious enough to look out for a window. But the house looked barren , as if no living being inhibited it . As she entered the partially opened door , she came across a large hall with ragged furniture which had only God-knows-how many layers of dust covering it . The broken furniture , large spider webs and the unnatural voices that broke the eerie silence at strange intervals sent a wave of trepidation through her body , which was shivering badly . She tip-toed across the prodigious hall very tacitly , looking for the signs of any living being among the dead aura overhauling the whole mansion .
On the spur of the moment she heard the creaking sound of footsteps walking in her direction . She jumped towards the shadows and hid herself beneath the dust covered curtain .
" Why aren't we killing that son of flea bitten dog ? " she heard the same pitchy voice from the forbidden forest . Impatience was growing in that voice as well as his footsteps as he tapped his foot repeatedly making a creaking sound . His restless tapping was interrupted by a same coarse voice she heard in the forest .
" We have promised him we will not kill that son of a bitch until he is here to watch it. "
" Well his idea worked perfectly, " comment the pitchy voice . The man with the coarse voice was about to say something when a calm voice called for Amycus at the very same moment .
" You know after we are done with Snape , the next thing I am going to do is kill that Ravana . " Amycus cursed under his breath as he walked off , leaving behind the restless man. Seraphina heard his footsteps going away from her when she peeked to get a look at him . Swiftly she slid out of the curtain. She tightened the grip of her wand as she pointed it towards the man , his back faced to her .
" Imperio. " she let the spell out under her breath . A string of purple light escaped the tip of her wand and struck the man's small head . Seraphina breathed heavily, tiresomely trying to keep herself on her feet . Slowly the man turned to face her . A mixed expression of pique and anger played over his sullen face . His grey eyes burned with fury as he was obliged to obey the intruder that clearly meant he could not speak until she wanted him to . The young witch's Aspen wood wand still pointed at the man with the medium frame. She indicated towards his wand , pointing at him to give it up . His pale jaws clenched at the demand , but he couldn't deny it either because of the curse . Very reluctantly he gave up his wand to Seraphina, who almost have to pull it out of his grip. Subsequently indicating for him to go towards the passageway at the rear of the hall .
She didn't had a clue where she was going, but she heard no noise coming from that direction so she thought that would be the best place interrogate the Death Eater . As soon as she entered the passageway, she started with a hissing voice that sounded more dreadful than death itself .
" Keep your voice low if you don't want to get killed by a 16 year-old school student. " her gaze pierced down holes in his body .
" Now, please tell me your name , so that I can properly acknowledge you , Mister. " she continued . Her voice was low enough for the Imperio'd man to make out what she was hissing . The young Ravenclaw was cautious enough not to grab any attention.
" DamonCarrow ," hissed the Death Eater reluctantly . He fought hard not to answer the question, but lost miserably.
" So, Mr. Carrow , why have you and your friends kidnapped Professor Snape ?" vented Seraphina . Anger was simmering inside her but she fought hard to control herself .
" Professor - oh please for Merlin's sake he is a traitor , you idiot "
Seraphina , who had her wand pointed at his chest , stepped closer to him and buried the end of her wand in his neck . He flinched away, but Seraphina pierced her wand deeper .
" He left your army because he chose what was right for him . Don't curse him ever again, " admonished the witch .
" You are what ? One of his fan girls ? " Damon mimicked Seraphina .
" Don't force me to hex you ! Now tell me, how did you snuck into the castle, and who was the one helping you? " fumed Seraphina .
" You cannot hex me . You don't have the courage to ." mocked Damon.
" Don't try to mock me ! " vented Seraphina.
The creaking sound of footsteps filled the barren hall. Seraphina froze in her position and indicated Damon to do the same.
" Damon where are you ? " the coarse voice of Amycus fell in their ears . Before Seraphina could have taken command of any action, the broad figure of Amycus broke in the passageway , without a second thought he pointed his greying wand towards the itinerant girl and cursed Seraphina with crucio . The green stream of light struck her around the chest. Seraphina felt so much pain that her complexion went ashen. Her body was lifted by the wave of the curse . For a moment she fell, and then the curse propelled her back brutally . She landed hard on the ground, flat on her back. Her head jerked as she felt a sharp sensation on the crown of her head. She squeezed her eyes shut as if trying to sucks herself into a deeper place to cope . The throbbing pain staunched her equilibrium. The wand fell from the witch's hand as she collapsed on the floor in-between the two Death Eaters. A devilish smile crawled in Damon's thin lips as she saw the adolescent girl collapse on the floor. He gave Amycus an evil chuckle.
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A pain shot up her arm like fire. She cringed. It exploded in her head with a blinding whiteness. It made her dizzy. It made her reel. The pain was like needles that had been dipped in alcohol and had been jammed through her skin, as if her arm had been replaced with ice and electricity wired straight into her spine. Her delicate hands could feel the stone-cold wall caressing the bruised skin of her knuckles. The pain in her body lessened, but her mind still felt numb . She battled against the numbness to open her eyelids which felt as heavy as mountains. After a long struggle, she succeeded in opening her eyes .
Dimly lit room lay ahead of her . The moonlight entered the room from the broken windows . At first it was hard for her to figure out who was in the room, but gradually her vision cleared . She could make out the figure of a woman and six men . One of them was kneeling on the ground , his eyes fixed at her helpless figure . Seraphina felt his sympathetic gaze and it disgusted her to oblivion. But soon she recognized the kneeling figure of the man as her Professor .
" Professor Snape, " gasped Seraphina under her breath . The sullen figure of Damon landed a jaw shattering punch on her face , Seraphina felt the throbbing pain in her jaw, and the warmth of blood flowing down her lips .
" Are you all right, Professor ? Did they hurt you ? " Seraphina launched her questions at Severus at once. .
" So, you are Seraphina Barclay, " broke in the voice of Schaefer . Seraphina nodded while breathing heavily.
" Why did you followed us girl ?" Schaefer asked Seraphina in a calm tone . Still breathing heavily, Seraphina opened her mouth to speak but no voice seemed to come . Seraphina gulped hard and conjured up the courage to speak .
" I...I saw you ... kidnapping Professor Snape ...you want to kill him ...please don't do that ...please don't kill him, " begged Seraphina .
Schaefer walked towards the girl tied to the chair. He kneeled on the wooden floor covered with layers of dust , placing his hand on her cheek which had paled from fear. He started stroking her cheekbone with his thumb . Seraphina had goosebumps as a weird sensation of fear ran down her spine . He passed her a genuine smile .
" You believe that your Professor Snape is a good man ?" asked the Death Eater in the same calm tone . From his mouth, it felt like a mocking insult .
Seraphina gulped hard; her throat was as dry as a desert . But she gathered the strength to answer the question being asked to her .
" Yes. "
He chuckled before speaking . Unlike the other Death Eaters, his chuckle wasn't demonic or ungodly. His chuckle felt derogatory, as if he was laughing at an imbecile .
" Seraphina , do you believe in betraying your master ?" asked Schaefer .
" I don't believe in slavery, " snapped Seraphina . For the first time, she didn't sputter when she spoke.
" Ok , so tell me girl, will you ever go against the very person who helped when you were nothing ? Who made you worthy enough ? " questioned the man with the gruffy voice .
" Going against what is wrong is what that matters . I can understand that maybe Professor Snape would have had no other option when he joined you, at that time but then he eventually corrected his mistake by choosing the side which was less wrong, " said Seraphina.
The young witch's answer amused Diabolos Schaefer . Not many people dared to speak in front of the serious killers because of their impatience and intolerance towards the opposite ideas . But this girl was different , she spoke without any vex .
" What do mean by saying the less wrong ?"
" No one group or side is completely right or wrong . Just the difference is the choice between wrong and less wrong . And your fate is decided by your choice, " said Seraphina . The unconventionally charismatic Ravenclaw was back to her normal self even after being in such a menacingly treacherous situation . Schaefer slipped out another superior chuckle before continuing .
" Do you know why he betrayed the Dark Lord ? "
Seraphina shook her head in a negative answer.
" How pathetic that you adore a man so much that you will endanger you life for him but you don't even know the reason of his supposed greatness, " commented Schaefer with mocking disappointment . " Let me tell you this myself . We accepted your Professor Snape because he was a helpless , pathetic seventeen- year-old . We made him worthy to live , we gave him the knowledge you idolize , we were the family he never had ! " fumed Schaefer . His tone confiscated from the intellectually superior one to that of an irritated man who had suppressed his anger for a painstakingly long time .
Seraphina listened to the man analytically , as every word he spoke sunk in, she realized that proximity between her and the truth was increasing .
" He was madly in love with a girl. What was the name of that little piece of scum ?" The man genuinely tried to remember the name of his destruction .
" Lily, " the words slipped Seraphina's lips in no more than a whisper. The thought of the lady Batman talked about to Ms. Jane struck her . Batman loved a woman with the true loyalty of his heart. And he set his password in her name only . Her deduction was cut short by the gruff voice of Schaefer.
" Yes Lily ! But how did you know about her? " the man asked with a suspicious tone.
" She is lucky to have someone like Professor Snape to love her, " valiantly commented Seraphina . The fear in her eyes seemed to have faded away . Although her Professor was a hostage, that didn't stop her feeling of protection from augmenting in her .
Dumbfounded , Diabolos was dumbstruck by the grave and valiant reply of the girl . It was hard to shatter her faith in Severus, but he had to . Seeing people admiring that ragged piece of scum sent a stinging pain down his chest .
" Unfortunately, she was," announced Schaefer . " Our Lord killed her after your Professor told him about a prophecy . Only then your brave Professor went against our great master and killed him in a conspiratorial manner, " he continued .
" Voldemort died because all his Horcruxes were destroyed, " said Seraphina as if stating the obvious .
" How...how do you know about the Horcruxes ?" asked a visibly skittish Schaefer .
Nobody except the Dark Lord , Severus, and he knew about those Horcruxes . So, how did the girl get her filthy hands on the highly classified information?
Seraphina used her ability of diérchetai yet again without the permission of Schaefer. She felt disgusted but she had to so she could engulf them in a conversation, giving time for Headmaster Dumbledore to come to the rescue . A sly smile played on Seraphina's bruised face as she passed Schaefer a superior look.
" I asked how did you know about the Horcruxes? ! " snorted the man as he landed another jaw shattering punch on the adolescent girl's face.
Seraphina was trying hard not to stare at her nose but she kept finding her eyes had diverted to it the bloody mess that had been a perfectly ordinary nose only hours before . But the brave girl kept quiet .
" I asked you something , you filthy piece of shit !" Schaefer growled again. " Can you read minds ?" he continued .
" I... I...it's something...worse than...mind ... reading..." Seraphina barely managed to speak before his fist banged into her lower abdomen . A splash of blood spilled out of her mouth onto the floor and her white cardigan . Severus squeezed his eyes shut and flinched away; the sight of the young girl made him feel disgusted . He couldn't do anything to stop her pain. All of a sudden, Schaefer stopped . His anger lay dormant as he gazed at Seraphina for a long while as if deducing the whole situation . The next moment, the Death Eater was next to the kneeling down professor , his wand buried in Severus's chest . Severus didn't flinch away . His eyes locked onto Seraphina's raven eyes .
" Answer my question or your Professor Snape will be dead. " He chuckled as he said.
" If you wanted to kill him, you would have done that an hour ago, but you are waiting for someone . So try something else, Mister, " commented Seraphina with a cunning look on her face .
Schaefer struck his fist on the broken window pane . The girl wasn't reacting the way she was supposed to . He wasn't able to startle the girl, and it was disgraceful for a deadly Death Eater like him.
" Ok , let me tell you this . I can do diérchetai " declared Seraphina .
" What ?!?!?" shrieked everyone residing in the room contemporaneously . Severus also questioned; he had never known about that. Albus had never told him .
" I can enter someone's brain and look through their life's journey, " explained the young Ravenclaw .
" Why the hell on this Earth are you exaggerating your ability of Legilimency? " spat Ravana in a jealous tone .
Seraphina ignored the woman .
Everyone in the attic fixed Seraphina with an analytical look . Severus felt betrayed , although he had no right to, but he still he felt betrayed . Seraphina had never told him about that .
" So, you looked into my brain? " clamored Schaefer .
" Yes, and I know what a miserable life you lived in the past ten years, but it would never compensate with what you did to those girls and those families, " said Seraphina . " How could you feel any pleasure in those demonic acts? ! You bullock! " cried the young witch as a tear slipped down her bruised and blue cheek . A guilt ridden Schaefer briskly walked past Severus towards the door of the attic . His face bowed low and filled with something very unexplainable . Everyone in the room spectacled the confrontation, but no one dared to utter a single word .
" How could you believe a man you never met ? He just wrote you three letters and you trusted him ? Come-on, he didn't even sign his real name ." stated a baffled Seraphina.
" Shut up, you little bitch ! " Damon cut her off . Ravana made her way towards Seraphina, honed knife dancing in her long and rather very thin fingers .
Ravana Khan was a voluptuous woman with a medium frame who was in her mid-thirties . Her bronze skin complimented her vigous Indian looks . Technically Ravana was wearing a sumptuous black top and her long , thin and rather toned bronze torso was left bare as a feast for the eyes . A long robe hung on her skeletal shoulder, curtaining the shapely body Ravana displayed .
" You love your Professor Snape so much that you are ready to even die for him? " asked Ravana with pouted lips as she hunched over the girl tied to the chair .
" It doesn't matter whether I like him or not; what matters is that he deserves to live . " said Seraphina, her eyes piercing holes of cold contempt on Ravana's bronze body .
Ravana turned towards Severus, and witin a split second she was next to him , her honed knife swiping along Severus's cheek.
" NO ! NO ! Don't hurt him! " shrieked the girl . " You want to hurt ... You want to torture , just do it to me . Leave Professor Snape . Please! " begged the witch .
" No Barclay ! Just don't . Not this time !" protested Severus .
" Fair deal " wryly chortled Ravana ignoring the protesting Severus .
The female Death Eater was on her knees to level herself with Seraphina tied in the chair . She tore the young witch's white cardigan and subsequently she tore Seraphina's white shirt half open . Ravana stroked the knife on her chest , scanning the skin .
" Leave her Ravana or you will question your mere existence in this world ! " threatened Severus but it seemed to have no effect on the woman clad in black .
The stone cold metal stroking Seraphina's chest sent chills down her spine . Suddenly, a stinging pain erupted in her left side of her chest, causing her to flinch violently . She gritted her teeth to suppress the pain but it helped little . The serrated blade was delivering particularly painful wounds. The witch bellowed in pain as blood burst from her slashed chest , the shock of the wound caused her heart to pump furiously. The Death Eater kept carving on the Ravenclaw's chest as if it was a sandstone wall . The track of time faded away from Seraphina's brain . She tried to calm her breath to steady her blood flow . She had already lost a lot of life sustaining liquid.
After fifteen painstakingly long minutes, Ravana walked away from Seraphina's half unconscious figure with the knife smeared with the young witch's blood still dancing in her fingers . Blood flowed mercilessly from the carvings Ravana carved out on Seraphina's chest. Severus saw the girl's wound. Ravana had carved a name in her chest, but it was illegible due to the blood smeared all over it. The sight sent a stinging pain through his chest . The girl was suffering because of him, and there was nothing he could do to stop it . He felt helpless and disgusted .
Seraphina and Severus both heard the faint sound of footsteps climbing the creaky staircase . The voice of a man became clearer as the sound of the footsteps became more definitive. The voice sounded similar to both Severus and Seraphina, but before they could make any conclusions, the door of the attic flung open and two men entered the dusty room . One of them was Diabolos Schaefer but as the moonlight fell on the face of the other man who entered the room Seraphina and Severus both gasped under their breath in conjunction .
" Lockhart, " the name left their lips in no more than whispers.
Gilderoy Lockhart's lilac sanguine radiated even in the dimly lit room . The handsome face of his fell as his crystal blue eyes moved to the pathetic figure of the girl tied to a chair. He sprinted towards her at once and kneeled down on the floor in front of Seraphina.
" Oh Merlin! what did you do to her? ! " cried Lockhart as he pulled a handkerchief from his robes and started wiping the blood from the Ravenclaw's face . Seraphina flinched away, but Lockhart held her face with his iron grip.
" What are you doing here Seraphina ?" Asked Lockhart .
" I can ask you the same, " said Seraphina bitterly. Lockhart took a long pause before speaking . His eyes scanning Seraphina .
" Ok, let me get straight to it . I made a plan with these Death Eaters to kidnap Snape, beat him up, and leave him at the gate of Hogwarts so everyone could know that he is not a hero . " spat Lockhart .
" But why ? " demanded a baffled Seraphina.
" Because of you , Seraphina, " he said with his eyes locked upon her . " I want you to like me the way you like him . What's bad in me ?" He continued.
" I ADMIRE him for what he has done for the Wizarding world ! I ADMIRE his intellect , you idiot ! I am not a fool to like a Professor, " shrieked Seraphina in disgust.
" So, why don't you like me ?" demanded Lockhart .
" Because you are nothing like him ! He is smart , intellectual , handsome , logical, and for Merlin's sake he isn't so full of himself ! " vented Seraphina . Her heart throbbed thunderously with anger.
Gilderoy stared at the girl for a long time . An anguished look came over his face as the words left Seraphina's lips . He loved the girl, but why couldn't she feel the same for him also?
" You know, Seraphina, if I want something, I will not rest until I get it , and I like you , so either you just accept me, or I'll have to oblivate you, " said Lockhart with the dark look his eye .
" For Merlin's sake, Lockhart, it's love you are talking about ! You just can't force anyone to love you," Seraphina cried.
Seraphina was cut off by Lockhart's lips pressing on hers. He had slammed his lips to Seraphina's and nearly knocked all wind from her lungs. His hand rested below her ear, and his thumb caressed her cheek as their breaths mingled . He knew she didn't love him back, but he couldn't resist. He leaned in a little closer, their foreheads touching. Dear God, he couldn't fight against the thoughts that were going through him. It wasn't an innocent kiss, like a tease, but a hot, fiery, passionate and demanding one . She tried hard to flinch away, but the iron grip of Lockhart suppressed her revolt . But the girl didn't kissed him back .
" Ok , so our plan has changed . After you are done with Snape , I will obliviate her. We will leave him and Seraphina at the gates of Hogwarts . I will save her . I will be her hero, she will admire me . And you will also get your revenge . Is that fine with you? " declared Lockhart as he pulled away from Seraphina and stood facing the others residing the room.
Seraphina felt anger boiling deep in her system, as hot as lava. It churned within, hungry for destruction, and she knew it was too much for her to handle. Lockhart did the same thing as Noah .
" Sorry, but we have also changed our plan . Severus won't leave this place alive . " calmly added Schaefer .
" What ?" Asked a baffled Lockhart.
" We altered the deal now that you have the very girl you fancy , we will not leave this bollock alive, " said the Death Eater, pointing towards Severus .
" You can't kill him ! He is a Order of the Merlin ! Ministry will hunt you - they will hunt me down for doing so ! No we can't kill him !" shrieked Lockhart in a jittery manner .
" Sorry, we can't let him step out of this mansion alive . He killed our master, and we will avenge him ." Amycus broke in.
The young witch was white as chalk. Her eyes and her mouth were frozen wide open in an expression of stunned surprise . When will Headmaster Dumbledore arrive? If the great wizard delayed any further, maybe Professor Snape's life would be at stake . She would have to conjure up an excuse to delay them .
" Kill me ! Just kill me if you want ! Leave Professor Snape !" Seraphina broke in .
" No, Seraphina ! " The deep, entrancing voice of Severus Snape filled the room for the first time in a long while . Diabolos ignored the girl . He wanted to avenge his master and killing that insignificant girl wouldn't help him in accomplishing his task .
A deep , heated argument had erupted between Gilderoy Lockhart and Diabolos Schaefer . They both had altered the agreement .
Abruptly, a faint sound of a thud and agonized screams made themselves heard in the attic room . Everyone faced the door. Out of the blue a very old looking wizard appeared in the hallway of the attic , his robes sweeping the dusty floor . An old witch followed him on his heels . Another man followed him on his right . The three of them had their wand pointed at the Death Eaters. The old wizard pointed his wand at the tied witch and murmured a spell under his breath . Seraphina's tied hands fell free dangling by her side. Headmaster Dumbledore did the same with Batman .
Quickly, Severus flung his body on Damon's and pelted him with numerous jaw shattering punches on his sullen face . Stripping his and Seraphina's wand away from Damon's black robes , he threw the Aspen wood wand at the girl who caught it with ease.
Seraphina quickly pointed her wand at Ravana and murmured a non verbal spell under her breath . A string of violet light cast out from the end of her wand, and the very next moment the bronze figure of the female Death Eater was lying on the floor , flinching violently due to the stinging pain that had erupted all over her body .
Seraphina quickly turned towards Damon, who was rooted at his place, dumbstruck by what had just happened. Slow in comprehending the situation, he was hexed by another non verbal spell by the young witch . A long downpour of blue light took place from Seraphina's wand, and as it touched Damon's chest, a devastating explosion erupted violently throwing the sullen man on the already broken mantlepiece of the fireplace . The mantlepiece shattered to pieces under the weight of the Death Eater . The broken pieces of wood pierced excruciating holes in his pale torso , killing him . She smoldered with resentment as molten anger rolled through her . Rage was gripping her, and anger poured through her. The adolescent girl's temper sparked with fury springing to life .The rage nearly consumed her as it pulsed through her veins, but she tried furiously to control it .
Severus, on the other hand, annihilated two of his kidnappers without any hesitation. The young wizard was unparallel when it came to the Dark Arts, and the long years of war had drained out the innocence from him .
After taking down two Death Eaters, the young Ravenclaw scanned the dimly lit room for the others . Gilderoy Lockhart stood in the corner of the room, his body quivering from fright . He had always seen the sweet , warm, and smiling Seraphina, who could never even in her wildest though, hurt anyone , but at that moment, he saw a girl unknown to him . Anger radiated from her eyes, and she had her wand pointed not to defend, but to attack . The Ravenclaw was ready to attack for her Professor , to defend him . She sprinted towards the man clad in lilac and buried her wand in his clenched neck .
" How dare you touch me !" hissed Seraphina in a deadly tone with an expression of pure , raw and unadulterated defiance.
Lockhart stared at Seraphina, dumbstruck . She was completely soaked in her own blood, and there were cavernous wounds all over her body. Her hands were shivering with the tremendous pain she was in . And yet her eyes did not exhibit even the slightest hint of fear.
By the time mentioned two new faces joined the population of the attic . The young faces had tear stained cheeks, and the pair was breathing heavily . Lucifer and Elenore gasped under their breath as they saw Seraphina burying her wand into their Professor's neck .
" Seph no ! " shrieked a horrified Elenore, who had gotten both her arms slit by a Death Eater she had been battling with.
" No, I won't kill you . You will be executed by the Ministry, and everyone will know your truth, Gilderoy, " wryly said Seraphina as she stepped back, her wand still pointed at the man .
" I appreciate your actions, Miss Barclay . Now I think the conditions are under control, so I propose we should be heading back, " the voice of Jacob Griffiths , the Minister of Magic, called out . Seraphina gave him a quick glance and turned towards Professor Snape, who stood near the window pane with the corpse of his kidnappers lying near his feet. He hadn't spoken a word ever since he saw the girl, but he needed numerous answers from her .
" Oh, Professor Snape ! Are you alright ? Did they hurt much ?" She launched her chain of questions as she walked towards him.
" You answer me first, girl !" Lucifer broke in. "How dare you write that letter to us ! Why didn't you take us with you?! And for Merlin's sake ,why did you came after these Death Eaters? You could have lost your life ! "
Seraphina turned to face him and passed the boy a warm smile .
"But I didn't, " a calm reply followed.
" I hope we all don't mind returning back to the castle and continuing our discussion there, " interrupted Albus .
" I agree. The Headmaster and Professor Snape need some urgent medical attention , I presume, " Seraphina added.
" Before you leave, I need an answer Barclay . How did you come here ? Who told you about this?" the deep entrancing voice of Severus filled the dusty room and everyone fell silent as his voice made itself heard.
" I will answer every one of your questions, and I promise you that, Professor, but please, for now let's get out of this horrid place and get your injuries fixed by Madan Pomphrey. " The young witch cut him off before he would have carried the subject into oblivion.
" You need her more than I do, " quietly commented Severus as they made their way through the creaky staircase down the hall . Outside the mansion stood two lusty black creatures. They were horse-like creatures which must have easily been over sixteen hands tall. They were the kind of black which could make the night look less dark . Darker than dark . Their manes were long and a little wavy, their forelocks tumbling to the left, almost obscuring the large brown eyes beneath. Then out of nowhere, they spread two feathery wings with a span that must have been twenty feet. Seraphina's mouth gaped in awe of their beauty as she stepped closer them .
" I knew you both wouldn't have been uninjured after spending considerable hours with the Death Eaters . So, here I present to you your ride for tonight, " declaring the Minister. " There is a lot I want to know, and there is a lot you need to explain , but I know you both aren't in the condition to answer anything, so I shall visit Hogwarts tomorrow for the questioning, " he continued as he passed Seraphina a sly smirk and gave a slight nod to Headmaster Dumbledore.
" So mount on the Ghabishes" suggested the Headmaster .
Elenore was injured so that meant she couldn't Apparate so Lucifer helped her on the Ghabishe and sat behind her, giving her support . Seraphina was still gazing at the Ghabishes in awe, and the words of the Minister and Headmaster Dumbledore were left unheard .
" Let me help you mount it, " the deep, velvety voice of Batman tugged her out of her grave sea of thoughts as he placed his slender hand on the small of her back to escort her towards the fantastic creature. The stoic girl penuriously masked her twitching pain as her Professor helped her to mount the Ghabishe . Momentarily, as Severus seated himself on the creature's back, he felt Seraphina's body stiffening and her muscle clenching in front of him.
The Ghabishe reared. The gust of displaced air flattened the surroundings . Then he charged forward at a full gallop. In minutes, he was airborne, his legs tucked up underneath him like the undercarriage of a plane. They both could feel the chilling breeze against their bodies. Once in the sky, the young witch's body melted into Severus's as the muscles of her body relaxed, and her stiffened body softened. The landscape beneath was picturesque, but both of them were gravely tired to admire the beauty of nature. After a quick ride the Ghabishe landed in front of the staircase of the Grand Entrance . Severus helped Seraphina dismount the lusty, black creature and dragged her straight to the infirmary where Albus , Minerva, and a visibly disturbed Madan Pomphrey awaited them .
" Madam Pomphrey I want you to check Professor Snape this very instant, " called out Seraphina at the same time when Severus called to the middleaged nurse -
" Poppy, I want you to see Miss Barclay this very instant. "
Everyone present in the infirmary fell into silence as the pair spoke together . A knowing smile played on Albus' thin lips at the sight of Severus holding Seraphina's wrist . Minerva passed a sly smirk at the pair as a playful visage her sharp face.
" Oh, Merlin, what did you two get yourselves into this time? " broke in a visibly distressed Poppy .
" Nothing. Just kidnapping and Death Eaters. Nothing very serious this time, " joked Seraphina .
ልረልክ
Seraphina was lying in the hospital bed , her raven eyes wide open . At her bedside sat the formidable Professor Snape. After a brisk quarrel which was cut short by Poppy , Severus had agreed to get his wounds healed first, but he hadn't left the hospital wing. He ensured that Seraphina was also treated . Poppy looked despairing after healing the young witch's wounds . Her eyes couldn't believe the fact that a 16 year-old girl had born the tremendous amount of pain and torture for her Professor . The wounds Seraphina acquired after the torture were grotesque. Poppy almost cursed under her breath when she wiped the blood off the Ravenclaw's chest and the name of Gilderoy Lockhart appeared from beneath the opaque curtain of red blood . The nurse launched numerous questions on the girl accompanied with a sympathetic gaze .
" Severus, please go get some sleep. Today will be a hectic day for both of you . Hey some rest now, " repeated Poppy for the fifth time.
" Sir, it's 2:30 in the morning . I think you should get some rest because you need to know the answers of many questions of yours in the morning, " added Seraphina with a playful smirk on her lips.
Severus breathed a heavy sigh before opening his mouth to speak, but no words escaped his lips .
" Thank for saving me, Miss Barclay, " said Severus finally, his voice filled with a heavy tone .
" Sir, I was not the one who saved you. It was the Headmaster who saved both of us, " said Seraphina, who's face glowed under the moonlight entering from the large window over her bed.
" But if you wouldn't have told the Headmaster about the whereabouts where we were taken, nothing would have happened " added Severus. " And I am sorry that because of me, you had go through those horrible things, " he continued in a small voice. He was regretting every moment for helplessly watching her pain and torture, doing nothing .
" Don't blame yourself for what was done to me, sir . I went after you; you didn't asked me to . So whatever happened was because of me, not you, " said a calm Seraphina .
Severus took one last, long glace at the girl on the bed. With a unexplainably heavy feeling in his chest, Severus marched out of the infirmary towards the rear of the dungeons where the portrait of the warrior hung .