Chapter 4
relief \Re*lief"\ (ree-leef"), n. [OE. relef, F. relief, properly, a lifting up, a standing out. See Relieve, and cf. Basrelief, Rilievi.] 1. The act of relieving, or the state of being relieved; the removal, or partial removal, of any evil, or of anything oppressive or burdensome, by which some ease is obtained; succour; alleviation; comfort; ease; redress.
He sees the dire contagion spread so fast, That, where it seizes, all relief is vain. --Dryden.
2. Release from a post, or from the performance of duty, by the intervention of others, by discharge, or by relay; as, a relief of a sentry.
For this relief much thanks; 'tis bitter cold. --Shak.
3. That which removes or lessens evil, pain, discomfort, uneasiness, etc.; that which gives succour, aid, or comfort; also, the person who relieves from performance of duty by taking the place of another; a relay.
4. (Feudal Law) A fine or composition which the heir of a deceased tenant paid to the lord for the privilege of taking up the estate, which, on strict feudal principles, had lapsed or fallen to the lord on the death of the tenant.
5. (Sculp. & Arch.) The projection of a figure above the ground or plane on which it is formed.
Note: Relief is of three kinds, namely, high relief (altorilievo), low relief, (basso-rilievo), and demirelief (mezzo-rilievo). See these terms in the Vocabulary.
6. (Paint.) The appearance of projection given by shading, shadow, etc., to any figure.
7. (Fort.) The height to which works are raised above the bottom of the ditch. --Wilhelm.
8. (Physical Geog.) The elevations and surface undulations of a country. --Guyot.
Syn: Alleviation; mitigation; aid; help; succor; assistance; remedy; redress; indemnification.
The path was dim. Rebecca strained her eyes, trying to see where she was going. A fork of lightening split the sky. A low roll of thunder followed. Rather than fading away, though, it changed into a frantic tapping, and grew louder.
Rebecca sat up in bed and looked around, panting. The tapping continued. "Becca!" called Gabby, sounded frightened. She was standing outside Rebecca's door, knocking.
Tangling herself in the bed sheet, Rebecca tripped her way to the door and yanked it open. Gabby stood there, fully dressed, her eyes wild. She ducked into Rebecca's room and shut the door behind her.
"Rebecca," she whispered, "there's someone here to see you. Get dressed."
Rebecca reached for her bathrobe. "Who is it?" she asked, wondering who could possibly frighten her flatmate like this. Unless - she abruptly changed the direction of her thoughts. Voldemort would have no scruples about killing Gabby on sight.
Gabby shook her head. "I don't know, but he's terrifying. Oh, Becca, he's going to murder us or something. He's got long black hair and frightening black eyes-"
That was all Rebecca needed to hear. She raced out of the room with only one arm in the sleeve of her robe, leaving Gabby in her wake, staring after her in horror.
In the next room stood her best friend and fiancé, looking oddly out of place, dressed in muggle clothes, standing in a muggle room. She choked back a laugh and flung her arms around his neck.
A few nights ago, when they had returned from the Dark gathering, she had thought it was the last time she would see him for a long while. The suppressed laughter faded away in her throat. Voldemort must be planning something bit already. Worry began to seep into her brain unbidden. Slowly she stepped back and looked into Severus's face.
What she saw there confirmed her fears. His face was set in hard lines, but his eyes were glassy. Neither of them spoke.
Finally, Gabby broke the silence. "I'll make tea, then?" With a frightened backwards glance at Severus, she scurried into the kitchen. Rebecca smiled wryly.
"Well, at least now we'll have some privacy."
Severus shrugged. "We'll have to wipe her memory anyway. She can't know I was here."
A protest rose to Rebecca's lips, but she swallowed it. This was serious then. She waved him into a chair and sat across from him.
He watched her strangely. Across his face various emotions flickered. Pain, fear, anger, even - was that sorrow? Blind panic rose up in her chest. Something was seriously wrong.
Finally, after an agonizing silence, Severus spoke. "You and Lily, you got pretty close, didn't you?" Rebecca's eyes widened, but she nodded.
"We get along better now, yes. I was her maid of honour at her wedding, and she made me her son's godmother."
Visions of Lily Evans's marriage to James Potter flashed behind Rebecca's eyes. Lily's white dress, the uncomfortable muggle friends and absent family, Sirius Black coming up to her and giving her a kiss. Now that was something she would never forget.
She had been talking to Remus Lupin, trying to avoid Peter Pettigrew, who seemed more timid, but no less cruel. Remus had said "What do you think of Sirius?"
Rebecca had answered to the effect that she no longer hated him, but he hand never really done anything to make her love him. That was when she felt a tap on her shoulder and spun around to find herself staring into the melting eyes of none other than Sirius Black himself.
He had taken her by the shoulders and kissed her full on the mouth. She had been too stunned to even react when he said "I've been waiting to do that for eight years, but I was afraid Snape would curse me for it." He had then looked guiltily around and asked "He's not here now, is he?"
That had explained why Sirius and Severus had never gotten along. They were so similar after all.
Severus's gentle voice brought her back to the present. He murmured "would it be so awful if James and his son. . ." his voice trailed off. He captured her hand with his and held it tightly. "My life is forfeit for telling you this, but you have to know." His voice broke.
"What?"
"The Dark Lord called me to him, and when I arrived, he was having a conversation with that pet snake of his. Of course, I knew everything he said, but he didn't know that." Sarcasm was seeping into his voice. "I would make a fabulous double agent, wouldn't I?"
Rebecca was gripping his hand very hard. She opened her mouth, whether to scream or to comfort him, she never knew, because at that moment, Gabby returned, bearing a tea tray.
After a few minutes of Severus's icy stare, though, she quailed and announced she was going to bed. Rebecca hid her surprise. Gabby would usually be going out at this time, but she was obviously looking for an excuse to leave the room, and she would have to come perilously close to Severus to leave the flat.
Severus was gazing into his tea with an amused look on his face. "What's funny?" Rebecca demanded.
"She is so afraid of me, and tonight I decided to renounce my vows to the dark side."
Rebecca gasped and dropped her teacup. It shattered against the tabletop, and a brown puddle of liquid crept unnoticed across the tablecloth. Rebecca had flung herself, sobbing, into Severus's arms. She was so happy for her friend, and at the same time, she realized that his danger was now double.
She felt his hand gently resting on her waist, and lifted it to her lips. "Now what?" she murmured.
"I have to tell you why I made my decision."
She nodded. "I'm listening."
"So is your flatmate." He took her hand as they stood, and led her to the door, into the hall, and out into the street, where they dissapperated, apperating again in a clearing in the forbidden forrest.
A/N: Now you can see where the title came from, but I swear it was completely unintentional, my brain was stuck on the theme, so I just let it run with it. That can be dangerous.
