Chapter Seventeen: Bad Dreams and Harsh Realities
"Has anyone seen Dorrin Chambers?" Severus pushed through the crowd of students on their way to dinner, looking around frantically for Reign. No one was answering him; they were shocked that he seemed so worried about her. His hair was all mangled—even more than usual—and his eyes were on fire. Severus spotted Chase and his friends ascending the stairs and ran toward them. "Have any of you seen Dorrin Chambers?" Nigel, Helena, and Chase all stood paralyzed. Snape could have slapped them all. "Mr. Dumbledore? Jones? Saxon? Have you seen her? ANSWER ME!"
"Um, um," Chase stuttered.
"Is that the extent of your vocabulary?" Chase straightened up.
"No, Professor, we have not seen Dorrin." Severus looked at the other two, and they shook their heads in agreement.
"Well thank you for that complete waste of my time," he spat, pushing passed them to continue his search. He ran to the last place he thought of--the Gryffindor common room.
"Password," The Fat Lady demanded.
"Please, ma'am. I'm looking for a student named Dorrin Chambers. Is she in?"
"Yes."
"I really need to speak with her."
"I'm sorry Professor, but rules are rules." Severus was became furious. He pulled out his wand and cast a spell on the woman in the portrait that knocked her out.
"Alohamora," he spoke. The door swung open and Snape slipped inside the room. "Reign? REIGN!" Upstairs in her room, Reign froze. She wiped the tears from her eyes and went out onto the balcony.
"I'm here, Professor." Severus ran up the stairs to her and pulled her into his arms.
"Where have you been? You weren't in the infirmary when I came back. I was getting worried." Reign pulled violently from his grasp and turned to walk back in her chambers. Bewildered, Severus followed her.
"I've been packing," she replied as she continued with her task.
"What? Where are you going? Who was that elf?" Reign spun around and glowered at him.
"That elf was my brother. I'm going home with him. Today." Snape's bottom lip fell to the floor.
"What about us?"
"There is no us, Severus. Jonah made me realize that I do not belong here--or with you." He was at a loss for words. Reign continued packing, but was nervous that he wasn't saying anything. "Besides, I told you that if we didn't find an anti-potion, I was going to leave."
"But, what about us?" he repeated, moving closer to her. Reign longed to give up just then, but she knew she had to be strong. "Don't you love me?" She started to break out into a cold sweat.
"No, I do not love you," she lied. Severus grabbed her shoulders and spun her around to face him.
"I don't believe you Reign. There's something you're not telling me. What's wrong?" She was on the verge of tears. Looking into his eyes, she loved him more than ever. She cursed her wretched heritage.
"There's nothing wrong, except that you are still here. I need to pack, Professor."
"NO! Reign, you're lying to me! I love you, and I know that you love me too. Please, if something is wrong, tell me!" He was screaming now.
"Nothing is wrong, Severus. I am an elf. I belong with the elves. I was foolish to think I could ever fall in love with a human. There is a disparity between us. Humans are inferior to the elves," she was panting as she raged on. "You are not worthy of me." Severus began to shake. He couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"What?"
"You heard me. Get out. I don't ever want to see you again." The Potions master picked up his robes and started toward the door. He shut his eyes tight in order to suppress his tears. But Reign could not stop hers; they pouring out of her eyes, but she had turned to the window so he couldn't see her anguish.
"Very well, Miss Chambers. I'm so sorry to have disturbed you," his voice was pure ice. It sent familiar shivers up Reign's back, making her quiver. "I am even sorry to say I ever met you." He regretted it as soon as he said it, but it would be the last thing he said to the elf that he loved. He slammed the door behind him and walked swiftly down and out of Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady was still unconscious. After reviving her and apologizing about a thousand times, she finally agreed not to report him. Severus then sulked away, swaying back and forth. His head was heavy on his neck, and his legs began to tremble. What had just happened? It seemed like a nightmare. He dragged himself up to the astronomy tower; he often went there to think. This time he went up there hoping to wake up from his horrible dream.