Chapter Twenty-Five
The Storm Begins
"Ah, Severus! I was hoping I'd find you here." The Potions Master stopped in his tracks. Who would be looking for him in the middle of the front hall? It wasn't as if he spent a lot of time there. He only passed through the foyer on his way to other places, as did the rest of the occupants of Hogwarts.
He rolled his eyes and shook his head at the ridiculousness of the Headmaster's comment. But he was glad that the old wizard hadn't run into him any later, for he would have surely figured out that Severus was headed toward Reign's chambers. So he folded his hands and turned to face Albus.
The Headmaster glowed in the moonlight. His eyes twinkled like the stars that reflected in the half-moon spectacle he wore at the tip of his nose. A smile played across his lips as he surveyed the Potions Master.
"Good evening, Albus."
"Indeed it is, Severus," he replied, initiating a refined stride down the hall. Snape fell into step beside him. "How are your classes coming along?" The taller man chuckled.
"Oh, fine," he said sarcastically. "As well as they can come along with the types of students occupying them." Dumbledore smiled. They walked along for a few more paces. Snape's boots pounded against the stone floor: the Headmaster's, clicked softly.
Then they stopped. The old wizard glided over to the nearest window and leaned against the sill. Severus followed his lead and crossed his arms over his chest. Before he had a chance to position himself against the frame of the window, however, Albus found his voice.
"Have you spoken to Reign recently?" Severus uncrossed his arms and drew his eyebrows together.
"How recently is recently?"
"Oh…" the old wizard stroked his bearded chin thoughtfully, "in the past few days, perhaps?" Snape's mind drifted to their last encounter.
"Yes. I did speak to her a few days ago." They lapsed into silence before Albus laughed.
"Well come on, boy! Don't make me do all the work!" Severus looked slightly confused and annoyed. "What did you talk about? Have you made amends yet?" The dark man rolled his eyes—a motion Albus didn't notice in the darkness.
"Forgive me if I seem rude, Professor, but I'd rather not discuss it yet." The Headmaster straightened up and sighed.
"I understand. Forgive an old man and his exuberant curiosity?" Severus nodded, but he knew that Albus already had the information he had set out to find.
From Snape's reaction, it was obvious that they were still not on the best of terms. Dumbledore patted Severus on the shoulder before leaving. "She's a good girl, Severus. She's been through a lot." The man looked to the floor. "She could use a man like you right now." He brought his head back up and gazed into the shining eyes of blue. Was that a compliment he had just received from the greatest wizard of his time?
"Thank you, Albus," he said with the utmost respect and sincerity. The Headmaster winked and disappeared down the hall.
Severus went to the window and gazed through the stained glass. The moon was hidden beneath dark clouds. As he watched the gathering billows, Severus recalled the strange fact that there hadn't been a storm at Hogwarts in a long while. Ever since...
***
Reign walked slowly toward her chambers. Her mind was numb; it was lucky her feet knew the way. She had dropped her sword sometime ago and hadn't bothered to pick it up. She didn't care if she ever saw it again.
She didn't care if she didn't see anything ever again. She had nothing to live for. That's what she had realized after telling Malfoy the same thing. And then she had almost killed him! She certainly was not in her right mind.
Her eyes were glazed over as she entered her rooms. She went to the window and pressed her head to the cool glass. Her body eased its way against the pane, shaking as her mind started to race. Reign closed her eyes. What if Malfoy was right? What if Severus wasn't going to take her back? A terrifying thought struck her—if he did, would she even want to go back to him?
The elf rotated her body to gaze around her room. She blinked very slowly. Everything became a blur as she stumbled to her bed. She fell onto the sheets on hands and knees and crawled to the headboard, now resting her head against the hard wood. As she laid her heavy body over the bed an unusual sound slithered its way into her ears. She snapped her head back and nearly fell backwards from the blood rush.
The world spun as she gazed into the glossy eye of the snake on her headboard. The sound manifested again. It was hissing. Reign tried to focus her eyes. In the darkness she hoped that they were playing tricks on her. She hoped that she was just hearing the noises of the night. Surely the inanimate snake engraved on her bed wasn't hissing at her.
And then she saw them. Reflected in the black eye of the serpent were long sticks with piercing objects at the end of them. The ends glittered in the sliver of moonlight that shone through her window. She turned from the snake to her arrows lying in her quiver. They stuck slightly out from the seat of one of the chairs by the fireplace.
An invisible string pulled Reign from her bed and over to the arrows. She pulled one from its container and ran her fingers along the shaft.
Each elvin arrow was meticulously engraved with elfish symbols and carefully handcrafted for the greatest potency. Every feather at the end was elegantly shaped for the best aerodynamic flying. Her fingers played with the deep red feather and then traced the same path to the other end of the weapon. The actual arrowhead was made from the finest granite and was ground sharper than most fine daggers.
Her mind was still hazy as she ran a finger along the point. She didn't flinch when the sharp edges sliced her skin. No pain was felt as the blood trickled down her hand. In fact, the feeling was almost that of relief.
Reign cradled the arrow and went to the window. She sat with her legs crossed and her back against the cool glass. Her chest rose high and deep with every breath she took. She blinked. The arrow smiled at her and floated in front of her. The point flashed in the receding moonlight.
Reign held out her right hand and watched as the moonlight fell upon her wrist. It shone in the same crescent shape as her tribal tattoo. It was beautiful, so…pure. Reign wanted it to stay there forever.
She grabbed the tip of the arrow and began to etch the shape of the crescent into her wrist. She dug deeper and deeper, letting the blood flow out of her body and spill onto her clothes and the floor. The pain she had been holding for so long was finally being released. Why hadn't she done this before? The feeling was amazing; instant ecstasy washed over her and calmed her body and soul. Her mind cleared and her lids lay heavily over her eyes. A lazy smile graced her lips as she went to the other wrist and began to carve the same moon shape.
***
As Severus gazed out into the night he heard footsteps coming down the hall. He turned slowly to see Lucius Malfoy speed passed him; he obviously had not seen the Potions Master standing in the shadows of the corridor. Snape thought that he was walking unusually fast.
"Lucius," he said sternly, stepping into the middle of the hall and crossing his arms. The man stopped dead in his tracks. Severus raised an eyebrow as Malfoy turned slowly around to face him. Dropping his arms, Snape stared in disbelief at the gash on his cheek. Then he laughed.
"Good God, man, what happened to your face?" The slice had turned a deep red…and so had Malfoy's pale skin. He strode slowly toward Snape and stopped only inches from the hooked nose of the Potions Master.
"Let's just say that if I had my wand with me…you would be dead." Severus pulled his eyebrows together and tilted his head. Lucius stepped back. "The Dark Lord will hear of this, Severus. You will pay for your betrayal!" He spun back around and stalked down the hall. Snape took one step forward, his eyes bulging in their sockets. What was he talking about? Severus squinted into the darkness as his mind searched. And then he remembered.
"Talk to Lucius. Get rid of him." That's what he had said to Reign. His breathing quickened as he turned and ran up to her chambers.
He had a gut-wrenching feeling as he ran. And as he reached her door his heart sank. It was wide open. Through the window he could see that it had started to rain.
He walked cautiously into the room, his eyes darting back and forth. He had the most awful feeling.
And then he heard a voice. It was mumbling something he couldn't quite understand. He followed the sound to the corner of the room where Reign had dragged herself after her release.
And then he noticed the blood. He followed the trail from her to the window where she had been sitting and then back to her wrists. As soon as his legs would let him he raced over to her and knelt. He winced at the sight of her wounds. Through all the blood he could see deep gashes shaped like crescent moons carved into her delicate wrists. She had lost scores of blood, but she was still alive. She was still mumbling.
"Saë tu ri los mía."
"What? Jesus Reign, what have you done?"
"Saë tu ri los mía." She kept repeating that same phrase, over and over again as Severus tore at his sleeves and wrapped her wrists tightly. He tried using a healing spell with his wand, but the elvin blood would not take to it. Her voice was getting quieter and quieter as he worked.
"Damn it, Reign!" He cursed as he shook her. The wounds were still bleeding as he picked her up, the wraps now soaked in her blood. "You're not getting away that easily."
"Saë tu... ri los... mía," she whispered. Severus ran hard through the castle toward the infirmary. His heart pounded furiously against his chest and his lungs screamed out for him to stop and catch his breath.
But he wouldn't stop. Not for anything.
Drops of blood followed him to the Hospital Wing, and angry tears trickled from his eyes as he smashed open the door.
"POPPY!" The pain in his voice strengthened it as he yelled out for the nurse.
It traveled through the halls of the castle. Through every room, down every staircase, and finally through the cracks in the windows and doors. It escaped into the night and startled the animals of the forest.
And for the first time since Reign had returned, lightning slashed through the clouds and a violent storm rumbled through the night.
***
Thanks once again to all my reviewers…you guys are the best. I hope you enjoyed this one! And I really appreciate everyone's concern about my teeth. They are doing much MUCH better now J
