AN: Again, a million times sorry for the delay. It's just that my laptop keeps having huge problems and I don't know where else to take it so it can be fixed. Anyway, here's a new chappie and I promise the next one will be uploaded in a week. Thanks for the patience!

Chapter twelve: Fire's embrace.

About 1 AM, Kyra woke up with a strange impression. There was something wrong, she could sense that. After putting on a pair of slippers and a lavender robe, she left her room. Her heart was pounding so hard and loud she wondered how it didn't wake up the entire school.

The corridors were cold and Kyra shivered. Or maybe it was that sense of dread what made her body tremble so much. She didn't know, nor did she know where she was going, until she realized her instincts had guided her to Professor Snape's door. Amazed at her own boldness, she knocked. There was no answer. Kyra knocked again, this time a bit more impatiently, but she still didn't get any answer.

And then she heard it, a tormented cry of agony coming from inside. Kyra froze, what could she do? The second scream decided for her. Quietly, she opened the door and stepped inside his chambers. They were pitch black.

" Lumos!" She whispered, and the tip of her wand cut through the darkness.

Holding it in front of herself, as some sort of protection, Kyra went around the room, unsure of what to do until another scream pierced the oppressive silence that surrounded her. That did it. She worked up all he courage and went into his bedroom, fear causing a cold, prickling sensation in the back of her neck. What if someone or something was making Snape scream like that?

Well, she needed to find out what was going on anyway and cast a spell to light some candles. At the sight her eyes beheld, Kyra gasped and her hands flew to cover her wide-open mouth.

Snape was lying on his bed, fully clothed and curled into a fetal ball. His faced was twitched in an expression of pure agony and his body shook violently. Kyra wasted no time. She got on her knees next to the bed, reaching out to clutch his wrist and check the pulse that vibrated beneath the pale skin. It was accelerated and weak.

What surprised her was how hot and dry his skin was.

' He's got fever!' She thought, allowing herself to feel alarmed. ' What do I do now? I can't leave him to go get some help...'

She looked around the room, trying to find something that could help her. And then, she saw it on one of the shelves: Floo powder. Kyra knew how to use it. Sighing in relief, she used it to contact the first person she thought of: Dumbledore. His face and shoulders appeared and he looked truly concerned.

" Miss Gardner? What's the matter?"

" I'm sorry to bother you, Headmaster… I… it's Professor Snape," his concern faded, being replaced by a look of worry, almost of fear.

" What about him?" He asked urgently.

" He is… sick, I guess." As to confirm her words, Snape let out another strangled cry and Dumbledore's brows furrowed in alarm. " I don't know… please, come quickly," pleaded Kyra.

She hadn't even finished her sentence, when stronger green flames erupted from the fireplace and Dumbledore stepped in the room. She couldn't help but smile at the Headmaster's eccentric pajamas. They were midnight blue and had sparkling planets that actually moved all over his chest and legs.

Without any spoken words, they both went to stand by his bed and as soon as he saw the younger wizard, Dumbledore knew Snape was experiencing the aftereffects of Cruciatus.

Voldemort used to enjoy torturing his followers and, despite the long time that had elapsed since his defeat, the curse was an extremely raw attack against the Nervous System; and even after years of not enduring it, the nerves were still residually highly stimulated, producing those symptoms every once in a while: fever and delirium; the fever usually leading to convulsions.

Dumbledore leaned to touch Severus' forehead and removed his hand immediately. His skin had threatened to burn his fingers.

" Sweet Merlin on a broomstick! He's burning alive!"

Kyra looked at him helplessly. " I know… I found him like this and didn't know what to do."

" What were you doing here?"

" Nothing… I don't know. I woke up and I knew I had to come here, I just knew. I was a the door and heard him scream, so I entered… Maybe we should call Madame Pomfrey."

" No! I mean, there's no need for such drastic measures." The Headmaster knew how proud Severus was and he was sure he wouldn't appreciate having anyone else seeing him in the state he was in.

" But no potion or spell seems to alleviate him!" Was Ky's soft protest.

" We must cool his body."

" The muggle way has been proven very effective," suggested Kyra.

" So I've heard. Can you help me?"

" Of course," she replied without a moment of hesitation.

" Then go get some water and clean towels."

Kyra knew she could have conjured a washcloth, but something told her Dumbledore was sending her for towels so he could undress Severus while she was gone. Nodding, she left the room and returned only seconds later with what Dumbledore had asked for.

She found that she had been right; the Headmaster had removed Snape's robes and covered him with a thin, white sheet.

" Good. Now, what we need is to apply the fresh, wet cloths to his body." Pausing to look at Kyra, he nodded briefly. " I will do it."

She raised her eyebrows. " I can handle it, you know?"

" I don't think…"

" Headmaster, I have seen a male chest before. Besides, wouldn't it be better if you went to Madame Pomfrey and asked her for a restoring potion? It's not here and I think we'll need it for when he awakes…"

" You are correct." Still, Dumbledore hesitated. " But…"

" Sir, please…"

Something in her eyes finally convinced him. " I will be back in a second."

As he left, Kyra pulled up her sleeves and kneeled next to Snape's bed. Determined to beat the fever, she dipped the cloth in the fresh water and rubbed it all across his forehead. She focused all her strength in her task, trying to ignore his occasional anguished screams. Remembering one of her mother's treatments for when she had a headache, she took one of the smallest towels and, after soaking it, placed it on top of his head. She let it rest for a few minutes and then Kyra practically freaked out when she removed the towel and it almost burnt her fingers.

" God, Professor," she whispered. " What's wrong with you?"

She replaced the towel and then used another one to wet his hair. As she was doing that, the water removed all its oil and she found his hair to be smooth, almost silky. She reached out and touched a length of it, bringing it forward and letting it slip through her fingers. She liked the way it felt.

' I wonder why he hides it… What a waste!'

Shaking her head, Kyra decided it was better to take care of his neck and upper body as well. As she lowered the sheet to apply a wet towel to his chest, she became aware of the fact it was quite sculpted. That bewildered her, the man was full of surprises. His muscles were well defined and his skin seemed so soft her fingers itched to feel it; but she controlled herself by focusing on her task. Over and over she applied the wet clothes to his forehead, chest and neck.

Dumbledore returned and after one quick glance at her, he said, " You should go back to your room. Try to rest for a while."

" Please, Professor, don't ask me to leave," she pleaded.

" But you are tired, I can see that."

" I know, I know… but I want to go on. The fever's not gone yet and who's gonna help you, sir? It's obvious that you want to keep this as a secret." The Headmaster eyed her appreciatively, admiring the sharpness of her mind.

" You are correct."

" Then why don't you try to rest? If he continues to be sick you're going to have to tend him, since I will have to attend classes in a few hours."

Dumbledore nodded. The young woman was both reasonable and capable and he knew he could trust her, but he couldn't leave her alone in a Professor's room; that would have been too compromising. As he voiced his concern, Kyra smiled sweetly.

" I understand, Headmaster. Then why don't you go to his receiving room and we leave the doors open? He's got a nice couch from where you can keep an eye on us."

Albus smiled back and after a last glance at the couple, he headed to the sofa Kyra has suggested and laid there.

She again redirected her efforts to lowering his fever and long after Dumbledore had fallen asleep, Severus whispered something she couldn't understand. He revolved in the bed, causing the sheet to slide down his left arm; when Kyra tried to cover it, she accidentally touched his inner forearm's skin. A strange glow emanated from the area, revealing a treacherous black mark. She studied it, knowing full well that it marked the followers of Voldemort. Kyra's eyes filled with tears. Snape… a Death Eater?! She refused to believe it. Yes, he was a Slytherin, her seemed mean and sinister… but there was a great difference between that and being…

Her first reaction was revulsion. Then, she started thinking. ' How could this happen? The Mark should be inactive... Voldemort's gone.' But at last, her heart started dictating her thoughts, putting the rational ones aside. ' God, no… not him. He can't be… How can he? I love him, dammit!" As she said that, realization struck her: she was in love with a Death Eater.

An incredible urge to run away took over her and she left Snape's bedroom, swiftly passing Dumbledore's sleeping figure. But as she did so, the Headmaster's eyes snapped open.

" Miss Gardner?" He asked, noticing she was about to open the door and let herself out.

" Headmaster... I... I need to leave," she fumbled.

In a split-second, he was up and standing next to her, concern all over his face. "What is it, child? You are shaking."

" I just... please, let me go," she pleaded.

Dumbledore looked at her, his brows furrowing slightly. " I thought you wanted to help Severus."

She visibly flinched at the mention of his name and Albus studied her more intently. " Did he do anything to you?"

" Well, being a Death Eater, he could have very well killed me," Kyra stated flatly.

For what seemed ages, they stared at each other. " How did you...?" Dumbledore finally asked.

" I touched his arm and there was this spark... and I saw it: the Black Mark, looking at me. But now, please, I gotta go," she said with urgency, noticing for the first time that the Headmaster had placed his hands on her shoulders.

His mind was racing with different explanations for what Kyra had just told him. He knew the Mark was still somewhat visible on Severus' arm, but he would have never imagined it could have caused a reaction when touched by Kyra.

' There are students who can see through glamours, perhaps she can perceive the Dark Magic still emanating from the Mark,' he reflected. ' I have always thought she was special, this confirms it,' the aged wizard concluded.

He sighed inwardly, of course the girl was scared, that was to be expected. But he couldn't let her leave like that. He had been happy to know that Severus had found good company and a reliable assistant in her and he wouldn't let that change. " Calm down, girl."

" Headmaster, how can I calm down? My teacher's a bloody murderer! All those nights... all those times I've been with him... he was only trying to find a new sacrifice for that monster!" Kyra knew she was getting hysterical, but simply couldn't fight it.

" I do not think so," calmly replied Dumbledore. " Severus seems to have developed a sincere affection towards you." She frowned, but he noticed her expression had softened slightly. " Listen, Kyra, I trust him. I cannot explain you when or how, but he has given me countless proofs he is worth my trust. Isn't that enough for you?"

The battle between her fear and her faith in Dumbledore was visible in her eyes. " I... I'm not sure, Headmaster," she whispered wearily.

" I believe in second chances and I know for sure he would never harm a student, let alone you. Now, will you continue tending him or will you simply walk out on the man?" Was his question.

Still shaking, Kyra looked at Severus lying in that bed. He seemed so pained, so vulnerable it touched her heart. Memories of the times they had spent together did a lot to confirm Dumbledore's words and she relaxed a bit. She loved him and her feminine intuition told her he wasn't bad. She instinctively knew she wouldn't have fallen for a vicious murderer. 

" I'm staying," she replied resolutely.

Albus smiled proudly at her. " I knew you would, my child."