-THE LOVE LETTER
CHAPTER TWO - Knowing her thoughts
Snape's day went on uneventful. He tried to finish his work in his lab during the morning, so he could have the afternoon free to take a look at his new discovery.
He felt a little silly wanting to read love letters from a total stranger but it was rather intriguing, after all, they were found in his fireplace of all places!
He left his lab just in time for lunch, going straight to the Great Hall.
In the Summer holidays, almost all the teachers left on vacation and meals were shared mainly by himself, Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey.
Dumbledore smiled warmly when he saw Snape arriving for lunch.
"Severus, I'm glad you finally left that dungeon, you're much too young to spend all your time working!"
"I enjoy working Albus, besides I've just finished brewing that potion I was working on for days. I should have more free time now," Snape said helping himself with food.
"Then that means I can join you for tea later this afternoon? It's been a long time we don't have a good conversation." Dumbledore looked at him in a way Snape knew too well. The old man wouldn't take no for an answer.
"Sure, why not?" he answered twisting his lips in an almost imperceptible smile.
They had been through a lot together and Snape knew that the old man was probably the only person who cared about him enough to worry about his well being. Even if sometimes he preferred to spend his time alone, he couldn't deny that to the the only person who had believed him in the lowest point of his life. He was his only family.
He had gotten used to Dumbledore's attempts to cheer him up when he really didn't need that. But he always indulged the man... he wouldn't admit it, but he loved him as a father as well as a friend.
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After lunch he hurried back to the dungeon, almost too fast for someone who had just admitted to having nothing to do.
He entered his chambers, throwing his robe on a chair and grabbed the box sitting on the coffee table. He headed to his office where he thought it would be more comfortable to go through the it.
He sat there reading one after another, and most of them had the same contents. A frustrated woman in a dead end marriage who dreamed about a man who didn't exist.
But he found something oddly amusing about her. She had a sarcastic sense of humor, it was discreet, but perceptible. And when she was in a good mood, she would write her mind that way.
"""" April 9th
Dearest,
Days have been slow and dull, but thankfully I have you to bring some joy into my tedious life.
The new house is not so bad, I enjoy it more than the other one. This one's got character, history. I wonder what kind of people must have dwelled within these walls. I wonder if there were happy big families or a couple madly in love or someone as lonely as I...
Maybe I should make a trip to the library and find its history. My husband won't have anything to do with it. He says I waste too much time in unimportant musings when I should be thinking of ways to make more money.
It's irritating to me that I need money, I shouldn't need it!
Money can ruin the romance in anything, more so the lack of it.
It ruins the poetry and the beauty of people, it makes them cold and empty like him. But then, I wonder if he was ever different. I don't think so.
Why haven't you ever come for me instead of him? Don't I deserve a love so pure and simple like the one you can offer me?
I'll be waiting anxiously until I can speak with you again.
Good night sweet heart.
Liv. """
He finally got to the last one which was dated "June 26th" and if by any chance, these letters were recent, than this wouldn't have been more than two weeks ago.
"No, that's not possible... this box seems to have been there for a long time... but the letters seem relatively new!"
He couldn't figure it out! He frowned and started reading it. This particular letter seemed to be more distressed, if not desperate.
""" June 26th
Dearest,
It is curious to say this, but sometimes I think I feel more alone when I'm around him.
Alienated.
I count the hours and minutes to be free from it all, so I can be alone with you again. You, the only one who listens, the only one who understands me, the one who never hurts me. You accept me unconditionally, because you are my idea of true love and I would do anything to have you sweep me away from this life. To never look back, for there is nothing here I wish to see.
If only you could rescue me from this... mistake. If only you could stop him...
I'm sorry, my dear, for leaving you so soon. I'm much too tired.
I shall have you in my dreams and hope that you will have me in yours.
Good night.
Liv. """"
Snape had a bad feeling about this last one, but he couldn't tell the exact seriousness of her distress. How long had it been since she wrote it? Was it possible that this was still happening and she could be in any danger?
He felt helpless and the prospect of not knowing it, ever, was extremely unpleasant. Why did he care? He kept asking himself, but he didn't or wouldn't have the answer.
All of a sudden he realized he could get the date revealed, there was a simple spell for that. He couldn't believe he hadn't thought about it earlier.
He ran to his bedroom to look for a book of spells in his private library.
"I know it's here somewhere," he muttered to himself.
He picked an old book with a red cover called, "Unveiling Spells" and quickly started flipping through the pages, the crease between his eyebrows was deep, as his eyes narrowing in concentration.
"Ah... There it is!" he said in relief and anticipation, rushing to his office. As he was crossing the door, he saw Dumbledore in front of his desk holding one of the letters. He immediately felt a light warmth of embarrassment rise to his cheeks.
"Where do these come from, Severus?" the older man asked, showing the letter in his hand.
Snape sighed and closed his eyes. "I wish I knew."
The Headmaster stared at him expecting a more thorough explanation. Snape went to his desk and sat pointing Dumbledore the opposite chair across from him.
"It's a long story Albus..."
"Perhaps, you can tell me everything over tea?" suggested Dumbledore with the usual twinkle in his eyes.
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A/N: The sentence in the letter "It's irritating to me that I need money, I shouldn't need it!"
was taken from the character Ed in one of Alan Rickman's movies "January Man".
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