Disclaimer/Author Note/Rating: Please see Chapter 1 for full disclaimers, legal info, etc.
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Trina/Leonora… Narcissa? Jealous? Okay, maybe a little.
Mercury… Yes, the simple pleasures are the best, aren't they?
Romula… Glad to hear from you! Come back soon.
Annie Black… Trust me, Malificus has mischief on his mind.
Wyall Jared… I'll match your sigh and raise you a second one for the "man of her dreams."
Twistedmind… His secret is a secret to Serena only, not to anyone who has read Rowlings.
Rushumble… Don't forget, this is an AU story. In MY version of 5th year, Voldemort has not become corporeal yet, so there is no obvious evidence of the Dark Mark on Severus right now.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 19: Cold Comfort
The fates and the cold mid-January wind seemed to conspire against Serena and Severus during the week. Between classes and homework and the typical hassles of life, they'd barely had any time to spend together. Even their walks between classes had been hurried, the bitter wind lashing them into silence. By the time Friday night came, they were both ready to seal out the outside world. When Serena arrived that evening, Severus put an extra spell on the door lock and then cast a spell on his entire flat, making sure that no prying eyes or ears would intrude on their privacy. They made love far into the night, falling into an exhausted slumber in one another's arms while the winter winds bayed and howled outside.
In the dark, cold hours of the very early morning, before even the first hints of sunlight begin to dissolve the night, Serena's nightmares began again.
She spun around. The wind, the thunder, the feeling of dread that squeezed her heart until no blood flowed in her veins, only ice. A lightning flash… a dead face, frozen in agony. Vivian! Another flash… another face, twisted and broken, the throes of a violent death finally over. Edward! A boom of thunder that rocked the earth. A dagger of light… a visage of blood and terror. Shannon! A deafening crack as lightning split a tree and in the harsh afterglow, another dead, familiar face, frozen in terror. Mum!
Then the laughter, mixed amidst the thunder, rolling, eerie. Kill them all, said a deep voice. Break her…
A lightning arc lit the sky. Death Eaters. Death Eaters surrounding her. She looked down and watched as her wand turned to dust in her hands. Another blazing flash… and Death Eaters closing in, reaching out, grabbing her hair, her clothes, her arms… tearing at her, ripping at her… And all the while, that savage laughter…
The scream that came out of Serena's mouth could not have been called anything short of blood-curdling and it tore Severus out of his own sound sleep.
"Serena! Serena, what's wrong?"
She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. She was soaked with sweat. Severus leaned his back against the headboard of his bed and pulled Serena onto his lap. She was shaking in his arms. Rocking gently, he ran his hand up and down her back and stroked her hair.
"Serena, you're okay. What happened? Was it a nightmare?" He had never seen Serena frightened by much of anything and now she was utterly terrified. Her breath nothing more than huge, sobbing gasps.
"I'm here," he said. "You're not alone. You're safe."
She turned a tear-stained face up to look at him. "I know." Her voice shook. "Thank you… I was dreaming of Castlebann again. I always see them… all of my friends, my mother… all dead. I'm always alone except for the Death Eaters. There were too many in my dream. They were touching me. They were laughing…" Her voice chilled as she said the name and Severus swallowed hard, glancing at his own arm.
"It was just a dream," he said softly.
"I hate them, Severus. The Death Eaters. I hate each and every one of them. They murdered my mother… my entire town. Vile, treacherous creatures, the lot of them…"
Each word she spoke drove into his heart, lancing through it. She hates me then, he thought, and she doesn't even know it. If she ever knew I had been with the Death Eaters… The possibility caused him more anguish than he had ever known. She deserved to know the truth about his background…
But if I tell her, he thought, she will despise me, even if I tell her I have changed. Even Albus Dumbledore's support and trust would not be enough to save me from her hatred. She would see in me everything that she despises…
"Thank you," she said. "Thank you for listening to me… for holding me."
He was glad to have been there; he would do – he realized suddenly – anything for Serena Castleton-Black, but it was a cold comfort knowing that the secret he held in his heart, the secret hidden on his arm, would break her heart all over again.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
A bit of a short chapter… Hope you've enjoyed it. I may actually be able to put the next one up almost right away, so I'll really be curious to see what you all have to say… Please read/review!
Go raibh maith agaibh:
Trina/Leonora… Narcissa? Jealous? Okay, maybe a little.
Mercury… Yes, the simple pleasures are the best, aren't they?
Romula… Glad to hear from you! Come back soon.
Annie Black… Trust me, Malificus has mischief on his mind.
Wyall Jared… I'll match your sigh and raise you a second one for the "man of her dreams."
Twistedmind… His secret is a secret to Serena only, not to anyone who has read Rowlings.
Rushumble… Don't forget, this is an AU story. In MY version of 5th year, Voldemort has not become corporeal yet, so there is no obvious evidence of the Dark Mark on Severus right now.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
Chapter 19: Cold Comfort
The fates and the cold mid-January wind seemed to conspire against Serena and Severus during the week. Between classes and homework and the typical hassles of life, they'd barely had any time to spend together. Even their walks between classes had been hurried, the bitter wind lashing them into silence. By the time Friday night came, they were both ready to seal out the outside world. When Serena arrived that evening, Severus put an extra spell on the door lock and then cast a spell on his entire flat, making sure that no prying eyes or ears would intrude on their privacy. They made love far into the night, falling into an exhausted slumber in one another's arms while the winter winds bayed and howled outside.
In the dark, cold hours of the very early morning, before even the first hints of sunlight begin to dissolve the night, Serena's nightmares began again.
She spun around. The wind, the thunder, the feeling of dread that squeezed her heart until no blood flowed in her veins, only ice. A lightning flash… a dead face, frozen in agony. Vivian! Another flash… another face, twisted and broken, the throes of a violent death finally over. Edward! A boom of thunder that rocked the earth. A dagger of light… a visage of blood and terror. Shannon! A deafening crack as lightning split a tree and in the harsh afterglow, another dead, familiar face, frozen in terror. Mum!
Then the laughter, mixed amidst the thunder, rolling, eerie. Kill them all, said a deep voice. Break her…
A lightning arc lit the sky. Death Eaters. Death Eaters surrounding her. She looked down and watched as her wand turned to dust in her hands. Another blazing flash… and Death Eaters closing in, reaching out, grabbing her hair, her clothes, her arms… tearing at her, ripping at her… And all the while, that savage laughter…
The scream that came out of Serena's mouth could not have been called anything short of blood-curdling and it tore Severus out of his own sound sleep.
"Serena! Serena, what's wrong?"
She threw herself into his arms, sobbing. She was soaked with sweat. Severus leaned his back against the headboard of his bed and pulled Serena onto his lap. She was shaking in his arms. Rocking gently, he ran his hand up and down her back and stroked her hair.
"Serena, you're okay. What happened? Was it a nightmare?" He had never seen Serena frightened by much of anything and now she was utterly terrified. Her breath nothing more than huge, sobbing gasps.
"I'm here," he said. "You're not alone. You're safe."
She turned a tear-stained face up to look at him. "I know." Her voice shook. "Thank you… I was dreaming of Castlebann again. I always see them… all of my friends, my mother… all dead. I'm always alone except for the Death Eaters. There were too many in my dream. They were touching me. They were laughing…" Her voice chilled as she said the name and Severus swallowed hard, glancing at his own arm.
"It was just a dream," he said softly.
"I hate them, Severus. The Death Eaters. I hate each and every one of them. They murdered my mother… my entire town. Vile, treacherous creatures, the lot of them…"
Each word she spoke drove into his heart, lancing through it. She hates me then, he thought, and she doesn't even know it. If she ever knew I had been with the Death Eaters… The possibility caused him more anguish than he had ever known. She deserved to know the truth about his background…
But if I tell her, he thought, she will despise me, even if I tell her I have changed. Even Albus Dumbledore's support and trust would not be enough to save me from her hatred. She would see in me everything that she despises…
"Thank you," she said. "Thank you for listening to me… for holding me."
He was glad to have been there; he would do – he realized suddenly – anything for Serena Castleton-Black, but it was a cold comfort knowing that the secret he held in his heart, the secret hidden on his arm, would break her heart all over again.
-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --
A bit of a short chapter… Hope you've enjoyed it. I may actually be able to put the next one up almost right away, so I'll really be curious to see what you all have to say… Please read/review!