A white candle burned low in its lantern, casting shadows that flickered across the room. Demons danced with beasts across the walls, slithered down to the floor, then began their twisted waltz once more. In a chair near the fireplace, which now contained only dying embers, sat a weary figure. Severus was exhausted from the night's events, but mostly from attempting to sort things out. He turned his thoughts over and over in his mind so much that they had become just a shapeless, melted mess. He had tried laying in his bed for hours, but cruel and merciless sleep refused to take him.

He had ruined everything; he surely would be sacked if anyone found out what he had done. He feared that he would be killed by Voldemort and his remaining death eaters, or sent back to Azkaban Prison. He had heard of many a wizard driven to madness there, and due to his previous encounter with a dementor, he believed it. Just the torment of one of them had been enough of a taste for him; he knew he never wanted to end up there. If his secret got out, it would be all over. But somehow he didn't care; somehow he thought it had all been worth it.

Lucretia tossed and turned in her bed all night long. Sleep was a far-away goal; she couldn't clear her mind. She begged to stay with him, but he refused, telling her it would be too suspicious for her bed to be found empty. When morning finally dawned, she pulled the dark blue velvet covers over her head, groaning with disappointment. She was in no mood for classes at the moment.

Her body ached dully, and remembering her scratches and bruises, she grinned inwardly. She dressed hastily after a quick shower, sliding her tie around her neck and pulling it snug; she hadn't bothered to undo it the night before. She left her shirt untucked, peeking out from under her sweater-vest. Slipping on her robes and grabbing her bag, she staggered out of the door, not bothering to say a word to her dorm-mates.

Thankfully, there was still some time left for breakfast. She sat at her house table and glanced around the great hall for Sicilia. She saw her just bouncing in; and also that Professor Snape was nowhere to be seen. Sicilia bounded over and sat down at the now mostly empty Ravenclaw table beside her friend.

She wrapped an arm around Lucretia and exclaimed cheerfully, "What a beautiful day!"

"Yes, indeed," Lucretia replied.

"I feel so great today. How about you?" she asked.

"I'm alright," said Lucretia, staring into her own space.

Sicilia noticed a faint crimson scrape on her leg, peeking out from beneath her skirt. "What's that?" She lifted it up in curiosity before she could answer. Just leave it to her friends to be touchy-feely at all the wrong moments.

"Lucretia what the hell happened to you!" she nearly shrieked in horror.

"Shhh!" Lucretia hissed, "It's nothing, it's okay."

"How could it be okay? It looks like it really hurts! Did Snape do this to you?! I'll fucking kill him if he even—"Sicilia retaliated, sounding utterly enraged, but Lucretia cut her off. "I just... had to... scrub cauldrons... I fell... it's hard to do, you know?" She lied.

Sicilia looked at her, her face screwed up in an attempt to piece it all together, and said reluctantly, "Okay... but if you wanna talk to me about anything you can." Lucretia nodded, and they parted ways to attend their first classes of the morning.