Her feet had carried her here, her mind in no condition to reason anything.
Her every breath rose in front of her, but she did not heed it. Her pulse
was racing, she knew, from the heavy thuds of her heart beating in her
ears. She stood motionless, her eyes fixed but unfocused on the blanket of
white surrounding her. The only warmth came from the tears that streamed
down her face.
At some unknown point in time, she had wrapped her arms about her waist. She was cold standing out on the grounds of Hogwarts, but hopefully the freezing would soon subside and she would be numb.......numb enough to not feel the pain.
Crunching footsteps from behind her coupled with the calling of her name invaded her struggle for serenity. She was rooted to the spot and did not move, allowing the intruder to come to her.
"Narnia, I......," Remus Lupin trailed off upon approaching her. He quickly unfastened his cloak and threw it around her shoulders, wrapping her snug inside of it. The sudden warmth wracked Narnia's body and she shivered almost losing her footing. She didn't look up to Lupin's concerned face, but silently obeyed as he placed an arm around her shoulders, steering her back towards the castle. If he spoke, Narnia was unaware of it.
They had almost reached the school when Narnia's legs gave way beneath her, sending her to the ground. When she next opened her eyes, she was lying in her bed under several blankets. Shifting her eyes, she could see the backs of her uncle and Lupin chatting by the hearth. They were at a distance to not realize she had woken. Her vision blurred again as the events of earlier pounded their way to the forefront of her mind...............
Severus had seemed most intrigued by Narnia's accompanying her Uncle. She guessed that under any other circumstance, the retelling of the incident would have taken place solely between him and her uncle. Her presence at his door signaled her involvement and already she had been guessing at just how much he knew.
Something had changed between the two of them, it was apparent. Narnia felt her face redden when Severus glanced at her, his expression softer than she had yet been witness to. For his part, he was showing subtle signs of politeness, offering her a chair closest to the fire, along with tea and biscuits. Narnia's nerves had subsided somewhat and seeing him in better health and spirits settled her.
Small talk was kept to a minimum and the reason for their visit to the Potions Master were soon embarked upon. Dumbledore related the events, up until Narnia's involvement, without any interruption from Severus. This was also the first time Narnia was hearing some of the details and she listened intently only placing attention on Severus when he would occasionally rise from his chair to pace about the room.
A long pause had hung over the room while Severus pondered Dumbledore's retelling.
"Potter's.....dream.....was vague, if indeed you have related its entirity," Severus commented while staring at the burning logs in front of him.
"I have and must add......the story doesn't stop with young Harry," Dumbledore replied glancing to his niece. Severus followed his gaze and narrowed his eyes somewhat suspiciously at his colleague. Narnia maintained eye contact with her uncle amidst the silence and finally turned her gaze to meet that of Severus'.
Without turning from him, she spoke to Dumbledore.
"Uncle, I believe I must do this alone."
The mistrustful gleam in Severus' eyes intensified, but the Headmaster rose slowly and patted Narnia on the shoulder.
"Very well, child. Severus.......do try to keep an open mind," he offered and left the two professors alone.
Narnia had stood, making her own pattern about the room, while slowly and awkwardly relating the details of that night. She had decided it best to not start from the absolute beginning, for fear of overwhelming him, but only related how she had first come to have the dream of the clearing over the summer, before arriving at Hogwarts. He sat quietly while she talked and paced, telling all that had occurred from that point up until the present. When she had finished, he said nothing. She reclaimed her seat while he vacated his for a place across the room from her. The longer he remained silent, the more she grew anxious. She noticed his hands ball into fists at his sides and then he gripped hard onto the desk in front of him. She rose from her place to go to him, but stopped midway when she heard him begin to laugh.
"Severus.....," she had began, but never finished. When he whipped around to face her, she swallowed hard at the look of disgust and loathing on his face. He remained across the room from her, breaking into his verbal onslaught. She faintly heard his words, with bare recollections of them even now, but she had felt her heart break as he brought her to tears. The more that streamed down her face, the colder his words became. He worked himself up to the point where he clasped a hand to his side, where Narnia knew he had been wounded. She noticed him wince and stepped towards him wanting to help. He growled threateningly and through gritted teeth ordered, "Get out." She remembered him yelling them, repeatedly, like a madman as she ran from the room. All she could remember after that was running and then stopping and being cold.
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to control the flood of emotions raging within her. Her willpower quickly gave out and she began to sob and heave, quickly gaining the attentions of the two wizards near the fire. She felt the bed sink down and two arms wrapped around her, cradling her and rocking her as she wept.
After wearing herself out, she slowly breathed in and out, realizing that Lupin had been the one to hold her as she cried. She felt him move slightly and then his hand appeared before her face, offering her a piece of chocolate. She raised an unsteady hand to take it and as it melted across her tongue, she began to feel a little warmth somewhere inside of her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Of course," he replied stroking her hair with one hand, while continuing to hold her with his other arm.
They sat quietly for a moment before Narnia spoke.
"How awful for you to see me like this, Remus. I'm sorry."
"Well, perhaps you can come to one of my transformations, then we'll call it even."
"I look that bad?" Narnia replied.
Lupin chuckled, "That charming humor of yours remains intact, I see."
Narnia sat up, shifting some pillows behind her for support. Looking around the room, she noticed her uncle had gone.
"Where's the Headmaster?" she asked.
"He needed a breath of fresh air, I believe."
"Oh."
In the quiet, Narnia could almost hear Lupin struggling with what to say.
"Narnia......I won't pretend to understand what you're going through right now. Suffice it to say I've had my share of heartbreaks......I doubt I've felt it as acutely as what you are right now, but time and perseverance will see it all sorted out. How cliche of me, I realize, but don't let him destroy you. He will endeavor to do it, just to save himself."
She took a moment to let his words sink in, before replying. "I think I'd like to be alone now, please."
Lupin stood and quietly began to leave.
"Remus....thank you." He nodded and left.
Sitting alone with her thoughts, she allowed herself to relive the entire episode. Her tears had long since ran out, but she continued to weep, her eyes sore and her body exhausted. She pulled the blankets up over her shoulders an
At some unknown point in time, she had wrapped her arms about her waist. She was cold standing out on the grounds of Hogwarts, but hopefully the freezing would soon subside and she would be numb.......numb enough to not feel the pain.
Crunching footsteps from behind her coupled with the calling of her name invaded her struggle for serenity. She was rooted to the spot and did not move, allowing the intruder to come to her.
"Narnia, I......," Remus Lupin trailed off upon approaching her. He quickly unfastened his cloak and threw it around her shoulders, wrapping her snug inside of it. The sudden warmth wracked Narnia's body and she shivered almost losing her footing. She didn't look up to Lupin's concerned face, but silently obeyed as he placed an arm around her shoulders, steering her back towards the castle. If he spoke, Narnia was unaware of it.
They had almost reached the school when Narnia's legs gave way beneath her, sending her to the ground. When she next opened her eyes, she was lying in her bed under several blankets. Shifting her eyes, she could see the backs of her uncle and Lupin chatting by the hearth. They were at a distance to not realize she had woken. Her vision blurred again as the events of earlier pounded their way to the forefront of her mind...............
Severus had seemed most intrigued by Narnia's accompanying her Uncle. She guessed that under any other circumstance, the retelling of the incident would have taken place solely between him and her uncle. Her presence at his door signaled her involvement and already she had been guessing at just how much he knew.
Something had changed between the two of them, it was apparent. Narnia felt her face redden when Severus glanced at her, his expression softer than she had yet been witness to. For his part, he was showing subtle signs of politeness, offering her a chair closest to the fire, along with tea and biscuits. Narnia's nerves had subsided somewhat and seeing him in better health and spirits settled her.
Small talk was kept to a minimum and the reason for their visit to the Potions Master were soon embarked upon. Dumbledore related the events, up until Narnia's involvement, without any interruption from Severus. This was also the first time Narnia was hearing some of the details and she listened intently only placing attention on Severus when he would occasionally rise from his chair to pace about the room.
A long pause had hung over the room while Severus pondered Dumbledore's retelling.
"Potter's.....dream.....was vague, if indeed you have related its entirity," Severus commented while staring at the burning logs in front of him.
"I have and must add......the story doesn't stop with young Harry," Dumbledore replied glancing to his niece. Severus followed his gaze and narrowed his eyes somewhat suspiciously at his colleague. Narnia maintained eye contact with her uncle amidst the silence and finally turned her gaze to meet that of Severus'.
Without turning from him, she spoke to Dumbledore.
"Uncle, I believe I must do this alone."
The mistrustful gleam in Severus' eyes intensified, but the Headmaster rose slowly and patted Narnia on the shoulder.
"Very well, child. Severus.......do try to keep an open mind," he offered and left the two professors alone.
Narnia had stood, making her own pattern about the room, while slowly and awkwardly relating the details of that night. She had decided it best to not start from the absolute beginning, for fear of overwhelming him, but only related how she had first come to have the dream of the clearing over the summer, before arriving at Hogwarts. He sat quietly while she talked and paced, telling all that had occurred from that point up until the present. When she had finished, he said nothing. She reclaimed her seat while he vacated his for a place across the room from her. The longer he remained silent, the more she grew anxious. She noticed his hands ball into fists at his sides and then he gripped hard onto the desk in front of him. She rose from her place to go to him, but stopped midway when she heard him begin to laugh.
"Severus.....," she had began, but never finished. When he whipped around to face her, she swallowed hard at the look of disgust and loathing on his face. He remained across the room from her, breaking into his verbal onslaught. She faintly heard his words, with bare recollections of them even now, but she had felt her heart break as he brought her to tears. The more that streamed down her face, the colder his words became. He worked himself up to the point where he clasped a hand to his side, where Narnia knew he had been wounded. She noticed him wince and stepped towards him wanting to help. He growled threateningly and through gritted teeth ordered, "Get out." She remembered him yelling them, repeatedly, like a madman as she ran from the room. All she could remember after that was running and then stopping and being cold.
She squeezed her eyes shut tightly and tried to control the flood of emotions raging within her. Her willpower quickly gave out and she began to sob and heave, quickly gaining the attentions of the two wizards near the fire. She felt the bed sink down and two arms wrapped around her, cradling her and rocking her as she wept.
After wearing herself out, she slowly breathed in and out, realizing that Lupin had been the one to hold her as she cried. She felt him move slightly and then his hand appeared before her face, offering her a piece of chocolate. She raised an unsteady hand to take it and as it melted across her tongue, she began to feel a little warmth somewhere inside of her.
"Thank you," she whispered.
"Of course," he replied stroking her hair with one hand, while continuing to hold her with his other arm.
They sat quietly for a moment before Narnia spoke.
"How awful for you to see me like this, Remus. I'm sorry."
"Well, perhaps you can come to one of my transformations, then we'll call it even."
"I look that bad?" Narnia replied.
Lupin chuckled, "That charming humor of yours remains intact, I see."
Narnia sat up, shifting some pillows behind her for support. Looking around the room, she noticed her uncle had gone.
"Where's the Headmaster?" she asked.
"He needed a breath of fresh air, I believe."
"Oh."
In the quiet, Narnia could almost hear Lupin struggling with what to say.
"Narnia......I won't pretend to understand what you're going through right now. Suffice it to say I've had my share of heartbreaks......I doubt I've felt it as acutely as what you are right now, but time and perseverance will see it all sorted out. How cliche of me, I realize, but don't let him destroy you. He will endeavor to do it, just to save himself."
She took a moment to let his words sink in, before replying. "I think I'd like to be alone now, please."
Lupin stood and quietly began to leave.
"Remus....thank you." He nodded and left.
Sitting alone with her thoughts, she allowed herself to relive the entire episode. Her tears had long since ran out, but she continued to weep, her eyes sore and her body exhausted. She pulled the blankets up over her shoulders an