Summary: I don't want to ruin it for you… Sorry about the shortness! But you can bash me about that in your review!

Chapter Eight: And then there was One

Tahlia and Severus sat quietly as they watched Kim exit the library. "Madam Pomfrey fixed me right up," Tahlia excitedly explained to the boy, guiding his hand over her smooth, unwounded cheek. "She set right my ankle, too." Severus smiled; something he hardly seemed to do before Tahlia.

"I didn't get the chance to apologize for leaving you in Hogsmeade," the boy muttered, distracted.

"That's alright. I know you aren't particularly fond of Sirius or Potter and vice versa." Tahlia hesitated a moment, but continued. "And I've heard some stories; stories about them strong-wanding you." Severus tightly clenched his jaw. "Who wants to see me take off Snivelly's pants?" James Potter's voice rung through his ears even now, more than a year later.

"What have you heard, exactly?" he lowly hissed to the girl.

"The point, Severus, is only that I've heard things." She leaned forward on the desk to catch his averted eyes. "Whether those rumors are true or not, I don't care to know." Tahlia stood from her seat began to collect her things. "It's getting late. I should go to bed." Severus took hold of her arm hesitatingly.

"No, Please…" He looked at a loss for words. "It's only eight," he said in a voice barely above a whisper. Tahlia smiled candidly. Tilting her head in thought, she let out a defeated sigh.

"All right." Setting her bag down on the table, she took the seat opposite Severus. The boy shifted uncomfortable in his seat. As he looked up at Tahlia from beneath his curtain of raven-black hair, an odd line appeared upon his face. A dried tear glowed in the moonlight that shone into the candlelit library. Tahlia quickly averted her eyes. She felt her stomach twist. What has happened? she apprehensively thought to herself. The boy opened his mouth as if to speak, but promptly closed it, only to hand his friend a small, folded bit of parchment. She took the letter from his hands and read across the front, "To: Mr. Severus Snape c/o The Leaky Cauldron."

"Please, read it to yourself," he added in a cracking voice before curtly looking away to escape her aggrieved gaze. Tahlia unfolded the paper.

Dear Mr. Snape:

I regret to inform you of the passing of your honored father, Tobias Sna-

Tahlia shakily tossed the letter away from her. She shut her eyes as hard as she could, thinking of what to say. Biting her lip, she dared open her eyes. In front of her sat a pale, sickly looking boy. He looked thinner: unhealthy in that instance. He broke the silence. In slow sing-song, he droned, "My family tree is losing all its leaves."

Tahlia walked into the Ravenclaw common room. Her eyes were shinny and gleamed in the orange light from the fireplace. To the left of her, Kim slouched, asleep in a royal-blue, leather chair. Tahlia walked towards the girl and shook her shoulder. Kim awoke from her repose and smiled blithely. "I got Mary Ellis to trade rooms with you," she explained as she sat forward and stretched. "I thought I'd stay up and warn you. That way you didn't wonder into someone else's bed-curtains when you got in. I moved your things already." Tahlia nodded with a weak smile.

"Let's go then. I'm getting tired."

Both girls laid in their respective beds, wide awake in the dark. Kim cleared her throat. "Are you awake?" she whispered. Tahlia considered not responding, but decided against it.

"What is it, Kim?" The room remained quiet for a few moments before Kim began.

"How is Remus?" she asked, attempting to sound indifferent. Tahlia fingered the cuff of her pajama shirt.

"He's caught cold, but all right …Why?"

"Why hasn't he ever gone with a girl?"

"What?"

"What did you think I was going to ask? Why haven't I ever seem him with anyone? With any …girl?"

"I guess he just hasn't found the right one." The room went still again.

"I admire him," Kim explained.

"Admire?" Tahlia asked distractedly.

"Well, you know. He's smart …and incredibly kind. And, you know: he's very handsome." Kim waited for Tahlia to respond. After a few minutes, she grew impatient.

"What the bloody hell are you doing? Did you here any of what I just told you? …Right. Hung up on your dark wizard? I heard he used the killing curse on his crup when he was ten years old. Before he even set foot in Hogwarts."

Tahlia swung her legs over the side of her bed and reached for her wand.

"Lumos." Silvery light spilled over the girls faces. "Severus' father died last night." Kim turned on her side, towards Tahlia.

"Shite. How? Is he alright? Snape, I mean. Is he alright? Merlin."

"Apparently he was sick for some time, only no one knew it. Then last night, he went to bed, but never woke up. Severus is fine. He's absolutely …complacent. His father left him everything: a house, loads of money. And his step-mother's moved away."

"Step-mother?"

"Yes. His actual mother died just after he was born, but I don't know much about it." The room fell quiet yet again. "Nox."

The girls quietly returned their heads to their pillows. "So, he's okay?" Kim asked.

"He says he's glad."

"My family tree is losing all its leaves," courtesy of The Arcade Fire.