I don't own Harry Potter, only the original storyline and my characters.
Being told Airiala was dead caused Severus to feel something he hadn't fully anticipated, despair and rage.
The two emotions waged war within in him before rage finally took control. He turned from the grieving Elementals and walked back to the planning session with new purpose and determination. He was beyond pissed and the pain in his chest was only intensifying.
The Dark Lord was really going to feel it now.
Airiala blinked up at a cloudy sky. The clouds weren't moving and she knew that she had done it. She had told the Ultimate Lie.
She sat up slowly and found that there were only a few Deatheaters in the area remaining, all lying on the ground. She blinked in confusion before she realized what must have happened. Memories of the last few minutes came back to her as she looked around her.
She told the Ultimate Lie and then the reserve power inside of her burst out in a flash and knocked her out. It must have knocked the Deatheaters across the field and into the nearby forests as well. She stood and quickly started back towards Hogwarts. Voldemort had been knocked away from her and that gave her the opportunity to return to her friends.
She felt weak, being magic-less would take a little getting used to. For a moment she wondered how muggles could handle being so weak, but then she remembered that they didn't know any better.
Moving much slower than she would have liked, Airiala moved into the Forbidden Forest, disappearing into the trees, and back towards Hogwarts.
Back towards Severus.
Lucius had never seen his master so enraged, not even when the Potter boy had bested him. The wind elemental was gone, the only trace remaining was the bent grass spot where she had been sitting on her knees the moment she spoke her hatred for Severus. The minute those words had been spoken all the Deatheaters had been blasted back by the strongest force of wind Lucius had ever seen the girl produce.
It was brief, but just enough to separate her from the rest of the Deatheater army.
They already knew that it was lie as she spoke it. There was no way with what they had seen and with what the Dark Lord had read in the girl's mind she could hate Severus Snape. Yet she had spoken it at the Ultimate Truth.
Voldemort hated when his goal was kept from him. He glared at the spot before turning back to Lucius.
"Forget the girl," he snarled. "From what I can see, the wind she controls is no longer working for her and she is powerless. She means nothing to us now. We march on Hogwarts now."
Severus was focused as he maneuvered everyone into their positions to defend the castle.
He was in the Astronomy Tower, setting up a few students with telescopes as look-outs for the Forbidden Forest, where they were sure the Dark Lord was lying in wait to attack, Airiala's blood on his hands.
He turned to grab another piece of equipment when he found himself looking directly into the saddened eyes of the Water Elemental.
"May I speak with you a moment Professor?"
He didn't do his usual sneer, the look of pure sadness on her face kept him for doing so. He nodded before turning back to the students. Once he was sure that they were set and they knew exactly how to shoot off the warning flare did he turn back to the waiting Elemental. The two of them walked out of the tower in silence, waiting until they were a good distance away from curious teenage ears.
"I know you are saddened about Airiala's death," she said. "There is no way you couldn't be. You cared for her..."
"Stop!" Severus said firmly, actually stopping in the hallway at his own words. Raina stopped as well and looked back at him. "Now is not the time for this discussion. Was is coming and many others will fall. To grieve one life now would be a waste of time and focus. My main focus has to be protecting as many of these lives as I can so that the grief will not be so great later."
"Your personal grief will be great no matter what," she replied calmly. Severus said nothing in response to her. There was nothing he could say.
She was right, on everything. He was sad about Airiala's death, he was grieving her and would do so even if no one else died today. His grief for Lily's death had been great and had taken years to suppress and mourn, although most of that may also have been attributed to guilt at his part in her death. To this day a part of him still grieved for Lily Potter and what could have been.
Airiala's death was going to be just as bad, if not worse. He had held her, kissed her, and for a brief night she had been his in a way that Lily never had been. He cared for her, just as the Water Elemental had said.
They had started walking again, in silence, towards the Great Hall. Severus' mind was working overtime planning spells and attacks as well as going over everything that the Water Elemental had brought to light within him regarding Airiala.
When they reached the Great Hall, Raina lifted her hand and placed it on Severus' arm causing him to stop and turn to look at her.
"It will be okay, she said. "We will talk again after, all of us."
She didn't have to say who the 'all of us' was, Severus already knew. They had accepted him into their group of Elementals and would be able to mourn with them rather than alone.
As Raina walked away to the other Elements Severus felt a rush of calm wash over him. He knew a battle was coming, and he could mourn afterwards and he wouldn't have to face it alone as he had Lily's death.
He wished Airiala was there to help in the fight.
Airiala groaned as her muscles ached as she climbed the tree she was trying to hide in. How she missed magic at this moment. A cool breeze would have been very welcome as she wiped the sweat from her brow.
She hid in the tree amongst the branches and leaves as the army of Deatheaters stepped into the area. She held her breath, not wanting a single sound to escape as they passed under her.
She could see Voldemort in front and she glared at him, but made no other movement. She did the same when Lucius passed by as well. She heard several of the Deatheaters laughing maniacally, once was Bellatrix for sure.
She waited until they had passed her completely and then waited for several moments more longer before she moved back down the tree. She moved down the tree slower than she had gone up, listening for any sign of random animals or stray Deatheaters that might pass by as she was still so vulnerable.
Her feet touched the ground and she let out the breath she hadn't known that she had been holding.
"You told the Ultimate Lie."
She spun at the voice. She had heard nothing coming up behind her when the voice made itself known and she was terrified that it would be another Deatheater coming to take care of her, like a pest.
Once her eyes focused after the quick spin around, Airiala's panic faded into shock and confusion, her eyes widening at the being before her.
"You...You're...It's impossible!"
The figure smiled. "Not for the Elemental who will use the Ultimate Truth successfully. You have the power to see me in your darkest hour. You can see me because we share something very special in common.
"We both care about Severus Snape."