Yayy... so this chapter is maybe possibly going to seriously confuse you all but hey ho, I know a little cliff hanger keeps you all coming back for more... I must ask however, that if you have any theories about Sam then you PM me don't review your theory, because if you're right then i don't want everyone going 'OMG you may be right!' and completely ruining my story, but if everyone guesses the same thing than i may shoot myself (JOKE!)
Yeah, read on and enjoy!
Chapter 13
Hermione was standing in the open doorway when she heard it.
"I'm sorry; I'm so sorry mother."
She froze mid-step and frowned worriedly.
It hadn't completely been the words that halted her steps; it had been the heartbroken tone which Sam had spoken them in.
She had originally been coming to ask Sam and Fred if they were coming down for lunch but when she heard sniffing and quiet sobs she had opened the door to the lounge quietly and it was then that she had heard the words that made her eyes well up in pity; and confusion.
She backed away from the room without a sound and quietly crept down the stairs. She entered the kitchen silently, sitting without a word, mind still whirling with questions.
The kitchen still smelt vaguely of burning and potions.
Whilst they had been gone, Snape had been brewing a Wolfsbane potion for Remus; the full moon was nearly upon them. The stench still hung around, but not unpleasantly.
Hermione was so distracted that she didn't even have time to be awestruck; which she should have been because that was an extremely difficult potion to make.
Her eyes were downcast, her gaze boring into the table.
But if anyone knew Hermione, she wasn't one to leave her questions unanswered.
Suddenly, she took a deep breath.
"Professor Snape?" She said loudly, and all conversations from around the table stopped.
Hermione raised her gaze to see everyone staring at her. Including Snape, who sat at the end of the table.
"Yes?" He said hesitantly.
"I—Um, how—" Hermione paused before sighing resignedly, shaking her head. "Ugh; never mind, it doesn't matter."
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"You know what?" Hermione burst out suddenly. "It does matter. Why would Sam be apologising to her mother?" She said in a rush and watched as Severus' eyes widened and his mouth opened in shock.
"Wh—what do you mean?" He asked gruffly his hands latching onto the edge of the table in a death grip.
"It's just, upstairs, she was singing a lullaby but then a few seconds ago when I went to speak to her, I think—I think, I heard her cr—crying and then she said 'I'm sorry; I'm so sorry mother'."
Snape blinked once, eyes wide in horror.
"Oh God." He whispered before standing and fleeing the kitchen. All eyes in the room followed him and once he had left the room they turned their gaze upon Hermione who was looking afraid and proud of her intuition at the same time. His light footsteps were heard ascending the stairs quickly. On his way up the stairs he tumbled past Fred who was heading downstairs, yawning wide.
"Where is she?" Severus asked quickly balling his hands in the front of Fred's jumper.
Fred stood still, shocked and confused at Snape's brusque manner; but then he saw the desolation in his black eyes and pointed up the stairs wordlessly watching as he released his clothes and ran the remaining stairs. Fred didn't dare to follow, having been rudely awoken and ushered from the room by a worn down looking Sam; despite all of his objections and his silent worries as he saw her tear-stained cheeks, she had told him that she needed some time alone, so he had left the room, looking behind him in regret as the door shut with a slam.
Severus was afraid.
He wasn't afraid for himself, he was afraid for Sam. He knew that the pain of death never truly left you, it wasn't really supposed to, otherwise you'd forget that person, but it was supposed to lessen over time.
This sort of reaction hadn't happened in a long time, and he had thought that because of the many years she had lived since that day, the pain may have become a dull ache; or maybe have gone completely. But once again, his hopes were dashed and he was rushing to her side to comfort her.
Why is life so cruel?
When he walked along the corridor he heard the unmistakably familiar sound of crying and he felt his heart clench within him; it was agonizing to hear the ones you love in pain.
He frowned and before entering the room he conjured his patronus and sent it to one of the only other people he knew could help. Then he turned to the door.
He slowly opened it and walked into the room, making his way around the sofa to see a sight that tore at his heart.
Sam was sitting on the floor, hunched in on herself, her body was wracked with muffled sobs as she held her hand over her mouth and warm tears spilt down her cheeks.
Severus made a soft noise of anguish and Sam snapped her head around to look at him.
At first she shot him a look of anger at the interruption, but when she saw who it was, her expression softened and she let her face crumple in on itself as she cried her heart out burying her face in her hands; hanging her head in shame.
Severus dropped to his knees in front of her and without hesitation, pulled her small frame into his lap, burying his face in her soft hair and caressing her back as she shook with her sobs.
"You sang?" He asked breathlessly but that only made things worse.
"I—I didn't me—mean to." She whispered brokenly through her tears. "I wasn't thi—thinking!"
"Shhh. Oh, little one, please don't cry." He said as he felt tears brim in his own eyes, almost as if he felt her pain.
"I can't do this anymore!" She pushed away from him abruptly, and stood, eyes blazing, tears still falling; though now they were tears of anger. "WHY ME Severus?" She demanded as she threw the nearest object across the room; a vase full of flowers shattered against the wall and water splattered across the wall dripping down the peeling wallpaper and pooling on the hardwood floor.
As soon as the outburst had come, it went, and Sam fell to her knees, head in her hands as she breathed unevenly.
"Why me?"
Severus frowned heart-brokenly and moved to reach out for Sam but, with a strangled noise, she swiftly launched herself away from him, sprawling out on the floor with a thud, her hair escaped from its tie and hung across her face, weighed down from the tears that had caught in the strands as she leaned up on her arms to look at him.
"Don't come near me Severus; I don't want to hurt you." She bawled as she stumbled onto her feet once more, falling and colliding roughly with a wall, slipping down it to bring her knees to her chest protectively.
"Not you too."
From downstairs, the residents stopped interrogating Hermione when they heard the smashing of glass and as if they were of one mind, they all dashed from the room, ramming into each other and scuffling as quietly as they could when climbing the stairs; Fred made it to the top of the staircase first and gestured for everyone to stop.
From where they stood they could hear every word said.
They were all shocked into silence as they heard a voice that was too forlorn to be Sam's. But as much as they wanted to deny it, they all knew that it was her.
Worried glances were exchanged, but Fred was frozen still at the sound of her miserable voice.
"I can't lose you too." She whispered.
Severus gulped and moved to sit on his heels.
"You aren't going to lose me." He said earnestly, moving slightly forwards and stopping when he saw Sam flinch even though he was at the opposite side of the room to her. "You won't hurt me."
"You don't know that. I am not safe Severus, you know it, I know it; I just wish Fred would know it and leave me so that I can't hurt him." She whimpered.
"What do you mean?" Severus asked gently, moving forwards again, and sighing in relief when she simply looked at him desolately instead of flinching so he stood and quickly crossed the room to sink to the floor before her again and he took both of her hands in his gently.
"I can't hurt him Sev." She said quietly but determinedly. "I can't."
"You won't Kenna." Severus told her firmly and Sam smiled a bit at the nickname.
"Severus, me just being with Fred is hurting him." She said hopelessly. "You know exactly what I'm talking about so don't give me that look." She told him as she saw his confused look.
"You're not going to hurt him." Severus said steadily.
"You weren't there Sev."
Severus was confused for a moment, but as Sam's eyes became unfocused he understood.
"You still remember it?"
Sam's eyes refocused at Severus' small voice.
"Of course I do."
"But you were so young, and it was so long ago." He said wonderingly.
"Some things you never forget."
The group on the stairs were utterly baffled by the conversation.
Confused expressions were worn by all and all of a sudden they jumped in shock when the doorbell was rung.
Molly and Sirius shared a perplexed look before walking together to the door, wands raised.
Half of the group were still listening to the couple alone upstairs but nothing was said, there was only the sound of soft sobs and hushing noises.
The other half was listening intently to hear who was at the door.
And Merlin's Beard were they surprised at what they heard.
A voice instantly familiar to them was heard, greeting the two at the door.
But there was a new tone to his voice as he strode past Molly and Sirius to stand at the bottom of the stairs, looking at the guilty faces of those assembled there.
Albus Dumbledore watched them with an eerily calm look before ascending the stairs, making people dive to the side to avoid getting in his way; his purple robes swishing behind him.
When he reached the top of the stairs he turned to observe everyone who was staring at him in shock.
"It's not very polite to eavesdrop."
And with that he was gone down the hallway and entered the room.
Sam looked up from Severus' tear soaked shoulder when she heard the door to the lounge open and close.
"Albus?" She whispered hoarsely. "Albus what are you doing here?"
His gentle gaze merely slipped to where Snape sat, trying to look innocent whilst failing miserably.
"You brought him here?" She asked softly turning to look at him accusingly.
"I did." He said jadedly giving her a small smile.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
"Edana." Albus sighed heavily, "Are you alright?"
Sam stayed silent for a few seconds before lifting her intense glare to the headmasters' face.
"Do I look alright Albus?" She said incredulously.
"Well, no." He said simply.
Sam stood and stalked over to Albus, poking him hard in the chest.
"A very astute observation Professor and to answer your question more directly, no I am not alright!" She shouted.
"What happened?" He asked her calmly, ignoring her irate approach.
Suddenly, the fire from her eyes was doused and she stepped back with a closed off expression.
"I don't want to talk about it." But Albus didn't miss how her voice shook when she said it.
"She sang the lullaby without realising it." Severus said awkwardly as he stood from the floor.
Sam spun around to face him with a betrayed look.
"Severus!" She whispered.
"Oh, Ana." Albus said empathetically as he reached out to rest a hand on Sam's shoulder. Sam flinched slightly under his touch but Dumbledore didn't pull away.
"I don't need your sympathy Albus." She hissed.
"No you don't, but you need comfort." He told her gently.
No one spoke, and slowly Sam relaxed under Albus' hand.
"Why me Albus?" She said slowly. "Why did all this have to happen to me?"
"No one knows why things happen the way they do."
"Oh for God's sake Albus, cut the wise crap; I just can't handle it right now okay?" She whirled around to face him, breathing heavily. "I can't handle anything right now." She said feebly as her mood swung from on end of the scale to the other once more and tears brimmed in her eyes suddenly.
"Shhh." He soothed her, pulling her into a warm hug, which she gladly relaxed into, and stroking her hair.
Severus watched with a melancholy expression when a loud explosion suddenly sounded from downstairs.
Severus groaned and excused himself.
"I just wish that all of this had never happened Albus." She said into the elderly wizard's chest after Severus had left.
"Don't say that." Dumbledore said softly. "Everything that happens to us is for a reason." He sighed sadly, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
"Albus…" She said warningly.
"Yes, yes, no wise crap." He said with a smile rolling his 'r' making Sam smile slightly.
After a long silence Sam pulled away and rubbed her face with her hands.
"Are you ready to talk about it yet?" Albus asked quietly.
Sam shook her head whilst massaging her temples.
"Well," Albus amended, "we have all the time in the world."
"Can I add no cheesy crap to the list?" She asked tiredly with a chuckle.
Dumbledore laughed lightly and kissed her tenderly on the forehead.
"But My Dear, then I wouldn't be able to say anything at all."
Oh Albus you make me laugh :)
So i hope that you enjoyed this chapter and remember to PM me if you want any questions answered or have any theories.
Okay doke but you may still REVIEW but don't write any (of your own imagined) spoilers.
Lots of love for reading
From
Alicia
xxxx