Disclaimer: I own nothing, just borrowing the world and characters thought up by J.K. Rowling and using some creative license to make some adjustments. Lorelei and Seraphina are mine.
Warnings: Language and **TRIGGER WARNING** This chapter contains a memory of the murder/suicide of Seraphina and Lorelei. I promise not everything is what it seems, but I wanted to give everyone fair warning in case it is disturbing to some.
Italics are character's internal thoughts and/or flashbacks.
Anything written between ...oooOOOooo... indicates a pensieve memory.
A/N: I apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up, unfortunately real life has a way of getting in the way. Things are calmer now so posting should be smoother in the future. Many thanks for ready, following and of course to the reviews. :-)
*tap, tap*
Severus groaned loudly, rolling over in his bed. He hated Halloween with a passion. Not because he hated the concept behind it, though he truly did find it ridiculous, but because Voldemort loved the holiday and held a large revelry that ended in the senseless murders of innocent Muggle women and a horrible hangover. It was becoming difficult for Severus to contain his hatred towards the dark wizard during these events, though he was mildly grateful Voldemort never expected him to participate. He made his "celibacy" well know. The other Death Eaters and Voldemort thought the surly man was like Voldemort, asexual and did not lie with anyone, man or woman. That was entirely untrue, but he was not about to correct their thoughts on that. Instead of being forced to rape and torture young women, he sat by his dark master's side engaging in idle conversation and occasional viewing of the festivities.
*tap, tap*
Severus cracked open one eye, wincing at the brightness inside his bedroom. How in the bloody hell did it get so bright in his dungeon quarters? He didn't even have windows!
*tap, tap*
With a heavy, irritated sigh, Severus threw back his covers and shuffled to the door to his quarters, ignoring his wrinkled clothing from the prior day that he had not changed out of before throwing himself on his bed. Someone had better be dead, or dying, or holding their own fucking head to justify waking him. Minerva had given the students the Friday off due to the large party the school hosted the night before and he had every intention of having a lie in.
Severus opened the door with a growl, eyes narrowing at the offending party, but was surprised to see no one standing there. Instead a charmed enveloped was floating at eye level, a harsh scrawl across the front. Snatching the envelope from the air, Severus slammed his quarter doors shut and tossed the envelope on his small table beside his favorite vintage armchair next to his fireplace. His favorite place to read. He couldn't handle anything without a hangover potion, a shower and a meal.
Refreshed from his potion, shower and light breakfast, Severus took his seat in his favorite chair and snatched up the envelope that had awoken him far too early for his tastes. With a flick of his wand, the envelope tore at the top, revealing a parchment with a scrawl he had not seen since Hogwarts played host to the Triwizard Tournament.
Professor Snape,
I need to speak with you regarding the owl you sent to Headmaster Vankov. It is urgent.
Viktor Krum
Severus stared at the parchment, dumbfounded by its contents. He had given up his search for Seraphina's daughter after discovering the painful truth from Dumbledore himself nearly a week prior. After heavy threats of locking him in his portrait and moving him to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Minerva finally got Dumbledore to admit the information he knew to the glowering man.
Severus had sat stoically in his chair as Dumbledore recounted his recollection of searching for the young witch, finding her and then watching helplessly as Seraphina carried her crying daughter over to the cliff, kissing her small forehead and harshly throwing her over before jumping over herself. Severus refused to believe it. That was not his Sera. Not the young girl who snuck him books from her family's library, or bought him expensive sweets and had them delivered via house elf over the summer break, or cast a hex on Sirius Black that caused all his beloved hair to fall out. No, Seraphina Serpens would never kill her own child. The very child she begged and pleaded Severus to help her save.
After arguing back and forth, Dumbledore directed him to the memory that was carefully stored in the cabinet next to the pensieve.
"Look at the memory, Severus, it will tell you everything you need to know." Dumbledore pointed towards the cabinet. Severus nodded curtly, taking only 4 large strides before opening the cabinet and scanning the vials to seek out the one in question. Towards the back, a crystal vial stood with a small green silk ribbon tied to the top. S. Serpens, 24 Oct 1981. With long, incredibly skilled fingers, Severus lifted the small vial and removed it from the cabinet, carefully pouring the silvery mist into the pensieve. With one last look at Dumbledore, Severus dipped in.
...oooOOOooo...
It was a quiet, cloudy morning, a slight nip in the air. Severus looked around the area, noting only a few small houses and an abandoned playground. A little dark-haired girl sat on the swing, her legs playfully swinging back and forth. Severus approached the little girl quickly, desperate to get a glimpse of who was no doubt Lorelei Serpens. Severus' steps were halted at the same time the little girl's head turned back towards a large group of bushes, a snapping twin indicating something or someone was hiding behind it. Severus looked carefully and noticed the shimmer of a disillusioned form, he assumed was Dumbledore.
The little girl shrugged and turned back towards the dirty sand at her feet, playfully kicking her black patent leather shoes into it. Severus took the opportunity to really observe the small child, who was a spitting image of her father. She had shoulder length black hair, bland hazel eyes and a slightly rounded face. She was small for her age, much like Severus assumed the small Harry was as well. Clad in a simple black dress, coat and white tights, she was unremarkable. She looked nothing like her mother. In fact, Severus doubted this even was Seraphina's daughter.
Quick approaching footsteps and panting breaths drew Severus' attention. Seraphina looked positively haunted as she looked directly at the disillusioned form of Dumbledore. Her near white gray eyes immediately filled with tears and her perfect pouty lips began trembling. Her naturally dark red hair was pulled back in a loose chignon at the base of her neck and her body was hidden underneath a thick, black cloak.
Time almost appeared to stand still as Severus looked at his longtime friend. She looked everything and nothing like he remembered. She was Sera, but a much darker, haunted version. Dark circles under her eyes showing the life she was forced to live due to one simple fact…she refused to terminate the pregnancy with her child.
"Mummy?" The little girl jumped off the swing and approached her mother, drawing the woman from her tear-filled stare. Seraphina shook her head slightly and looked down at the little dark-haired girl who was gripping her clock in her chubby little hands.
"Yes, my darling, it's time to go." Seraphina responded with a false smile, her voice quivering in what sounded like a cross between fear and sadness.
Seraphina lifted the small girl and held her tight, one hand on the back of her head, one supporting her bum. Once again Seraphina looked directly at Dumbledore's disillusioned form. "You will not get my daughter."
Turning abruptly, Seraphina headed towards the cliff, whispering softly in her daughter's ear. Severus wanted to run after her, but found himself glued where he stood. He couldn't. He couldn't watch the young girl die. Lorelei began crying, squirming fiercely in her mother's arms as the ladies approached the edge of the cliff, but Seraphina held her tightly. Just as they reached the edge, Severus found his legs and ran towards them, full speed.
Seraphina stopped, her toes nearly hanging off the edge and pulled her squirming and screaming daughter away from her slightly to allow her to kiss her forehead. Lorelei's screams raised every hair on Severus' body. No, she couldn't do this! Not to her own daughter! Seraphina whispered to her daughter, rocking her gently before closing her eyes tightly. With tears streaming down her face, she harshly pulled her daughter from her and threw her over the cliff while yelling "Titan", the young girl's screams suddenly stopping only milliseconds later.
Severus choked out a small scream, sliding to a stop. Seraphina turned back towards the playground and looked a Dumbledore, who had since removed his charm and was staring at Seraphina intently. Severus could only look at Seraphina horrified by what she had done. She had just thrown her own 4 year-old daughter to her watery grave. Tears poured down the young woman's face as her lips moved.
"You will never touch my daughter, Albus Dumbledore. NEVER!" She screamed. Spreading her arms out beside her, Seraphina looked upwards and fell back.
...oooOOOooo...
Severus gasped as he was flung from the memory, his heart constricting and eyes painfully burning.
"This can't be right." Severus whispered, his voice strained with emotion.
"Some things are just out of our control, Severus." Dumbledore sighed. "My heart breaks that I could not save a child, but there is much you did not know about Seraphina Serpens. This was for the best."
"She was a wonderful person, Albus, and you will never convince me otherwise." Severus spat before striding from the room, robes billowing behind him.
Severus shook his head when the sound of crunching parchment reached his ears. Looking down at his right hand, he realized he had crumpled Viktor Krum's intriguing letter. With a deep sigh, he stood and moved towards the small writing desk in the corner, scrawling a quick response, securing it inside an envelope and casting many charms upon it. He'd take the bait.