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Here is the next chapter - I hope you enjoy it :)

Silence.

An eerie stillness permeated the cold stone room. Not even the ticking of a clock sounded. Lauren felt as though she were sitting in a wintry, hallow tomb as she waited on the couch Snape had transfigured for her.

Every fiber of her being felt numbed, the Calming Draught that now coursed through her veins deadening all emotions or hysterics that would otherwise threaten to overwhelm her. She could only stare with hallow dispassion at the plush forest green rug sprawled at her feet, feeling like a former shell of herself.

I'm dead.

This thought echoed inside her mind in a detached sort of way, like she was analyzing this revelation with cold, hard logic.

Lauren slowly lifted her gaze with great effort, her head feeling unnaturally heavy. She longed to lay her head down upon the soft cushioning of the couch and just drift off to sleep. But Snape had said he would be returning with Dumbledore and Lauren knew she needed to stay awake for that conversation.

And even if she did manage to nod off, Lauren was dead certain that nightmares would plague her dreams for the remainder of her days.

How does one get over the fact that they have been murdered?

Lauren eyes fluttered closed as she leaned her head back against the couch, feeling as though the edges of her very being were fading to black.

If it hadn't been for the potion Severus had given her, Lauren knew she would be freaking out and having a complete breakdown right now. Though, in all fairness, she had already had her breakdown. In front of all her classmates.

Opening her eyes, Lauren found she could barely muster up the energy to care about the malicious taunts that were surely to follow. After all, what was mild degrees of bullying compared to the fact that she had been murdered?

The door to Snape's office swung open smoothly on its hinges and in strode the Potion Master and Dumbledore himself.

Light and Dark, she thought to herself.

Lauren slowly turned her head to regard them and then, just as slowly, she shifted her gaze back to the ceiling.

She felt the cushioning next to her dip as Dumbledore settled himself beside her.

"Miss Ward, Professor Snape has filled me in on what happened," he said with noticeable concern.

Lauren's eyelids fluttered closed. A beat passed. Then another. "Then why are you here?"

There was a pause. "I am here to help you, Miss Ward," he stated kindly, his gravelly voice soft and reassuring.

Lauren let out a snort, though it lacked her usual derision. "I'm dead back in my own world. I think it's obvious that you cannot help me now."

Another prolonged pause. "I cannot reverse what has been done, but -."

"But what?" she asked monotonously, finally blinking open her eyes. She found it strange that she lacked any sort of righteous anger that this moment called for, or that she wasn't even in hysterics. She shouldn't be feeling this…numb. The Calming Draught was only a means to calm her down, not deaden her emotions quite noticeably, and she briefly wondered if Snape had overdosed her. She highly doubted it and had to conclude that it was a combination of shock and the potion.

She glanced over at the dark figure of Severus, who was currently leaning back against his desk, his arms folded in front of him as he silently listened to the conversation unravelling before him. His features were but a mask and revealed nothing of his inner thoughts or emotions. Even his dark eyes, which could show deep pitted fury or unconcealed loathing, were guarded.

With great effort, Lauren straightened up and angled her body so that she was now facing Dumbledore. Today he wore robes that were of a resplendent buttercup hue and she glimpsed bright mismatched socks peeking out from under his robes. Small tinkling bells had been weaved into his long silver beard. Why, she hadn't a clue.

The eccentric Dumbledore. I shouldn't be surprised.

"Is this the part," Lauren continued, "where you tell me that now it's impossible for me to go back to my world, I should embrace my life here. And you'll help me along the way, right?" Somehow, she managed to inflect a good amount of sarcasm into her words despite the deadness inside her. "Or was there another alternative?"

Dumbledore settled back into the plush cushioning and folded his aged hands in his lap, a small sigh escaping his lips as he maintained eye contact. There was deep remorse peeking through those all-knowing blue eyes.

"What happened to you, Miss Ward, was terrible, and I am really sorry -."

"Did you know?" Lauren interrupted. At Dumbledore's puzzled expression, she clarified. "Did you know that I had died?"

Dumbledore levelled her with a penetrating look that gave nothing away. "No, Miss Ward, I did not know that you had died."

"Did you suspect, though?"

"My suspicions varied far and wide, I admit, but your death was not one of those hunches. I guessed that the answer of what truly had happened to you lay within you, and it was only a matter of time before all was revealed. And now the truth has come to light and, sadly, it was far worse than what I expected."

"So these past few weeks you've been, what? Waiting?"

"Yes."

Lauren just stared at him. "Did you even make any enquiries at the Ministry?" she asked flatly.

He gave her a small, crooked smile. "Of course I did."

"And?"

"Ah," he sighed regretfully. "Unfortunately, your predicament is unique; such an occurrence has never been witnessed before." Dumbledore paused, peering at her over his half-moon glasses, studying her in all seriousness. "I did receive some very interesting news today, as a matter of fact, concerning you specifically…"

"From whom?"

"A trusted official at the Ministry."

"Do you think this is the right time for such revelations?" Snape interrupted, his voice carefully neutral, though his dark scowl that matched his raven hair foretold that he did not think Dumbledore's next course of action appropriate. "Miss Ward has suffered a major shock. At least give her some time to absorb what has happened to her before dumping more news upon her."

Lauren slowly turned her head towards Snape. Every movement felt sluggish and delayed. She frowned at the expression upon his features. It was almost as though he were being…protective over her, which only confused her more.

Dumbledore smoothed down his beard. "I agree, Severus. This can wait until Miss Ward is ready to receive the news."

Under normal circumstances, Lauren would have argued on that point, her curiosity getting the better of her. But at this very moment, she just didn't care. Her chat with Dumbledore would have to wait until she was in her right frame of mind.

Dumbledore reached over and patted her hand in a grandfatherly way. "When you are ready, we will talk more of it, Miss Ward. In the meantime, you take all the time you need. And Miss Ward?"

She lifted her gaze to meet his own.

"I truly am sorry that this happened to you," he stated sincerely. "The fate you have suffered is not one anyone should go through."

Lauren's gaze was drawn to Snape, the irony of his fate not wasted on her. "Yet you shall be responsible for pushing such a fate upon another in the future." Her tone was flat, but there was no mistaking the tears that now glimmered in her midnight blue eyes.

Dumbledore frowned at her cryptic words, his eyes flickering briefly towards the dark Potion Master. If he understood her meaning, he kept it hidden behind his schooled features. He studied her for a moment before he spoke again.

"Would you like me to escort you back to your room, or would you prefer to remain in Severus' company for the time being?" he asked, choosing to change the subject.

Lauren didn't think she was up to returning to her room and being bombarded with questions by her fellow Slytherins. Even though she was doped up with Calming Draught, it didn't necessarily mean she wouldn't attempt to throttle them if they started annoying her.

There was only one person she trusted enough, and whom she knew would not ask unnecessary questions.

"I want to stay here," she mumbled, casting a quick glance in Severus' direction. "Just for a little bit. If that's okay with Professor Snape."

There was a poignant pause and then Severus spoke up, his usually abrasive attitude deceptively calm. "Very well," he replied. Lauren could not tell is he was agreeable with this arrangement or not.

Dumbledore nodded to himself and turned his attention back to Lauren. "Is there anything I can get for you?" His words sounded so heartfelt and Lauren did believe that he really was sorry for what had happened to her.

"I just want to…forget," she whispered, settling back into the cushioning of the couch.

"We have all wished that at some point, Miss Ward," Dumbledore replied kindly, albeit sadly. "There are some wounds that never heal. These scars make us who we are, and without them we do not exist."

A heavy sigh escaped her lip. "So you're saying I should draw strength from this and move forward."

"That is entirely up to you, Miss Ward." Dumbledore rose to his feet. "When you are ready to talk, the gargoyle will grant you entrance," he said with a slight bow of his head towards her.

Severus escorted Dumbledore to the door, holding it open for the old wizard. They conversed briefly in hushed tones; their words unintelligible to Lauren's ears. Lauren's eyes fluttered closed, wishing for nothing more than oblivion.

She heard the door close with a soft click and a few moments of silence passed.

"Miss Ward?"

Lauren opened her eyes to find Severus standing in front of her, a vial clutched in his extended hand.

"Dreamless Sleep," he explained.

Lauren took the proffered vial, a slight frown furrowing her brows. "I don't plan to sleep here."

"Would you rather go back to your dorm and face your peers, who will undoubtedly probe you with an endless stream of questions?"

Lauren grimaced at the unappealing thought. "No. Not really. But I can't very well hide out here."

"You can make your decisions in the morning. For now, take what I am offering you and get at least one night's peace."

Lauren studied the vial in her hand, the smooth glass black and oblique. She slowly lifted her gaze to his. "Did you suspect?"

Snape regarded her with those obsidian eyes that seemed to bore into her very soul. A slight frown etched between his brows as he studied her, and a thought occurred to Lauren.

"Are you reading my mind?"

His frown deepened. "Mind reading is a Muggle terminology, Miss Ward. A very inaccurate one at that."

If Lauren was feeling herself, she would have rolled her eyes and have given him a scathing and sarcastic reply. Instead, she let it drop. For now. Though it did not escape her attention that he hadn't exactly answered her question.

"Did you suspect?" she repeated.

A few moments of silence stretched between them as she waited for his answer.

"I…suspected that something had happened that would prevent you from returning to your own world. Did I believe that you had been murdered? No. It was a farfetched possibility that would never have occurred to me," he lectured.

Lauren's gaze was drawn once more to the vial clutched in her hand.

"Drink it, Miss Ward. The next few days are going to be…difficult, to say the least."

Her gaze fluttered up to his. She wondered if Severus was talking from experience. Had the days, weeks, months and even years that followed Lily's death been torturous for him, to the point where he wished for nothing but death himself? As Lauren studied him, she knew the answer was most definitely yes. How he managed to draw up the strength to continue on with life after his devastating loss was incomprehensible to her. But he had done it. Somehow, he had pushed through the crippling pain. Lauren was starting to have a renewed respect for the man standing in front of her.

His frown turned into a dark scowl and she had her answer right there and then. Severus Snape was, indeed, skimming through her thoughts.

Lauren lifted the bottle to her lips and downed the smooth liquid in one swallow. She barely had time to hand Severus back the bottle before she slumped back on the couch, her eyelids weighing heavy.

"How did you get through it?" she asked, her words slurred as the potion tried to pull her under. She, of course, was referring to Lily's death.

The silence that followed her words were deafening and she was grateful she had waited until after she had drunk the potion to ask her question. She really didn't want to be awake when his fury burst forth like a violently erupting volcano at her for having asked such a personal and painful question.

"Like you," he whispered harshly, "this is something that you'll never get over. It will stay with you for the remainder of your days."

"That's not what I asked."

"That is your answer. Now go to sleep."

Lauren was about to obey, but then another thought occurred to her. "Why do you want me to stay? Ever since I arrived here, it almost feels like you've been pushing for me to stay…"

Silence was her only answer, Snape didn't bother to answer her question, and it wasn't long before the potion pulled her under into a deep and dreamless sleep, just as Snape had promised.

~oOo~

It was the early hours of the morning when Lauren awoke, finding herself sprawled out on the couch. A fuzzy warm blanket had been draped over her and a pillow had been placed under her head.

Lauren stared up at the ceiling. The Calming Draught had worn off along with the Dreamless Sleep potion, and now she waited for the cascade of emotions to overwhelm her and draw her back under its drowning, crushing current.

But all that permeated her sense was hollowness.

Lauren couldn't comprehend why she wasn't more emotional following the revelation that she was dead back in her own world and had no hope of returning.

It was then that she realized that she had been, subconsciously, expecting it. Not to discover that she had been murdered, of course, but she had been bracing herself for the possibility that she could never return.

Lauren sat up and leaned her elbows on her knees, holding her head in her hands. And suddenly she was deluged with the sense that she was suffocating. She needed to get out. She needed to clear her head.

Soon the castle would be bustling with students, and right now she really didn't want to be in the midst of all that trivialness.

Not when everything had changed overnight.

Not when she had changed in the blink of an eye.

Not when things would never be the same again.

Lauren stood abruptly, the blanket falling to a pool at her feet, and exited Snape's office without a backward glance. She made her way through the dimly lit passages and up the stairs until she finally found herself in front of the main doors of the castle. She pushed against the wood, expecting it not to yield. So it was to her great surprise when the heavy wooden doors opened enough for her to slip though.

She now stood in the Quad, the crisp morning air slapping her in the face. She inhaled a deep breath, closing her eyes momentarily as the coldness filled her lungs, piercing through the deadness inside of her.

Blinking open her eyes, Lauren made her way to the zigzagging stairs that led to the boathouse down below. She paused at the top of the stairs, her gaze drifting over the black mirror-like surface of the Black Lake. Lauren shivered as the cool morning air clawed at her exposed flesh, but she reveled in it. It was proof that she was alive.

A large tentacle rose from the waters, waving lazily in the air before slithering back under without causing so much as a ripple.

This was my world now and, like it or not, I'm going to have to embrace it. I have no other choice, her mind supplied as she stared at the horizon with unseeing eyes.

Dumbledore's words echoed back to her: There are some wounds that never heal. These scars make us who we are, and without them we do not exist.

Yes, this scar would be forever with her, ingrained into her very psyche – just as Snape said it would be. Her death would stay with her for the remainder of her days. She could choose to either crumble under the weight of this revelation, or if she could rise from the ashes, stronger than before.

With these thoughts came a subtle and undetectable stirring of change within her.

Lauren glanced back at the looming castle behind her, the cool wind teasing the tendrils of her hair. She was going to have to face the music sometime and return to the stares and whispers, as well as the questions she really didn't want to answer.

Just not today.

With that thought, Lauren descended the stairs until she arrived at the boathouse. She leaned against the glass paneling and closed her eyes, finally letting the tears flow, silent and unheard. She sunk to the ground giving herself over to this day of grief that she had allowed herself.

I'm going to have to undo everything that I was and remake myself anew, she thought as she hugged her knees tight to her chest, her tears a symbolism of her saying goodbye to her old life.

~oOo~

Evening was fast approaching by the time Lauren trudged back up to the castle, slipping in unnoticed and keeping to the shadows as she made her way down to the dungeons.

But the Slytherin common room was not her intended destination. Instead, without knocking, she slipped into the Potion's classroom, closing the door quietly behind her. It was empty, a certain gloom permeating the cold room as she stared at the rows upon rows of pickled jars, the contents floating within unrecognizable to her eyes.

Lauren strode to the end of the room towards the door that led to Snape's private office, knocking this time.

No sooner had she lowered her hand than the door was flung open by Severus, who scowled down darkly at her.

Before she could open her mouth to speak, she found herself being roughly yanked inside, the door shutting behind them with an echoing bang.

Snape cast a Muffliato Charm and warded the door before he rounded on her.

"Where were you?" he snarled.

Lauren blinked, taken aback. She didn't think her absence had unsettled him that much. In fact, she had thought he would have been rather happy that she had left and would be out of his way.

"I, uh, went down to the boathouse. I just needed some time alone."

He regarded her with rapidly cooling eyes, though his fury still blazed beneath the surface. "You could have at least informed me of your intentions. Do you realize how foolish it was to leave the safety of my office without letting me know?"

Lauren blinked, realizing she had forgotten all about the threat of Quirrell. "Sorry, I didn't think about that," she replied timidly. "I…I just had to get out."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose and inhaled deeply. Lauren swore he was mentally counting to ten to calm himself.

"Were you…worried about me?" she asked, thinking that she must have this all wrong.

He met her confused gaze with his own guarded one. "You are my student and ward and, as a Slytherin, your safety and wellbeing are my responsibility."

Lauren just stared at him. Midnight blue meeting obsidian black.

Suddenly Snape turned on his heel and marched over to his desk, seating himself gracefully in his chair. He motioned with a sharp flick of his wrist for Lauren to sit as well.

"Now why did you come to see me?" he asked after she was seated. If he noted her puffy eyes, he chose not to comment on it.

Lauren steeled herself as she was reminded of the main reason she had sought him out. "I came to ask you if I could have another vial of that Dreamless Sleep?"

"It is unwise to become reliant on it. You're going to have to face what happened to you sooner or later."

Lauren leaned back in her chair and rubbed tiredly at her forehead. "I know that, Severus."

"Professor Snape," he corrected in his usual severe manner. "I am your teacher and you are my student, Miss Ward."

Lauren sighed. "Fine, Professor Snape." Lauren inhaled deeply and continued. "I've had time to think and I know that I have no choice but to move forward. I'm essentially going to have to undo myself and remake myself all over again. And I will face my demons…Sir, but I just want one more night of…peace."

She slowly lifted her gaze to find Severus regarding her thoughtfully over his steepled fingers. Then he stood so abruptly that it caused Lauren to flinch, thinking he was going to chuck her from his office. Instead he strode over to a cabinet on the other side of the room and selected a vial before warding it shut again.

He placed the vial on the desk in front of her and seated himself once more in a billow of black. Lauren picked up the bottle and pocketed it with a murmured thanks. She debated with herself whether to ask her next question and decided to plunge ahead.

"Can I…Can I stay here tonight?" she asked, unable to meet his gaze.

"No," was his instant, and firm reply.

Lauren was unsurprised by this response. In fact, she would have been shocked if he had agreed. She rose from her chair with a nod.

"But you may remain here until the students have gone to the Great Hall for dinner and then slip back to your room undetected."

Lauren stilled, surprised by the consideration he was showing towards her. Her mind drifted back to the question she had asked last night; the question he had not answered.

Snape, she was sure, wanted her to stay in this world and embrace being a witch. The big question was why?

"Have you eaten?" he asked.

Lauren shook her head. Snape motioned with a long-fingered hand for her to sit down again and he summoned Blinky, who appeared with a loud pop.

The little house-elf's bat-like ears flapped as she bowed beside Snape.

"Can you please get Miss Ward something to eat and drink, Blinky? I'm sure anything will do, considering her appetite has been nonexistent of late," he drawled, shooting Lauren a disapproving look.

Blinked squeaked out a delighted, and unintelligible, affirmative response and disappeared with another loud pop.

Lauren wanted to protest, saying that she wasn't very hungry, but no sooner had she opened her mouth than the elf appeared again, this time her head hidden behind a tray which was overflowing with an assortment of food. Only her flappy ears could be seen peeking out over the top of the towering dishes.

With surprising agility, Blinky placed the tray on the desk in front of Lauren.

"Uh, thank you, Blinky," Lauren murmured, her eyes still glued to all the food, wondering how she was possibly supposed to eat all of that.

Blinky's ears flapped happily and she bowed before disappearing once more.

"Eat," Snape commanded.

Lauren glanced up to see a sardonic smirk curl at his lips, amusement plain to see in the depths of his dark eyes.

"How?" she asked. "There's way too much, even if I did have an appetite."

"Humor me," he drawled, though there was no ignoring the threat in his tone. Lauren had better start eating or else he would somehow force it down her throat.

Lauren picked up the mug of tea and took a sip, closing her eyes as the warm liquid washed down her throat. Glancing up and seeing Snape watching with a no-nonsense expression, she picked out a small steak and kidney pie from the lot and picked at it with her fork.

"I'm waiting, Miss Ward," he stated in a deadly undertone.

Lauren sighed, knowing there was no arguing with him, and started eating. Her stomach roiled at the thought of food, but she robotically ate the small pie. Once she had finished the last mouthful, her stomach ached in protest. It had been almost a month since she had eaten a full meal, so it was no wonder it was settling heavy on her digestive system.

"Happy?" she asked mulishly as she sipped at her tea, shifting in her chair to get more comfortable and fighting to keep her food down.

Instead of answering, Snape rose to his feet. His features set in an unreadable mask. "The students should all be in the Great Hall now. I will escort you back to your dorm."

Lauren rose with a groan, her belly protesting at any sudden movement. Snape held the door open for her and soon they were walking side by side back to the Slytherin Common Room, Snape keeping his pace even with hers.

Snape halted outside the doors and then angled his body slightly so that he was now facing her. "Drink that potion and tomorrow I expect you to be back in classes again."

"Just like that?" Personally, she thought he was being a bit callous, but this was Snape she was talking about.

"Yes. You are strong, Miss Ward. Stronger than you give yourself credit for. It will not do you any justice to wallow in self-pity. There is nothing to be done to change what has happened, so the best course of action is to accept it and push forward."

He didn't give her time to respond as he turned abruptly and strode away in a billow of black, his robes flapping at his heels.

Lauren shook her head and entered the now empty common room. She made her way to her room and settled onto her bed. Pulling the vial from her pocket she eyed it thoughtfully.

Snape was right. She could not wallow in self-pity or grief. What was done was done, and there was no undoing it, no matter how much she willed it.

A sense of determination overcame her. She was strong, often being described as a tough-as-nails-bitch on more than one occasion. But it did not mean she didn't have a heart. She hurt just like everyone else.

But now it was time to forge ahead and rise from the ashes like the phoenix.

Lauren unstoppered the vial and downed the liquid in one gulp, soon being pulled under the potion's mercy.

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