Severus Snape - Refuge

Chapter 10 - Unrequited

Severus smiled inwardly as the children swayed and gagged. At least they didn't vomit. "Come with me," he said after giving them a moment to recover. He led them to the kitchen. It looked like they hadn't eaten properly... ever. Lady Lola gasped when she saw them. "Och, oh ma word! What have we here? Are ye hungry? I have a hot porridge on the stove an' a pie in the oven," she said, putting her arms around the children and leading them to sit at the table.

"When they're done eat'n, I will get 'em settled in their rooms. You go on," she said to Severus.

Severus gave her a grateful smile, leaving the newcomers in Lady Lola's capable hands, then left to see Sirana. When he entered the bedroom, he found her condition unchanged. He reached to touch her face, then leaned to kiss her on her forehead. He sat on the edge of the bed, telling her all about the new students. He talked to her for at least an hour, finding some comfort for himself in the sharing. He also shared with her about the wizard. That was more difficult to talk about, even though he knew she probably couldn't hear him. There was a knock on the door. He rose to answer it. It was Lady Lola.

"Those children were almost starv'n. They were tired too. They went straight to bed," she said, looking at him as if she had more to say. He knew that Sirana's condition wore on her as well. Sirana had brought life to the Refuge, and it didn't seem the same without her.

"Thank you. I will be leaving again in a week. This time with Sirana," he said, and he saw Lady Lola's eyes open wide. He knew she trusted his judgment though, and she nodded and left the room.

The week sped by. The twins adapted quickly, although they quickly gained the reputation of pranksters. They reminded him of Fred and George Weasley, and he wondered if it was a twin thing. Their annoying but harmless shenanigans seemed to take everyone's mind off of their current hardships, so he allowed it to continue... for now. Luckily, Lady Lola had taken them under her wing, and took great pleasure in trying to put some meat back on their bones. Evel had turned out to be an excellent helper in the kitchen, and they made feasts that rivaled any he'd seen at Hogwarts.

Tonight was deemed a sending-off feast... for Sirana. Everyone in the house knew she would be leaving tomorrow. Even though the house was sworn to secrecy concerning Sirana's condition, he had allowed the news to reach the Order. Some members would make occasional visits to check on her well-being, however, they had kept official meetings away from the Refuge for the time being.

With his recent discovery, he had arranged a meeting with the Order tonight. They were to meet at the Burrow after the feast. If there was a war that threatened the magical community, he would feel better with the Order at his side. He would also need Hagrid's assistance in transporting Sirana.

There was something else that weighed on his mind... when he had approached Godric's home, he had felt an essence of abstract bitterness. He had not felt any of that once he had entered the hovel, and he was almost sure it had not originated from Godric. It was as if a magical being had gone mad and dwelled in their derangement. Godric was not mad in the least in his opinion, and Severus sensed nothing but steadfast resolution in his being... and something else as well from the wizard: unrequited love... a longing. Severus wasn't sure if he was projecting his own emotions for his concern for Sirana or if the wizard was facing his own trials within the realm of romance.  It was a strange consideration, but so was the idea of a millennial old wizard being embroiled in an underwater war.

He put his concerns aside for now and headed down to the feast. He could only hope that the next time he sat at the banquet table, Sirana would be at his side.