Fierce Consequences [a main character x Snape/Malfoy fan-fiction]

Chapter 62: The Girl I Knew

Songs for this chapter:
Reflections - The Neighbourhood

Flashback 4: Severus's POV

I hardly knew her best friend, Aurelia. I didn't have much information about her other than she was a relatively normal student. She was a Slytherin, hence how she had met Elora and fallen in as a piece of their group. Now, I wish I had known her more. I needed a piece to bring me closer to Elora, to be able to comfort her more than I was able to.

I felt the shift of the earth when Blaise killed her. I swear the entire planet upturned itself when Elora shouted the words of the most Unforgivable curse right back at him.

I got her out as quickly as I could. I carried her defeated body throughout the manor, doing my best not to jump every time she let out a guttural scream or sob. I knew she would ask questions, especially now that Voldemort had revealed the one thing that we had worked so hard to keep hidden.

I knew Lucius had told him. The minute the older Malfoy had casted a Crucio at Draco, he let it spill. I knew it wasn't fair to expect Draco to secretly carry Elora's identity, but it was the only option. But the weeks of relentless torture when the Dark Lord wanted that small piece of information concaved the minute his own father raised his wand. It was all for nothing. We had failed to protect her.

Elora was distraught and confused. The poor girl had no idea what had happened or the weight that the Dark Lord's words had. It was time to make her understand. My heart ached as I guided her to the pensieve. I pulled the vial of memory from my robes slowly, as if dawdling would somehow help me to avoid all of the pain and anguish she would feel within the next hour.

She stayed in the swirl of memories for what felt like an eternity. I wanted to pull her out. I wanted to stop her from seeing what she had done. But this needed to happen. She had to know.

When she was finished viewing her memory, I worked on restoring the rest. I knew it would take a long time for all of the pieces to find their place in her mind, but I did what I could with what I had. There was no way for me to know how much of us she would remember. I hoped those memories came back the strongest.

I did my best to explain everything and answer her questions, but she was distant, as though the onslaught of new information had damaged her. I was honest with her about everything, providing some insight on my actions over the last few months. I hoped my confession would help ease any anger she held towards me for erasing so much of her life.

Elora was slipping away. She left Hogwarts. I guess the memories of what once was were too painful for her to face. After that, she packed her things and stayed at the manor.

There was nothing I could do for her. I still had to keep myself safe in all of this, acting as a double agent and working for the Order. It was bloody exhausting, but I didn't have a choice. The vow I made to fight for good was too strong to break.

Lucius kept calling her, to make matters worse. He said he would give her some time, but was there an amount that would have been adequate enough for her to come to terms with her actions?

No, there wasn't.

He was selfish, using her for his own pleasure. Or so I thought, until I heard them one night at the manor, Elora's moans and pleas rang down loudly to my ears.

The realization hit me that Elora was using Lucius just the same. It made my stomach lurch. What was she searching for? What relief would she get in the dark corners of his bedroom? Her cries of pleasure echoed throughout the walls of the mansion, but never once did I hear her snap and come undone. I knew those sounds, I knew the things she said as she tipped over the edge of release.