A one time thing {Severus Snape}

Chapter 51: Odile plans and Jack lectures

Okay, Usual disclaimer, and I don't expect many of you will read this for weeks, if you're anything like me, your noses will be stuck in a new book! I hope you have many happy hours reading!

Oh and some advance warnings on several things;

Camille is taking a well earned break and I wish her well... but this hasn't been checked for the many errors that I know are lurking! Please forgive my inability to write my own language and take pity on me.

Secondly, while this chapter doesn't deal directly with Child Abuse, it is referred to and while Child Abuse is horrific in any form there's nothing in detail, I thought I'd better warn you all anyway. Oh and... there should be a warning for my waffling... this is a long chapter!

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I'm standing on the bridge

I'm waiting in the dark

I thought that you'd be here by now

There's nothing but the rain

No footsteps on the ground

I'm listening but there's no sound

Isn't anyone trying to find me

Wont somebody come take me home

'I'm with you' by Avril Lavigne

Blackness, impenetrable blackness surrounded her, clawing its way into every pore, filling every corner of her soul.

Terror filled Senga, the kind of terror that fill nightmares. When you know that someone or something is behind you, about to get you, but your legs won't move and no matter how hard you try you can't run. And no matter how hard you try to scream nothing will come out. Not that there is anyone to hear you anyway.

Alone. Senga was totally alone in the darkness. She didn't think she had ever been any other way except always alone. There was no one for her now and she couldn't remember there ever being anyone, only the endless, bottomless blackness. She couldn't run now, couldn't move even. Blackness upon her, in her. She tried valiantly to call out, scream for help. But nothing would work. Her vocal cords numbed into silence. Pure terror was on her and she instinctively knew this was no nightmare. There was no one to find her.

~

Meg sat silently beside the bed, her hands folded over the unopened book that lay in her lap.

Meg sighed softly, but in the silence of the room it sounded loud and even Meg could hear the desperation in it.

Three days had passed slowly, agonisingly slowly. She and Snape had traded places, taking it in turns to sit with Senga and look after Clarity.

There was only a short time left now before the new school year would start. Things were still yet to be sorted out about what would happen once the new school year started.

There had been some talk of Snape taking an extended leave of absence, but he refused to do this, sighting not only financial reasons but also the fact that Hogwarts couldn't loose two teachers so close to the start of term.

Meg had wanted to disagree but she knew Snape well enough to know that sitting around idly would do neither him nor anyone else any good. At the moment he was at Hogwarts with Albus, while Jack and Hillary stayed with Clarity.