||Rain's Storm||The Chamber of Secrets||Year 2||

Before

'She was standing in a dark, cold, stone room. There was a single source of light, a candle, held tightly between her small hands. She couldn't see more than two or three feet in front of her. There was splatters of red along the flooring she could see; she didn't dare to think of what it could be. She took slow steps forward, holding the light out before her. Suddenly and without warning, she found herself unable to move. She knew what was coming next.

Unbelieving pain knocked her to her knees, and she released a soundless scream. Cold laughter echoed against the stone walls around her, confusing her as to where the sound was coming from. She closed her eyes, breathing heavily. Slowly, the tortuous screaming overtook the cruel laughter. Unkind hands grasped her shoulders, and agonizingly slowly they moved to her neck...'

Rain woke with a small gasp, breathing painfully fast and shallow, cold sweat drenching her. She turned her head, relieved to spot Pipper's familiar figure sleeping peacefully in the bed beside her own. She then looked out the window; it was still dark outside, the only light from the half moon outside. She looked back at the gray ceiling.

Rain remained still for several minutes, but it quickly became clear she was not going back to sleep anytime soon. Giving up with an angry mutter, she threw the paper-thin sheets off of her, and sat on the side of the bed. She remained there for a minute, then stood up. She shivered as her feet touched the cold floor; it reminded her of her dream.

She crept through the house carefully, not wanting to wake anyone else. She pulled the door to the bedroom closed behind her, and stayed near the wall as she walked to the stairs. She stopped at the top step, frowning. Through the bottom of the door to the kitchen, she could see light. She could also hear crying, and laughing, evil laughing. She pulled her wand out of the hidden inside pocket of her sleeping pants, and held it tightly as she descended the stairs.

Reaching the door, she paused to listen.

"Please, I don't know anything," Mama Poppy's voice cried. She sounded terrified.

A man chuckled heartlessly. "Oh, but I believe you do. I believe you know everything, and you are just refusing to say. Now, why would you be keeping it from me?" a man's voice sneered. Somehow, Rain knew that voice. She heard Poppy squeak.

"I honestly don't know anything. The child was left with me, same as all the others. I don't know, nor did I ask, about her parentage." Her voice was beginning to quiver.

"I'm losing my patience little poppy seed," He snarled. A silent moment passed, and then Mama Poppy screamed. Gripping her wand tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks, Rain burst through the door, took aim at the larger figure, and screamed.

"Stupefy!"  

The stranger jumped sideways, narrowly avoiding the spell. He turned, snarling, to face Rain. She stared at him in horror. His narrow face was oddly scarred, a dark beard followed the edge of his face, and his gray wiry hair was pushed back. His sharp eyes were the bluest blue she had ever seen.

"Well, what do we have here? A child out of bed?" he sneered.

Rain gulped, pointing her trembling wand at him. "Locomotor Mortis!" she shouted. The stranger ducked this time, and it shattered a bowl behind them. The stranger began to laugh, and started to stalk towards her. Rain scrambled backwards. 

"No! Leave her alone!" Mama Poppy cried. She was laying in a pool of her own blood in front of the fireplace, the embers still smoldering. She had barely raised herself up to stare at the stranger.

The stranger paused, and then turned to face her. He stalked forward, and blocked her from Rain's sight. He crouched down. "I'm rather tired of dealing with you. I'll talk directly to the children." He raised a hand, and blood splashed across the wall.

"NO!" Rain screamed. The stranger was thrown into the wall, and she ran directly to Mama Poppy. She fell to the ground beside her, trying to help in some way.

"Oh Rain, I'm so sorry," Poppy whispered, tears mingling with the blood on her face.

"No, Mama Poppy, no," Rain begged, but she watched as the light faded from her dark eyes. Rain cried in agony, grasping a hold of the bloody body. The stranger ran out of the kitchen, and she heard the door slam close. She didn't care. Her caretaker was gone.

*

The two men walked up the muddy lane together, both of them silent. When the house came into sight, it was illustrated by several different sources of small light. In the spots where the light could not reach, the place was cast in shadow from the slow rising sun. On the rotting porch and around it were several smaller figures, all of them looking sorrowful.

"Rain," one of the men called upon seeing a girl sitting on the first step of the porch. She had her arms resting on her knees, and her head resting against the column. She was covered in dry, flaking blood. At her side was another girl. Her blond hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, and her green eyes were side. She was resting against the other girl, still crying silently.

Rain raised her head, staring at the two men, disbelieving. "Professor Snape? Professor Dumbledore?" she asked softly. The two men approached her.

"What has happened tonight Rain?" Dumbledore asked, gazing down at her.

"I was coming downstairs to the kitchen when I heard crying. There was a strange man in the kitchen. He was standing over Mama Poppy," Rain choked up. She looked away, then whispered, "I couldn't save her."

Snape looked at the other children gathered around. An older boy, dark, was glaring hard at Rain and the girl sitting beside him. When he noticed Snape looking at him, he pushed himself off of the wall he was leaned against and disappeared into the shadows. Snape looked back at the girls.

"Rain, it's not your fault. You tried," the girl said beside her. 

Rain looked at her. "I tried and failed Pipper. Mama Poppy's dead because of it."

"Ah, Dumbledore," an old, plump man said, tottering forward. He shook hands with the professor. "A tragedy this is. The poor woman was only trying to care for the children."

"What is going to happen to the children Cornelius?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well, the Headmaster at the Dark Woods School has been informed, and he's decide the children can stay at the school until further arrangements can be made for them."

"And what of Miss Rain?"

"That's why I summoned you. Seeing as she is your student, I thought you would like to see to her care for yourself."

"You are correct in this matter." Dumbledore looked at Snape. Snape was looking at Rain who had hid her face in Pipper's shoulder.

"She may remain with me for the remainder of the summer," Snape said suddenly. Rain looked up at him, shocked. He gazed steadily back at her. "Go pack your things and meet me out here."

Rain nodded slowly. "Yes sir," she whispered. She got up, and slipped back into the house. Pipper glanced at the two men before hurrying after her.

"Are you sure of this Severus?" Dumbledore asked, turning to his company.

"Yes."