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

Chapter One: Pain

The days had turned into two weeks. For two, long, painful,quiet weeks, Rain was left to wait in silent agony as she waited to hear anything about Mama Poppy's murder, Dark Woods, or the other orphans. For two weeks, she had been in the care of Professor Snape. He had set a few rules before allowing her to practically do whatever she pleased. She had explored nearly every where in Spinner's End, and she was slowly making her way beyond the street.

As the day approached its middle, and the sun its highest point in the sky, Rain sat in the dead grass before the filthy river, watching the water flow lazily. She had came to the same spot everyday for the past two weeks, and she did the same thing. She hugged her knees to her chest, rested her head on her knees, and gazed into the water. She would remain there for an hour or so before she had to return to the house for lunch. Then she would return, and remain for another hour. Then she would explore before dark.

Rain fiddled with her necklace, a habit she had fallen into. She was feeling particularly sad, and she took comfort in the little charm. At least at some point, someone had cared enough about her to go through the trouble of accruing it and placing it around her neck. For a tiny period of her life, maybe, just maybe, someone had loved her.

"Rain," somoeone called from behind her. She turned, and frowned when she spotted Snape. "Come," he ordered.

Rain stood up, nervous. She knew from school Snape did not tolerate rule-breaking, and she had been careful to follow what few rules he had given her. She could not think of any other reason he would be fetching her other than she had broken one. "Did I do something, sir?" she asked softly as she climb the small slope to him.

"Not this time," Snape sneered slowly, referring without words to her detentions from last year. She ducked her head lower as she reached his side. "Professor Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic is here to question you about the night of Poppy's untimely death."

Rain meet his cold gaze, hers hard and disbelieving. "What more could I possibly tell them? I've told them both many times over everything that happened."

"It matters not. They have come to question you again, and you will answer them once more." Snape gripped her shoulder, guiding her back towards his home.

Rain followed for a minute, then yanked away from him, growing angry. He stared at her, disbelieving. "I don't want to talk to them again. I don't want to ever talk about it again. I failed that night! Why should they make me relive it over and over again?"

Snape meet her fury with his own. "You will do as you are told. You will answer any and all questions they have. Do I make myself understood?" he snarled. 

Rain clenched her fists, refusing to give him the satisfaction of an answer or a nod. Snape grabbed her shoulder and shoved her forward. He marshaled her back to the house, both of them refusing to speak to the other.

*

Rain glared at Dumbledore and Fudge who sat across from her. Behind the couch, Snape stood behind her, clenching the back of the couch she was sitting on. He was still furious with her, and she was furious with everyone in the room, even Dumbledore.

"Are you sure there's nothing else? Nothing you've remembered since the shock has warn off?" Fudge asked her for about the tenth time. Instead of giving him her normal answer of no, she didn't reply at all. She crossed her arms and looked down. She didn't even want to look at them.

"Rain," Dumbledore prompted gently but she refused to respond to him. She wrapped her arms around herself, beginning to shake. Snape seemed to notice this, because he moved from behind the couch, standing between the girl and the men.

"I believe that is enough, Minster, for now. Perhaps you can....speak to her more at a later time," Snape suggested in a voice that left no room for argument. He looked at Rain, and indicated for her to go to her room. Rain jumped up, and tore off down the hallway at a near run.

Making certain Rain had closed the door to her, his, bedroom, Snape turned to Fudge and Dumbledore. Both had stood from their seats, looking concerned for very different reasons. Snape glared at them. "Why do you continue to question her? Do you think she's lying?" he demanded of Fudge.

"It just doesn't make sense Severus. Why would someone, after all these years, go after the orphanage and the orphans? Why now of all times?" Fudge asked as though Snape knew the answers.

"I believe that's for you to answer Minster," Snape sneered.

"Severus," Dumbledore warned gently. Snape glared, angry he too would keep questioning her. Could they not see her pain?

*

Rain passed furiously from one side of the small room to the other. The ugly off-white walls seemed to mock her, and the dirt she kicked off the floor as she went laughed at her. She finally sat on the side of the tiny bed, gripping onto the thin, gray quilt. The pain was becoming unbearable.

A shaky hand found the charm, and she clasped it tightly. She began to rock back and forth, fighting back the weeping. But it won; her face became red, her eyes shiny, and tears streamed down her face. Her shoulders heaved; she could barley breath.

"It's my fault," she cried to the dust and dirt. "I wasn't able to stop him. I wasn't able to save her. She was the closest thing to a parent I'm ever going to have! And now she's gone! I should have been able to stop him! I should have been able to save her!" Rain lost the little control she had left, and fell to the floor. She released all the pain, fear, and regret, letting it flow out of her, and splatter onto the floor.

*

Outside the door, Snape listened in disbelief. He closed his eyes, his hand on the doorknob, and then released it sharply. He turned away from the sound, unable to bare its weight. He stalked down the hallway, his cloak flourishing in his wake. His heart felt unbelievably heaver. 

Author's Note: Sorry these updates are a few days late. School and work drained me.