To Tame A Wild Heart || Book One (An Open SS Fan fiction)

CHAPTER 31 : Call Me Markov*

It took the witch only a few of days to be released from the hospital wing. She returned to her full health the moment she woke up from her coma but madam Pomfrey wasn't entirely convinced. 

According to her, Florina could crash at any moment and she wanted to keep a close eye on her until proven otherwise. Madam Pomfrey finally released Florina a few days later. As soon as the witch was released, she was showered with many congratulatory cards and get well cards from the staff and student. 

Even peculiar gifts from Hagrid and some of the house elves that cooked her favorite meals.

The only two who didn't pay her a visit were Severus and Dumbledore. It hit the witch as extremely odd for the headmaster to not pay her a visit especially since he seemed to care deeply for her. 

As much as she wanted to believe that David's mental theory was wrong, there were many evidences to prove otherwise.

What made her stay in Hogwarts lighter was the constant visits from some of her students who would visit her in her office in packs showering her with gifts and candy. The witch would usually put the gifts aside and devour the candy like she was eating it for the last time.

Oh how I wished Ro was here, she thought to herself as she ate her tenth piece of chocolate frog one night, we would have shared that candy all day yet I would hear her criticize me for my eating habits after each one.

The witch decided to put some of the fairy's favorite candy aside for her when she comes back. 

She knew that the fairy doesn't need food or candy to survive yet the fairy had a sweet tooth just like her carrier.

As Florina unwrapped the eleventh piece, there was a soft knock on her door. Stuffing the chocolate in her mouth, she quickly cleaned her desk with a spell and chewed the candy as quickly as possible. 

The person on the door knocked harder making her chew faster. Swallowing the hard lump, she squeaked "Come in."

It was the potions master and he looked tired and sour as ever. He gave her an odd look when he saw her mouth stained with chocolate and rolled his eyes. She smiled back at him innocently but he didn't comment on that. 

As she wiped her mouth with the back of her sleeve, he quietly sat in front of her a giant wrapped object in his hands. He placed the giant object on the table in front of him with a thud wordlessly.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this pleasant visit Sir?" Florina said quietly trying to maintain a calm demeanor.

"Save your pleasantries and small talk Woods," he spoke his voice deep and monotone "I am only here to deliver you this book in hopes that you will be able to decipher it."

Florina narrowed her eyes and slowly walked over to the chair opposite to him. Sitting down, she pulled the wrapped object to her and unwrapped it with a quick spell. It was the book that started it all. The book that made them go on the nightmare of a quest. The book that in order to find it got her cursed with eternal misery and made a psychopath escape.

And now Severus is bringing that disaster to her so that she can decipher it?

The book was huge and extremely old. Bound in withering red leather, cracked and dry with age, the thick volume smelled faintly of pipe tobacco and dust. The pages within are brittle and what remains of the book's original stitching is barely holding it together.

As she ran her fingers over the faded black bindings, she noticed that book's title was written in a gold lettering 'Portrait Of Markov' neat and tidy. That was the only thing that was pleasant to the eyes. She carefully ran her fingers over it before she opened the cover, paper rustled as she thumbed through the book. The fragile old pages became almost delicate snowflakes with the touch of her hand but they didn't fall off. Rather they would glue themselves back together with every crack.