Severus Snape A Soul Undiminished

Chapter 9 - Dream

Chapter 9

Sirana woke to find that she was the alone in the bed. She wasn't chilled though, as it seemed that the covers had been tucked in around her. She smiled softly and wondered how
she had come to be in this place—not just this room, or this world, but in what seemed to be the second chapter of her life. Actually, her own life had had many chapters already, and she had lived an almost ordinary, yet fulfilling life. This was more like a second life—not an after-life, but like she had been reincarnated while retaining her own self.
She had already ruled out that this place was a delusional fantasy, as it was just too real in every way. As for the magic and the unfamiliar ambiance of this place, as if she was in a medieval, Victorian, wizardly world, she considered for a moment that maybe the world held more mysteries than she had ever dared to believe were possible. She had seen things over her lifetime that were strange, but she had always found a way to categorize them using a scientific explanation, even though some were a stretch. Her adoring husband had always jokingly accused her of being a witch, and often complained of the spell she had over him. Handel, who she lovingly called Handy, especially since he could fix almost anything, was a
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A Soul Undiminished—Severus Snape
mild, good-spirited man with warm hazel eyes that matched his sandy blonde hair. She lost him much too soon, and the unrealized plans they had made together had felt like a thick, heavy cloud hanging over her life. His diagnosis of cancer had caught them all off guard, and she had spent the last year of his life helping him accomplish all of the items on his bucket list. They had traveled the world and spent time with loved ones, and then she had stayed by his side until the end. He had made her swear to him that she would follow her dreams and live her life to the fullest, for both of them. After he passed, she no longer felt settled, the contentment she felt with him suddenly gone from her life. She had decided to move overseas to be with her dear grandfather, who needed her in his elder years...not forever, as she had assured friends and family in the States. Regardless, she had settled down in the quaint town where her grandfather had lived for what seemed like forever.
It felt like a lifetime ago...a lifetime...and she was a little sad that her memories had started to fade. Even the pain of loss was softened to a dull ache. For the first time since she came to be here—finding herself in the forest, alone, renewed—she tried to remember what had happened before that could have brought her here. She knew that she had dreamed of it the other day, and the nightmare was lost to her when she had woken, leaving only flashes of images. She saw the face of her grandfather, his usually good-natured face drawn into rage. She saw him, his nightrobes flying out behind him, as he ran faster than looked natural for an elder man towards their neighbors' house. She saw strong flashes of light in their windows, as if a bolt of lightning had found its way into their house and was desperately trying to escape. Her dream had been interrupted at that point, and she had a sudden foreboding that the events that had transpired that night would reveal themselves to be more than her heart could bear. She brought her hand up to her face, finding it wet with tears. Wiping them away with her gown, she rose from the bed, resolutely deciding she would uphold her promise, and she would make the most of this new life.