Spinner's End

Chapter 22

Raven had always thought that Severus was the task master at the school and she confirmed this by the fact that he kept giving the Potter boy the detentions through June and he also had mentioned to her that he intended to keep them up through until the end of the school year. She knew that the school year ended in a couple of weeks.

Raven was anxious for the end of the school year. Severus hadn’t mentioned anything regarding the horrible task that he was expected to do. Raven kept hoping in the back of her mind, that the task was getting completed by whoever was supposed to actually complete it. In the dark corners of her mind, it was all that she could hope for. In the sunshine of the days, she could picture in her mind the pair of them on a beach someplace, walking in the sun but in the darkness of her room at night, her dreams took on a darker tone.

For now thought the weeks were passing normally for Raven. Severus was able to come to her house a few times a week and then often he was able to spend the night on Saturday, which they both enjoyed.

Severus had mentioned on a few occasions that he often stopped at his house across the street for his potions. Raven becoming more familiar with things was grateful for his potions. She liked the fact that he was very diligent in the birth control area. She found this so refreshing from the other men she had dated in the past.

Raven was also grateful because Severus made special potions for her too. He had headache and menstrual cramp cures, cough, fever and sore throat cures. He would leave her little vials of them if she were not feeling well. She found that they worked almost instantly and lasted longer than anything that she could buy at any store or even get from the doctor’s office. Severus had explained to her that the ingredients were all natural, mostly common items growing in the woods in many places. He said that the plants became endued with the magic mainly due to the time of the harvest itself. He had explained a lot of this to Raven in just a simple chitchat type fashion. Raven had always listened intently. She found the information fascinating.

Raven stood reflecting on this as she tore up lettuce for a salad she was making for herself. Looking out of her kitchen window at the darkening night sky, she again felt a sense of impending doom.

Having eaten her light dinner Raven went to her bedroom, relaxing with a cup of tea and an old copy of a Jane Austen novel.

She fell asleep dreaming of being at a dance in 1800. She was dressed in a frilly blue dress with white silk edging ruffled around the neckline. All of the men at the dance were looking at her with admiration. She smiled and nodded as she entered the party. She was looking for one specific man though and she just didn’t see him.

Finally she spied him against a far wall, he had a drink in his hand. She looked at him, he was dressed in a light blue silk looking jacket that reached to his knees in the back he had on matching blue breeches. Raven knew that when they danced as partners, both in their blue clothes that they would look fabulous and that everyone would be jealous of them. She looked as his dark hair falling around his deep obsidian eyes as he listened to the shorter man next to him and smiled at something he had said.

Severus took a drink from his glass as he did so his eyes fell upon Raven as she moved across the room towards him. He excused himself from the short man and began making his way towards Raven through the crowd. Raven could see his eyes smiling at her as the two made their way towards each other.

Severus reached out and grabbed Raven by her upper arms. The drink suddenly gone, as often happens in dreams. Raven knew that it would be improper for them to kiss in public in the middle of the party. But she wanted to kiss him anyway.

But her desire suddenly turned to fear as she registered a terrified look in Severus’ eyes and his firm grip on the tops of her arms. It seemed that he was shaking her.

“Wha- What?” Raven suddenly said out loud.

She was suddenly awake and staring into the large round eyes of Severus as he shook her awake, his hands grasping her upper arms.

“Listen to me. Listen carefully.” Severus said immediately upon deciding that Raven was awake enough to fully understand him.

“I have done it. I killed Dumbledore. It’s done. I have only a couple of minutes before I will be missed. I will be in hiding now. For how long I can’t say. I will be solely involved with the dark side. The Dark Lord. Peter Pettigrew, people like that. Your protections will still be on your house.” He released Raven suddenly as he turned and sat on the bed, his back against her leg, and his face in his hands.

“I knew this was going to happen. I knew it!” He ran his hand through his hair then turned and faced Raven again. “ I will still come and see you. Don’t think that I have forgotten you, because I won’t! I’ll be able to slip away and see you. I won’t be able to have a set schedule or anything, but I will be back to see you when I can.” He finished with an almost pleading to his voice.

“I’ll be here.” Raven said trying to dispel what seemed to be his fear in her leaving him. She ran her fingers down his face.

“ Possibly after the truth is known, things will be different. I don’t even know if the real truth will ever be known.” He grasped her hand, holding it against his mouth, his eyes looked far away in the gloom of the bedroom. “ I don’t know if the real truth will ever come out.” He said again, his lips speaking into the back of Raven’s hand.

Suddenly his eyes cleared, as his mind seemed to come beck into the present. He practically jumped from his seated position on the bed.

“I will come back and see you every chance I get.” He said resolutely.

He bent quickly; grasping Raven behind her neck he pulled her into a deep kiss.

Releasing her just as quickly as he had grasped her, he whispered in her ear that he loved her. Standing, he disappeared.

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