The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 4

The funeral was small and quick, with only a representative of her father's workplace, a priest, Mr. and Ms. Evans, Professor Slughorn, and herself; she really had no one else.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Severina." Said Mrs. Evans.

"...Thank you for checking on my mum... if you don't..."

If they don't...No one will find them until it's too late...the worst Severina would come home to the corpses, and she didn't know if she was able to handle that...

Mrs. Evans wraps her arm around Severina's shoulder and pulls her into her to lean on.

While Severina watches the casket being lowered, she faintly hears Mr. Evans talking with Professor Slughorn about where Severina will live after this. Apparently, Lily asks his parents to let Severina live with them until they graduate from Hogwarts. Professor Slughorn said it would unlikely to be approved by the ministry, but he will see what he could do.

Severina was grateful, even though she knew it wouldn't happen, but she was grateful enough that there were still people that still cared for her.

Days went like a flash. Severina coped by putting all her focus on her study. She knew it was foolish to expect things to never happen in the first place simply by not thinking about it, but all she could do now was the simplest solution she could come up with.

The only thing that kept reminding her that her parents were dead was the constant condolence from everyone that she knew; she even got one from Potter. Ha! Like he truly cares, Severina bet he just wanted to look good in front of Lily.

Severina didn't care; she needed to focus on her studies. Hopefully, if she kept being number one and got all Outstanding for her owl, she could apply for full sponsorship for her master's.

Lucius sat beside her and sighed, "How long have you been here?" He asked.

"Huh?" Severina blinked in confusion.

Lucius sighs again; he pulls out a sandwich from his robe pocket, "Eat."

"I'm not hungry." She dismisses the delicious-looking sandwich.

"You miss breakfast and lunch; there's no way you're not hungry."

Did she really?

"Eat Sev, I made this for you," Lucius said.

Severina blinked in surprise, "You made the sandwich?"

"Well, I didn't make it from scratch; I took the premade Sandwich and stuffed more items on it." He pulls out a bottle with her favorite strawberry juice on it, "I bring drink too,"

Severina looks at the sandwich. It looks delicious and stuffed with her favorite cold cuts. She sighed and began to nibble the sandwich.

"How you are coping with your situation is unhealthy, Sev," Lucius said softly while caressing her hair.

Severina wants to answer that she's fine, just like how she responded to other people, but somehow, the word stuck in her throat.

When Severina finishes eating, Lucius' hand moves to cradle her cheek, cleaning the crumb from the corner of her lips, then gives her a soft smile.

"I thought...."

"Hmm?"

"My mum... she was sick all this time, I thought I was prepared... yet when I heard that she passed..." Severina took a deep breath, "My dad too... I wish he was dead all the time... now they're gone... I..."

Lucius pulled Severina into his embrace.

Severina returned the hug, buried her face in his chest, and finally allowed herself to grieve in Lucius's embrace, where she knew she was safe, where no one could exploit her weakness.