The King of Knights [Harry Potter x Fate Fanfic]

VIII

Chapter VIII. Can you feel love tonight?

Arturia opened her eyes with tears running down her face, sensing the ceiling of the room being dimly lit by the moonlight. Again the memories crowded in her head in the form of dreams. She sat in the bed letting out a soft sigh, drying the unstoppable tears that ran down her cheeks. Getting up the bed, she looked through the window, the dark exterior. She looked everywhere in the room to make sure that all her companions were asleep, before vanishing in golden glitters.

The woman appeared in the lake of the Forbidden Forest which, instead of lugubrious, seemed to have its own light thanks to the reflection of the moon. As she was barefoot, the blonde lifted her nightgown to go into the water until it reached her knees. The water was strangely warm, perhaps thanks to Arturia's aura.

She looked toward the moon, whose whitish sheen was so pure and moving that it stirred her heart. It gave her great nostalgia, as she remembered those sleepless nights where Merlin accompanied her in complete silence.

The dream that had awakened her from her slumber was about Bedivere in a scene that had touched her heart and triggered her involuntary crying. In her dream, she could see Bedivere on her headstone, crying in a heartbreaking way, praying that she would return, staying in that place until he had fallen asleep hugging the cold rock.

Inevitably, with great regret in her heart, Arturia began to cry, sobbing loudly and taking out everything that wouldn't show so easily in the light of day. She tightened the edges of her nightgown tightly.

"Is my fault, it's all my fault" Repeated internally over and over again.

Walking through the woods, patrolling, Severus Snape heard the heartbreaking crying in the distance. He quickly went to the place where the sound came from, prepared to attack if is necessary. When he reached the lake he could distinguish a very familiar golden hair. Pendragon was stuck in the lake with the water up to her knees, letting her shapely legs notice when she lifted her nightgown, which she squeezed tightly. The crying was so heartbreaking that even Snape himself had come to cause grief.

"Miss Pendragon." The teacher called illuminating with a Lumos.

The king's cry stopped when she heard the voice of her Potions teacher. Her blue-green eyes covered with tears turned to see him, releasing the nightgown, causing it to soak.

Impulsively, Arturia ran to him hugging him tightly, while letting out all her grief. It wasn't news that the act had surprised the black-haired man. He stood still briefly before gently patting the girl's back with some discomfort. Arturia clung to Severus' dark robes snuggled into his chest, thinking that it was Merlin when he comforted her in difficult times.

Something in the Potions professor's heart stirred. No one had ever dared to hug him, but that felt good and made him feel loved and understood, although he knew that blonde hair only needed comfort.

Maybe, like others, he was being spellbound by that young woman, maybe she had put Amortentia in his drink without him noticing. No. He couldn't fall in love with a little girl, he still loved Lily.

After a while, the girl pulled away from him as she wiped her cheeks with the sleeves of her nightgown.

"I'm sorry, professor. I think I've let myself go a little". She apologized looking into his eyes. "I also know that I should not be out so late, I will accept the punishment imposed on me and can even tell my godfather about this."

As a good king it was prudent to accept the guilt of her actions and she knew that what she did was wrong, but it was impossible for her, when it came to her past her feelings were stronger than her reasoning and when she realized she was involved in problems.

"30 points will be removed from Gryffindor. About the punishment, your godfather will take care of that. I'll escort you to your common room." Snape said with that tone of voice that used to identify him.

Arturia accepted. She took the professor's hand to note that she had appeared with him in the corridor near the Fat Lady.

"Thank you Professor. I regret the inconveniences."

Severus withdrew. Arturia said the key and entered the Gryffindor common room and went to the female dormitory. Her nightgown was soaked and it was getting cold, so she changed it for a dry pajama and went back to bed, only she couldn't go back to sleep.

She wanted the dreams to stop, but it seemed that something or someone wanted to torture her with those sad memories. Tomorrow she would face the punishment Dumbledore gave her and she would try not to get in trouble again.