Forever Yours

4. Proof

The next morning Severus seemed rather nervous when he came out of the Dungeons for breakfast.  As eager as the letter had sounded, he had expected a response from the mysterious "L" last night.  He was tired, having not been able to sleep, and cranky, which was unfortunate for his poor unsuspecting students.  He walked briskly up to the breakfast table with a scowl on his face and took his seat next to Dumbledore.

"You're looking a little ragged this morning, Severus," Albus said with a light tone.  "Are you feeling okay?"

He looked over at the Headmaster with contempt in his eyes.  How could anyone be so cheerful in the morning.  "I didn't sleep well," he grumbled.  "Blasted letter."

"Oh, yes.  The letter.  If you don't mind my asking, what was it about?"

Severus huffed.  "Nothing important.  A waste of my time to read it.  Some person wanting me to feel sorry for them.  Why is it that I seem to attract all the losers?"

Dumbledore shrugged innocently.  "Why is it that I seem to attract trouble?  We all attract something different, I'm afraid."  He smiled slightly.  "What makes you think this person is a loser, as you put it?"

"Because he or she only wrote to me because they are lonely and their life has been less than what they expected," he sneered.  "Well, I say join the crowd.  Life has never been fair to me, why should it be to anyone else?"

"I daresay that you might take the day off, Severus.  You seem a bit cranky this morning, even more than usual."

Severus narrowed his eyes at the Headmaster and then looked away.  The feast appeared before them a few minutes later and their conversation was long forgotten.  He, for a minute, forgot about his lack of sleep and focused completely on the meal in front of him.  It wasn't until he finished eating and heard the screech of the owls bringing the morning post that his bad mood returned, especially when Lulu, the same owl that had brought his message last night, landed right in front of him with a brand new letter in her mouth.  Written neatly on the front this time was his name.  Apparently discretion had been forgotten, not that everyone in the room wouldn't have known the letter was his anyway.  Reluctantly, he took it out of her mouth.  He half expected her to fly away this time, but she didn't.  Just as she had the night before, she remained there in front of him, gazing at him expectantly.  He realized that she wasn't leaving until she had something in her beak.  Severus sighed.  He might as well go ahead and write the response and get it over with.

He rose from his seat, all eyes on him as he scooped Lulu up on his arm, and exited the Great Hall, trying to ignore all the curious murmurs erupting as he passed by the students.  He went straight down to the Dungeons and to his desk where there was some parchment already lying out for him to use.  He had left it there the night before, fearing he would have to write again.  Going through the same routine as last night, he let Lulu safely down on his desk and tore open the letter she had brought him.

October 1, 1991

Dear Severus,

I see by reading your letter that you do not believe we have met.  There are a couple of explanations for that.  One, you were plastered.  After six glasses of firewhiskey it was no wonder.  It has been ten years, well almost, since we met.  I probably wouldn't have remembered myself, except you made it hard to forget.  And then there is the proof.

You are around six feet tall, maybe taller, with long black hair and black eyes, the darkest I have ever seen.  Your skin is sallow and you have a long, hooked nose.  Your voice sounds like the flow of honey.  How am I doing so far?  And I know you are a private person because you told me.  If this isn't enough proof for you, then this next revelation will be.  You told me of a woman you loved.  She had just died, I assumed, because you said you lost her.  You told me her son was the only survivor, that the Dark Lord had taken her and her husband.  But the part that broke my heart was when you leaned over and put your forehead against my shoulder and sobbed.  I remember the exact words you said.  I'll never forget them.. "Oh, Lily, my LIly, it's all my fault."  I don't know if you were saying them to me or to yourself.