Severus and the Skye

7

I’m woken by the sound of Juniper’s claws on the window and the beating of her wings against the glass. I jump from the chair where I had fallen asleep and rip open the panel. Juniper perches on my shoulder and I hold out a handful of food while I untie the roll of parchment from her leg. I knew she could do it, sturdy old thing.

I place her in her cage with the rest of the food in my hand and unroll the parchment. The paper shakes a bit in my hands and I draw in a deep breath to steady myself. I can’t get too far ahead of myself, that is a recipe for disappointment.

Patient 1: Full memory loss due to Obliviation - Fractured memory has returned but still cannot recall certain aspects or details - copper

Patient 2: Specified Memory wipe due to Obliviation - Was able to recall specific details of person forgotten but could not describe features - turquoise

I can no longer stifle the shaking in my fingers, the parchment vibrates in front of me. Another step, another victory. Now, perhaps if I fuse the two together. 

I instantly go to work, my fingers deftly adding ingredients and stirring. With classes being canceled for the dance, I have most of the day to spend on my project, I may even receive correspondence before tonight. My heart pounds in my chest as I work, the thought of the look in Skye’s eyes as the holes in her memory are filled with me, with everything we were. The thought alone is enthralling. 

I work until it’s late, having sent Juniper with two more vials. I even managed to make a third and borrowed one of the school owls to send it. One pink, one golden and one midnight.

Now I find myself staring in the mirror, my dress robes tightly fitted to my body. My hair is loose as always, falling over my shoulders and below my collar. I flatten the sleeves and dust myself off. My stomach is empty and the butterflies have free reign, their wings fluttering unbound.

I haven’t seen Skye all day, having been holed up in my chambers. I draw in a deep breath, running my hand down the front of my robes one last time before I open the door. The nervousness does not dissipate as I make my way toward her room, in fact, it’s getting hard to breathe.

I knock and lock my hands behind my back but I’m not prepared for what awaits me when she opens the door. 

My God, she’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. Her golden curls are pulled into a high ponytail and flowers are wound into the strands, falling in a beautiful bouquet behind her head. 

Her eyelids are painted with the lightest shade of purple, the blue beneath them exaggerated and brighter, they shine and my God I would follow those stars to the end.

Her dark purple dress hangs off her shoulders, hugging her upper arms. The rest of it hugs her in places I would sell my soul to touch again. It’s dotted with shining silver speckles that brighten and dim. Her dress is alive with stars, the constellations marking her as the sky, my Skye.

She smiles up at me and I swear I melt, my heart beats so heavily in my chest I think it might rupture or escape, “Well, hello Severus.”

My mouth opens but is devoid of words. I could never find words to describe how beautiful she looks to me and at this moment it’s even harder, “You look radiant,” I manage.

Her cheeks flush as she takes in my appearance, “You look so handsome,” she says as her hands press against my collarbone and down my chest, her voice giddy with excitement.

The shine in her eyes is intoxicating and I can only hope it’s mirrored in mine. 

She links her arm with mine and we follow the colorful stream of students in beautiful dresses to the Great hall. The house tables are gone, replaced by at least a hundred small circular ones. Hearts of all shades and hues of pink line the walls, some in clusters like bouquets and some on strings and hanging in a line. Even the ceiling has been set with a dark pink sky above us.