Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OC (Katherine) is entirely my own.
A loud crack echoed throughout the small valley, as Katherine apparated beside the small stream. Lightning flashed overhead in the distance, signaling another storm approaching.
"SEVERUS!" Katherine shouted, as she ran towards the tent. "SEVERUS!" As she entered the camp, she found it was dark and silent, except for the low rumble of thunder from the incoming storm. "Sev?"
But no one answered. Katherine walked into the bedroom, then the kitchen, but there was no sign that he had recently been there. She hurried out of the tent and into the darkness of the night. The flashes had increased and the thunder became more violent as she ran back to the edge of the stream.
"SEVERUS!" Katherine shouted. "WHERE ARE YOU?" A brilliant flash of lightning lit up the entire valley, then the rain began to fall heavily to the earth below. Katherine scrambled for her wand and pointed towards the area around her. "Homenum Revelio."
She waited, her eyes still scanning the darkened valley as her wand remained still in hand. She was alone.
....................
Severus had disapparated away without really thinking, but soon found himself in the back alley of a small wizarding village. He hurried forward, and glanced around the corner of the old building, checking for any signs of life.
After finding none, he silently disillusioned himself and quickly walked down the street towards a small stone church. As he reached the kissing gates at the entrance of a small graveyard, he pushed one open as quietly as possible.
A light breeze blew through the trees and shrubs that surrounded the cemetery, and the scent of flowers filled his nose. He had visited this cemetery so many times before, but it still amazed him how many names he recognized.
Peverells. Abbotts. He thought he saw a McGonagall as well. Dumbledores. Potters.
Potter.
Lily.
Severus stood before a white marble double headstone. It was so white that it seemed to illuminated in the darkened graveyard. He knelt before the woman's name and etched the engraved words with the tips of his fingers.
Lily Potter
Born 30 January 1960
Died 31 October 1981
He could feel the tears stinging his eyes as he stared at her name in the stone. He tried to stop them from falling, but couldn't. Severus felt the cold teardrop run down his cheek and hastily wiped it away.
'I'm failing you.' he thought, as he swallowed hard, trying to stop the tears. 'I'm failing both of you.' Both of you; both Lily and Katherine. He slowly took out his wand, and picked up a small stone from the ground. Severus waved his wand over it, transfiguring it into a white lily, then place it below the engraving.
"Severus?" a soft voice called out to him. Severus rose quickly and looked about in all directions. Only to find himself still alone in the cemetery.
"Severus?" the voice came again. "Where are you?"It was Katherine, he realized. She was looking for him. But he felt he still needed some time alone, and occluded his mind. The voice stopped, but he felt an overwhelming guilt build up inside him for doing so.
Slowly he made his way out of the graveyard and down the street towards the last place that Lily was seen alive.
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YOU ARE READING
The Potion Mistress & the Half-Blood Prince
General FictionSeverus finally gets the position he has always wanted, but it means dealing with a new Potions professor and a woman from his past. Takes place during the HBP, DH and beyond. AU. Rated M for later chapters.
