Forever Yours

12. Rosmerta's

You were sobbing.  You kept saying, "Oh Lily, my Lily!  It's all my fault!"  I patted you on the shoulder to comfort you and asked who Lily was.  You told me that she was a woman you loved after I held you for a moment.  You seemed like you needed a hug so I gave you one.  I asked you your name and you told me.  We talked for a moment longer.  You tried to order another drink, which would have been your seventh one, and you were already drunk, so I took it from you.  That wasn't a particularly pleasant experience, especially when I let it fall to the floor.  That incident made you get up and you staggered toward me.  You tripped on some of the glass in the floor and knocked me into the floor again.  This time you landed on top of me.  You didn't hurt me though.  You told me not to fall in love with you, that it would get me killed and that was what it had done to Lily.  It breaks my heart even more now that I know what you meant by the next line: "She wasn't in love with me though, was she?"

I don't know why I did it, Severus, but I kissed you lightly on the lips.  I felt like you needed it or something.  I don't know.  You got off of me then.  I sat up just as you were digging something out of your pocket.  You took my hand and laid the object inside.  I didn't look at it right away.  You said, "Keep this.  Let it be a reminder that if you ever find someone you love, don't let them go and make sure you tell them how you feel, because you never know what you've got until it's gone."  You got up and left after that.  I watched you go and the moment you were out of sight, I opened up my hand.  Lying there was a small sapphire shaped like a teardrop.  I don't know what it meant to you, but I have kept it all these years to remind me of exactly what you said.  I have it with me always.

So, that's what happened that night.  Now you know.

Severus stopped for a moment.  He had to wipe his eyes.  He remembered now.  Vaguely, but he remembered seeing her that night.  Just reading her account jogged his memory.  He had watched her out of the corner of his eye as she came in.  Lucy had been wearing a low cut purple dress and her hair was up in a cascade of curls.  He dwelled on the memory for a moment, glad he could finally remember.  And the sapphire?  He couldn't believe he had given that away!  It was a gift from Lily the day they first met.  He had almost completely forgotten about it.  She told him that it was a symbol that she would never forget him and vice versa.  He had been the only one to keep up his end of that deal.  He sighed and continued.

As for the matter of my well being, not to worry.  I have tonic that I'm taking.  A friend of mine made it for me, a special blend.  Thank you for the offer though, Severus.  That is very sweet of you.

I was never the same after I met you that night.  I wondered about you for days.  Jo and I went back to the states to get some more of our things and all I could think about was our encounter.  I had dreams about you and you were constantly on my mind.  Your face, your tears, your broken heart, everything about you that night haunted me until I got in touch with you again.  That sounds insane, doesn't it?

Oh and I would be happy to tell you who Lulu is.  Or rather, she would.  All you have to do is ask...

Love,

Lucy

Severus knitted his eyebrows together in confusion.  He eyed Lulu cautiously.  He got up from his desk, picked the owl up and sat her gently on the floor.

"Okay, Lulu," he said.  He felt completely ridiculous.  "Lucy tells me just to ask, so who are you?"

She cooed at him, looking up at him curiously.  Suddenly she started to flap her wings several times in a row.  Once she finished she put them over her eyes.  Severus got the hint and closed his eyes although he didn't really want to.  Once he did, she began to grow.  Nervous, Severus took a step backwards.  He had no idea who was about to materialize in front of him, but he knew it had to be a woman now that he thought about it.  Why else would the owl itself be a girl?  Did he know her?  But most importantly, could he trust her?  He heard and felt a small wind.