Arlyn Quinn and the Lost Girl -* A Severus Snape Fanfic *-

What Happened to Wisteria Annie Walker

It was just after dinner when Arlyn found herself seated at her desk in her classroom, grading essays, or trying to at least. She's been curious about Severus' strange behaviour earlier that day and it's been occupying her thoughts more than she liked. It made teaching Potions relatively harder and focusing on the words on the papers nearly impossible.

At least it was a peaceful night; the sky was clear and the stars overly visible. It was almost sinful to remain indoors and not lie on the grass while stargazing. Arlyn caught herself staring longing out of the window a few times, just thinking. After shaking herself out of yet another trance, she finally decided to call it a day and grade the papers the following morning.

After organizing her desk, she was about to retreat to her room when a familiar blue figure caught her eye, floating out of the showroom towards her. It was strange seeing the girl's ghost after all these weeks, Arlyn almost thought she has gone to rest for good after she found the girl's diary.

"Hello, Wisteria," Arlyn greeted the girl with a tiny smile, "Long time no see."

Wisteria stopped a few feet from her, hovering in one spot while only staring at her with those big, mouse-like eyes.

"I read your diary," Arlyn broke the ice, "Don't know if that's what you wanted or why you led me to it, but I know about Gwynevere," she paused to see the girl's reaction. Wisteria only blinked and Arlyn continued, "I know she's my mother. Did you know that or...?"

The girl nodded.

"Is that why you wanted me to find your diary?"

She frowned, shaking her head side to side.

"Yes and no?" Arlyn leaned back against her desk, crossing her arms, "If that's not the entire reason, then what is? I get it, you admired Gwynevere and her disappearance - I mean, abduction came as a great shock to you. I just don't understand why you didn't tell anyone she was kidnapped, or what you expect me to do about it."

Wisteria's lips drew in a thin line before she seemed to think of something. Beckoning for Arlyn to follow, she floated through the desks and into the showroom, where she, in a blink of an eye, disappeared into one of the old Muggle radios.

Arlyn paused, frowning as she glanced side to side, "Okay... now what?"

Then, all of a sudden, the radio turned itself on, the knobs turning on their own and switching through channels too fast for Arlyn to catch anything that was playing. However, after listening closely a moment longer, she realized Wisteria was changing the channels to collect words from different programs in order to construct full sentences.

"I... was too... scared... a... girl was... kidnapped... by... men with... marks... on... arms..."

"Marks on their arms?" Arlyn echoed, "Like tattoos? Or did they look different, like the mark of a cult?"

"Yes... they... kidnapped... her... say something... about... blood... being pure... would make... perfect... host for... heir..."

"Heir," Arlyn muttered - Heir of Slytherin? It couldn't be a coincidence, she refused to believe it, "Tell me more, Wisteria."

"I was... scared... did not... tell... but... two days... later... I... was taken... men with... marks... arms... take me to... cold... dark... place... where a... monster... lives..."

A frown etched itself onto her brow as Arlyn placed both hands on the radio as if it would get Wisteria to just spit it out already, "Monster? The one attacking the students these past few months? Come on, Wisteria, I need to know everything and quick!"

"Monster... big and... long... snake... they left... me... with it... then I... could... no longer... move..."

Monster.