Strangers

I don’t know how she could do it. Taking care of William while being worried over someone else’s well-being. I don’t know how she could just sit there, pretend everything’s alright and wait for Severus to come back. I find it nerve-wracking. I wonder if this was really how she felt under all of her brave words. I’ve taken to looking outside myself, wondering when she was going to come back.

We gave the ring to McGonagall as soon as we could. Severus had wanted to hang onto it for a little while. Not really much that I could say about it. The crown (that’s what it really was) had been given to Potter and his gang to deal with afterwards. I don’t know if they’ve destroyed it or not.

Everything’s slowly coming together at our side of the Wizarding War and we could only wish Kenya and Lord Vader luck with the next fight against the Emperor.

Neither Severus nor I feel right to go back to Keily’s home—not until we know what has happened to her, whether she lives still or if she’s lost to us for good. Yuuko’s note did not leave much to the imagination and has made those who have read it believe in Keily’s death. With her prolonged disappearance without any sightings, it has become very difficult not believe the woman’s words.

They came this morning. At the time, William and I were fooling around with Keily’s laptop, going through the music files one by one when a dark portal opened up and a bizarre looking man dressed in red stepped through. Severus had walked into the parlour himself, freezing as he witnessed this strange phenomena.

“This seems to be the correct place. Good work, my apprentice.” The man said, in a voice exactly like Count Dooku’s. Had Keily been around, I’m sure she would have asked who he was. I didn’t ask. I demanded to know who the hell he was and what he was doing in the Order headquarters.

“All in good time my boy.” He said calmly, hands behind his back. “Right now I’ve a delivery to make on behalf of the witch, Yuuko.” He looked to the opened portal. “Kyxiel.”

Another person (this one dressed in a black coat with the hood up) came through the portal carrying someone I had been waiting for.

“Dear Merlin.” Severus whispered.

I left William with the laptop to go forward and see for myself, Severus having gone into shock. Had I been him I would have, too. For there Keily was, looking for all the world as if she were merely sleeping. She barely moved. She didn’t move.

“Is she dead?” I asked, reaching forward. I snatched my hand away just as soon as I touched Keily’s skin. Dear god, she was so cold! Like ice! The person, Kyxiel, handed Keily over to me. As she did, I saw a glimpse of what was under the hood--messy black hair and glowing red eyes. I gulped as I struggled to hold Keily—I was never really that strong.

“Not quite dead, not quite alive, I’m afraid.” The man in red said. “And she isn’t undead either…But I do believe she’s lost something of great value. A most curious thing really…” He turned around and began to exit into the portal. “Come Kyxiel.”

Severus finally snapped out of his stupor at that point. “Wait! What do you mean that she lost something?” he demanded, rushing forward. “Did a dementor devour her soul?”

I watched the man smirk at Severus behind his strange wrappings.

“You’ll find out…one way or another…” was all he said. He turned to look at his apprentice who nodded at him. She started to follow the man into the portal, but stopped as William hit a key on the laptop keyboard with a hand. A music box tune began to play, making Kyxiel turn and listen to the playing music. She obviously knew the song, since she stood there for a little while, l listening to the melody. I knew the song as well. It was a song that Keily had used for the basis of one of her fanfictions, which she had called ‘Chain of Memories’. The man in red looked at her in confusion. “Kyxiel?”

Kyxiel started. “…This music…Master Diz…I feel as if…” she trailed off.

Diz became impatient with his apprentice. “Nobodies do not feel, Kyxiel. You should know that by now.” She said nothing, just going straight into the portal, enveloped by the darkness. Diz nodded to us in farewell and left.

…

Does anyone mind telling us what just happened?

~Draco