A few days has passed since Severus and David discovered Florina's body in the forbidden forest. Ever since then, they didn't have any long conversation since the discovery. The days passed with David staying beside Florina the entire time and Severus coming from time to time to see if she woke up.

Both the professors decided to not tell Dumbledore what happened because as David put it, "The old crook wouldn't give a damn."

On the other side, Davies told Rose where Florina was and she flew to her in a hurry while the ghost returned to his cave. The ghost promised Rose to visit her from time to time to see if there are any changes to the witch after the cursing ritual.

When the fairy entered the hospital wing, she gasped, putting her hands over her mouth. Her best friend, her carrier, was laying on the bed immobile, her arms and legs wrapped in a heavy cast. She overheard Pomfrey saying Florina will stay in them for the next few weeks until her potions heal all the fractures.

Rose slowly flew to Florina and sat beside her on the bed smoothing her hair down as she sobbed silently. "I am sorry darling," she whispered "It's all my fault."

A week later, the witch finally woke up. Since it was a Saturday, both the wizards decided to stay with her like usual. The students and faculty had already left Hogwarts except for a very few Professors including Severus and David.

Florina slowly opened her eyes, staring at the ceiling. The emerald eyed wizard was the first to notice Florina and nudged Severus. Both the wizard's concerned faces turned to relief. David brought his chair closer to her and whispered, "Flora."

She didn't respond right away – in fact she didn't even turn towards his voice and laid still on her bed staring at the ceiling. Severus gestured for his look alike to leave the witch alone. Her recent traumatic event might be the cause of her silence, he thought.

David protested silently which earned him a fixating glare from the potions master and got up on his feet. With a deep sigh, David patted Florina's hand softly and followed the potions master out of the hospital wing.

Rose was standing behind the two wizards skeptical. She was scared from discovering a new Florina after the cursing ritual and stood still even after the wizards got out. Florina remained silent as she kept staring at the ceiling. She was aware of her surroundings, the wizards who sat beside her, and of the hovering presence of her best friend. But she couldn't move or rather, she didn't bother.

Both of the friends stayed like that for a very long time with Rose petrified in place and Florina not wanting to engage with anyone. After what seemed like forever, Rose slowly took a few steps forward standing beside Florina. She then bent down to make the witch turn to her. Florina's reaction wasn't something Rose anticipated, she turned to her side facing away from her fairy's concerned gaze. Rose felt a heavy metal sword stab through her heart. She doesn't want to even look at me, she thought sadly.

The fairy wanted to intervene and explain to Florina her absence but her subconscious advised against it. The internal turmoil inside the fairy's head made her ache to the bones. She took a small step forward but again her subconscious scolded her bitterly making her jump back a few steps as if her feet touched lava.

Finally deciding to mimic the two wizards, she took a shaky breath and went out giving Florina her privacy.

**********

Florina was released by Pomfrey a week later when she was sure the witch was going to be assisted by David until her limbs heal. The witch's limbs were both in casts forcing her to sit on a wheel chair. Florina let David wheel her out of the hospital wing silently.

The witch didn't care much for her surroundings, she didn't even look David in the eye when he assisted her to the chair. She was just silent and she remained silent until he wheeled her to the dungeons. When they arrived at the stairs of the dungeon, he offered his hand to her which she took automatically.

Instead of letting her lean her weight on him, he slid his arms under her legs and with a single swift move, lifted her off the ground. He was surprised that she wasn't as light as he had suspected but it was too late to back down.

Carefully, he began taking the steps one at a time pausing after every few minutes to catch his breath. She certainly was heavy for him to walk around with let alone carry down a huge flight of stairs. As he was in midway, he heard hurrying footsteps coming up the stairs.

A silhouette of a man appeared in front of him and David knew exactly whom he was. He let out a short breath bracing himself for the snarky remarks on how he fantasies about Florina. When the potions master saw David and the witch in his arms, his eyes widened in surprise.

He got closer to the two, taking note that Florina didn't want to face either him or David. Just like her strange mannerism in the hospital, she was facing the ceiling. Severus sighed, "You are aware you are a wizard Dickenson, correct?"

David glared at him silently feeling his arms getting numb from the heavy weight. When the emerald eyed wizard didn't respond, Severus demonstrated what he meant and slowly lifted Florina off of David's arms with his wand. The taller wizard let out a surprised gasp shooting daggers at the potions master.

As David stepped forward to intervene, Severus held a hand to stop him and hissed, "I will take it from here."

"But this is risky Snape," David's voice was dangerously low "you could drop her by accident."

Severus scoffed, "Don't worry yourself Dickenson, your beloved will arrive at her quarters safe and sound."

If looks could kill then surely the hateful daggers that shot out of David's eyes would have done the job flawlessly. The potions master ignored him however and carefully maintained his wand on Florina taking her down with him.

Rose was behind the two hovering sadly maintaining a large gap between her and her best friend. If she doesn't want me near her then I should at least respect her wishes, she thought to herself as she shed a silent tear.

Florina didn't care that she was floating in midair by Severus nor did she address his presence. She took a short breath when she felt her arms aching inside their casts. But once again, she didn't audibly complain to either Severus or her heart broken fairy.

After the trio arrived at Florina's quarters, Severus made sure she was seated safely on her wheel chair. He then crouched down by her knees and silently took something tiny out of his pockets and enlarged it in his hands.

It was a book titled The mysteries of Potion making, a book that he loved to read in his spare time. A book that he could never have thought he can part with.

But now she needs it more than me, he thought to himself as he laid the book on her lap.

She slowly looked up at him, slight confusion itched on her face. The corners of his mouth turned upwards slightly as he said, "I remember you loved reading about potions and this one will definitely peek your interest. I suggest reading chapter hundred and seven – potions of the medieval times."

Her expression was for the first time extremely unreadable to him. Usually, she is an expressive person and her emotions can be easily read by him, just as her thoughts. Most of the time without using Legilimens on her. But this time, something didn't feel right to him.

He frowned slightly in concentration when she didn't respond. She held his gaze wordlessly.

Rose felt sudden pain at the back of her head as if she was hit by something invisible. She turned to see what it was but found nothing. Looking back at Florina, she saw her looking straight into her eyes in a long eerie gaze. She wasn't looking at Severus anymore.

The fairy felt her knees getting weaker and gulped. You are scaring me Florina, she whispered in her mind to her best friend.

Good. Now you know how I felt Rosaline, Florina responded for the first time in daysthe blue shimmer in her eyes gone.