The ride back to Earth was silent. 

The fairy was very high up above the clouds her wings beating as strongly as she could muster. She felt her yellowish glow returning once more that she was within the Earth's atmosphere and her body began to relax.

Gradually, her wings started to grow stronger again and she felt herself able to hold Florina tighter to her chest. 

The witch's whole body was almost dangling underneath her fairy. She was sleeping soundly not realizing she is almost ten thousand feet above the ground.

Rose's mind was racing. She didn't know what to do. Fear enveloped her and she tried her best to not let it cloud her judgment. 

Davies was right. 

How did she think she could hid Florina's curse from her for that long? 

Florina was eventually destined to find out no matter how far away they went. Rose wished however her carrier wouldn't find out that soon. She planned to tell her in the appropriate time, when she is ready. The fairy knows the witch better than anyone else.

Telling Florina now means throwing the truth in her face. She is not strong enough to handle it, she thought. This journey has been nothing but many discoveries at once and look where it got her. Her curse got activated and she was almost killed twice.

She flew swiftly over the clouds. 

Everything around them was fluffy and white. Typically, a view like that would get Rose intrigued. She loved Earth's beauty too much and usually doesn't miss any chance of engulfing said beauty. 

But she knew it wasn't the time for sightseeing, she had a mission that she needs to see through.

She had to face her Queen. 

She had to look her in the eye and tell her that she failed. She failed in protecting Florina from the curse and she failed in keeping her ignorant. And most of all, she let Augustus Agrippa escape.

Just as her Fairy flew above a huge cloud, she felt her carrier stir in her arms followed by a groan from her friend.

"Where are we?" Florina whispered as she felt the strong wind on her face preventing her from opening her eyes. 

It didn't take her much time to realize that she was being flown again by a mysterious being. She stirred violently to free herself from the hands that were holding her.

Rose, who wasn't expecting such an act, let out a surprised squeal and immediately held Florina tighter before she could slip from her hands and fall to her death.

"Florina!" she exclaimed "We are ten thousand feet above the ground and your first instinct is to jump from my arms," she scolded.

Upon hearing her best friend's voice, Florina immediately relaxed in her fairy's arms. 

When the witch got silent, Rose sighed "I am sorry for yelling at you. I should have expected you might wake up during our flight but I honestly didn't want to wake you up. You seemed very exhausted."

"It's alright," Florina replied quietly.

Once Florina was able to relax, Rose gradually slowed down allowing Florina to open her eyes and see the breath-taking scene. The witch wasn't terrified of heights but there was something unsettling about looking at the Earth from ten thousand feet away. She also wasn't aware that her fairy had the ability to fly such an extremely high height and maintain it.

On any other day, Florina would get extremely curious and immediately bombard her fairy with a million questions. 

However the recent events left no room for curiosity nor happiness. It was just filled with the sound of Rose's wings beating slowly. Her wings sounded like roars in the nature's silence. With every sharp rise and fall, Rose cradled he friend to her chest even closer. 

The fear that Florina felt moments ago was extinguished and replaced with only sadness.

When the witch remembered what happened with Agrippa, she couldn't help but shed silent tears. 

It was because of her that the nasty ghost escaped. All the supposed work that went into capturing that ghost was gone the moment she performed the ritual. What was worse was not knowing what he planning to do with her. 

From the short encounter with him, she gathered that he loathed her beyond belief and she wished she could know the reason why.

After a long moment of silence, the witch managed to croak, "Where are you taking me?"

"I need to take you somewhere to have a small chat and then we will be going back to Hogwarts."

Hogwarts? she thought.

Florina frowned and wiped an angry tear. "But Rose we haven't retrieved the book yet. Besides, we cannot leave Severus and David back there, I don't even know what Augustus did to them."

Rose sighed heavily swallowing a giant lump in her throat. She felt her arm getting numb so she slowly shifted Florina's weight on her other arm. She remained silent for a few moments trying to think carefully of what to say next.

"They are already at Hogwarts," she said slowly "Severus found a way out of the trap cave Augustus placed him in and took David along with him. He tried to find you but he couldn't. He went back to the cabin to get the elf and...well... that's when my vision stopped. I'm sure he will be explaining the rest to you when you meet him. But one thing I'm certain of, they are extremely worried about you, especially David."

Florina frowned confused. She whirled around to look at her fairy. "How did you know about all that? You were with me this entire time."

Rose sighed once more and the witch felt her reluctance to answer. 

She let out a deep breath "I...I have the ability to see snippets of the future in form of visions. If I go to a different realm, I'm allowed to see the future. However, I cannot inform you or any human of it."

Florina furrowed her brows in confusion, "But you just told me the future, didn't you?"

Rose shook her head, "It wasn't the future dear, it was the past. According to my calculations, it has been one week since we got into the realm of the wandering souls."

"Wait, what?" Florina looked over her shoulder to look at her fairy.

Rose sighed. "Florina, we stayed approximately ten minutes in the realm of wandering souls which is equivalent to ten thousand and eighty Earth minutes. Simply one week."

Florina was confused but nodded slowly the information sinking in. She felt relieved that both Severus and David were alright and for once didn't feel the need of knowing the details of how they survived.

Rose took another sharp rise avoiding a massive cloud only by inches. Her heart was beating faster the closer they got to their destination. She wasn't the one to break the rules, she is a follower her entire life. 

She kept reminding herself that what she was about to do was for Florina's own good. She had to break the rules once in her lifetime and tell her carrier whatever can protect her.

Of course she wasn't planning to tell her friend the entire truth. That would be placing her in danger. 

As much as it hurt Rose to tell her best friend everything she knew, she was aware that she would be throwing her into a fire she is too fragile to handle. But she decided to take Davies's advice and tell Florina whatever can shield her in the future.

Rose remained silent the entire time she was making a decision. She finally concluded that she wanted to earn the trust of her friend once more. It was crucial for both of them in the future.

After a few moments of hard consideration, Rose began, "So Florina you must be wondering where I'm taking you now," Florina looked over her shoulder and nodded "Well I'm about to do something that will probably get me banished for life if our fairy Queen ever knew..."

Florina gave her a bewildered expression but remained calm. Rose took a deep breath, "I will...I will take you to a place where time...um...literally freezes. It is...uh...it is one of our secret locations as fairies and no human is ever allowed to set foot in it. We usually use it under direct orders from Nixie herself and since I am ordered to look for my carrier, I get the chance to use it."

Florina was petrified, her lips were held shut. "Why are you going to do that?"

Rose smiled down at her "Well it's about time I answered your questions, don't you think? I promised you I will after all. Before I leave you, I need you to be aware of a few things o—"

Florina interrupted in surprise, "You are leaving me?"

"Just for a few days...don't worry my dear. I need to inform our Fairy Queen Nixie of what happened before Augustus could get a hold of Lucifer. She might be able to do something before Lucifer's demons could take any action."

Florina nodded and lowered her head. "I am sorry, this all has been my fault. If I hadn't –"

Rose immediately jumped in, "It wasn't your fault Florina, you couldn't have known. If there was anyone to blame, it would be me. I should have explained what he was instead of pushing you away." Florina shook her head.

"But honey now is not the time for the blame game. We have to find a solution to this and fast. Therefore I need to freeze time and tell you whatever you need to know. But like I told you before, I will answer whatever I can. I cannot tell you anything that might change your fate. You will have to find it out on your own, for your safety. I hope you understand."

Florina nodded. "I understand."

The fairy smiled at her and shifted her weight to one arm to took something out of her back pocket with her free hand. She adjusted Florina's weight once more.

"Take this," she gave her a piece of cloth "Now I need you to listen to me carefully. Right now I will be moving in light speed something that a human body cannot handle. But don't worry as long as you are with me you are shielded from any harm."

"However traveling at such high speeds might scare you to death if your eyes were open. So I need you to blindfold yourself and whatever you do don't open your eyes. Promise me!"

Florina nodded as she brought the cloth to her eyes tying it firmly. "I promise," she said securing the blindfold around her eyes.

Once Rose made sure the blindfold is secure, she charmed the cloth to be glued to her carrier's face and took a deep breath. With a single powerful beat, she was charging towards the beyond in inhuman speed.

Severus POV:

I quickly wore my clothes and went to the infirmary as I have been doing for the past week. 

It was Saturday and barely morning as few sunlight rays poured into the room blending themselves with the ground. 

Almost all the students were sleeping in their common rooms and only a few of them were seen scattered here and there. As it was the weekend, I didn't call them out for walking in the school grounds that early in the morning. 

At that moment I couldn't care less. I focused on only one thing, to go to the hospital wing hoping to see any changes or hearing any good news. 

It has been eight days with the same outcome.

It took me a few moments to get to the infirmary. Once I arrived, I opened the giant doors as quietly as I could trying to not wake up its residents. 

I scanned the room for the body that laid on the bed until I found it. 

Like usual, it remained still like it always did for the past week, no signs of life whatsoever. And also like the past week, the body wasn't alone.

A man was sitting on the chair beside the bed sleeping in an unnatural position. The man's head was hanging dangerously low to the side and his knees were raised to his chest. 

His face was hidden by the curtains of his black hair that hovered above his face lightly whenever he inhaled and exhaled. He seemed to have laid his head on his knees as a make shift pillow but changed positions midway and now resided in that painful position.

"Did he seriously sleep in that uncomfortable chair with her the entire night?" I asked myself slowly getting closer to the sleeping man.

I lightly tapped him on the shoulder to wake him up. "Dickenson," I whispered.

The man didn't respond however and continued to snore lightly. I shook him with more force to wake him up. 

"Dickenson wake up," I said in a tone slightly higher than a whisper.

His emerald eyes opened at once searching for the unconscious body, "Wha...What? Did...did she wake up?"

I shook my head giving him an impassive look. "No. She is still very much unconscious."

David sighed sadly. 

Suddenly, he turned around and I saw the emerald eyes look up at me glaring, "Then why the hell did you wake me up you git!" he exclaimed putting his head back on his knees.

I glared at him, "Much like the imbecile you are, your head was going to be almost decapitated hadn't I woken you up. Unless you prefer to sleep like a vampire in which case, my apologizes for saving your life."

He huffed not looking up at me, "Just piss off alright. I am going through enough right now without your cheekiness."

I glared at him but decided not to continue with that meaningless conversation any further. 

In some way, he was right. Ever since we found her body buried in the snow with no signs of life, all he did was stay beside her all day. 

He gave up eating and drinking. His hair was a mess. It wasn't bouncy and full of life as it once was. He hadn't shaved or showered for days.

Pomfrey tried to comfort him countless times, even offered to stay with her until he eats something or the very least care for himself but he would always refuse.

I couldn't help but wonder if he truly cared for her that much. It didn't seem like he did before when they both were students. 

I would often see her with his brother and him always sitting as far from them as possible. But now that I think about it, I would often catch a glimpse of him staring back at the happy couple. 

Was it out of jealousy? Or just hatred for his brother?

What changed?, I thought to myself.

It was evident that he cared for her later in his life, when she left Hogwarts. 

It was evident by his sadness and anger every time he sees her holding hands with his brother. 

He thought no one saw his extreme jealousy when they left together, but I saw that. He might have felt no one knew what he was feeling, no one knew his pain, but I did know. 

He thought that no one noticed him constantly smiling to himself when she does something silly, but I noticed. I knew that one of the reasons there was a huge animosity between him and his brother was because of her.

One of the reasons he turned to the man he was right now was because of her.

Whenever I see Dickenson caring for her that much but never packing up the courage to tell her how he feels, I would always remember Lily. How my life would have changed if I indeed told her what I felt? Would she have accepted me? Or would she still choose Potter over me?

I sat on the chair silently observing the body that laid on the bed breathing unevenly. It was a miracle that her body was found let alone be brought back to Hogwarts in one piece. Dickenson continued to slumber on his knees while it was drawn to his chest.

A few moments later, Poppy came in through the giant doors with a tray of cotton swaps in one hand and a green vial in the other. When she spotted me, she gave me a quick smile and laid the things on the nightstand beside the bed.

"The cleansing potion?" I asked her eyeing the think green liquid.

She nodded. "Yes. The poor girl needs her wounds to be dressed and changed on every day since she cannot do it herself," she turned to Dickenson and shook her head lightly "Is he still in that state? Still refusing to eat or take care of himself?"

I nodded looking at the man who quickly fell back to sleep from exhaustion.

"Poor lad," she turned to me "He must be in shock from what happened to her, it was truly tragic. Have you brought the reviving potions from Minerva, Severus?"

I got up and handed her three vials all containing a grey thick substance within them. 

After she cleaned and dressed the wound, she slowly put her hand under the witch's head to tilt her upwards and as carefully as she could poured down the contents of the vial. She was peeling her eyes looking for any scenes of choking and was thankful there weren't any.

Once the potions were administered, she laid the witch's head back on the bed and looked up at me. "Have you brought her daily medicines?"

"Medicines?" I asked bewildered.

"The potions that were prescribed to her by the healers at St. Mungo's. Even if she is in that peculiar comatose state, she must take them. Didn't you know that Severus?"

I sat down eyeing the witch, "Ever since we went on Dumbledore's quest, I haven't seen her taking any potions. Maybe she did indeed bring them with her but I have never seen her taking them."

She sighed. "Well, I have informed healer Ruby Robinson of Florina's coma and she is coming in a few days. She is an old friend of mine and the healer responsible for Florina's recovery. Poor Ruby, she was so upset when I told her. She considered Florina as one of her own children, was a major reason for her recovery."

I didn't know how to respond so I just nodded. 

She sighed once more, "She told me she gave Florina a few potions for her condition and that she must take them preciously on time every day."

"What happens if she doesn't take them daily?" I asked confused.

She gave the witch a sardonic look, "Briefly, missing one or several days, Florina's condition is likely to return. Even worse than before in some cases. She might not be able to recover the second time if that happened. That is why it's very important for her to take her potions. If I gave you a list of each one, will you be able to get them for me Severus?"

I simply nodded trying to hide the shock on my face.

She is in a deep coma and now this! I exclaimed angrily in my mind.

She took a parchment from her pocket and handed it to me. I pocketed it without saying a word. 

She zoomed away taking both the tray and the empty vials and putting them in the medicine cabinet. Quietly, she went to tend to her other patients, most of them sleeping as soundly as the witch in front of him.

A few moments later, Minerva came in through the giant doors in a hurry. I noticed that she too made a habit of visiting Florina every day even if it was for just a few hours. 

Some of the Slytherin and Gryffindor first years visited her as well last night including the imbecile Harry Potter and the know it all Granger. 

The witch was loved by everyone even her students. They would often come and lay flowers and get well cards for her. 

It saddened me to see her in such state, lifeless with no soul. Just a body that laid on a hospital bed immobile.

"How is she today?" Minerva asked sitting beside Dickenson who began snoring lightly again.

"Still in a comatose just as she has been for the past week," I replied sounding impassive "No signs of response or recovery."

She held the witch's hand softly, "Did you give her the reviving potions I gave you last night Severus? I am aware I told you to wait until we get the approval from Cornelius but he was being ridiculous, wanting to sign the approval papers after a month!"

I arched a brow, "That shouldn't be a surprise Minerva. There must be an enormous waiting list for that potion. They likely only preserve that potion for the...wealthy and politically important." 

"Judging by the amount of time it takes to make such a delicate potion, they obviously won't hand it to any one if they are not certain of their worthiness."

She slowly left the witch's hand and sat up glaring. "Severus, you know very well that I am well aware of that. I will appreciate however if you were a tad more sensitive with your clarifications. One of our staff members is laying on this bed helpless and alone. The least we could do for her is to show some decency."

Her comment struck me hard like a thousand daggers stabbing my heart all at once. I turned away from her and gazed at the sleeping body. 

The air got heavy for a while and it was only pierced by David's light snoring. 

After a few moments, I took a quick glance at the old woman to see her looking back at me, a sad expression on her face, as if she was trying to apologize.

I took a deep breath and spoke calmly, "I am just stating the ugly truth Minerva. Besides, if I was as uncaring and insensitive as you claim, why would I already give her the potions without waiting for the ministry's approval? Why would I take full responsibility for my actions putting my entire career and possibly life on the line?"

She fully turned to me shocked, "You did what?"

I simply nodded, "Yes Minerva. Me and Pomfrey were tired of the wait knowing that Miss Woods here might die if she stays like this with no further treatment. We gave her the potions just a few moments before your arrival."

An odd expression descended on her face and I wasn't sure if she was angry at me or glad of what I did. Suddenly and extremely out of character, she wrapped her arms around my side hugging me tightly. That action took me by surprise and all I could do was wait until it was over.

"How could you be so reckless?!" she exclaimed making David frown and shift to the other side away from us. "This is not like you Severus. I didn't raise you to be that reck –"

I immediately interrupted her ignoring her comment of her "raising" me, "Like I told you Minerva, it had to be done. It has been eight days since our arrival and not a single action was taken to treat her, especially from our headmaster, a man who up until a week ago valued her."

"I went to him every day to tell him to convince Cornelius about the potion but all he did was ignore me and HER. For the past week, all we have been doing was cleaning her wounds and giving her potions that can barely keep her breathing. That's not enough to cure her. That's not enough to wake her up from her comatose."

I felt my anger rising "Her breathing got very ragged to the point where we almost lost her last night. If it wasn't for Dickenson's CPR skills, she would have been dead by now. I am ready to face the ministry if they didn't give their approval to use the potions but I am not ready to lose her. Not after I got her back..."

I stopped myself abruptly. What was I saying? I wasn't aware that I had that extreme rage in me. 

Truth be told I was extremely angry that no one was doing anything for the poor girl. It seemed like a few people took immediate actions to help her including myself David, Minerva and Pomfrey. 

However whenever I speak to Dumbledore about Florina, he would always seem dismissive, almost cold. Colder than me.

No actually, nothing like me. I wasn't treating her situation with coldness.

But I couldn't help but wonder, why the sudden change of heart towards Florina?

He was extremely happy to have her on board, he offered her the job after all. I noticed ever since I gave him the book portrait of Markov, he grew more and more dismissive of Florina. 

I could go as far as to say, he wished I had never found her or rescued her.

Minerva arched her brow giving me a peculiar expression. But it wasn't peculiar at all, it was empathy. She knew how I felt, almost as if she was sharing the exact same feeling. She softly took my hands in hers and gave them a gentle squeeze.

"I am terribly sorry my dear," she spoke softly "I understand how you must be feeling. I always seem to forget that you both were best friends when you were younger despite the age difference."

I lowered my gaze and shook my head cursing myself for letting my emotions slip.

She took a deep breath letting go of my hand, "And to ease your mind, I already spoke with the minister last night and told him of Miss Wood's case one more time. I explained how it's extremely urgent for our Professor to take that potion..." I sat up attentive "Of course he still reminded me of the paperwork, so I gave him a guarantee that once our Professor is healed, the school will be remaking a dozen of the reviving potion. I hope you won't mind Severus."

I shook my head giving her a weak smile. Extreme relief washed over me, at least one of my problems were solved.    

Author's note:

Hey guys! I hope you are liking this so far! In the next chapter, we will see more of Severus' and Florina's friendship.

So question of the day is, why do you think Florina fell into a coma on Earth even though she is perfectly fine with Rose?

If you liked this chapter and my story, please click the lil VOTE STAR. Make sure to tune in for the next chapter ;)

See ya all in the next one. Love ya!