Letting Go

Chapter Twenty

The next morning, Kagome found herself crawling out of bed, still exhausted from the night before. She hadn't been sleeping well, to begin with, but now the whole Terry Boot situation had her even more troubled than when it was just Cho she was contending with. Well, Cho and company.

Kagome dressed in her school uniform and her new robes, eyes lingering on the emerald green lining beneath the cauldron black fabric of her robe. It was a new feeling. To be honest, she felt a bit more confident since the change, but she still had her doubts as far as Blaise was concerned. He wasn't rude; he was actually quite polite. He seemed to mean well. It was just... she wasn't used to Old Magick Creeds and such. Not that it mattered what she was comfortable with, well, more now she guessed than before. He did say he wanted her to be his girlfriend, so that was something. 'His girlfriend, though. I can't even imagine how much drama that would cause.'

Kagome placed down her brush and pulled her hair back over her shoulders and out of her way. Glancing in the mirror, she smiled uncertainly at her reflection before grabbing her bag and wand and leaving the room she shared with Pansy. Her roommate not in her bed; she most likely was out in the Slytherin Common room. Yep. Sitting on the settee across from the glowing flames that were awake in the fireplace. Beside her, Draco and Blaise were also seated. The three working through the last of their schoolwork that was due today. About to make her way over to Pansy when the passage swung open to reveal a perturbed Severus Snape.

"Miss. Higurashi, a moment, please." He sounded exhausted. Blaise stood up only to stop when their Head of House held up a hand to stop him. "Mr. Zabini, I need to speak with her alone first."

"..." for the first time since she was placed in this situation, Kagome found herself wanting to reach out for Blaise. Feeling nervous by the severity in Snape's tone, though gentle it was, left no room for argument.

Stepping carefully after her Potions Professor, she took a calming breath. She was sure that whatever he needed wasn't as bad as the feeling in the pit of her stomach was making it out to be. "Professor?"

"We will speak in a moment, Miss. Higurashi."

On the other hand,...

Kagome watched his cloak billow dauntingly before her. When they finally stopped, she realized that they were outside of the Potions classroom. Walking inside, he waved his hand, and the door behind her closed with a resounding bam! The wandless magic surprised her for barely a brief moment, but she returned her attention to the matter at hand. She wasn't sure what this was all about, but she was clearly about to find out. "Professor," she tried again.

"Take a seat, Miss. Higurashi." He heaved a deep breath. This was such a weird sight. Kagome took a seat, her hands giving way to a slight tremor, a show of her nerves working overtime. "Last night, I received a visit from Mr. Malfoy. He'd gone to investigate your home, specifically the lack of reply from your mother."

"Mom? Is she alright?"

"...your mother was found dead yesterday. We've a suspect in mind."

"What...? No." She shook her head, her face suddenly losing color, not understanding the situation at all, "no, no!" Standing suddenly, she slammed her palms down on the desk in front of her. "You're lying! My mom, why— why would she— why would someone kill her?!"

Watching her hands tighten into vice-like grips on the edge of the desk, Severus leaned back against his own desk. "You haven't asked who our suspect is, Miss. Higurashi."

"Who?!" Would it matter who? Would it change how upset she was? "Who is it?!"

Analyzing her, his eyes calmly considered whether he should tell her, but after leading up to it, he really didn't have much of a choice. "Your father..."