Severus recognised the owl who dropped the letter into his hands: the same one who had delivered Jamie's last letter. Forewarned, he nodded grimly to himself at the confirmation of the familiar handwriting on the outside of the note.
As dark eyes flicked across the lines of script within, Severus' tense expression grew positively grim. "Wait for a reply," he told the owl, summoning some treats for the bird.
He pocketed the letter and squared his shoulders, turning to face Al. Drawing a deep breath, he forced down the twist of anguish in his stomach, pushed away his dread of the effect of this latest blow to Al.
His expression grave, he reached for Al with a gaze as wide and dark as wounds, mutely offering to share the terrible news, rather than pinning it down in bleak, empty words.