Severus tossed the book away when the flame had crept up to lick at his fingers and stopped when Alecto tugged at him.
"I did a fool thing and sought out someone I should have never seen again. There's a reason the dead stay dead," he said, trying hard to detach himself from his emotions. They'd eat him alive if he didn't.
"I deserved what I got. Now I'd like to forget it ever happened."