The young girl lingering outside the door leaned against the railing, gazing out at the deep, desolate sea. She paced back and forth before the threshold, yet alone refused to step forward and knock once more. As the lights flickered on in the restaurant at the bow for the evening, she glanced at the door that remained utterly silent, and turned toward the dining hall.
Not long after the girl departed, Snape emerged from his room. He stood midway between his own door and the one next to it, lingering for a long time. Turning back toward the still-illuminated restaurant, he half-thought of going over, only to remember he had not even taken his coat, and his coin-storing ring had been left behind in his suitcase.
Carrying two large boxes of food, the girl returned. Seeing that the light inside her room was already extinguished, her expression dimmed, and she retreated to her own quarters. Just as she closed her door behind her, Snape—having turned off his lights and stepped out—pushed open his door. Noticing that the adjacent room's light was now on, he walked toward the restaurant. As he entered, two crew members brushed past him on either side.
Chapter 115