Prologue
"Take it or leave it."
I looked up into the cold, blue eyes as they pierced me. I didn't have the energy to argue, and I was certainly in no fit position to bargain.
The figure before me extended a hand. It was pale, and although it was fairly small, it was manly. I twitched my arm, and felt my own warm blood from my soaked robes touch my skin.
"Well?"
"Deal," I grunted, summoning all of my remaining energy to force the word from my mouth. I pulled my heavy arm from the ground and grasped the hand.
I was immediately disgusted with myself; making a shaky compromise with somebody I could hardly trust, just to give me the chance to run away. What would Lily have said? Oh, Lily.
"Excellent. Until then, Severus Snape," the figure said. I saw a swish of robes from my position on the floor as my saviour turned to leave the shack.
"Just one moment."
The figure turned to face me again, one eyebrow cocked. They seemed utterly unperturbed by the fact that the battle of the century was taking place outside.
"Yes?"
"Who's winning?"
"Oh, didn't I tell you?" they said with a false laugh. "It's over. He's gone. You-Know-Who is dead."
I felt a mixture of emotions. The monster that had killed my love was dead.
"And the boy?"
"Harry Potter?"
"Who else?" My patience was beginning to wear thin.
"He's alive, and unharmed, from what I've heard. Asleep, I think, in his old dormitory."
"Excellent."
The figure turned to leave once more.
I summoned the last of my remaining strength to utter a final threat. "I know your secret. Not a word."
The figure paused. "Not a word," they repeated softly, before leaving through the tunnel with ease.
There was a flash of red and gold and a soft thump, then the Shrieking Shack went black.
Short little prologue there. Very short. But it can only get better from here :) I will love you forever if you review. I really mean it.
