Okay, so, I don´t know where this will be leading to, I just had this idea as I rewatched Deathly Hallows 1, seeing the beginning with Charity Burbage being killed and like always I was just struck by Alan Rickmans acting, this man is just amazing! The hidden emotion, as he knew Charity good... and then I just imagined what would be if it had been Rolanda, being the Snooch-shipper all the way. So, watch the scene again and imagine Rickman/Snape while reading ;)
I hope you all like it!
The night was dark and cold as Severus Snape walked up the long parkway that lead to the impressive Malfoy Manor. His black cloak seemed to unify with the atmosphere that surrounded the world since the rise of Lord Voldemort. As calm as he looked to the people that saw him, as churning was his inside and before he went to meet the Dark Lord, he had to gather his thoughts and clear his mind to hide all the things that could reveal his real loyalties.
The reason for his troubled mind was, once again, the night in which he had to kill Albus Dumbledore. Severus felt guilt, even while knowing that it had been an order by Albus himself and that the curse in his hand would have killed the headmaster months later anyway, and also sorrow about the man who had seen the real Severus all the time and who had given him a chance.
But it was not Albus who was the biggest part of the storm raging inside him. It was someone who had barely been visible to him this night, but he knew that the person had seen what he had done. He had felt the golden gaze on him, he had been able to bode the tears and the incredulity in these eyes.
It was always hard to stop himself from thinking about her, but it was getting more challenging every day since this night and there were always these questions in his mind: What was she thinking about him now? Did she hate him now? Would he ever see her again as it was clear that the war was nearly there and that people would be hunted? Every time when he looked at the possible scenarios he felt this overwhelming fear that paralyzed him for a few seconds.
Severus took a deep breath and closed his mind, preparing himself for the mental presence of the Dark Lord and walked through the large entrance hall into the big dining hall with its heavy wooden table. His gaze wandered over the death eaters already sitting at the table. In the back of the room he could see a silhouette hovering in the air in a laid position, but the shadows were taking to much light away to give him a clue about the identity of the person. He looked over to the Dark Lord, sitting at the end side of the table and nodded at the round, stepping to the last free chair, while the cold voice of Voldemort spoke:"Severus... I was beginning to fear you´ve lost your way! Come, we´ve saved you a seat."
Severus sat down without a comment about his late arrival. He had to control himself to not take the risk for a look to the figure floating in the shadows and fully concentrated himself on the dark wizard next to him.
"You bring news, I trust!"
Severus knew that the Lord would be asking for that. Deep inside himself he heard a voice screaming at him to not give them the information he had been assigned to search for, but he knew that there was only this single option.
"It will happen at next Saturday night", he answered calmly, but immediately he heard another death eater talk up against him:"Bullish, I heard something different, saying that they won´t move Potter before the 30th. They can´t bring him out till he is seventeen!"
He would have loved to punch the dumb face of this man for moving up against him, not for the first time. He raised his voice only a little bit to underline his certainty.
"This is a false trail! They assume we have infiltrated the ministry, giving us knowledge about his movements."
The conversation went on and Severus, turning his head to the talking people, tried to take a closer look on the figure. He assumed that it had to be a women, according to the shades that draw the body and the long hair hanging down. It was his luck that the Lord made a comment about the ministers words so that he was turning his attention back to Voldemort before he was asked where Potter would be moved to – otherwise he might have overheard him due to his rising interest on the person. Who was it?
"To a safe house. Mostly like to one of someone of the Order. Looking at the manner of protection, once there it will be impossible to attack him!"
Someone cleared his throat and then Bellatrix started to say something. Severus already knew that she would be offering to do something for the Lord and Severus chuckled inwardly by the thought that Bellatrix would even volunteer to lick the muddy boots of the Lord. Severus tried hard to concentrate on the conversation and to ignore the shadow and the cries from the cellar. The Lord talked about his wand and its impossibility to kill Potter, ultimately taking the wand from Lucius. Severus felt pity for Lucius who looked like a broken man, shivering in fear, not able to speak up in front of the Lord. Voldemort made a small movement with the wand and the figure in the shadow began to move towards the table.
"For those of you who did not notice – we have a guest tonight."
As the light of the candles and the fireplace started to give more visibility to the figure, Severus had a bad feeling in his stomach, not knowing were it was coming from. And then, as the figure was floating over the middle of the table, he felt his heart stop for a second and he had to gather all his will to control himself and not to jump from his chair in surprise and dread.
"I assume some of you already know Miss Rolanda Hooch... she was Hogwarts' flying instructor."
Severus only listened with a half ear, not really registering what Voldemort said, he was just to shocked by the sight that she was offering. He had never seen her looking this beautiful, but also not this suffering and helpless. Her light blonde hair was long now, hanging down in shimmering curls, but blood, coming from a pretty deep wound on her temple, had become encrusted in the strands. Her eyes were half closed as if she wanted to block out her surroundings and her arms were tied up in a painful position behind her back. Specks of blood and dry mud covered her muggle clothing, consisting of a slim jeans and a loose blue and white top with a leather jacket over it. Her feet, from which one was in a slightly awkward position, were covered by some black boots.
"Severus, I think you´ll happen to know her best from us all, am I right?"
Severus saw her eyes fly open as his name was mentioned and she bend her head a little bit more to set her golden eyes on him. He felt a slight shiver going through his body and he was thankful for his good self-control, so that he was able to sound as calm as before as he answered:"Yes, my Lord. May I ask what she is doing here?"
"Of course, Severus. Dolohov!"
"She was part of a team of Order members that seemed to check out possible flying routes for the Potter transport, probably a attempt to give us a false trail. Unfortunately, she was the only one that we were able to get hold of. We believed she could be useful to get some more information!"
"Right, and therefore I thought you would like to do the questioning, Severus. As you know her weaknesses, I consider it to be the most efficient way to get possible news. If she won´t talk, torture her."
