Snape walked down the path leading to Hogwarts, his head was pounding, his heart was throbbing, yet he was conscious of only one thing, he needed to talk to Dumbledore.
The school seemed bare and empty without the students. The hallways echoed Snape's every step as he climbed the stairs to Dumbledore's office. The walk seemed like it went on for hours. He reached the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office.
"Fizzing Whizbee" he said, hoping it would be the password, the gargoyle didn't move.
"Lemon Drop?" Still no movement, "Chocolate Frogs? Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? Chocolate Cauldron? Acid Pops?"
The gargoyle was as still as ever. Snape was getting impatient.
"Droobles Best Blowing Gum? Pepper Imps? Ice Mice? Cockroach Clusters?" Snape started to get annoyed by the gargoyle.
"Look, open up would you? I really need to talk to Dumbledore!" he shouted at the gargoyle, which sprung open instantly. Snape was temporarily shocked. He was sure that this was not the password to Dumbledore's office, so why had it sprung open? Confused, he started climbing the winding staircase that led into his office.
"Severus!" Dumbledore exclaimed once he saw Snape. "What a pleasant surprise!"
"I need to talk to you," he said taking off his cloak and resting it on a desk by the door.
"But of course," Dumbledore said, in much the manner Snape had greeted Narcissa. "Take a seat."
Snape shook his head; he could not bear to sit down.
"Are you all right Severus? What's wrong?" Dumbledore asked gravely.
"I—I just did the stupidest thing I could have possibly done."
"It's all right Severus, we always knew that there was a risk with you being a spy. You blew your cover, didn't you?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, my cover is intact. In fact, even Bellatrix is now convinced that I am a Death Eater and to be trusted."
"So you must have revealed something important? What did you tell Voldemort?"
Snape flinched at hearing his name. "I didn't reveal anything you haven't approved first."
"Then what's wrong?"
Snape couldn't bear to tell him, he tried changing tact.
"I need to know what I can do to help the Order more. Are there any specific things you want me to find out? I don't think I have much time left…"
"Severus…" Dumbledore began concernedly.
"The Wolfsbane Potion," Snape remembered. "Of course, Lupin needs to drink that, especially with his undercover work. He can't brew it himself, and you are too busy to do it. I can make a couple's years supply of it, as long as you keep it in a dark and damp room it shouldn't spoil."
"Severus…" Dumbledore began again.
"And the Horcruxes you were telling me about a few weeks ago, I need to find something out about those. I can try and improve my Legilimency skills, perhaps I can pry it out of the Dark Lord's mind."
"Severus, this is ridiculous," Dumbledore stated sharply. "Using Legilimency against the Dark Lord would be nearly impossible to accomplish, and even if you would be able to, he would kill you instantly afterwards."
"I might have time to conjure a Patronus before then though… I'm going to die anyway, better go down helping the Order," Snape said softly.
"Why are you so set on dying, Severus?"
Snape shook his head. He didn't want to reveal to Dumbledore the stupidity of the act he had done that would even make Longbottom look like a genius.
"Severus…" Dumbledore began again, taking a couple of steps closer, his twinkling eyes looking concerned.
"Severus… please… what is it?"
Snape took a deep breath. The Headmasters shriveled hand was resting on his shoulder. He forced himself to look up.
"I… I don't know where to start."
"I find that the beginning is always a good place," Dumbledore stated, steering him to an armchair by the fireplace.
"I—Bellatrix and Narcissa visited me tonight," he paused to look up at Dumbledore, who simply nodded.
"I see."
"Draco has been assigned a task by the Dark Lord… Narcissa asked me to do instead of him… I couldn't refuse; Bella was there... then s-she asked me to take the Unbreakable Vow and… I took it… the last condition on it was to finish Draco's task if he is unable to do it" he looked back up into the Headmaster's patient eyes. "Please… Draco will be killed if he fails… you must help him, hide him… please… make sure at least he survives this war."
"Severus, please calm down," Dumbledore said calmly. "Why can't you fulfill the Vow? What is Draco's task?"
"To k-kill y-you," Snape stammered.
He saw Dumbledore nod gravely, and he took a seat across from him.
"It seems we have less time than I planned. After 150 years, now I'm feeling suddenly rushed." Dumbledore chuckled.
Snape was a bit confused by these words, but he nevertheless nodded, waiting Dumbledore's orders. Dumbledore stared into the fire for full minutes, watching the logs shrivel and burn.
After what seemed like hours, Snape cleared his throat. "Headmaster…"
Dumbledore looked back at Snape, his eyes full of worry. "I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to do a big favor for me Severus."
"I know," Snape said impatiently. "You once said death is but the next great adventure. I'm ready for it."
Dumbledore chuckled. "No you're not Severus, not while I can help it."
"But… the Unbreakable Vow… surely you know what happens if you break it."
"But you won't break it Severus, you will fulfill the Vow," Dumbledore said as determined as he'd ever been.
"Fulfill the Vow? I can't do that!" Severus protested.
"Yes you can. Did you think I'd ever let you sacrifice your life for mine?"
"Your life is more important than mine!" Snape insisted.
"Not to me, Severus. When the time comes, I need to know I can count on you to fulfill your vow to Narcissa."
"But…"
"I wouldn't be asking this of you if I knew you couldn't do it. I trust you completely Severus."
"You can't ask me to do this! I won't, I refuse to do it" Snape started to get up.
"When you joined the Light side fresh from your Death Eater days, you promised to do as I asked. Well… I am asking you to do this for me."
A great lump formed in Snape's throat. He swallowed hard and said quietly, to keep his voice from cracking. "There must be another way, there always is another way!"
"Not this time," the headmaster said quietly.
Snape looked away, trying to keep his tears in, he couldn't start crying right now, he hadn't done so for decades.
"I must go pick up Harry from his aunt and uncle," Dumbledore said softly, getting up from his chair. Once he reached the door he spared a look back.
"I trust you Severus. I trust you with my life."
As the door shut, Severus closed his eyes and muttered.
"You don't know how much you ask me to sacrifice, Dumbledore"