A/N: This was written for headagainstthesky`s "Unseen Moments Competition." I'm thinking about turning this into a bigger thing, where I just focus on unseen moments in the series (that will be determined mainly by what you guys want!
"The Dark Lord will return. And when he does, the boy will be in terrible danger." He hadn`t questioned Dumbledore's words all those years ago – there was no denying that the man was wise, even if he did appear to be off his rocker to the general public. He hadn't questioned the words, but he had hoped that their truth wouldn`t come to pass for a little while longer. But what he hoped was of no consequence.
Voldemort was coming back and there was nothing they could do about it.
The single candle on his desk threw off a circle of light just large enough for him to see the parchments on his desk and to illuminate the doorway just enough so he would see anybody coming in at this hour. He stared at the flickering colors for several moments, mind pleasantly absent of any thought for just a few seconds, then looked back down to the desk. The essays there seemed so inconsequential when compared to the real, much larger, scheme of things.
Another stab of pain hit his left forearm and he reached to grasp it with a soft hiss, closing his eyes slightly and then opening them again to see a very familiar person sitting on the other side of his desk.
"Good evening, Severus." Dumledore's tone was calm and conversational, as though they were just eating dinner.
"Dumbledore." His own voice seemed more strained than normal, as he slowly loosened his hold on himself. "This was…completely unexpected."
The older man, who was currently wearing light blue robes with gold stars on them, just smiled back for a few moments since he knew that the professor would wait for a reply before saying anything else on the matter of the visit. "I fancied a late walk tonight, and then the urge for company overcame the desire for sleep. And so here I am. Having a good evening, I see."
Severus barely suppressed a snort, but didn`t bother to conceal his less than amused expression. "I find that the longer I have the students, the more effort they put into receiving good marks, but there are very few worthy of them here."
"Ah," the headmaster nodded, then held out a package of hard candies, looking quite happy himself as he took one after his offer was declined. "As much as I would like to dawdle on the topic of our young ones, there is one in particular that we need to focus on."
He didn't pretend to wonder which 'one' this was – Potter.
"What about him?"
"I simply wonder how you think he will handle the Tournament. And, I admit, I am curious about your true thoughts on how his name was put in the goblet."
The Potions Master settled back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "I have no doubt that Potter will receive help from Granger and Weasley, like he usually does, and be none the worse for wear. The tasks are not so taxing or unmanageable that he cannot succeed in at least finishing." He paused for a moment. "As for the latter… I would rather not share, at the moment."
Dumbledore nodded and ate another candy, his blue eyes on his companion. "There is something else on your mind tonight." His tone took on a more serious quality.
With a frown, Severus rolled up the sleeve covering his left arm and flipped the limb over to show his forearm. There a skull with a serpent protruding from its mouth was darker than it had been for over a decade.
Dumbledore's eyes flicked from the Mark to its bearer's face and back again, and then he grasped Severus's wrist. "Severus?"
"Yes, Albus?" His words were slow and measured, soft.
"You know what this means."
Their eyes met before Severus replied. "He's coming back."