Severus Snape Saves the Day

Chapter 1: The Battle

It was early afternoon. The sun had yet to go down but the sky was already getting dark. A chilly breeze blew; ominous clouds loomed in the sky. Severus Snape was walking swiftly across Hogwarts grounds. His robes billowed around him as he hurried into the passage under the Whomping Willow. He hoped that the dark lord was not already at their meeting point. It was best not to keep his master waiting.

As he moved out of the passageway and into the Shrieking Shack he felt a cool breeze and fought the instinct to shudder. Lord Voldemort stood not ten feet from where Severus had entered the building.

"I am glad that you could make it," Voldemort said in his cold voice.

"Forgive me for being late my lord. I was held up by…"

Severus's speech was abruptly cut off, "I am uninterested in excuses. We will have victory tonight. So far I have viewed you to be one of my most faithful and intelligent servants, you do not want my opinion of you change. I do not tolerate those who cross me. It is my suggestion to you that you perform better throughout the rest of this battle."

"Yes my lord." Severus said kneeling and bowing his head. "What is it that you require of me?"

The dark lord smiled. It was an eerie thing to behold; his pale lips contorted and his eyes seemed to glow with malice. "What you do best Severus, take care of the children."

Severus nodded his head. It was then that he noticed something. From his position on the floor he could see that the trapdoor into the shack had opened slightly. Green eyes were looking out from under it. It was Severus' turn to smile.

"I am only too happy to do as you request my lord." Severus said raising his head, "And, I have good news for you already."

Lord Voldemort's snakelike nostrils flared, "Is that so?"

Suddenly Severus raised his wand and aimed it at the trapdoor. A burst of purple light erupted from it and the door flew open. The person hiding behind it was lifted up and suspended in midair. Their wand rolled uselessly onto the floor below as ropes wound their way around their body.

"Well, well. What do we have here? Didn't your parents teach you that it was impolite to listen in on other people's conversations? But then again I guess that they never had the chance, did they Harry Potter?" The dark lord said as he walked slowly closer to his captured enemy.

Desperately, Harry looked for a way out, but found none. He had sent his friends away to get help. His thoughts were in turmoil and loathe as he was to admit it, his only hope was Severus Snape. Maybe he is still good, his mind prayed.

"You think Severus still works for your precious Order do you?" Voldemort smiled as Harry's eyes widened, "I see you still haven't learned to keep your mind closed even after the incident at the ministry. You are indeed as dull witted as Severus has told me. It was merely through luck that you have evaded me so far. Severus has been on my side from the beginning and it has been through his assistance that you are here now."

A thunderous boom echoed through the trapdoor. Voldemort's eyes narrowed, "I am afraid, Potter, that we don't have anymore time to chat. This is goodbye."

With that Voldemort hissed, "Avada Kedavra!" and with a flash of green light, Harry Potter's body went limp.

Severus looked at the body without much interest. He had seen much death in his life. The boy had been a pain in his side just as his father had been before him. He dimly recalled that the boy's death meant that the Dark Lord had won. There was no longer anyone to save the wizarding and muggle races.

A dark owl swooped up the passage and landed silently on Lord Voldemort's arm. Its extended leg held a message. Severus recognized the handwriting to be that of Lucius Malfoy. For several minutes the room was completely silent. All of the noises that had been coming through the passage from the battle had ceased.

Voldemort's cruel voice suddenly cut into Severus' thoughts, "You have done well my servant. This letter says that a few minutes ago the Order's pitiful defenses fell. It seems that they had used some spell to protect them based on Potter's life. The moment he died our forces were able to kill or round up most of them. Only a few managed to escape into the forest. They are being pursued. Go help with the search effort."

Severus nodded and left the shack without a word, his footsteps echoing softly in the silence.

Several hours later the death eaters were celebrating their victory at Malfoy manor. They had come there straight from the battle. It was a bittersweet victory. Some of their number had died and others were injured. Many of them still had blood on their robes and the smell of death lingered about all of them.

Food was set out on a table in the grand ballroom. And people milled around talking and discussing what would happen now that the resistance was gone. Lord Voldemort had been at the party, but left saying that he had something important to do.

"Severus my boy!" Lucius Malfoy exclaimed upon spotting the man hiding in the corner, "Why don't you come and join in the festivities. You should be having fun tonight."

"You know me Lucius," Severus said tersely, "I don't much care for parties."

"Well, enjoy this one at least. It is partly in your honour after all. You helped to defeat Potter. Before then we were losing. You saved the day."