I had stayed away for two months. It had been easy, really. There was nothing to report. The reprieve from the hostility in Headquarters had been quite nice. In the Dark Lord's presence I was admired and feared. At Grimmault Place, I was loathed.
There was also that little thing I refused to think about involving a certain curly-haired know-it-all. I had been doing well in ignoring it of late but knowing that I had to go inside that house, knowing I would have to see her, brought up memories that I knew I had to forget. It was my own selfishness, however, that dragged it all back. I couldn't forget. I would spend hours at night thinking about her soft, smooth lips. Her innocent fingers digging into the fabric on my arms.
No. I had to keep my head. Shoving it all aside, again, I marched up the front steps and let myself in. I had not anticipated what I would walk into.
It was panic.
People were shouting at each other, running up and down stairs. The portrait of Mrs. Black was wailing but ignored. I stood in place for several heartbeats, watching in bemusement, until Lupin saw me.
"Severus," he said mildly, walking to my side. He was obviously distracted.
"What the hell is going on?" I demanded.
"Harry, Ron, and Hermione are missing," he replied in a strained voice.
"Missing?" I repeated.
"Yes."
"How could they be missing?"
"We don't know. Last night they were here, perfectly fine, and this morning they were gone."
"Don't you have wards set up to avoid this sort of thing?" I asked harshly.
"Yes, but they had been dismantled. I'm sure it was Hermione."
Of course, I thought mildly. The brightest witch of her age. But what the hell had she been thinking? What were they doing? Where were they? Why would they leave without a word to anyone? Obviously because they knew no one would let them leave. What the hell was so important that they would leave without saying anything?
"I'm sure we'll find them," Lupin said.
"You'd bloody well better," I snapped. "Needless to say, this cannot end without Potter."
"I know, Severus," Lupin replied tiredly. "But they're smart. They'll come back."
It was hard for me to share his faith. I knew what was out there. I knew what was looking for Potter and his friends. I knew what the Dark Lord had planned for him. The Snatchers were the least of his worries. If Potter was caught, all would be for nothing. Looking around at the mad pandemonium, I suddenly wanted to scream a little myself.
How could they have been so stupid? What could have possessed them to leave the safety of the Headquarters without a proper guard? They'd better have a damn good reason.
I knew it was not my problem. I had things of my own to deal with, but I couldn't help but worry. And there was a part of me, the part I refused to look at, that wasn't just worried about Potter and the fate of the world. I was worried about Granger.
It was remarkably stupid that one innocent kiss could change a man. And here I'd always thought that I was stronger than the average man when it came to emotion, that I would never fall victim to it. That is rather laughable now. One kiss, and suddenly I was worried for her. Had she never kissed me I would have been safely livid, promising all kinds of retribution when the three returned. She never would have had more attention in my mind than Potter, who was the Savior, for Merlin's sake. You'd think he'd be the forefront problem in my mind.
All chaos halted, however, when a snowy owl sailed in through a window. Scared faces turned upward to stare, people halted mid-step. Even Mrs. Black went quiet. The owl circled the entrance hall twice, as though to make sure that all attention was focused on her, before drifting down to Lupin. She settled on his shoulder and dropped a note into his waiting palm. He tore it open, read the missive, and promptly did something I'd never seen Lupin do: he swore. Vehemently. He shrugged the owl off his shoulder, shoved the note into my hand, and stalked off to the kitchen. All those eyes of the Order then shifted to me.
Frowning, I looked down and saw Potter's jumbled scrawl:
We're fine. We're safe. We're doing something extremely important. We can't win otherwise. We will be back soon. Don't worry.
Harry, Ron, Hermione
Growling in suffused anger, I tossed the note to Molly Weasley, who looked on the verge of a heart attack, and stomped off after Lupin. I did, after all, go to Headquarters to give him news in the first place.
Don't worry? Don't worry. Were they serious? Don't worry when the bloody Savior of the Wizarding World vanishes off to Merlin knew where with only two other teenagers to help.
Not bloody likely.
I found Lupin pouring what appeared to be firewhiskey down his throat. I had the mad urge to join him and drown my panic with alcohol, but that wouldn't be wise. Rage had turned my vision red and I wasn't the happiest drunk in the first place.
"Tell Shacklebolt he's their next target," I said through clenched teeth. "They believe him to be the Order's new leader and they want it headless, as it were."
"I'll inform him and we'll double our security efforts," Lupin replied, filling his glass again. "If – no, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione return, we'll reinforce the security here as well. No point now, because they still need to get back in."
"Whatever. I'm leaving. Good luck with those twats."
Lupin snorted and gulped down more whiskey. Turning on my heel, I marched back through the entrance hall and out the front door without a word to anyone else and once I was past the security wards, I Apparated back to the gates of Hogwarts.
Don't worry.
Those two words kept dancing around in my head as I stalked up the drive to the school. How could they possibly think that the Order wouldn't worry? They'd spent years keeping that stupid brat Potter safe, long before he even knew wizards existed. Years of patrols, secrets, hiding. Years of security wards and passwords. And he threw it all in their faces. And he dragged Granger and Weasley along with him.
Entering the castle, I passed Ginevra Weasley. She'd been a right pain in my arse since the beginning of term. It was as though she wanted to be punished with all the things she and her friends had gotten up to. I still couldn't believe that she had set off fireworks in the Carrow's Defense class. If it hadn't been so stupid, I might have been amused. She gave me a look of pure detestation, one I returned before making my way to my office.
But she was the least of my problems.
Right as I walked through the door I was met with my second master's voice, still a commanding presence even though he was only a portrait.
"Is all well?" Albus Dumbledore asked.
"No," I replied tartly. "Your dear Chosen One has vanished."
"Vanished?"
"Yes. He left Headquarters, taking Granger and Weasley with him, without a word. A short time ago he sent a note," I let my face grimace and my voice growl for proper emphasis, "that told the Order that what they had done was important, and not to worry."
I expected more than thoughtful silence from Dumbledore. Some profanities and angry gestures would have been appropriate. But he was oddly still. He stared at a spot above my head for many long moments while I stood there, unsure just what to do next. When he spoke it was sudden and sharp.
"Severus," he said. I raised an eyebrow in reply. Those blue eyes, so bright in life where no less piercing now on canvas, held me in place. "You must get the sword to him immediately."
"Of Gryffindor?" I said. Stupidly, I admit.
"Yes, and remember it can only be acquired through need or valor."
"I remember that but there is just one problem," I said silkily, before my voice exploded. "Where the hell is Potter?"
"At the Ministry," said a calm voice.
I whirled and glared at the portrait of Everard, a sallow-faced man with short black bangs. He appeared quite composed, blast him.
"Excuse me?" I said, clenching my fists.
"He ran by not too long ago with his two friends. He was holding a big locket. They looked rather panicked."
"Why didn't you say something?"
"You didn't ask."
I growled slightly before turning back to Dumbledore. "You mean to tell me that he left Headquarters with absolutely no warning, not a word, to get a piece of jewelry?"
"Severus," Dumbledore interrupted. I glared at him. "This is very important, he needs the sword. You must get it to him, without him realizing you helped. If Voldemort should see such a thing though his link with Harry, you could be compromised."
"I'm compromised every time that little bastard sees me at Headquarters, Headmaster."
"True, but this is worse," Dumbledore said. "Take the sword, find him, and think of a way to get it to him. No doubt he needs it just now."
"Yes, sir."
I walked over to his portrait and swung it forward. Nestled in a space created just for it, was the glorious sword of Gryffindor. As I pull it out into the light of the office, its rubies glowed brightly.
"Hurry, Severus!"
"I don't suppose you'd care to explain any of this to me?"
"No. Now go."
I bit back my snarl as I left the office, off to save Potter's behind once again.