A/n: Hello All! Well it's the Half Term Hols over here so I'm hoping that since I have a week off, I might be able to get writing some more drabbles and post away for all my dedicated readers. I'm not sure if this drabble really works. It's not exactly what I had envisaged for this part of the series. Let me know your thoughts though, please.
Drabble 51.
For years he had prided himself in not letting his façade drop. For years, he had kept hidden his feelings from those around him with the exception of one person. As the bright lights collided with her and tossed her into the air like a rag doll, the carefully erected façade crumbled and a cry erupted from his throat as he ran forward.
"Minerva…"
His charge forward was nipped in the bud as he felt a hand wrap around his wrist and pull him back forcibly into the shadows of the covered walkway.
"Stay back, man," warned the owner of the hand.
Severus was livid and roughly pulled his arm from the curiously strong grip of the Charm's Professor. How dare anyone prevent him from reaching her side.
"I WILL NOT," snapped Severus , his eyes flashing angrily. He looked outside and saw that Umbridge and her ministry cronies were approaching the pitch black area where Minerva had once been standing. There was no time to argue, he needed to get to her. He needed to see if she was okay. If she was alive?
"You can't afford to reveal yourself," said the tiny Professor as he pushed in front of him, effectively blocking his path forward.
"Do you honestly think that is my main worry now," Severus stated through clenched teeth.
"No, which is why I have to consider it," answered Filius.
"We're wasting precious time," Severus said urgently as he went to push past the small man.
The top half of his body moved forward but his lower half stubbornly refused to move. Realising what had happened, he reached into his pocket to pull out his wand but found his pocket to be empty.
"My friend," said Filius softly as he gripped Severus' wand in his left hand.
"Give me my wand, Filius," warned Severus.
"Poppy and Pomona have gone to her side," continued Filius, ignoring the murderous glare that Severus was aiming at him.
"Release me now," Severus demanded. "I should be by her side not two emotional witches."
"One emotional wizard would give the whole game away and we don't know who Umbridge is working for," offered Filius, pointing out the concern that had come to light in the previous staff meeting. "Poppy is capable of helping Minerva if she needs it."
"If she needs it," Severus snapped distraughtly. It sounded to him that Filius was writing Minerva off as dead and buried already. "Of course, she will need it. Minerva is a fighter and it would take more than this to take her from me."
"I know what she is," said Filius. "I've worked, duelled, fought beside her for more years than she would care to admit and I would never right her off. She will be fine now that she is in the safe hands of Poppy."
"Filius," Severus begged. "I need to see her."
"And you will," the tiny man promised. "Let Poppy get her settled and let us make sure the coast is clear and then I will send for you."
"I just can't sit, wait and do nothing," said Severus, his emotions flaring up again.
"And yet you must," added Filius. "Otherwise, you will not see her."
Severus was about to argue again when he felt a searing pain shoot up his forearm. The pain left him breathless and he closed his eyes tightly as he fought to regain his composure. He was being summoned and from strength of the pain, he knew he could not avoid the meeting that was being called.
"My wand, Filius," Severus asked as he held out his hand. "I need it."
"Be safe," offered Filius as he handed over the wand. "I will watch over her while you're gone."
"I have little choice in all of this," said Severus sadly as he felt the charm on his legs dissolve away and all feeling return to his lower limbs. "I will see Minerva later and if anything happens to her, I will not forget that you prevented me from going to her."
"I know," answered Filius, understanding the threat that he was being issued with. "I just hope you will understand in time why I did it."
Severus didn't say anything else apart from casting a longing look out into the darkness where voices could be heard before slipping away into the darkness of another corridor.
