The pain was gone.
No awful searing sensation, no dull, persistent burn, not even the slightest twinge…
For those first few seconds, Severus couldn't find the strength to lift his head, his body limp with relief. Breathe. He just wanted to breathe.
Gradually, he became aware of his surroundings, picking up on the smell of damp moss and decaying vegetation. A forest? Yes, he could hear leaves rustling overhead, darkness punctuated by dappled sunlight. The crunch of twigs nearby, perhaps some animal…
No, not an animal. Those were human noises, the distinct sound of someone approaching with slow, measured footsteps.
He cursed under his breath, struck by the enormity of what he'd done. He'd deliberately walked into a trap, lying there frozen as he heard a second set of footsteps, followed by a third.
He'd never felt more foolish, though strangely enough, there was relief there, too. All those months of fear and frustration and uncertainty…
If nothing else, at least he would finally know the truth.
"Careful," said a familiar voice. "He's still armed."
Armed? With that, Severus came back to his senses, shifting imperceptibly as he located his wand. He'd never been more grateful for the voluminous folds of his cloak, concealing his movements as he thrust the length of wood beneath a layer of fallen leaves.
It wouldn't be enough. He knew that, mouthing several incantations as the footsteps drew closer.
"Accio, Snape's wand."
"Guess he didn't bring it."
"Of course he brought it. Accio, Snape's wand!"
"Maybe we should search him."
Severus cringed, forcing himself to remain still as rough hands plundered through his clothing. He didn't lift his head until the examination was finished, his blood running cold as he spotted the oversized cauldron.
"Good morning, Professor. We're so pleased you could join us."
Ashwood? That was hardly a surprise. Severus glanced at him briefly, eyes shifting to his companions.
No, not companions. Followers.
He didn't know their names, though he recognized them for what they were. He'd been one of them himself once, young and sullen yet eager for guidance. They were looking for an easy way out, just as he had, convinced that the right leader would solve all their problems.
Fools.
"Horcrux?" he croaked, hating how feeble his voice sounded. Last night's screaming certainly hadn't done him any favors.
"Of course," Ashwood said.
"Where did you find it?"
"Filch's office."
"Contraband?"
Ashwood nodded, holding up a small object. It was a brooch of some sort, crusted with brightly colored jewels that were obviously fake.
"I see. And what does it do?"
Smirking, Ashwood pressed down on the largest jewel. A shrill voice filled the clearing, screaming insults so profane that even Severus wouldn't have repeated them.
"Charming."
He understood why Filch had taken the thing. What wasn't so clear was how it had become a Horcrux. Voldemort had been meticulous to a fault, choosing objects that were valuable and meaningful. Why would he have bothered with such a tacky piece of junk?
"Do you know when it was created?"
"The night of battle."
Well, that explained it. Voldemort must've acted out of desperation, willing to use whatever was available even if it didn't fit his usual criteria.
"So this Horcrux… it's been directing your actions?"
"Not all of them," Ashwood said. "I did a lot of it on my own."
His pride was a weakness, one that Severus could use to his advantage. If he could just keep him talking…
"And the potions? How did you manage that?"
"How do you think?"
"Filch?"
"In part," Ashwood said, "though it wasn't that simple."
"Meaning?"
"Well, I couldn't just ruin them. If they were the wrong color or a different consistency…"
"I would've known."
Ashwood nodded. "I had to figure out how to use alchemy…"
"Dark alchemy."
"Yep."
It was an archaic practice, so obscure that Severus hadn't even considered it as a possibility. Of course, it was also highly illegal, though he supposed that was irrelevant given the circumstances.
"And the Fertility Potion? You were in Azkaban as I recall, and my ingredients had just been replaced. How did you manage…"
"I'd already made the potion, which was sitting in Filch's office. He might be a dumb Squib, but he knew how to follow instructions."
"Only because you forced his compliance."
"Yeah." Ashwood flashed a small, self-satisfied smile. "Anyway, when the Horcrux suggested…"
"So it was the Horcrux's idea?"
"Kind of."
"To what end?" Severus said. "What was the goal?"
"She…"
"Oi, you ready to get on with it?" one of the others shouted. He had a dull, stupid look that reminded Severus of Draco's friends.
"Soon," Ashwood responded, still smiling as he turned back around. "You could never resist a Mudblood, or so I was told. It was only a matter of time before you…"
"I see," Severus said when he trailed off. "Go on."
"Of course, we couldn't have known she'd turn out to be such a whore, but that just made it better. Another Mudblood tossing you aside so she could go off and fuck a Gryffindor? Funny how history repeats itself."
Nearly two decades as a double agent had served Severus well. He disregarded the insult, however infuriating, maintaining an expression of mild interest.
"So your original plan was for me to father her child?"
"Yeah."
"Why? What diabolical purpose could that serve?"
"Gryffindor's golden girl and the greasy dungeon bat? Just imagine how humiliated she would've been, how much she would've hated you for ruining her life. When you abandoned her…"
"A miscalculation on all counts," Severus said. "Continue."
"Anyway, there were all sorts of possibilities. Forcing her to have it if she didn't want it. Forcing her to lose it if she did? Yours, Weasley's, someone else's… it really didn't matter as long as she suffered."
Clever or not, no teenage boy would've come up with that plan. It required experience he simply didn't have, a thorough understanding of women and particularly of motherhood. The act of conceiving, carrying, and bearing children, the way it exposed their deepest vulnerabilities? What better way to inflict pain than to interfere with that process?
No, Ashwood couldn't have imagined that. Voldemort? Perhaps, though it was difficult to see him choosing pregnancy as a form of torture. It felt more female in nature, tied to an innate understanding…
"Come on, let's do this!"
"I'm getting to it!" Ashwood shouted, pulling a knife from his sleeve.
"The Gryffindor dormitory," Severus said hastily. "You were still in Azkaban, as I recall."
A little more time… he just needed Hermione or one of her friends to wake up and look at the map. It was at least 7 AM, probably closer to 7:30. Bloody hell, how much longer could they sleep?
"True, but I'm not the only Animagus. Flynn?"
A slovenly looking boy stepped forward, wiping his nose on his sleeve. He hesitated, beady eyes bright and alert as they darted around the clearing.
"Now?"
Ashwood nodded. "Show him."
In a flash, the boy disappeared. Ashwood bent down, plucking something from the ground at his feet.
A cockroach. A bloody cockroach.
Severus shook his head. "He's not even a student."
"Didn't need to be. Filch let him in, told him where to go…"
"Where to go," Severus repeated. "And what to steal. The map and cloak…"
"Right." Ashwood was distracted now, still holding the knife as he studied his other hand.
"I've heard it's excruciating. The pain stays with you even when the limb is gone."
"How would you know?" Ashwood said testily.
"Wormtail," Severus said. "He stayed with me for a time before the Dark Lord's fall. The way he screamed at night, begging for relief…"
"You're lying."
He was, though it didn't matter. His words had clearly had an effect, Ashwood's face turning pale as he gripped the knife with trembling fingers.
"I'll do it," said a hard-faced girl with a shock of blond hair.
"Me too!"
"No!" Ashwood snapped. "It has to be me."
"Go on and do it, then."
"Yeah, what are you waiting for?"
"First the blood," Ashwood said. "Then the flesh."
12 pairs of eyes shifted to Severus, the air suddenly thick with anticipation. Ashwood moved closer, brandishing the knife…
"Sectumsempra!"
He struck like a snake, so swift that none of them had time to react. Blood sprayed across the clearing, several bodies dropping to the ground.
Unfortunately, he didn't have enough range of motion to hit them all. He'd lost the element of surprise, too, throwing up a shield charm as Stunners flew at him from three directions. He deflected them all, only to grunt as a fourth Stunner hit him squarely in the back.
The cockroach. The fucking cockroach had snuck up behind him, transforming outside of his line of vision. Now he lay sprawled on the ground, stomach churning with panic as thick black ropes wound around his arms and legs.
Trapped though he was, he still struggled, fingers straining for his wand. Just a few more inches…
"Nice try," the cockroach said, kicking it halfway across the clearing.
He used wandless magic to cast a couple of stinging hexes, though he knew it was a useless effort. He still had seven fully armed opponents, two of which had only been grazed by his attack. The others…
Three were dead or close to it. One was stable, though too preoccupied with his injuries to be any threat. As for Ashwood…
"The knife. Bring me the knife."
Severus watched with growing horror as he dragged himself toward the cauldron. Deep slashes covered his torso, bleeding profusely, one leg almost completely severed at the knee.
"L… lift me up."
The cockroach obeyed, positioning Ashwood so he was dangling over the cauldron. A quick slice, an agonized moan… it was done.
"Snape," he breathed, his voice so faint it was barely audible. "You know what to do."
Ashwood lost consciousness, unaware of what was happening as two of his companions grabbed Severus by the arms. They pulled him to his feet, thrusting him at the cauldron as the cockroach brandished the knife.
He shook his head, uttering a string of curses as he strained against his bonds.
"Should we kill him?"
"Nah, there'll be time for that later."
Severus didn't have time to feel relieved, hissing as the knife slashed into his palm. Blood trickled down his fingers, falling into the cauldron with an ominous splash.
"Is it working?"
"Shhh!"
For a few heartbeats, it seemed like nothing would happen. But then he saw a human figure take shape, his eyes widening as it stepped out of the cauldron.
"Hermione? Hermione! Open the door!"
Hermione opened her eyes, struggling to orient herself with her surroundings. She couldn't recall ever sleeping in this bed, the room strange and unfamiliar. The only thing she recognized were the robes that had been left on the floor, which of course, belonged to…
"Open up or I'm coming in!"
Suddenly, she remembered where she was, panicking as she searched for her nightshirt. Unfortunately, she couldn't find it, clutching the blanket to her chest as Harry burst through the door.
"I'm sorry," he sputtered. "Couldn't wait, I…"
He trailed off, looking like he'd been hit by a Stunner. She didn't have to wonder why, his eyes shifting from her bare shoulders to the flash of naked thigh that was still exposed. Hastily, she covered her leg, avoiding his eyes as she attempted to smooth her hair.
"I… I can explain."
"No time," he said, giving his head a little shake. "Where's your map?"
"Back in my room. Why?"
"You've got to see this."
He thrust his map at her, jabbing a particular spot with his finger.
"Who is… bloody hell, what is Severus doing there?"
"I don't know, but the rest of them… I saw them show up, one by one, then he just appeared right in the middle."
"Summoned," she whispered, wrapping the blanket around her as she scrambled out of bed. "Come on, Harry, we've got to go!"
"Shouldn't you…"
"Accio jeans! Accio jumper!"
The items flew down the hall, landing directly at her feet. Ron had obviously followed them, his mouth dropping open as he stepped into Severus's room.
"What the hell…"
"I slept here, all right?" Hermione paused, struggling into her jeans. "It's no big deal."
"No big… you slept with Snape?!"
"You can freak out about it later. Accio shoes!" She put them on and rushed out the door, only to run smack into Ginny.
"Hermione? What's wrong?"
"No time to talk. We've got to…"
"Snape's in the Forbidden Forest," Harry said, showing the map to Ron and Ginny. "There's some other people there, Death Eaters, I think… bloody hell!"
Hermione's eyes widened, chills skittering up her spine as a final name appeared. All that time, she'd never even imagined…
"That… that's impossible!" Ginny gasped.
Impossible or not, it made perfect sense. The cruelty, the vindictiveness, the single-minded determination to make others suffer? Who else…
"No, it isn't," Hermione said grimly. "Let's go."
Five minutes later, they'd reached the Forbidden Forest, pausing to cast Disillusionment Charms on themselves. Their footsteps were muted by Hermione's most powerful Silencing Charm, their presence undetectable as they crept through the trees.
"How much further?" Ginny whispered.
"Shhh. Listen."
That cackle… that high pitched, evil cackle, the one that had haunted so many of her dreams…
"Over there," Harry breathed.
It didn't take them long to reach the spot, crouching down as they peered through the undergrowth. Whatever had taken place in that clearing…
"Bloody hell," Ron said.
Hermione couldn't imagine a better description, staring at the pale, limp bodies that were scattered across the ground. They looked like they'd been slaughtered with a sword, torsos covered with the most vicious looking gashes she'd ever seen.
"Sectumsempra," Harry murmured.
"I know."
She knew what had happened, recognizing Severus's last, desperate attempt to defend himself. Sadly, he'd been too outnumbered, unable to stop the others from taking him down.
Her eyes filled with tears, though that was followed by a surge of hope when she saw him. He was kneeling beside the cauldron, bound and helpless yet still very much alive. He hadn't even sustained any major injuries as far as she could see.
"My dear Severus…" Bellatrix shook her head, tutting as she paced around him. "I always knew you couldn't be trusted. Your convenient excuses, all those feeble little lies? How delusional you were, thinking you were clever enough to get away with…"
"I did get away with it. He believed I was his most loyal servant right until the end."
"And yet you never knew his secrets, did you? The power he had over life and death… "
"Spread out," Hermione said under her breath. "Harry, you and Ginny get behind that fallen log. Ron, do you see that hollowed out tree?"
"Yeah."
"What do you want us to do?" Harry whispered. "Wait for some sort of signal?"
She nodded, only to remember that none of them could see her. "I'll release Severus," she said. "As soon as that happens, take out as many of them as you can. Disarm them, Stun them, it doesn't matter. Just remember to keep your Shield Charms up."
"Got it."
One by one, they slipped away, their presence still undetected as they took position. Hermione returned her attention to Bellatrix, disturbed by the deranged look in her eyes. For now, she seemed content to taunt Severus, but how long could that last? She already had a wand in her hands, caressing it like a lover as she circled around him.
"Yes, he taught me how to create a Horcrux. Only me, Severus, and what a pity that is for you. You'll be left to rot in your grave when I kill you, just as he always intended."
"Perhaps, though at least my soul will remain intact."
"Will it? I wonder…" Bellatrix smirked, tracing a fingernail along the length of her wand.
"If you think you can break me through torture…"
"Your torture? Oh no, Severus. I have something much more entertaining in mind."
Hermione felt it before she saw it, feelings of despair washing over her as the shadows around her deepened. Something black and wispy descended from the sky, blotting out the sun as it hovered over the clearing.
"The Dementor's Kiss?" Severus's expression was still nonchalant, though his skin turned a shade paler.
"Only when you beg for it."
"Beg for it? And why would I do that?"
"Come, Severus, you've always been clever. Not as clever as you think, but clever. I'm sure you can figure it out."
"Granger."
"Of course!" Bellatrix said gleefully. "Love was the reason you betrayed our master, was it not? Your disgusting sentiment for Mudbloods…"
"You're referring to a different woman. This one means nothing to me."
"Liar."
"Am I?" Severus cocked an eyebrow. "How would you know?"
"We've been spying on you for months, you fool! How do you think…"
"You underestimate me, Bellatrix. Or more specifically, you underestimate the lengths I will go to get what I want. That girl… did you ever stop to consider who she is?"
"Another Mudblood."
Severus shook his head. "Try again."
"Another enemy, another bloody Gryffindor…"
"Closer, but not quite."
"Enough with your games, Severus. Tell me."
"She happens to be close to Harry Potter."
"So?"
"Harry Potter, whom I've hated since his conception."
Bellatrix's expression shifted, triumph giving way to confusion. "That was all an act. You only did it to make the Dark Lord believe…"
"Do you honestly think I had to fake my hatred for that boy? I despised him, just as I hated his wretched father."
"But you protected him. You betrayed the Dark Lord…"
"For her sake," Severus spat. "It was all for her! If you think I gave a damn about her son… a son who happens to be the living, breathing embodiment of the father who took her from me…"
"And the other Mudblood? What does she have to do with it?"
"Revenge."
"You were planning to kill…"
Severus shook his head. "Something more subtle and much more appropriate. That girl is Potter's best friend, just as Lily Evans was mine. If I could win her away from him as his father did to me…"
To say that Severus was a skilled liar would've been an understatement. Even Hermione was half convinced, stung by his callousness. She might've fallen for it completely were it not for the circumstances. Trying so hard to get Bellatrix to leave her alone? Why would he do that if he didn't truly care about her?
That was the fatal flaw in his argument, however persuasive it might've been. Unfortunately, Bellatrix saw it too, interrupting him with a wild cackle.
"We shall see, won't we?"
"Maybe, maybe not." Severus shrugged. "She has no idea where I am."
"Oh no, don't tell me she lost her map!"
"That was stolen months ago, as you well know."
"The old one, yes." Bellatrix smiled. "The new ones…"
"How?" Severus said, his voice low.
"Listening devices, of course. Ashwood planted them all over the castle."
"Well, I suppose that explains…"
"You, all of you," Bellatrix said as she turned on her heel. "Now!"
"HOMENUM REVELIO!"
Hermione didn't have time to throw up a Shield Charm, swerving to avoid a jet of red light. She hit the ground as another flew over her head, aiming her wand at Severus.
"Diffindo!"
One look, and she knew everything he'd said was untrue. There was so much love in his eyes, so much fear and desperation…
"Solvite Maximus!"
The second spell didn't release him either, nor did she have a chance to cast a third. She lifted her head to see Bellatrix stalking toward her, wand pointed directly at her face.
"Protego!"
Bellatrix laughed, a high, piercing sound that echoed through the trees. "Crucio."
Every nerve ending caught fire, Hermione's body contorting as she screamed. She could hear Severus shouting in the distance, the sounds of dueling nearby, though she couldn't bring herself to care. There was only pain, white hot and agonizing, threatening to rip her in two.
Just as suddenly, it was gone, her screams subsiding as she opened her eyes. Harry… Harry had come to her rescue, distracting Bellatrix as he attempted to disarm her. It didn't work, though he'd at least given Hermione a reprieve. She pushed herself to her feet, firing a Stunner that glanced off Bellatrix's shoulder.
"Ouch," Bellatrix said, her lips forming into a mock pout. "Crucio!"
This time, Hermione managed to dodge it, casting a succession of hexes that would've brought anyone else to their knees. Unfortunately, Bellatrix was much too quick, deflecting the spells with so much ease she might've been swatting a fly. Or two flies… Harry tried to disarm her again, only to land flat on his back.
"Potter! Bloody hell, just…"
Hermione didn't catch the rest, grunting as something large and heavy smacked into her back. She toppled forward, landing face down in the dirt.
Struggling to get up, she cried out as a sharp pain shot through her leg. She couldn't seem to move, horrified as she realized what had happened. An enormous tree branch had fallen from above, pinning her to the ground. Her wand had flown out of her hand, landing in the bushes more than a dozen feet away.
"Potter!"
For the moment, Bellatrix wasn't paying attention to Harry. He'd gotten to his feet, glancing at Severus before he took a couple steps toward Hermione.
"The wand! Get me my fucking wand!"
Hermione didn't see what happened next, letting out a bloodcurdling scream as Bellatrix hit her with another Cruciatus. She couldn't escape it, couldn't breathe, couldn't move, clawing at the dirt as…
"SECTUMSEMPRA!"
Bellatrix swerved just in time, the spell opening a nasty looking gash on her shoulder. She glanced at it and shrugged, pivoting around to face her new attacker.
"Silly Severus. I'll make you pay for that."
"Will you?" he said, his voice deathly quiet. "I'd love to see you try."
Slowly, they circled one another, each waiting for the other to strike. Bellatrix was the first to lose her patience, firing a Stunner that missed him by at least a foot.
"Pathetic."
"Cruci…"
Severus stepped aside, cocking an eyebrow. "Try again."
Hermione didn't recognize the next spell, a flurry of sharp objects whizzing toward Severus's head. Whatever it was, he deflected it effortlessly, responding with a wall of fire. Bellatrix barely managed to avoid the flames, the air suddenly filled with the stench of singed hair as she flung a dagger in his direction. Severus hurled it back, both of them grunting in frustration as it clattered to the ground.
With that, the duel began in earnest, the two of them engaged in a violent dance as streaks of light illuminated the clearing. Red, white, the occasional green… Bellatrix looked truly demented now, screaming profanities as Severus opened another cut on her thigh.
"Traitor! I should've killed you when I had the chance!"
"Your mistake," he said, flinging another curse. She staggered but managed to keep her footing, her eyes shifting toward Hermione. Severus glanced at her, too, recognizing his mistake a second too late as Bellatrix took advantage of the distraction.
"Stupefy!"
The Stunner hit him directly in the chest, bringing him to his knees. He grunted, struggling to get his bearings as Bellatrix let out a wild cackle.
"Expellia…"
"No, Potter!" he snarled, his features twisted with fury. "This one's mine."
Hermione knew the stakes of this fight, though until now, she hadn't understood the significance. This was years, perhaps even decades in the making, a chance for Severus to finally confront his enemy and defeat them on his own terms.
He'd never had that with Voldemort, forced to play the loyal follower rather than defy him openly. All that time in the shadows, lying broken and bleeding in the Shrieking Shack…
Harry had been the one on the battlefield that day, avenging both himself and his loved ones. Was it any wonder that Severus wanted the same opportunity?
Not just wanted, but needed. His faith in himself, his pride, any shred of belief he had in his own strength and skill… all of that hung in the balance, something he seemed to realize as he renewed his attacks.
Hermione had never seen anything like it, holding her breath as he fired off at least half a dozen spells in rapid succession. Bellatrix did her best to counter the onslaught, yet for all her viciousness, she was no match for him in either speed or intensity. She couldn't land a single hit, unhinged screams echoing through the forest as he deflected her spells.
"Sectumsempra!"
The slash was as brutal as it was precise, slicing through her arm just above the wrist. The severed hand fell to the ground, wand still clutched in its fingers.
"You filthy, despicable traitor! You'll pay for…"
"Yes, yes, I know," Severus said, managing to sound bored though he was panting from his exertions. He bent down and retrieved the wand, his eyes locked with hers as he snapped it in two.
Bellatrix howled, though there was nothing she could do as thick black ropes spurted from the ground, binding her to the tree behind her. She was bleeding profusely now, her eyes unfocused, skin so pale she was starting to resemble the corpses that lay nearby.
At that thought, Hermione turned her head, straining to look over her shoulder. She couldn't see Ron or Ginny, still pinned to the ground by the branch that had broken at least one of her legs.
"Harry," she whispered. "Where are…"
"Right behind you. They're fine."
She closed her eyes, sighing in relief before she returned her attention to Severus. To her surprise, he was chanting in a low, singsong voice, dragging his wand across the wounds he'd inflicted.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked. "Why are you healing her?"
"She's not allowed to die until she answers my questions," Severus said. "Bloody Horcruxes, people coming back from the dead? I refuse to go through this again."
"Then you'll have to find the other three!"
"You made four of them?"
Bellatrix grinned, curls bouncing wildly as she shook her head. "Two are mine. The other one…"
"Who does it belong to?"
"You'll find out soon enough!"
If Severus was shaken by the thought of Voldemort's return, he didn't show it. Instead, he reached in his pocket, producing a tiny vial of crystal clear liquid.
"Veritaserum?" Bellatrix cackled. "Poor Severus. When will you accept that your silly little potions don't work anymore?"
"The potions I brewed at Hogwarts, perhaps. This one… well, I'll leave it to you to tell me how effective it is."
He grabbed her by the throat, shoving his fingers into her mouth. She put up quite a fight, spitting and cursing, only for him to immobilize her with a flick of his wand. One drop, another and another… he forced her to swallow, capping the vial as he took a step backward.
"Now," he said, removing the spell he'd just cast. "Is it working or not?"
"Yes!"
She'd clearly meant to say the opposite, her eyes widening in panic.
"Tell me, Bellatrix, what is the most humiliating thing that has ever happened to you?"
"I soiled myself when the Dark Lord used the Cruciatus on me."
"You urinated?"
"Shit," she responded. "All over Lucius and Narcissa's fancy carpet. The Dark Lord was disgusted."
"I'm sure he was," Severus said, looking faintly amused. "And what did he have to say about your little… accident?"
"He said I was weak, unworthy, that I didn't deserve to share his bed. After that… I kept trying, of course, but he rejected me."
"And how did that feel, Bellatrix, knowing he found you repulsive?"
"Humiliated and worthless," she said, looking as if every word was being tortured out of her. "Still, I knew I'd always been his favorite. I would have won him back if that horrible boy hadn't murdered him."
Was Severus doing this for his own entertainment or to prove she wasn't faking? Either way, he seemed satisfied, his expression growing serious.
"How many Horcruxes did the Dark Lord create?"
"Seven," she responded immediately. "Six on purpose, one without meaning to."
"So they've all been destroyed?"
"Yes."
"To the best of your knowledge, is there any possible way he might return?"
"Only through me."
"What do you mean?"
"None of the others could've done it," she said, her lips curving into a smile. "Either they were traitors like you, Severus, or they were too weak, too merciful, too stupid to follow through with his plans. That's why I had to come back, don't you see? I'm the only one who ever understood his vision, who can rule the Magical world the way he intended."
"A bold endeavor," Severus said casually. "And how do you plan to accomplish that now that you've been captured?"
"I'll find you and kill you as soon as I escape from Azkaban. Not just you, but the Mudblood, Harry Potter, every last one of those miserable Weasleys…"
"You think you're going to Azkaban?"
"Of course." Bellatrix shrugged. "You're too much of a coward to kill me."
"Am I?" Severus said, his voice quiet. "I suppose we'll find out. First though, a final question…"
"What?"
"How many Horcruxes did you create?"
Bellatrix resisted with all the strength she had, throat muscles straining as she clamped her mouth shut. The noises she was making were unintelligible, her eyes wild as they darted around the clearing.
"How many?"
"O… On…One!" she shouted, pausing to gasp for breath. "I only made one! The night of the battle, some stupid girl who got in my way…"
"Why didn't you make others?"
"Because I… I didn't know it was possible! He never told me."
"What did he tell you?" Severus said. "Be specific."
"He said I had to be very, very careful with the cup. Whatever was inside… he said it was more valuable than life itself."
"He didn't tell you it was a Horcrux?"
"No, but I figured it out. I knew he would've wanted me to…"
Severus shook his head. "The Dark Lord was interested in his own immortality, not yours or anyone else's. If you believe otherwise, you're a fool."
"I was his favorite! He loved…"
"No one."
"No!" Bellatrix screamed. "It was me, it was always me! I'm the one he would've chosen to rule at his side, the only one who…"
"I don't have the patience to listen to your delusions," Severus interrupted. "I'll simply ask you one more time. Seven Horcruxes for your master, one for you. Are there any others?"
"No!"
"Do you know of anyone else who might've created one?"
"No."
"Not even Ashwood?"
Bellatrix snorted. "He never killed anyone."
"Then who murdered the student?" Severus said. "The one we found hanging in Filch's office last month?"
"That boy over there," Bellatrix said, gesturing at someone beyond Hermione's line of vision.
"The cockroach?"
"Yes."
Hermione wasn't sure what that meant, though she was relieved to know that Filch hadn't done it. He didn't deserve to have that on his conscience, nor to be punished for other people's crimes.
"And you're certain that the cockroach didn't create…"
"Come, Severus. Do you honestly think I would let that happen?"
"No," he said, "which I suppose is the one thing I can count on. You're far too selfish to give anyone else an advantage, particularly one that might threaten your own power. It's a trait you share with your former master, one that ultimately led to his downfall."
Bellatrix shook her head. "Your betrayal is what killed him! You and that nasty boy, his disgusting little friends…"
"Oh, bugger off," Ron said. "No one cares what you think."
His words cut through the tension, helped by a snort from Harry. Even Severus looked amused, his lips twitching as Hermione chuckled under her breath.
Bellatrix glared at them, practically frothing at the mouth as she howled about traitors and Mudbloods. None of them were immune from her threats, though she saved most of her venom for Severus. She called him a liar, a sniveling coward, promising to kill him by slow degrees.
"Coward, am I?"
He took a step backward, pointing his wand at the sky. Slowly, menacingly, the Dementor floated down into the clearing, obeying some silent command as it advanced on Bellatrix.
"No! No, Severus, you can't!"
"Don't worry," he said, flashing her his most vicious smile. "I won't make you beg for it."
Remus had told them it was a fate worse than death, though Hermione hadn't fully understood until she saw it happen. Those hollow eyes, jaws as sharp as a razor… the hideous creature descended on its victim, bloodcurdling screams tapering off into silence. By the time it finished, there was nothing left of Bellatrix, at least in spirit, her body as limp as a rag doll as it sagged against the ropes that held it aloft.
In that moment, the tension drained out of Severus, too. He swayed on his feet, his face pale with exhaustion as he turned to face Hermione.
"Severus…"
"Locomotor branch!"
Dropping to his knees, he crawled across the last few feet that separated them. Carefully, he lifted her off the ground, cradling her in his arms as she burst into tears.
"What the hell?"
That was Ron, muttering under his breath as the others looked on in shocked silence. Severus didn't seem to care any more than she did, clinging to her like a lifeline for several moments before he pulled back to inspect her body for injuries.
It didn't take him long to find the broken leg, pressing on it gently as she whimpered in response.
"Don't worry," he murmured. "I can fix it."
Fix it he did, pain receding as he knitted the broken bone together. He gave her a minute to recover before he helped her to her feet, his arm securely around her waist as they scanned the clearing.
Six dead, six injured, not including Bellatrix. Ron and Ginny had done a good job, restraining anyone who could possibly pose a threat.
"Where's Ashwood?" she whispered.
"There."
She followed the direction of his wand, which was pointed at the cauldron. Ashwood lay slumped against it, his pale, waxen complexion making it clear he'd been dead for quite some time.
"Potter?"
"Yeah?" Harry said, coming up behind them.
"You still know how to cast a Patronus, I assume?"
"Of course."
Severus nodded. "Get rid of that Dementor."