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"Idiot!" He thought to himself. "You fucking idiot!" Severus still stood outside the bedroom door. How could he be so stupid and lose his words? That could have been the perfect chance to tell her. He was so close, and at the last moment, nothing. He reached for the doorknob. Should he go back in and tell her? There was possibly a minute or two to explain. How would he respond? Suddenly, he stopped. "Why would she love you?" A snide voice in the back of his head sneered. "You know exactly how she'll fucking respond. She'll run away from you again." Severus walked away from the door and continued down the corridor. What was the point in telling Lily anyways? The deal was to keep her safe; the last thing Lily would want was feeling more uncomfortable around him.

"If you weren't a Death Eater, what would you be?" Lily's voice echoed in his mind. "I always thought you would be a professor or a writer." Among many dark, twisting thoughts, her words provided a light. Did she really think Severus could be anything else? The light gave a glimmer of hope that maybe, in a crazy venture of speculation, there was a way out this lifestyle. What would that be like? No more lodging up in wealthy Death Eater's estates. No bickering pureblood discussions. No more hunting and killing muggles. No more vicious brawls that ended in bloodshed. No more of any of it. Just peace. It seemed oddly surreal to Severus. For once, no struggle or worry. She smells like lavender ….

"There you are." Avery Nott muttered as Severus entered the main hall. Any warm thoughts about Lily were forced down.

"What's going on here? I heard a scream."

The servants were roughly herded into the large hall by a few Death Eaters. They all had panicked faces, and many were already in silent tears. The anticipation of slaughter, torture, and abuse was imminent. The Death Eaters on the other hand, were only lightly amused. Another day, but a rare and delightful change of routine. Smirks played on their faces as they brutally cursed the girls. Narcissa sat in an armchair, shaking with anger as she gripped her wand in one hand, and her husband's hand in the other. Both Malfoys glared at the servants as the Death Eaters forced them to their knees in the center.

"If I hear another sound from any of you ungrateful creatures, I'll slit your bloody throats! One by one!" Severus instantly knew who the ringleader was; obviously Bellatrix. The witch screamed again. "I'm going to ask this one more time! Who took it?!"

Nott slowly leaned in. "Narcissa's emerald necklace is missing. One of the mudbloods snatched it."

"Not likely." Severus muttered back. "That woman already owns so much jewelry, it's impossible to keep track of. Has she tried summoning it?"

"Yes, and it didn't come. The room was searched and turned upside down. One of those bitches had to have it."

"Not a jealous witch? Narcissa doesn't hold back when she brags about the necklace at dinner or any other socials. It's not exactly a secret how much Lucius spends on her …"

"AGAIN!" Bellatrix shouted. A flash of green light burst from her wand and a servant crumpled to the ground. "Who took it?!"

"This is nonsense, Bella!" Lucius announced; trying to be heard over the screaming muggleborns. "If a mudblood stole it, it's very unlikely that she would tell the others. Accio."

Severus felt something heavy move around in the pocket of his robes. Suddenly, the emerald necklace flew from his pocket and straight to Lucius' hand. A hush fell over the entire hall. Every single Death Eater stared at Severus. Severus on the other hand, felt his heartrate increase, from an extreme fluctuation between fury and nervousness. Immediately, he knew who planted that necklace there. McKinnon. That sly bitch.

"You?!" Narcissa angrily pointed her wand at him.

Lucius was quick to dismiss her. "Now, darling, what would Severus do with your emerald necklace? Of course you didn't steal it, right?"

"Certainly not." Severus bristled. "But a certain filthy bitch in here did." He turned to glare at Marlene who was stubbornly glaring back at him.

Before he could finish, Bellatrix interrupted him. "It's his personal servant! The red haired slut! She tried to frame her master!" This announcement caused several gasps and skeptical looks. Bellatrix grabbed Marlene by the throat and roughly showed her around. "Severus told me this blood traitor bitch is friends with his personal servant! The two must have been conspiring together in secret to frame Severus!" Bellatrix gestured for one of the other Death Eaters to go upstairs and grab Lily. "Is this not the bitch who cleaned your bathtub a few nights ago?" Bellatrix pulled Marlene by the hair over to her sister. "Look at her, Cissy. Is this that one?"

"She could be. The face is rather familiar." Narcissa studied her closely. "It's the blood traitor! It's her!"

Severus cleared his throat. "This is the creature who dared to threaten me over dinner last night. Earlier this morning, I caught her scavenging though my room!"

"Do you see?" Bellatrix shouted; wrapped up in her own accusations and hatred. "This clever little bitch thinks she can disrespect us! A proud and confident pureblood witch! But a pathetic, stupid fool of a blood traitor." She threw Marlene to the ground with surprising strength. "In this castle, if you betray your kind, you pay the price! A thief AND a blood traitor? What say you lot? Should we make an example of her?" Bellatrix whipped out her wand. Suddenly, Marlene was writhing and screaming. "I don't think this nasty little cunt learned her lesson. What do you think, boys?"

"Let Severus decide!" Rosier yelled out with a sickening smile. "The little shit tried to frame him!"

"That was my necklace stolen!" Narcissa shrieked at Rosier, who at once stepped back. Narcissa was mostly known for being the charming social butterfly and the voice of the Death Eater's wives. However, when pushed to a certain point, she was not to be challenged. Her rage strongly resembled her sister's. "I say they both die! I'll kill them both myself!"

"I beg your pardon, but the red haired muggleborn is my own personal servant!" Severus argued, unafraid of the woman. "Her fate is under my jurisdiction!"

"I have a proposition." Lucius was very calm, acting as a mediator. "There is no doubt that the blood traitor and the mudblood conspired. However, a valuable gift of my darling was stolen and justice must be carried out. Severus has a preference for keeping a personal servant. Fair is fair; one of them will die and the other will be severely punished. Severus gets to choose and carry out the deed."

Severus had a feeling of what would happen. He had already made his mind up the second Lucius made the proposition. He loathed McKinnon. There wasn't a rumor or piece of gossip she didn't start and spread. She was constantly prancing around Potter and Black; desperate for attention from either. He was jealous Lily seemed to value McKinnon over him as a friend. Nonetheless, McKinnon was all Lily had left to hang onto; Lily's hope for escaping and returning to the normal life she craved. If McKinnon was spared, Lily would have to be the one to die. Severus calmly pulled out his wand.

Marlene had already sustained a broken nose and a swollen eye. She lifted her head to face him. The fiery fighting spirit was still burning inside her. Every agonizing piece of her stared at him with an intense hatred that couldn't be matched by even Bellatrix. In a flash of green light, Marlene's head dropped to the floor and her body went rigidly still. Marlene McKinnon was no more.