but didn't review - be ashamed!!!!!!!).By the way, i still didn't know whether to kill our dear hero
or not (well, i am evil and prefer the bad ends), so we'll see. Actually, it depends on you-because, if i will get more than 100 reviews, i'm going to write the sequel, so there is no sense to kill main hero, but otherwise...
Juliss the Severus Snape...
**********************************************
Chapter 4: Night flight.
On the middle of stairs Severus bumped into Tehhie, who checked at least
hundred of different
wands-without any success,became anxious about long absence of Snape
and Mr. Ollivander and now was
staring at the motionless hand of shop owner, stuck out of secret door,
her eyes bulging and jaw dropped.
-What-gasped she-what you have done to him?
-Nothing special-answered Snape carelessly-just killed him.
Something in tone of his voice woke Tehhie from her shock and she turned
sharply to face Headmaster,
glaring in fury.
-Killed him? But why? No, don't answer, that's enough for me-i forgot
for one minute that kill human being
and smash a bug it's same for you!-cried she and rose her hand to slap
Severus across the cheek.He
dodged and tried to catch her hand, but at this moment the floor of
the room trembled and cracked, several
planks fell down a gaping hole.Tehhie stumbled, and with short cry
disappeared into the darkness
below.Snape grabbed the banisters of swaying stairs and jumped to the
wall, coughing in the cloud of dust.At one moment he has been hesitating-and
at this moment terrible scream pierced the air.He never heard something
like this, even people torturing by Voldemort himself didn't scream that
horrible-and without further hesitations he jumped after Tehhie.
He dropped on all four, and, ignoring overwhelming pain in injured
hand, reached for Tehhie.
-Where are you?-asked he anxiously, because the darkness was almost
complete.Quivering girl's hand
grasped his sleeve, and he heard her dry sobs near his shoulder.
-What the...
But he chocked with strange throttling noise.The darkness wasn't empty.It
was alive, and the life, concealing
in it, was terrible, vicious, inhuman.Slow greenish radiance crept
through the wrecks and glum, and in this
ominous light the contents of hidden room became visible.
-Wands...-muttered Tehhie, gripping Snape's sleeve more firmly.
-Old bastard!-cursed Snape and backed.It were wands.Hundreds of them.And
around every wand
condensed the dim outline of human figure.Scorched hands.Broken bones.Bulging
eyes and empty
eye sockets, mouths, open in inaudible scream.
-Undead wands-whispered Severus fervently, peering in disbelief-Wands
of dead people.They have to be
snapped after the death of their owners.But he said that wand will
return to him.Now i understand.
-What?
-Dark Magic.If the wand of dead remains intact, the connection between
it and it's dead master remains
unbroken.And it allow you to control the soul of this wizard or even
his dead corpse.Pure Dark Magic,
banned by any wizarding lore.We got to get out of here, quickly, because
with Ollivander's death the forces
which were keeping it locked in this cellar vanished...And it
struggles to get free!
And indeed, the glum was twisting, swirling and crawling towards the
light hole above, slowly sinking them in it's abominable mass.
-Blimney, we have to move-repeated Snape and reached for his new wand.First
nothing happened.But then the darkness tide slowed, and they two shot to
the patch of light and burst out of cellar in shower of splits and ash.But
the wave of glum didn't stop.It covered already the lower steps when Severus
and Tehhie struggled into the shop upstairs.
-Fire-shouted Snape and aimed his wand to swirling darkness.Fierce
red fire shot from the end and hit the black tide.Howl of rage and hatred
rose from the heart of darkness, but it didn't stop it's slow motion.Only
when the silver white-hot flames from Tehhie's wand mixed with the red
ones, something huge sighed and trembled in the center of horrible wave,
and the depths of magical shop exploded.Flame consumed stairs, old wand
boxes and Ollivander's corpse. Snape snatched girl's hand and rushed out
of shop, which was all on fire already.The wet mist shrouded streets, and,
gasping for breath in cold mixture of smoke and fog, they ran away.In the
glum behind first members of Magical Law Enforcement Emergency Team started
to Apparate with muffled popping noise.
***
Ten minutes after they trotted down the Knockturn alley.Tehhie still
eyed apprehensively her new wand, which she seized accidentally from the
pile on the counter to help Snape.But it appeared to be quite normal, so
she stuffed it into pocked and gazed around.It was very unwelcoming place.The
large pulls of mud and piles of garbage were giving off horrible stench,
and she felt as if something like bug was creeping onto the back of her
head.
-Don't worry, they just stares-said Snape suddenly.
-Who?
-Dwellers of this place.Just a little curiosity.
Tehhie shuddered and strengthened her grip on Severus' sleeve.They
trudged through the scarcely illuminated streets-only a narrow beams of
light, breaking through the closed curtains and shutters, and the obscure
light of red lanterns on the porches of numerous dives, scattered in this
district, allowed to find a way in twisted lanes.The noise of female voices,
clink of glasses and sounds of piano added to picture.But Tehhie had a
feeling that Severus was pretty familiar with these dirty streets.And
so it was.
At last Severus stopped in front of creepy small house, with red lantern
dangling from the pillar near the porch, and tapped a door softly three
times.It opened slowly, and the fat physiognomy of barman appeared in the
crack.
-Severus, nice to see you again!-exclaimed the man, beaming at them-Whisky,
vodka, girls? Oh no, sorry, i can see that you've got a girl already, and
very pretty one.
He smiled at Tehhie with rather toothless smile and flung the door
open.
-No thanks, Barney, this time only your back door-answered Severus
with scowl, dropping several coins in barman's greasy hand.
-Of course. I can bet that sensors of Ministry exploded today, such
a outburst of Dark Magic-murmured Barney, counting the coins and glaring
greedy at purse on Snape's belt.
-And you haven't seen as, of course-continued Snape with the slight
shadow of threat in his voice and added two more coins-You know me, Barney,
so try to hold your tongue.
Barman visibly blanched under the layer of dirt, covering his fat face,
and nodded reassuringly.
-No problems.Well, you know the way, the guests are waiting for me-gurgled
he and retreated in the dark side corridor.Severus gripped Tehhie's hand
and dragged the girl to the small back door.Behind the door was dark empty
place, adorned by ominous ruins and cesspits.Cold wind brushed Tehhie's
hair, and the girls shuddered.
-Well, there are several exits from Knockturn alley to the Muggle world,
but it's the best one.Most of the others leads to sewer, and one even to
underground tunnel.It was very popular children game several years ago
to run out of it, wait for train and jump back.But now trains became too
fast-smiled Snape darkly.Tehhie wandered whether her companion played it
once, but preferred to postpone the questioning to the best times.But it
was one thing that she has to ask immediately.
-Severus-started she tentatively.
-What?
-You didn't know about the dark stuff in Ollivander's shop, did you?
-No, of course not.
-Well, then why you killed him? Not that i feel sorry for him now,
but what was the reason?
-Don't attribute to me noble reasons, Tehhie.I'm not Auror, hunting
down Dark Wizards-that's not my business. It was absolutely mercantile-he
had the thing which i need, and asked too much for it.This thing-he pulled
the self-spelling wand out of his pocket and demonstrated it to Tehhie.
This announcement didn't avert her, as it might be only a hour before,
but she looked at the wand in confusion.
-Wait a minute.You said me that you lost your magical power...
-Precisely.But i don't need magic to deal with it."Unique, priceless
model of self-spelling wand"-sneered he, imitating Ollivander's voice.-It
converts will into magic, and my stores of will are rather impressive.Actually,
it's the last thing that remains in my possession...
A moment he was hesitating, whether to tell Tehhie about the rest of
Ollivander's words, but then decided not to do it.Why? In any case Tehhie
wasn't able to help him, and he was too familiar with remorse and guilt
to hoist it onto her shoulders.It was his idiocy that brought him in Malfoy's
Manson, not her.
***
At 10.45 PM they were at King's Cross station.Severus had change several
Galleons to Muggle
money, when they visited Gringotts, so they used underground, causing
a turmoil in Muggles'
crowd by their torn robes and Snape's bleeding right hand.Panting,
they ran on platform number
nine and rushed to barrier, ignoring terrified glance of station guard.Tehhie
leaned against it and
disappeared.Severus bumped into it on full run and fell onto the ground,
howling in pain and
cursing.He jumped immediately, glaring at assembling Muggles crowd,
and kicked barrier
hardly.It appeared to be very solid, and his toe was almost smashed,
which of course didn't
improve his mood.He was in the middle of very sophisticated sentence,
concerning the mother
of damned barrier, when confused physiognomy of Tehhie pocked from
solid metal.
-Severus? What's going wrong?The train's departing already, hurry!
-What's going wrong?!-snapped Headmaster, massaging his toe and looking
at Tehhie with
deep revulsion.-Well, nothing, except that i cannot pass the barrier!I'm
Muggle now, yeah?
He glanced at the flock of scandalized spectators with visible hatred
and managed to get up.Muggles goggled at Tehhie, whose head still was stuck
from the solid metal, and howled in panic.
-Hang on-muttered Tehhie, scrambling out of barrier-And what we've
got to do now?
-To fly from Muggle police, as it seems-answered Snape, pointing at
group of men in black
uniform, pushing their way through the crowd to them.
-But i can turn them into toads, so no problems-continued he, rising
his wand with ominous
smile.
-No, Severus, please!-cried Tehhie, clutching his hand.
-Then run!-hissed he and jumped over the barrier to platform number
ten.Tehhie followed him.
After a few minutes of mad race they shook off the policemen, skirted
a station building and flied into the car parking.
-That's exactly what we need-gasped Severus and hobbled to the nearest
car.
-What you are going to do?-asked Tehhie with great apprehension, and
her worst
presentiments came into life when Snape tapped the car door with his
crazy wand, flung it open
and jumped onto driver's seat.Then he noticed Tehhie's reproachful
glance and smiled:
-After my last crimes the car stealing looks like innocent children's
skipping game.Come in!
Tehhie snorted indignantly and took a seat next to Snape.He revved
the car with next tap of self-spelling wand, and it shot forward, nearly
missing the adjacent vehicles.Tehhie jerked at her seat and shouted:
-You are not exactly good driver!
-Well, i need a bit of practice-muttered Snape, now trying to skirt
the booking-office at the entrance.The bulging eyes of clerk flashed in
the mirror and the car jumped out of parking on the road.
-oooooooooooo-shouted Tehhie, when they aimed right into the boot of
the next car, but Severus turned the steering wheel sharply and cursed,
when two cars behind them smashed into each other with terrible bang.
-Give me the wheel!-cried Tehhie, fighting her way to it-but at this
moment miserable vehicle trembled, roared and jumped upward.They flied.
***
Several minutes after (and after several unsuccessful Tehhie's attempts
to take a steering wheel from Snape) they noticed a narrow chain of lights
under the car-it was Hogwarts Express, heading for the north.It was relatively
easy to keep track of train, and, because of darkness, not so necessary
to put invisibility spell on car (but Tehhie was sure that even on full
daylight her companion wouldn't bother to do it).Girl yawned and placed
her head against Severus' shoulder.The monotonous noise of motor
was making her drowsy.They flied about half a hour in silence, and she
almost fell asleep when Severus suddenly uttered:
-Tehhie?
-Well?-muttered she.
-What death is like?
-What?-blurted Tehhie, jerking from her doze.-Why you are asking?
-Just a curiosity.Well?
Girl narrowed her eyes and leaned against the back of seat.
-Don't know, if it's common...When you cursed me...well, i know i asked
you, but anyway it was horrible...oh, don't scowl like this, you saved
my neck today at least ten times, i never could pay for this...but listen:i
saw the green flash and then...i was in the field.It was huge field without
boundaries, overgrown with grass-not bushes or trees, only grey and silver
grass, all wet with dew.And it was mist-mist all over this field, in the
heavens-nothing more, only mist and this wet grass.And then i returned.Do
you know why?-asked she suddenly, peering into Severus' dark eyes.
-No.
-You called for me.Do you remember?
...He knelt next to Tehhie's dead body and covered his face with
his hands.It was hard.He knew that her destiny in case he wouldn't do this
might be horrible and her death by far more painful-but it hurts, kill
your friend. He felt it then at the first time.Tehhie always was his friend-almost
inconspicuous, she was near him during all his school years, and she was
the one who didn't turn her face back when he was on Voldemort's service.In
spite that she didn't know his real goal.In spite of despise of all others.In
spite of that she was Auror, and he - Death Eater.
He bended over her cold body and called softly:"Tehhie..."
...-And i came back.Do you remember?
-Yes, i do.
***
It was almost break of dawn when they approached Hogwarts.However, sky
was still pitch-black, and only on the east appeared the narrow band of
ruby.Trees in the Forbidden Forest looked like the solid wall of darkness,
only invisible minute waves on the lake splashed at the soft wind.
-I have a strange feeling-muttered Tehhie, peering in the darkness
below-as if we are watched.
-I too-answered Severus-be ready, i will try to make us invisible.
But apparently he was too tired, and the outline of flying car only
blurred-but didn't disappear.Tehhie's attempts to help him was also unyielding.She
wrinkled her forehead, trying to recover the right spell,shot an accident
glance at the grounds below and gasped.
-Severus, look!-cried she.
Two huge shadows rose from the Hogwarts gates and soared after the
car.
-Dragons!-choked Headmaster.
Two enormous black monsters gathered the height and dived for car,
flames dancing in their throats and scorching the leaves of nearest trees.
-Hold firmly-roared Snape and slammed the breaks on, turning a steering
wheel.They made a sharp turn and shot towards the Forest, to hide under
the tangled trees' crowns.But dragons were faster.First and biggest one
thrust out his claws and seized the car-the huge lizard was at least five
times bigger than car was.Second prepared to burn it and dived to take
a better position for attack.
-Lay down!-hissed Snape, almost loosing his conscience in pain, because
dragon's claw pierced his hip-Now!
Tehhie fell onto the car bottom, and Snape rose his wand.Attacking
dragon roared in rage, then his roar became the howl of pain and confusion-it's
faithful wings was now leaden-weight and he collapsed onto the trees, breaking
a thick trunks as matches in his convulsions.Remaining monster cried
in fury and headed for Whomping Willow, obviously intending to smash a
car against the tree trunk.
-Hope, you can swim-gasped Snape, collecting his last strength.He seized
Tehhie, pushed the opposite door of the car with his free leg and
threw her out of doomed vehicle , into the lazy waves of the lake.She fell
with desperate cry, and last thing which she saw was the dragon and car,
collapsing with the Willow and disappearing in the fire of burst.