LP HP: Second Dose- A Story in Twenty-Eight Snippets
by Tavalya Ra
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J. K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Rowling is a goddess; may she have mercy on my soul for writing this.
Author's Notes: Thank you to Mawkish for putting me up to the challenge of writing this and to everyone who read and commented upon the story in April- especially Skip, who never failed to make me laugh.
To Exwhyzed- what are you worried about? Now you have me worried. To Tusken- the snippets were written before I read OotP, so the only spoilers are for the first four books and my own Love Potion HP. As far as OotP is concerned, this is AU and some of the characters are OOC. Thank you also to whispers of an angel, Magee, Wyrm and for reviewing.
If anyone wishes to archive this story on his or her site, please contact me at clearbluedelphia@yahoo.com.
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Snippet #23: Another Harry Potter
Severus knew that if he paused to retrieve his wand, he and his child would be dead. He did the only thing he could: clutched Aurora to his chest and ran like a dog out of Azkaban.
Evading Voldemort would be a futile effort. He lacked the energy and Aurora's wails were too loud. Somehow, he had to find a way to double back or loop around to the same corridor, to snatch his wand…
His heart was in his throat, his body was fueled by fear, and the only thing that mattered was the bundle in his arms. His baby was everything…
He fled down two flights of stairs, Voldemort cackling close behind him.
"I have you, Snape!" he shouted with malicious glee. "Eighteen years, I've waited for this! I have you now!"
Aurora. Severus's mind could produce no other word. Aurora…
He ran past the suits of armor, past the tapestries, past the paintings of fleeing portraits. He ran into the Great Hall, ran towards the head table…
The head table erupted into flames. Severus turned and found the other four tables burning in an otherworldly green blaze. They burned to the floor… the fires merged… and Severus was trapped between columns of flame.
Slowly, laughing mercilessly with each step, Voldemort approached.
"No," Severus quivered. "No…"
"I'm glad you had a child," Voldemort said. "It will make my revenge more satisfying. Let her die first!"
"No!" Severus screamed fiercely. He fell onto his knees and crouched over Aurora. "No! She's just a baby! She's done nothing to you-"
"Do you think I care?" the Dark Lord asked contemptuously.
"Not Aurora! You can't!"
No, Voldemort could not, for there was one spell that even he- for all his power- could not break.
Severus set Aurora on the floor. She screamed with heightened panic. She did not know that her life was at stake; she only wanted her mother's arms. Severus's heart twisted painfully as he forced himself to ignore her cries and turn his back upon her. He stood over her so that there was no possible way Voldemort could harm her without striking himself first.
"Fine," Severus stated, his voice hollow yet resolute. "Fine. Take me. Kill me if you want. But everyone knows that you aren't very good at killing babies!"
Voldemort snarled. "You fool! Do you think I am stupid enough to bring another Harry Potter into the world? I don't need to kill her personally- only order it to be done!"
He aimed his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!"
