The Deputy Headmistress
It was painfully cold and the stars were dead.
It was unnerving, how much the full moon stood out, pale and cold, and very much alone. My thoughts immediately flew to Remus; I hadn't seen him for two days now, and I doubted Severus had managed to prepare the potion anyhow. He had been busy, working for his second master. Or rather, first. I didn't know. The phoenix on my shoulder clenched his claws, no doubt aware that I was frustrated. I looked up at him, almost smiling, before we surveyed the scene together. At the top of the hill, flashes of light lit the headstones and shadows so brightly they could hardly be seen. I thought I heard Potter, but the sound was muffled. Around the hill and to my left, Hagrid was fighting off an onslaught of enemies. The Longbottom boy was already face-down in the mud opposite Hagrid and to my left. I stared at him for a long while, trying to discern his condition. His head jerked upward, to where a cloaked figure was hurrying along the ridge. He then turned to me, but I put a finger to my mouth. The boy was alive, for now.
The cloaked figure pretended not to notice Neville Longbottom face-down on the side of the hill, and hurried toward me. The bird, seeing him coming I presumed, was immediately gone from my arm, becoming a part of the starless night. The man made the journey unsteadily, wavering slightly but moving purposefully enough to keep his balance. His mask came into sharp focus as he looked up and met my eyes, now only four or so meters away.
"Don't scream," he whispered, very commandingly. I nodded to show I understood, as he threw a sharp look back at Longbottom, who remained silent. I would have thanked the stars, had they the courtesy to show up, but they did not. The moon glared at me.
The Death Eater took the remaining few steps until he was right before me. I had recognized him by voice, but now I could see the black eyes I knew so well shining eerily behind the slits of his mask. He held out his wand. I took a deep breath, my body responding more than ever to the cold. My toes were numb, my fingers white and the circulation obviously halted. My chest was tight. I looked up at Severus, his wand tip now aimed directly at my breast. For half an instant I thought he was going to do it. He hesitated a moment longer. I tried to take advantage of his obvious conflict of interest, at which point I remembered that I trusted him. He spoke again.
"No, Minerva. You know I have to win- it will hurt you to offer competition."
I pulled my hand out of my robes, leaving the wand behind. He improved his stance for the upcoming one-sided duel, re-aiming his wand carefully. He gave me a pointed stare and shook his head so slightly I may have been seeing things. I didn't dare move my eyes too far from the wand, which he, at that moment, twirled almost idly, before reassuming his original stance. He was an excellent dueler, impeccable stance, well handled wand, wide knowledge of curses and counter-curses, which he wouldn't need. My wand poked into my chest as I leaned forward slightly. He whispered almost directly into my ear.
"Be strong for me."
He was going to do it- I could see it in his eyes, see the hatred and the horror, see the power he would need to work the curse. I could see it all there behind Severus's cold black eyes, like the night sky, where all the stars had vanished. His lips parted ever so slightly, his tongue passing out to moisten them against the cold. And then I knew he was ready. I was on my knees before he even said the word. He spoke it loudly enough to be heard.
"Crucio"
I drew a sharp breath, refusing to scream. And then I looked up. Severus was twisting, writhing, but he kept his eyes locked to mine, his lips tight. I could see the tears in his eyes, and felt them also in my own. His wand arm was shaking violently, his eyes were bulging, his legs were trembling. I knew I could not let him fall and I could not hold him up. I drew my wand. Be strong for me…
"Mobilicorpus."
And I held him upright, struggling with such a simple spell, struggling because he knew he had to perform the curse, on one of us. His eyes were pleading with me. I murmured his name and saw the curse lifted. I gave him a moment to gasp and then relinquished control of his body. Severus placed his hands on his knees, his eyes level with my still kneeling form. He spoke no word, and I doubted he could have opened his mouth without screaming. He had left the curse there far too long, in my opinion. The wand he was holding backward was now hanging limply from his hand. He was staring into my eyes, willing me to see his heart, his soul, his loyalty. I gave him a weak smile he could not return, and then I remembered to breathe.
To work the curse he needed to want it, to take pleasure in it. All the hatred which had driven the full ten minute attack had been toward himself, a past I could not know, deeds I could not fathom. I felt the respect I had never offered Severus dangling on my lips, begging to just drip off, to cover him and make him safe, but I knew I could not speak to him. He straightened up and plunged his free hand into his robes, his wand hand clenching again. He withdrew an unconscious rat and a vial, tossing each on the ground before me. He knelt again.
"Drink up," he whispered ever so softly. I opened my mouth to ask him what it was, but closed my lips at the sight of him twirling his wand at me again. I picked up the vial, removed the stopper, and put it to my lips. The rat was starting to wake, to twitch. Severus put a hand on my shoulder as the vial trembled near my mouth. I felt his strength flooding my arm, and swallowed. My peripheral vision blurred immediately.
"You will be alright. Be silent."
He whispered these words to me before his face began to swim and sound grew muffled. Be silent. I knew that this was the moment when his loyalty would be tested, and chided myself for doubting him. I could hardly see his blurred form, but could tell it had straightened up again. He brandished his wand, vanished the vial. A woman screamed, and I wondered vaguely if it was me. Another woman screamed. Was this one me? I couldn't see anymore. Harry screamed, and I wondered where Albus had gone. I felt the slight movement of air as Severus sucked in the breath he would exhale in the shape of the Killing Curse. And he said it, but I didn't feel the light. It was muffled. No, that wasn't Severus. That was Potter. Potter. He had done it. Albus said he had a plan. Albus… And then my thoughts were with Severus again. Severus who would kill Potter for this. Would he be able to…? No… plan… Albus… Severus…He began the words…
And time froze as the world ended.
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~*~ A/N- Still not death. Yep, that's Severus. Still hasn't been found out, still trying not to kill people he likes. We all love him, don't we? The screaming women- Molly and Bella. That rat? - We shall see yet again. Up next is The Dark Lord. This one should actually be revealing… Albus… plan… Albus…~*~