Chapter Eleven

Worrying

Blaise must have found something very interesting on the ground just then because after his confession, he would not meet Parvati's eyes.

Parvati's eyebrows had flown up her forehead in surprise, and her jaw was currently residing approximately a few inches from the ground. After a while, she found her voice again. "Really?"

Blaise nodded, eyes still on the dirt below. "Of course, I didn't remember at the time, but I've had a crush on you for a while," he mumbled quietly.

Parvati's jaw was in real danger of coming in contact with the dusty path now. She could not help it. Here was a Slytherin confessing that not only was he happy to have woken up with her, he fancied her. This is a dream. My mind is playing tricks on me… He can't be serious… Parvati stared at Blaise some more. Finally, he raised his eyes to meet hers. And she knew then that this boy was not joking.

She pulled her jaw back into the proper position. Parvati took a tentative step toward Blaise. She scrutinized his expression, taking in the adorable look of vulnerability on Blaise's face. She reached up and swept a small lock of hair out of Blaise's eyes.

The smallest hint of a smile started to appear on her lips. "Oh, what would my mother think…" she said quietly.

Blaise was confused. "Think of what?" he asked.

The smile on Parvati's lips spread. "Of me dating a Slytherin."

He stared at her still, a blank look on his face. Then the implications of her statement dawned on him.

Blaise's eyes grew huge and a grin spread across his face. He grabbed her and pulled her close. "We'll have to find out, won't we?" he said slyly before he captured her lips for another kiss.

~ " * " ~

Hermione dashed toward the castle following behind the racing pair of Pansy and Seamus. She was thankful that she had gotten the chance to find out the newest password to get past Dumbledore's stone gargoyle. Just last week she had visited the headmaster's chambers to discuss her disappointment regarding the dress-down week they were currently engaging in. Hermione put on a surge of speed and caught up to Seamus and Pansy as they were about to ascend the steps to the heavy wood doors of Hogwarts Castle.

"This way," she said, practically sprinting toward the stone gargoyle. As the unlikely trio scurried through the halls past their classmates and professors, many an odd look was sent in their direction. But the vexed ensemble ignored the gaping mouths of the Hogwarts populace. Finally, Hermione skidded to a halt in front of the gargoyle.

"Afternoon, Gary," she said to the gargoyle, "Canary Creams."

The gargoyle came to life, and hopped aside. As they passed, Seamus swore he saw the statue wink at his bushy-haired Housemate.

Hermione tore up the steps and barely had time to bang on the door once before it opened of its own accord. It seemed that the door was not fancying a beat-down by an over-anxious Gryffindor girl.

"Headmaster, there's trouble! In the forest!" Hermione stormed into Dumbledore's office. "Harry and Ron and Malfoy are there! And You-Know-Who!"

Dumbledore had been indulging in his seemingly obsessive, and now oddly infamous, delicacy of Muggle-made lemon drops. The old man dropped the pair of sticky yellow sweets that had been very insistent on staying stuck together. As they hit the desk, they reluctantly fell apart. Dumbledore would have been pleased with the outcome had he not heard the dreaded alias of one of his former prized students. His twinkling blue eyes were fixed on the peculiar trio of students standing before him, huffing and puffing.

He stood slowly, a grave expression on his usually cheerful face. "Voldemort is here? And Mister Malfoy, Mister Potter and Mister Weasley are facing him alone?"

Seamus and Pansy nodded, flinching at the use of the Dark Lord's name, and Pansy added, "But Sev- erm. Professor Snape is on his way there. We met him as we were coming to find help."

Dumbledore stepped out from behind his desk and walked to one of the many shelves in his cluttered office. From the shelf under the Sorting Hat, which seemed to be frowning at the news the group had brought, Dumbledore lifted a long thin box and opened it to reveal a wand. He retrieved the wand carefully and turned toward his worried students. "We best be off then, shall we?"

The three teens nodded. Hermione looked past the headmaster to the Sorting Hat. "Nice to see you again, Bartholomew. You too, Fawkes!" She waved.

The rip at the edge of the hat opened into a small smile as everyone was leaving the room. "And you, Miss Granger," said the Hat in its gravelly, infrequently-used voice. Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, squawked his agreement with the Hat.

As the headmaster lead the way down his steps, Pansy leaned in to speak to Hermione. "Boy, Hermione, do you know the names for everything in the headmaster's office?"

Hermione smiled cheerfully, in spite of the impending doom. "Just about," she said.

"She should," called Dumbledore over his shoulder to the girls. "She's in there almost every week telling me what she thinks of the way I run the school."

Seamus and Pansy grinned at each other as Hermione blushed a deep shade of crimson. "Let's just get out to Harry and Ron," said Hermione.

"And Drakey!" chimed in Pansy.

Hermione nodded, the hint of a smirk on her face. "Yes, and erm… Drakey."

Dumbledore was glad his beard hid much of his face because he knew there was an extremely amused smile lingering on his lips. "So," he said to his students. "Why exactly were you in the forest?"

~ " * " ~

Severus Snape walked down the path toward the clearing. With every step, his already racing heart accelerated even more. And with every step, his annoyance at Harry and his friends increased. And his mind was on overload.

What do I expect to do when I get there? he asked himself. What's going to happen when the Master sees me running to the rescue of the bloody Boy-Who-Lived and his trusty sidekick, Weasley. Bloody hell, Potter. Can't you ever stay out of the Dark Lord's way?

Severus sighed angrily and pressed on. He wondered how it was that a sixteen year old could be so annoying. Then he reminded himself that all teens are simply menaces to society until they hit nineteen. After that, they merely become leeches till they are in their late twenties. Severus ran his fingers through his greasy mane and grumbled.

"Why do I have to be the one that always gets Potter out of his scrapes?" He rolled his eyes.

As he walked along the path, a new thought ran through his mind. I'll never be able to spy for the Order again. Once Voldemort saw him coming to Harry's aid, he would be revealed as a fighter for the Light, and would be banned from all Death Eater meetings. At first, the potions master let an uncharacteristic smile spread across his lips. I would no longer have to be at Voldemort's every beck and call! I'd never have to pretend to take pleasure in rape and murder.

When his mind mentioned murder, he stopped in his tracks. Murder. He did not remember until that second what the Dark Lord did to those who betrayed him. Crutiatus until I can bear no more pain. And then actual beatings. And then… Severus shuddered violently. Once the traitor was severely beaten, the worst happened. Each of the other, loyal Death Eaters would aim a Crutiatus at the betrayer, and on their Lord's command they would all cast the spell simultaneously. The last thing that the double-crossing Death Eater would endure was begging for his life to end. Yes, Lord Voldemort made the disloyal one beg to be put out of his misery. When the Dark Lord was sufficiently amused by the pleading of his ex-minion, he would send one last Crutiatus Curse at the traitor and then the Killing Curse right after. Therefore, the last thing the turncoat would experience in his life was unending, excruciating pain.

Severus remembered having to take part in several ceremonies like that. If you could even call them ceremonies. He knew that once Lord Voldemort saw him coming to save Potter, that would be how he would meet with death. He closed his eyes for a second, pushing away the sick feeling in his gut. He had to get to the children.

Just a short while later, he came upon the edge of the clearing. A crazy sight met his eyes.

To the left, laying stock still, limbs pinned rigidly to his body and nose in the dirt, was Lucius Malfoy. Severus could tell that Malfoy hair anywhere. To the right, also in the dirt, was a slightly bloodied up Peter Pett- Wait, thought Severus, surprised. That's Peter Pettigrew! Isn't he supposed to be dead? You mean Potter, Weasley and Granger weren't lying?!? He really is alive! Shit. Peter was also lying in the dirt, but face-up. He also seemed to be rendered immobile. A nasty smile spread across Severus' lips. Amazing. A couple of Death Eaters were caught in body binds by sixteen year olds. Oh, how shameful. If he were not in the middle of a very treacherous rescue mission right now, he would have laughed his head off.

Severus' eyes then flitted to the big jumble of bodies in between the two bound men. Harry Potter was curled in the fetal position, whimpering in pain and anguish. Ronald Weasley and Draco Malfoy were sitting side by side on top of Voldemort, wands trained on the Dark Lord. They were breathing heavily, and as Severus watched, Ron snatched Voldemort's wand out of his hand and that, too, was aimed at the Dark Lord.

Then Severus heard a deadly malicious voice issue from Ron's throat. Severus never would have believed a Weasley capable of such malice if he had not heard it himself.

"Don't you fucking move, you bastard."

~*~ TBC ~*~