It was The Day. Snape had woken at a ridiculous time of the morning, in the knowledge that today was The Day. His head was full of conflicting emotions. Part of him was anxious in the extreme that everything would go according to plan. Another part was relieved that the pretence was finally over. And yet another part was going to miss the time he spent with her, although he refused to admit that there was any real reason behind that.
Kaira smiled at Severus where he sat on the other side of the staff table. The very, very slight smile she received in return was enough for her to notice, but no-one else would have done. Except perhaps Dumbledore, who seemed to see anything.
If anything, over the past couple of days they had grown even closer, although they hadn't spent all that much time together. It was just the shared intimacy of exchanged glances and the odd conversation. Once she had convinced him – again – that she wasn't going to shy away of him because he did a highly dangerous and valuable job, he had been pleased to talk to her again.
She finished her breakfast and got up to leave. She had some preparation to do for her classes today. Severus got up too, and she waited for him just outside the Hall.
"I want to take you out tonight," he said, quietly. "Are you free?"
"Of course," she replied, smiling widely.
"I'll pick you up at nine," he told her, with a rare smile, and strode off down the corridor towards the dungeons.
Snape held himself in check until he reached the sanctity of his dungeons. Why? Why did it have to be so easy? She had just agreed to a trip that would have her betrayed by someone she trusted and either taken by the Dark Lord or rescued by Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix. It was most likely to be the latter, as only they knew the full details of what was to happen. Yet it was still a risk, and one he was reluctant to take. But it wasn't his decision. If he didn't lead her into the trap, he would be exposed and risked another attack occurring that he didn't know about.
Once he had slammed the door and locked it, he sat at his desk, sinking his head in his hands. How long he stayed like that he didn't know, but when he looked up, Dumbledore was there.
"Headmaster," he acknowledged. "How did you get in?"
"Hello, Severus." Dumbledore smiled his irritating enigmatic smile. "A man must have his secrets, eh Severus?"
"Of course Headmaster." Snape glared. "What can I do for you?"
"I wanted to make sure that everything is going to plan."
"It is. I told her I would call for her at nine. I'll take her to the spot."
"Very good, Severus," the Headmaster looked determined and didn't have a trace of the genial eccentric that he usually masqueraded as. "I shall see you later."
Kaira waited eagerly for the hour Severus had said that he would come for her. It would be the first real opportunity for them to be together for a week or so, and she was looking forward to it. She wanted to talk to him about her dark arts potions lessons, and more about what she had learnt of Jacinta infusion, not to mention just wanting to be with him. He did care about her, after all, and she cared about him a great deal.
At last the classes of the day were over and she retreated to her rooms. She tried to read, but found it hard to concentrate. She welcomed the interruption when there was a knock at her door.
"Hello, my dear," said Dumbledore, when she answered it.
"Hello Albus," she replied, smiling to see the genial figure of the Headmaster.
"How are you?"
"I'm well, thank you. Do come in!"
"I can't stop, I'm afraid, Kaira. I understand you're going out tonight?"
"Yes. Severus is taking me somewhere. He hasn't said where."
"Good. He really needs this at the moment. He's under a lot of pressure from Voldemort at the moment. As long as you're going with him. Try to distract him a little, would you?"
"Of course, Albus,"
"Excellent. I'll see you tomorrow, Kaira,"
"Good night, Headmaster,"
"Good night,"
At last the hour came. Kaira had started getting ready at least an hour earlier, and was waiting impatiently when the knock at the door finally came.
"Are you ready?" Severus asked her. He wore his robes, so she had made the right choice there at least.
"Of course," she grinned, happily. Severus didn't return her smile. Dumbledore was right – he must be under a lot of pressure.
"Come, then," he said, taking her hand and leading her out of the castle.
As they walked through the grounds, she realised that Severus was very tense. Something was clearly weighing on his mind. She resolved to do as Albus had asked and try her best to distract him from it for this evening. Something about the dark made it easy to just walk together in silence, so she did not try to start a conversation. There would be time enough for that when they got to wherever it was they were going to.
Severus led her ever closer to her betrayal while she walked happily along next to him. She had no conception of what was about to happen. He prayed that the Order were ready, and that they would have the sense to not blow his cover. Dumbledore should have warned them how important this was, but he still worried.
He glanced briefly at Kaira. How blithely she walked into the trap. How easily she trusted.
Suddenly, two dark shadows detached themselves from the darkness. Death Eaters. Kaira gasped.
"Hand her over," one of them told Severus, coldly.
"No," he replied, defiantly.
"We will take her, then. Our master has need of her. You will not get in our way, or you will be eliminated."
For an answer he moved in front of her. The Death Eater smiled. He raised his wand.
"Expelliarmus!" came a cry from behind them. In fact, three simultaneous cries. The Death Eaters, unprepared for an attack from behind, watched in horror as their wands flew from their grasp.
The four people who came out of the darkness were not all known to her. One was Minerva, but she did not recognise the other two.
"Did you really think you could use magic to get into the grounds at Hogwarts and be undetected?" Minerva asked. "The Headmaster sensed you hours ago. Enough time to call in the reinforcements." She gestured at the two unknown wizards.
The Death Eaters, wandless and with five wands trained on them, crouched in readiness for a sudden attack.
"Tell us, what is your purpose here?"
"We shall not tell you anything!" the spokes-Eater snarled.
"They were after me," Kaira said, softly. "They said their master has need of me."
"Why does he want her?" one of the wizards snarled.
"We do not have that information and wouldn't tell you if we did!"
"We will persuade you to see it differently," he replied.
The Death Eater hissed and suddenly there was a dagger in his hand. He hurled it at Kaira, who hurled herself to the ground. In the confusion that followed, the Death Eaters somehow managed to get away into the dark and were soon out of sight.
"Let them go," Minerva cautioned, when one of the wizards looked to be about to follow them. "We've done enough."
He nodded.
"Are you alright, Kaira?"
"Yes, thank you."
"This are Remus Lupin and Si... a friend of his," she said, indicating the two wizards.
"I'm pleased to meet you," she smiled. "You were the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher a few years ago, weren't you, Mr Lupin?"
"Remus. Yes, I was. I understand you're doing an admirable job."
Kaira smiled. The party started walking back to the castle.
"It was very lucky Dumbledore sensed them, or I'd likely be in the Dark Lord's clutches now,"
Minerva chuckled.
"He did no such thing. We've been planning this little ambush for weeks, ever since Severus told us what he had been ordered to do. I fibbed a little to preserve his cover."
"Oh."
Kaira waited until they were back in the castle and she was alone with Severus.
"You used me!" she accused. "You deliberately lead me into that ambush and misled me into thinking you were my friend before!"
"Of course," he replied. "Now, if you will excuse me, I must report to the Headmaster."
How stupid she had been, to think that Snape could ever be a friend. She had even thought he might be something more. How utterly, ridiculously, completely stupid she had been.
As Snape walked away from her, he knew that he had been lying to himself. He did care about her. But it was too late now. She obviously understood that he had been playing a part and hated him for it. She didn't care that he had saved her from the attempted kidnap – well, he had led her into the trap after all, so he supposed that made sense – she just knew he had betrayed her. He would be lucky if she didn't hex him into oblivion.