Love conquers all
Chapter 1
Snape's POV
"You have fought," said the high, cold voice, "valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste. Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treatyour injured. I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If, at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."
"Don't listen to him," said Weasley. "It'll be all right," said Granger wildly. "Let's—let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the forest we'll need to think of a new plan— "
They left, disappearing down the tunnel, I allowed myself to let out the breath I had been holding in and immediately let out the groan, 'Merlin, my neck was burning!'
I quickly dug my hand in my robe pocket and drew out the vial of phoenix tears Albus had given me last year, I poured half of the liquid onto my wound and swallowed the rest for good measure.
I silently thanked the old man and his unique foresightedness as I felt the wound close and the pain on my neck lessen.
When the pain had disappeared completely, I shakily rose to my feet and thought over my situation.
Potter had taken my memories so Albus's final mission for me was complete, I had no doubt that after seeing the memories Potter would go through with the plan, he was just like Lily in that way, with his self-scarifying tendencies, Dam. I usually tried not to think of him like that, it was much easier to compare him to his father, much easier to hate him than care for him. But somehow, despite my efforts and despite what I had told Albus, I did care. How could I not after spending so many years keeping him safe, watching him, seeing the goodness in him even when I didn't want to!? I didn't like the boy, hell, I practically hated him, but I still didn't want him to die.
I had to restrain myself from running after him to stop him, I felt like I was betraying lily, betraying everything I had stood for for the last sixteen years, curse Albus and his plans!
The least I could do now was make sure Potter's sacrifice was not in vain, I had to end the dark lord once and for all.
I started pacing, trying to think. I could not rejoin the dark lord's army, after all the bastard had just tried to kill me. Idiot, thinking I was the master of the wand, he knew nothing of wandlore, he probably thought it beneath him- fool. It was Draco who had disarmed Albus that night, not me. In any case, I had not enlightened him, Draco may be young and foolish, but he was an innocent, a slave to his fears and the demands of a murderous psychopath -just as I had once been, he was not to blame for the actions of his father.
I sighed. I couldn't stay here, I had to know what was happening. I cast a disillusionment charm on myself and started to climb down into the tunnel. My body screamed in protest and I nearly fell over.
I griped the wall and waited for the world to stop spinning. I must have lost more blood than I thought. after searching in my pockets again, I found my vial of blood replenishing potion, I gulped it down and replaced the empty vial in my pocket.
I straitened up and hurried down the tunnel, I still felt a bit weak, but mostly because of my lack of sleep. I hadn't slept in more than thirty hours and I hadn't had a proper night sleep (without using potions, that is) in over a year, but I couldn't sleep now, I was going to avenge lily at last.
I climbed out the hole at the base of the whomping willow, double checked my disillusionment charm was still in place, and took of determinedly towards the castle.