Chapter 11: Vows and Prophecies
A/N: This is the last chapter and I am much indebted to my incredible beta, Janeaverage, for all her assistance with this, my first work of fanfiction.
Disclaimer: JKR owns all but Emma and my ideas.
The Horcrux has been removed, Emma is saved, but the final events of HBP loom…
Snape returned Emma to his bed. She was exhausted and strung-out from the ritual. He gave her a Calming Draught and she slept soundly for a few hours, during which he sat next to her and held her hand, wanting to be there when she woke.
Melancholy, he sat and reflected on his life—his emotionally distant father; the indignities he suffered at the hands of the Marauders; his descent into the Dark Arts; his unpardonable mistake of joining the Death Eaters and revealing the Prophecy. He thought of Dumbledore's fatherly love and his forgiveness, which came at too high a price. He thought about his years of self-imposed loneliness, self-loathing and guilt. Then he thought of Emma. And the man he could be, with her. And the promise of redemption through their love. He would speak to Dumbledore tomorrow. He would demand freedom from his bonds of guilt. He would love. He had hope.
Dumbledore refused his 'resignation' from spying. He appealed to Snape's honor and sense of duty to triumph over what transient happiness he could have found with Emma. The old man had ripped his heart out. Called due his Wizard's Life Debt. Secured Snape's loyalty and obedience to the end. . . however it would end.
Ironically, their conversation was partially heard, misinterpreted, and reported by an eavesdropper. A prophecy of sorts, with a lower-case "p."
Emma knew something was wrong that next day. He barely spoke. Emotionally, he seemed to close himself off from her, but she did not press him too hard, knowing that he would talk if he needed to. They made love twice, fierce yet tender, long and slow, as if he was trying to burn the act into his memory. She thought he was crying, but when she reached to wipe the tears away, he turned his head.
Dumbledore came to her early that evening, dressed for a journey. Snape had been called to a disturbance in the Slytherin common room. Albus asked Emma to do certain things for him, when he died.
"Albus, NO! We all need you too much. You can't die. And you can't choose me as your Executrix and not Minerva!"
He replied sharply. "Emma, we all must die. I am comforted to expect I will die fulfilling my duty to the Order. You, unlike Minerva, have no status in the Wizarding world; therefore, your reputation will not be tainted by any of my revelations. Take this ring. It is on an Unbreakable Chain which can break only upon my death. When that happens, you must put the ring on immediately. My phoenix, Fawkes, will deliver a parchment to you, which can be opened only by your applying the ring to my wax seal. This parchment will exonerate the parties involved. You will need this when called before the Ministry of Magic for a hearing, gods willing." Dumbledore paused here, looking as if he were contemplating hell itself, then continued.
"If the Dark wins, this ring will be activated as a Portkey to your school in New York City. It goes without saying that nothing of this conversation is to be revealed to anyone, not even Severus," the old wizard explained, sighing.
"My dear, I thank you for your assistance with Tom Riddle's Horcrux. I thank you also for teaching Severus to love. I remain hopeful that you two will be together after a period of terrible events. Never give up on him, Emma. I love him like a son." Dumbledore hugged Emma tightly and Floo'd away. Emma sat, stunned and numb, on the couch.
Snape returned later that night, exhausted and disgusted with the Slytherins, seemingly with one student in particular. He held Emma for a long time as he sat in front of the fire with a drink. "Severus, is there anything I can help you with? Anything we need to talk about?"
"No, darling, thank you. Go to bed and get some sleep. I love you."
Raised voices and a loud bang in the suite awakened Emma. She ran out to find Filius Flitwick sprawled on the carpet in front of the fire. Hermione Granger and another girl were tending to him. Severus, looking wild, was standing at the door to their rooms, muttering an incantation. His dark sparking eyes met hers. She could see and feel his love, desperation and fear. He turned and ran from her. To the Tower. To his end.
Emma tried to run out with the girls. She ran to the door and was repelled forcibly. She tried again and again. Sobbing, knowing, she told the girls to go on without her. Severus had charmed the suite to contain her safely during the battle.
The chain broke, and her heart broke with it.
Trembling, sobbing, she slid down the stone wall of the suite onto the floor. How long she stayed there, she did not know. She felt like she was underwater, thinking in slow motion, only partially conscious. After quite a while, a witch with wild hair stood over her, angry, jabbering. Nothing made sense. It couldn't be true. Severus. Albus. NO. NO. Rocking, crying, unresponsive, she made no response to the angry witch's rapid-fire questions. The witch left in a huff, mumbling, 'Azkaban.'
Then Emma heard someone screaming, as a wildly-plumed bird swooped into the suite, "NO! NO! OH, GOD, NO! ALBUS! SEVERUS!"
Later, she realized she had been the one screaming.
Remus Lupin, kind Remus, came down to the suite hours later. He explained what Harry had seen on the Tower. Severus killed Albus, and had fled and rejoined the Death Eaters.
Emma didn't say a word, as he had requested; she sat, twirling Albus Dumbledore's signet ring, a perfect fit on the ring finger of her left hand.
Wily Remus found the remains of the broken Unbreakable Chain and questioned Emma with his eyes. She smiled, sadly, and firmly collected the chain from the werewolf. As she fingered the broken golden links, she had her first clear thought in hours: I will exonerate you, Severus, and we will be together. Forever.
