Chapter 47. Betrayal
Snow covered the castle and its grounds on Christmas Eve at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. All of the students had returned home for the holidays, not a single one staying behind in the castle, and why would they? It had fallen further into a place of misery. The Carrows had it out for Ginny, Neville and Luna, punishing them at every chance. The three had resorted to spending their nights in the room of requirement to escape being dragged from their beds at night and punished until morning.
Severus and Astrid had grown close, not in a romantic way… in a 'rely on each other to feel human way'. At least from Astrid's side that's how it was… Severus cared deeply for the girl, but he didn't want to label it as love… he felt it was a betrayal to Lily, and a betrayal to Lucius. He compressed his feelings down, pretended their relationship was purely survival based. The two had physical relationship… often. Filling their empty souls with sex relieved them from the horrors of their day to day, even if it was only a short-lived relief.
"The Dark Lord has requested us to a Christmas celebration tomorrow." Severus told Astrid monotonously as she lay her head on his bare chest.
"Us?" Astrid repeated, her brow furrowed. She sat up, wrapping the sheets around her naked body and turned to Severus with a quizzical look. "What do you mean us?"
"Yes, us… as in the two of us, do not ask me why, I can only imagine it's for something unpleasant, so… brace yourself for the worst." Severus sighed.
"Will Everly be there?" Astrid breathed, her heart jumping at the thought. It had been so long since she had seen her, she wondered how big she was, what words she was saying. She wondered if Everly even remembered her face.
"I do not know."
"Will… Lucius?" Astrid asked hesitantly, laying down she bit her thumb nervously.
"Likely, yes." Severus nodded, swallowing hard. He had only seen Lucius once since his physical relationship with Astrid had begun, and that was to tell him of her phantom pregnancy, it practically broke the man. And they threatened breaking him further if he found out about them. Both of them felt sick with guilt as they lay in their bed of betrayal. "Get some sleep, you will need to be well rested tomorrow, who knows what the Dark Lord will spring on us next." Severus drawled as he turned over to face away from the young woman. Astrid did the same, rolling over, her back facing the man beside her.
"Do I look okay?" Astrid asked, smoothing out her black floor length dress. It was a simple jersey gown with no embellishment, it had a simple straight neckline that cut armpit to arm pit and was finished off with off-the-shoulder short slightly poofy sleeves. It wasn't at all her usual style, but then again, it wasn't mean to be.
"You look fine." Severus nodded, his eyes glancing up and down her figure. She looked more than fine, beautiful, stunning even, but he would not say so. Astrid went to the bathroom mirror to touch up her makeup, applying a red lip at Severus' request, when she spied her emerald ring on the side. She picked it up and held it in her hands, feeling it between her fingers, it felt foreign to her it had been so long since she wore it… and it felt like a different lifetime when Lucius proposed with it, so much had transpired since. She wondered if he still even wanted to marry her, or if he would if he found out about her and Severus…
"You cannot wear it, you're meant to be mine, remember?" Severus sighed from the doorway. She placed the ring back down quickly.
"I know, I was just looking at it." Astrid sighed
"Are you ready?" Severus asked, offering her his arm. She nodded taking it, and the two walked to the fireplace, where they disappeared in a puff of green smoke to Malfoy Manor.
When they stepped out from the fireplace in the entrance hall the Manor was already bustling with people, the number of the Dark Lords followers had quadrupled in recent months, most were cowardly ministry workers who had fallen to the Dark Lords side for convenience and protection from the Death Eaters.
"This way, we must first make our presence known to The Dark Lord." Severus told her as he led her through a group of people and up the stairs to the dining hall. There, all eyes flickered to them immediately, some smirked, some whispered. It was a familiar feeling, like Deja-vu almost. Severus gripped her risk and pulled her towards the centre of the room roughly, putting on his act for the crowd.
"Ah, Severus, and Astrid, you both made it… Merry Christmas…" The Dark Lord wheezed from his throne. "I am so glad you accepted my invitation, Astrid; I know we parted on… unpleasant terms… but I am glad to hear you have been very… obedient, in your time at Hogwarts."
Severus squeezed her wrist, eyeing her dangerously when she remained silent.
"Y-yes my Lord." She stuttered, bowing her head and lowering her eyes.
"I was sorry to hear the loss of yours and Severus' child, such a… terrible thing…" The Dark Lord exhaled, "perhaps soon… you will blossom again and give Severus an heir."
Severus again squeezed her wrist.
"Y-yes, that is my h-hope… my Lord." Astrid swallowed.
"Good, off you go. I will meet with you later Severus." The Dark Lord hummed as he sat back in his throne, clasping his hands together on his lap. Snape nodded, and guided Astrid away towards the edge of the room, where they skated around it and out through a door. He took her down a hallway to a lounge, the same lounge Dobby had thrown a sofa at Bellatrix. A waiter offered the pair a drink, which they both turned down simultaneously.
"Stay here, I'm going to go have a word with Avery, do not move," Severus told her firmly, "I mean it."
Astrid nodded in understanding and watched as Severus made his way over to the other side of the room, where he struck up conversation with another Death Eater. The two quickly became embroiled in conversation, a rather serious one by the looks of it. Astrid looked about at the grand room, she didn't have much time before to admire its tall ceilings, beautiful woodwork and gorgeous chandelier.
Astrid was quickly distracted from her admiration of the house when she heard the laugh of a baby, no… a toddler. Her ears pricked up and she looked about, but there was no sign of Everly. Against Snape's orders she slinked away out of the lounge and followed the laughter down a corridor where she came to a more intimate living space, smaller than the other, with a few emerald green velvet sofas and brown leather armchairs in front of a roaring fire. Despite the rooms intimate feel, there was quite a few people inhabiting it. Astrid weaved through the death eaters and froze in her tracks at the sight before her.
Everly, dressed in a little black frock, a small black bow in her fine blonde hair, she was walking, laughing, smiling. Astrid's hand fell over her heart as she felt like she was going to explode with love at the sight of her beautiful daughter.
"Mama," The toddler said with a bright smile. Astrid beamed and began to move to her daughter when something stopped her…
Narcissa, Lucius's ex-wife, scooped the toddler up into her arms, Everly laughed, reaching for Narcissa's face.
"Mama!" The toddler repeated, placing a sloppy kiss upon Narcissa's lips.
"Oh, she is the sweetest Cissy." A woman in black cooed.
"So beautiful, I bet you're so overjoyed to have a daughter finally." Another chimed.
"I know, she really is a perfect angel." Narcissa smiled as she stroked down Everly's hair.
Astrid felt like she was in a nightmare, and expected to wake up any second, but it was no nightmare. Coming to her senses she moved to confront the woman angrily, but an arm wrapped around her waist, whilst a hand covered her mouth, she was dragged away backwards down the hallway, arms and legs flailing she was dragged into the kitchen, spun around and pushed against the wall. Lips were on hers before she could even see who it was that had manhandled her away from her daughter. She recognised those lips, it had been a long time, but she still recognised them.
"Lucius!" She gasped, pushing him away.
"Astrid, my love." Lucius swallowed as he brought one hand to her cheek, the other to her hair. He petted and caressed her, placing delicate kisses on her forehead.
"Look at you, as beautiful as ever," Lucius breathed. "I thought… I worried… I'd never see you again." He choked, stroking her freckled cheek with his thumb lightly. Astrid looked over his face, he didn't look any better, in fact he looked a little worse, haggard, sick, broken. He had hints of her red lipstick on his lips, it complimented the red bags under his eyes.
"I'm not dead Lucius, I'm still here, just… really far away." Astrid's voice trembled.
"I did not think the Dark Lord would let you ever leave Hogwarts… it's so good to see you my love… I've missed you, terribly." He whispered with a sigh, he moved to kiss her again but Astrid pushed firmly on his chest.
"W-why is Everly, c-calling Narcissa mama?" Astrid stammered, her jaw tightening with rage. She closed her fists tightly, and awaited a response, but Lucius shifted nervously in front of her, his nerves only made Astrid feel sick to her core.
"Oh Astrid…" He started sadly, his brows knitting together, "It's been so hard, without you… raising Everly has been a challenge… I had to make a choice."
Astrid's heart pumped rapidly in her chest, she felt faint almost as her stomach flipped wildly.
"What choice?" She stuttered, tears beginning to pool in her eyes.
"Narcissa moved back in… she's helping with Everly, Draco too…" Lucius trailed off.
"So, you're here, playing happy families with my daughter… allowing her to call Narcissa mummy… whilst I am tormented by the Carrows every day?" Astrid asked, her tone was distasteful but not quite a hiss. She awaited a response from her fiancé, but he just averted his eyes from her gaze. Astrid felt like she'd been stabbed in the heart when she came to a realisation.
"You're sleeping with her, aren't you?" Astrid asked, her voice barely a whisper. Lucius couldn't look at her, he lowered his head in shame.
"It just happened; I didn't plan it…" He sighed. Tears fell from Astrid's eyes, they felt as if they were burning down Astrid's cheeks, she rubbed at them as she looked up to the ceiling, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I'm sorry, my love, I just…" Lucius couldn't find the words; he knew his betrayal cut her deep, it hurt him nearly as much.
"To sleep with her is one thing…" Astrid sniffled, her breathing was shaky… "But to let our daughter call her mama… that is… I don't even have the words for how much you have hurt me Lucius," Astrid's shaky breaths turned into sobs, she tried to move away, leave the kitchen, get away from him. But he grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back. She stared in his sad ice blue eyes with her devastated ocean blue ones.
"I know… I know it's bad, but I still love you, always, let me explain-" Lucius started.
"I don't need your explanation Lucius… you are… uh… I can't even find the words, I came here wracked with guilt, but really, you've been the guilty one all along." Astrid sobbed.
"Wracked with guilt? What? Why?" Lucius asked, with furrowed brows, he moved his hand to catch her tears but she slapped it away.
"I've been sleeping with Severus." Astrid sobbed with a smile, of course she wasn't happy, she smiled at the cruel irony of it all.
"What?" Lucius asked darkly, his body language changed, from meek and apologetic, to something more sinister. "You've been sleeping with him… for real?"
"Yes," Astrid exhaled, as she lifted her hand to her heart. The pain was tearing through her.
"For how long?" Lucius growled, backing away from the young woman.
"Does it matter?" Astrid sniffled. "Couple of months… How long have you been sleeping with Cissy? How long has Everly been calling her mama?" Astrid's voice was laced with anger and hatred. Lucius didn't answer, he turned to the wooden island in the centre of the kitchen and slammed his fists down on it.
"The Dark Lord was right…" He hissed as he turned around, "You really are a whore, aren't you?"
Astrid moved to slap him, but Lucius caught her wrist, and gave it a hard squeeze, Astrid cried out in pain.
"Let go of her, Lucius." The deep voice of Severus Snape snarled from the doorway.
"Come to fetch your whore have you, Severus?" Lucius sneered, tightening his grip around her wrist. "Here, have her." Lucius swung Astrid towards Snape by her arm, sending her stumbling into Severus' chest. He caught her, steadied her on her feet and wrapped his arms around her as she buried herself into his chest. There she sobbed deeply into the black fabric of his button-down jacket. Lucius' lip curled at the sight of them both, and without another word he stalked out of the kitchens to reunite himself with his family.
"I told you not to move." Severus exhaled into Astrid's hair, he guided her from the kitchen into the hallway and took her in the opposite direction to the one Lucius had gone.
"Did you know?" Astrid asked with quaking lips as she clutched at her chest.
"I did." Severus confirmed hesitantly. "But it was not my place to tell you."
Astrid couldn't take anymore, her heartbeat rang in her ears, her head felt lighter than a phoenix feather, her legs weak and trembling couldn't walk her any further… Her eyes blinked closed, leaving nothing but black… Her legs gave way first, pulling her down to the floor. Severus tried to catch her but she slipped from his reach and she fell to the hard wood floor, laid out on her side her arms and legs sprawled. Severus quickly knelt by her side; his brows furrowed in worry. Guests were curious by the commotion, stepping into the hallway from all the possible doorways and archways.
"Astrid?" He asked, shaking her shoulder slightly. "Astrid? Wake up!" He called again, more frantically as he grabbed at her cheek, caressing her. He looked around to see the stares of the Dark Lord's followers watching carelessly, some of them whispered, some of them smirked, some of them laughed. Severus spied Lucius, Draco and Narcissa down the hall watching over the scene, Everly was comfortably in Narcissa's arms. Severus gritted his teeth and gave her a small slap on the face, but she did not wake.
"Astrid? Wake up, please." He spoke again, his voice becoming weak with worry. He grabbed her wrist and pressed two fingers to it. There was no pulse.