Chapter 52 - The Shrieking Shack
It took Hermione about a minute to explain what had happened to her that her wand was now broken—without going in to any details, of course, and omitting the "message" that Bellatrix told her to give to Harry—and half that time for Ginny to offer up her wand to Hermione instead. Mrs. Weasley heavily objected to this course of action though, and wasted no time in placing her own wand in Hermione's hands.
"You need it more than I do, my dear," she said with a kind, motherly smile. "Go and help Harry and my son, wherever they are."
Hermione exchanged a look with Draco, communicating without words that he was coming along as well. "I will, Molly. And thank you."
Mrs. Weasley nodded, stepping back. "Good luck." Then, looking at Draco, "To both of you."
Ginny would have come along as well, so eager was she to see Harry again after all this time and help him, but with her mother now wandless, she had no intention of leaving her side. "We'll meet again when this is over," she promised. And then she and Mrs. Weasley ran back towards the castle, disappearing in the thick mist that still surrounded it.
Now alone, Hermione wasted no time in telling Draco where she was headed and why. He agreed with her that this might be their best chance to take on Nagini and Voldemort as well—end things once and for all.
"And you're sure they have the sheath?" Draco asked, wondering if maybe they shouldn't try getting the sword as well. After all, though he was glad that Luna and Longbottom were on their side, he didn't know what chances they had of getting it. Severus had left his office—Dumbledore's office—heavily warded, after all, and only Draco himself knew a lot of the passwords to get inside.
Hermione nodded as she and Draco made their way down the steep incline towards the Weeping Willow. Thankfully, there wasn't a death eater in sight, most of their efforts still focused within the castle. Absolutely no one had any idea that Harry Potter and his friends were now going on the offensive.
Hermione also realized that she could no longer hear or even see the dragons overhead, confirming that they were indeed gone. But why?
"Harry assured me they have it," she panted, taking the lead and deciding that she wouldn't question their good luck right now—time was of the essence. "They wouldn't be going after the snake otherwise."
"Are you sure you're alright?" Draco asked, pulling her to a stop. After the last time that Hermione had been in his crazy aunt's hands, she had been weeping and hurt; this time, though she looked none the worse for wear, he needed to know for sure.
Hermione gave him a shaky smile, thankful that Draco didn't know everything of what had happened to her since they'd last been together. Now wasn't the time to give him the details though, not when every second counted. "I'm fine, Draco. More than anything, I was going out of my head worrying about you. Now that I have you here with me, nothing could be wrong."
Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Draco nodded, and together they made their way down the steep hill towards their destination.
As the Weeping Willow sprang to action, sensing their approach, Hermione aimed a spell to distract it, giving her and Draco just enough time to dodge out of the way and head towards its trunk. Mrs. Weasley's wand felt strange in her hand, but it seemed to obey her commands just fine, thank Merlin.
Draco guarded her back as she dove towards the hidden tunnel, following close behind her once inside. From that point on, they both crept along the passageway quietly, not giving anything away. They were both alert, keeping watch for any possible ambush, but they reached the far end of the tunnel where Harry and Ron were waiting without any troubles. The boys were relieved to see Hermione alive and well after the time that she'd been unaccounted for, and both were glad to have an additional wand back on their side now that Draco was recovered as well.
There was no time to catch up on what had happened to all of them though, as Voldemort had been spotted already entering the shack, and was even now far too close for comfort.
Still though, if he had Nagini with him, it was now or never for them to put an end to things.
None of them said what they were all thinking: that one or more of them might possibly not come out alive from what they were about to face.
Hermione reached for Draco's hand and kept a tight hold on it while they all crept forward.
There was no going back now.
As it turned out though, they needn't have worried about attracting Voldemort's immediate attention, for the dark wizard was quite preoccupied elsewhere. Harry in particular had worried that Voldemort might sense him, as they were always far too aware of one another's presence, but for once the dark wizard was actually thinking of someone other than Harry Potter.
Namely, Severus Snape, who had just been summoned and even now stood before him. As the four friends crept along the outer wall to the room where the two dark wizards were, so did Voldemort and Nagini as well creep around Severus Snape, observing him with similar dark gazes and levels of intelligence.
In the otherwise eerie silence, they could all hear Voldemort's voice clearly, speaking to Severus about the Elder Wand of all things.
"It seems to me...that I am not the wand's true master," Voldemort said, sounding as casual as though he were discussing the weather. "Why do you think this is, Severus?"
None of them could see the professor, but Draco recognized by the clipped tone of his voice that he was on guard and tense. "Of course you are, my lord. Albus Dumbledore is dead, after all. Therefore, the wand's loyalty must surely be yours."
"Yes, surely," Voldemort mused. "And yet, I wonder..."
"Wonder, my lord?"
"If the wand is truly mine, as you say. I have yet to see the proof of this, Severus."
"It answers to you," Severus insisted. "When the boy comes, it will not fail you. It answers to you and you alone."
"Does it? Truly?" Voldemort chuckled. "You're a clever man, Severus, so surely you must know. A wand so powerful...its true master need never doubt...never wonder."
"My lord?"
"I believe, Severus..." And here Voldemort stopped, turning to face his most loyal follower, his strongest asset: the wizard who had killed Albus Dumbledore. "That this wand cannot serve me properly, now, for I am not its true master. The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. And that is not me, but you.
"You killed Dumbledore, Severus. While you live, the Elder Wand cannot truly be mine."
Then there was a pause, during which time neither dark wizard said anything. Finally though, Voldemort spoke again, sounding almost remorseful: "You've been a good and faithful servant, Severus—but only I can live...forever."
Severus barely had time to respond before, in one quick movement, Voldemort had slashed his throat with the very wand that was not yet is. Draco, Hermione, Ron, and Harry all flinched as Snape collapsed back against the wall where they were hidden. Before any of them could rush out, Draco already on his feet, Nagini had already been ordered to attack, striking several times at Severus. No sooner had Draco rounded the corner, sheath in hand, and Voldemort and Nagini both were already gone.
The other three friends were not quite so quick on their feet, but it didn't matter. The damage had been done and Severus Snape now lay before them, dying.
His chance to attack gone, Draco immediately leaned down next to his godfather, his wand out to staunch the bleeding. "Vulnera sanentur," he began chanting, over and over again to close the wound on his godfather's neck.
And while Ron hung back, feeling sickened at what had happened and yet unsure what to do, Harry and Hermione both rushed forward. "We may still have more of the antidote," she gasped, looking towards Draco. "I lost my bag in the hallway outside the infirmary, but if it's still there and we hurry, we can go and get it!"
"Mione, it's too dangerous!" Ron snapped. Then, when Hermione shot him a glare, he rolled his eyes and said, "For bloody sakes, I'll go!" Then, surprising all of them and faster than any of them could blink, he apparated away.
"No..." Severus rasped. He stared at Harry, who was leaning over on the other side of him, propping the professor up without being asked. For, no matter how much Harry might otherwise have hated the man after all he'd done, he recognized that no one, not even Severus Snape, deserved to die like this. Having felt the effects of Nagini's venom, he knew how bad it would get.
"We need to get him out of here," Harry said, glancing towards Hermione and Draco. Thankfully, Draco had managed to stop the bleeding but Severus was already looking paler and weaker—Nagini's venom already at work.
"No!" Severus repeated, and he reached up to clutch at Harry. Out of the corner of his eyes, tears began to trickle, and at first Harry thought that it was because of the pain, but then Severus gestured up weakly to them. "T-take them. P-please."
"Give me something, a glass, a vial, anything!" Harry exclaimed.
Hermione reached for the nearest thing at hand, which was in fact a small, empty jar. It was badly cracked, hope would hold in Severus's tears well enough.
Harry placed them against the professor's check and watched as each tear trickled down. They glowed a light blue, confirming that it wasn't just tears that Snape was giving now—it was his memories.
Once he finished, he sighed and leaned back, closing his eyes.
Draco holding on to his wrist, shook his head. "He's alive, but we can't wait for Weasley. We need to get him to Madame Pomfrey, see if she can't do anything." He leaned down in front of his godfather. "Severus, stay with us! If there's anything you have back in the school that can help, think and tell me! I'm not letting you die like this!"
Severus moaned, opening his eyes to view his godson. "Too late," he rasped. "Too late."
"No it isn't! Severus, you can't die! Don't even dare!"
But Severus Snape looked away from his godson once more, unable to concern himself with Draco's pleading and, yes, tears any longer. He felt the end was near, and he had come to peace with it.
Perhaps, he had truly been ready long ago.
Looking once more at Harry, for the first time in all their years of knowing each other his expression softened, not into one of hatred, but one of peace. "You have your...mother's eyes," he rasped, and then closed his eyes once more.
Harry gently set him down, looking at the memories he now held in his hand. Severus was still breathing, though it was getting weaker and weaker, but Harry felt it was imperative that he view the memories first thing. "I have to—"
"Go, Harry," Hermione insisted. "We'll stay with him." Then, looking at Draco, she added, "He won't die here, Draco. Keep hold of him—I know where we can go and I'll let Ron know to meet us there."
Then, though they were going to different places—and, though they didn't know it, to different fates—the friends all apparated away, leaving the shrieking shack and the scene of horror behind.
A/N: I'm not sure if you can tell, but this was an extremely hard chapter to write for me. To be 100% honest, I wanted to stick to J.K. Rowling's original storyline and have Snape die here, but...well, there was such a huge fan reaction to leave Snape alive at the end of this story, and since fanservice is what fanfictions are for, I decided to comply. So, in other words, even though it'll be touch and go for this chapter and possibly for the next one, YES, Severus Snape WILL survive the war. Ultimately, in the post-war arc of the story that I'll write, it'll be more interesting to see what his reaction from the Wizarding World will be afterwards anyway. I'll have a lot to figure out, but hey: anything for the fans!
As always, many thanks to everyone who's sticking with this story and leaving lovely comments. Those really help me to find the motivation to continue! Anyway, this grim chapter rather wraps up the grim year that was 2021. Here's hoping that everything will be looking up in the new year. Happy 2022 to everyone and I'll see y'all next year!
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