Minor (major?) character death. Sorry for the delay again, life is busy and I am tired!
Chapter 37. The Fall
He held the Portkey firmly in his grasp as he walked into the Malfoy's great hall. All the Death Eaters were gathered, and the Dark Lord was in a jovial mood that seemed to put the grouping of dark witches and wizards at ease. It was almost celebratory as they prepared for the arrival of Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger that evening, though they didn't know it was actually those two who had brought him there. The Malfoys, of course, we stoic if not impassive as they held onto one another. Their son was to face a great test that evening, and they knew not of how it would end. Severus did not know either and could not be of comfort to them in any way. The fate of his witch was equally as uncertain as their son's, even with the extensive planning the group had endured over the past weeks.
Minerva had gone home early to ready the cabin for Miss Granger's arrival, Draco and Hermione were on the train from Hogwarts, and Severus was at the Malfoy's waiting to be ordered to leave. Dolohov was nowhere to be seen, which didn't surprise the spy, as he suspected the wizard was likely relishing in his plans for the torture and murders of the muggle-born's parents. Severus moved up the Granger's travel arrangements so that they would leave before midnight and therefore never be caught in the crossfire. Hermione, however, would be ripe for the picking, and thankfully he had managed to secure the role from the Dark Lord as her captor. Bellatrix was a wild card, and he did not know the damage the Granger's estate would endure at the realization of the girl's parents' departure. He recommended that Hermione leave her familiar behind as to avoid that particular loss should the evil witch take to many liberties.
Severus sat down in one of the dining room chairs and turned his body to face that of the Dark Lord as more members took their seats. "Good evening, my brothers and sisters," he hissed, gesturing to all that were near him. "Tonight is a very special night that I believe all will enjoy. It has been too long since one of our own had to be shown the way of the world, but tonight, we take corrective action. Tonight, we will witness the murder of a mudblood." Cheers and excited babble filled the air as a devious smirk spread across the snake-like features of their leader. "I thank you, my followers, for joining me in a feast to mark the beginning of the end of those who would see us flounder below the ranks of mortals. Tonight, we will complete our army to move forward stronger than ever."
The feast appeared in front of them, set out by invisible house elves, but Severus had no appetite. The shine on the ham and the steam from the vegetables nearly made him sick. The anxiety that was bubbling inside of him only worsened as the meal progressed and he forced down forkful after forkful. It wasn't until the very end of the meal, when his cutlery scraped against the bone china, that he felt any sort of relief.
"Severus, my faithful spy, your task tonight is upon us," Voldemort whispered as he was only speaking to him. The younger wizard nodded, and stood, drawing no attention from the rest of the Death Eaters. "Bella and Dolohov will meet you at the location. I look forward to seeing what you have for me upon your return," he instructed. With a nod, Severus swept out of the hall and disapparated to the home of his dear Hermione Granger.
He looked up at the rather plain house. The shingles were a dark blue and the siding a lighter shade. The door was white with a small covered patio out front. It looked pretty much the same as all other houses on the street, but there was something distinctly clean about this one that made his heart sink. It was cold, but not raining, as he stood and stared up at the darkened window he knew to be the girl's. He wondered if she was awake and simply reading by a dim light, or if she was truly asleep. Is she just waiting in the dark? Scared? He thought about how she may look if she were asleep, how her eyes would flutter, her brow relaxed in peace.
"There you are!" A familiar female voice called from his right, making him spin to address it. There she was, medium height with pin-straight dark hair and glasses that made her blue eyes pop out of her skull. His heart gave a skip and he nearly took a step back before he composed himself. Severus hadn't seen the witch since she visited Hogwarts all those weeks ago, even though Dumbledore had supposedly been on the hunt of the girl, neither one had managed to find her. And yet, here she was, standing in front of him with a smug grin on her lips and a tilt to her hip. As if she hadn't shared his secret with his Godson, as if she hadn't been sneaking in and out of the castle.
"Tessa?" The wizard questioned, as if not believing his eyes. She smirked, crossing her hands over her chest and standing a bit more confidently as Hermione had once or twice before. He noted her stance with a pang in his heart at the memory of the know-it-all attempting to prove him wrong on how to follow a potions recipe.
"Tessa Dolohov at your service," the brunette beamed proudly, making Severus' stomach jump. Dolohov? No. This witch cannot be the daughter of Antonin Dolohov. The man is a monster, a true beast of a man with no regard for human life- magical or not. He could not possibly have sired a child, let alone this particular witch. She's far too... Chipper.
"Dolohov," he repeated, mostly out of disbelief as he watched the girl nodding before him.
"The very same! I was a bit of an accident, mind you. The product of Antonin Dolohov and Rosetta Parkinson, though I'm pretty sure precious mummy had no idea who she was bedding," she explained cheerfully. "Was thrilled to find out I had a sister. Well half-sister, but one all the same. After this I'll be hanging about Hogwarts a bit more, getting to know her. I applied for the Defence position, obviously, for next year." Defence? At Hogwarts? She was about to help in the kidnapping of a student and she believes she would be allowed to teach at the school? The witch was incredibly chatty. Even when they were about to carry out the will of the darkest wizard of this age, she still found the time to share her entire life story.
"When did you find this out?" He asked, attempting to keep his composure as he wracked his brain on how it could be possible. They were still waiting on Bellatrix to arrive, though he was beginning to let himself hope the wretched bitch may not show her face for this particular event.
"Daddy had a blood tracking device put on Hogwarts so when I started school he could find me, but since I went to Beauxbatons, it only activated when I went there with you and Minny." Do not call her that, he spat internally. "Since I'm blood, Voldemort sorted me right in to fight alongside my father. Brilliant isn't it?" She was beaming in a way that made him believe in the pride she was exuding, only sickening him at the thought of his part in her reunion with her father.
"Spectacular," he sneered. She looked past him for a moment, pushing her glasses up her nose a bit and flicking a straight lock of dark hair behind her ear and smiling even wider. He looked briefly over his shoulder to see who or what it was she was staring at and he groaned at the sight.
"There's Bella!" Tessa quipped, practically jumping before skipping over to the dishevelled witch approaching them. Part of him had truly been hoping the bitch wouldn't show up and he'd be able to get through the capture of his witch without the threat of violence lingering in her home. Alas, this would not be the day he got his wishes granted.
He didn't stop for pleasantries, simply checking the time and striding towards the girl's front door at the stroke of midnight. The wizard silenced his footsteps as he walked through the front hall and towards the stairs, forcing himself to keep from glancing at the family pictures. He took the stairs slowly, watching Bellatrix move like a cat towards the back of the home to check for Hermione's parents. Tessa followed him up the stairs, holding onto the railing and looking about curiously.
"No wards on the house? Seems careless," she commented offhandedly.
"Muggles and an underage witch until recently," he snapped back, biting his tongue to keep himself calm as he stepped out onto the landing.
"What's her name again? The girl we're kidnapping?" Tessa asked but his mind flashed to her interrogation after he awoke in her home. Who's Hermione? The witch's voice sounded in his head. He remembered Draco explaining how he had come across the particular bit of information that Severus and Hermione had been in a relationship. How she had known it to be true and convince the blond as such. Yet there she was, standing before him, and asking who it is they were about to kidnap as though she didn't know anything. Something isn't right, he mused, deciding he would grant her a bit of honesty in hopes she would do the game.
"You were the one who spoke to Draco about my relations with Hermione, ought you know who it is we're kidnapping?" he seethed, clenching his jaw as he approached the doors.
"What are you talking about?" She asked, stopping him for a moment before he straightened his posture and turned to her.
"What I am talking about is that you let Draco in on a particular secret that he has since used against me," Severus answered. Glancing about to ensure Bellatrix was not within earshot, he lowered his voice and glowered at her, gripping her arm. She winced at the motion and he eased up slightly. "There is nothing that gives me greater joy than bringing a prick down from his high horse, but Miss Granger does not deserve to die. She is a muggle born, yes, but she is a brilliant witch and is nothing more than a victim in this.
"A secret?" The witch echoed, narrowing her brows. The wizard released a sigh and clenched his jaw, grinding his teeth in exasperation.
"The affair between myself and one Hermione," Severus seethed. The girl's expression morphed into one of exaggerated realization and she stepped back.
"Hermione," she repeated, staring down at the floor as Severus released her from his grasp. "He told me about the witch he loved, explained that he was being punished for falling for a muggle-born. The name was familiar, so I mentioned that you had offered up the same name to me. That you also loved a Hermione. I'm a bit of a talker. He didn't say anything, just took off. I didn't think anything of it," Tessa explained. "I really didn't mean to put you in that position," she insisted, but the two stopped and turned to stare at the staircase that was creaking with the heavy-footed steps of Bellatrix Lestrange.
"No parents downstairs," Bellatrix announced loudly, making Severus wince and sent a silencing hex at the witch. She gasped and stumbled back, but Tessa caught her and motioned towards the other door. He eyed the three doors in front of him and remembered from his previous scouts of the girl's family home, that hers was the one on the right. The wizard steadied his breathing, placing a hand on the knob and twisting it. He pushed open the girl's bedroom door once more and slid through the opening. He took in the sight of her room, the walls lined with bookshelves, and a desk with parchment strewn about. There was a small round carpet on the floor next to it, likely for her feline when she had him in her house, and a dresser opposite her bed. As his eyes travelled to her sleeping form, his heart skipped a beat.
Her eyes were fluttering just a bit as she dreamt, and her arm hung off the side of the bed while the other lay across her chest. Her hair was a mess around her face, but she was calm, beautiful. There was nothing he wanted more than to lean forward and kiss her lips where she lay as he approached her quietly. The female spawn of Dolohov had accompanied Bellatrix in the search for her parents which gave him the opportunity, but there was no way he would risk the exposure when her life hung in the balance. So, instead, he quietly levitated her from her mattress, helping her blankets from her body before closing the gap between them. In one swift movement, he clapped a hand over her mouth, waking her from her slumber and binding her in a frenzy of charms, accidentally tugging on her hair in the haste. Easy charms to get out of, but ones that would prove to the Dark Lord that she had been subdued. There was genuine panic as she attempted to gather her bearings, as she kicked and tried for air to scream, so he put her out of her misery with a simple sleeping spell that would wear off too quickly for his liking.
"I thought I heard the sounds of a mudblood struggling," Bellatrix cackled and hopped into the room with joy. She watched, entranced as he lifted the girl above their heads, bound, and moved her towards the door. He glanced to see Tessa by the frame and he frowned at a flash of emotion that spread across the witch's face. Fear? Worry? Whatever it was, she had quickly rid herself of it and plastered on an expression of excitement to see Hermione float past her in her subdued form.
"We bring her straight to the Dark Lord, no detours," Severus barked and he could feel the disappointment radiating off the bitch behind him. She grumbled something he didn't pay any mind to as he carried his witch down the stairs and away from her family home. He half expected the women trailing behind him to light up the girl's home in flames, but they simply followed along like obedient hounds.
He brought her into the expansive library just off the great hall where the Dark Lord was entertaining his guests. Severus placed the Portkey on the mantle of the fireplace without drawing the attention of the witch to his right who was enraptured with the number of books around her. She seemed almost itching to step away from the side of the floating and unconscious Hermione Granger, but she remained in her spot as though she were glued there.
Severus heard the party chatter fall to a hush before the frail voice of their leader, amplified through magic, bellowed into the crowd a most joyous greeting. "Thank you all for joining me this evening, I know your children are likely home for the Holidays, but I wanted to start this bonding time off correctly with a celebration for one of our own. Draco?" Severus exhaled at the sound of his godson being ushered to the front to stand next to the Dark Lord and bit his lip. The wizard noted the sound of Hermione exhaling, even though she was mostly frozen, he had allowed her certain control to avoid her becoming claustrophobic. He glanced at her from his periphery and noted her jumper was a bit more snug around her midriff, making him refocus his eyes to avoid thinking the worst. "He was given a mission and I hear he is making great progress on that front as we move towards the end of the year, so as a gift to him, I brought someone over from his little school," Voldemort announced, cueing the two standing on either side of the witch.
Severus cast a charm that allowed Hermione to follow alongside him as he guided her out into the dining hall where Death Eaters and their spouses gathered. They were sipping wine, dressed up as though it were a regal night and not the sacrificial ritual it truly was. Severus wanted nothing more than to throw them in front of the green spell that their fearless leader would cast any moment now. Any death would do to see the safety of his Hermione and his child, especially one of those who would rejoice in her death. His teeth clenched, Severus regarded the snake-like man standing before him and gave a short bow. "My Lord," he greeted.
The dictator did not appear to acknowledge Snape's obvious discomfort at the situation, likely too wrapped up in the excitement of showing off his murderous wrath in front of his followers to care. "Thank you, Severus, for bringing the girl to us." Voldemort motioned to Draco, pushing him forward to get a better look at the girl. Severus watched as his face dropped and a look of genuine dread spread across his features. "Draco?" The Dark Lord encouraged, a hint of glee in his tone. Soon, there was a chorus of people talking, oohing and ahhing at the boy who simply stood and stared at the witch. "Our dear Draco fell in love with this filthy mudblood and tonight I will show him what it means to be a Death Eater, what it means to be pure," Voldemort explained. The world seemed to slow down as Draco was pulled away from the girl by his mother, and Voldemort poised his wand. "Aveda Kev-"
Then everything sped up. There was a blur of motion from his right and Tessa lurched in front of the curse, screaming at the top of her lungs as she did so. "NO!" As she was struck, Hermione was taken away in a flurry of motion, and chaos ensued. Voldemort cursed loudly, having failed at his one task for the evening. Guests panicked, eager to see who it was that had sacrificed themselves for the muggle-born witch. Severus shot a look to where Draco had been standing to note he was still there, taking in the time to establish his alibi. He then looked down at the witch sprawled out on the ballroom floor.
She was lying face up, her arms above her head, with her eyes wide open. Something in his throat caught, an ache growing in his oesophagus as he took in the scene before him. Her hair lightened a shade or two and sprang into large curls. Her eyes were now a deep brown and whatever glamour she had placed on her face dissipated with her death because her bone structure was sharp and prominent much like his. Any signs that she was anything more than 18 years old disappeared and the young girl stared up at the ceiling blankly. This witch before him was not a product of Dolohov or Parkinson. She was soft and beautiful and all too familiar. She was the perfect mix of himself and Hermione. He wanted to deny it, to believe that this girl could not have possibly been his daughter, but as he took in more of her features, he began to convince himself that she might very well be.
Hermione had been taken to the cottage by Draco, successfully, with his prior self staring agape at the witch who was widely believed to be the sole child of Antonin Dolohov dead on the floor by the fireplace. There was a flinch before he ran off, likely to go back in time to fulfil the destiny he had created. Severus spun to face the crowd, who were a mix of disgraced and destroyed. Antonin pushed to the front of the crowd and let out a wail Severus himself was forcing deep into his core. The potion's master whispered a few charms to rebrand the girl as a Dolohov so that the Death Eaters would mourn the loss of one of their own instead of searching into who exactly it was that had managed to fool them into believing she was one of them.
He left in a swift movement, noting Lucius and Narcissa glued to their seats and looking down the hall their son had disappeared into, and followed suit. The Dark Lord began speaking loudly and angrily, but Severus didn't stay to find out what wrath the dark wizard would release due to his failed attempt at murdering the muggle-born friend of Harry Potter. No, Severus was going to find his Hermione. He was going to figure out exactly what it was that had happened to cause Tessa's death. Find out what Draco knew, if it could possibly be true.
His fears began to sink in as he apparated, his stomach spinning with the burst of magic before he landed in the living room of his home in Cokeworth. Urgently, he reached for the Portkey he'd placed on his own mantle and spun off to McGonagall's cottage. Hermione was sitting on the couch, hugging herself with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders and Draco sat beside her, his arms around her. Severus would have been jealous had he not noted the pure joy that spread across the witch's face when she saw him. "What do you know of Tessa Dolohov, Draco?" He demanded, approaching the blond. The two on the couch stood, Draco looking stoic as ever while Hermione stared, confused, between the two wizards. When Draco didn't answer, he repeated in a louder, more commanding tone. "What. Do. You. Know. Draco?" There was a pop of magic and he was about to turn to face whoever it was that had intruded in when the world went black.
Here's a poll for you: do we want to find out if Tessa is really a Snager product in this story or the sequel?