Chapter 45. Scents

He could hear the wails of his friend the moment he opened the door to the lavish Malfoy manor. The pain echoed in the hollow rooms as he strode forward, his concern masked deeply behind his wall. Severus was walking alongside his godson, who was shaking with fear. Severus agree it would be terrible to hear the sound of one's father under torture, so he didn't fault the boy. However, he knew that Voldemort would see it as a weakness, so he gripped the boy's arm and squeezed. Draco let out a pathetic whimper but stopped trembling as they rounded the corner to the living area where Bellatrix has Lucius bound and bloody. The sight was shocking indeed, but over the summer, Severus had grown immune to the atrocities. This was simply another example of Voldemort's fear lashing out at his followers.

The Dark Lord himself was practically giddy watching from his seat near the window, his eyes like fire as blood dripped from the older Malfoy's jaw. Draco fell in line beside his mother, who grabbed ahold of his arm and relaxed a bit at her son's presence. The Dark Lord didn't even seem to notice their arrival, something that Severus cherished as long as he could. He had been overly kind to the two in charge of the death of the Hogwarts' headmaster. There had been rowdy parties and a surge in muggle and muggle-born killings at the start of the season, but they had lost their momentum, and it was time for those who were not loyal enough to suffer. Starting with Lucius' failure to bring the Dark Lord the prophecy. This was the last bout, Voldemort had promised, given that Lucius had agreed to lend his manor to the cause of the Death Eaters for the foreseeable future. And with the fall of the ministry, Severus would be soon appointed headmaster at Hogwarts, which was another thing to celebrate.

When Severus had found out about the plan to take over the ministry and the events that would follow, he sent word to Hermione, praying she would be able to warn others. He masked his voice, though he couldn't mask his Patronus. He had been one of the Death Eaters tasked with the raid and was pleased to find that the golden trio had escaped, even though he never got the chance to see her. At the time, he did everything he could to hinder his fellow Death Eaters while never letting it be known exactly what he was doing. Thankfully, no Order members had died in the fight and the Death Eaters left quickly after Bellatrix lit the tent ablaze.

It was the middle of August, and the announcement for Headmaster was due any day. He wasn't sure what the delay was since they had hold of the highest-ranking member, but perhaps there were a few disloyal operatives amongst them dragging out the announcement. Severus couldn't even imagine Hermione's reaction when she hears the news. He had come to grips with the fact that she likely hated him by now, knowing what he had done and likely guessing at why he had done it. The betrayal would have been too much for her to reconcile, given it came from both her friend and her partner, let alone the father of her child. He longed to know more, to know how she was progressing. He wanted to feel every kick and move, see every sonogram as his child grew. The pain of not knowing was buried deep now, as he had no other choice but to carry on.

"Severus, please escort Lucius to his room," Voldemort commanded, shaking Severus from his self-pit. "I believe he needs some rest." Severus nodded, and with a flick of his wand, floated Lucius out of the room. He past by a group of Death Eaters covered in someone else's blood as he strode through the corridor. When he reached the bedroom, he gingerly laid his friend down on the bed. It was smaller than Lucius had been used to, but the Dark Lord had taken over the master's room. Lucius groaned as he relaxed into the mattress.

"Severus," he moaned, his eyes barely open. Snape read the man's mind, conjuring a quick cleaning charm to rid the man's face of the drying blood, and cleaning the wounds on his hands and legs. His clothes were torn, and his face lined with stubble. Lucius was overall unkempt which was highly unlike him. Severus pitied the man in front of him, so bent on pleasing the Dark Lord that he neglected his own wife and child, let them be at the mercy of such a merciless wizard.

With one last glance at the man he once looked up to, Severus spun and left the room, returning to a round of applause from the last of the Death Eater inner circle who had already started drinking. Cheers followed Voldemort's proud announcement: "Welcome, Severus, our new Headmaster!"

-x-

One of the many perks of being Headmaster at Hogwarts was his access to information. Dumbledore had an army of people in the real world, it seemed, that always had an eye out for the golden trio. He had heard all about the break-in at the ministry before it was even announced, he'd heard of their progress and run-ins with snatchers. Most importantly, he heard of Hermione's sudden disappearance from the hunt. Dumbledore had been quick to accuse him of favouring the girl, given the number of times he had requested information as to her whereabouts. The previous Headmaster was growing ever more frustrated with the lack of concentration on Harry's current condition since he was the one destined to save the wizarding world, not Hermione.

"You can't possibly be asking about Miss Granger again, Severus," Dumbledore huffed from his frame. Severus, who had taken to asking other portraits for information, ignored the man as he strode over to his bookshelf. He had started researching everything he could get his hands on for making and destroying Horcruxes. He barely spent any time monitoring students or out in the hall. He couldn't bear to witness the atrocities committed by the Carrow twins, so he'd locked himself away, determined to help the trio get along.

Reaching for his ink and quill as he read, he dropped the glass container which shattered, a piece slicing his leg. He winced, whisking away the mess from the floor with a quick scourgify. Attempting to ignore the pain, he hobbled over to his desk to retrieve another quill and ink set to mark up the pages in his hands. As if she were psychic, Madame Pomfrey strolled through the door.

"Ah Severus, another injury, eh?" Her voice was judgemental as if she were pained to be in his presence. He didn't blame her, given his alleged allegiance and the fact that he murdered the former Headmaster. "Dumbledore sent for me," she muttered, tottering over to tend to his leg. Severus didn't fight it, just sending a look of disdain to the portrait, who seemed rather smug.

Armando Dippet returned to his frame panting heavily. "I have news of the girl!" He proclaimed.

"Finally," Severus sighed as though he hadn't been breathing for hours, rushing over to him. Poppy nearly toppled over, but she managed to stand and brush herself off, listening in on the news.

"She delivered a child, mid-November," Poppy gasped at the news, though she had been aware of the pregnancy. "and has now rejoined Mr Potter and Mr Weasley in a forest in the English countryside," Severus' heart leapt. He had a child. His daughter was born.

"And what of the child?" Severus asked, but before Armando could reply, Dumbledore interrupted.

"It is if you are the father, Severus, the way you keep inquiring after her and now the child."

"Draco would want to know," Severus snapped, turning his attention back to Dippet's portrait. His fists were tight at his side, anxious to hear any news of his child. Desperate to know that she was alright, unharmed. That her birth was smooth and she was being held by an Order member for her safety.

"Miss Granger left the hospital suddenly, without being discharged, taking the child with her. The whereabouts of her offspring are unknown at the present moment," he confessed. Snape wanted to double over in pain. All he wanted was to hold her, to kiss her forehead, he wanted to know she was alright and all his. He couldn't do that if he didn't know where she was. "Unfortunately, that was all that I could get from the mediwitch in charge of the ordeal. She was hesitant to even give me that, but she was a student at Hogwarts while I was Headmaster and did me the favour nonetheless."

"Thank you," he muttered, sitting down in his chair. Lucius and Narcissa were adamant that Draco not lay claim to the child publicly, he had been enough of an embarrassment simply by associating with her. Severus knew, however, that Narcissa secretly wanted to know every bit about her supposed granddaughter. Draco hated lying to his mother, but the fear of telling the truth and being punished for lying was enough to keep him quiet. To keep Snape's secret for as long as possible.

Severus hated to imagine what would happen should he die without ever meeting his daughter. Perhaps, if Draco survived, he would keep up the lie and take his place as the sire of the child. Would Hermione want that? When the truth comes out, that Dumbledore's death was a plan orchestrated by the man himself, would Hermione be willing to forgive? He couldn't dream of a world where she forgave him for lying to her, keeping secrets as though he couldn't trust her. He thought he had no other choice, he thought he was doing her a favour by keeping her in the dark, at a distance. Hindsight, though, repeatedly reminded him that she was a brilliant witch, that she should have known, he could have told her. She would have kept the secret. Knowing the secret may have even given her an advantage in the events following.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sting on his leg. He looked down to see Poppy tending to his leg once more. She didn't say anything, but there was a knowing look in her eye that made him shiver, as though she could see his softness poking through the gauge in his leg. "That will be all, Poppy," he barked, giving her a start. The mediwitch stood and left him to his thoughts. He was sat in the chair Dumbeldore once occupied, in the office where he had come to the dead man's aid on multiple occasions. He had been reckless, and now Severus followed in his footsteps.

"Severus," Dumbledore started from his portrait. "You must deliver the sword of Gryffindor to them."

"I am not a Gryffindor," Severus grumbled. "I would not come to me, even if I knew where it was."

"Perhaps, but your love for a Gryffindor and your desire to save her child, that will summon it just as well," Dumbledore explained. Severus' heart sunk into his chest. He knew that the Headmaster was referring to Lily and Harry, not of Hermione and their child, but the love he felt for the Gryffindor would work whichever way he spun it.

"Where do I look?" Dumbledore motioned to the sorting hat on top of the cabinet near the entrance. Intrigued, Severus stood and walked over to the cabinet, reaching up and pulling down the hat, which grunted in protest. Reaching in, he felt the cool brush of metal against his fingers. He grasped the sword by the handle and pulled it out triumphantly.

"Give it to them, to destroy the Horcrux."

-x-

Back at the Malfoy Manor, Lucius was desperate to appear held together. He had acquired more House-elves and was sending them on daily trips to find where the trio was, or any information he could find that would land him in the Dark Lord's good graces once more. Severus was saddened to see his once proud friend reduced to nothing but a snivelling puppet. The Dark Lord had declared there would be an announcement at dinner and that Severus should step away from his duties at headmaster to attend. Severus was more than pleased to have an excuse to step away from witnessing the horrors of the Carrows' punishments, but he still recoiled at the damage Voldemort has caused to Manor.

Severus sat beside Bellatrix and at the corner of the table next to the Dark Lord, who had yet to arrive. Lucius was seated at the very far corner of the table on the opposite side. Bellatrix was going on about something horrific she was planning for a muggle village that Severus had to tune out in order to survive. The world felt heavy on his chest, and all the world seems darker, shrouded in a dark cloud.

The idea of his child popped into his head as he tried to picture what she looked like. How could Hermione explain is she had black hair and dark eyes when she was supposed to have made the child with a blonde-haired blue-eyed wizard? He tried to imagine a miniature Hermione, with wild curls from birth and determined eyes. Both those images vanished when Voldemort took his seat at the head of the table.

"Welcome, friends, to the next stage of our plan," the Dark Lord started. "Xenophilious Lovegood has been writing some damning things against us in his useless excuse for a paper-" Bellatrix giggled at the statement, practically bubbling over with excitement for the Dark Lord's plans. "I understand Lovegood has a daughter who went to school with our dear Mr Potter. She will know where he is, and that is why we will be taking her for ransom." Severus wanted to collapse at the table. Another student in harm's way because of his actions. Lovegood may not have been exactly all there, but she was exceptional at her studies and creative with her potions, as Severus had once been.

The Dark Lord's plan was simple enough. Invade the Hogwarts express on its way to London, take the girl to the Malfoy Manor, and send word to her father that unless one of them gives up the location of Harry Potter, his precious Luna would die. Naturally, Voldemort didn't trust just anyone with his plan on kidnapping the girl, and since Hermione's capture had gone so flawlessly, the job landed on Severus' shoulders. He would be the one to take the girl from the train while others kept the other students distracted. Once they did that, they would apparate to the countryside, to mask where it was they were headed and walk a bit through the forest before apparating again. Severus would stay in the forest, as a wizard had claimed to have seen the trio who had been caught by the Snatchers and Voldemort only Severus was trusted to question.

Bellatrix was livid that she wasn't the one chosen to question the wizard but, instead, was only there to distract and finish the apparation to the Malfoy Manor. The rest of the Death Eaters seemed on board with the promotion of Severus to Voldemort's right hand. He could tell there was some jealousy, but he mostly sensed relief. Most of his followers were relieved that they weren't so important to the cause. Severus supposed that there were downsides to each position. If he failed as his most trusted Death Eater, he would likely be killed, but those who were less important were equally as expendable. There was no winning in the court of the Dark Lord.

-x-

It was freezing that late in December, though it wasn't snowing. There was about an inch of the white layering the ground, but the skies were clear. They had managed the removal of Ms Lovegood from the train easily enough and were now strolling through the forest to where Severus was to meet the Snatchers. The snow crunched under his boots as he gripped the student's arm tightly to keep her from falling. She was rather calm for someone who had just been ripped away from her comfortable reality. She barely made a noise as they strode over the uneven terrain, only yelping when her foot caught on a root or her hair snagged on a branch. Severus felt awful that he couldn't stop to help her entangle her hair or let her adjust after stumbling, just pulled her through.

When the sound of a cackling group of wizards came into earshot, Severus roughly handed the girl over to Dolohov and Rookwood who were barely paying any attention and caught her awkwardly. Bellatrix ripped the girl back from their grip and took her on, guiding her away. "Don't be late, dear," Bellatrix called over her should to Severus as the three other Death Eaters apparated away. Severus shuddered at the comment but kept moving forward, coming up to the Scabior who was holding onto a bound wizard. The wizard was old, probably nearly 100, though not frail as Severus would have thought. His hair was a grey mess filled with debris, and his face was heavily scarred. He wore tattered cloth for clothes and smelt as though he hadn't showered in weeks. Severus masked his disgust and approached them.

"I understand you have news of Harry Potter and his friends," Severus seethed. The older wizard didn't seem frightened at all, only stood a bit taller, though not matching Severus' height. Severus looked down his nose at the man and cocked a brow. "Well?" He encouraged.

"I do. They're here, in the forest," he croaked with a grin. All of the hairs on Severus' body stood on end, his nerves firing. Hermione is here? "I was on my usual stroll in the afternoon, looking for blood traitors, mudbloods, and whatnot when I heard the crack of apparation. Naturally, I had to investigate," the man's story dragged on. "When I came to the bottom of the hill, I looked up and I saw that mudblood from the papers erecting wards around the clearing at the top. Didn't see her long, she disappeared before my eyes, but I can lead you to her," he offered.

"For what in return?" Severus barked, knowing nothing came free these days.

The wizard smirked, his gaze lingering on Severus for just a bit too long. "Take me to the Dark Lord, and then I will take you to the clearing." Severus looked at the Snatcher, who all seemed equally eager to be taken to see the Dark Lord, and he nodded.

"We cannot apparate from here, as there can't be too many of us going to the headquarters at the same time," Severus explained. "Lead us to the other side of the forest, and I will take you to him." The older wizard seemed elated, adjusting his shoulders as if to suggest he be unbound. Severus ignored the instruction and motioned his head as to guide the Snatcher to follow. With a huff, the older wizard started forward, but not before shooting Severus a murderous glance.

They stumbled down an embankment, and into a dense array of trees which they stiffly navigated, following the lead of the man. They neared a clearing, and something caught Severus, keeping him back from the group. The Snatchers stopped and looked back at him. Severus looked about, trying to follow what his nose was picking up. There was something familiar about the scent that lingered in the forest, something that didn't belong. His heart raced as he desperately tried to place it, something nostalgic twinging in his mind. The group called to him, shouted angrily that they didn't want to waste any time, but the words bounced off him as though he couldn't even hear them. He was too focused.

"Do you smell that?" He asked no one, his brows furrowing. His heart leapt when the memories came flooding back to him. The smell was Hermione's. The scent that engulfed him when he embraced her, his hand buried in her hair. The scent he would drown in when he nuzzled her neck and kiss her flesh. The scent he could almost dream about as visions of her smile, her sparkling eyes, and her delicate form danced through his head.

He tensed, turning on his heel and storming off after the Snatchers. "Follow me," he commanded, as they went further into the forest. It didn't take long before they reached the edge of the town, where he tore the man away from the Snatchers and apparated to the Malfoy Manor. He threw the wizard onto the ground and levelled with the Dark Lord who was lounging by the fire. The man knew where Hermione was, and he would lead the Snatchers right to them if Severus went back to the forest with him. He had to get rid of the older wizard, and how convenient that his payment was bringing him to face one of the most dangerous wizards of their time.

"And what did our guest have to share?" Voldemort purred, glancing down at the body that was wearily standing from the floor.

"He spotted one of Potter's friends in the forest, my Lord," he started, much to Voldemort's delight. "But it was a false lead. He brought us to the clearing where the mudblood and the traitors would have been, but I detected absolutely no magical trace. There were no wards, as he so claimed, and there hadn't been for some time. Either he purposefully fed us false information, or they have moved on by now and he did not provide us with said information promptly."

"Either way, he shall die for this," the Dark Lord hissed, finishing Severus' thought. Voldemort stood from his seat and strolled over to the man who was now cowering on the marble floor. He lingered, staring down at the pathetic wizard who was attempting to sit up and argue his truth.

"That is not true, sir, I haven't-" the wizard sputtered. Much to Severus' relief, Voldemort didn't hear the man out before casting a swift killing curse.

"I will go back and disperse the Snatchers," Severus announced. "They will need to keep looking." He turned to leave, hoping to get back to the forest before Hermione had the chance to run away from him. Praying she would be there when he returned.

"Oh, and Severus, before you leave," Voldemort caught him. "Give Scabior a reminder not to bring me false leads, hm?" The implication made Severus shiver, but he nodded before separating back to the edge of the forest. The Snatchers were lounging comfortably on a rock at the edge of the forest, awaiting their return.

"The Dark Lord has ordered you to search the village," Severus commanded. Scabior didn't flinch, but the others stumbled awkwardly to their feet. "Go. Now!" He added before charging back into the trees. Careful that no one had followed him back, he found his way back to the clearing. It seemed colder now, the world a bit darker than the few minutes it seemed to be since he was last in the clearing. He looked down and noted the slope down to where the old man had supposedly seen Hermione setting up the wards and then the embankment they had come from in front of him. He turned to where he had smelt her before, desperately searching for her scent. When he found it, he stepped forward, finding the ward with the palm of his hand. Gingerly, he pressed his nose against it, trying to see through.

"Hermione?"

Happy August 1st! Hope your summers have been going well and that you're all keeping safe. I got two new kittens just before the lockdown started in Canada (March), so I've had a fantastic time working from home.