Chapter 61: A Malleable Future

A Malleable Future

As Sage watched Voldemort send the Cruciatus curse through Harry, he fell onto one knee, no longer being able to support the pain. It was as if it had doubled. He cringed and somehow maintained the moving picture above his head of exactly what he was being shown in his mind.

He knew they were seeing Voldemort rise from the cauldron, coming back to power. They were seeing Pettigrew robe him in black once more. Then they saw the wand...the infamous wand.

Sage's hand fell lifelessly to his side, and he fell over onto the ground.

His eyes were open as tremors went down his body. Blood was dribbling down his chin from where he had bit through his lip trying to drown out the pain. It was wet under his back, and he was unsure if the ground was really wet, or if he was just soaked in sweat.

All he knew was that his head felt as if it were about to explode with pain and heat and his body felt chilled through and through.

A crowd of people enveloped him suddenly, and his uncle pushed his hair out of his face and started poking around his neck and looking at his pupils, checking to make sure he wasn't going to die on the spot.

Nobody spoke. They seemed to not know the words for something like this. Everybody's face was etched with fear, concern, and anger. That was more than words could express.

He shivered, his mind sorting through images of what he had seen again. There would be no more putting things off... There would be no more peace and quiet... There would be no more training for the future... There would only be the present and an ever-dwindling fear that the day had finally come.

Just when Dumbledore opened his mouth to say something, Severus fell back onto his backside on the grass from where he had been kneeled, clutching his left forearm. His lips pressed tighly together.

Sage could have let out the most bloodcurdling scream any of them had ever heard, but his will muffled it. He grasped his arm with his right hand with all his might, trying to squash the fire burning underneath his skin. He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to force it all away, but it wasn't helping. He cursed himself for his lack of control as his lip quivered.

Without warning someone started trying to pull his hand away from his arm. His nails dug into his arms more deeply to prevent that from happening.

"Sage, let go. Let me see."

Opening his eyes, Sage glared at the headmaster.

"Sage, just do it," his uncle's deep voice cut through.

Reluctantly, Sage allowed his cramped hand to be pulled away from his forearm.

His eyes jumped open wider when his hand revealed a smoking arm.

Hurriedly, Dumbledore pulled up the sleeve and growled at the angry, charred flesh. It was blacker than charcoal and slightly red around the edges, as if it were just branded into him with a hot iron.

"Severus?" the old wizard asked, not needing to elaborate.

"No, headmaster, that is not normal."

"It's him," Sage whispered, "He's calling them all back to him. It is happening."

"It would appear to be so," the old man answered, comparing Sage's Mark to Severus's.

It was quite evident that Sage's was rather more active than his Uncle's. This only served to tell the headmaster that the Mark really was only as strong as the magic within the person it resided upon. Or hopefully, that is what it was. The other option, that Voldemort was calling Sage in a particularly strong manner, was not something he wanted to think about.

Suddenly, Snape cut in, "I will go, headmaster. I can help Potter."

The headmaster had barely opened his mouth to reply, when Sage grabbed his uncle by the arm violently, and cut in. "NO! You cannot go. He'll kill you. He'll kill you right on the spot. I've seen it. I've seen this happen. You can't go."

"And who else do you propose should help Potter? You?"

"Nobody!" Sage screamed back, "There is still hope. Merlin's prophecy said that Potter would stand in the last fight. Unless this is the last fight, then he must come back, somehow."

"Foolishness! He is going to single-handedly beat dozens and dozens of fully grown wizards, Death Eaters no less. You don't understand, Sage, I have to go."

He pulled against Sage's arm, but Sage wasn't about to let go. Severus almost yanked him off the ground, the boy's hold was so strong.

"You told me that if the future was not malleable, I was not to change it at the expense of my life. I am telling you now that this IS malleable. You cannot help him, there is no reason for you to go. I will not let you go."

"You do not have that power," Severus replied snidely.

"Perhaps not physically, but as this is a malleable situation, Uncle, I would not be going back on my word if I said that if you try and go, I swear to Merlin, I will only follow you!"

"You wouldn't!"

"I already told you. I HAVE SEEN YOU GO, AND ALL THAT HAPPENS IS YOU GET CRUICIO-ED AND KILLED. It is MALLEABLE, because all you have to do is decide not to go because going isn't going to help anyone at all, not even Potter."

Finally, Dumbledore interrupted the death glare throwing contest.

"Severus... he is right. If he has seen you go and die, then you mustn't go. If the prophecy is correct, by Merlin I hope it is, Mr. Potter will return to us somehow."

"Headmaster-."

"No, Severus. You aren't leaving. I will not let you die foolishly."

"Fine, I really don't care if Potter bloody dies anyway. Merlin knows he has been staving it off with luck for years."

"Severus!"

A/N Thanks for the reviews everyone! I know that these two were short. I was going to put them together but putting them apart added a bit of suspense.

I hope that you all keep leaving me reviews, because I am BUSY BUSY BUSY and it is hard to write. But if you leave me reviews, I will feel obligated to post in a timely fashion. ;-) lol