Disclaimer: Not mine.
It was time, I realized as Snape caught up with me and dragged out of the castle. Draco was nowhere in sight at the time and so I had no one to cling to or to keep me from being scared as I tried desperately not to let my mind be revealed to Snape or to Voldemort.
The rumor was that Harry was in the castle somewhere. The Carrows were running around looking for him, now. And the other rumor was that Voldemort was on his way here, with all the Death Eaters, including Fenrir Greyback.
If I slipped up now I was in serious trouble.
Snape stopped suddenly, facing me as he grabbed both of my shoulders and looked into my eyes. I stared back at him, thinking of nothing but I couldn't help but be surprised when he smirked at me. "Good girl," he said, continuing to drag in the direction of the Whomping Willow.
"Wait," I said, not caring about keeping up my façade now. "What just happened? What did you do?"
"I'm making sure you're strong enough to keep your mind blocked for right now. This is probably the longest you'll have to be around Voldemort and now is not the time for you to make it through all this and then die."
"I don't get it. I thought – I thought you were on their side. You – you –"
"—Only did what Dumbledore asked me to do. You know nothing about it and I don't intend to tell you now because it is to much to think about. You will learn enough when this is all over, but for now, think nothing of it and be prepared for anything."
Prepared for anything.
I tried to only think about that because it was a neutral phrase.
Prepared for anything.
I wouldn't think about the statement Snape had just made because my mind would be filled with it in front of Voldemort.
Prepared for anything.
I wasn't prepared for anything, I realized. I don't know what I could have thought anything was, but it wasn't this.
I hadn't been prepared to watch Voldemort kill Snape.
I've never actually seen anyone die, unless you count Sirius falling through the veil. But this was bad. And to be killed by a snake had to be painful and just . . . it was a ghastly visual.
The point is, the whole thing left my mind completely unguarded and I didn't realize it until Voldemort turned to me, his face set in an awful, hideous sneer. "Traitor," he hissed, angrily.
He raised his wand and I felt as if my head was on fire.
I collapsed to the floor.
A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know it's horribly short but the next one will be longer. Getting towards the nitty gritty here folks. Stay tuned for the next chapter.