AN: Thank you for all the reviews, follows, and favorites!
Chapter 8- A New Ally
Dumbledore was sitting in his office, merrily sucking on a lemon drop, lost in thought when suddenly someone appeared with a loud crack. Dumbledore startled, the wards were still up- how had someone possibly…?
"Minerva," he said in a surprised voice, taking in the disheveled witch with a panicked look in her eyes that he rarely saw, "How did you…?"
"There's no time," gasped out Minerva. "Severus- Harry."
As soon as he heard the boy's name he stood up and grabbed Minerva's arm. "Bring me."
They reappeared in the darkened living room of Severus's house, Minerva's heart dropping as she took in the silence in the house. She hurried towards Severus's room, the feeling of dread increasing with every step.
She was met with a surprising sight. Severus was sitting in the bed with Harry curled up in his arms, Minerva assumed fast asleep judging by how quiet he was being. Severus looked up at her with a dark look that she couldn't read. Dumbledore let out a surprised gasp but otherwise stayed silent when he joined Minerva in the doorway after casting a few spells to make sure there were no unwanted guests in or around the house.
Severus gently laid Harry on the bed, pulling the covers over him before brushing past the still shocked Minerva and Dumbledore on his way to the living room. He collapsed into the arm chair, pulling back his arm to see the dark mark, appearing darker on his skin than it had in years. The burning sensation had stopped but Severus could still feel it, a sensation he had almost forgotten over the years.
He could feel his Master; feel that he had come back to the world of the living. He shivered and pushed his sleeve back, pushing the sensation to the back of his mind as the other two adults entered.
Dumbledore looked between the two of them with the twinkle in his eyes noticeably subdued. When no one offered up information he spurred the conversation, "Would someone like to fill me in on what is going on?"
Severus let Minerva give Albus a condensed version of the story. His thoughts were heavy as he stared out the window at the moonless night. Clouds blocked out the stars, leaving the world dark. Somewhere out there, Severus knew, the Dark Lord was reawakening. As he sat there, he was gaining power, gaining followers and soon he would come for Severus. Come and drag him back into the life he had left far behind. And there was nothing Severus could do to stop it. He was marked.
Severus was pulled from his dark thoughts when the conversation was suddenly turned back to him. Minerva had finished explaining all the events that had brought the boy here but she was now at a loss for words. "I think Severus can explain the rest much better than I can," she told Dumbledore and all eyes turned to Severus.
He looked right into the pale blue eyes of Dumbledore, too drained to feel the familiar hatred he always felt when he saw the man, and said quietly, "The Dark Lord is back." He couldn't bear to say his name any more.
Minerva inhaled sharply but Dumbledore just nodded, having known that this day was coming for years. "The boy felt it through his scar, and I felt it through my dark mark." Dumbledore just nodded at this too, apparently having suspected that there would be a connection between Voldemort and Harry.
The room fell back into silence, the weight each of them now held almost palpable. Finally Dumbledore spoke, his words ringing through the room, "Severus, I think we need to talk about what happened all those years ago-"
"I have nothing to say to you," Severus snapped back, "You are here simply to help Potter control his magic, nothing more." The venom in Snape's voice cut off Dumbledore from furthering the conversation.
"Well there is nothing more that can be done here tonight. Why don't we meet back here tomorrow?" Minerva forced out, trying to ease the tension.
"Yes, I better go," Dumbledore said sadly, glancing over at Severus who refused to even look in his direction.
"If you need anything, you know where to find me. Especially because you can now apparently apparate directly into my office," he said much more brightly to Minerva with a smile.
"Never underestimate a witch in a crisis," Minerva said back mysteriously. "Although it is probably best if we take the floo back, if only to keep up appearances."
