Chapter 22
A/N We only got three reviews last chapter... We aren't sure what to make of that right now. We had a battle scene planned but we were both completely unmotivated this week. Plus we are both stuck inside because mother nature decided to be negative 40 today. But, my birthday is this week so hopefully I will have more motivation to write for next chapter. (Fanfiction was not being nice to us and wouldn't let us post which is why this is so late. Every time we would try we would get an error message so we are truly sorry. We really did try to get this done and posted on time.)
Bienvenue a Bikini Bottom: Wow, we didn't even realise we made it close to what happened in the books/movies.
Christine Dalenn: "Snape: the double agent!" I loved those musicals.
Amar 2: Don't tempt me. It's so hard to be nice to him.
SweetAngels123: Thanks for the follow!
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Severus walked towards the Great Hall for dinner. Dumbledore had told him there would be an important message for him so he shouldn't just eat in his private quarters. When he reached the Great Hall, he walked straight up to the staff table and sat down. He looked up, he watched snowflakes fall on the enchanted ceiling. That was one thing he always loved about Hogwarts when he was a child. In the winter months, it always seemed like a winter wonderland and this January wasn't any different.
The food appeared in front of him but instead of eating, he looked over at Dumbledore who was completely engaged in a conversation with Minerva. A few seconds later, she looked up at Severus and gave him a cold stare that made him immediately made him look down at his food. He played with his food for a minute longer before sneaking a glance back at Dumbledore who was looking back at him. His eyes invited Severus to come talk and even though he really didn't want to, he stood up and walked over.
"Severus," Minerva said almost coldly.
"Good day to you too, Minerva" he respond and she shook her head in disapproval at him. "Dumbledore?"
"Ah, yes," he said and Severus could see the twinkle in his eyes. "Some of the order members requested that you come and teach them more effective ways to battle the Death Eaters."
"When?" he asked
"Tonight." Dumbledore responded.
"Why?" He asked before he could stop himself and stole a side-long glance at Minerva, who was pointedly not looking at him. He thought Dumbledore saw it, but he said nothing about it.
"Because the Order trusts you and wants your help." Minerva was still concentrating on her plate.
"Trust. Right." But still, Severus decided he had nothing left to lose in helping the Order and everything to gain seeing as the Order was now protecting him from the Dark Lord, "Where tonight?"
"Meet me in my office at 10 tonight, Severus, and I'll take you with me to the meeting." Severus nodded in understanding and walked back to his seat. When Severus looked back over at Dumbledore, it seemed as though he and Minerva were arguing about something.
After dinner, Severus sat in his office and graded some 6th year papers. At 9 o'clock, however, Severus couldn't focus anymore and began pacing around the room. He knew the Order still didn't trust him, and that wasn't surprising, but he was continuously bothered by the cold shoulder he was receiving, especially from Minerva at dinner. The Order was completely fine asking for help but he thought the least they could do was act like they appreciated it. He looked at the clock again and decided he couldn't wait any longer so he walked out of his room and towards Dumbledore's office.
The castle seemed unusually quiet as Severus made his way towards the headmaster's office. He had no idea what to expect from the Order. Some of the spells the exceptionally skilled Death Eaters used in battle were difficult for even some of the inner circle members to conjure correctly so he wasn't sure how many people were going to be able to learn what he had to teach. He also didn't know who would actually take him seriously. If they weren't going to care then neither was he.
"Sugar quills," he said and he was granted access to the office.
"Ah, Severus, you're right on time." Severus entered the room to find Dumbledore standing at his window, looking out at the night.
"Is something wrong?" Severus asked and Dumbledore turned and for a second, Severus could see a hint of worry in his eyes. He was about to ask what was going on but when he looked again, the worry was gone like it had never been there.
"Why would you ask that?" Dumbledore asked innocently and Severus stayed silent. "Are you ready to go?"
"Will I ever be?" He asked back and he could tell Dumbledore knew he really didn't want to be there.
"Well, let's get going." The two of them disapparated and appeared somewhere Severus had never been before.
"Where are we?" he asked and Dumbledore started walking into the night.
"Molly and Arthur Wesley have graciously donated their home area for this practice session," he said, "So we are traveling to their home."
Severus had heard of the Weasley's before and knew that they had 6 sons and were still hoping for a daughter. He wasn't sure if Molly was friends with Lily or if they even talked so he wasn't quite sure what kind of a person she was.
When they finally reached the meeting point, Severus drew in a breath. Almost the entire Order was present, all talking and wands out and ready to practice. As he scanned the people, he could see all the Marauders which brought a sly smile to his face. If they wanted to succeed, they would actually have to listen to him. Dumbledore motioned for him to start and he was about to raise his voice when he saw Lily out of the corner of his eyes.
He hadn't seen her in a while and it shocked him to see how big she was. He wasn't an expert on pregnancy, but he knew she had to be pretty far along to look like that. Dumbledore turned to look at him and he nodded for him to begin. Severus cleared his throat and walked a few paces forward.
"The Dark Lord knows that each and every one of you would love to kill him in a heartbeat," he starts and the Order member begin to quiet down. "He knows what it would take to kill you in a second and what would take days. If you are ever caught in his or one of the Death Eater's hands, the Avada Kedavra is what you should be begging for because they know more ways to torture you than I want to remember." The entire group is quiet now, all ears on him. He looks around, making eye contact with each and every member. When he gets to Lily, she has a look of determination on her face but when she notices him looking at her, a slight smile brushes her face.
"Now, some of the Death Eaters are worse than other in what they are willing to do to a person to please their master and I wouldn't wish their wrath on any one."
"Which ones are the worst?" someone from the back asks.
"To mention them all would be a waste of all our of time but if you ever fall into the hands of Bellatrix Lestrange," he said, pausing to let the name sink in, "I would kill yourself before she took out her wand." Nobody dared to talk. The cold mid-winter breeze nipped at Severus' face and made him pull his robes tighter to his body. He opened his mouth to speak when he heard a noise from behind him. In front of him, he watched several people draw their wands.
"Severus, look out!" Lily yelled and he quickly pulled out his wand and turned around. Yaxley and Rastaban walked out of the dark, their faces hard as stone.
"If you were wise, you would turn around and walk away right now," Severus intoned to the two men, but they continued their advance towards him and the Order.
"But why would we do that, when all the fun is here?" Yaxley asked and within seconds, a spell shot out of his wand.
