A Promise to be Better 27
Author: Raven Dancer
disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling except for the Drs. Barnes and Beryl. I receive no monetary compensation for these works.
Summary: Falling into the void
He woke in the warmth, but something was missing. He was alone. No Albus. No Jeffrey. When he woke from feeling bad they had been around. Rolling onto his back he looked at the ceiling.
His room then. Tired, he wondered what had woke him up. Then everything solidified as the pain shot through him. Grabbing his arm he stared at the dark tattoo. Voldemort was calling.
*What am I suppose to do?* he whimpered to himself. Dumbledore was upset with him. He couldn't go to his mentor.
But he'd promised he would go to the Headmaster when he was summoned by Voldemort.
*Albus loves me* Snape told himself firmly. Even if he were disappointed, he still cared for the Potions Master. Snape believed that. He really did. He just didn't want to have to test out his belief.
Except the dark mark burned and it wouldn't get better until Dumbledore soothed his arm or he went to Voldemort. That was not his first choice!
Tentatively climbing out of bed Snape decided to go to the Headmaster. *Albus will help me. Albus loves me* he repeated to himself.
Sirius Black accepted the refill on his tea. He'd been lounging in the Headmaster's office for the best part of the afternoon discussing his time in Azkaban a little and reminiscing a lot about before he'd been sent away.
Black was avoiding Lupin and Harry. They'd had a bit of an argument just after lunch. Well, not a bit: it had been a rather loud and sure t~o be continued row about harassing the Snape.
Harry had found out that the Weasley twins had tripped him in the dungeons. Had confronted him in front of Lupin at lunch in the DADA professor's rooms. Unfortunately, Lupin had heard about the invisible visitor and the fall. He'd insisted on seeing Black's knees and the telling bruises that blossomed there.
Both Harry and Lupin then became unreasonable. They thought he'd lied to the Headmaster! He hadn't lied! He just neglected to tell him the entire story of the games he was playing with the Snape. Just silly games.
Just like old times.
Every single one of the pranks Black had pulled were identical to the ones he'd done when they were in school together. At that time he'd earned chuckles and warm smiles from most of the staff and especially from his own house mates.
He just couldn't figure out why no one laughed now. It was still funny to him!
A knock at the door broke into his reverie and there, speaking of the devil, was the Snape. Poor git almost looked tired, holding his arm and looking at the old man.
"Albus, could I have a moment? Please?" Snape asked hesitantly.
"Certainly, Severus, what do you need?" Dumbledore asked. Snape glanced at Black, happily seated by the fire.
"Could I see you alone? Just for a minute?" Snape asked. It was reasonable, the Potions Master figured, he'd left the room on several occasions so that Black could see the Headmaster alone.
"I told you Albus, he doesn't like me," Black pouted. Dumbledore looked from one man to the other.
"Nonsense, Sirius," and he turned to Snape. "Severus, you can talk to me here."
"But, I leave when Sirius wants to speak with you," the agitated wizard knew he was bordering on whining, but damn it, he had given Black all the space he'd asked for! Wh»y shouldn't he get some privacy, too? Black sneered causing Dumbledore to sigh.
"Severus," he said in his most reasonable tone, "that isn't the point. We're all on the same side. What do you want?"
"I want to see you alone for a moment," Snape now whined, his hand kneading the burning mark.
"Severus, if you can't tell me here, then you'll just have to go down to your rooms and wait until we're through or take care of it yourself!" the Headmaster said calmly. It was entirely reasonable to expect Snape to speak in front of Black. If not, he could wait. Black was smiling, waiting. Why wouldn't Snape speak?
Without a word Snape turned and went to the door. He looked back once, still holding is arm, then left. Dumbledore watched him go, feeling very uneasy about the entire conversation. He considered going after his friend but Black's laugh stopped him. He turned to face the animagus.
Before he could speak to Black, the door opened a›gain. Lupin and Harry walked in. Both looked angry.
"Headmaster, we need to speak to you," Lupin began, glaring at Black.
"Professor Dumbledore," Harry nodded as he came to stand beside the DADA professor.
Now Dumbledore uneasiness grew tenfold. Black was looking away, very surly and defensive. Harry was thrumming with anger. Lupin, older and more in control than the other two, was none the less upset.
"Sit, please," the older wizard tried. Neither complied.
"Sir, my cloak has gone missing," Harry began without preamble. "I thought I'd just misplaced it earlier last week but after tearing apart all my things this morning I could not find it. Ron swears he did not take it. Hermione didn't take it either. The only other person who knows about my cloak besides you and Remus is Sirius."
"I certainly have no need to sneak around the school," Lupin ground out eyes burning at the animagus. Black glared at his friend.
"Are you accusing me of sneaking around the castle, Remus?" Black asked aggressively hoping to make the wizard back down. Lupin had not cared for confrontation in the past and had not stood up to the animagus when pranks bordered on cruel.
"I am not accusing you, Sirius. I know you are," Lupin said, suddenly becoming sad and quiet.
"You've been hurting Professor Snape," Harry insisted.
"I've hurt no one. I have not harassed Snape!" declared Black with a sneer. "Why would I bother hurting a filthy Slytherin? I may have been locked up all these years, but I'm a Gryffindor! I have been loyal and true! That snake is a death eater for gods sake!" Black spat out venomously. Dumbledore blanched.
"You've been pulling pranks, Sirius, haven't you? Harmless little pranks to amuse us," the older wizard's voice shook. Lupin and Harry turned their attention to him. The DADA professor crossed over and stood next to Dumbledore, placing his hand on his shoulder.
"Sirius, have you been pulling pranks?" the HeaKdmaster looked straight into Black's eyes hoping against hope the answer would be 'no'. But realizing it would be
"Yes, I have. You never cared about that before," Black tossed out. "All those years we ruled! We taunted and teased the Snape. You, you and all the rest of the staff didn't care! You laughed just as much as we did. He's only a stupid Slytherin, old man."
"Severus is my best friend and you've caused me to treat him horribly. No, I did that myself. I wanted to believe you, Sirius! I wanted everything to be right again," the Headmaster sat looking every one of his years, old and frail.
Black had the decency to look ashamed. He squirmed in his chair before speaking again.
"Then you'd better go down to him. He was about to tear his arm off the way he was clawing at himself," Black said. Dumbledore blanched.
"What do you mean, clawing at himself?" the Headmaster eked out.
"Well, he was holding his left arm, his fingers were digging into his forearm," Black remarked. Why did Dumbledore look so gray? Was he going to be sick?
"Albus, Harry and I saw him on the stair. He said he was going into Hogsmeade," Lupin quickly tried to assure the Headmaster. At least Snape would be with Barnes.
Without a word Dumbledore pushed up and stumbled to the computer terminal. He tapped in a quick message before hitting the send button. Harry followed him over and put a hand on the older wizard's shoulder.
"What's wrong, Remus? I was just having some fun," Black whispered to his friend.
"Oh, shut up," Lupin snarled. "Don't you understand anything but your petty games? Snape was a death eater; Voldemort has risen. If his arm were hurting it's a sure bet he was summoned."
"But why the hell would he go?" Black was somewhat confused. Wouldn't Snape just stay?
"For one, the summons hurts a great deal. For another, the Headmaster is the only one who could terminate it," growled Lupin.
Black sat there and slowly put all the pieces together. He wasn't stupid, only out of touch.
"So when I pushed Albus to make him expose himself in front of me, he went to," began Black
"Hogsmeade, I hope," Lupin completed.
They all watched the computer. A message flashed on the screen and Dumbledore lowered his head into his hands and sobbed.
"No, Severus is not here" Harry read aloud.
