Hey everyone! So, I am now done with school!

I want to thank you all for sticking with this, I know how everyone has been waiting for an update and I've been working my face off! You guys have been absolutely wonderful with this.

But, we are back to updates every Tuesday!

Keep the reviews coming!

Enjoy!

The perimeter they had set up around the house prevented Severus from appearing directly in front of the cottage, so he was forced to stumble over jagged rocks and then trudge through the heavy sand. He enjoyed the fact that the sun was still fairly high in the sky here. Finally, the door was close. Tugging his robes around himself to prevent the chilly sea breeze, Severus knocked on the door.

Bill answered, with a smile, ushering him inside the house. Severus took his usual seat, thanking Bill's wife for the tea she so willingly prepared for him each time he visited. Severus allowed Bill to make small talk for a while before he asked about the three. A sudden nervousness came over his features.

"They've been up there all day; we've barely heard a peep out of them. Their lunch is still near the door, completely untouched,"

"Isn't that how they usually spend their days?" Severus asked casually.

"Yes, but this time…I think their ready,"

Severus immediately snapped his eyes to Bill's face. He was obviously worried, his wife too. Severus lifted his eyes to the staircase, seeming more menacing now than he could ever remember it appearing.

"Have you tried to get in?" Severus asked, not looking at Bill.

"Yes, but Hermione's wards…"

Of course. She most likely designed her own, designing wards wasn't a particularly hard process, and if she designed them, they'd be positively brilliant. Rising from his seat, Severus immediately headed up the stairs and to the locked door. Sure enough, there were three sandwiches on a plate, completely untouched. The light in the room was off.

Tapping his wand against the door, Severus received an intense shock. Besides the small amount of pain he experienced, Severus smiled, knowing that he had used the same ward on her so many months ago when he wanted to stop her visits to his classroom.

His mind working viciously, he spent twenty minutes working through the intricately woven wards put on the room until finally, there were no more.

Slowly, he turned the loose handle of the door, and pushed it open. As the door swung open, Severus was hit with the potent smell of smoke and Polyjuice Potion. A simple wave of his wand, and the room was illuminated. His blood ran cold.

The room was empty.

Instantly he was dashing down the stairs, placing his façade in place in an effort to calm his frantic thoughts. They were gone. She was gone. Where? When? Why?

Bursting into the kitchen, Severus immediately relayed the news.

"What? That's not possible!" Bill cried, darting up the stairs himself.

He returned a moment later, eyes wide and face pale.

"When do you think they left?" Bill asked his wife, as if she would know.

She simply shook her head, as pale as her husband. Severus could feel the panic welling in his chest, and he was about to explode when an old man suddenly began making his way down the stairs.

"Ollivander, you can't be moving yet," Bill protested, but the man paid no attention.

His eyes were locked onto Severus.

"An hour or so ago, I heard noise and peered from my window. They were sliding off of the roof, walking to the edge of the enchantments. From there, they vanished,"

"Where did they go?" Severus asked instantly.

"I don't know, but they took the goblin with them. Two men and a woman, with a striking resemblance to that woman in that house you took us from,"

"What did she look like!" Severus snapped.

"Wild hair and black robes that were torn in places. She was wearing these shoes that she kept stumbling over rocks with,"

"Oh, bloody hell," Severus moaned as he grappled for a chair before his legs gave out.

His head was spinning as the pieces began to fall into place for him. Images flashed into his head. The rotting teeth. The wild, untamed hair. The unkempt robes. The clicking of the boots on the wooden floor of Malfoy Manor.

"Who is it?" Bill asked.

"Hermione," Severus choked out.

"But…she doesn't-"

"They were brewing Polyjuice Potion!"

"She looks like someone else? But who?"

"Bellatrix. Bellatrix Lestrange,"

Everyone else sank into different seats, gazing at Severus, waiting for him to give them some direction or instructions.

"Why would she need to look like her?"

Severus shook his head, feeling as if he was about to be sick. She was going to be killed. One does not impersonate the most cruel and brutal witch of the day and get away with it.

Why did she need to look like her?

Severus would soon have his question answered.

Not being able to deal with Bill and his wife asking him questions he did not know the answer to, Severus Apparated, but not back to Hogwarts, but his childhood home. He needed a moment to gather himself.

The silence of the house seemed to be crushing him. Severus didn't know what to do, so he took to pacing the entire house. He entered each room before exiting seconds later. He could feel himself finally losing it. It had taken twenty years to build himself up, and this woman managed to tear him down in a little over a year.

What were they up to? Things were too dangerous, there were too many people looking for them. One wrong move, and they would all be dead, and Voldemort would take over their world. Nothing would be the same again.

When Severus reached his bedroom, he did not enter the room. His eyes remained locked on the bed as his memories came rushing back.

She had to know that he loved her, he just couldn't say it to her, and he certainly couldn't hear her say it to him. He didn't deserve her. He didn't deserve someone like her. She could do something amazing with her life, and he was simply holding her back. She had her entire life to live, and he had already lived his. He couldn't have her hung up on him.

Slamming the door closed, Severus immediately exited the house and Apparated back to Hogwarts. He wanted solitude in his own room, but she was everywhere. Her and that damn cat who followed him everywhere since she had gone.

Like he always did, Crookshanks darted to him as he entered the room. Severus ignored him and took a spot on the couch, leaning back with a tired sigh. Of course the cat was not going to take no for an answer and immediately took his spot on Severus' lap, purring contently.

Severus stroked the cat, staring at the smoldering embers in the fireplace.

Everything was about to end. He could feel it. Without wanting to, Severus fell asleep on the couch, with Crookshanks curled up against his side.

The next morning, Severus awoke with the sound of a frenzy above him. In a panic, he quickly got ready and left his chambers. His heart was in his throat. Before he could reach the Great Hall, Minerva caught him.

"I believe we should go to your office," she said with a folded paper in her hands.

For once, Severus did not object to her giving orders. He morosely followed her and when they entered the room, Severus took his spot behind the desk with a deep sigh. His eyes immediately searched Minerva's face, and she avoided his gaze as if it were the plague.

"Minerva?"

She walked to the window, her hands pale and her face drawn.

"Have you seen the paper today?" she asked.

"No, I just got out of bed," he said, becoming agitated.

She turned on her heel, approached his desk and then handed him the paper which had slightly crinkled in her hands. Severus took the paper and smoothed it out on the surface of his desk. The picture was of a destroyed rooftop, but Severus didn't understand the meaning, and was about to ask Minerva until his eyes caught the screaming headline.

UNDESIERABLE #1 BREAKS INTO GRINGOTTS

Potter. And wherever Potter was…

"Oh, God," Severus moaned as he greedily snatched the paper and scanned the article closely.

Once he was satisfied, he threw the paper aside and began furiously pacing his office. It was all making sense now, everything. The Polyjuice potion, the secrecy, the fact that she looked like Bellatrix. The three morons had broken into Gringotts with the goblin to rob Bellatrix. What did they need?

What if she was hurt? Where would they be now? Were they followed? Was she in trouble at this very moment? Severus glanced down at his ring. She hadn't called him, but perhaps she didn't need to? Maybe she was safe?

"Severus, it is time," Dumbledore said.

Severus glared at the old man for interrupting his thoughts.

"Go and tell my brother he should be expecting three guests tonight,"

"What?" Severus asked with his face filled with shock.

"Oh, I have no doubt the three will come here next, and we need to make sure that they are able to make it through the enchantments that are set in Hogsmeade,"

"Albus, they wouldn't," Severus said.

"I'm afraid so. I've had an inkling they would be here for a few months now,"

"MONTHS? You've known this for months!" Severus roared.

"Well I haven't been positive, but many things pointed at it,"

Severus threw his hands up in exasperation and turned his back on the portrait. How could he have known this whole time and not say anything?

"Minerva, I think you should alert your students that they should be ready to evacuate,"

"Evacuate? Albus, you know as well as I that they won't abandon Potter,"

"Then I suggest that you inform them of what they will be expecting,"

Minerva nodded once and quickly left the room, looking more severe than Severus could remember her ever looking. The silence permeated the room and Severus took a seat, unable to support himself anymore. His heart was pounding in his chest and his heavy breathing was ringing in his ears.

"Severus, you must go immediately,"

Without saying a word, Severus slid on his travel robes and swiftly left the room. He could Apparate, he knew he could, but he needed the physical motion to stop himself from going crazy. As he made his way through the halls, the children moved away from him, whispering under their breath. Severus rarely moved through the school during the day. For once, Severus didn't care that nearly the entire school thought he was a freak, his mind was elsewhere.

In a moment he was striding towards the gate. He knew that Albus' brother most likely hated him. Those two weren't on good terms, so Severus had little to no chance to get through to him. Perhaps he could cut the three off on their way here and send them away? Severus knew that if she was set on something, there would be no changing her mind.

With a wave of his wand, the wards dropped from the gates and they easily swung open. A moment later, he was strolling down the secluded path that leads to Hogsmeade. He kept his hood up and his eyes down, silently gliding along to his destination.

When he entered the town, it was nearly deserted. An icy chill crept up on him, and he immediately spun on his heel, casting his Patronus. Though his Patronus wasn't the doe he was so used to see. It was as if his Patronus couldn't make up its mind on what it wanted to be. The Dementor darted away, but Severus still stood there, staring after it.

"What are you doing here, Snape?"

Severus turned on his heel to find Dolohov standing in the shadows. Without saying a word, Severus walked away.

"Oh, are you too high and mighty to associate with people like us?" Dolohov sneered.

"Go back to being a watch dog, Dolohov," Severus snapped over his shoulder.

The frantic movement behind him told Severus Dolohov was about to attack him. Getting angry that he was being interrupted, Severus instantly turned around and cast a powerful curse, sending Dolohov sailing through the air.

In a sweep of his robes, Severus returned to the task at hand, drifting between buildings until he reached the dilapidated pub at the end of the town. Severus gave three sharp knocks, and waited. Silence filled the air and after a moment, Severus went to knock again, but a sudden rustle from inside stopped him. Heavy footfalls and clattering bottle followed before the door was wretched open.

"I'm sick of you Death Eaters knocking at my door when I'm closed!"

Severus lifted his head, just enough to meet Aberforth's eyes. The man withdrew slightly, but kept his gaze lock on Severus.

"Oh, it's you," he said in a slightly disgusted tone.

Severus remained silent, and the two continued to look at one another. Finally, Aberforth sighed, and stepped aside.

"Well, come in,"

Severus stepped inside the dusty pub, taking note of all the cobwebs and grubby bottles lying around. Aberforth took a seat on a stool and bent over an old ledger he abandoned when he answered the door. Severus watched him a moment, before peering around for any other people.

"Are you alone?" Severus asked.

"I'm closed," the man barked before scratching the parchment with his quill.

"I've been sent to inform you that you should be expecting company today,"

The man stopped writing, but did not turn to face Severus.

"I hope it isn't any of your kind,"

"No,"

"How many?"

"Three,"

Severus saw that the man understood almost immediately.

"I'll make sure that your pub is left alone and not searched tonight. I'll have Minerva's students make a distraction so they can hide here,"

"And from there?" Aberforth asked.

"That, I do not know,"

Aberforth sat up straight and turned to look at Severus. They two both knew that the idea of the three of them coming to Hogwarts was absolutely insane. A sudden tension formed in the room, and Severus felt his heart rate increase.

"It's coming to the end, isn't it?" Aberforth whispered.

"I believe so,"

After another moment, Severus turned away and left the pub. The end was coming; Severus could feel it in his bones and in the air.

Severus quickly made his way back to Hogwarts, but before he could make it, black smoke suddenly engulfed him. Panicked, he stumbled away and quickly collected himself. When he turned around, he found the Dark Lord darting towards him.