A/N: We are almost there, dear readers. Just two more after this. Thank you once again for all your support. I hope this chapter makes up for my cruel cliffhanger in the last.
Thanks as always to my wonderful beta, AdelaideArcher. Any mistakes are mine.
Chapter 23: The Beginning is the End is the Beginning
Severus was faster than Lucius in answering Lord Voldemort's call, and flew through the window in a swirl of black robes, landing gracefully on the floor with barely a sound. My legs were asleep where I sat but I didn't dare move, and my heart began beating wildly as he bowed once more, not going to his knees this time, but folding at the waist as if he was a gentleman, one arm bent in front of him.
The last time. The last time you will ever bow to him. Stay strong, Severus. You can do this, my love.
"My Lord, you asked for me?" he said smoothly, his voice giving nothing away.
"I did indeed," said Voldemort.
Severus said nothing, but his eyes travelled to Nagini as she floated in her starry cage near their master, her body twisted into circles.
"Do you know why I called you, Severus?"
"I do not," said Severus, his face as blank as an eclipse over the face of the moon. "Do you need me to carry a message to my brothers and sisters, my Lord?"
"No, Severus," said Voldemort, twirling his wand in his fingers.
"Then please let me return, my Lord, their resistance is crumbling—"
"—and it is doing so without your help," said Voldemort. "Skilled wizard though you are, Severus, I do not think you will make much difference now. We are almost there… almost."
I've heard this before, I thought, glancing towards the crate in front of the tunnel, where Harry, Ron and I undoubtedly stood listening.
"Let me find the boy," said Severus. "Let me bring you Potter. I know I can find him, my Lord. Please."
Severus took several strides, moving closer to where I sat behind the crates. I could see his profile, his gaze still focused on Nagini.
He's waiting for her to strike, I realised. Watching her for the moment he needs to act.
Voldemort rose from his chair, coming around the table to stand in front of Severus.
"I have a problem, Severus," he said softly.
"My Lord?"
Voldemort raised the Elder Wand towards Severus, holding it lightly in his hand.
"Why doesn't it work for me, Severus?"
"My—my Lord?" said Severus, his words a question, but his voice monotone. "I do not understand. You—you have performed extraordinary magic with that wand."
"No," said Voldemort. "I have performed my usual magic. I am extraordinary, but this wand… no. It has not revealed the wonders it has promised. I feel no difference between this wand and the one I procured from Ollivander all those years ago."
Voldemort paused, taking a step and twirling the wand in his fingers. "No difference," he said.
Voldemort strode around the room, his footsteps barely echoing on the worn floorboards, Nagini in her bubble hovering by his shoulder.
"I have thought long and hard, Severus… do you know why I have called you back from the battle?"
Severus looked at Nagini once more.
He knows exactly why, I thought, filled with a mixture of anger and fear for what would happen soon. My legs were numb beneath me, but I dared not move, could not stop what was about to happen in front of me.
"No, my Lord, but I beg you will let me return. Let me find Potter," said Severus.
"You sound like Lucius. Neither of you understands Potter as I do. He does not need finding. Potter will come to me. I know his weakness, you see, his one great flaw. He will hate watching the others struck down around him, knowing it is for him that it happens. He will want to stop it at any cost. He will come."
"But my Lord, he might be killed accidentally by one other than yourself—"
"My instructions to my Death Eaters have been perfectly clear. Capture Potter. Kill his friends—the more, the better—but do not kill him," said Voldemort, pausing his stride and looking out the open window. "But it is of you that I wished to speak, Severus, not Harry Potter. You have been very valuable to me. Very valuable."
"My Lord knows I seek only to serve him," said Severus, and I could hear the fear creeping into his voice now, a slight tightening of his jaw, but was not sure if anyone else would notice. "But—let me go and find the boy, my Lord. Let me bring him to you. I know I can—"
"I have told you, no!" Voldemort spun in place, his cloak swirling behind him. "My concern at the moment, Severus, is what will happen when I finally meet the boy!"
"My Lord, there can be no question, surely—?"
"—but there is a question, Severus. There is," said Voldemort, his voice calm once more. He slid the Elder Wand through his fingers, his red eyes focused on Severus.
"Why did both the wands I have used fail when directed at Harry Potter?" he asked.
"I—I cannot answer that, my Lord," said Severus. Yes, definitely nervous now. Be strong, my love. I'm here.
"Can't you?" said Voldemort. "My wand of yew did everything of which I asked it, Severus, except to kill Harry Potter. Twice it failed. Ollivander told me under torture of the twin cores, told me to take another's wand. I did so, but Lucius's wand shattered upon meeting Potter's."
"I—I have no explanation, my Lord," he said, his eyes never wavering from Nagini.
"I sought a third wand, Severus. The Elder Wand, the Wand of Destiny, the Deathstick. I took it from its previous master. I took it from the grave of Albus Dumbledore."
Finally Severus turned to look at Voldemort, blocking my view of his face.
"My Lord—let me go to the boy—" he said.
"All this long night, when I am on the brink of victory, I have sat here," whispered Voldemort, no longer twirling the wand in his fingers, "wondering, wondering why the Elder Wand refuses to be what it ought to be, refuses to perform as legend says it must perform for its rightful owner… and I think I have the answer… Perhaps you already know it? You are a clever man, after all, Severus. You have been a good and faithful servant, and I regret what must happen."
"My Lord—"
"The Elder Wand cannot serve me properly, Severus, because I am not its true master," continued Voldemort. "The Elder Wand belongs to the wizard who killed its last owner. You killed Albus Dumbledore. While you live, Severus, the Elder Wand cannot be truly mine."
"My Lord!" Severus yelled, raising his wand, but casting no spells, not even a shield.
"It cannot be any other way," said Voldemort smoothly. "I must master the wand, Severus. Master the wand, and I master Potter at last."
He swiped the air with his wand and Nagini's cage rolled towards Severus, enveloping his head and shoulders. I swallowed hard and bit my lip as he yelled and Voldemort let out a loud hissing noise.
Severus tried to push the cage away from him as Nagini uncoiled, rising and then striking in a fluid motion, sinking her fangs into Severus's neck. I tasted blood as I bit through my lip in my attempt not to yell, my body flinching in my yearning to go to him, but I stayed in the corner, unable to tear my eyes away from him as he collapsed.
"I regret it," said Voldemort coldly as he turned away. The cage and snake came away from Severus, who fell sideways, blood gushing from his wounds. I prayed we had given him the right amount of antivenin to keep him alive, that the long-acting Blood-Replenisher would stop him from bleeding out on the floor, that the timing of the draught would be right.
Voldemort and Nagini flew from the room towards the castle as Severus lay convulsing on the floor attempting to stop the blood with his hands.
"He… my… e…" he gargled, barely coherent, though I knew it was my name.
I'm here, my love! I'm here!
Tears were running silently from my eyes as I heard the crate in front of the tunnel shift, and then Harry appeared from beneath the cloak. I watched Severus grab the front of his robes, pull him close.
"Take… it… Take… it…" he rasped, a terrible gurgling noise coming from his throat, as he began to push the memories to Harry.
Silver and red streamed together over his robes, and I watched as the other me emerged behind Harry, handing him a vial, and then Ron appeared as well.
Harry was busy lifting the memories into the vial, and I noticed Severus shift his head so he stared just beyond Harry's shoulder.
At me… he's looking at me… I didn't realise…
His jaw clenched, and then he spoke so softly I could barely hear him. "Look.. at… me…" he whispered, and though the other me looked down on him pitifully, avoiding his eyes as Harry moved in front of him once more, I obeyed from behind the stack of crates.
I stared at him, unblinking, even as his eyes went dead and his hand fell with a dull thunk on the floor.
A piercing, cold voice was suddenly in my ears, and yet I couldn't stop staring at Severus lying lifeless on the floor even as Harry jumped to his feet.
"You have fought valiantly. Lord Voldemort knows how to value bravery. Yet you have sustained heavy losses. If you continue to resist me, you will all die, one by one. I do not wish this to happen. Every drop of magical blood spilled is a loss and a waste," said Voldemort.
Severus. I'm here.
"Lord Voldemort is merciful. I command my forces to retreat, immediately. You have one hour. Dispose of your dead with dignity. Treat your injured…."
Hang on, my love. Just a little longer.
"… I speak now, Harry Potter, directly to you. You have permitted your friends to die for you rather than face me yourself. I shall wait for one hour in the Forbidden Forest. If at the end of that hour, you have not come to me, have not given yourself up, then battle recommences. This time, I shall enter the fray myself, Harry Potter, and I shall find you, and I shall punish every last man, woman, and child who has tried to conceal you from me. One hour."
I gripped my wand beneath the Invisibility Cloak as Ron and my other self began to speak to Harry.
Just a few minutes, Severus. Hang on just a few more minutes.
"Don't listen to him," said Ron.
"It'll be all right," said the other me. "Let's—let's get back to the castle, if he's gone to the Forest we'll need to think of a new plan—"
I allowed myself to breathe as the three of us dropped back into the tunnel, and then I shifted positions, blood rushing into my legs. I couldn't stand, the pins and needles were so bad, so I cast a Silencing Charm and levitated the crate out of the way.
I crawled towards Severus on my hands and knees, determined to reach his side. A pool of blood had formed around his head and shoulders, and I knelt in front of him, my hand shaking as I lifted my wand over his wound and began to sing. My voice was quiet and uneven at first, but as I sang on it became smoother, months of practice slowly seeping into the spell.
The blood! The blood is receding! Concentrate!
The pool of crimson was indeed slowly disappearing as I continued to cast. My voice was strong now, and in a few minutes the blood had all but disappeared, the wound on his neck shrunk to a ragged crescent scar and two perfect pink dots.
Putting my wand next to me on the floor, I pulled my beaded bag from my robes and took the potions from inside. I pulled Severus into my lap, cradling his head with one arm against my thighs, my palm against his cheek.
"It's going to be all right, Severus," I said, clutching a bottle of Wiggenweld Potion in my right hand. I uncorked it with my teeth, and then brought it to his mouth, prying it open with my fingers.
I spilled the liquid into his throat, letting it run over my index finger on the way. The vial empty, I let it fall to the floor, and then brought my finger to my lips, painting them with the residual potion on my fingertip.
"Wake up, my love," I whispered, and leaned over him, placing my lips on his mouth, for he was my Sleeping Beauty, and on this night I was his prince.
The first sign of life I felt was a large inhale of breath beneath my lips, and my head shot upwards, a jolt of relief coursing through me.
"Oh, thank Gods! Severus!" I choked, wrapping my arms around him and clutching him to my body. I felt the muscles in his arm twitch and his eyes fluttered open.
"Hermione?" he rasped, his voice barely a whisper.
"Yes, I'm here, Severus, I'm here," I whispered, reaching for an Invigoration Draught and lifting it to his lips. "Take this, it will make you feel better."
Severus drank it down without complaint, followed by a normal Blood-Replenishing Potion, a Liver Tonic, and an additional antivenin.
"How do you feel, love?" I asked, tracing his cheekbone with my fingers.
"Like I nearly died a few minutes ago," he croaked, a soft smirk forming on his lips. He struggled to push himself up, but he seemed weak, and I shook my head at him.
"Stop, Severus, don't move," I said. I flicked my wand and brought a crate behind us, lying against it and pulling him once more into my arms so his head and torso rested against my chest, his long legs stretched out in front of me.
"We have a while yet until we need to move," I said, gently running my fingers through his hair. "Just rest."
"Thank you," he whispered. I smiled and kissed the top of his head.
"Rest, love," I said. I felt him relax against me, and summoned my beaded bag to my hand, bringing it in front of our bodies.
"Sorry," I said, as I pulled Phineas's portrait from inside, knocking Severus in the chest, but he did not complain. I put the bag aside and rested the picture frame lightly in Severus's lap.
"Phineas," I called. "Phineas!"
The old headmaster stepped into his frame, looking frazzled.
"What do you want? Bit busy up at the castle, you know!" he snapped, and then his eyes went wide. "Oh! Headmaster Snape! But the other portraits… they said you're with You-Know-Who."
I scowled at the man. "He is not," I said. Severus only sighed in my arms.
"Phineas, I will explain later. For now, please listen to Hermione," he said quietly.
"O-of course!" said Phineas.
"Thank you, Phineas," I said. "Can you please go to your portrait in the Headmaster's office and watch for Harry? He's going to use the pensieve. Can you let us know when he leaves? Don't let him see you."
"Yes, of course," he said. "I will let you know! Glad you're all right, Headmaster Snape!" he said, and stepped out of his frame once more.
I put the frame on the floor next to us, and drew Severus further into my arms.
It was time to wait again. At least this time Severus was with me, and he was alive.
Severus and I sat quietly in the Shrieking Shack for some time. I was desperately tired, and imagined he was too, but forced myself to stay awake, my ears trained for any sound that might indicate someone was coming.
No one did, however, and eventually Phineas returned to his frame, informing us that Harry had vacated Severus's office.
"Are you feeling well enough to stand?" I asked, and Severus nodded, lifting himself into an upright seated position.
I scrambled up behind him, and then stuck out my hand so he could hoist himself to his feet. He was a tad unsteady, but stayed upright, and I smiled.
"You okay there for a second?" I asked, and he nodded once more, so I quickly stuffed Phineas's portrait back into my beaded bag, shoving it into my pocket along with the Invisibility Cloak.
Then I stood in front of Severus and wrapped my arms around him, focusing on the place I'd spent the last eight months. With a soft pop, we returned to Severus's quarters.
I landed us in the bedroom and hustled Severus onto the bed before shutting the door, locking and warding it with as many spells as I could think of, in addition to applying a Silencing Charm so no one could hear us inside.
"Right," I said, turning towards Severus on the bed. He was leaning against the pillows, his face pale and showing dark circles under his eyes.
"Not long now, love, and you can have a proper rest," I promised. Kicking off my shoes, I crawled into bed beside him, resting my head on his chest, smiling as he wrapped his arm around me.
"I think I can tell you now," I said quietly.
"Tell me what?" Severus asked.
"About what Harry, Ron, and I were doing for the past year," I said. Severus said nothing, and so I began.
"Have you heard of Horcruxes?" I asked, feeling Severus's chest expand and he sucked in a breath with a loud hiss that I interpreted as a 'yes'.
"Tom Riddle had seven," I said.
"Seven?" Severus asked, as if barely willing to believe it.
"A ring, his diary, Slytherin's locket, Hufflepuff's cup, Ravenclaw's diadem, Nagini—"
"His snake?"
"Yes, she's the last one to be destroyed," I said. "Tom didn't know, but the last Horcrux he made was—"
"Harry," said Severus sadly.
"Yes, Harry."
Severus's free hand covered his face, his brows scrunching beneath his long fingers, his fingertips digging into his pale flesh. "Dumbledore said Potter had to die… I told him… Gave him the memory… but I didn't know, Hermione… I didn't know…"
"I know, love. It's okay," I said, reaching up and prying his hand away from his face and giving it a squeeze, holding it against his chest and kissing his knuckles. "Harry survives. He's going to kill You-Know-Who at sunrise."
"So the past year, you were hunting Horcruxes?"
"That's right," I confirmed.
"If I had known, I would have tried to help," he said bitterly. "The snake… I could have killed her."
"And then You-Know-Who would have known we were hunting his Horcruxes," I said. "That's why no one could know. He couldn't find out until they were mostly gone."
"So there was a Horcrux at Hogwarts?"
"In the Room of Requirement. It was destroyed by Fiendfyre."
"The others?"
"The diary by Harry in his second year in the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore destroyed the ring, but it cursed him," I said, and Severus took in another long, shuddering breath at this knowledge. "The locket we destroyed with Gryffindor's sword just after Christmas, and the cup with a basilisk fang last night. Neville kills Nagini with the sword soon, and Harry by—"
"—the Dark Lord," said Severus, and I nodded against his chest.
"Are you glad you finally know?" I asked, tilting my head so I could see his face.
"I—I don't know," he said, shaking his head, sending his hair fluttering around his face. "Damaging your soul… it—it hurts more than you can imagine… to do it that many times… it seems impossible."
I sat up abruptly, balancing myself on one hand, the other resting against his chest.
"Your soul is not damaged, Severus," I said firmly.
"But I killed—"
"Do you regret it?" I asked.
"Always… yes," said Severus sadly. "Before I even said the curse." The pain in his eyes was almost unbearable.
"Then your soul is just fine," I said. "Better than fine. You have a beautiful soul, Severus, whole and good."
Severus reached up and traced my cheekbone with his thumb.
"I don't understand how you can have such faith in me," he said quietly, his eyes searching my face in the darkness.
"Why is it so hard to believe? I know you, Severus," I said. "I love you."
"I will never tire of hearing you say that," he said.
"Then I will say it over and over again," I said. "I love you, Severus. I love you."
"And I, you," he whispered, his fingers pressing lightly in my jaw and pulling me towards him.
As our lips met, full of shared affection, there was a loud bang from outside the room around us.
"This is it," I said, sitting up and looking out the window, where the sky was starting to lighten. "The beginning of the end."