Chapter 79

Over the next several weeks, work progressed rapidly when it came to molding their Death Eater human sacrifice into Severus. Mag stopped in at Wolfgang's for updates every few days after leaving Areecen's cave and before returning to Hogwarts. This allowed them to follow the progress without Wolfgang having to write to Severus. With this method, there was no risk of letters being confiscated by Voldemort or anyone else who could be keeping unwanted tabs for any reason. In the next several weeks, Grindelwald had removed most of the Death Eater's memories that made him who he was. All thoughts, opinions and memories of his life that gave him his identity were stripped, only leaving basic knowledge such as how to write or apparate.

Well not just how to write and apparate, but the understanding of magic, a Hogwarts education, an understanding of geography...What made a person an educated human was left, what made this particular human Boris Bane was erased. By the time that was finished, Wolfgang, Gellert, Regulus and Albus had all studied the book Mag had supplied so they were all familiar with the concepts of emotional empathy via thought sharing as well as how to apply it to their Death Eater via Severus's real and fake memories. When Albus implanted the memories Severus had put into the pensieve in the Death Eater's mind, the man was able to feel what Severus felt when experiencing the memories. When Albus implanted the memories he'd faked concerning Harry Potter's mother, he simply added the feelings he thought were suitable using the method described in the book Mag supplied.

The fact there had been something in the WestCraven library that could play such a useful role in saving Severus's life was elating for her, and she didn't bother hiding it. She cast the runes once again when Wolfgang confirmed that everything was complete, and the outcome was thrilling! All three runes came out upright in a three rune cast in her will Severus survive this yes or no question. Equally three runes came out upright in her next yes or no question that asked if their planted Death Eater would serve as a believable Severus decoy! Though her heart literally sang, Mag forced herself to keep outwardly calm until it was all over. While she did tell Severus that the readings came out in his favor, she didn't want to give him too much confidence in case it caused him to make an error. They'd come too far and made too much progress to slip up now for any reason. Though she wanted to sing, dance, and cry with relief, there would be plenty of time to celebrate when it was all over.

When he heard the news from Mag that the Death Eater was basically ready to take his place at a moment's notice, Severus was elated and relieved. He was still going to be pensive until it was all over, though. This was only to be expected as he knew. The fact Mag's rune readings were also favorable now that they'd made the necessary changes to Severus's situation was also a relief. It likewise served as proof that things could change, though, so he was going to be careful until it was all over for sure. If an unforeseen factor introduced itself at the last minute, Mag's runes could predict a different outcome. Of course in such an event, she likely would not be there to read the runes and advise or predict shit as Nightshade would say. /I love it how you're learning to think properly and to give me credit for it, Prof,/ the owl observed.

/No. It's just if my thought is even more snarky than usual and laced with profanity, it puts me in mind of...my only friend,/ Severus quipped dryly. At times like this the owl could be a brilliant distraction, which Severus could admit to himself that he was glad of.

/Ah, now you're just trying to make me cry,/ Nightshade exclaimed.

/Can you,/ Severus asked, curious.

/Let's not find out, shall we,/ Nightshade replied. It was now his turn to sound dry.

There was a little over a month of term left by this point. It was almost May. Severus was just biding his time and waiting for things to come to a head that would free him from his double agent entanglement forever. He wished he still felt noble about the choice to pretend to serve the Dark Lord in order to avenge his father...because damn it he'd put so very much into it! He'd even hung with people he had no liking for in school after Heather and Raislen graduated to further his goals. Considering his antisocial nature that had been a true daily sacrifice if there ever was one. With Albus no longer here to provide encouragement, and him now literally having more to live for than revenge, his reasons for seeking it out seemed far too faint. He wanted to avenge Voldemort's killing of Tobias Snape because he'd loved his father and a six year old child should not have to lose his dad.

Tobias had been a special Muggle, fascinated by the concept of magic and he'd always called Severus his little wizard. The man's captivation with the magic arts was what had drawn Eileen Prince to him. Severus's mum had told him the story of her first meeting with Tobias more than once. She was out at a posh Muggle pub, slumming with friends in downtown London when the dashing Muggle asked her for a dance. The dance was a fast one and Tobias had nearly fallen because of something slippery on the floor. Without thinking, Eileen had used magic to catch him, hoping he was too drunk to notice. He had not been at all. He was hungry to learn of magic, and to date Eileen as well and she'd given in to his charms on both. In the end she had a husband who was happy to help her mix potions when he got home from work every day. Though Severus's life had gone downhill after his father's murder, it was far better now, and he didn't wish to lose it. He also didn't wish to put those he loved at risk, and the sooner this was over the better. As it often happened, sooner came even sooner than he expected, though, and of course it came on the heals of Harry Potter who finally decided to make an appearance when it was far too late to teach the little prat anything. The evening was late and Severus was reading over reports of misconduct in his personal chambers when Nightshade's head popped up from under his wing where he'd poked it in an attempt to nap. /Prof, Dude! I think Potter is here! And some others too...His little friends and that weird Ravenclaw girl that looks like she probably smells./

"Lovegood?"

/Yeah, I guess that's right./

Here it was...Was he ready? Did he feel ready? No he felt startled and mildly disrupted, so lost had he been in his reading. It was always like that, though, else no one would call it a surprise event, would they? "Where, can you tell," he asked the owl, rising from his chair as Nightshade spread large white wings and coasted to his shoulder.

/Not sure, but maybe once we're out in the hall, I'll pick up a direction,/ Nightshade said.

Severus turned to Mag, who was reading a new book on gemstone properties that she'd gotten in the mail from Sekhmet the day before. "I need you to go to Regulus and have him wait for me at Wolfgang's. Apparently Potter is here. Nightshade senses him. So it looks as if we're reaching the point where we'll need that decoy activated."

Mag's large green eyes flew wide in surprise but she nodded. "I love you, Severus...Please be careful," she said, and he swallowed hard at the tremor in her musical voice. Mag rarely became emotional, and he could not afford to respond in kind! Even as she spoke, she was rushing to the bed side table where a portkey was stashed in the shape of a hollow book. It led to WestCraven manor. She'd go from there to Regulus, where he was still with Doge.

"I love you too," he managed before she vanished. Severus flung open the door to his office and rushed out into the hall.

/I sense a lot of powerful magic...Like they're dueling or something? But I can't be sure, though,/ Nightshade said. Severus had never heard that particular uncertain tone in the owl's mental voice./It's alright. Just do your best, and try to relax. The mind remains more open when one is relaxed and the more open your mind is, the more you shall be able to sense./

/Right,/ Nightshade said and drew in several slow long deep breaths as Severus slowly progressed down the hall of the staff wing. When he passed Filius's door he knocked and rushed inside as soon as the charms master opened it to him.

"Severus! What on earth," Flitwick practically squeaked. He wore fuzzy eagle slippers and held a scone in one hand.

"It's happening, so be ready...for whatever. Potter is here. I'm still not certain for what so stay put for now, but be ready," Severus said, speaking in a rush for he hadn't much time.

Filius nodded and Severus turned toward the door. "And remember...if Death Eaters are present I must appear to be on their side so you must be unkind to me."

Filius frowned in open disapproval but nodded. "I remember." Severus smiled. He and the Charms Master had nearly had their first fight over that months ago when Severus insisted that Filius had to participate in the belief that Severus was a Death Eater if it became necessary. He wanted Filius to remain above suspicion if things went south for him. Filius had helped with their Death Eater mind merge project by setting many layers of defenses around the work so that it would appear to belong...Like camouflage. It was all very illegal and the Ministry was a fickle little bastard that cared more about the letter of the law than who deserved to live more. If Severus was caught for what they'd done, he planned to go down for it alone. No one kind enough to risk themselves helping him would suffer.

"Be careful, Severus," Filius called as Severus rushed back out into the hall.

"You as well," he said quietly. As they set off again, Severus placed the chameleon charm on Nightshade to keep his mind and body hidden.

/Oh shit they're close...down that hall on the left,/ Nightshade said. As Severus took the left turn, he spotted Minerva, but she was alone.

/Nah she isn't. Potty and Lovegood are under his invisibility cloak./ Severus asked Minerva politely what had her out of her bed at such a late hour, then when she fed him her expected line of bullshit, as Nightshade would say, he asked directly about Potter, pretending he wasn't aware that Potter was right there. Not knowing that Potter was there would free him of personal responsibility and leave the inept prat free to hopefully successfully attack the Dark Lord, after all. /They already kicked the Carrows asses which is sweet I guess...Rather McGonagall did, cause you know the prats don't really got it like that./

/Did they see the Dark Lord yet,/ Severus asked.

/Don't know,/ Nightshade replied. /Can't tell./

At this, Severus discretely prodded Minerva's mind with Legilimency, searching for any current thought of the Dark Lord. He needed to know where the man was to know when he and Nightshade should create a distraction that allowed them to get the hell out and have the decoy in to get himself killed. He must have slipped up a little due to the hurry he was in and his admitted currently stressed state of mind, because Minerva's wand came up in a flash. Severus's wand was already in hand, though, so he easily projected a shield of deflection that sent the older woman's spell right back at her. If she could give it, she should be able to take it, after all. Like any Gryffindor, she decided to fight fire with fire...literally, making use of one of the torches on the wall.

/Fuck! Mind the feathers,/ Nightshade mentally squawked. /Something tells me they're flammable./ Severus had a (What would Albus do) moment and transfigured the fire...into a snake that he sent at Minerva...Who transfigured his snake into daggers that she sent flying back at him. /Fuck! Mind the knives! Damn this bitch is more vicious than expected,/ Nightshade complained.

/Agreed,/ Severus said. /And there are too many knives to transfigure!/

He was looking out for not only himself, but Nightshade. Dodging behind one of the suits of Armor, Severus used it as a shield.

/Yeah! That's the way,/ Nightshade encouraged, obviously relieved to be safe from fire and knives. Severus was raising his wand to cast a charm of sleep upon Minerva when Filius came barreling down the corridor toward him with Sprout and old Slughorn. Well at least Filius had gotten to eat his scone before things became interesting, Severus thought in some dry amusement. Letting out an entertaining...war squeal? Filius animated the armor with a charm that caused it to attempt to crush Severus. Severus scowled in surprised annoyance as he flung the armor at the four heads of house! He'd told Filius to speak unkindly toward him, not to bloody attack him! Filius had wanted to have Severus's back instead and Snape had objected strenuously more than once to that, due to the risks involved. Now Filius was just being a prat as Severus saw it. Attacking him with bloody armor? Really?

/Hey it was only half hearted,/ Nightshade objected. /If he'd really meant it, you couldn't have thrown it off so easily. Flitwick is a dueling champion, after all./ Severus nodded, feeling mollified. Only for a second, though, because Filius ruined it by proclaiming that Severus would do no more murder at Hogwarts. A low blow because Filius knew how angry Severus had been when Albus requested that he kill him. Even now that he knew it was only the influence of the Horcrux talking and not Albus, Severus could still grow upset at the very thought. The four relentlessly approached him, and Severus glanced around for a root of escape as the armor shattered against the wall. He couldn't afford to get himself captured even by nonDeath Eaters as Voldemort could still get to him here. Dodging into a nearby class room and flinging open the window, Severus leapt out while casting a levitation charm. Treating his robes like a broom, he soared into the sky and away from the school. Releasing his grip on Severus's shoulder, Nightshade flew along at his side until they were off the grounds. As soon as the owl landed on his arm, Severus Apparated from mid air to Adler Manor!