Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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On the morning of the Triwizard Tournament's final task, Severus and Lily woke as the sunlight streamed through their bedroom window.
As Severus gradually cracked his dark eyes open, a soft noise between a deep groan and a gentle purr left his throat as his hands slipped over his wife's smooth skin while she lay against him.
He generously allowed Lily to sleep a few moments more while he admired her beauty in the bright ray of sunshine, knowing they would inevitably have to rise and face the perils of the dreaded day.
To his surprise, Lily kept her eyes closed but murmured drowsily, "I love it when you touch me, Sev."
Severus blinked, "How long have you been awake, my love?"
"I never went to sleep." Lily sighed as she opened her emerald eyes with a frown to gaze up at him, "I think I dozed for a few minutes……that's been about it."
"Why didn't you wake me?" Severus frowned, "A swallow of Sleeping Draught would have-"
"-Because for once, you rested well." Lily interrupted.
Severus frowned as she smiled, "You must have confidence in the plan we've cooked up, Sev, to sleep that soundly."
Lily's long strands of soft, red hair tickled the exposed portion of his chest as she raised herself up.
After Severus released her from his grasp, his skillful fingers toyed with the ends of her tresses as he fought to keep his eyes on her face instead of her perfect, waiting nipples.
"My vow remains unchanged, Mrs. Snape." Severus solemnly promised, "If I perish in the process, then so be it, but I will protect you and our children to the very end."
Lily sighed as a bittersweet smile danced on her lips.
She bent down to give Severus a loving kiss, but he wanted more than her mouth.
Lily whimpered as he dove into her breasts instead and buried himself there for a moment of indulgent comfort while her fingers tangled in his silky, raven-black hair.
In those fleeting minutes before they had to get up, dress, and endure one of the most stressful days of their lives, Severus and Lily made love as if it were the first and last time they would ever be in each other's arms.
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At Hogwarts that same morning, another plan to save Harriet had already begun.
Before the castle's other inhabitants woke, Remus managed to get out of bed and shuffle down the dungeon stairs to open a secret door for the shaggy, black dog who waited outside.
The two quickly retreated to Remus's office where Sirius quickly assumed his human form.
"Thank you, old friend." He said as he clutched his thick, fur coat around himself.
"What else can we do, Sirius?" Remus asked, "From what you've told me, he's already on his way! How are we going to stop him?"
"We're not." Sirius nodded, "At least, not today…….We're going to stop her."
Remus blinked in disbelief before Sirius stuck a hand out and asked, "...For James?"
A wry smile appeared on Sirius's tired face as Remus shook his hand and nodded in agreement, "For James."
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Severus and Lily arrived at the castle in time for breakfast that morning.
It was no surprise to anyone that Harriet was predictably tardy for the meal, although she did finally appear.
"You're not eating very much." Hermione remarked as she watched her friend play with her food, "You'll need your strength today, Harriet."
"I don't feel very well, Hermione." Harriet sighed.
Hermione and Ron exchanged suspicious glances.
"You'd think after all this time Madam Pomfrey would have straightened out that stomach ache of yours." Ron quipped.
"This is different, Ron." Harriet shot back in a voice that cracked with pain.
Due to her previous false claims, Hermione and Ron ignored Harriet's complaint while they traded guesses back and forth about what the final task would be that afternoon.
At the High Table, Severus and Lily were busily chatting with Professor Trelawney and Lucius.
However, across the room, with no one he cared to talk to nearby, Draco scowled as he watched Harriet pick at her plate while she frowned miserably.
Her face appeared unnaturally pale.
As worry clouded his heart, Draco narrowed his eyes.
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Just before twilight, every staff member and student gathered at the small stadium across from the castle while Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor all stood in front of Dumbledore on the grass at the center.
Hogwarts' band played as everyone glanced around and wondered why Harriet was not standing next to her fellow competitors.
"Where could she have possibly gone?" Lily whispered to Severus while he stood with her hand clutched firmly in his arm.
"Patience, my love. You know as well as I that punctuality is not her greatest attribute." Severus dryly answered.
Draco had conveniently positioned himself just in front of Harriet's parents and his father.
He silently shared Lily's concern.
Draco slyly waited for the opportune moment to offer his assistance in regards to Harriet's absence while he listened to her mother nervously tell Severus, "She hasn't been late to the other two tasks! Why should she be late to this one?"
"A simple matter of timing, I'm sure." Lucius said as he overheard the couple.
Lily forced a polite smile on her face as she nodded at her husband's friend while Severus and Lucius exchanged jealous glances.
Severus envied his friend's wealth.
Lucius envied Severus's good standing with Voldemort.
Not wanting to miss an opportunity to help the Dark Lord's favourites, Lucius turned to bark at his son, "Draco!"
Draco responded too quickly as he whirled around and instantly asked, "Yes, Father?"
"Come here!" Lucius ordered.
Draco made his way up the stands with a cautious frown while Lucius snapped, "The Snape girl is late, as you can see. Faculty members are not allowed to leave a Tournament Task site. Go on! Find your fiancé and bring her here! Can't you see that her parents are worried?"
Draco didn't even take the time to reply, instead, he nodded curtly at his father and the Snapes before he dashed off towards the castle.
He was more than elated to have a viable excuse to chase Harriet down.
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Find Harriet.
Find Harriet.
While the rest of the school waited at the hedge maze, Remus, Sirius, and Draco all raced through the castle in frantic searches.
Completely unaware of the others, Draco assumed his beloved had sought respite in the arms of her beau.
He charged up the castle steps at such a speed his black robes fluttered behind him.
After rounding a corner, he rushed into the abandoned girls' lavatory, ready to launch himself down the short fall to the tunnels that lay below.
Yet, his pulse quickened as he noticed the sink was intact.
His gray eyes widened as the sound of retching echoed off the walls.
Moaning Myrtle usually kept to herself whenever a boy appeared in her bathroom, especially after Tom Riddle had inadvertently caused her untimely death with the Basilisk, though her glee over Harriet's plight sent her drifting past Draco.
He narrowed his eyes as the ghost floated by and giggled, "She's in there!" Myrtle pointed towards the third stall from the left, "Wait until you see……It's absolutely dreadful!"
Draco ignored the series of high-pitched laughter that came from the spiteful spirit as he rushed to the third stall from the left, withdrew his wand, and cried "ALOHOMORA!"
The locked door opened to reveal Harriet crouched with her head over the toilet, trembling and shaking.
"SNAPE!" Draco gasped with wide eyes.
"M-Malfoy?" Harriet asked weakly as she turned her head to glance at him.
"What's happened to you?!" Draco demanded as she swallowed thickly and slumped against the stall wall.
"...Leave me alone." Harriet whispered as she pulled her knees up to her abdomen.
Her face had gone gray from pain.
As she drew her legs towards herself, Draco's breath hitched as he noticed the stall's blood-soaked floor.
"SNAPE!" He shouted again.
As Harriet sighed before her eyes rolled back in her head, he repeated in a desperate roar, "SNAPE!"
Her body went limp.
Draco launched himself forward and caught Harriet in his arms before she could painfully smack her skull against the porcelain toilet.
Gasping for breath as adrenaline coursed through his veins, Draco gathered her close and pondered how best to help his beloved.
His father's words echoed back to him.
Relief flooded his system as he sprinted out of the bathroom and towards the Hospital Wing.
He tried to keep his steps as uniform as possible to avoid jostling Harriet.
Faculty may not have been allowed to leave the Tournament site, but staff had stayed in the castle.
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Severus and Lily barely heard Dumbledore announce the beginning of the third task as he warned the participants about the dangers of the hedge maze.
They waited in brutal apprehension from one moment to the next while the next hour slowly passed.
By the beginning of the final task's second hour, Severus had never been so grateful to hear Dumbledore's voice as the headmaster called out, "Due to her failure to attend, Harriet Snape has been disqualified from the Triwizard Tournament and will take no further part in this task."
Gasps and whispers rang out, but Lily shifted anxiously on her feet.
"My love, I'm certain she's simply lost track of time." Severus frowned as he offered what he knew was a flimsy excuse in hopes of pacifying Lily, "At least he will not harm her now."
"SEV!" Lily exclaimed in a hushed whisper.
Severus narrowed his black eyes as Lily hurriedly exclaimed, "Suppose you're right! Suppose he hasn't realized it's her and……..and…….!"
The nauseating possibility that an innocent student may be unwittingly sacrificed to Voldemort's bloodlust sobered both Mr. and Mrs. Snape in one terrifying second.
Severus dropped Lily's hand as he dashed down the stands and glided across the small field, intent on entering the maze.
A blinding flash of light barred his entry as Severus raised his hands to cover his face from the unwelcome burst.
"What are you doing, Severus?" Dumbledore blinked, "Professors are not allowed inside the maze unless a warning flare has been fired by a champion. Don't you remember?"
Severus stepped forward to hiss at Dumbledore in a low whisper, "I assure you, headmaster, I have good reason for trespassing."
Dumbledore threw Severus a questioning look as Severus pleaded, "I beg you, for the safety of those inside," He whispered as his black eyes flickered to the hedge maze and then back to Dumbledore, "...Allow me to pass."
"I'm very sorry, Severus." Dumbledore replied in a tone that rang with grave seriousness, "The Goblet of Fire's rules are absolute. Until a distress flare has been fired, no one can enter besides the chosen champions."
Severus's black eyes widened as he stared into Dumbledore's aged face.
Dread washed over him as he stepped back and gazed up at the darkening sky, hoping to see a flash of red sparks soar above the many rows of hedge.