Run boy run! This world is not made for you
Run boy run! They're trying to catch you
Run boy run! Running is a victory
Run boy run! Beauty lays behind the hills
Run boy run! The sun will be guiding you
Run boy run! They're dying to stop you
Run boy run! This race is a prophecy
Run boy run! Break out from society
Tomorrow is another day
And you won't have to hide away
You'll be a man, boy!
But for now it's time to run, it's time to run!
Run Boy Run, Woodkid
They fought back to back, two against six. The odds weren't in their favour. Her voice was steady while she aimed her next hex, her arm brushing along his. He threw up a shield before sending his own attack. The purple light hit the Death Eater in the chest and they fell back, motionless.
'You're enjoying this, aren't you Professor?' She said, slightly breathless.
He parried another shot. 'Observant as always, Granger.'
He always knew the final battle would come, the time when the Dark Lord would finally face off against the Boy Who Never Bloody Died. Truthfully, he never expected to live long enough to actually take part in the fight itself, much less to consider which side he would fight for. From the moment he had taken up his Dark Mark his days had been slowly ticking towards his final breath. It was never a case of if, but when, and with so many players on the board he was curious to know who'd be the one to swing the final axe.
One thing was for sure: he never expected to fight alongside that insufferable know-it-all while praying they'd both survive the night. Together, they had promised.
Together they would die.
Severus Snape did not do summer.
August brought with it the insufferable heat and thick smog that hung over most of London. The heavy humidity left a sheen on his skin and clung to his already greasy black hair as it hung in curtains around his face. He had gone without his usual black billowing robes in favour of a simple muggle button down and slacks in an attempt to stay cool. Already he was regretting his decision, feeling naked as he leaned back in his chair at 12 Grimmauld Place.
Letting his hair shade his face, Severus cast an eye around the crowded basement kitchen. It had only been a mere few weeks since Black's death at the battle at the Department of Mysteries, and the tension in the room was palpable. Tonk's hair was a mousy shade of brown as she shot Lupin glances from across the table: Lupin's own sickly pallor giving away his feelings of grief. Molly fluttered around the room, fussing with tea cups and biscuits until Arthur pulled her gently into a seat. It was only Kingsley Shacklebolt who appeared unshaken as he sat calmly in his seat, hands clasped on the table in front of him.
'Voldemort's lost half his inner circle to Azkaban. I suspect he's going to feel desperate soon,' Kingsley stated.
Severus raised an eyebrow. 'I was unaware you were suddenly the authority on the mind of the Dark Lord.'
Tonks rolled her eyes. 'What, and you are?'
'Yes,' he replied calmly, picking an invisible piece of fluff off his sleeve. 'It's my job to know what the Dark Lord is planning. Unless of course you've managed to secure another spy, in which case I'll leave you all to it.'
'Then why didn't you know he was sending Death Eaters to meet Harry?' Tonks demanded, her eyes shining. 'You go on and on about how much he trusts you and how you're one of his favourites, but clearly he doesn't favour you enough to include you in his plans.'
'Nymphadora,' Lupin warned quietly.
'No Remus, if he had been doing his job Sirius would be sitting here with us,' she roared.
'Even if I had known, I couldn't have stopped it,' Severus pointed out. 'Black still would have run into danger like the idiot he was. Always trying to play the hero.'
Tonk's chair scraped against the stone floor as she shot to her feet, her wand aimed at his chest. 'How dare you speak ill of him in his own home!'
Severus folded his arms across his chest and leaned back, smirking. 'Funny, I wasn't aware he still owned this house… being dead and all.'
Tonks' hair turned a violent shade of red. 'You bastard,' she hissed.
'Enough,' shouted Molly, slamming her hands on the table. 'This is bad enough without the two of you bickering like children. Nymphadora, put that wand away before someone else gets hurt. And you,' she rounded on Severus, pointing her finger at him like he was a Weasley brat, 'if you can't behave yourself and act civil I will silence you myself.'
He scowled at her.
Arthur sighed and placed a gentle hand on his wife's back. 'Why don't you tell us what you do know, Severus. How did last night go?'
Severus leaned forward on the table, his hands steepled. 'The Dark Lord is not desperate. He is angry and volatile and that makes him dangerous, but no more of a threat than he already was. Be assured he has punished those who have failed him.'
'In what way?' Kingsley asked. 'He cannot reach them at Azkaban, even without the dementors, it's heavily guarded.'
'Yes, for now. Don't forget they are his most faithful followers.' Severus looked up at Kingsley over his fingers, his expression dark. 'The Dark Lord knows what each of us holds dear. The punishment would be unique.'
His words brought an uncomfortable chill to the room.
'Should we be worried about Draco Malfoy?' Lupin asked, catching Arthur's eyes across the table.
Severus' gaze darted to Lupin. Trust the bloody Werewolf to join the dots.
'Don't tell me you're suddenly worried about the boy? There's plenty of Slytherin children whose parents hold the same pureblood ideals.'
'That's not what I meant,' Lupin said dryly. 'Lucius was leading the attack and he failed. We know how protective he is of Draco.'
Arthur looked stricken. 'That puts Draco in a vulnerable position.'
Severus sighed. This was getting out of hand.
'No,' he lied. 'It makes no difference. The Dark Lord is not interested in children. Besides, as long as Draco is at Hogwarts under Dumbledore's care he is safe.'
'For now,' Molly softly echoed.
Kingsley rubbed at his temples. 'Fine. So what's his next move?'
Severus shrugged. 'He has yet to decide.'
'Useless as ever,' Tonks muttered under her breath. Molly leaned over to place a calming hand over her wrist, looking pointedly at Lupin.
Lupin's eyes flickered to Tonks before clearing his throat loudly. 'Any update on Charlie?'
Severus slumped back in his chair, relieved to be taken out of the spotlight. He had to warn Dumbledore about Lupin. As much as it damned him, the Order couldn't know of Dumbledore's plans to relieve Draco of his quest. It would only be successful if everyone was kept in the dark.
Even if it would destroy his character.
Not that Dumbledore cared. After all, Severus was only a puppet to do his bidding. That was the agreement, wasn't it?
His chest tightening, he tuned out the other voices in the kitchen and sunk further into himself.
What felt like many dull hours later, Kingsley called the meeting to a close, offering to take their report to Dumbledore.
As the others passed around mugs of tea, Severus stood up and set three vials down on the table. He found Molly at the side, pulling out pots and dishes to begin her dinner preparation.
'For Miss Granger,' he told her, nodding his head towards the potions. 'Is she still complaining of chest pains?'
Molly shook her head. 'Not that I know of. Her and Ron have been spending most of their time in the garden, up to who knows what. Why don't you ask her yourself?'
He raised an eyebrow. 'And ruin a perfectly good day? I should think not.'
She sighed and put the giant copper pot down on the counter. 'Severus, you know you are welcome to stay for tea.'
He spared a glance at Tonks, who stared into her tea cup like it held the answers to the universe while Lupin and Kingsley conversed in the corner with their heads close together. The air still carried a feeling of hostility, understandably directed at him for failing to warn the Order of the Dark Lord's plans to go after the prophecy in the first place.
The truth was he hadn't know. He knew the Dark Lord had been planning something big, especially when it was made evident he was accessing Potter's mind, but he didn't know what or when. He hadn't been privy to those details and that bothered him more than he let on. After all, what good was a spy who was continually kept in the dark?
He wasn't welcome here. Not really.
Without offering any farewell Severus swept up the stairs towards the front door. After a night with the Dark Lord and an afternoon with the dreadful Order, he desperately craved a cigarette and a bottle of red wine. He wasn't sure what made him do it then— to pause in the hallway before turning on his heel towards the garden entrance. He couldn't care less how the Granger girl was fairing. He only brought her potions because Pomfrey had requested it. If she was suffering it was only more reason to leave her be, but he was itching for a fight.
The door was open to let in the faint early evening breeze. Under the shade of the trees Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger faced off against each other, wands raised. Granger's jaw clenched as she cast the first spell.
Severus' nostrils flared at the sight. Use of magic in the holidays was purely prohibited. Only the Golden Trio would be so bold as to break rules in broad daylight. His first instinct was to storm out there and thoroughly enjoy telling them off. Granger might even cry as an added bonus. His second was to hurry back down to the kitchen to inform Molly and let her do the telling off. Granger would definitely cry. But there was something in Granger's form, the way her eyes blazed and her spine curled inward that made him pause, his curiosity getting the better of him.
He watched them duelling, sparks flying as they danced around each other in a pattern only close friends and lovers knew. He loathed to admit that she was creative in her execution, varying her attack each time. Weasley on the other hand was slightly more strategic in his approach. The boy continually drove her backwards with each strike, blocking her each time. Despite being on the defence he clearly had the upper hand.
Narrowing his eyes, Severus leaned against the doorframe. She was flagging, out of breath. He didn't know if she was consciously trying to mask it, but he could see the strain on her face as she lifted her arms. Regardless of what Molly said, Granger was still experiencing some lasting effects of the curse.
Well. If she wasn't asking for help that wasn't his problem. He already had one teenager to babysit.
'Bombarda,' Granger shouted, her voice high and tense. She was quick, but Weasley was quicker.
'Protego!'
Granger pinched her lips together and shoved a lock of hair out of her face. 'Locomotor Wib—'
Her wand shot in the air as Weasley bellowed 'Expelliarmus!'
Severus could see her hands ball into fists at her sides as she made a noise of frustration. Weasley picked her wand up and twirled it in his fingers before offering it to her, a wide grin on his face.
'Beat you again,' he laughed. 'You're too easy.'
'You're just using the same spells over and over,' Granger countered, snatching her wand back with a scowl. 'I hardly call that imaginative.'
Weasley shrugged a shoulder, a carefree gesture that only seemed to rile her more. 'Who needs imagination when the basics work just fine.'
'And how did that work out for you in the Department of Mysteries? I seem to recall you got yourself Confunded.'
'I seem to recall you got yourself knocked out,' he pointed out.
She gave a little huff, her hands on her hips. 'Exactly! We failed. The only reason we even made it out of there alive was because the Order showed up. What about next time?'
Ah.
She couldn't stand the knowledge that she had been bested in something. No matter that the wizards in question had years of practising dark arts under their belts.
Weasley threw his hands up, conceding. 'Okay, okay. I get it.' He studied her for a moment. 'Your charms are good Hermione, but your arm movements aren't quick enough. It's easy to work out how to block you when you flap like a bird.'
Severus half expected her to stamp her foot in feminine outrage as her face turned a dark shade of red. 'My— You— Ronald Weasley!'
'For once Miss Granger, Mr Weasley's correct.' Severus drawled.
Their heads whipped in his direction, faces pale.
'Professor Snape,' gasped Granger.
'If you're going to be so arrogant as to break Ministry rules at least have the intelligence to do it where you can't be easily spotted,' Severus tsked. 'At the very least pay attention. I thought you were more observant than that, Miss Granger. Wand waving will get you nowhere if your enemy can just waltz up without you noticing.'
'It doesn't help that you sneak around like a great bat,' Weasley muttered under his breath.
Severus narrowed his eyes at him and the boy shifted, his ears going red. Severus folded his arms across his chest, wishing again for his voluminous robes as he peered down the end of his nose at them from the doorway. 'What's the meaning of this?'
Granger fidgeted with her wand, her cheeks pink. 'We were just practising, sir.'
Severus smirked at her cruelly. 'A pointless exercise. If someone as thick headed as Weasley can work out what spell you want to cast, you have no hope against an accomplished wizard. You might as well lay down and offer him your wand before the fight even begins.'
She bit the inside of her lip, her eyes glossy.
Severus 1, Granger 0.
'Do it again,' he barked, his fingers drumming against his arm.
'What, now?' Squeaked Weasley. 'But you said we weren't allowed—'
Severus rolled his eyes. 'It didn't stop you a moment ago.'
Granger touched Weasley's wrist as she passed him, marching back under the tree. Weasley looked uncomfortable as he took his place opposite her.
Watching them stand off awkwardly against each other under his scrutiny was worth the last twenty-four hours of misery. Yes, he was enjoying this.
Granger set her jaw. Before she could get a word out, Weasley yelled, 'Silencio!'
It was the last straw. She glared at Weasley, her face a thundercloud.
'It's a shame we aren't at school Mr Weasley, or I would award you 5 points for giving my ears a break from that intolerable noise. You're frustrated and angry, Miss Granger, and it's clouding your ability to think,' Severus sneered, taking pleasure in knocking her down a peg. 'Is it, perhaps, because you're pining away for a certain be-speckled boy?'
It happened quickly; she spun on him, her wand raising. A red jet flew at him and for a brief moment he stared at her in surprise as his arm automatically came up to knock the spell away.
Granger went white, her mouth open. Weasley was by her side in an instant.
Severus stared at her, his lips curling over his teeth. How dare she? The urge to cast a hex on her in turn made his fingers twitch.
Slowly he descended the steps to the garden, prowling towards her like a lion sizing up his prey. He stopped before her, straightening to his full height. A dark look sent Weasley scampering backward.
Quick as a snake his arm darted out and she flinched as he grasped her chin, his black eyes boring into hers.
'I could have you expelled,' he growled, his voice dangerously low. 'You just attacked a teacher. You're on thin ice, Miss Granger.' He could feel her trembling under his fingers as her mouth opened and closed. He smirked.
Too easy.
He dropped her chin and she nearly collapsed at his feet. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he made towards the back entrance, throwing a glance at Weasley as he passed. 'Don't reverse the spell. You can explain to your mother why she can't speak.'
Severus strolled down Spinner's End, the evening heat prickling the back of his neck as he took a drag on his cigarette. Is this what the next year would be like? Trying to teach emotional teenagers how to rein in their hormones long enough to defend themselves? It was almost enough to make him regret taking up Dumbledore's offer to finally teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. Not that he had a choice in the matter.
One more year, he reminded himself. One more year of teaching intolerable dunderheads. And after that?
He didn't want to think about it.
He stopped at the bottom of the street, staring out at the abandoned mill while he finished the last of his cigarette.
'Severus?'
Bloody hell.
Was just one night alone with his books too much to hope for?
He turned slowly to find Narcissa and Bellatrix standing on his doorstep. Narcissa's blonde hair glinted in the dying August sun as Bellatrix glared at him. Stifling a groan, he ground the butt under his boot and offered the pair a congenial nod.
'Narcissa, what a pleasant surprise.'
It was going to be a long fucking year, and Merlin help him he better have his wits about him if he wanted to survive it.
Author Notes:
I wanted to explore Hogwarts under Snape's time as Headmaster. In this world the Horcruxes still exist but the Deathly Hallows do not. Soz not soz.
I've written the first 10 chapters and have a completed outline. I'll be sticking to a bi-weekly (twice monthly) posting schedule on weekends until I've finished.
And finally… as a musician I'm heavily influenced by music when I write. I'll share the play list for each chapter if that's your thing as well :)
Playlist: 'Run Boy Run', Woodkid. 'Paint It, Black', The Rolling Stones
