The Bat and the Spider
"What am I supposed to do, Albus?"
Severus stood by the white marble grave. The wind rippled The Great Lake's surface like goosebumps on skin. Further north, it howled through the Dark Forest and scattered the last brown leaves from its boughs.
"You may have been a manipulative bastard, but you were also the smartest man I knew. You always were one step ahead. I would welcome your advice now."
The grave remained mute.
"I don't want to speak to a ridiculous portrait. I need you, Albus."
Tears welled up in his eyes. He wiped them furiously with his sleeve.
"I was strong, Albus. I was a fortress. Even the Dark Lord could not reach in. But Morag – she saw right through me, tore down my walls. I thought I could finally love someone who wasn't Lily, except I no longer know whether I can trust her. She used a dark spell and caused a teenager's death. And she hid it all from me. So, what am I supposed to do?"
Severus exhaled and looked up at unfurling clouds driven by the North wind. The clock tower struck half past eleven, and he wondered whether the Hog's Head would still be open. He did not relish the thought of going back to his quarters.
As he turned away from the grave, a silver-white light raced across the grounds to meet him, and he soon recognized an otter Patronus. Upon reaching it, the otter sat on its hind legs. "Bellatrix Lestrange has Morag in the Dark Forest. We'll try and catch up with them – please join us as quickly as you can," said Hermione Granger's voice.
"That can't be," he gasped. "Morag is safe and sound in the Castle; she wouldn't have left."
"We saw them on the Marauder's map moments ago, before the dots marking their names disappeared off the map and into the Forest," the otter insisted. "There is no time to lose."
"I'm on my way," he replied. He had to make sure. He raced back to the Dungeons. Once he got to his chambers, he found the bed empty, Morag's boots and cloak gone.
"No!" he roared. He stormed back up the stairs, and he flew to the edge of the Forest. As soon as he'd left the school boundaries, he saw a hooded silhouette striding up to him.
"Dear Severus! Just the person I wanted to see… I was with your lovely girlfriend a few minutes ago," a sing-song voice teased him.
His eyes narrowed, and he pointed his wand at her menacingly. "Where is she, Bellatrix?" he growled, his heart thumping painfully in his chest.
"Tut, tut, tut, is this a way to greet an old friend?" Bellatrix teased. "I should mention that if you kill me, you will never find her."
He cursed inwardly – if only he had some Veritaserum. However, he had not brewed any in the past months. Even if he had any left, going back to his storeroom to retrieve it would waste precious time in any case.
"Is she alive?"
"She was when I left her." A malicious grin floated on her lips.
He grabbed her throat. "Take me to her. Now."
"Now, now, where are your manners, Severus? Didn't your Muggle father teach you to say please and thank you?" she spat, and he released her.
"If you hurt her in any way, I swear I'll Cruciate you to death, Bellatrix."
"I did not lay a finger on the sweet lamb," she cooed. "Now, why don't we take a little stroll? You know how dangerous this Forest is. It would be such a shame if anything happened to her or the baby. Wouldn't it?"
Bellatrix turned on her heels and led him down the narrow path. Jaws clenched, veins pulsing on his temples, Severus had no choice but to follow. She walked fast, chanting, "Tick, tock, tick, tock, how much longer does your sweetheart have?" Rage boiled within his chest, fuelling his desire to kill the Dark Witch. He was at her mercy, and she clearly relished it.
"By the way, Severus – how did you cancel the tracking spell I cast on the Dark Mark? It was pretty impressive, if slightly inconvenient," she asked conversationally.
"I had the Dark Mark removed," he grunted, rubbing the sore scab on his arm.
Bellatrix spun around, eyebrows arched up. "Oh? You never cease to amaze me, Severus. I thought it was impossible. Besides, that Mark is an honour. Only a weaselly traitor such as yourself would want to erase it. How did you do it?"
Severus marched on, teeth clenched.
"Not talkative tonight, are we? Never mind," she shrugged.
They sank further into the Forest and soon reached the narrow, cobwebbed path leading to the Acromantulas' lair. After a bend in the path, they found scattered on the carmine-stained floor a torn green cloak, a ripped pair of jeans, a shredded blue jumper, and a discarded pair of boots.
"Oh. What a let-down. I was hoping for leftover bones, at the very least," Bellatrix remarked. "Those spiders sure were hungry."
Severus stood in a daze. An ear-piercing wail rang through the woods and made his head hurt. Bellatrix's silhouette was a dark blur before him, and her manic laughter sounded muffled. He suddenly realized the wail was coming from his own throat.
"Why don't you kill me, Bellatrix?" he rasped.
"Where's the fun in that?" she grinned. "Mind you, if you want to settle the score, why don't we duel?" she added, her pointed teeth gleaming in the light of her wand.
Severus raised his wand slowly.
"Avada Kedavra." The words rang coldly as a green jet of light illuminated the clearing. Bellatrix collapsed, her malevolent grin forever frozen on her face. A few paces behind her stood Draco Malfoy, wand up.
"I should have killed that monster a long time ago," he said darkly. "I am so sorry, Professor."
Severus stared at the blond wizard. "She was mine to kill, Draco," he said sombrely, staring at Bellatrix's lifeless form. Then, he noticed Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"Thought you would play the chivalrous hero, Potter? You're too late," he snarled.
The ginger runt muttered something that sounded like, "Told you", but Hermione elbowed him harshly.
"Professor, we can't stay here," she said softly. "The Acromantulas…"
Just then, another cry startled them. "Don't ye lot dare come any closer! I knew yer dad! Took him in an' fed him an' protected him!"
"That was Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed. "He's with a first-year; we have to help them!" Harry glanced at Severus, a mixture of urgency and sadness in his eyes. "Are you coming with us? Professor?"
Severus nodded. He could not leave Rubeus Hagrid to fend off hungry Acromantulas, let alone an eleven-year-old pupil; besides, if he could no longer kill Bellatrix, he might as well destroy the spiders that…
He did not want to formulate the thought. Adrenaline rushed through him, and he ran with the four students.
"Get away, ye brutes! I've always bin a friend ter you!" Hagrid bellowed. He was swinging his umbrella fiercely, whacking the heads of the Acromantulas surrounding him, while Fang growled and snapped his dribbly jaws. A terrified Karam Saddik hid behind the gamekeeper.
Severus and the older students got close enough to fight. Ron's teeth were chattering, but he stood his ground, his back against Harry's. Jets of green and red lights flared from their wands and Hermione's; Draco slashed spiders' legs and pincers using Sectumsempra. Suddenly, an Acromantula clasped Karam in its forelegs and wrapped him in thick silk. Just then, a russet-coloured spider tore into the first one, hissing and spitting, and forced it to let go of its prey.
Soon, most spiders either lay dead or had fled, except the russet one, who had retreated a few steps. Eight glossy black eyes stared through the gloom. Severus raised his wand again, the spell forming on his lips, "Avada –"
"Professor, wait!" Hagrid grabbed his hand. "That's not an Acromantula!"
"What do I care what kind of foul creature it is!" Severus snapped, but Karam intervened. "Please, Professor. Mr Hagrid is right. This spider saved me… and I think I know what it – what she is."
"What in Merlin's name do you mean?"
"In Egypt, we call it the curse of Neith," the boy said. "It happened to my grandmother after a giant spider bit her."
"Of course! They call it the curse of Anansi in Sub-Saharan Africa," Hermione exclaimed. "Professor, I think this – this is Miss Duncan." She took a few tentative steps towards the creature.
The russet spider raised its head; golden flecks danced in the bulbous black eyes. It started hissing.
"Have you gone mad, Hermione? It's going to attack!" Ron whimpered.
"Shut up, Weasley," Severus growled. The hiss did not sound menacing; the pitch varied strangely; in fact, it almost sounded like a melody—a melody that he recognized.
"That's Morag's song," he muttered. His mind felt numb.
"Professor, you said the Homorphus spell might work, remember?" Karam said. "You said the spell doesn't specify which form we are reverting from. Even if it's just temporary, we could try…" his voice trailed off.
"Right. Right," Severus mumbled, still bewildered. Raising his wand, he uttered, "Homorphus revertor."
The russet spider stood perfectly still.
"Seems like your theory is inaccurate, Mr Saddik," Severus said cooly.
At that instant, the spider screeched, and four of its legs seemed to retract into its body. It started to shrink and stretch itself thinner. Within a minute or so, Morag's trembling, naked body was on the floor, retching and panting. Severus rushed to her and covered her with its cloak.
"Severus," she panted. "It hurts."
"I'm taking you to the hospital wing," he said. "Hagrid, take the students back to the castle."
"Hey, we're adults too," Ron protested. But Severus had taken flight, Morag's limp form in his arms.