Runaways (Don't Save Me Book 2)

Chapter 2: What Did You Do?

TW: Death

One Year Later

October 31, 1981

Something was stirring in the air, though I didn't know what was to come. I could sense something was wrong but I couldn't place the feeling of dread I had within me. I held a letter in my hands from the Malfoys.

Dear Y/n,

I'm not sure why I keep writing these letters. I suppose there is still a small part of me that hopes you are getting them. I hope you see this before it is too late. I must ask you to stay inside tonight. Don't go out. Place protective charms over where you are staying... and, by Merlin, stay far away from the Potters tonight.

Cissy

Her words sent fear through my body and I immediately owled Dumbledore to let him know something was going to happen tonight... something to do with the Potters. He replied, simply saying they were safe and I had nothing to worry about, though I couldn't help the feeling of dread that ran through me. I grabbed my wand and a jacket, heading to Godric's Hollow. They had chosen a secret keeper, but they given Sirius permission to tell me where they were staying in case anything went wrong... in case I had to come get Harry.

As I reached Godric's Hollow I heard a scream and saw a flash of green light. I ran inside, quickly, seeing James in the hallway. No... please... no. I heard crying coming from Harry's room and I ran down the hall, entering his nursery.

Harry sat in his crib, tears slipping down his cheeks, a cut in the shape of a lightning bolt on his head. I looked around the room before my eyes landed on Lily lying lifeless on the floor. I froze, unable to move as I stared at her form. I walked toward her, falling to my knees beside her.

"No!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face.

I looked up, my eyes locking on Harry and I quickly wiped my tears, knowing I needed to be strong for him. I stood and walked toward his crib. His small arms reached out for me and I picked him up from his crib, rocking him in my arms. There was a roaring in my ears as the grief tore me apart from the inside out. I tried to maintain a strong front for Harry but I could feel it slipping away. I soon heard footsteps coming down the hallway before Severus came into the room, his eyes filled with tears. His eyes fell upon Lily and he stumbled into the room, falling to his knees. He pulled Lily's lifeless body to his, holding her as he sobbed. I rocked Harry, trying to focus on him, trying to push my pain down. Harry began cooing as he looked up at me before falling into a slumber. I gently placed him in his crib as Severus let go of Lily and locked eyes with me.

"Y/n?" he whispered, as if he hadn't noticed I had been standing there. He quickly stood up, making his way across the room toward me. He grabbed my arms, checking them over before grabbing my face, turning it side to side.

"Are you hurt? How did you end up here?" he asked, wiping his tears and becoming much more serious.

"The Malfoys... they sent me a letter... warning me not to go out tonight... they told me to stay away from the Potters so I knew something was wrong."

"They told you to stay away and, yet, you came anyway?" he hissed.

"I couldn't just hide while something bad was happening!" I responded, trying not to wake Harry.

"We thought you were dead! You never responded to the letters Narcissa sent and we thought you were dead! I thought... I thought I lost you too!"

"You are the one who told me to stay away from them!" I hissed, pulling my arm from his grasp. I watched as his face fell. He lifted his arm, reaching for my face, lightly rubbing thumb over my cheek.

"I'm just glad you are okay... the Dark Lord is gone... for now."

"What did you do, Severus?" I asked, as the realization hit me. He shouldn't have known where to find their house. He shouldn't have been here and he shouldn't have known anything about the Dark Lord.

"Y/n... I-."

"What did you do?!" I screamed, tears streaming down my face.

"I didn't! I-I tried to protect them! They trusted the wrong person!"

"No... Sirius would never... he... he wouldn't."

"Their secret keeper betrayed them, Y/n. He's been passing information to the Dark Lord this entire time."

"Why didn't you say anything?!"

"I never knew it was Black! The Dark Lord never shared the identities of his followers. We barely knew who was at the meetings. It was only important that he knew... I never knew Black was the secret keeper."

" No... but he... he wouldn't... H-he loved us... he wouldn't..." I could feel myself spiraling as my breath grew heavy.

"Y/n..." Severus took a step forward, reaching his hand out toward me but I stepped back.

"No! You... h-how are you here?" He looked away from me, unable to meet my eyes. "Severus, what did you do?"

"I didn't.... Y/n, I promise... I would never intentionally hurt Lily... or you... ever. Please, darling... you have to believe me."

"You... you're working for them... aren't you? For the same people you told me to stay away from!"

"No! Y/n... I was but I'm not anymore. I'm working for Albus... I promise... please just trust me."

He moved toward me, taking my hand in his. "Y/n... I'm still me. Please, darling. I need you to trust me... If I don't have you... I have no one."

"Did you do this?!" I hissed, my voice breaking as I tried not to wake Harry.

He looked away from me, looking down at Lily's lifeless body as several tears slipped down his cheeks.

"Yes."

I pulled my hand away from him, stepping back toward Harry's crib.

"But I didn't mean for this to happen! Please, Y/n..."

"Stay away from me! It was you! It was you who told him about the prophecy! Wasn't it?"

"How did you know about that?"

"Albus told me... but he never said who it was."

"What else did he tell you about that person?"

I thought for a moment, remembering the conversation I had with Albus just a few months ago.

"H-he said... he said the person deflected... and joined our side..." I looked up, staring into his dark eyes, filled with emotion.

"That was you?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Yes, love... that was me... that is me."

I didn't know what to say. His confession caught me off guard and I still held so many unresolved feelings for him. Seeing him and hearing him call me 'love' just brought everything back. From outside the house I heard the rumbling of a motor as Hagrid pulled into view.

"You have to get out of here! You can't be here when Hagrid comes in," I said, walking toward Severus. He pulled me into a hug, his arms around my waist and my head resting on his chest.

"I never stopped thinking about you," he whispered into my hair as I heard the motor turn off.

"I never stopped thinking about you, either." We pulled away from the hug and he disapparated just as I heard Hagrid's footsteps downstairs. Harry stirred in his sleep, his green eyes opening as he stretched his arms out toward me. I picked him up, soothing his whimpers as Hagrid stepped into the room, pointing his umbrella at me.

"Put the boy down!"