Always For You. [Snape Romance] [Harry Potter]

Arc 3: Chapter 8: What Are Sacrifices

An option where everyone lives.

That was it.

"I have my answer." I said aloud. 

"Who is the traitor you wish to expose to the flames of Hell?" the voice sounded throughout the chamber. 

"I said I have my answer, not that I have my choice. My answer is that you have no power here. You're telling me to kill one of them but I do not want to. Therefore, I won't. There is no traitor and I refuse to believe your words that there is one. Release them immediately." I stood firm though my rapid heart said the opposite. 

"Wisdom from the truth-seeker. Our retribution has been sated."

The flames disappeared in an instant, though the black flames preventing further passage remained. Trelawney collapsed to the ground in a pile of tears and Patricia shot over to comfort her. Severus casually came to my side.

"Well done." he congratulated. 

"You knew the answer all along, didn't you?" I asked straightforwardly. 

"To a degree. No, I did not know of this counter-measure. However, once I concluded that it was a result of not passing the original riddle, it was not too difficult to realise this was a second riddle with its own answer." he explained to me, though I already understood it.

"But if you knew, then why didn't you say?" 

He went past me to inspect the table of bottles. He held the light blue one I consumed in his hands. "This was your riddle to overcome. Had I told you the solution, it may well have killed the three of us."

"So you placed your faith in me?" I said with a laugh.

He turned to face me with a confused look. "I always place my faith in you." 

Wow. Okay. Severus being endearing. Not alarming at all. Completely normal. 

"I am able to be... considerate on occasion." he said dismissively. 

I went up behind him and placed my lips close to his ear to whisper: "Just because you were able to use Legilimency on those two does not mean you get to use it on me." 

"Then why are you not maintaining your training? Just because Ruberion is gone is no excuse for slacking." He had a point... He always did... "You best go on ahead before the potion wears off. The three of us will be waiting here for your return."

As I was about to take my leave towards the black flames, Patricia called out for me. 

"Listen, cutie. I want to talk this out when you get back." she said while Trelawney was gripping to her for support. She hadn't stopped crying. "I don't think Stoic here is going to let me hear the end of it if we don't clear the air." 

"Thank you." I replied. "I know I did wrong and I want to make it right, but I have to finish what we came here for." She let out a small smile to show she agreed and went back to tending to Trelawney. 

As I approached the flames, their heavy heat hit my flesh. I put my hand gingerly through the flames and flinched back instinctively. The flames didn't hurt a bit. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes and jumped through. Instead of my clothes catching fire and my body singeing at the contact, I passed through unscathed. 

 *****

The final chamber began to come into view. Down a set of wide stairs sat a large mirror surrounded by stone flooring. The torches on the walls now felt strangely homely as if this location had been awaiting me for so long. 

Slowly, I approached the mirror. It was about twice my height and decorated with gold. The intricate engravings were elegant. My eyes were paying such keen attention to them and I knew it was for the fact I was fearful of what I would see when I looked in the mirror.