Muggle // Severus Snape

46. Dark Marks

"I want to check on Harry." 

"Of course you do." Severus agreed. 

"Are you alright?" 

"I'm fine just... I have to speak to Headmaster." Severus assured. "He will know what to do next." 

"Are you alright Potter?" Moody questioned, he nodded. It was a terrifying experience. But he was alright. "Does it hurt?"

"Not so much now."

"I'd better take a look at it." Moody countered and he took harrys arm, the snake and skull marking visible.

"The cup was a portkey. Someone had bewitched it." Harry informed him.

"What was it like? What was he like?"

"Who?" Harry questioned.

"The dark lord. What was it like to stand in his presence?" Moody demanded.

"I dunno. It was like I'd fallen into one of my dreams. One of my nightmares." Harry said nervously. Mad-Eye started shaking and struggling for air, he reached for his bottle but it was empty. He rushed to a chest with other bottles and struggles to find one. Harry watched him confused.

"Were there others? In the graveyard, were there others?"

" Um. I don't think I said anything about a graveyard Professor." Harry corrected taking a step back.

"You think he is in trouble?" Avalon questioned shifting a sleepy Amelia in her arms. "Like more trouble?" 

"The dark lord is back, we are all in danger." Severus whispered. 

"Do you have it?" ALbus countered. Severus held up the bottle. "THen lets get down there."

"Whats going on?" Avalon begged. 

"Get harry away from moody." Severus instructed. "When we get there, keep him close." Avalon nodded, confused but she agreed. 

"Marvelous creatures dragons aren't they? Do you think that miserable oaf would have led you into the woods if I hadn't suggested it? Do you think Cedric Diggory would have told you to hold the egg under the water if I hadn't have told him first myself? Do you think Neville Longbottom the witless wonder could have provided you with gilliweed if I hadn't have given him the book that led you straight to it? Huh??" Moody snarled.

"It was you from the beginning. You put my name in the goblet of fire. You bewitched Krum. But..." Harry rasped.

"You won because I made it so Potter. You ended up in that graveyard tonight because it was meant to be so. And now the deed is done. The blood that runs through these veins runs within the dark lord. Imagine how he will reward me when he learns that I have once and for all silenced the great Harry Potter."

A flash of magic blasted out and Mad-Eye was knocked into the wall. Dumbledore and Severus come rushing in. Dumbledore takes Mad-Eye by the neck. Avalon hid in the doorway as they got a handle on Moody. 

" Severus..." Albus says slowly. Severus administered some veritaserum. Mad-Eye wriggled demonically. "Do you know who I am?"

"Albus Dumbledore." he answered. Avalon moved to Harry, he clung to her. Amelia was awake now, she rubbed at tired eyes looking around. 

"Are you Alastor Moody? Are ya?" Albus questioned.

" No."

"Is he in this room? Is he in this room?" Albus questioned the moody imposter nodded. "Harry get away from there!" Avalon pulled him closer. 

Dumbledore approached the chest. The chest opened, it contained a series of smaller chests. When the final chest was open they saw that there's a pit within holding a man the real Alastor Moody. Severus glanced down. 

" Are you alright Alastor?" Albus called down.

"I'm sorry Albus." The real moody whimpered.

" That's Moody, but then who's...?" Harry whispered confused.

"Polyjuice potion." Severus agreed as albus held up one of the bottles.

"Now we know who's been stealing it from your store Severus." Albus agreed. "We'll get you up in a minute." He added looking down to Moody.

"You are okay, right? He didnt hurt you?" Avalon questioned kissing Harry's forehead. 

"Your arm Harry." Albus demanded. Avalon watched the  mark on his arm, the same one on severus. 

"You know what this means don't you?" Barty Jr questioned looking between them. "He's back. Lord Voldemort has returned."

"Send an owl to Azkaban, think they'll find they're missing a prisoner. " Albus agreed.

" I'll be welcomed back like a hero." Barty agreed.

"Perhaps. Personally I've never had much time for heroes." Albus countered. 

+

Avalon was tossing and turning her breath jagged when woke severus up. Turning on the light he looked down to her trying to wake her from her nightmare but it was like her mind was trapped. He looked inside her head only to see voldemort. Avalon was being strangled a snake wrapped around her neck squeezing the life out of her. Severus watched her body fall limp in his arms. Only it wasnt avalons dream.

"Severus. Severus!" Avalon was shaking him his eyes popped open a heavy breath on his chest as he focused on her. Living breathing her worried face looking down at him.

"Avalon?" He rasped.

"Severus whats wrong? You were shaking and shouting." Avalon touched his cheek gently as she shifted closer to him on the bed, his heart was still racing out of his chest. "You scared me." Avalon told him. He sat up holding her to him.

"Oh my love im so sorry". Severus told her, it was only a dream, a horrible dream. His avalon his Amelia were safe. 

"Was that like a magic thing?" Avalon question nuzzling into him.

"No. Just an awful, awful dream". Severus told her, hoping it to be true. Voldemort could never find out about Avalon, never get his hands on her. 

"I couldnt wake you." Avalon remarked gently, she worried for him, ever since the goblet of fire was found and Cedric died, Harry was a mess and Severus was different. The mark on his arm burned brightly now and his face pinched as if it was hurting him.

"I'm alright." he slid a hand over her holding her face in his hands. "I'm alright." he confirmed kissing her softly. Still worried eyes stared back at him.

"Its that mark isnt it?" Avalon questioned bringing a gentle hand to his death eater mark.

"The dark lord is back." Severus confirmed "but im going to keep you safe. I promise"

"What about you sev? I want you to be safe". Avalon reminded him.

"I..." he laid them back down and she curled into him wrapping her arm around his torso. "I love you so much avalon."

"I love you Sevy," she echoed. Avalon fell back asleep was Severus was wide awake.