The Potion Mistress & the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 18: Always By Your Side

"Nagini?"

"Yes. And when he does, you must tell Harry..." Albus paused, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"Tell him what Albus?"

"Tell him, that on the night of October 31st, all those years ago, that when Voldemort tried to kill him, his mother, Lily, cast her own life between them as a shield, which rebounded the Killing Curse and blasted off of fragment of Voldemort's soul. That small fragment latched itself onto the only living soul within the destroyed home. Harry's. A part of Voldemort's soul is within the boy, which is why he is a Parselmouth, which is why he has a connection to Voldemort's mind. While Harry lives, Voldemort cannot die."

"So that means...Potter must die?' Severus asked quietly, as he tried to calculate all the information he was just given.

"Yes. And Voldemort must kill him, himself."

"So your telling me, that we have kept him alive so that he can die at the right moment. I thought that we were protecting the boy for her, for Lily. And now you tell me you have been raising him like a pig for slaughter," Severus shouted, rising from his seat and staring into the old man's eyes.

"Have you grown to care for the boy Severus?"

"For him?" Severus spat. "No, it was all for her. For Lily!

"Expecto Patronum!" Severus shouted, but the light at the end of his wand faltered. Severus growled in frustration before trying again. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Finally from the end of his wand, the silver doe burst forth. Severus and Albus watched silently as she pranced across the room and leapt out the window and faded into the night.

"After all this time?"

"Always."

"But what of the other patronus I experienced this year from you?" Albus asked curiously, yet his eyes were full of tears. Severus exhaled slowly and closed his eyes.

"Expecto Patronum," Severus said softly. The silvery light erupted from the tip of his wand again and a small creature sprung forth. It bounded across the room, and faded, just like the doe, into the night. "It's was Katherine's you know. I only ever saw it once, and that was many years ago. I only seem to conjure it when I'm thinking of her. Otherwise, it is always the doe."

"But there is something there for Katherine, is there not?"

"No. Just companionship. Nothing else." Severus exhaled. The grandfather clock behind the headmaster's desk chimed. "Still have you ever considered that you take too much for granted. Has it ever crossed your brilliant mind that I don't want to do this anymore."

"I will not negotiate this Severus," Albus said as he turned back to the window. "You agreed to this. You agreed to protect Harry and watch over Katherine, so there is nothing more to discuss tonight."

"Headmaster..."

"I must be leaving," Albus said as he made his way towards the office door. "Mr. Potter and I will return later this evening." Severus was frozen in his spot as he watched the headmaster leave. He was angry to say the least, but to argue with Albus more about this would prove pointless.

Severus let out an aggravated sigh, before turning on his heel and heading back towards his study.

.....................

A soft knock came around ten o'clock. Severus sat behind his desk, trying to distract himself with grading, but it was proving unsuccessful. Something was gnawing at the back of his mind, saying that tonight was the night that he would have to end it all.