Succumb (A Severus Snape Fanfiction)

|chapter eleven|

"In the face of everything happening, are you really still so hung up on the fact that he and I are together?" I asked with an incredulous scoff.

"This has nothing to do with that, stupid girl. Severus was a dear friend long before we..." she trailed off, "You didn't play this smart, Kathryn. You're rash, impulsive, show-offish. You've done nothing but give the Dark Lord reason to believe you're a threat."

"I've only ever done what he's asked of me."

"And it would have paid you to do so with a little less flair. The Dark Lord desires control. If he feels that you're are becoming a problem, he will put you into your place by hurting those you love. The first person who will suffer for it will be Severus."

"You speak as if neither of us are aware of what the Dark Lord is capable of," I said as I grabbed my cloak from the barstool on the other side of me. "You needn't worry, Narcissa. We're perfectly capable of dealing with these things ourselves."

Narcissa's hand shot out and caught my arm as I stood, her fingers biting into forearm as she rose to level her gaze with my own. "You empty-headed little fool. Mark my words, if he is harmed because of you, the Dark Lord will be the least of your problems."

"Perhaps you should channel all of this concern for another person's well being toward your own family. Like Draco perhaps."

I pushed back the guilt that threatened to surface as her grip on my arm faltered. Bringing her kid into this was a low blow, but I didn't let it deter me. "Maybe if you put even an ounce of this concern into the wellbeing of your own flesh and blood, he wouldn't be a seventeen year old doing Voldemort's bidding."

"Draco is following the path that has been laid out before him for quite some time now. To serve the Dark Lord.. It's an honor, and we couldn't be more proud," Narcissa bit out, though her eyes lacked the conviction her words carried.

"Right. That's why you begged Severus to agree to an unbreakable vow to you in order to protect him. Because he's on the right path and all."

"You don't know the first thing about being a mother, of the sacrifices that must be made to protect your child. So don't you dare stand there and judge me as if you do," she hissed. She was right. I didn't have a clue what being a mother truly entailed, but I knew with certainty that following Voldemort was on the very bottom of the list of things I was willing to subject the life growing inside of me to.

"You may be right, but it doesn't take a genius to know it's a bad move on your part," I told her, my tone not quite as sharp as it had once been.

Narcissa stared at me a moment longer before removing her grip from my arm completely. "I meant what I said," she scowled.

"Yes, I'm sure you did, but as I said before, Severus is more than capable of taking care of himself. None of you assholes give him nearly enough credit." I didn't wait for a response, taking only a moment to toss a few galleons next to my untouched drink before leaving her to glare after me.

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My arrival back to Hogwarts was a dreary reminder of the toll the place itself had taken since Voldemort gained control. Everything that once seemed so magical and vibrant was tainted now. Gloom permeated both the grounds and the castle itself, especially during moments like this, with only the moonlight shining against the stone walls of the castle.

The faint glow of dying fires could be seen flickering through a few windows here and there, the only sign that there was life in the castle at all. It was late, late enough to really be considered quite early. I preferred returning when it was like this, while most everyone asleep in their beds and not scattered among the corridors to silently judge me as I passed by.