Author's note:
The seventh and last year has begun! I have looked in my notes, and it seems there's only 3 chapters left... Maybe 4 if we are lucky🥲 Y/N is only mentioned in this chapter. I hope you enjoy!
Also, Severus will not accidentally cut off George's ear. The man is feeling guilty enough as it is, and George deserves his ear.
PS: Sorry for the late publication, I was quite busy yesterday as I had an exam. I'm not sure when the next chapter will be, but you won't have to wait longer than Monday!
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Word count: 2k
Warning: Death and snakes
Severus is in his home in Spinner's End, sighing. He still hasn't gotten over the fact that he killed Albus. He didn't get to say goodbye as it had to be done quickly before Draco could do it.
He truly hopes he won't see anyone at Hogwarts again as he knows they will hate him...
Just then, he feels pain in his left arm. He growls at that. What now?! Hasn't he suffered enough?!
It's probably a meeting about Potter being transferred to a safe house. Maybe Severus can just stay here, ignoring the pain while the Dark Lord is summoning him...
Knowing he can't do that, he reluctantly leaves, heading towards Malfoy Manor. He decides to go there by flying, a skill only the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters possess.
As he strolls through the manor and enters the dining room, he sees that everybody is already there.
So is Lucius. The Dark Lord must have finally helped him escape.
He however stops in his tracks when he notices a fellow colleague levitated in the air - Charity Burbage.
Severus tries his best not to show any emotions. When will this end?
"Severus," the Dark Lord suddenly says, acknowledging the newcomer's presence.
"I was beginning to worry you had lost your way. Come, we have saved you a seat" he says as he gestures to an unoccupied chair.
Severus mentally rolls his eyes. How generous of him to save him a seat. He slowly walks towards the chair, sitting down.
"Do you bring news, I trust?" the Dark Lord asks, referring to the transfer of Potter.
"It will happen Saturday next, at nightfall" Severus informs. He has to give them the correct date, otherwise, they will know he has lied.
"I've heard differently, my Lord," one of the other Death Eaters says.
"Dawlish, the Auror, has let slip that the Potter boy will not be moved until the thirtieth of this month - the day before he turns seventeen" he continues.
"This is a false trail. The Auror office no longer plays any part in the protection of Harry Potter. Those closest to him believe we have infiltrated the Ministry" Severus tells them.
"Well, they got that right, haven't they?" another Death Eater says, laughing as others join him.
"What say you, Pius?" the Dark Lord asks as he looks at the man.
The man looks at the slithering snake next to him, ignoring it as he turns his gaze to You-Know-Who before speaking.
"One hears many things, my Lord. Whether the truth is among them is not clear" he tells him.
The Dark Lord laughs at that. Actually laughs.
"Spoken like a true politician. You will, I think, prove most useful, Pius" he says before looking at Severus.
"Where will he be taken, the boy?" he questions.
"To a safe house. Most likely the home of someone in the Order until it's been given every manner of protection possible. Once there, it will be impractical to attack him" Severus informs.
Suddenly, somebody clears their throat. It's Bellatrix.
"My Lord. I'd like to volunteer myself for this task. I want to kill the boy" she says, looking bloodthirsty.
She barely finishes her sentence before Charity screams.
"Wormtail!" the Dark Lord immediately shouts.
"Have I not spoken to you about keeping our guest quiet?" he scolds him, looking angry.
"Yes, m-my Lord. Right away, my Lord" Wormtail nervously says before moving.
"As inspiring as I find your bloodlust, Bellatrix, I must be the one to kill Harry Potter" the Dark Lord states.
Bellatrix quickly looks down on the table, ashamed that the Dark Lord declined her wish.
Meanwhile, Narcissa looks at her sister, worried. She probably thinks the Dark Lord will punish her.
"But, I face an unfortunate complication - that my wand and Potter's share the same core. They are, in some ways, twins. We can wound but not fatally harm one another" the Dark Lord explains, rising from his seat before slowly walking around the long table.
"If I am to kill him, I must do it with another's wand. Surely one of you would like the honour, hmm?" he questions as he keeps walking around, making everybody nervous.
"What about you," he starts as he stops between Lucius' and Y/N's father's seats.
"Lucius?" he asks, finishing his sentence as he looks at the blonde-haired man.
Lucius turns his head really slowly towards the Dark Lord. He looks extremely nervous.
"My Lord?" Lucius asks, barely above a whisper. His nervousness shows as his voice cracks. One would argue it sounds like the sound a pigeon would make.
"My Lord?" the Dark Lord repeats, taunting Lucius. The blonde-haired man gulps at that.
"I require your wand" he demands, reaching out his hand.
Narcissa looks at her husband, seeming nervous and scared. Bellatrix smirks, almost as if she has waited for the Dark Lord to humiliate her brother-in-law.
As Lucius has no choice, he reluctantly takes out his wand from his cane before handing it to him. Lucius looked nervous before, but he looks even more nervous now.
"Do I detect elm?" the Dark Lord questions.
"Yes, my Lord" Lucius whispers.
The Dark Lord brings his fingers towards the end of the wand. He then snaps the wand off the handle.
The sound startles Lucius, almost giving him a heart attack. He blinks a few times, recovering from the shock.
"And the core?" the Dark Lord asks.
"Dragon-" Lucius whispers, clearing his throat.
"Dragon heartstring, my Lord" he finishes, the volume of his voice turning lower and lower.
"Dragon heartstring" the Dark Lord repeats which Lucius confirms by slowly nodding.
He throws the part with the handle onto the table in front of Lucius, making the man flinch.
Severus gives his friend a sympathetic look when the Dark Lord isn't watching.
As Lucius once again recovers from the shock, the Dark Lord uses Lucius' wand to levitate Charity towards the table.
"To those of you who do not know, we are joined tonight by Ms. Charity Burbage who, until recently, taught at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Her speciality was Muggle Studies" he introduces just as everybody laughs at the information.
"It is Ms. Burbage's belief that Muggles are not so different from us. She would, given her way, have us mate with them" he continues.
Bellatrix makes a loud gagging sound at that while the others laugh evilly.
"To her, the mixture of magical and Muggle blood is not an abomination, but something to be encouraged" he finishes.
As he does so, the levitated woman looks at Severus pleadingly.
"Severus... Severus, please. We are friends" she begs, her voice cracking.
Severus does his best not to show any emotions, not saying a single word.
Just then, the Dark Lord points Lucius' wand at her.
"Avada Kedavra!" he exclaims as the spell hits her, making her fall onto the table.
Draco silently lets his tears fall, having just witnessed the murder of one of his teachers. Severus tries to hide his sadness.
"Nagini," the Dark Lord calls, helping his snake onto the table.
"Dinner" he says as the snake slithers towards the dead woman. Everybody removes their hands from the table, not wanting the animal to bite them.
As it's close to the dead body, it swallows her whole. Before it does so, Narcissa makes Draco look the other way as not to witness it. The boy silently cries on her shoulder.
"The meeting is over. All of you will prepare for next Saturday. Now, leave" the Dark Lord hisses.
Everybody immediately leaves the room, some almost fleeing.
As Severus walks past Y/N's father, he thinks about whether or not to tell him that his daughter knows all the secrets he has been keeping from her.
Deciding against it, he steps over to Narcissa, Draco and Lucius.
"I cannot believe this! That was absolutely humiliating! How am I supposed to defend myself now without a wand?!" Lucius exclaims, sighing in frustration.
"I'm sure you will find a way" Severus mutters. He then looks at Draco.
"Y/N asked me to tell you that she's here for you. She knows... everything" he tells the Malfoys, making sure no one is listening to them.
Draco widens his eyes. "S-she does? Her father? Her mother?" the boy asks which Severus nods at before turning to Lucius.
"Lucius, I'm sure you know how miserable Draco and Y/N are. Perhaps you could cancel the engagement without the Dark Lord knowing?" he suggests.
Lucius looks at Draco's hopeful eyes before sighing.
"I can't, Severus. He would find out. The only way for the engagement to be cancelled is by the Dark Lord dying" he says, looking frustrated.
He truly doesn't seem to want Y/N's father become Draco's father-in-law...
The four of them immediately compose themselves when Bellatrix approaches.
She huffs. "Are you still here, Snape?" she questions, looking bored.
"Indeed. However, I was just about to leave" he says, nodding at the Malfoys before taking his leave.
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A little over a week later, it's time. They are going to attack Potter and the people who are helping him transfer.
Severus and the rest of the Death Eaters fly in the air, looking for the boy while attacking the members of the Order.
However, they quickly realise something is wrong - the boy seems to be everywhere.
Polyjuice.
The Dark Lord growls at them. "Keep attacking! Their little trick will die out soon. The boy will be revealed to me" he declares as he keeps looking. So do the others.
True to his word, the potion does die out not long after.
Severus watches as the Dark Lord finds Potter, the real Potter. He's on Rubeus' motorbike, barely conscious.
However, the boy is quick to recover and defends himself just in time.
His spell seems to be stronger than the Dark Lord's - there's an explosion before the feared man flies across the sky. Two Death Eaters catch him in time.
"NOO!!" he yells, looking bewildered as he stares at Lucius' wand - or rather what's left of it. Strange, Potter's spell must have split it into pieces.
Severus dodges all the hexes, firing a few himself. However, none that are fatal. He feels guilty enough as it is, he does not wish to make it worse.
Thank Merlin he decided to wear his Death Eater mask like the rest of them.
Severus suddenly notices Y/N's father has his wand pointed at George Weasley.
"Avada-" he starts before Severus hexes him without anyone noticing.
He may not like the obnoxious Weasley twins, however, that does not mean one of them has to die tonight.
He merely disarms the man as he does not wish to harm him. He is after all Y/N's father - he does not like him, though.
Nobody really seems to, not even Y/N's owl.
Severus has always thought the man had a funny way of showing his love for his daughter - working rather than spending time with her, keeping secrets from her...
He believes the man does love her, but he seriously needs some parenting advice.
His train of thoughts is interrupted as the Dark Lord yells once more.
"Idiots! You let him get away! Now I cannot touch the boy!" he hisses.
Severus looks around. They are all indeed gone. He hopes Potter and his friends will find a way to kill You-Know-Who...
As the Death Eaters retrieve, Severus can't help but think about Y/N.
He wonders if he will ever see her again.