Lumos.
A white light burst forth from the tip of Madeline's wand as she hurried down the dark, secret passageway leading from the library to the dungeons.
A tiny squeal of surprise escaped her lips when a rat skittered across the toe of her shoe, but she recovered quickly and continued toward her destination with singularity of purpose.
She had to get to Snape's potions lab at once. She had spent all day in the restricted section poring over every book she could find in her search for an antivenom, and she had finally found what she thought was the missing ingredient that would lead to success at long last.
Unicorn horn.
Why had she not thought of it before? It was so obvious! It had literally been staring her in the face this entire time. How could she have been so stupid? Unicorn horn was known for its purifying properties and was frequently used in antidotes to dozens of common poisons. If she could just work out the exact amount needed in combination with the mistletoe, the bezoar, and Nagini's venom...
"Expelliarmus!"
Madeline's wand flew out of her hand, plunging the passageway into pitch blackness, and she gasped as she was knocked back against the cold stone wall. Her eyes grew wide with fear as she struggled to make sense of what was happening.
"Incarcerous!"
Madeline forced herself not to scream as she felt ropes suddenly binding her, crawling and slithering like a snake from her ankles up to her neck.
Stay calm, Maddie, she told herself. Stay calm. Show no fear, just like Severus taught you.
"Who's there?" she called out, surprised at the steadiness of her voice.
Silence.
"I said, who's there?" she repeated, louder this time.
"Hush, girl. You'll wake the dead if you keep making all that racket."
"Professor?" Madeline whispered in complete shock.
"Of course it's me," snapped Minerva McGonagall. "Who else in this castle would have the gall to capture the headmaster's wife?"
Madeline sighed in relief and McGonagall lit her wand, bathing her lined face in a warm glow.
"Professor, what... why are you doing this to me?"
"Madeline, I assure you I will not harm you. I needed to speak with you privately and that... that man is always with you. I felt this was the only way to get you alone."
"That man is my husband, Professor," Madeline replied defensively, the disgust in McGonagall's voice a knife to her heart.
"Yes, yes, I know," McGonagall hissed impatiently. "Listen to me. We haven't got much time. I want to help you, Madeline."
"Help me?"
"Yes, lass, help you. Has Severus got you under some spell or curse? Is he forcing you? Has he threatened you? Tell me now and we can work out your escape!"
"Professor, no! I'm not cursed. I don't want to escape. I remain at my husband's side willingly." Her spirit was breaking, and she blinked back hot tears. It was killing her to hear someone she respected as much as Minerva McGonagall speak so hatefully about the man she loved, but there was nothing for it. It was all part of his great sacrifice.
"But you must be jinxed or bewitched or something of the like! This isn't you! You are not a dark witch. There's not an evil bone in your body. You wouldn't hurt a fly. I've seen you keep mice in your pocket and heal wounded birds."
"Professor, please. Don't do this."
"This cannot be, Madeline!" sputtered McGonagall. "I've never even heard you say a cross word against anyone, and now you tell me that you support He Who Must Not Be Named? That you knowingly lie with a Death Eater and murderer every night in your bed?"
"Perhaps you don't know me as well as you thought, Professor," Madeline said softly, a coldness creeping into her tone. "After all - you thought you knew my husband, didn't you?"
McGonagall's eyes flashed. "You've got me there, lass."
"Will you please release me, Professor?"
"At least afford me the courtesy of answering one question."
"I'll try."
"Is he hurting you? Physically, I mean?"
Madeline's temper flared, but she caught herself before she lashed out in anger.
"No, Professor," she answered, her voice controlled and even. "He isn't hurting me. He would never, ever hurt me. I promise you that."
McGonagall stared at her for a moment, then flicked her wand and the ropes disappeared. Madeline bent slowly to pick up her own wand and slid it inside her sleeve as a signal to McGonagall that she would not retaliate.
"I suppose you'll tell Snape about this." Her voice was brittle and bitter.
"I tell my husband everything, Professor, but there's no need to worry. Regardless of what you think of him, he loves me and will appreciate your concern for me. As do I."
McGonagall narrowed her eyes, studying Madeline carefully.
"I mean it, Professor. The loss of your friendship has been difficult to bear. For Severus and for me."
"Madeline..."
"Good night, Professor."
Madeline turned on her heel and disappeared down the unlit passageway, leaving Minerva McGonagall staring after her, deep in thought.
...
Angry and shaken, Madeline continued on her way to Snape's private potions lab. As she whispered the password, her hands were trembling – whether it was from fury or frustration or sadness, she could not say. She was touched that McGonagall went to such lengths to offer to help her and relieved that she did not believe Madeline was a dark witch, but it concerned her greatly that the older woman might see through their façade. It could place them all in grave danger if McGonagall discovered the truth. Madeline also had to admit that it pained her deeply to hear the obvious hatred in her voice when she referred to Snape.
She took a deep breath and went to the supply cupboard. She had to put the scene with McGonagall out of her mind. She had to clear her head and focus.
She had a greater purpose.
For a brief moment, the memory of Severus making love to her in this very cupboard came to her and she smiled to herself. She could still feel his hands on her body, taste him, smell his unique scent – herbs and oak and fire whiskey.
For him. She must do this for him.
As Madeline selected the ingredients she needed, her mind turned to the task at hand. She couldn't pinpoint exactly why this antivenom was so important to her, but something – some supernatural force – was speaking to her, revealing to her that it was vital to complete this mission.
She carried her supplies to the table and laid them out neatly, then went to the shelves on the wall, standing on tip toes to reach Severus's largest cauldron. She waved her hands to light a fire underneath it and poured in standard potioning water. When it had reached a hard boil, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the vial of Nagini's venom, laying it carefully aside while she crushed the unicorn horn.
This had to be it. She felt it in her bones.
She combined all the elements just as she had before, saving the unicorn horn for last. It would be the missing piece. It had to be.
But when she added the silvery white powder to her brew, the consistency turned to a thick, black cement-like texture and began to overflow, spilling over the lip of the cauldron.
Madeline huffed in frustration and waved her wand.
"Evanesco," she muttered, vanishing the mess she'd made.
Think, Maddie, she told herself.
It was too much unicorn horn. That was it. She'd been over eager.
Madeline started again and after two more attempts she was no closer to her goal.
She wanted to cry in disappointment, but she knew that would serve no purpose. Perhaps a break would do her good, though she was unsure of where she would go. Severus would still be working in his office, and she had no friends left. Maybe Helena would be in Ravenclaw Tower.
She locked and warded the door behind her and found the staircase leading up from the dungeon. When she reached the top, she decided to take a longer route to the tower. After all, it wasn't as though she was in a hurry.
She was so distracted that she took a wrong turn and suddenly found herself in an unfamiliar part of the castle. A chill of fear danced down her spine. She knew she could touch the ring that Severus had given her and he would come to her, but she hated to bother him. She would try to find her way back on her own.
Madeline pulled her wand from her sleeve and held it out in front of her.
"Point me," she said aloud.
She felt a little tug and began to follow it, the black walnut wood vibrating in her hand. She let it guide her footsteps forward until she felt something stop her movement as if she'd hit an invisible wall. She regained her footing, then looked up. Her gaze fell upon a very large door. Almost as though she were in a trance, her hand gravitated to the doorknob, and she turned it. A dazzling light shone as she entered the room and the door closed gently behind her. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the brightness, and she took in her surroundings, realization dawning on her.
She was in the Room of Requirement.
She'd heard of the place but had been unsure of its existence until this moment. What had brought her here? What did the castle think she required?
She cautiously began to walk among the shelves, occasionally reaching out to touch the objects stored there – photographs, bottles, mirrors, boxes, paintings, trinkets of every shape and size - until she saw it, illuminated by a ray of sun beaming through the window.
Exactly what she needed.
Severus Snape's copy of Advanced Potion Making.
She laughed out loud. Of course. Severus knew everything, didn't he? There'd be something in his textbook about antivenoms. She knew it. She pulled it hurriedly from the shelf and opened it, scanning the index to find the chapter she needed.
There it was.
Golpalott's Third Law: The antidote for a blended poison will be equal to more than the sum of the antidotes for each of the separate components.
Then, written above it in the elegant cursive of the Half-Blood Prince:
Cure for snake bites: Combine standard potioning water, three whole ashwinder eggs (including shell), the juice of seven baneberries, eight whole mistletoe berries, one crushed bezoar, a pinch of finely powdered unicorn horn, ½ teaspoon of salamander blood, and three drops of snake venom. Brew to the specifications of any typical poison antidote.
Madeline almost cried with relief. That was it! Oh, Severus! You beautiful, brilliant man! She slammed the book shut, tucked it under her robes, and ran from the room.
...
Snape was sitting at his desk in the Headmaster's office studying the school's bank ledger. Despite the drop in enrollment due to the war and general unrest, the school was still financially stable – at least for the moment.
He closed his eyes and kneaded his temples. The numbers were still swimming in his head. Gods, he was tired.
His stomach rumbled. He rarely felt hunger these days, but he couldn't remember the last time he'd done more than pick at his food. He should find Madeline and ask her to prepare something light that they could eat in their chambers. He didn't have the energy to face the judgement of the staff and students tonight.
He slammed the ledger shut and stood, but the Dark Mark suddenly began to burn like fire, and he grabbed his arm instinctively, hissing in pain.
When the sting subsided slightly, Snape sighed in resignation and went to find his wife to tell her he must leave her to answer the call of the Dark Lord.
When he arrived at their chambers Madeline flew into his arms, almost knocking him over, a smile lighting up her entire face. She kissed him hard and he laughed.
"What is it, little one? What's got you so excited?"
"Oh, Severus! I..."
She froze as she felt Snape's body jerk against her, all thoughts of her news about the antivenom immediately leaving her mind.
"Your mark," she whispered.
"Yes, darling. I'm sorry. I must go. It's burned twice now. I've already taken too long."
"I'm going with you."
"No! He hasn't asked for you and..."
"I don't care," she interrupted. "Please, my love. Take me with you. Please don't leave me here alone."
He hesitated, but the longing in her dark eyes weakened his resolve. He could never deny anything.
"Alright. But hurry."
She pecked him quickly on the lips and ran to the bedroom to get her cloak.
...
Malfoy Manor.
The Dark Lord was angry.
Very angry.
He had failed to obtain the elder wand and he was enraged, lashing out at anyone in his path. Even Bellatrix cowered in the corner, afraid to draw his wrath. The Malfoys, too, looked on in barely concealed fear.
The corpses of half a dozen death eaters lay on the hardwood floor in a thick puddle of their own blood. They had been murdered by Voldemort for no reason other than to appease his unquenchable fury. He paced among them, hissing in parseltongue to Nagini, who slithered dutifully behind him, her scaly body making S-shaped ripples in the bloody pool.
Madeline had watched as the Dark Lord struck them down one by one. When the first Death Eater fell, she had instinctively rushed toward him to help, but Voldemort had flicked his wand and she was thrown back onto the ground, the breath knocked from her lungs.
"No!" he had screamed. "Leave them! They do not deserve your help!"
"Yes, my lord," she had whispered, scrambling to her feet and returning to her husband's side.
It took every ounce of Snape's strength to refrain from reaching out for her - to put his own body between hers and the Dark and Lord, to pull her close and shield her eyes from the carnage - but he somehow knew that Voldemort would not truly harm her, and he could not risk being killed by the Dark Lord. He could not die. He couldn't be taken from her. Not yet.
And so he stood in icy, indifferent silence and watched Voldemort murder seven of his followers. He listened to their screams of agony, the rattle of their last breaths, their pleas for mercy that would never be answered.
Severus stood strong and still next to Madeline, a blank expression on his pale face as he stared at nothing. He might have still been reconciling the Hogwarts bank ledger for all the emotion he displayed but the scene before them was much more horrific than that, and Madeline fought to maintain the same level of controlled detachment. She wanted to cry out, to run away, to bury her face in Severus's chest, but she was too afraid for both of their lives to do anything but stand frozen by his side.
She stared down at the blood-stained hem of the Dark Lord's robes, trying to think of anything but this.
When his blood lust had been satisfied and his rage had finally waned, he calmly sat in a chair near the fire as if nothing had happened at all.
"Dispose of them," he said dispassionately in his high cold voice, and Snape and Lucious stepped forward to begin levitating the bodies into the air and out of the parlour. Narcissa stood petrified, unable to move, but Madeline bravely slid her wand from her sleeve and moved to the center of the room. Nagini slithered across her feet, trailing blood over her shoes, and she stared down at the snake as if she were outside of her own body – dissociated and numb.
'Evanesco," she whispered, and the blood disappeared from the hardwood.
She felt Draco approach on her left.
"Scourgify," he cast in a shaking voice, his hand trembling slightly as he held out his wand, and the spatters of blood vanished from the walls and furniture.
Poor Draco, she thought. He was just a boy. This was too much for him.
"It's alright, Draco. It's over now," she whispered without looking at him. "It's all over."
He nodded silently and Nagini curled around Madeline's ankles, hissing softly. She knelt and stroked the snake's head until Snape and Lucious returned and the Dark Lord dismissed them all.
...
That night, neither Snape nor Madeline was able to sleep. They lay tangled together in their bed as she listened to his heart beating in his chest and his long fingers gently played in her soft hair.
"Minerva captured me this afternoon," she said matter-of-factly, breaking the silence.
"She what?" said Snape angrily, sitting up in bed.
Madeline sat up next to him, sighing.
"She caught me in a dark passageway and disarmed me, then cast incarcerous on me."
"Why the hell would she do such a thing?"
"She wanted to help me escape."
Snape scowled as she relayed the story.
"She doesn't know any better, Severus. It was actually quite sweet of her."
Snape ran his hand over his face wearily. "I suppose, but I cannot help but feel..."
"I know," she interrupted, kissing his lips softly. "I know."
"Darling, I think it's too dangerous for you to wander around the castle alone. Between the Carrows and the Dementors, and now Minerva..."
"That's silly, Severus!"
"It is not!" he shouted, clenching his fists. "You are not to leave my sight! Do you understand?"
Madeline stared at him, wide eyed. He never raised his voice to her and she was taken aback.
"I'm sorry, little one," he apologized in a gentle voice, reaching for her hand and kissing it. "I didn't mean to shout, but I am terrified for you. I only want to protect you, alright?"
"I can defend myself, Severus. Please don't worry."
"But you didn't today. What would you have done if Minerva had not released you? If her intentions had been malicious? Or what if it hadn't been Minerva who attacked you? What if it had been someone who truly meant to harm you?"
"I would have created an ice shield or a wall of fire or something!"
Snape breathed out slowly through his nose, trying to gather his patience. "I know you are powerful, darling. I know you can defend yourself and I know you think I'm being overly cautious but please, please humor me. It is not my intention to hold you prisoner, but I cannot bear to think of losing you or of you being taken away from me. If you were hurt or killed..."
She took his face in her hands and kissed him deeply. "Alright, my love. I understand." She did not want him to be distracted with worry for her, and she had also been shaken by the encounter with McGonagall more than she cared to admit. "Anything you wish."
He smiled at her sadly. "Is it such a burden to be stuck with me all the time?"
"No, my love. Never a burden. I love you."
"And I love you."
He lay back down, pulling her on top of him, and she melted into his body. She felt him harden and she bucked her hips, rubbing against his cock.
"Come here, sweetheart. I want to watch your face as you come for me."
She straddled him and lowered herself onto him, impaling herself on his thick, hard length. Snape's thumbs played over her hardened nipples and her cheeks flushed pink with arousal. His fingers dug into the supple flesh of her thighs as she rode him and she moaned prettily.
"That's it, darling. Come for me."
She lost herself in the sensation of being filled completely as she sought her release, and Snape's eyes glittered as he watched her rocking and grinding on top of him.
"Gods, you look gorgeous like that, speared on my cock. Faster, love. Move faster. Chase it. Come on my cock. You can do it. Clench around me like the good that girl you are."
At these words she tossed her head back cried out, convulsing and drowning in her own pleasure, and before the last tremors of ecstasy had left her, he forcefully flipped her onto her back and climbed on top of her. His tongue delved into her mouth, his long hair brushing her face, and she clamped her legs around his waist as he entered her.
"You are mine," he whispered against her lips as he pounded relentlessly into her. "Mine."
She came again when he growled, releasing his seed deep inside her, and they both lay panting for a long while until he finally mustered the strength to roll off her. Madeline turned on her side and he gathered her to him, his chest against her back.
"I feel so safe and loved when you hold me like this," she breathed.
"As long as I live, you will always be safe and loved. I swear it."
"I love you, Severus."
"I love you, sweetheart. Always."
He kissed her shoulder and then fell quiet, and she listened to his breathing until it became deep and regular.
He was asleep.
As she, too, drifted into slumber, she remembered that she'd forgotten to tell him about the antivenom.
I'll tell him tomorrow, she thought to herself. He'll be so proud of me.
...
Author's Note: Hey, y'all! Sorry it took so long to update, but I've had a little personal drama and work has been crazy. I'm three more chapters away from the end, but I wanted to get your opinions. I'm thinking about when Snape is driven out of the castle and I'm curious if you all prefer the book version (Snape against all the heads of house) or the film version (dueling with McGonagall). Let me know what you think. Thank you all for sticking with me. You'll never know how much I appreciate you. 💚🖤