Uploaded: 13/8/20
"Phoenix ashes" you whispered to the Sapient Gargoyle, stepping aside it reveals the spiral staircase.
Climbing the steps up to the door, you knock in hope that Snape would answer.
"Enter!" He bellows.
You open the door, stepping into the circular room. Snape was sat at the claw-footed desk, seemingly concentrating on something.
"I said 8, Miss White. You're early." He said, not even looking at you.
"Better than being late I guess..." you say stepping further inside, you notice Snape was fiddling with something. It appeared to be a gold ring with a black stone, you assumed it was Onyx. "I didn't know you wore jewellery Sir." You smirk. it would of actually suited him, but you knew it wasn't really his...At least, you had never seen him with it before.
Snape exhaled audibly. "Very funny." He said, placing the ring inside the desk drawer. "This ring holds great importance."
"Well...who's the lucky girl?" You ask, before you really thought about what actually came out of your mouth. You choked on your words, Snape raised his eyebrows at you. "I wasn't kidding Sir, for all I know you could already be married!"
"I am...not." He spoke with hostility. "Now is not the time to discuss our personal lives, White." He got up from the desk at the exact moment he said your name which made you jump. Your heart started to beat faster as he walked around the desk and stopped directly in front of you. His towering height over you was apparent.
"This ring is the cause of the fatal curse that resides within the headmaster." Snape says, his face showing the seriousness of the matter.
"That's why he's dying? But..how? How could a ring kill someone? Was it bewitched?" You say, bombarding Snape with questions.
"The ring was a horcrux. I expect you don't know what that-"
"It's an object that someone has hidden a fragment of their soul into, in order to become..."
"Immortal, yes." Snape appeared to be quite shocked as he finished your sentence. "But how did you-"
"Magick Moste Evile, Sir. The Malfoy's had a copy of it in their library, me and Draco used to sneak in there to see if we could set off one of the screaming books." You chuckle. "I guess I just sort of...accidentally discovered it. I'm sure it's probably not reading material for a child, I was only 10." You say, feeling a little pang in your heart as you mention Draco. You couldn't help but miss talking to him. Now, he wouldn't talk to you. Your mind then shifted- "Hang on...to create a horcrux, one must kill..." you say. Whoever does such a thing must be an incredibly evil person, you thought.
"Well...I can imagine you can take a guess at who would do such a thing." Snape says, once again raising one of his eyebrows to muster a quick response.
You knew immediately who would do something as terrible as that. Voldemort.
Snape nodded, having obviously just read your mind.
"Professor Dumbledore attempted to destroy it you see, the Horcrux however was protected, It cursed him."
You nodded back, understanding him. It explained Dumbledore's black, withered-looking hand.
"I've managed to stop the curse from spreading any further, alas it is inevitable that it will kill him...eventually." Snape said, swallowing any emotion. "Have you wondered recently why your hair seems to be changing colour?" His eyes focus on the silvery white strands of hair that are tucked behind your ears.
"It's just stress." You say, not believing your own assumption.
"Your hair started changing the exact same time that Professor Dumbledore was cursed." Snape started to pace in front of you, his mind whirring. "It's like...something inside of you is connected. Connected to this ring." Snape stops in his tracks, as if he just had a light bulb moment. "I wonder..." He says before heading back over to the desk, he opens up the drawer again and takes out the ring. Bringing it towards you. You glanced at it, immediately your heart sank.
"W-where did you get this?" You manage to choke out. Your eyes started to fill with tears. "This was my mother's." Now seeing it up close this was definitely the ring your mother once had. You remember it so well, she wore it only on special occasions, those special occasions being when she went to the Malfoy meetings. To which you now know were death eater meetings. The rest of the time she wasn't wearing it, it sat in her jewellery box collecting dust.
Funny...When she died you never saw it again.
"Miss White. I think The dark lord gave this ring to your mother. I think she had the duty to protect it. That's why you never saw it again after she died, the dark lord must have taken it back from her and then re-hidden it, however he didn't hide it very well because the headmaster managed to retrieve it."
You stood still, taking everything in. Seeing that ring again made it painful to hold back your emotions, your throat felt as though you had swallowed a razor blade.
"I think you are the only one who is able to destroy it. Your mother must have died whilst wearing it, her blood is imbued inside it. I just know it. You share the same blood therefore you are the only one who can truly break inside of it." Snape ranted, he clenched the ring in his hand still as he started pacing once again.
It made sense, being orphaned you were the last of your bloodline. If your mothers blood really was inside of that ring, it must make some sort of connection to you.
You managed to pluck up some courage, your throat relaxing, the tears no longer filling your eyes.
"If this is going to help bring that monster down, I'm in." You said, trying to uphold your bravery.
Suddenly you felt the pocket of your robe move, much like when Snape placed the note inside of it in the great hall, but this time it felt much heavier. You peered down to see a gleaming silver sword, the top of the handle was encrusted with glittering rubies. Snape stared at it, stunned. You pulled it out of your pocket carefully, trying not to slice through your robe. You knew what you had to do, and boy were you ready.
Snape opened his hand up, offering the ring to you. You took it from him, your fingers brushing against the palm of his hand. You felt your stomach begin to fill with butterflies, you couldn't tell if it was because of the physical contact with him or the fact that you were about to destroy a freakin' Horcrux.
"This is for you, mum." You say, placing the ring onto Dumbledore's desk. You held the sword of Gryffindor in your hands tightly, raising it above your head. For all you knew, destroying the ring could kill you, however at this moment in time you couldn't care less. If this was going to aid in bringing the most evil, dark wizard down, you were prepared to risk your life to do so.
Snape stood close beside you, giving you an encouraging nod.
"Here's to mortality!" You shout, swinging the sword back and smashing it down onto the ring, the room filled with black smoke and an ear piercing scream came out of the ring, to which you recognised as your mother's. The Horcrux span in a circle, your body felt as if it was being electrocuted by a giant taser. You doubled over, your teeth clenched, groaning in pain.
Then the ring stopped.
The smoke-filled room cleared, enough for you to regain balance and see your surroundings again.
You stood up, dropping the sword onto the ground. The metal clattered against the stone floor as you looked up at Snape, your eyes locked together, both of you breathing heavily. You dove in to embrace him, your head resting tightly against his moving chest, arms wrapped around his neck. To your surprise he returned the embrace, wrapping his arms around you tightly. You wanted to stay there forever, in that moment, frozen in time.
"Headmaster!" Snape exclaimed, letting you go and pushing you off of him. Your eyes widened, at the door stood Dumbledore, a wide smile plastered on his face.
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Well what a ride that was!!
Honestly this has been my favourite chapter to write so far!
I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.
Now you have some insight on why (y/n)'s hair was turning white. She was cursed because of Marvolo Gaunt's ring which was one of Voldemort's Horcruxes!
I'm also excited for the progression of Snape's feelings to start showing as him and (y/n) get closer 👀
Please let me know what you thought of this one. Feel free to ask me questions if you are confused by any part of it.
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