Severus and Albus stood at the top of one of the towers, Albus looking out at the grounds. Severus stood behind him in shock, “You believe that it will be within a week?” He said in a tone that was tinged with a bit of disbelief. Albus turned his head slightly towards the dark-haired wizard. “Perhaps sooner than that.” Severus began to pace across the platform. “You can’t honestly believe that Potter is ready to go on without you?” Dumbledore shook his head and said, “I believe that Harry is doing fine and that he will complete his task. And speaking of tasks, do not forget your promise Severus.”

Severus took a step towards the older wizard, “Have you ever considered that you ask too much… that you take too much for granted?” His dark eyes flashed with anger, pain, and frustration as Dumbledore turned his head to look at the younger wizard, “Has it ever crossed your brilliant mind that I. Don’t. Want. To. Do. This. Anymore.” Severus bit out. Dumbledore looked back out over the grounds and sighed, “Whether it has or hasn’t is irreverent.” He turned to glance back at his former student then back out at the trees. “I will not negotiate with you, Severus. You agreed. Nothing more to discuss. ”

Severus looked at Dumbledore’s back for a moment, rage shining in his dark eyes, then he spun around, cloak billowing, and strode over to the stairs. Halfway down, he saw Harry coming up from the lower floor. Severus stopped and looked at the sixteen-year-old. He debated with telling the boy what his dear headmaster wanted his potion’s master to do, he wanted to tell the boy that regardless of whether Draco succeeded in his appointed task or not, the headmaster would not live to see the next term.

The man who everyone in Hogwarts believed to not have a heart, looked down into Harry’s green eyes as he stepped down a step on the stairs. He couldn’t do it; he couldn’t tell the boy that one of the only adults that the boy had become close to was planning his own death by the hand of another. No, it was better to let the boy enjoy his last bit of time with the older man.

Severus looked away as he swept down the stairs towards his potions lab to see if he could find anything else in his books that would point to what Draco was up to. Maybe he could buy the boy a little bit of extra time with his mentor.