Chills part III: When we all sing Amen. by Henna Hypsch
Summary: Entry for the Winter Fic Fest as part of the series "Chills". It is time for the final battle!
Categories: Teacher Snape > Professor Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Draco
Snape Flavour: Snape Comforts
Genres: Action/Adventure
Media Type: None
Tags: None
Takes Place: 7th Year
Warnings: None
Prompts: When We All Sing Amen, One Shot Season
Challenges: When We All Sing Amen, One Shot Season
Series: Chills
Chapters: 5 Completed: Yes Word count: 5722 Read: 10675 Published: 02 Feb 2015 Updated: 02 Feb 2015
Chapter 2 by Henna Hypsch

Minerva McGonagall was standing in the Entrance Hall, ushering pupils into the Great Hall for lunch. It was the Easter holidays and the amount of pupils were slightly reduced. McGonagall was just about to shut the portal between the halls behind the last pupils and herself when the entrance door was thrown open and a tall Muggle, panting and damp with sweat on his forehead stumbled inside with a child in his arms and sank down on his knees. 

 

The teacher froze and stared at the unexpected sight. Behind her back the pupils rose at their tables to peak over her shoulders at the scene in the Entrance Hall. The headmaster was away since the morning. The Carrows, together with a couple of young Death Eaters among the students, had been summoned an hour ago and left with solemn and self-important smirks on their faces, so McGonagall feared no immediate reprisals, but this Muggle father and his son just could not be allowed inside. It was too dangerous. How was it only possible that they had entered the grounds at all? she wondered. And why? McGonagall moved towards them when the man, whose head had been bent over the boy, straightened up. The long black hair parted to the sides and a pair of unmistakable black eyes met hers. Minerva McGonagall recoiled in shock.

 

”Minerva, help me get him to Poppy, at once. I think he’s alive. It’s Harry Potter. He needs help. Now!” Snape elevated his voice as Minerva McGonagall made no move. There was so much desperation in Snape’s eyes and such imperativeness in his voice that at last she reacted by sorting her wand and levitating the boy from Snape’s trembling arms without a word. 

 

Snape pushed himself up on swaying legs, stared at the assembled pupils inside the Great Hall, waved his wand at himself to transform back to wizard clothing and opened his mouth to speak. 

 

”The end of the war is near. This might be the final battle. You must evacuate from here in due order, without panic.” Snape’s gaze was so wild and intent that no one dared open their mouth to question him. ”Flitwick, Hooch, Vector! Go strengthen the protection shields around the castle. Hagrid, Slughorn! Organise a retreat of all underage children.” The orders whipped out of Snape’s mouth. ”You others,” Snape’s gaze bore into the older students. ”It is time to make a decision -  you may stay and fight against the Dark Lord, or go with your younger siblings and keep out of the way. I don’t recommend joining Voldemort at this stage of the proceedings, but if you want to be foolish, I guess I cannot do anything about it,” sneered Snape, sounding more like himself. 

 

The familiar irony of the headmaster seemed to lift a petrification spell off the crowd and they started to move. The eyes of Hagrid were glittering. 

 

”We’re going to fight ’im at last, that foul creature” he exclaimed. ”And Snape is with us, I knew it! No one’s goin’ to get hurt. Now let’s get you youngsters out of the way. Follow me!”

 

Snape’s eyes moved from one teacher to another, who solemnly confirmed their understanding of the situation by nodding or lifting a hand. Snape swirled around and parted for the Hospital wing with his black coat billowing after him, all determined wizard, no trace of the shattered Muggle figure left in him.

The End.


This story archived at http://www.potionsandsnitches.org/fanfiction/viewstory.php?sid=3175