For a few moments, Harry had wished Tonks and Mad-Eye were still here. They'd know what to do.
Either way, they still had to take extreme caution.
Meanwhile, Severus assisted Harry to the sitting room given the state of the upper floors amidst the destruction. Traveling down the stairs was painstakingly difficult but the pair of them managed to reach the room without further disasters. Despite fighting off some rounds of mild nausea while begrudgingly accepting one of Severus' anti-nausea potions, Harry finally curled up on the long couch, resting his aching head against the maroon and velvet pillows with a soft blanket wrapped around him. Severus had encouraged him to rest, but Harry was far too worried to even consider something as simple as sleep. There was just far too much going on since stress levels among them were elevated.
Harry didn't have a clear view of Severus' face earlier, but he now looked several shades paler and there was dried blood caked all over his face given what he could see under the pale candlelight and glow of the fireplace. Severus leaned forward hunched in his seat with his elbows resting above his knees, hands clasped tightly staring idly at the floor – both occupants in silence. The Headmistress returned, finally taking care of the enemies now safely contained. She wandered back to the sitting room with the pair and sat down with a heavy, exhausted sigh beside Severus on the opposite couch. Her arm was still bleeding. Severus withdrew his wand and McGonagall shot him a stern apprehensive look.
Severus curled his lip at the elderly Gryffindor, "Not all of my magic is gone, Minerva." With a look of uncertainty, she turned to her side and allowed him to perform an assortment of healing charms. Thankfully, without any further trouble. The wounds slowly knitted themselves together and the blood remnants disappeared.
McGonagall clutched her now-healed shoulder, "Thank you, Severus. I have informed Kingsley what has happened here, as Order business." Severus shot her a warned look. "No, I did not make him aware of that. Who else knows about your magic?"
"Just us. Not even my friends know, " Harry answered truthfully, interjected within the conversation.
McGonagall nodded, pleased by the response, "For now, let's keep it that way, " She suddenly threw her hands up in the air, bewildered, "How ever did they breach Headquarters?"
Severus sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "It didn't occur to me earlier amidst the chaos but perhaps it was my own faltering magic which weakened them initially. After all, I enacted them. One of the disillusionment charms must have fallen first. Let us hope the Muggle population did not bear witness to that."
The Headmistress looked alarmed, "I sure hope not. Regardless, Kingsley will update us, I'm sure. I've strengthened the wards, so it should keep our enemies away for a while, " Her face turned sullen and devastated, "As with you, Severus -"
"- I'd rather not discuss that with you now, Minerva."
McGonagall glanced sadly at the Slytherin, "I really wish you would…" She reached out a shaky hand to Severus, but the Slytherin hesitated and recoiled. With disappointment, she retracted her hand and placed them back in her lap.
Severus looked wary and clearly irritable, "Now is not the time to discuss my mortality. Until I'm on my deathbed, then it is a matter of least concern."
Harry's jaw clenched not wanting to think of such things. He glanced quickly at Severus, who struggled to make eye contact with either of them.
McGonagall continued, "I beg to differ. You cannot ignore this."
Severus frowned at the woman, remaining silent.
The elderly witch paused, knowing full well his decision was final. "Would you like me to at least stay, Severus?"
Severus shook his head, "That will not be necessary. You are needed at Hogwarts."
"Grimmauld Place is now compromised and they are likely to attack again. It is far too risky to allow you both to stay here. With you gravely ill - "
"- I am well aware."
"What about Hogwarts? It is your safest option."
"We can't just abandon this place, Professor, " Harry chimed in, a little annoyed.
"Mr. Potter, there may be no other choice, " McGonagall shot Harry a stern look, "You may not be so lucky should they attack again. I think it's time you both consider an alternative. This place is no longer safe."
"We'll discuss our options and relay our decision to you. For now, Harry requires rest, " Severus responded. He may have been speaking on behalf of himself as well because the man looked mildly distressed. The lines on his face were prominent as it continuously crinkled in worry over what had taken place not long before. It seemed to age him further.
"It's okay, Professor. We'll be fine here for now. They are down by four. They won't be attacking anytime soon, " Harry replied in agreement, "We'll let you know of anything else."
McGonagall drew in an exhausted sigh, as she rose up from her chair, "Very well. I have several things I must attend to in light of recent events. Alert me if anything." With a final nod, the Headmistress made her way out of Grimmauld Place, and they heard the front door – now repaired – shut with a gentle close.
Severus said nothing else, not even a glance at Harry, and disappeared from the room for a short while after she departed, possibly in a bid to clean up and repair what he could, and likely to occupy his own racing mind. He knew he felt terrible for what happened, but it was further proof that his own magic was now unpredictable. It was definitely a close call but it was obvious that the consequences would have been far too severe. Harry didn't have time to alert the others. But then again, neither of them could have known what was going to happen.
The Death Eaters were cornering them. Drawing them away from any safe house. Enacting fear so they scrambled dearly for life.
They could not keep living like this.
Harry, unfortunately, couldn't keep his eyes open any longer as he gently drifted off to sleep. Once he finally awoke in the early hours of the morning, he noticed Severus snoring lightly in the armchair by the fire - He never retreated to his bedroom. The dark grey curtains were kept drawn much to Harry's relief. A few pale streams of light slipped through the crevices, which caused him slight comfort in sensitivity. He still sported a rather nasty headache from his concussion but at least the room didn't spin around him this time. He considered moving, but he decided to lay there for a while to slowly regain his bearings. He was sure the others would arrive at some point that morning, only to find the ghastly state of the house. That was not going to be a fun one to explain.
Suddenly, there was a persistent tapping on the window and Harry slowly rose from the couch to open the window. A small scrawny grey owl flew through and dropped a copy of the Daily Prophet on the table, which stirred Severus awake beside him. The owl then flew off as Harry walked back to the couch and slumped down, hastily grabbing the newspaper and he sat back to read with a rising dread.
Harry groaned to himself.
The popular village of Hogsmeade, located in Scotland, fell prey to a senseless attack overnight resulting in the deaths of two locals, and an Auror. Horrified witnesses stumbled across Edward Blackmore, 40, an Auror of six years who was on night duty, attacked and beheaded. His body was later found beside the tracks at the Hogsmeade train station. Mr. Blackmore, who spent the prior twelve years working as a shopkeeper in their family establishment Wiseacre's Wizarding Equipment located in Diagon Alley, was a dedicated member of the Auror Office and fought valiantly within the Second Wizarding War. Later that night, a family was murdered in the residential terraces in close vicinity to Mr. Blackmore. A single father, Patrick Wittle, 35, and daughter Rosemary, 9, were among the victims found, alerted by a neighbor to startling noises. Mr. Wittle's wife, Sophia, 32, worked for the Ministry in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophe, who also lost her life in the Second Wizarding War.
Several Death Eaters were spotted at Hogsmeade, but identities remain unconfirmed. The known Death Eaters who pose a high threat are as followed: Amycus Carrow, Merek Selwyn, Antonin Dolohov, Severus Snape, Augustus Rookwood, and Walden Macnair. Severus Snape, ex-Hogwarts Headmaster, is still at large and incredibly dangerous, noticeably for the murder of ex-Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore on 30th June 1997. Some witnesses lay claim to his possible sighting at Hogsmeade recently. Caution is advised.
The village remains on lockdown. Any information on the whereabouts of the noted Death Eaters must be reported directly to the Auror Office.
Severus, now awake at this point, observed silently as Harry angrily flipped the pages. But Harry could read no further as he threw the newspaper back onto the table with a look of distaste, leaning back into the couch once more in defeat. The Slytherin reached to retrieve the newspaper to mull over the article on the front page. Harry watched as his expression turned to malice.
"Remind me why I still read the Daily Prophet?" Harry scoffed.
"At least no dunderhead spilled the beans on our attack here last night, " Severus responded tight-lipped and with a heavy sigh, he threw the paper back onto the table in the same fashion Harry did.
"Yeah, but now they are accusing you of being at Hogsmeade. That's absolute rubbish. You were never there! They are doing the same thing with you, as they did with Sirius."
Severus pursed his lips, "It seems very limited few can be trusted. How's your head?"
"Before or after I read that article?" Harry rubbed a tender spot on the back of his head, which had now but a small welt remaining. It had definitely become less prominent now, but it was still incredibly sore to the touch. "It's not as bad."
"Any audible or visual disturbances? Light sensitivity? Headaches?"
"Hearing and sight are fine. The light is a little much, and I still have a wicked headache."
Without missing a beat almost in anticipation, Severus reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a small half-empty vial, with a dropper lid. The liquid was a pleasant sea green and Harry was surprised it hadn't smashed upon their altercation late last night. He reached over and handed it to Harry, "Three drops under the tongue should ease the tension headache."
Harry nodded, "Thanks." He took the vial and studied it carefully for a few seconds, proceeded to extract three drops from the vial, and released it underneath his tongue. Immediately it created a warm sensation within his head and gradually started to feel some relief. He handed the vial back to Severus, gratefully.
The front door to Grimmauld Place then slammed open, causing Harry to tense again almost reaching defensively for his wand, but several pounding footsteps ascending the staircase made themselves known, as Ron, Hermione, and Ginny burst through into the sitting room. Ginny immediately ran to Harry, and sat beside him, enveloping him in a hug. He had never seen her look so worried.
"You alright, mate? We heard what happened, " Ron said, crinkling his brow. He perched himself on the armrest of the couch.
"Professor McGonagall informed us, " Hermione looked flustered, "How -?"
Harry gently pulled away from Ginny, "The Death Eaters brought down the wards. Luckily, Professor McGonagall was here, because she came over to tell us about what happened at Hogsmeade late last night. The three of us only just managed to hold them off."
Ginny eyed the Daily Prophet on the table, exchanging concerned glances from Snape to Harry, "Seems like you already read it. Appalling what they wrote about Professor Snape. Mum was so livid she could barely hold her coffee this morning without spilling it," She turned a look of acknowledgment towards the morose Slytherin in the corner.
"Surely it couldn't have been -?" Hermione looked worried.
"It better bloody not have been him, " Harry was frustrated, as he looked to his friends, "Are you guys okay? You didn't get attacked as well, did you?"
Ron shook his head, "No, we didn't. But Dad's worried about the Burrow, though."
Harry inhaled sharply, "Professor McGonagall thinks we should relocate to Hogwarts."
Hermione bit her lip, raising an eyebrow in agreement, "It seems like the wiser option. If this place falls again…Where else could you go? "
Harry clenched his jaw, "I don't want to go. I mean, isn't that giving them what they want? Have us scramble to another safe house like rats?"
"Harry, I know you want to stand your ground, but Hogwarts will be much safer until we find a better solution, " Ginny interjected softly.
"Well, come to the Burrow at least. I'm sure Mum – " Ron suggested.
Harry's face grew warm as he could feel his anger rising within his chest, and his heart beating furiously. His friends meant well, but it was not that simple. He had put them all in enough danger, especially when they were attacked during Bill and Fleur's wedding, sending them on the run in the first place. Harry was done putting people in danger like that again.
In a quick burst of frustration, Harry suddenly punched the pillow beside him, causing Ginny to slightly jump, "NO, Ron! I won't put your family further at risk again!"
Ron frowned as he put his hands up defensively, "Alright, alright. Shell Cottage? I'm sure Bill and Fleur won't mind – "
Harry suddenly stood up, ignoring the soreness in his head, but feeling new energy rise and bubble within him, "You know what? NO! I'm not leaving! I'm sick of running. Let them try and attack here again – I'll kill them!"
Severus leaned forward in his chair, voice booming, "Potter, for Merlin's sake, calm yourself!"
"CALM MYSELF?!" Harry turned to face Severus angrily, "If we don't put an end to this, they will only keep trying to kill and take everyone else away! Aren't you tired of hiding?!"
"I have no other choice!" Severus pushed himself up from the chair and faced the adrenaline-filled Gryffindor with equal disdain, "I cannot assist if I get thrown into Azkaban and the Ministry will not hesitate to do it. This MUST be carefully planned."
Harry challenged, standing his ground, "I won't leave and I won't let this place fall because they want to drive us out! It's all I have left of Sirius."
Severus was now visibly furious, and Harry wasn't sure if it was upon the mention of Sirius again, or if he was simply fed up with Harry's sudden outbursts. Or likely both. "Potter, you could have DIED last night. You cannot be that thick-headed!" A steady stream of blood began to trickle from his nose, but he was too angry with the situation to notice.
"What else do you expect me to do? Sit around on my hands again? Pretend that things will fix itself? Because they won't unless we do something!" Harry watched the blood pour from the Slytherin's hooked nose and hesitated. "Sir – "
Severus nudged his nose with the back of his hand and furrowed his brow. Hermione had already conjured a cloth and gingerly handed it to the Slytherin, who swiped it infuriatingly from her hand. He raised the cloth to his nose, clasping tightly. The room was silent once more and all that was heard was the sickly wheeziness emanating from Severus and Harry's heated breaths as he tried to diffuse his anger.
Ron kept his hands up and spoke as calmly as he could, "Okay, everyone needs to calm the hell down." He turned to his best friend, looking annoyed, "You want to stay, fine. But Harry, mate, you need to use the coin to call us. I don't care if you didn't have time. Bloody well make time, alright? Delayed reinforcements are better than none."
Harry clenched his jaw stubbornly, breathing heavily through his nose like a caged predator.
Severus composed himself instantly, taking a deep breath as his face relaxed, eyebrow arched up, "Unforeseen words of wisdom. Glad to see one of you is taking initiative. Least of all from Mr. Ronald Weasley." The Slytherin paused and frowned. Harry watched as the man looked deep in thought, gaze unfocused elsewhere as if he were pondering something. Suddenly, a breath seemed to get caught in his throat, as his onyx eyes widened in a realisation of something Harry didn't know. Severus focused on Harry once more, looking slightly desperate, "When you overheard Miss Parkinson and Mr. Zabini, did they mention anything else about where else they could be watching?"
Harry scrunched up his face in confusion, "No, they were vague…why?"
Severus quickly vanished the blood-stained cloth in his hand, "Potter, I must urgently request to use your Invisibility Cloak."
"Why? Where are you going?"
Severus shot him a warned glare, "Do not ask questions. I will hand it back upon my return."
Harry hesitated and returned a lazy shrug, "Fine, I suppose."
"Stay here, and do not follow – " Severus hastily departed the sitting room, damaged robes still billowing behind him, as he spoke the last words, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny absolutely bewildered.
+ + + + +
Severus Snape was never a man of careless mistakes, nor did his usual professionalism allow for such errors. But Severus felt foolish. His heart raced painfully within his ribcage, once he pieced together the extraordinarily little information they had. After the events overnight, and realising his magic was weakening dangerously, it was enough to slowly crumble the wards he had set upon Order headquarters.
But Draco had told him someone was watching his house. Malfoy Manor. And Severus knew this and stayed for several days to monitor the property for the potential intruder.
I should have bloody seen this coming. Severus, you fool!
The Malfoys were also being watched and yet Severus didn't quite connect those dots quickly enough when Potter told him about the eavesdropping between his former Slytherin students. It was highly possible that it wasn't just Grimmauld Place that was being spied on. But also, Malfoy Manor.
Severus quickly obtained Potter's Invisibility Cloak and raced out of Grimmauld Place moving as quickly as he could. Once he reached the park across the street, he dashed behind a thick lining of trees at the stone wall and Disapparated away. Reaching his destination, he swung the Invisibility Cloak over himself, in case of any unwanted confrontations and prowled forth.
Malfoy Manor came into view instantly once Severus emerged from the tree line surrounding the heritage mansion. But the Slytherin took careful steps as he pressed forward, cautious of any additional wards or trap spells that the Death Eaters may have placed in their wake. From what Severus could see the house appeared undisturbed. With his wand securely clasped in his right hand, he outstretched it in front of him in a desperate bid to detect the wards ahead.
Once he reached the usual magical boundary, he performed a series of wand movements and drew sigils as he chanted under his breath, "Claustrum revelio…Obex apertum…Ostendo incantatem..."
A series of magical sparks emitted from his wand and a mild surge from the unusual magical signature rebounded to his wand, sending a small static to his hand. Severus recoiled slightly from the magical contact. The wards had indeed been tampered with, that much was certain. He knew his already deteriorating magic had damaged the boundary he had set up when he was here previously. Obviously, at that time, he did not know this. It was a cause of deep concern, and Severus' heart began to further race within his chest.
Inhaling sharply, he proceeded to manipulate the wards once again, this time receiving no rebound shock on his attempt. Once he was satisfied with the adjusted warding, he took several strides forward, finally crossing the threshold. What he saw, shocked him.
It was like staring at the charred remnants of his house once again. But this was on a grander scale.
Malfoy Manor, and the surrounding gardens, were in ruins.
Smoke emanated from the remains of the once majestic old heritage mansion, owned by the Pureblood family for centuries. A few flames could be seen still burning and scattered throughout the remnants of the house, and within the gardens. But the damage had already been done.
He was hours too late.
Severus ran forward, despite his own dwindling energy. His robes billowed behind him as he made haste, moving along the familiar paved cobblestone path. The once-mighty iron gates were visibly bent and twisted and in some places, had snapped. The outlining pristine hedges and flowerbeds of white roses were now burnt and completely destroyed. As he continued ahead, he noticed the charred remains of the Malfoy peacocks that Lucius had favored so much, now lay dead amongst the garden remains.
The Death Eaters were out for vengeance. No one was safe. Not even the Malfoy family.
Once he reached what was left of the ebony front doors, he walked straight inside, not caring much for the crumbling walls around him. Half of the floor above had collapsed onto the ground floor due to the unstable and damaged foundations. Some rooms remained intact, but not unscathed from the fires that consumed them. Most of the old furniture was burnt and destroyed. The smell of burnt varnish was strong and Severus lifted up a piece of his robe to place over his nose and mouth to protect himself from the fumes. He really did not want to be here but the dread that punched him in the abdomen was too strong to ignore.
The smoke was now burning his eyes.
"Fumos Evanesca!"
Severus tried desperately to clear the smoke trapped in some of the rooms which caused his eyes to water helplessly. The smoke began to slowly dissipate, but the ash still lingered in the air, coating his black robes and raven hair. He made his way through the entryway and what was left of the sitting and small dining room. He could not reach the kitchen completely as a portion of the ceiling had caved in.
"Draco! Narcissa! Please, respond!"
Severus tried to lift pieces of the debris to uncover anyone underneath but no one was to be found. He continued to call out for their names, and with each agonising silence in between, caused panic to rise further within him. When he found no sign of life within those rooms, he headed towards the stairs leading to the upper floor. Half of the stone staircase had blast holes within them. Severus frowned and stopped to observe the strange burn marks on the floor. A duel had escalated here. Someone had entered the home and either Draco or Narcissa must have dueled the intruder. Was it possible the fire began inside?
They were obviously caught off guard. But he could only hope they were able to escape unharmed.
As Severus ascended the staircase, he felt a shift under his feet, causing him to stop in his tracks. Everything was unstable and he knew he shouldn't be treading here. But he could not bring himself to turn away just yet. A small fire was still burning at the top, but he cast a water charm to douse it quickly so he can continue forward. With careful steps, he reached the disastrous top next floor, feeling the foundations shake again.
"Draco, are you here? Narcissa!" Severus' voice was a struggling whisper in his cautious effort not to stir any possible enemies that could still be around. He doubted it. He knew full well they would not have allowed themselves to get caught here. But surely one of the Malfoy's was still alive?
He crossed into the large dining room on the first floor. This one was significant, and the one room which held all of their Death Eater meetings within the last two years of the Dark Lord's reign. Death Eaters were tortured here. He was tortured here. Charity Burbage had lost her life here. Nagini was here and devoured the corpse of his former colleague. Nagini had been here…
Severus shivered at the mere memory as his body tensed, thinking that the wretched snake was still around, waiting…Just for him…
Half the dining room was destroyed. Sections of the ceiling had collapsed, allowing whatever daylight was left to pierce through the dust-filled haze. Severus was thankful today did not bring rain because he was positive that the Manor would not remain standing for long. As he approached the debris closer to the dark fireplace, he saw a familiar mess of white-blonde hair underneath.
Severus scrambled towards the charred heap, and he began to cast an assortment of charms to lift the shattered bricks, wood, and stone away from the prone form crumbled underneath. The more he removed, the more of the body he could uncover. Panic built up within him again as he revealed his Godson and released him from being trapped underneath. Severus immediately placed his hand on his chest, feeling the boy's chest slowly rise and fall. Once he was satisfied enough, he removed his hand and placed his index and middle finger just underneath his jaw, feeling for the familiar beat of the carotid. It took a few moments for him to palpate a pulse, and that was mainly due to his own inner panic and the slightly tremoring hand his own curse was causing. Once he felt the familiar pulse, he released the breath he didn't realise he was holding.
Draco Malfoy was alive.
His Godson was unconscious but alive.
Severus glanced over the boy's prone form, in search of obvious injuries. There was a large laceration on his left thigh. Noticeable burn marks to his legs, arms, and chest, were all evident due to the pieces of clothing that had burnt off. Draco's left arm was bent at an awkward angle – a possible fracture, or dislocation. There were bruises and cuts all over the boy's face, likely due to the debris he was almost crushed by. His white-blonde hair was filled with blood and ash, along with the white shirt he was wearing. There was no way he was going to wake Draco and he needed to get him to safety first. He picked up his wand laying idly beside him and pocketed it for safety. Without thinking of anything else, he gently scooped up the teenager in his arms – feeling silently thankful he was on the thinner side – and carefully made his way downstairs.
As he left the still crumbling remains of Malfoy Manor, he did a further visual sweep for any sign of the Malfoy matriarch, but there was no sign of her anywhere. Feeling guilty enough for leaving without her, he carried his Godson to the boundary of the wards and disapparated away. Upon reappearing at the familiar park across from Grimmauld Place, he barged through the doors and set Draco down carefully on the floor in the entryway and he shrugged the Invisibility Cloak off them.
He wasn't looking forward to what was about to escalate, but there really was no alternative.
As soon as Severus withdrew his wand, the thunderous sounds of teenagers bounding down the old wooden staircase were enough to cause him further frustration at his new predicament. He stood up and cast a non-verbal Mobilicorpus, as Draco's unconscious form levitated off the ground to waist height.
"What in the bloody hell – " Mr. Weasley was the first to the bottom of the stairs with a mixed expression of bewilderment and anger. Miss Weasley was directly behind, followed by Potter and Granger.
"OUT OF THE WAY!" Severus bellowed as he barged through the Gryffindors, making his way upstairs to the vacant single room on the third floor.
"Snape, when I suggested you go and talk to him, I didn't mean to bring him here!" Potter was equally as livid as his friend was, and that further frustrated Severus.
"Once I attend to Draco's wounds immediately, I will answer your blasted questions, " Severus finally made it to the third floor – now thankfully repaired - and gently lowered the unconscious Slytherin onto the bed, "Miss Granger, in the potions lab downstairs, I have a glass jar of the purple-tinged burn salve. Retrieve that, along with murtlap essence, the labeled aqua-colored antibiotic, an extra-strength analgesic potion, and a Wiggenweld potion. Now, Granger, no dawdling!"
Severus barked out orders to the older female Gryffindor, who immediately darted downstairs to obtain what he needed. He turned back towards the unconscious teenager and gently shifted his broken arm into a better position. He would need to brew a batch of Skele-Gro as he had absolutely nothing on hand, and he was more than a little afraid to attempt a bone-mending spell, knowing that his own magic was currently unpredictable. He didn't need a silly Lockhart incident.
"Potter, make yourself useful and conjure a large stack of bandages, and a splint – " Severus gave Potter a quick glance, knowing full well the magical predicament he was in. Luckily, Potter did so without further question and placed the supplies on the table beside him. Severus allowed his wand to trace over Draco's prone form, as the light on the tip of his wand began to spark an assortment of colors, enabling him to perform a magical assessment to the best of his ability. Potter stood silently and watched, visibly intrigued – and likely annoyed – by the teenage Slytherin rival laying uninvited in his home. Into Order headquarters.
A few minutes later, Granger returned with the required supplies. Severus turned to the nosey Gryffindors standing idly by, not knowing what else to do, "Privacy is needed, so I can stabalise him. I don't require an audience." Severus paused and drew in a deep breath, "However, I do have another task for you. If you could prep the potions lab downstairs and retrieve the ingredients needed for Skele-Gro – have it ready for me. Do not prep the ingredients and do not,/i> start brewing. I will be doing it. I need to ensure its potency is sufficient. Now, leave."
There was not another word from the Gryffindors as they slowly turned to leave, closing the door behind them.
Good. He wasn't in the mood to argue with them yet.
With a wave of his wand, Severus carefully peeled some of the pieces of fabric which had remained stuck against Draco's burned pieces of flesh. Once he was satisfied, he grabbed the burn salve and began to gently apply it to the areas with the broken skin. The burns themselves were not horrific, but there were sections of his arms and legs that had lost a few layers of skin. Some sections were already blistering, but the burn salve will at least cool the skin and provide some relief upon his waking. Then using the new bandages Potter had conjured for him, he slowly began to wrap the most affected areas of skin, sealing in the burn salve for it to take effect. Once he was done with that tedious process, he grabbed the murtlap essence and underwent the same process with the cuts and abrasions all over his pale skin.
Turning towards the laceration on his leg, he traced the wound with his wand and spoke several healing charms, and watched as the skin began to knit together. The spell, once finished, left behind a slightly thickened scar, which was a small price to pay. At least he didn't lose his leg.
Lastly, he turned to the boy's broken left arm, most noticeably swollen around his elbow and shoulder, and gently wrapped the splint and the bandage around the arm, holding it securely in place. It would have to do until he could brew the Skele-Gro. Until then, he had the analgesic and Wiggenweld potions ready until his waking. Taking the standard magically charged antibiotic, he had brewed a few weeks ago for emergencies, he gently shifted Draco's jaw to open his mouth. Taking the dropper, he began to measure and extract the thin liquid and applied it underneath his tongue for it to absorb directly into his bloodstream efficiently as possible. He recorked the potion and placed it beside the others on the bedside table.
For now, his heart rate was stable, as was his breathing.
Draco just needed to rest.
Severus placed a charm on the boy's bed, to signal any movement and alert him when he woke. For now, this was all he could do.
He stared at the sleeping Slytherin for a few moments in guilt, brushing some of the lengthened blonde locks away from his eyes. At least in this form, he wasn't yelling accusations and misunderstandings at him. He needed no more stung words from him. Once he placed a single blanket over his Godson, he pocketed his wand, along with Draco's – so he didn't try and do anything foolish – and exited the room. He did all he could and the boy will be able to recover. Once he finally awoke, he can question him about what had transpired at the Manor, and the whereabouts of his mother.
One worry at a time.
The Potions Master made his way swiftly to the potion's laboratory in the basement, ignoring his own pounding headache. He had been unable to rest completely in the last few days, upon their recent attack at Grimmauld Place and now Malfoy Manor. He was wary and run-down, but he had to keep going. He had been sleep-deprived lately, either due to his unsettling mind, or the frequent stabbing pain emanating from his neck. The pain was tiring and he barely had time to create a stronger analgesic for himself.
For now, his focus was on his Godson, and Po – Harry.
He ended up taking the boy's advice, and only called him Harry in private. His name felt foreign on his tongue, but there was a sense of civility with the name. Less antagonistic, as per his usual stance. But after years of calling him Potter, it was not something he could easily wrap his mind around. Calling Harry, to Severus, felt almost like a self-made insult. As if he was undeserving of speaking the name, and indirectly, what he put the child through. Calling him Harry felt too personal and he wasn't sure exactly how to feel about that. It felt wrong to him, even though his days as a spy are finally over. Like he was expecting the Dark Lord to torture him upon the slip of the name as with the anticipation for something that was not going to happen. It was now unfamiliar territory.
Being there for him, was unfamiliar territory. And for once, he was treading through it alone, on instinct and not by orders.
Since the official end of the War and his own brush with death, he realised that he harbored a measure of respect for the boy and one he never knew he was capable of displaying. He was deeply disturbed by his conversation with Albus upon allowing the boy to welcome death himself. After doing his best to keep the boy alive for years, only to have no choice but to allow Lily's son to die. Since that revelation, Severus could not help but feel guilty and wished there was more he could have done. What could he do? His hands were tied, to both sides. His role, although important, was also painfully limited. He trained himself to keep his distance as best he could because any closeness with the boy would result in slip-ups which could have easily cost him his life.
For years he has looked after the boy from a distance, ensuring his safety, but far enough away to avoid any sense of emotional attachment. Now since the Wars end, all that seemed to slowly crumble away, causing Severus to feel incredibly uneasy with this new path he never expected to take. He could have left – fled the wizarding world entirely – but he was compelled to stay. And now, the prospect of seeing the boy in danger caused his chest to constrict with deepened guilt and whatever measure of compassion he seemingly developed during that time. That was unlike him at all, and yet, all those emotions he spent boxed up since childhood were slowly being released into the ether.
His soul was changing and perhaps he realised it was not as cold as he had disciplined himself to be. His heart was beating and now any mode of danger from Harry, and even Draco, sent it racing in panic and fear. As if they were still his responsibility.
As for Draco, he understood why he could not put faith in Severus. Their faltering relationship was indeed a painful strain, but he dealt with it. Draco felt betrayed by him. Family, essentially, who changed sides without them knowing was sure to create some friction. But Severus did not want to give up on that family he had known since his student days. He could not bring himself to turn away. Narcissa reached out with concern for her son's safety and Severus obliged without question. But Draco was difficult to reason with. He was not as forgiving and empathetic as Harry. Two very different teenagers, with two very different problems.
Severus had no choice but to bring him to Order headquarters – and Harry's home, technically – but where else could they go?
Both Draco and Harry were marked for death by his former dark cohorts and the very least he could do was keep them both within his sights until the others were safely captured and thrown into Azkaban.
On his way downstairs, he hastily stripped off his smoke and debris-filled traveling cloak and strode downstairs to the basement where the four Gryffindors were standing around the potions bench chatting away. As soon as he opened the door, they all stopped and watched as their former Professor entered their company. Neither of them said a thing and Severus could sense all the questions they had circling in their teenage minds. They scooted away from the bench automatically, anticipating the upcoming tension as Severus began preparing the Skele-Gro in silence.
He grabbed five single scarab beetles, threw them into the mortar and pestle, and began grinding it a little more intensely than usual. Severus was rather mad with himself because he caused this. His magic was the reason both residences had fallen and their protections vanished. He made no effort to hide his rising anger. For once, he had no one else to blame but himself.
Feeling four sets of eyes watching his every move, he inhaled deeply, trying to settle his rage, "Malfoy Manor was attacked hours ago. I have reason to believe it happened simultaneously to our attack last night."
There was an uncomfortable pause within the room and the only thing that could be heard was the grinding of the mortar, which sounded more like nails on a blackboard. Every grind made even the Slytherin wince, as he grew more irritable by the second. At this point, he was barely concentrating on his current task, because all that ran through his mind was the persistent nagging failure in the crevices of his being, which caused him far more self-loathing than he ever anticipated. He failed them. He failed both boys who needed help, and he couldn't do a damn thing.
What good was he?
Feeling the agonizing silence in the room drive him mad, he slammed his left hand suddenly on the wooden table causing it to shift from the force across the floor. Some of the empty cauldrons toppled on their side, as a small copper once rolled and hit the floor with a loud deafening CLANK. A few empty glass vials hit the floor and shattered along with some jars containing liquid ingredients that smashed and pooled all over the cold stone floor. Severus dropped the pestle forcefully onto the table and leaned forward with both hands firmly resting on its edge. He shut his eyes tightly and willed himself to focus and stabilise his breaths, drawing upon his Occlumency to push back those strong emotions which fought quickly to the surface of his mind. He was exhausted and his mind would not cooperate.
And people often wondered why he chose to seal away some of those emotions. Because it's like trying to capture water once it's spilled over the edge. Once it is released, it is harder to contain.
The youngest Weasley gasped, "P-professor!"
Granger had jumped back from the sudden movement, causing Mr. Weasley to clasp onto her shoulder. Granger shakily withdrew her wand and began to clean up the mess on the floor, but the angry Potion's Master growled under his breath.
"Get out. All of you!" Severus took a few steps towards them but his legs suddenly buckled with stress. He felt a wooden stool slide across the stone floor right underneath him as he sat down. His hands clenched into fists, turning his knuckles white, as one by one the Gryffindors left the room.
Except for the Golden Boy.
"That also implies to you, Potter."
"Oh, so we are back to Potter, now are we?"
Severus ran a hand over his face, "Now is not the time."
Harry slid over the other stool, and sat down close by, "What happened?"
Severus clenched his jaw staring at the idle cauldron on the floor, "The last time I was at Malfoy Manor, Draco had informed me that he presumed he saw someone at their boundary, watching them. I stayed for several days to monitor it and found no other evidence. I set up and strengthened the wards that day, " He turned to Harry beside him, looking defeated, "They were attacked, as we were. Their wards fell because my magic is losing strength." He then looked away, repulsed with himself.
"…Where is Narcissa?"
Severus winced, "I do not know. The Manor is in ruins. I searched but found no trace of her."
"Look, I'm not happy that Draco is here, but there really was no other choice, was there?"
Severus shook his head solemnly, "No, there was not."
"Did you need help with the rest of the potion?"
Severus turned back to Harry, responding as calmly as he could, "Leave it to me. I just need time to…process my thoughts."
"Next time you decide to venture out there, let me accompany you – " Harry sighed, "If your magic is deciding to throw in the towel, then what if your apparition is affected? You may not be able to get back."
"I appreciate your concern, but I'll figure it out."
"Now look who is being careless."
Severus frowned, looking grimly back at the Gryffindor, "I couldn't allow you to go in my place, Harry. I made the decision to tackle it alone because I could not afford another near-miss with you in my vicinity. Last night was far too close."
Harry offered a light smirk, "…That's a very Gryffindor thing to say."
Severus eyed Harry looking highly offended by the remark, "Merlin forbid, " He paused for a moment before continuing, "Albus once told me that he thinks we sort too soon."
Harry caught the man's eye as he faltered and looked away.
The Gryffindor shook his head in confusion as he leaned his elbow against the table, peering up at the man before him with much curiosity, "Wait, you mean to tell me you could have been in Gryffindor?"
Severus looked disgusted, "…Tell anyone and I'll have you hanged."
"Well for the record, the Sorting Hat was going to place me in Slytherin. I mean, you saw that during Occlumency. How's that for irony?"
There was a hmpf from Severus with a hint of amusement within his dark eyes, "A fortunate blessing. That could have been…highly problematic. For the both of us, most definitely."
"Well, at least you may have been able to take fewer house points off me."
"As if my job wasn't already difficult, " Severus picked up the pestled again and dragged the mortar with the scarab beetles inside, ready to try again, "Now, go join the rest of your Gryffindors."
"Are you sure you don't need any help? I can send Hermione to complete the potion for you."
"I am perfectly capable," Severus' responded with a blank expression, but inwardly, he smiled.
Harry nodded, as he made his way towards the stairs and disappeared through the door without another word. Severus drew in a gentle breath and released it slowly. He needed to pull himself together and manage his anger. What's done is done. He could not change what had happened, but he could do his best to approach things a little differently. It felt strange not to take orders from either Albus or the Dark Lord. For once in his life, he was free to make his own decisions upon his own personal judgment. No longer was he morally restricted by either faction and that already was a welcome release off his shoulders. He was here, he was alive, and he will be sure to keep those children upstairs safe for as long as he still lived.
Now, this was his choice. The same choice that had him remain by Albus' side, even far beyond the death of Lily. Staying was his choice, too. He could have easily fled from the Hogwarts Headmaster on the night Lily died, but he chose to stay and fight. He turned against the darkness to fight for her and the only living person of her blood as a result of her sacrifice. He turned against the darkness because it had failed him.
The light, although minute and small, was still there.
And he will be damned to let it slip from his grasp this time.