Promise

- J O Y-

***

Snape's POV

"Please. Tell me there's another way." I said the words through clenched teeth. My hands beginning to sweat as I gripped the leather chair in front of me so tightly my already pale fingers seemed to get even whiter. 

My heart was racing, the numbness of anxiety spreading to my limbs as I frantically spiraled through thoughts in my mind. Trying to find a way. Any way out of this. 

"It's a binding magical contract Severus. Just postponing the task has stretched the contract's limits already." Albus's voice was too calm. It infuriated me. I could hear the thin layer of sadness behind it but I was still angry. 

How could he always be so calm? So sure everything would be fine? 

Everything would never be fine. 

Not ever again. 

"You can't expect the boy to compete! His whole family is dead Albus! He just experienced the greatest loss- the greatest tragedy of his life!" Minerva's shrill panicked voice rang through the room. 

"Bellatrix knows who he is." I snarled, the room beginning to fade to white as I became blinded by my rage. "She knows his muggle name. The Daily Prophet will be writing it on every. page." 

She can't be here. 

They cannot have anymore reasons to come into the school. 

What was I going to do? 

Where could I hide her so she would be safe? 

She would never leave if she knew the truth. 

She would never abandon her friends. 

She was too much like her mother. 

"We're just advertising the boy's location! Putting a target on his life!" Minerva began to pace as her eyes looked pleadingly into Dumbledore's. Hoping for a resolution. Any kind of alternate plan. 

"We will not let the Daily Prophet into the task. We will not let them report until someone wins the tournament." He paused to stand and touch one of the glowing golden rings surrounding the smoke filled crystal ball on his desk. Black smoke was swirling ominously under the glass.  "And unfortunately we will have to inform Mister Copeland that due to the severity of the situation... that cannot be him. The Champion will have to be Mister Krum, Or Ms. Delacour. However... Romanos Copeland has to compete. He signed the contract when he put his name into the goblet." 

"You're giving her a death sentence." I spat. I finally lifted my eyes off of the oak floor to glare into him. The man who was breaking his promises to me once again. "Where can we hide her? There has to be a plan in place for her. She cannot be here for the task. It's too dangerous." Panic started to fill my throat to the point of nausea as I thought of her in such close proximity to the Dark Lord. 

Albus paused and the room filled with an almost drowning silence. He ran his long skeletal finger over the golden ring before spinning it gently. He lifted his eyebrows softly, not meeting our gaze. "Minerva please leave the room while I speak to Severus." His voice was gentle. But commanding. It was an order. Not a request. 

"Albus-" She started, tears filling her eyes. 

"Please. We will speak later. For now, be with Mister Copeland. He needs you." He cut her off sharply. 

She gasped in shock and muttered angrily as she left the room. 

I shifted my eyes to him suspiciously, guarded uncertainty filling my senses. Minerva was his most trusted friend. 

What could he possibly say to me and not her?

He looked up to me, meeting my gaze with his. His eyes seemed at peace, a soft smile on his thin lips. 

"I do believe Young Draco was given a second task to complete, other than the one about Miss. Wildes... was he not?" He said the words simply, as if he wasn't speaking about his own death. 

"Yes. The task to kill you." I scoffed angrily. As if it had anything to do with her. 

"Yes...yes..." he said almost humming the words. "It seems to be time for that task to be completed I'm afraid." 

My blood froze in my veins. 

"Why?" I spoke the word lowly. Almost violently collapsing off of my tongue. 

"The night of the last task of the Triwizard Tournament is to be the night of my death." 

My lungs began to quake with fear. Sorrow. I resented the man for causing the most agonizing pain in my life, but I still appreciated him. Owed him for forgiving me after I turned my back on him. 

His eyes grew sad, but the soft smile still pinched the corners of his mouth. "The Daily Prophet will not report on Mister Copeland or the Tournament if I die that night. Those ghastly papers will be flooded with my murder for weeks unfortunately." He laughed at his hatred for them. "However Severus... you and I both know that Draco Malfoy is no murderer. He will never go through with killing me. So it must be you Severus. You must be the one to kill me, then you will have my wand, and the Dark Lord will trust Draco and yourself more than ever. Further keeping Miss Wildes safe." 

He was right. The plan was perfect. It protected her from every angle. 

"Why?" I asked suspiciously. "Why are you doing this for me?" 

He sighed, his expression changing into one of guilt. "I have failed you Severus. You have risked your life for me every day by informing me of the Dark Lord's plans. Trying to keep Miss Wildes safe. The one task... the most important task you have ever asked of me... I failed to do." He sighed sadly. "I have taken away the greatest joy that anyone can experience. The joy of love. This is the least I can do to try and redeem myself." 

Tears filled my eyes as memories of Evelyn flashed in my mind again. My heart clenching a familiar almost welcomed agony. 

"Please Severus. Before I go. Try and forgive me. It is selfish of me to ask... and I understand if you won't. But it would give me great peace." 

My senses flooded with uncertainty if I could forgive him. I could never forgive anyone for taking her away not just from me but out of this world that needed her so much. 

We sat in silence for a few moments, both of us pondering what he had just said. 

"I will inform Draco of what must be done. I will tell him he must do it. He cannot know that it will be me in the end that will... finish the task." I spoke the words guiltily, knowing he expected me to forgive him in the moment. I turned around to leave but his words stopped me when I reached the door. 

"Severus." 

I stopped, my palms sweating as I looked from the ground up at him. 

"I'm so sorry." 

But the apology felt much too late. 

***

<comments>

Its short, but important. I'm feeling a little better, so there should be more soon :) Ive missed you all. And have still read all the comments every day.