Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 40 - Powerful Friendship

"Professor, how are we supposed to know where Juniper went?" Millicent Bulstrode asked with sleep still in her eyes. Severus had rounded up everyone who was still here, which had been Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode. All of the Weasley's beds had been left vacant, seeming to have left in a rush. "We don't, but I can feel her pull to me. That's all we have," Severus explained, turning to look at his coworkers. Over the past year, he had grown much closer to Minerva and Albus. He could only hope that they wouldn't hold how he was acting now against him. As they both know very well, grief compels some to act in strange ways. 

With a confirming nod from Albus, Severus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Reaching out with his mind, he could feel a tug in the direction he had been afraid of. Opening his eyes slowly, he turned around to face those who had joined them. "You dare to even mention a whisper of my actions tonight, I will be sure that you never speak again," Severus hissed as he scanned the faces of those around him. That was only until he met Albus' all-knowing eyes. Clearing his throat in embarrassment, Severus chuckled slightly before adding, "Respectfully...sir,".

With that, they were off toward the forbidden forest. Not only were they trying to rescue Rowan, but they were also trying to rescue Severus Snape. Everyone that had ever known Severus before Rowan became his assistant would describe his personality as similar to that of a rabid animal. Of all the children that had gone through Hogwarts, Severus hadn't ever found one that he would treat decently. Then, Rowan Lenox Knight became his assistant. It was almost like a light was finally shone in Severus' world and be even befriended a few students; something he would surely deny if ever asked about it. 

The forbidden forest had never scared Severus; if anything, he found comfort in the darkness. However, now that he knew that Rowan could be somewhere in this darkness, it felt eerily quiet. Suddenly, he could hear a familiar voice ring throughout his head. Where are you, Severus Snape? With the voice came an unusual pain forming within his skull, almost as if something were trying to escape from the inside. 

Clutching his head, Severus dropped Rowan's wand that had been lighting the way. "Professor? Are you alright?" Millicent asked, running over to pick up Rowan's wand from the cold ground. Severus, still shaken from hearing Rowan's voice, nodded slowly. All eyes were on him, most of them showing concern. "Severus, what's the matter?" Albus asked with a small tilt of his head. "I- I heard her. Rowan- she asked where I was," Severus said shakily, taking Rowan's wand back from Millicent as the pain in his head subsided. 

"What do you mean you heard her?" Blaise Zabini, who hadn't spoken a word to Severus, asked rather loudly. Glaring at Blaise, Severus turned to the rest of the group to explain it to them. "Rowan- she had been working on legilimency and occlumency. She had only practiced it once in front of me and I had figured that she gave up, but maybe she didn't," Severus explained, furrowing his brow in confusion. It would take years for Rowan to be able to reach out into someone else's mind; None of this made any sense.

Shaking his head, Severus turned around so that his back was facing the group. "It doesn't matter, let's just keep going," 

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

"Miss Knight... Rowan," 

Rowan was ripped from what little sleep she had been getting when she felt someone shake her awake. Opening her eyes, she could barely make out the figure of Greyback. Sighing quietly, Rowan shifted back against the pole she was tied to, preparing for Greyback to take his revenge from a few days ago. It was perfect timing, Rowan had been growing weaker. She was constantly sick to her stomach and her head hadn't stopped aching since she had arrived.