The Era of Aria Snape

112

Chapter One Hundred and Twelve

ARIA BREATHED IN the fresh air around Hogwarts. The castle looked terrible as ever, but it was a nice change from the usual Manor that she had become accustomed to looking at every morning.

Draco stood beside her.

"Nervous?" She asked, squeezing his hand slightly.

"No. I want my bloody wand."

"You'll get it." She said, remembering the horrible events that had occurred after she had spoken to her half-brother in his cell. And for a month after that, the Dark Lord had killed almost every snatcher that resided in the Manor. Narcissa had hidden Aria away during those times, but Bellatrix assured her that he wouldn't dare harm her or her child - they were too important, she had said. "I'm going to see my father."

He nodded, "Be careful. Some of these students like to step out of line far too often." He spat. "I'm going to meet Crabbe and Goyle first. I will see you after that." He looked away. "I love you."

She didn't like the way he said it, as if he worried it may be the last time he would be able to. "I love you too."

"I'll see you soon."

Aria nodded and headed to the Great Hall. Walking through the corridors felt like a fever dream, the portraits on the walls didn't hide their disgust as she stalked through the corridors, and nor did the students who walked in single file down a staircase.

Her father looked at Aria, his face revealing no emotion as she stood beside him, eyeing the small number of students that had orderly gathered awaiting his words. He whispered something to her, along the lines of why are you here? Before turning his attention to the students. "Many of you are surely wondering why I have summoned you at this hour. It's come to my attention that earlier this evening Harry Potter was sighted in Hogsmeade." Some of the students muttered among themselves. "Now, should anyone, student or staff, attempt to aid Mr. Potter they will be punished in a manner consistent with the severity of their transgression. Furthermore, any person found to have knowledge of these events who fails to come forward will be treated as equally guilty."

Aria internally shuddered. She was only glad that her time at Hogwarts hadn't been so militant, only Merlin knows what kind of trouble she would have gotten herself into.

"Now then," he continued. "If anyone here has any knowledge of Mr. Potter's movements this evening, I invite them to step forward." Aria watched staying still as her father paced between the two groups of students. "Now."

She recognized some of the students, Ginny was amongst them, Katie Bell that bitch as well. She only hoped her father was giving her a hard time while she was at school.

A gasp escaped from her lips as Harry himself stepped forward. She wanted to reach for her wand and stun him, freeze him in place, but she restrained herself.

"It seems," he began to speak. "Despite your exhaustive defensive strategies, you still have a bit of a security problem, Headmaster."

"You dare speak to my father like that!" Aria marched forward as the doors behind Harry opened, revealing a group she had once been a part of, The Order of the Phoenix. A scowl spread across her face and she stopped where she stood.

"How dare you stand where he stood?" Harry went on. "Tell them how it happened that night. Tell them how you looked him in the eye, a man who trusted you and killed him."

"That is enough!" Aria and her father pulled out their wands at the same moment, aiming for Harry. She watched in anger as McGonagall stood between them. She had never liked that old bat and perhaps it was time for her to go.

Aria didn't miss the eyes fixated on her from the Order. She glared right back, lifting her wand and aiming it at them, daring one to move. She would curse any one of them, even George, who stood closer to the back.

Her cloak, she hoped, covered her stomach, but the look on his face told her otherwise. That could have just been the result of a broken heart, but it was pissing her off.

Snape shoved Aria to the side as McGonagall fired a spell. "You need to leave!" He yelled.

"I have to help you!" She ran back to his side. "You take care of the hag, I'll deal with the Order."

"You will not." He deflected a spell towards the Death Eaters behind him, grabbed Aria's arm, and flew the both of them through the window.

They landed on the grounds and her father was quick to scold her. "What are you doing here?" He snapped.

"Potter stole Draco's wand. I came with him to get it back." She snapped. "You could have been a bit more gentle when you took us through that window, I am with child, in case you've forgotten."

He shook his head slowly in disbelief. "You're more at risk here than you are anywhere else."

Aria ignored him. "Why didn't you fight back? You were only deflecting that old hag's spells. You could have killed her. Why waste the opportunity?"

"I will not have innocent blood on my hands."

"She is not innocent, no one in that hall is. They want us dead, they need to be dealt with before they get the chance. Potter will lead them in rebellion. We need to hand him over before he has the chance." It hadn't been Aria's first choice, to hand her brother over, but when it came down to her father's or Harry's life, the choice was obvious.

"Have you lost your mind!" Her father snapped. "When did you become like them?"

"Them? What are you saying?"

He shook his head. "Killing for no good reason, threatening the Order..." He trailed off, stepping closer. "You even smell like Bellatrix."

Aria did not understand what he was insinuating.

"I never wanted this for you. I heard the rumors, the words people would whisper when I passed them on the corridors, they would call you a Death Eater. I could hardly believe it when I saw that mark on your wrist..." He trailed off. "You're in far too deep."

"I'm only doing what would make you proud! I'm following in your footsteps, are you not pleased with me? Have I done something to disappoint you, yet again, father?"

"Do not put words in my mouth. You have no idea what I went through to protect you from him and now you willingly serve at his side."

Aria wondered, "Are you not a Death Eater yourself? What are you complaining about? This way me and you stand together!"

"This way we fall together." He corrected her. "Dumbledore asked me to kill him, he knew what was coming."

"What?"

"I will never serve on his side, never. If it had not been for your mother..." He trailed off. "And now you choose to gamble your life. After all I have sacrificed to keep you safe."

"You mean you're a liar? You've been playing everyone this whole time!" Aria spoke, and realization set in. She took a step back. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"It was never any of your concern. I certainly never expected my own daughter to be so stupid."

"I was only doing what I thought you wanted me to." She stared up at the dark sky in disbelief. "But you've been lying to me this whole time. You lied to Harry, to the teachers, to the Dark Lord himself." Aria struggled to keep track of her breathing as she took continual steps away from her father. "You've betrayed me." She snapped.

"I did it for you!" He seemed to notice how she was struggling to breathe, how her legs felt weak beneath her. "Aria?" He raced to her side as she collapsed to the floor.

The last thing she saw was the barrier that the professors had created around Hogwarts slowly falling away before her eyes closed and everything went dark.