Audacity. | Harry Potter

SEVENTY-FOUR

GINNY COULDN'T HAVE been more wrong. It was a million times worse than watching Ron eat spaghetti.

From the moment the teenagers set foot onto the train, they knew they were in for trouble. Passing by each compartment it was eerily quiet, rather than the typical boisterous noise that filled the halls.

The group managed to find Luna Lovegood sitting by herself and promptly joined her. It was a long ride on the Hogwarts express that day.

Arriving at school put a pit deep in Freya's stomach. Normally the sight of the tall castle would bring a smile to her face, but today there was nothing but a grimace. Filing out of the train, the blonde scanned the crowd looking for the figure of Rubeus Hagrid. It was tradition to see the half-giant standing there, parading first-years to their boats.

"Hagrid's not here." Freya whispered to Neville with fear lacing her voice, and judging by the look on the boy's face he had noticed the same.

The blonde shook her head and made her best attempt at hiding her nerves as they continued on to follow the rest of the crowds of students. Ginny and Luna had eventually been forced to another area, while Neville and Freya were left with the rest of the returning 7th years.

"This isn't how I pictured my last year here," Neville sighed with a very obvious sadness about him.

Freya tried to comfort him but there truly wasn't much she had to say, she agreed with him wholeheartedly. Looking around there were faces she had known for years, but realizing some of her closest friends weren't among them was painful.

Harry not being there was painful.

She had spent so many years keeping to herself and shutting people out, but now she was unsure how to go about life without them.

"Get in a line," a cold voice sneered from the front of the crowd. The students were confused at first who it belonged to, but when Freya laid eyes on two callous looking individuals she realized it was trouble.

"Blood status?" The man asked the first student in line, who Freya recognized as Michael Corner.

"What?" The boy looked confused but clearly this stranger hadn't an ounce of hesitation.

"Answer the question," The women next to him shrieked, causing Freya's heartbeat to quicken in her chest.

"Pureblood," Michael spoke quietly, hardly above a whisper.

"Louder!" She drew her wand this time, aiming the tip directly his throat.

"Pureblood." He answered loudly this time, his voice teeming with fear.

Freya could make out that the two adults were related, and if she wasn't already thinking it, the dark tattoo covering their forearms confirmed they were Death Eaters.

"Neville," Freya gripped the boys arm, and he turned to see her blue eyes large with terror.

He wasn't sure why she looked so pale until remembering all the stories he had heard of her family back home. Neville's breath was caught in his throat as they moved forward in the line.

"What are you going to do?" He whispered at a barely audible tone.

The blonde just shook her head, her mind was running through every possible solution she could find. Her hands had grown white and clammy, making the red scabs covering them even more apparent.

"Next." The woman spoke, causing Freya to look up. Much to her horror there was no one left in front of her, but only the harsh stare of the two Death Eaters.

"Blood status?"

Freya could hardly control the trembling of her hands as she stepped forward. There had been very few times in her life where she was truly afraid, and this was one of them.

"Half-blood." She managed to croak, but then took a breath to hopefully make her answer believable, "Half-Blood sir."

She attempted to correct her posture and portray a confidence that would support her statement. The two adults however continued to inspect her like an insect they were preparing to squash.

"Magical parent?" The woman stepped closer  as she asked the question, there was an evil glimmer in her eye as if she was just awaiting for a reason to knock Freya dead where she stood.

"Enough."

Freya felt her body tense as she turned to see Severus Snape, dawned in his usual black robes. There was a detachment she hadn't seen in the man before, he had always been cold, but this was different.

"Severus don't spoil our fun," The women shook her head, a nasty grin still painted across her lips.

Freya stood stiffly in her position. Just looking at Snape made blood run cold in her veins. Her mind flashed with moments before Albus Dumbledore died, and how Harry screamed as Snape murdered him.

"Majors," He turned his hard gaze to the blonde, "Come with me."

Freya swallowed as she assessed her options. She could either admit to her bloodline and face whatever wrath awaited her, or follow the man and whatever plan he had in store.

She decided, much to her own discomfort, that Snape offered the most appealing solution. Without a word she began to walk with him and he placed a firm grip on her bicep, rushing her out of the room. Just as Freya was about to enter the doorframe and become out of sight, she turned her head to see Neville, who looked horrified as she stepped out of view.

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"Professor Snape," Freya finally spoke, ending the silence that was only filled by the soles of their shoes against the concrete, "Where are you taking me?"

The man didn't respond and continued ahead, his robes trailing behind him.

"Professor-"

"It's headmaster now," Snape spoke in a low tone, but less confident than she was used to.

"Why did you get me out of there?" Freya asked.

"Do you always ask this many questions when someone is assisting you?" Suddenly he turned, an annoyed look on his face.

The blonde simply looked back at him. She hated him for what he had done, she had more distain for him anyone in her whole life. It took all restraint for her not smack him across the face right then and there. She hated Severus Snape that was for sure, and she was not afraid of him.

"Tell me what's going on."

"You're a fool for coming back here," He looked at her coldly, "Potter's girlfriend and a mudblood no less."

Freya cracked her lips to say 'we broke up' but decided that was entirely unimportant to the man in front of her.

"So why did you help me?"

This was the first clear look she had gotten on his face. He had aged since last year. His usual scowl had begun to form lines across his face. His black hair was growing thinner and his eyes almost seemed darker.

"I am warning you now," Snape looked at her, "Do not go looking for trouble Miss Majors."

"And if it finds me?"

"Dumbledore isn't here to save you," He said in a hollow voice, "Or your friends."