Knowledge is Power

Chapter 45

"What's happened," Severus demanded.
Though Albus was an older wizard, he was always fit and in good health. He was always composed, the wise calm voice of reason with all the answers. Right now he looked ill and not necessarily in control of whatever situation was going on here. It didn't sit well with Severus or serve to make him feel very secure or in control either.

"I made an unfortunate error, Dear Boy," Albus practically croaked.
Pushing himself up from where he was slumped over his desk, he peered at Severus through disheveled white hair that had fallen over his face. With a jab of concern shooting through his stomach, Severus noted that the face in question was drained of color.
"What in the hell! Are you certain I shouldn't go for Pomfrey?"
"She can't fix this, I'm afraid," Albus said with a resigned sigh.
"You'd better sit down. My explanation may take a while."

Severus seated himself pensively in the other chair across from Albus at the desk. He listened as Albus spoke of his continued research on Voldemort in an effort to gain any edge to help Potter to defeat him. He explained how this had led to the discovery of Voldemort's horcruxes...Plural! Severus was surprised at himself for being surprised because Voldemort...but still... Even for Voldemort, this was just an act that Severus was struggling to comprehend.

"What that has to do to a person's mind is horrifying! One would think with him being so brilliant, that would have occurred to him and perhaps dissuaded him a bit, but apparently not! One Horcrux is bad enough, but he didn't even stop there for the preservation of his own mind! I don't understand why he wouldn't feel the disintegration of that would be more of a liability than it's worth," Severus exclaimed, struggling to process.
"What good is immortality if one is unhinged?"

Albus shook his head.
"Who can know? I doubt even Voldemort himself knows. Likely he believed himself strong enough not to be effected. It has always been my hope that over confidence will be his downfall."

"So is this a Horcrux, then," Severus asked, gesturing at the cut apart ring on the desk.
Albus glanced down at the ring and sighed.
"It was. I destroyed it with the sword of Gryffindor because the blade is infused with Basilisk fang venom and that's the only way to destroy a Horcrux as you may know."

"What made the ring special enough for him to put his Horcrux into it," Severus asked, studying the ornate thing through narrowed eyes.
It looked old and may have been interesting if he wasn't revolted by what it had so recently held.
"The ring was in his family, so that was definitely one reason," Albus said.
"The other is because the stone set into it is the resurrection stone itself, one of the three Deathly Hollows. This bit he may or may not have known. I can't imagine why he would combine a Horcrux with a Hollow, so perhaps he did not know. Then again, his brain isn't exactly operating properly..."

Severus didn't bother to keep the shock from his face. This situation held shocking twists and turns at every level and he couldn't decide which revelation was the most shocking. Unfortunately the shocks weren't over, because Albus continued.
"I wouldn't have told you this, because I know you have enough to worry about hiding from him, Severus, but I am going to need your help."
Severus nodded, waiting.

"When I sorted it out that the stone in this ring was THE resurrection stone, in part due to the Peverell coat of arms engraved on its surface, I wanted to use it...to speak to my dead sister...To apologize for what I felt was my part in her death."
Severus nodded again. Albus had spoken before of his sister's death. The first time had been not long after Severus agreed to spy on Voldemort for the order. Severus shared about his father's murder at Voldemort's hands when Severus was only six years old, and in kind Albus told him of how his sister had died an Obscurial that he had tried and failed to help.

"Well did you get to talk to her, then," he asked, hoping something good had come out of this for Albus other than destroying a Horcrux.
"I'm afraid not," Albus said.
His expression shadowed then, and Severus felt himself growing more agitated. Albus wasn't comfortable with whatever he was about to say, and that was a rare thing in the worst of ways. This couldn't be good.

"Rather than turning the stone three times as the legend says, for some reason I felt strangely compelled to put the ring onto my hand in order to use it," Albus said.
"As soon as I did, I felt it...A curse struck me that began attacking both my body and my life force. Obviously Voldemort didn't want to run the risk of anyone stealing his horcrux."
"That's why you looked so ill when I came in," Severus exclaimed in sudden comprehension.
At last the entire situation was clear, or so he believed.

Albus nodded.
"Indeed. I had just gotten the ring off of my hand and cut it with the sword when you arrived."
He gave Severus a tired smile.
"I do feel better now."
"So what do you need my help with," Severus asked.
He glanced down at Albus's hand and gave a slight shudder. It looked disturbingly black and withered.
Pomfrey really does need to see to that hand."

"I...I'm afraid it's too late for that, Severus," Albus said heavily.
"I'm so sorry to leave you during all this but it's killed me. It will kill me and there is nothing to be done."
Severus's eyes shot wide and he felt all the blood rushing from his face. It seemed Albus had saved the most shocking bit of this horror filled situation for last.
"You can't do that," he said numbly.
"I won't have it!"

It was all too much. Severus felt nearly like a little boy again, faced with the prospect of losing the man he'd come to think of as a second father.
"It isn't my choice, Severus. I regret putting on that ring more than I can say!"
"There has to be something we can do," Severus said numbly, desperately.
Albus shook his head.
"I was hoping you could help me to die with some dignity when it's time," he said quietly, casting his blue gaze down to the desk before him and the pieces of the ring it held.

Severus shook his head, not so much in negation, though that was a part of it, but in bafflement and shock as his mind refused to process what it was being told.
"I can't believe you would ask me to do that," he said flatly.
"Fine, then,' Albus bit out.
"You're right. I'll just do it myself."
"The hell you will," Severus shouted.
Albus's eyes widened, because Severus wasn't one to shout. He could use the most snide cutting tones to a person, and reduce them to tears, but he could always do so without raising his voice.

"I can't believe you put on that ring. You of all people! You're better than that...Smarter than that! What ever got into you," Severus roared.
Albus shook his head sadly.
"I swear, Severus, I honestly don't know. Other than my pressing need to talk with Ariana, I have no idea what happened. I really should've just turned the ring around in my hands, but...before I knew it, I felt nearly compelled to put it on."

Severus was so angry, that for a moment he had no words. He glared wordlessly at Albus for several seconds while the old headmaster lowered his head in defeat.
"I am sorry," he repeated.
"Not sorry enough not to leave me!"
Apparently Severus wasn't done shouting.
Albus's head snapped up.
"This isn't going to fix anything, Severus," Albus nearly shouted back.
"Now if you aren't going to help me, you can shut up and..."

Severus could not believe Albus had actually told him to shut up! After what he'd just done! Before the old man could finish his sentence, Severus's obsidian and quartz wand from Mag was in his hand and flashing up at Albus's face. A jet of blue light shot from it and the headmaster gave a soft sigh and bonelessly slumped over his desk.
//What'd you do,// Nightshade asked.
The owl was stunned by the entire affair, and though he'd surely have plenty to say later, right now he had nothing!

Severus glared at Albus's inert body for a satisfied second before slipping his wand back up the sleeve of his black robe and replying to Nightshade.
"I put him out with a very hard sleep spell so he won't be in the way while I handle this," he said grimly.
Leaving Albus's office he shut the door behind him and ran. He ran all the way to the edge of Hogwarts grounds where he apparated to WestCraven manor. Shouting for Mira he asked the elf to apparate with him to Hogwarts.

"I've never been there," she said, expression surprised and perplexed at such a strange request.
"I'll take you," Severus said.
When she agreed, he side apparated her and they ran back over the grounds and back into the castle to Albus's office. The elf tried to gasp out a few questions as they rushed along, but Severus told her he'd explain later and she fell silent.

Once in Albus's office, Severus levitated the still sleeping headmaster and nodded to Mira.
"I need you to get all of us back to WestCraven manor, please."
The elf nodded and they were in the WestCraven library in an instant.
Raislen had just gotten home from work and was reading, still in his Ministry robes.
"What's going on," he asked, large green eyes alarmed as they moved from Albus to Severus.