Fatal Affair

Chapter 31: Darkness

"You need to disappear," Remus was saying, leaning over the table. "Somewhere You-Know-Who won't find you." 

"Where?" Nova asked. 

"That's what we're trying to figure out," Kingsley said. 

"I thought you guys said you had a plan." Nova looked over at Severus, raising an eyebrow. 

"We have an idea of where you could go," Severus said. Nova waited for him to continue. "We think it's best not tell you until you're there." 

"You think I'm going to tell someone where I'll be hiding from You-Know-Who?" Nova laughed. 

"Not necessarily," Tonks said.

"The Dark Lord is skilled in Occlumency," Severus said. "We don't want to risk him finding out." 

"When?" Nova asked, looking down at the table. 

"When the Dark Lord is expecting it to happen," Severus explained. "I will feign trying to kill you and then I will apparate alongside you to this new location." 

"How will you fake trying to kill me?" Nova asked, cocking her head to look at Severus. 

"We will put on a convincing duel. Then, you will apparate away, and I will have to inform the Dark Lord that you got away." 

"And he'll believe you?" 

"Whether he believes me is not my concern," Severus said. "But yes, I think it is believable. Killing you would be a challenge and it is believable that you would put up a fight." 

"And then what?" Nova asked, looking around the table at everyone's sombre faces. "I'm just going to hideout forever? What kind of life is that?" 

"What choice do we have?" Severus asked. "You won't be a prisoner, Nova. You are free to do as you please. You will just need to be careful about who to trust. Your tasks for the Order will be different. No longer will you be asked to do anything that might put you in a situation where a Death Eater might see you." 

"Is this all necessary?" Nova asked, running a hand through her hair. 

"He'll never stop looking for you Nova," Tonks said. "If he knows that you're still alive, he'll do everything he can to find you."  

Nova sighed and rubbed at her eyes. "This is so fucked up," she muttered under her breath. "So I'm just meant to pretend everything is fine until then?" 

"Just keep doing what you're doing," Moody said. 

"And if he decides to kill me sooner?" Nova asked. 

"He won't," Severus said. "There's a reason he wants you around." 

Nova looked at Severus and bit her lip. She knew better than to question this, understanding that everyone else in the room, apart from herself and Severus, didn't know that Draco was asked to kill Dumbledore. 

"OK," Nova said. "Anything else?" 

Tonks covered Nova's hand with her own. "We won't let you die, Nova." 

"You can't promise that," Nova whispered. Nova turned towards Severus. "Do any other Death Eaters know about this?" 

"Not that I'm aware of," Severus said. 

Severus gave her a knowing look, probably assuming that she is wondering about Lucius. He was right, Nova's thoughts couldn't help but turn to Lucius and wonder whether he knew that she was meant to die. She liked to believe that he didn't know, however she wouldn't be surprised if he kept this from her. 

Nova and Severus left, walking down the road from Grimmauld Place, looking for a safe place to apparate, away from muggle eyes. 

"Severus," Nova said, keeping stride with Severus. "What is Dumbledore's plan when it comes to Draco?" 

"I'm not at liberty to say," Severus said, gazing straight ahead. 

Nova accepted this. She decided to change the subject. "Why is You-Know-Who keeping me around?"

"You haven't figured that out?" Severus asked, giving Nova a sideways glance. Nova rolled her eyes. "Do you not understand your potential? He believes you will be of great help to Draco. That if Draco fails due to morality, then you have the ability to kill Dumbledore yourself." 

"But he doesn't trust me," Nova pointed out.

"He believes he has you figured out," Severus explained. "He might not trust you, however he knows the power you hold. He believes you are calculated and ruthless. That you will kill to simply kill." 

"Why the hell would he think that?" 

Severus didn't answer her. 

"Because of my behaviour?" Nova asked, thinking about her affair with Lucius. Was that enough for Voldemort to think she was a sociopath?

"You speak to the Dark Lord without fear, with a type of boldness not even Bellatrix has," Severus explain. "I believe that, although he admires this, he knows it could lead to his demise." 

"He has way too much faith in me," Nova mumbled.

"Or perhaps," Severus said, turning to face her. "You do not have enough faith in yourself." 

"What do you mean?" 

"I thought you were being humble at first." Severus stretched out his arm for Nova to take, which she did. "But I'm starting to wonder if you actually don't realize how skillful you are in the dark arts."

"What are you talking about, Severus?" 

"You are talented," Severus said. "You have a natural ability in duelling, especially when it comes to the dark arts."  

Nova thought back to the darkness Lucius had mentioned. Severus apparated with Nova, and suddenly they were standing in front of Malfoy Manor. 

"Severus," Nova said as they begin walking towards the large doors. "Do you think I have darkness inside of me?" 

"What do you mean?" 

"Am I a bad person?" Nova reframed her question. 

"Do you think you're a bad person?" Severus shot back. 

Nova rolled her eyes, but then thought about the answer. "I'm not sure..." she said, afraid of answering truthfully. 

"Do you think I am a bad person?" Severus asked.

"Of course not." 

"But I have done a lot of bad things, according to some people." 

"I still think you're a good person," Nova said, stopping in front of the door.

"Then there is your answer," Severus said simply. Nova looked at him, cocking an eyebrow. "I must leave. There's school tomorrow." 

Before Nova could say a word, Severus apparated away. Nova took a deep breath, trying to push aside the events of the day, and walked inside.