The Princess and the Bloodstone

Dark Night of the Soul

Severus

On the second day of term, Severus entered the Great Hall with robes filling out behind him. The smell of breakfast foods - toast, bacon, eggs, porridge, and pumpkin juice - stirred his hunger. As he aimed for his seat, he found the head table empty. Strange. Students were standing in clusters, whispering together. He passed a few of these groups noting that they broke up as soon as he approached.

He changed direction to the Slytherin table. 'Draco!' He barked at the young wizard, bent in conversation with Crabbe and Goyle.

'Sir?' Young Malfoy jumped at Severus's voice but stood up as his Professor closed in on him.

'What's all this commotion?'

'Uh. The Gryffindors say they told McGonagall Potter's gone.'

'Gone where?' He asked, bemused.

'No one knows. Crabbe and I think she finally cracked under old Umbridge. Goyle thinks You-Know-Who's got her,' he said conspiratorially, elbowing his fat friend. 'Professor? Are you ill?' Draco's smile slipped away.

Severus was indeed feeling ill. He offered Malfoy no reply, stepping around them and heading for the staffroom instead.

What is she thinking? Where is she? This is my fault.

He arrived at the staff room, only to be told the same thing. Gone. No one knows where. She doesn't have the Trace on her anymore. She could be anywhere. Umbridge reported Holly's broom stolen from her office the night before, but unlike the rest of the staff, the toad-like woman seemed satisfied at this latest progression.

Umbridge took his arm as he made to greet the headmaster. She spoke softly, 'That last detention must have been a tough one,' she winked knowingly.

He wanted to vomit.

Severus looked up to find D umbledore watching him and Umbridge closely, McGonagall at his side. He quickly broke away from the pink-clad woman and joined the headmaster.

'Did she leave or was she taken?' He asked urgently. The wizard seemed satisfied by Severus's concern for the witch.

'We do not know Severus, however, this is grave news either way,' Dumbledore said, shaking his silvery head. 'According to her peers, she was last seen returning from detention with you,' he peered at Severus over the top of his half-moon spectacles.

'I had - I had no part in this madness!' he hissed.

'Now, Severus, I imagine we are all equally disturbed by this news... I merely wish to enquire about Miss Potter's state as she left the Dungeons after detention last night?'

Equally disturbed? She is not to them what she is to me. They have no idea what this means.

He struggled to Occlude his emotions. 'Potter wasn't unwell, she only scrubbed a few cauldrons,' he said earnestly, trying to remember. 'She gave me no reason to suspect that she-' had plans? Fuck. I should've known. "You didn't want to listen. You just made excuses. But it doesn't matter any more." '-had any intention of leaving the Castle,' he lied smoothly while looking Dumbledore straight in the eyes.

The warlock nodded, 'We will alert the Order. Assemble a search party.'

'Keep me updated,' he said, before nodding to them both and withdrawing to the Dungeons.

I need to think.

Severus turned the shiny Muggle object over in his hands, its front lit up and he swiped a finger over it - imitating what he saw Holly do with her device.

The images on the front changed. He tapped carefully on the picture of a Muggle telephone and felt his heart beat faster as he managed to conjure the small image of her face. He stared at it for a few moments before pressing the picture as she'd demonstrated on Christmas. The face of the device changed and he heard the muted ringing sound.

'Hello?' Holly's voice. She sounded far away.

'Holly?' He asked at the device, raising his voice so that she might hear him.

'Put the phone to your ear,' she said, a little louder.

He did so.

'Are you there?' She asked, this time she spoke into his ear as if she were right next to him.

'I'm here,' he said quickly. 'Where are you?' He tried to keep his tone calm.

She was quiet for a while. 'I'm safe,' she finally replied.

He sighed deeply, putting his head in a shaking hand. 'Where?' He repeated.

'I don't want you to come here.'

'I have to. Please. Let me.'

'Severus. Listen to me. No one else has to get hurt because of me. This is between me and him.'

'Don't do this.'

'Don't you make this more difficult than it already is. I'm going to go now. Don't call again. I'm going to find these things myself.'

'Holly!—'

Beep. Beep. Beep. Silence.

NO.

Severus lowered his head to his hands and knew true desperation.