Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 122

Amilia fussed with the first years as they fidgeted. She fixed their hair and robes while waiting for the others to gather.

"Professor, why do we have to go to the Great Hall?"

"Headmaster Snape is making an important announcement." Amilia said quickly.

"About what?"

"We will find out." Amilia said as she moved on to the next. She did a quick head count and stood before the two lines—boys on the left and girls on the right. "Your Headmaster has something important he wishes to inform us all about. I expect you to be on your best behavior. One toe out of line, and you will be writing lines with your non dominate hand."

The students groaned.

"Or would you rather I send you to the Carrows?" Amilia arched an eyebrow.

"No, Professor." The students responded.

"That is what I thought." Amilia turned her back to them and squared her shoulders, "Stand up straight and do not dawdle; we are going to be late as it is." Amilia led the way, but she hung back once they entered the main floor, making sure none of the students were straggling.

Draco, being in the rear, looked concerned and annoyed. He stared at her as he climbed the stairs. When he reached her, he whispered, "Does this have something to do with Potter?"

Amilia huffed but gave a curt nod before falling in step with him. "I want you to do as you are told while we are in the Great Hall, do you understand?"

"Yes."

Amilia looked at him from the corner of her eye, "Things may get dangerous and violent. Do as you are told, but also...do what you believe is right."

"I am scared." Draco paused. Amilia did not need to read minds to know that he was conflicted. She let him fall behind to collect himself, and then he jogged to catch up.

Amilia made the students pause before the doors; she could hear Slughorn huffing and puffing away, trying to catch up. The two professors made eye contact; he looked worn, ragged, and distrustful.

"What is all this about?"

Amilia shrugged, "You may lead them in. I will follow behind."

Slughorn furrowed his brows at her, "What for?"

"Just do as you are told." Amilia snapped.

Slughorn gapped at her before shutting his mouth and ushering the students in through the doors.

Amilia grabbed Draco's arm, pulling him to her so she could whisper in his ear, "I know you are scared. So am I. But we must not let anyone see it."

Draco's bottom lip quivered momentarily before Amilia pushed him into the line. She took a deep breath and patted her pocket; the items inside clinked as she shifted them. Right, let's do this. She set her jaw and held her head high as she tailed the Slytherin students.

She walked right past them, down the hall's center, never taking her eyes off Severus. He stood there, his hands stiffly at his side, watching her intently. She shoved her hand in her pocket, minimizing the glass, and paused beside him.

She looked up at him, her hand brushing his, slipping the glass between his fingers. She took her place behind him just off to the side and watched as he carefully moved it into his sleeve before raising his hands.

Severus raised his hands, silencing the already silent crowd before putting his hands in his pockets, allowing the small glass item to slide from his sleeve down his long fingers and into the pocket.

"I am sure that all of you are wondering why you have been summoned at this...late hour." Severus said, his hands still in his pocket as he filtered through all the thoughts in the room. "It has come to my attention that earlier this evening, Harry Potter had been sighted in Hogsmead."

The students shifted their weight, looking around the room and whispering with each other. He stood there quietly for a moment before interrupting them, "Now, should any student or staff attempt to help Mister Potter, they will be met with consequences matching the severity of their transgression."

Several teachers glanced at each other; Slughorn, who had walked in front of the Slytherin students, looked at Severus in disbelief. All year Severus had ignored the fact that many of the teachers did not report unruly behavior or even hand out detention to the students for fear of the child's torture. Now it was dawning on them that they could not protect the students from this.

"If anyone who has knowledge of these events fails to come forward will meet the same fate." Severus stepped down from the raised platform and began to walk between the groups of children, "Now, if anyone has any knowledge of his movements this night, this would be the time to come forward."

All of the students kept their heads and eyes down. Severus shook his head slightly, he had hoped that none would know about anything, but he could hear a few thoughts here and there. But there was one voice that stuck out loud and clear. Harry Potter was in the room.

Severus pressed forward a few steps, "Consider this your last chance to save yourself and others, if and when found guilty, of the impending consequences."

"It seems, Headmaster," Harry Potter stepped out of the Gryffindor group, wearing school robes, "that despite all of your work on defenses, you have a bit of a security problem."

Everyone gasped; Severus could hear his wife's silvery voice say the boy's name. He wanted to turn to her and see her face, but he could not take his eyes off the boy before him. Harry's green eyes locked with Severus's, demanding all the attention. Behind him, the double doors to the Great Hall swung open, and several members of the Order of the Phoenix walked in.

Well, this is an unexpected surprise. Severus thought as he stared Harry down.

Harry stepped forward, "How dare you stand where he stood?! Tell them what happened that night. Tell them how you look a man who trusted you in the eye and killed him!"

Severus could feel the rage pulsing off the boy. It hit him like a wave, breaking him down against the sharp reef below, dragging up the grief and regret with each calm pause. Severus reached for his wand, ready to use it, but the moment it was free of his pocket, Minerva pushed Harry behind her, and she stood in the way.

For a moment, Severus lowered his wand, his friend for nearly eighteen years was bracing herself for death at his hands if necessary. The sight shocked him, and the gasp that filled the room brought him back to his senses. He raised his wand back up.

The students had fled to the sides of the room, hoping to stay out of danger, when Minerva flicked her wand, sending a bolt of fire at him. Each time he deflected it, taking steps backward to the raised platform. She kept advancing on him, and he was running out of room.

Severus knew that the Carrows were still there, as was Amilia, he wanted to protect her, but he also did not want the Carrows to take over the school. If something were to happen to him, they would become interim Headmasters, and he could not allow their cruelty to continue. With one of her fire coming at him quicker than before, he deflected it, sending it back and around him. He could hear two bodies hit the floor and Amilia gasp.

With another spell coming, he raised his wand, blocked it, and regretfully turned into smoke, passing directly next to Amilia and then taking the Carrow's wands as he broke through the pane of glass and into the night. I am so sorry. I have left you yet again.