Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 127

Severus fiddled with the vial his wife had handed him just hours before. He stood in the Great Hall, playing his part perfectly, and then Potter showed his face. McGonagall battled between her heart and her mind when she attacked him.

Severus knew she did not want to kill him to save the boy, but she had decided that ending a life lived was better than allowing one to be cut short. He did not blame her at all.

Oh, how he had wanted to run to her many times during the school year when the stress of his mission had become too much, but he couldn't. He instead had to rely on his wife for that support.

"Amilia." He whispered her name as he watched the battle from the clifftop.

He had been in there, searching for her. At one point, he saw her streaking across the courtyard, but then he lost sight of her when a spider loomed over him.

He hoped she was alright and safe. He prayed that she had found a way to get off castle grounds and flee to Spinner's End, but a sense of dread kept tugging at him.

He looked down at the vial with a label from St Mungo's, but the lettering had been smudged.

How did you get this, and what is it?

"Severus."

Severus rolled his eyes, "What Lucius?"

"The Dark Lord has summoned you."

Severus turned to face Malfoy. He looked terrified and dirty, his once long glorious locks now tangled. "Where?"

"The boat house."

Severus nodded; he knew what was coming. "Have you seen Amilia?"

"No, nor my son."

Severus's lips formed a thin line, "Perhaps they are together."

Lucius scoffed, "Why are you up here away from the fight?"

"I needed a moment to collect myself! I in fact have spent my adult life working with these people. I had to build relationships in order to prove my false loyalty to Dumbledore so that I could continue to be of use to our Dark Lord." Severus snapped.

Lucius looked away, "You should get going."

Severus turned back to Hogwarts. He had done what he could protect the students while he was on the castle grounds, casting non-lethal spells and trying to keep the rubble from falling on him, but there was only so much he could do while under the ever-watchful eyes of the other Death Eaters.

He closed his eyes and became one with the night as he flew across the sky in black smoke.

Severus was the only one at the boat house when he arrived. The last time he had been in here, he was seeing Amilia, and now he had no idea where she was or if she was even alive. He listened to the screaming that echoed down the ancient pathway.

He glanced down at the vial and uncorked it, bringing it to his lips, and held his breath as he drank it. He knew his wife would not give him something to kill him. He trusted her completely in this matter. She would do it by her own hand if she wanted him dead.

A whisper-like voice said his name, and Severus quickly pocketed the empty vial and turned to face Voldemort.

Moonlight filled the boat house, accentuating Voldemort's pale skin and glistening against his snake's scales.

"My lord." Severus said quickly.

"Where have you been?"

"I..." Severus hesitated, "needed a moment to collect myself. I had to form friendships with my colleagues for our plans to work for them to believe that I was on Dumbledore's side. Some of them, perhaps, grew on me without my intention."