Come Back to Me (Don't Save Me Book 3)

Chapter 87: It's Begun

It was finally time for Harry to return to Hogwarts and several members of the Order were escorting him to Hogwarts for safety, while Minerva and Albus would be escorting me. A sense of dread was settling in my stomach as Minerva and Albus arrived to pick me up. Sirius was standing in the doorway as Albus cast a charm over my trunk and it began floating. I turned back to face him and he smiled softly at me.

"Take care of yourself, Pads... please."

"Don't I always?"

"You know what I mean, Sirius. Don't do anything stupid, please."

He placed a hand over his heart. "You wound me, pup."

"Oh, please," I chuckled, rolling my eyes playfully. "Just be safe, Sirius. Don't do anything I wouldn't do... and definitely don't do anything I would do."

He laughed, moving down the hallway and scooping me into a hug. "You take care of yourself, too, pup."

I nodded before Minerva, Albus, and I left Grimmauld Place, trying to ignore the pit in my stomach and the sense that I may not be coming back to this place.

***

The first day after the holiday moved smoothly apart from Umbridge's constant hovering over every move I made, though this was to be expected. I wish that was all I had to worry about this year, but it appeared fate had other plans. I was sitting In Severus's office when a clawing sound at the door caught our attention. Severus raised his wand and a rat scurried under the door.

Shit. It was Pettigrew.

The rat moved toward us, quickly transforming himself into a human.

"Are you out of your mind?" Severus hissed to Peter. "Showing up here!"

"I-I'm sorry, Severus... but the Dark Lord is growing desperate. I'm to warn Miss Y/n what will happen if she does not return to her father's side."

"And what is that?" I hissed, though I already knew the answer.

"I-I'm being ordered to kill Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger if you do not present yourself to Malfoy Manor in 2 days time."

My eyes widened as he spoke. Hearing him speak their names with the promise of what was to come sent chills running down my spine. I thought we had more time.

"I'm a professor, Wormtail," I hissed, trying to keep my composure. "I cannot just abandon my students because my father is a needy bastard!"

"I-I'm sorry, Y/n... that is the message I was to deliver."

With that he returns to his rat form, scurrying under the door as I turn to Severus.

"I thought we had until the end of the year," I whispered, my voice cracking with the weight of the reality of our situation. Severus was looking at me but his gaze seemed far away, his eyes lost in thought.

"Sev?" I murmured. He snapped out of the trance and looked down at me.

"What do you want to do, my love?"

"I-I don't know," I answered, tears slipping down my cheeks as his thumb gently brushed them away. "I-I can't... I- I don't want anyone to get hurt." I could feel my legs growing weak as I clutched onto Severus.

"I thought we had more time," I whispered once again. Severus pressed his lips to the top of my head.

"It appears not, my love."

Sobs racked my body as my knees finally gave out and I collapsed against him. Cries escaped my lips as Severus gently lifted me into his arms and carried me to his office, gently sitting down on a sofa with me on his lap. He waved his wand and I could hear a quill scrawling a message before it was sent away with a flick of his wrist.