Cast Aside

Early Morning Offers and Aggravating Arguments

As promised, here is the next chapter. I sometimes have time to write, there's about half of another done so, here's hoping its done soon. I apologize for any mistakes. I didn't take the extra time to listen to this for a 13th time before posting. 

Chapter 34

Severus woke in a cold sweat. Something was wrong. Breathing deeply and reaching out with his magic, he checked the wards.

They had been penetrated. The fear of discovery that had dogged his every step for weeks came upon him in a rush. It was exactly like the other Death Eaters to attack in the dead of night. He might have been caught off guard in his sleep. Thankfully, he had better wards than that.

Throwing the covers back, he slid from bed, snatched up his wand and crossed to the door. Spinners End was old and poorly built to start. As such, the floors creaked with every step. No amount of silencing charms could stop the house from noticing your presence. For perhaps the first time in his life, Severus was thankful for it.

He peered out into the hall, allowing his dark-adjusted eyes to see through the gloom without the giveaway of a lumos. Nothing. Not wanting to make any noise, he waited in the shadows, a stupify on the tip of his tongue.

A blonde head, illuminated by the moonlight pouring in from the front window, rose slowly up the stairs. The floorboards complained with every delicate step. Squinting, Severus thought he could just make out the irritation on his face.

Heart pounding, body tensing for a fight with his friend, he stepped out further on the landing. "Lucius."

The blonde froze in his tracks, wand raised. "These bloody stairs. Honestly, Severus. I had no idea you still lived in such a hovel."

Scoffing, Severus took two steps closer. "Posh git. What are you doing here?"

Lucius eyed the wand pointed at his chest and sighed, slowly lowering his own. "We need to talk."

Mirroring his friend, Severus relaxed minutely. "It's the middle of the night. What could be so important that you would break into my, 'hovel' at..." He cast a tempus. "Three in the morning?"

Lucius glanced around the hall, opened his mouth to speak, thought better of it, and sighed. "I know you are working with the Prewetts. I recognized the patronus this afternoon as belonging to one of the twins."

Bloody buggering hell. He should never have been so stupid as to receive it at the manor. He should have left. It had been an error born of laziness and now at least one other Death Eater knew his secret.

They were alone... for the moment. Surely it had to mean something that Lucius had come alone. Didn't it?

"As I told the Dark Lord: I approached them to learn about their hats." It was a weak attempt.

"You told the Dark Lord they rebuffed you." Lucius arched a condescending brow. "Did you lie to his face, Severus? Your occlumency must be strong indeed."

"Perhaps I am spying for our master. I can be persuasive, Lucius. I went back to them. I convinced them I could help their cause."

"No..." Lucius shook his head slightly. "My dear sister-in-law was present for your... conversation with the Dark Lord. How do you think everyone knows? She was rather clear about his fury that you'd even try such a thing."

Severus tsk'd in annoyance, allowing his hatred of Bellatrix to outweigh his rising panic. "Loudmouth bitch."

"Yes, she does tend to go on about her victims. Very ill-mannered of her." Not even the gloom of the hall could conceal the other man's disdain for their Dark Lord's paramour. "But Severus, there is also the matter of the item, the item very dark indeed and belonging to our master that you took from my office."