The Potions Master and the Ravenclaw

The Sacking of Severus Snape

A/N:  I hope you all like my twist on the events leading up to the Battle of Hogwarts.  Let me know what you think!  I live for your comments!  Love you all!

...

Snape wiped the tear from his cheek and strode swiftly away from the secret passageway to Hogsmeade. 

Watching Madeline walk away from him for what could be the last time had been excruciating, but now he must focus.  Now was not the time for weakness.  Distraction and emotion could get them all killed, and he fully intended to survive by any means necessary.

He and Dumbledore had strategized in preparation for this moment for months - years, really - and now was the time to implement their plan. He walked faster, intent on his purpose.

Just as he reached the staircase, he heard heavy footsteps approaching.  He drew his wand and spun, ready to fight as the Carrows rounded the corner, panting and red-faced.

"Headmaster, Potter is here! Here in the castle!" Amycus gasped.

Snape's blood ran cold as he lowered his wand.  Panic rose briefly in his chest, but he pushed it down, his face expressionless and pallid in the dim light.

"Are you certain?" he asked coldly.

"Yeah," replied Alecto, her ruddy face glowing with blood lust.  "He's here, alright."

Snape frowned. 

"Then what the hell are you doing standing here?" he barked in an imperious tone. "Go get the boy, for fuck's sake.  You're wasting time!  And remember.  Our orders are to capture the boy unharmed.  The Dark Lord must be the one to kill him. And for the love of Merlin, be sure it's actually Potter before you summon our master. If you are mistaken, he'll kill us all."

The brother and sister bristled at the reprimand, but turned and ran back in the direction from which they had come.  When he was certain they had gone, he set off behind them.  He must find Potter first.  The Carrows were too bloodthirsty and reckless to be trusted not to kill the boy.  He couldn't let that happen.  He must depend upon the fact that the Death Eater siblings were clumsy and stupid, and Potter was wily and clever.  And he had Granger on his side. Snape would surely find him before the Carrows.  He had to tell him the truth – the whole truth -   and he had even less time than he'd bargained for.  But he would succeed.  He had to.

For Madeline.

But where could Potter be? The bloody castle was huge.  The little blighter could be anywhere, and he had that fucking invisibility cloak!  That would complicate matters even further. 

There was one thing that could be counted upon, however.  One thing in Snape's favor. 

Chaos. 

Chaos followed Harry Potter everywhere he went, and that would be the thing that would help Snape find him.  Find the chaos, and he would find Potter.

With this comforting thought in mind, he broke into a run, his black robes billowing in his wake.

...

Minerva McGonagall was hurrying down the stairs from Ravenclaw tower, her three bespectacled tabby cat patronuses lighting her way.

She was still in shock.  The very recent memory of Harry Potter casting the cruciatus curse on Amycus Carrow was fresh in her mind.  That brave, brave boy!  A lump formed in her throat at the thought of the lad defending her so fiercely. 

McGonagall had bound Amycus and his repulsive sister, Alecto, in magical ropes and strung them up from the ceiling in a silver net. She'd left Harry Potter and Luna Lovegood to guard him while she ran to fetch Filius Flitwick in hopes that he could provide information regarding the lost diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw.  Minerva didn't know why Potter sought ancient relic, but she knew there was no time for questions.