Muggle // Severus Snape

78. Diadem

"I'm sorry Avalon." Minerva remarked. "You have been such a help with the classes and... I'm sorry I pushed you away. I know you are innocent in all this but you must understand that-"

"I know. But if you knew the whole story-" Avalon countered. 

"Severus wouldnt tell me the whole story even if his life depended on it." Minerva countered. Avalon's lips twisted knowing that was true. 

"It's to protect us. Albus knew that. He trusted Severus." 

"He killed Albus." minerva corrected. 

"Only because Albus begged him to!" Avalon corrected. "Severus hated doing it but ALbus knew he needed to die for everyone else to succeed." Avalon begged her to understand but Minerva shook her head. 

"I dont have to like your husband to be your friend." Minerva went on. "I hope you will forgive me."

"I..." Avalon sighed, she knew she needed friends she could trust and that was minerva but she hated that she couldnt see that Severus was good, he was just trying to save everyone and that was hard. 

"Voldemort had me. He wanted me dead. Then he wanted me as a plaything." Avalon informed her instead. Minerva's jaw dropped as she reached out for Avalon's hand. "Lucius and Severus saved me. Severus is not a monster. He just wants to protect his family...." Avalon knew she shouldnt say more in case prying ears were listening so she silenced herself not wanting to get Severus in trouble. "Please just believe me." 

"I dont know that I can." minerva countered. "Not after Albus." 

"You loved him?" Avalon realized. Minerva's face turned down. "I love Severus. I hate that the world sees him this way but he isnt the monster here."

Harry, Ron and Hermione all jumped off the dragon into the water as Harry resurfaced his mind played through each of the horcruxes. The ring, the diary, the necklace... He connected with Voldemort's mind once again as they swam to shore.

'He knows.' Harry told them 'he knows we broke into Gringots and he knows what we took and he knows-''

''How?''

''You let him in? You can't do that!' hermione reminded him as if Harry had control over it. 

''I can't always control it.' harry told her sternly.

''What happened?''

''Well he's angry and scared too, he knows if we find all the horcruxes that we can kill him but there's more one of them is at Hogwarts.' Harry told him

'You saw it?'

'We have to go to Hogwarts it has something to do with Ravenclaw.' Harry told them.

'Well there's a problem Snape is headmaster we can't just walk through the front door.'

"Oh I'm sorry, I'm always getting lost- you are a ghost." Avalon realized. 

"Hello my dear, I am Rowena Ravenclaw." she answered. 

"The... THE Rowena Ravenclaw?" Avalon questioned. "You founded the-"

"Yes." She agreed. "Whats wrong my dear?" 

"I'm... I'm scared." Avalon admitted. "I went for a walk to clear my mind and I got lost I always do." Avalon added. 

"You are scared of what?" 

"Voldemort." Avalon answered confidently. "I'm scared of what he will do, I want to kill him. I'm not a violent person but all the pain he caused, I want him dead. I want to stop him but I... dont know how." Rowena cocked her head staring back down at Avalon. 

"I know what you seek." Rowena decided. 

"You do? A magical weapon to defeat him? But he has split his soul into like... seven pieces I think thats what severus said and- God, why are people that evil allowed to live on?" Avalon demanded. 

"I know what you seek and what you require." she remarked. "It was once mine you see but I havent worn it in ages."

"What is it?"

"Hidden in the place you require. Something you require, to defeat the darkness." She repeated before disappearing into her portrait. Avalon stared back at the picture and noticed how the Diadem sparkled. 

"Require? Where? What? What do I... oh... Shoot come back I dont know how to get there!" Avalon begged. she ran back to their chambers took many wrong turns before she finally got there. "Severus we need to destroy Rowena Ravenclaws Diadem."   Severus blinked back at her confused. 

"What?"

"I spoke with her, the ghost her and she said its in a place I require! The room of requirement! I cant find it on my own. She said it would help, come on, we have to go!" Avalon demanded pulling him up. "This is one step closer to getting out lives back." 

Severus moved to the room of requirement and begged it to work. It was a mess when they opened it up. 

"She did say it was hidden." Avalon admitted. 

"Then lets get to work." Severus agreed. 

They spent hours searching through the piles of junk it seemed hopeless, they were about ready to give up for the night, the kids were fast asleep and Avalon's tired dry eyes were beginning to turn double vision. 

"Sevy, another minute and i'm going crash." Avalon realized. 

"Alright." Severus agreed, bumping into a box, it tumbled over four more boxes, Avalon shrieked jumping back as they collided before her. "AVALON!"

"I'm okay." She assured. "We are going to get trapped in here." She realized. "Which way to the- SEVERUS!" She shouted climbing on the fallen boxes. "I see something sparkly!" 

"Avalon be careful!" Severus demanded but Avalon held it up proudly. 

"This is it right?" Avalon questioned.

"Get down here." Severus countered reaching a hand out for her. She handed it to him hopefully. "This is it." Severus agreed. "Now all we have to do is destroy it."

"One less piece of him lingering." Avalon agreed happily. 

They watched as they diadem turned to ash before them. Avalon hoped losing a piece of him hurt like hell. Burned and seared through him. Avalon looked to Severus, feeling victorious.