If a Great Wave Shall Fall (Severus Snape & Lily Evans)

Chapter Sixteen

Disclaimer: Not Jo

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"Ah, Severus, so good of you to come," Albus said as his apprentice took a seat across from him.

"Not like I had much of a choice, Albus," Severus grumbled. Today the school population was scheduled to go to Hogsmeade, and he had almost been off of Hogwarts' property when Dobby popped beside him and handed him a note, which was from the ludicrous Gryffindor sitting in front of him.

Albus merely smiled, and continued with what he had called the Slytherin up here for, "I think that I have gotten all of the information I can out of dear Bellatrix and Lucius; I'll apparate them to the outskirts of Malfoy Manor, and then you'll apparate to Tom a little after, alerting him that I have released his Death Eaters."

Severus blinked slowly at the headmaster and asked, "Is that why you brought me up here, Albus? Could it not have waited until tomorrow?"

"No," he replied cheerfully, "because I'm doing it right now." He smiled and reached across the desk; he grabbed Severus's wrist and apparated away with him before he could protest.

"Albus," Severus growled in warning when they reappeared in the dungeons. "I swear I'll kill you one of these days, especially if you keep doing idiotic things like that."

Pretending to be hurt, Albus said, "Now, now, Severus, I don't think that that is a road that you wish to go down."

Severus didn't want to respond to that; he had already gone down that road when he took the Mark, so he settled with glaring at Albus with all his might.

"Now, I'll take them, and then I will apparate back here and then you'll apparate there – just like I've taught you – and tell Tom that I no longer have Mrs. Lestrange or Mr. Malfoy." Albus said, walking towards the cell in which he had been keeping the Death Eaters (Severus had been surprised to find out that Hogwarts actually had cells).

"Albus," Severus said, stopping the headmaster just in front of the door, he had just sensed through his connection with the wards around Hogwarts that a student was lurking around the corner; he didn't know who it was. Judging by the look on the Headmaster's face, he had too; motioning for him to hide, Severus quickly disillusioned himself and stood against the other wall, so he could watch Albus handle the student. It was most likely a younger one, because they were in the castle, instead of at Hogsmeade.

"Good evening, Miss Dupont – whatever is the matter dear?" Albus's voice changed from jovial to concern in two seconds flat. Even though he couldn't see her face clearly, Severus could easily tell that the young girl was very tearful, and judging by the colour of her robes she was a Slytherin.

"Wonder what's got her so shaken up..." Severus thought to himself; he had left it up to Rosier to take the little first years back to the common room, so he wasn't very well acquainted with the younger snakes.

"They –hic- have my –hic- mummy!" She sobbed, launching herself at the headmaster, allowing Severus to clearly see her face, and when he did, he recognized her in a flash.

Grasping the wall for support, Severus identified her as the little Muggle-born girl that had gasped when had opened the barrier in the Leaky Cauldron. He quickly took the charm off of himself and walked over to the headmaster, who was unsuccessfully trying to more answers out of the hysterical girl. He knelt next to her and laid a hesitant hand on her shoulder and asked softly, "Do you think that you can answer Professor Dumbledore, Miss Dupont?"

She looked startled to see him there, especially since she hadn't heard anyone coming; she slowly unlatched herself from the headmaster and looked down at her feet, ashamed. She recognized the older boy to be in her house, and now he would go around telling the rest of them that she had been crying into the headmaster's robes, but she was pleasantly surprised when he lifted her chin with a long finger and asked, "Tell me – who took your mummy?"