Trial & Error

Stay Away

Chapter Two: Stay Away

Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape sat in Minerva's quarters discussing their plans until late into the afternoon. A house elf brought them food when it became apparent that they would not be attending in the Great Hall. At ten that night, Minerva looked up to the clock as she stifled a yawn. Her eyes widened in shock. "Severus! Its already..." She turned to face him, stopping when she realized how close they were. "Its ten o'clock Severus, why don't you head to your quarters and I'll start on my part of the plan." She continued quietly.

"S'alright." He protested drowsily. "I'm awake, we'll start out the plan together like we said we would." Covering a rather large yawn, Severus stood up and stretched. "C'mon, let's get this plan in motion." He reached down to Minerva and helped her to her feet.

Without letting go of her hand, he pulled her closer. "You may want to fix your hair." He smirked. "Unless you want him to get the wrong idea."

Minerva smirked back in return. "Wouldn't believe it anyway. Everyone thinks I see you as a son." Minerva stifled her own yawn, her eyes widening slightly at the possible implications of what she had just said.

Severus, seeing the woman before him's eyes widen, smirked before pulling her closer. Whispering in her ear, he made sure to use his raspiest voice. "Wouldn't want that, now would we? Not when you yourself see me as nothing but a son." The smirk fell off of Severus' face when he heard the slight hurt in his own tone. What the bloody hell.

Minerva leaned farther into his chest as he tried to pull away. "I see you as so much more than a son, Severus." She mumbled against him. "Can't let anyone know that though, now, can we?"

Severus unconsciously tightened his arms around Minerva with a sharp gasp. He then thrusted her back to arms length and looked her in the eyes. Before either could say, do, or see anything, he turned away. "Fix your hair and let's go." He told himself that his voice wasn't strained, but even he didn't believe it.

Minerva shook her hair out and pulled it into her customary bun within twenty seconds. She opened the door and walked out silently, not showing that she knew Severus was following. They made their way to the Headmaster's office in complete silence. Once there, Severus spoke the password quietly, then motioned Minerva ahead in a small act of chivalry. Minerva led the way to the top of the steps then through the door without knocking. The sight that met them had both mentally guffawing, though only showing a raised eyebrow a piece.

Albus was sitting in his desk chair, drooling onto his scrolls. He was sitting upright but fast asleep. Minerva turned to Severus and mouthed 'so glad I didn't knock'. Severus chuckled and nodded. 'How should we wake him?' Severus sent her a Cheshire grin and whispered in her ear. Minerva returned the grin and then they began.

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Albus Dumbledore woke to a bright light. Thinking he had merely slept through the night and into the morning, he sat up and stretched slowly, freezing upon the sight held before him. His two favorite colleagues were hanging from the ceiling in front of him, slaughtered. He then surveyed the rest of the room. The paintings were blasted apart, every last one of them. The trinkets in his room were dust, and his room was ransacked. Someone had even managed to pull everything from his desk while he was sleeping.

Shooting an apologetic half-glance at his friends, he began searching for a certain piece of parchment. Upon not finding it twenty minutes later, Albus drew his wand in an arch and all of the papers flew into piles on his desk. He then began another search through the same papers. After another hour and six searches, he slumped to the ground. Looking up into the blank stares of the two people he trusted most, he began crying softly. He hadn't cried since Ariana died. "I'm so sorry my friends. Whoever did this to you will be nearly unstoppable, but I promise to exact your revenge."

When he let out the last word as a strangled sob, the enchantments broke and everything in the office went back to the way it was before. Severus Snape and Minerva McGonagall were standing before him. Severus held a piece of parchment, and Minerva was scowling to match some of Severus' worst. When he saw the looks on their faces and the parchment Severus held, the elderly man began openly sobbing. Severus stepped forward, but Minerva's hand on his arm stopped him. She looked down at the sobbing form with no pity in her emerald eyes. "We were just going to make it look ransacked, but when we found this parchment..." Her anger overpowered her at that point and she could no longer speak.

"My dear..." Albus began before Severus cut him off. "She is NOT your anything!" He whispered savagely as he pulled her to his side in a protective manner. Minerva looked up at him with a raised brow, and Severus Snape cleared his throat and nodded back at the Headmaster, though his eyes never left hers. She nodded almost imperceptibly and leaned into him just a bit more.

"We will be leaving, returning only when term requires it. We reserve the right to do what we wish, and you hold no authority over us. You will not question us in any eay." Here, Severus leaned forward, pushing Minerva slightly behind him. His voice became nothing more than a growl. "And stay away from her."