A Dark Love

Escape of the Chosen One

It was dark outside and the grounds were cool and dewy when Harry made his getaway. He moved quickly but quietly, heart pounding in his chest. He'd brought only the bare essentials- his wand, the Marauders map, the invisibility cloak and his Sneakascope. He walked briskly across the grounds, not daring to look back at his best and only home because he knew it would be too painful. Hogwarts- the only place where Harry, Snape and Voldemort had ever fit in. Three who were so different yet inextricably similar in their backgrounds. Orphans. Lost boys.. Coming up ahead of him was Hogsmeade, where he would dissaparate. Harry remembered when he, Ron and Hermione had visited it religiously, stuffing themselves with candy from Honeydukes and frequenting the Three Broomsticks for hot, foaming butterbeers. Those times seemed so far away now, almost unreal. Lost in his thoughts Harry did not notice the rustling leaves nearby, nor the faint sounds of breathing, until a silky voice sounded in his ear. "Going somewhere Potter?" Harry jumped with shock as he wheeled around to find Snape leering down at him with a triumphant smirk. "What are you doing here?!" He said loudly, "I might ask you the same question. And while Dumbledore might have tolerated your incessant rule breaking, I most certainly will not. My office Potter. Now." The mention of Dumbledore so calmly, by the very one who had murdered him, made Harry's blood boil. He wanted to kill Snape, here and now. The rage must have showed on his face, for Snape's cold black eyes narrowed. " I see how you feel," he hissed, "Perhaps you'd like me to call the Dark Lord to finish you off here and now!" And he threw back his left sleeve displaying the Dark Mark branded into his flesh. "Go ahead" said Harry brusquely. "I'll kill you both." Snape gave a jeering laugh. "Dont speak of things you don't understand Potter. You know nothing of me or the Dark Lord. Kill us!? It would be highly amusing to watch you try. But it matters little. Your whims are inconsequential Potter. He is gathering strength. I'm afraid 'The Boy who Lived', will be dead soon enough." "I don't care if I die", Harry said in a low voice, shaking with rage, "as long as I kill you first. Everyone knows you did it. I'm surprised you've lasted this long." "I am the headmaster of this school Potter, whether you like it or not." Snapes voice was calm, coldly amused, and his eyes were empty black abysses as usual. "I'm afraid the antics of you and your pathetic little friends fail to inspire much fear for my life." Harry could feel the blood rushing to his face, heart pounding. It was the first time he had spoken face to face with Snape since that night in the Astronomy tower, and suddenly all the memories were rushing back to him. Dumbledores frailty in the end, how he had begged for mercy. The look of disgust in Snape's eyes as he killed him, and the feeble, broken body plummeting to the ground below. Harrys hand was at his robes, withdrawing his wand to finally kill the man who had robbed him of Dumbledore, when Snape's hand shot out to stop him. A rustling noise had sounded nearby, causing Snape to whip around and search the gloom for a source. As the two figures came into visibility, Snape drew himself  out wide, shielding Harry from view. "Alecto and Amycus". He breathed almost imperceptibly into Harry's ear. "This meeting never happened. Disapparate. Now." Prompted by a rough shove from Snape, Harry turned on the spot, picturing number 12 Grimmauld place. As was usual with Apparition, he felt dizzy, seasick. But the turmoil in his stomach was nothing compared to the turmoil of his thoughts. Why? Why had Snape protected him?