The Potion Mistress & the Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 19: In Noctem...

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OC (Katherine) is entirely my own.

Time itself seemed to freeze, as Severus watched the green light erupt from the tip of his wand and hit the headmaster in the chest. He saw the twinkling light of Albus' blue eyes disappear and his limp corpse fall backwards over the railing of the tower, and out of sight.

Severus turned back to grab Katherine and Draco, but froze, momentarily, at the sight of Katherine's state. She looked as through someone had immobilized her. Her light ice blue eyes were now dark and unfocused. Her lips pursed into the thinness line that Severus had ever seen. And her right hand, that she had grabbed him with earlier, was now painfully digging into his left shoulder.

Bellatrix laughed wickedly as the Carrows and Fenrir gathered around her at the edge of the tower. Draco hovered close behind his godmother, a worried expression on his pale face.

"MORSMORDRE!" the dark witch yelled gleefully, and a green light burst forth from her wand and into the night sky. The Dark Mark formed in the blacken heavens, hovering over the tower.

"Katherine?" Severus asked hesitantly. Slowly, Katherine blinked; her eyes lightened and she shook her head slightly before turning her gazes up at him. "We need to leave. Now."

Katherine only nodded in response, before turning around and grabbing Draco by the shoulder. Severus led the way down the winding stairs, with Katherine and Draco following silently behind him. Bellatrix cackled gleefully as the Carrows and Fenrir came down the stairwell behind her.

"Wait! Where's Amycus?" Alecto voiced, as the remaining six reached the main hall, they were stopped by the battle that was still raging on.

"Who cares," Bellatrix hissed. "We must return to the Dark Lord." Severus forced his way through the crowd, practically dragging Draco along side him. Katherine silently cast a shield charm around them, as the curses and hexes fired off continually.

"IT'S OVER!" Severus shouted over the deafening noise. "TIME TO GO!" The three turned the corner sharply and made their way onto the lawns of Hogwarts.

For being June, the night was cold and damp. Severus now had pushed Draco in front of him, and Katherine had fallen instep with him quickly. Bellatrix was still cackling behind them, and Severus saw Katherine roll her eyes, before quickly looking back to retort at the dark witch. But she froze as she glanced back.

"I think we lost some of the others," Katherine stated, still looking back towards the castle.

"What?" Severus asked, as he stopped and looked back as well. "Where are the Carrows and Fenrir?" Severus growled at Bellatrix, who was following behind them.

"I'm sure they'll be along soon enough," Bellatrix laughed as she ran past them, and headed towards Hagrid's hut. "Hagrid! Yoo-hoo! Hagrid!" She taunted as she flicked her wand towards the small hut, and set it ablaze.

"You rather enjoy that spell lately, don't you?" Katherine sneered, as her and Severus hurriedly continued down the path. Suddenly a red light shot between their heads, missing them only by inches.

"SNAPE!" a voice shouted. "HE TRUSTED YOU!" Severus and Katherine stopped and turned back once more. There, running after them, was no other than Potter.

"Shit," Severus muttered. "Get Draco out of here." He ordered Katherine. Katherine growled in return, but did as she was told; turning back and moving Draco farther into the trees. But instead of taking Draco to the apparation point, she stopped him just inside the tree line.