-109-
The sound of my fast foot steps echoes around the castle as I'm running Muffin in my arms. This can't be real!!! Few of the students that happens to be walking along the corridors looks confused when they see me. "Professor..?" one of the Gryffindor students asks, but for vain. Part of their school robe gently whooshes when I run past them. Don't tell me the person who robbed the grave is..- Finally, I get to the Headmaster's Office, ready to yell out Severus's name and tell him the horrifying sight I've just witnessed, when suddenly I freeze to the doorway as soon as I notice how both of the twins are standing there with Headmaster. Looks like I interrupt their meeting some sort. Snape is the first one to raise his head to see me, soon followed by the twins turning their heads.
As best as I can, I try to keep settle down the breath - like I wouldn't have just ran all from the shore all the way up here with the niffler in my hands. But it's pretty impossible right now... An awful smirk appears on Alecto's face:"Oh, running late from warming up Headmaster's bed, are we?". Amycus does his everything not to make any kind of face of enjoyment of his sister's comment when Snape is right there. After all, he'd like to keep his other healthy knee in its place. Looks like he has learned his lesson - for now. I purse my lips and inhale thru the nose from saying anything back that I might regret afterwards. Muffin on the other hand does this little sound that reminds some sort of growling as she's staring at the twins. Even her soft baby fur goes up like cat's when they hiss at someone. "I need to speak to the Headmaster alone. It's urgent." I dare to demand with stern glare.
The look on Snape's face won't budge as he keeps those dark eyes on me the whole time across the room. Alecto sneers:"Whatever you haveto say, you can say it to u..-", "Think you need to leave me with Miss (Y/L)... Alone." Headmaster finally speaks smoothly, not taking the gaze away from me. Almost like he read my mind whatever I haveto say can not wait. Both of the twins turn to look at Snape in slight disbelieve. But before they can say anything, he narrows his eyes on them:"Now.". Pretty quickly after that, they both leave the room while gritting their teeth. I try not to look too happy about it. We stay quiet a moment longer after they left, just to be sure. Then, I turn my focus back to the man in front of me who's standing near the desk. Muffin has calmed down as well.
It always takes a while before Severus can fully relax himself after keeping the walls high up the whole day, so the look on his face won't change much when he speaks:"Your urgency?". "Ah..-! That..- Yes." my thoughts managed to escape there for a moment. But right after putting the niffler down, it all came back to me:"The..-! Someone has violated Albus's grave!". There is no change in his face expression after I said that. Like he already knew about it. The lack of emotion baffles me:"D-did you hear what I just said?". His gaze shifts away from me as he walks closer to the window:"Yes.". Shooking my head here:"No. I-I think you didn't, Sev. Someone has actually broke Dumbledore's tomb. I-I saw it!". Then I start telling him all about how I came across this. He keeps quiet the whole time. Not making any eye contact with me. Almost like every word I say hurts him somewhere in the deep, even he tries to act like this calm and collected person.
The more I talk, the more I began to ramble while the panic increases inside me:"The pieces of the tomb has been scattered all around the land..-", "(Y/N)..." Severus's voice sounds like a whisper. But at this point the panic has consumed me and has basically made me deaf, so I keep going:"I couldn't find Hagrid anywhere. And Luna is missing too..-", "(Y/N)." he gritted his teeth. My mind is a mess:"... and worst of all - the Elder Wand wasn't there anymore!", "(Y/N)." he suddenly rumbled strongly which made me flinch a bit. Like his voice snapped me out of it. Muffin also pauses as she was trying to fit some of the valuables inside the pouch. The room is silent as we stare each other for a moment. Then, he calmly says:"I'm asking you... Not to bring this up again.". What?
There's confusion written all over my face:"What you mean?". No answer. Frowning more sternly at him:"Sev, you can't be serious... A student is missing..- Dumbledore's wand has been stolen. Don't tell me that Voldem..-", faster than the wind, Severus quickly whooshes up to me, covers my mouth with his left hand while the right hand grabs tightly around the side of my arm. Huh?! Underneath the sleeve, he can feel this slight, yet sharp pain. But the stone cold look on his face won't budge:"Thought I ordered you to keep low profile.". Severus. It won't matter if I wanted to say anything to that, he keeps the hand over my mouth. The only thing that I can do now is to flicker my eyes between his. At first I couldn't put a finger on what the look on his face was telling me, but then it hit me... It's fear. He's... Afraid.
Those black eyes turns from the cold into sad ones. Then, he slowly takes the hand away from my mouth and gently caresses my cheek back of his fingers:"I have given you a simple task: Do keep the low profile, and don't speak to anyone about this.". Before I can protest, he continues with soft and gentle tone:"I'm begging you. ...I can not loose you.". Severus... His words warmed and shattered my heart at the same time. I want to tell him he's not going to loose me. I can fight. Protect myself. Whatever might happen in the future, I'll always be there for him. Beside him. Till the end of time. "Sev..-" I start, but he's quick to walk away from me, feeling the pain in his heart. When he walked away, it made me feel the cold breeze running right past me.
Muffin then runs up to me and I kneel down to pick her up. But when I raise myself back up, I look straight at him:"Severus.". No answer. He keeps on walking, climbing up the few stairs while the long cape trails behind. "Sev." my tone gets more stern and he stops - but won't turn around. I press the niffler closer to my chest without taking the eyes off the man. I want to be there for him. No matter how hard things might get. "You're not alone in this. Not anymore." I tell him with soft, yet determined tone. Severus shuts his eyes for a moment. Then, slowly opens them while keeping his gaze somewhere on the floor:"Do as I say.". There are lot of things I wish to say to him... Argue with him. Make him understand. But... I ended up giving a nod and left the office.
While sitting behind the desk after the classes were over the next day, I can't help but rest my elbows on the wooden surface and rub my temples. All of this feels out of body experience. Voldemort has stolen the Elder Wand to himself. This is bad! Like - really, really bad. The most feared wizard has the greatest wizard's wand in his hands. How in the world are we going to compete with that? The fact we don't even know where Harry and his friends are at the moment and if they've been able to destroy more Horcruxes stresses me out big time. I just can't stay here in the castle and do nothing! But... 'Do as I say.' Severus's words echoes in my head like a broken record player. Urgh... This inner battle between doing as Severus wishes me to do vs actually going out there and help is really taking the toll on me.
All of the horrifying things Voldemort is able to do now that he has the wand... All that power he has because of it. The wand... My thoughts began running, thinking about the real power and its true master. Wait a min..- "AAHH!!" young girl's squeal echoes somewhere in the castle's hallways, immediately making my head snap up towards the doorway of the classroom. Huh?! For a moment I stay still, wondering if I was just imagining the scream. "I CAN'T..-!!!" another girl's scream yet again echoes. Don't tell me..!! That's when I shoot up from my seat, making the chair fall down to the floor, and run towards the sound, fearing the worst that one of the Carrows has done something to a student.
As fast as I can, I run behind the corner the cries are coming from. "What's happening?!" I pant worried other side of the hallway. There are girls from all houses, all ages, gathered around in a tight circle. There are at least eight of them. And for my big surprise, they all have big smiles on their faces. What the..? "It's so cute ~!!" one of the girls in Hufflepuff robes keeps chanting. "Wonder who it belongs to?" other one in Ravenclaw robes asks. "Don't know. But it's really well behaved!" a girl in Slytherin robes smiles. "Does it have a collar or anything?" a Gryffindor raise a brow. All baffled by this, I approach the group of gushing girls:"Uh...". One of the girls notices me and smiles big:"Professor (Y/L)!! Come look what we just found wandering in the castle!".
That's when rest of the girls takes a step aside for me to see what they've been all giddy about. At first I thought it might be some cute little beast that has happened to lost in the castle from Hagrid's Hut. But... Wh..-?! My eyes widens and jaw's about to drop to the floor out of shock and confusion when I see the creature. A black dog that reminds of German shepherd. Patiently sitting on the floor as some of the girls are petting him on top of its head and scratching under its chin. Right away, the dog sees me and starts waving its tail a lot more than before. All of the girls gasps, eyes sparkling and they turn to me. "Woah! Professor, do you know this dog or who it belongs to?" the Gryffindor asks. The Ravenclaw notices the stunned look on my face and tilts her head:"Professor?". There are no words coming out of my mouth as my eyes are glued on the dog. WHAT THE HELL?!?! SIRIUS?!?!