Light & Dark

August 16th, 1996

"Cissy, are we almost there?" Bellatrix Lestrange screeched at her sister as they made their way down Spinner's End.

"Calm yourself, Bella, we are here! I do not, for the life of me, understand why you insisted on coming in the first place!?" Narcissa hissed back at her sister before knocking on Severus Snape's door.

"Because I don't trust that slimy little friend of yours!" Bella remarked under her breath.

For the first time in many years, Severus did not expect a knock on his door on the 16th of August. Nevertheless, he opened his door graciously for his longtime friend.

When he laid eyes on Narcissa Malfoy, he could tell that with Lucius away, the curse of her wedding bands was taking effect. It had only been a couple of months, but already she looked weak, ill even. He wondered if her magic had started to wane yet; he hoped not.

"Cissy, I didn't expect you here this year…under the circumstances…" He said to her before noticing Bellatrix behind her.

"Trust me," Narcissa groaned, glancing back at Bella, "I almost didn't make it."

"Severus." Bella scoffed.

"Bellatrix." Severus sneered.

They had never been fond of each other, not even in their days at school together; even still, Severus invited them into his home and ordered Wormtail to serve them tea. Once Wormtail, his very much unwelcome house guest, was finished serving them, he ordered him away and silenced the room. He did not trust the rodent not to eavesdrop, and he did not know what conversation was to come from this meeting.

"Why have you two risked coming here today? Surely the Dark Lord, who has taken up residence in your home, Cissy, does not approve of this visit." Severus said, getting straight to the point.

"With Lucius in Azkaban and my own home," she glanced at Bella, making sure to mind her words, "occupied, my options are slim, and… you have always been my most loyal friend and confidant…"

"Cissy, you can't trust him! The Dark Lord himself forbade you to speak of this!" Bellatrix quickly rebuked.

Narcissa continued to speak, ignoring her sister's warning.

"As you know, Draco will be … taking the Mark any day now and… and with that—" Narcissa spoke before being interrupted.

"He inherits a task." Severus offered dryly, finishing her sentence for her.

"What!? You knew! The Dark Lord told you!?" Bellatrix exclaimed in shock.

"The Dark Lord takes it upon himself to inform me of many things…" Severus sneered at Bellatrix.

"Yes, but Severus, he's just a boy!"' Narcissa exclaimed as tears welled up in her eyes. "I need your help, Sev. Draco needs your help! They're so young…"

Severus knew that she was referring to both Draco and Hermione; luckily, Bella hadn't noticed her slip in pronouns.

"Draco should feel honored! He's old enough; he doesn't need any help!" Bellatrix yelled excitedly.

"I will help him in every way possible," Severus vowed, ignoring Bellatrix.

"Thank you, Severus; I knew I could count on you." Narcissa sighed in relief.

"You'll help, eh?" Bellatrix challenged. "Prove it! Make the Unbreakable Vow!"

Narcissa looked from her crazed sister to her best friend, then back to her sister.

"Bella, that is not necessary. I trust Severus with my own life and Draco's." Narcissa quickly replied, stepping between the two.

"I'll do it; take out your wand," Severus spoke up at last.

He knew that Bella wouldn't back down once she'd challenged him; he also needed her to trust him. He knew what this entailed and what he would have to do… this is in Draco's best interest, he told himself.

Narcissa's mind was moving at a million miles a minute, and she did not know what to do. She didn't want her son or her best friend to become murderers or for Dumbledore to die. Narcissa began to panic and, in her panicked state, lost track of the moment. Before she could figure out what to do, she was holding Severus' hand, and Bellatrix was weaving a spell.

"Will you, Severus Snape, watch over Draco Malfoy as he attempts to fulfill the Dark Lord's wishes?" Bella mused connivingly.

"I will," Severus responded.

"And will you, as well as you can, protect him from harm?"

"I will." He said again.

"And if Draco shall fail, will you yourself take over the deed the Dark Lord has ordered Draco to do?"

"I will." He said a final time, as monotone and unwavering as ever.

Bellatrix ended her spell, and Severus and Narcissa let go of each other's hands. Tears trickled down from Narcissa's eyes as reality sunk in.

"Perfect! Well, now, I can see our business is finished here. Come now, Cissy, we're leaving." Bellatrix demanded, proud of what she had done.

"Go without me, Bella," Narcissa said, laying her face in her hands. "I need a moment to collect my thoughts before I return to the Manor."

"Have it your way," Bella responded, nodding her goodbye to the both of them and letting herself out.

Neither Severus nor Narcissa spoke for quite some time after Bellatrix left. They simply sat across from each other in silence: Narcissa with her face in her hands and Severus with his hands on the arms of his chair. Finally, after Narcissa's tears subsided and she felt able to compose herself, she spoke.

"Severus, I am so terribly sorry… No words can express how awful this is, and it's entirely my fault."

"The fault is in both of us. In all of us. It is with the world we live in and the sides we chose in order to survive. That is all we are doing, surviving."

"But will we survive? Will the children? Severus, how can you be so cool and so calm! This is murder we are talking about! Dumbledore is your friend!" she exclaimed, exacerbated.

"I will do it. I will do anything to spare my Draco from that misery, and I know you would, too."

"Yes, I just wish I could spare you from it too…" She said, standing up to leave.

What other options were there other than to leave, she thought. She most certainly couldn't fix this situation. She didn't even think she could make it any better. Any way that I look at this, it is bad, she thought to herself.

Severus stood up as well.

Not knowing what to say, he took Narcissa in his arms and held her tightly. At first, she was tense and solid in his embrace, but after a while, she softened and wrapped her arms around him as well. They held each other for much longer than was acceptable to hold someone other than your spouse, and then some.

Narcissa somehow, some way, felt new and whole in his arms; even in such dark times, he was her light.

She just hoped that Hermione and Draco would be able to comfort each other like this in the upcoming school year. They would need all of the comfort they could get.