Chapter 27
The words hit you like a physical force.
You stagger back, your hands trembling wildly. Your gaze darted to Severus. His face was completely still, his fingers curling into a tight fist at his side.
Dumbledore exhaled slowly, his expression heavy with unspoken grief. “As I feared.”
You swallow hard.
“Sacrifice?” You ask, your voice hardly above a whisper. “What does it mean?? Who–who has to…?” You trail off, unable to verbalize the end of that sentence.
“The curse binds Nova to Voldemort,” Severus said, his voice quiet but edged with something dangerous. “To break it, the curse must accept another in her place. A willing replacement.”
The words settled in the air like a death sentence.
Silence stretched between the three of you.
“No.” You answered flatly, shaking your head violently. “There has to be another way. We–there has to be something else.”
Dumbledore reached out, his hand settling gently on yours. “Magic of this depth, of this darkness, rarely allows for loopholes.”
Your breath begins to come in short, panicked bursts. “Then one of us…” You turn to Severus, your voice breaking. “One of us would have to–?”
Severus’ jaw was set, his eyes burning with silent resolve. “I will.”
“No.” You snap immediately, tears welling in your eyes, blurring your vision. “You can’t.”
“I will not allow our daughter to be shackled to him.” Severus said, his voice dangerously even and calm. “If it must be someone, it will be me.”
Dumbledore closed his eyes for a long moment. “Severus–”
“It will be me.” Severus repeated.
The book before you shuddered again, as if in response. A single line at the bottom of the page flickered into existence, the ink bleeding onto the parchment as though the book itself had been waiting for this decision.
Once the vow is made, there is no turning back.
The magic stirred in the air, as though something unseen had just begun to take notice.
You reach for Severus’ hand, holding it tightly, your heart pounding against your ribs.
You had an answer.
But at what cost?
It was silent as you followed Dumbledore back through the shelves of books, as though the magic itself knew what had occurred. The library doors groaned shut behind you with a resounding boom, locking away the ancient knowledge you had uncovered.
The three of you stood in the dim torchlight of the lower corridors, the silence between you thick with unspoken grief.
Dumbledore’s usually bright eyes were clouded with something unreadable. He turned to you and Severus, his voice softer than usual.
“There is still time,” he said, though the words felt hollow. “The path is set only once it is walked. You are not without choice.”
Severus’ face was impassive, but you could feel the tension in his body, echoing down the bond. He had already made his choice.
“Time is a luxury we may not have,” Severus said stiffly. “We must act before The Dark Lord awakens his powers and discovers what we are attempting.”
Dumbledore nodded slowly. “I will do what I can to uncover alternatives.” He hesitated, as if weighing whether to say more. “You should both rest. You will need your strength.”
The thought of resting was laughable.
You could barely breathe through the tightness in your chest, let alone imagine sleep. But you only nodded numbly as Dumbledore turned and strode down the dark corridor, his robes sweeping behind him, leaving you alone with Severus in the dim candlelight.
You felt Severus shift beside you, his presence a dark, steady force. He had barely looked at you since reading the book.
When you at last spoke, you could hardly do more than whisper.
“We need to talk.”
Severus hesitated. Then, with a stiff nod, he led you toward the nearest hidden passageway, one that led directly to the dungeons near the potion’s classroom. Neither of you spoke as you walked, your footsteps echoing off the cold stone walls.
The castle, once a place of warmth and magic, now felt like a cage closing in around you.
By the time you reached the classroom, you could hardly contain the emotions clawing at your throat. The moment the door shut behind you, you turned to Severus, your hands clenched into tight fists at your sides.
“You can’t do this.” You breathed.
Severus exhaled sharply and pinched the bridge of his nose, as if trying to stave off a headache. “Y/N–”
“No,” you cut him off, your voice shaking. “You don’t get to just decide this. You don’t get to make this choice alone.”
He finally met your gaze, his dark eyes burning with something you couldn’t quite place. “It is my choice to make.” He stated flatly.
“No, it’s not.” you shot back. “Because if you do this, you’re not the only one who loses. Nova loses her father. I lose–” Your voice broke, and you turned your back to Severus, pressing your trembling hands against your face. “I lose you.”
Severus remained still, his silence suffocating you.
Finally, he said, “If it means Nova is free, then it is a price I will pay.”
His voice was quiet.
Steady.
Final.
You spun back to face him, your anger bubbling beneath your grief. “And what about me?” You demanded. “What happens to me when you’re gone? What happens to Nova when she grows up without you? She loves you, Severus. Do you really think she’d want this?”
His jaw tightened. He looked away. “She would be far better off without a father who cursed her before she was ever even born.”
“Don’t,” You snapped. “Don’t you dare act like this is some kind of atonement. You didn’t choose this curse, Severus. You didn’t ask for this. You have nothing to make up for.”
Silence stretched between you, heavy and unbearable.
Severus finally turned back to face you, his expression unreadable. When he finally spoke, his voice was hoarse and thick. “And if there is no other way?”
You swallowed hard, blinking back the tears burning in your eyes. “We keep looking. We don’t just give up and accept this.”
His eyes flickered with something–hesitation, doubt. But only for a moment.
“You don’t understand,” he murmured, slowly crossing the room and taking one of your hands in his, kneeling before you. “I cannot allow her to suffer. I will not.”
“And I will not lose you.” You whisper, dropping to your knees as well, cupping his cheek with your free hand. “I won’t let you do this alone.”
He searched your face for a long moment, his walls finally cracking, just enough for you to see his exhaustion beneath.
His fear.
You run your thumb along his knuckles, realizing his fingers, usually so steady and warm, were cold and trembling.
“Please,” You whisper. “There has to be another way. We’ll find it. Together.”
Severus closed his eyes, his grip tightening around your hand as his other arm circled your waist and pulled you close. His composure wavered, and a choked sob escaped his throat.
“I don’t know how,” he admitted, voice barely above a breath, his eyes pleading for help as they locked onto yours .
“We’ll figure it out,” you promise, wiping a falling tear with your thumb on his cheek. “But not if you decide right now that you alone are the only one who can fix this.”
The tension in his shoulders finally eased, and he crumpled against your body. You pulled his head into your lap as he collapsed against you and onto the floor. He let out a slow, shuddering breath as his body shook with sobs. You simply brushed your fingers through his hair with one hand and rubbed slow circles on his back with the other as he wept.
His sobs eased eventually, and he pulled you down beside him, curling his body around yours protectively. He brushed your hair behind your ear before tracing a finger along each of the features on your face, as if grounding himself in knowing that you were there.
You took this moment, alone with Severus in the silence of your classroom, as a small victory.
Maybe, just maybe, you could save everyone you love.
Maybe this didn’t have to all end in tragedy.
“I love you.” You whisper, your lips brushing against his in your proximity. “More than anything.”
He exhaled slowly, nuzzling his nose against yours and looking into your eyes.
“I love you.” He responded. “More than anything.”