Living Death

- chapter twenty six

The days and nights were getting longer. You hadn't heard from Snape in a few weeks. He had left a note to say he would be absent for a period of time and would notify you on his return but he did not specify any sort of time frame. You knew you had to tread more carefully now, and with his absence, you had a strong sense that something had gone wrong.

You had felt that way since you had met with Draco. Your following meeting with him had fallen through, he didn't turn up despite his persistence to want to see you again. You began to consider the possibility that perhaps he had realised friendship was all he wanted. You couldn't even go looking for him to find out for yourself, without Snape around it would be too risky and no one would be there to help you if anything happened. You'd already jeopardised the plan enough.

Snape's absence left you feeling anxious. You had no one to talk to and no way of knowing what was happening outside of your four walls.

You could only just about make out some students passing by your room unknowingly here and there, but even then, it seemed eerily silent, as though most of the student population had disappeared.

Hogwarts suddenly didn't feel as safe as it used to.

A sense of dread overcame you when you were finally made aware of Snape's return in the form of a letter demanding you come to the headmaster's office at once. Despite the relief of knowing he was alive and well, you sensed this could only mean bad news, you'd been in the headmaster's office enough to know.

There had been no reminder to conceal yourself from others in the letter, and even at night, if Snape wanted to see you he would usually come and get you himself. Something was definitely different, it was as though being seen was the least of your concern right now. It was late and with the restrictions in place, not a soul was about. The air was cold and the wind whistled through the dungeon corridor and you felt a chill run down your spine as you left your room. You shook it off as cold but you knew deep down, something was gravely wrong.

The slow grind of stone on stone echoed as you stood on the winding staircase to the headmaster's office, shoving your hands in your hoodie pockets and stepping off as you reached the door at the top. You stood for a moment in reflection, knowing your blissful ignorance would soon be shattered by whatever Snape was going to tell you.

After a brief pause, you hesitantly knocked on the heavy metal door, it opening slowly and unaided, revealing Professor Snape sat at his headmaster's chair.

His head was rested on his hands and his elbows leant on the table, a gravely concerned look on his face and his eyes intensely dark as he stared into nothing. This was beyond rage, he was silent and he appeared to be deeply troubled. You hadn't seen him like this, even on that fateful night.

"Sir?" You approached him, uneasy.

"You've failed to go unnoticed" Snape uttered in a monotone voice without shifting his gaze.

You gulped a little, rubbing the back of your neck slowly as you stood before him. From his tone and lack of urgency, you deduced he didn't mean Voldemort, but you could sense he knew something about your meeting with Draco. He looked as though he had more to say and for once you wished he would simply tell you off and that be it.

"You've forced me into taking a different approach." He let out a slight shallow breath and finally lifted his gaze to yours. You could see the seriousness in his eyes "The plan changes now."

Your heart began to pound. What alternative was there to death? You balled your fists in your pockets and chewed on your lip a little, looking down at the table as you desperately searched your mind for whatever possible alternative there was to the current plan, eyebrows furrowed in thought.