McGonagall ran out among the troupe of worried teachers to find two distraught souls guarded by one untameable Hippogriff that threatened to claw them if they drew too near. She found her former student curled downward to the ground, keeping a bundle ever so close to his heart. Bravely, McGonagall challenged the steed and had charmed her to stand aside, regardless, in order to get to Severus and the traumatized baby.
"Severus~ you shouldn't gone there. You should have come straight here~ We could have gone for her~"
"No! No!" the young man growled. "It was all my doing! I-It was I! I gave him the prophecy! It was me that was reason they were killed— I remember everything —"
The heartbroken witch tore off her cloak and had it draped it around the grieving man as a manner of help came close. The baby held in his arms, Severus could not allow them to come close to take her away~
If they did, they were met with a vicious back hand, so none bothered any further.
A tiny voice reached their ears though, which told them she was alive and strong, but her rescuer would not allow any other hand to touch her.
"Lily— Lily ... lily... fo-forgive me..." Severus sobbed so harsh that his breath was dragged, hoarse and deep, as tears fell hard to the cobblestone. "...forgive me... It was me... forgive — Me—"
"Bring them to my Office! Not the Hospital wing, my Office~ Hurry, hurry!" Albus Dumbledore ordered his staff. "A great Crime has gone down tonight, these two must be kept out of sight." the grieved old wizard was wheezing out his words, with great tears falling down his long, aged face at the sight of the man he once mentored, rather... he was meant to be.
"Severus, you have to rise—" Minerva wept with him. "Severus, please get up! Please! Let me assist you —" she begged, trying to get the hair out of his face in order to find his eyes.
They were blinded by heated tears, reddened and glimmering, his face unrecognizable from being so twisted in grief. The infant continued to cry with him, and all Minerva was able to do was embrace them.
She knew just what to say to get him to move though...
"She is as cold as ice, we need to get her warm~ Severus please, gather yourself— For the good of all, damn you!"
Severus nearly snapped, it seemed, bolting up, briskly and he followed along with her and other staff. Soon... they were safe within the confines of Dumbledore's Office, with a sealed charm on the door as well as a silencing charm. Severus stayed by the fireplace which was behind the old desk in the small sitting area where it was quiet, warm and hidden. They were checked for harm. The only thing was that Mark upon the baby girl's body~ the only clue left behind of the massacre that happened only four hours ago ... The baby was cleaned, bundled and fed with what they had on hand to suffice for her and Severus was silent yet attentive to her, besides being awfully protective.
"You were forced into it, lad... It was not your doing, not delibrately." Albus continued to soften the blows.
"I was just a foolish child. I knew returning that year was a mistake. If I did not at all, none of this would have happened~" Severus tried to explain, his deep voice cutting up in fragments almost, as if he was barely breathing. "I contemplated about doing it. Over and over, the thoughts kept coming to use it a second time~"
"No, Severus...." Minerva was horrified at the insinutation of him giving his life away like that, especially after that Promise back at the woods.
"No one would have cared to look for me. You both know it. Especially you." Severus growled, mainly at Albus who sat back, as if he got burned.
YOU ARE READING
The Tale of the Black Knight: The Mark
Fanfiction(Alternate Timeline) The Potter daughter had remained missing for years after that horrid night of Voldemort's last stand right up until 11 years later. A slew of followers have been raiding the land among Muggle and Wizardkind alike, in search of t...
