Always For You. [Snape Romance] [Harry Potter]

Arc 3: Chapter 8: What Are Sacrifices

Arc 3: Enraptured Revelation
Chapter 8: What Are Sacrifices If Not Discipline?

"Go on, interrogate them. The traitor lies in wait of their exposure."  the voice repeated its instructions. 

But this couldn't be happening. How could I pick one of them to just... die? If the voice was correct and one of them was a traitor, that doesn't mean they deserve to lose their life. ...I wasn't like that anymore. 

"How are you going to solve this one, cutie?" Patricia asked, folding her arms patiently as the flames tried to lick at her dragonhide boots. They didn't have much effect. 

"P-Please Cassandra, y-you have to do something!" Trelawney spluttered out. She was in considerably more fear than her two companions. Her legs were trembling.

Severus looked at me with determination. He understood I had to do what I had to do without words.

How would someone go about this? I couldn't be biased, and what if I killed the wrong person? No, there's no right person in this. These people were so important to me and losing any of them would be a massive blow. 

"I guess..." I began, "the only way to go about this is to interrogate each of you."

Severus nodded, Patricia shrugged and Trelawney squeaked in fear.

I stepped first in front of Severus. The flames didn't appear to be bothering him one bit, though it wasn't as if I was a Legilimens that I could make sure. I did see him eyeing both Patricia and Trelawney so there could be a chance he was using his abilities to gauge an idea for the criminal. 

I tried my best to think of anything Severus could have done but... I came up empty. For something that deserved death, that meant a deed far worse than the silly things that happened at home, like him moving a book without telling me. I guess there was one empty piece of my knowledge. Though I knew he was innocent, I had to keep it fair to Patricia and Trelawney.

"Okay, Severus, if you're not the traitor then..." I extended my arm and pointed my finger at him like some sleek detective. "What happened between the time I left to search for the vault and the goblins chasing us?"

Patricia eyed us disappointed as if she was heartbroken we had been vault breaking and being chased by monsters without her.

"Simple. That buffoon Lockhart began by showing me the tat he kept in his so-called vault. I feigned interest to buy you time until a herd of goblins ran past saying that there was a thief. At that moment, I left him behind and went to try to find you before they did. After that, you know the rest." he explained neatly. There really were no flaws in his alibi. 

"And can anyone corroborate your statement?" I demanded.

Severus gave the most confused and stupefied expression. "Of course not, unless you plan to leave and drag Lockhart down here." 

He had me there. 

Patricia couldn't help but laugh aloud despite the seriousness of the situation. Doing so gave Trelawney slight ease.

Next, I stepped before Patricia. Her smile came to a neutral expression now that it was her time. 

"Okay, Patricia. If you aren't the traitor then... where did you really get the charm you gave me?"

Her eyes widened in surprise. "I told you, I found it while travelling."

"You must realise by now that it isn't some random charm, right?" I asked curiously.

"That much was obvious when you suddenly had multiple of them, but go on and tell me your story and I'll tell you mine." she retorted oddly defensively.