Come Back to Me (Don't Save Me Book 3)

Chapter 19: The Dream

"Let me see it again," a snake-like voice hissed as a man stepped in front of a strange fetus-like creature, lifting his sleeve. The man seemed so familiar but I couldn't place who he was. I hadn't seen any of the other Death Eaters in nearly 20 years and this one seemed to have spent a lot of time in Azkaban, aging him past the point of recognition.

"Ah, yes, the time is close now" the voice hissed as the Dark Mark moved, the black ink looking particularly menacing.

"There is one last thing we need, Crouch... and you must be the one to acquire it."

Barty Crouch Jr, I realized, continuing to watch the scene play out.

"We need the girl but I want no harm to come to her, Crouch. I mean it. You harm her at all and you are dead," the voice hissed.

"Surely it could be done without the girl, my lord...?"

"I'm afraid not, Crouch. I had hoped it could be done without her but I'm afraid it cannot. You must bring the girl here the same night Harry will arrive. You'll be able to put her to sleep with a potion in-."

Suddenly the voice was cut off and I felt my body being jerked awake.

"Y/n!?" Severus was hovering over me, holding my face in his hands. "Hey, baby, I'm here," he soothed as my breathing began slowing to a more normal rate.

"Sev?"

"Yeah, darling... I'm here. Are you alright? Y-you were shaking."

"I-I think so... I-I think it was just a bad dream."

"I'm sorry, baby. I'm here. I've got you," he soothed, laying next to me and pulling my shaking form against his body. "Do you want to talk about it?" he whispered.

I shook my head, burying my face in his chest.

"Okay, princess. You don't have to... I'm here, baby. What can I do?" he asked, noticing how my body was still shaking.

"You're already doing it, Sev. Just hold me."

He nodded, pressing my body as close to his as he possibly could. He peppered soft kisses along my forehead, trailing down my cheeks as he kissed away my tears.

"I love you, my sweet girl. I will protect you."

"I know, Sev... I know you will."

Suddenly I remembered Igor's words and I pulled away slightly. "Sev?"

"Yes, love?"

"C-can you show me your arm?"

"What? Why, darling? What's brought this on?"

"Just... something Igor said. Can you just show it to me?"

"Darling, I don't think now is the best time to-."

"Sev, please. Just... just show me."

He sighed, carefully lifting his sleeve, exposing the Dark mark. It was much darker than it was a few months ago, the jet black ink now much more prominent.

"Baby... why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't want to worry you."

"Severus... we've been through this. I thought we agreed no more lying... especially about the Dark Mark."

"I'm sorry, my love."

I sighed, feeling my anger dissipate a bit, though I was still annoyed that he had hid this from me.

"What exactly did Igor say?"

"Just that... we should all be worried and that I should ask you to show it to me. He thinks you're denying the truth... but I think we all are in a way. I think we're just trying to avoid it as long as we can."

He nodded, though I could tell something else was on his mind. "What's wrong, Sev?"

"What was your dream about?"

"Oh, uhm... it was mostly the same as before, though the mark was obviously darker... but there was something else... Tom is looking for a woman... someone whom he needs to return him to his true form. He said he just learned it cannot be done without her. Barty Crouch Jr. is planning to bring the woman there the same night they bring Harry."

"When is that?"

"Th-they didn't say."

"I thought Barty was dead..."

I nodded. "I thought so too... but it appears he found a way to avoid death."

"Who was the woman?"

I pulled away, looking up at him. "I think we both know the answer to that."

"The blood of his daughter," Severus whispered.