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

Chapter 25: Just a Walk

I could feel my nerves rising as Alastor made his way toward the entrance of the maze, the triwizard cup gripped tightly in his hand. He paused abruptly before reaching the entrance, suddenly turning around. He walked toward me and I could feel Severus tense beside me, placing an arm over my torso.

"Why so protective, Snape?" Alastor hissed. "Worried your girlfriend might leave you?"

"Not for a fifty year old man with one eye and a wooden leg," Severus replied coolly. Alastor looked as if he could strangle Severus right then and there but he kept his cool, turning to me instead.

"I'm not as old as one might think," he replied, chuckling softly to a joke only he understood. "But that's not what I came here to discuss. I wondered if you might accompany me to place the cup somewhere inside the maze."

"Too scared to do it yourself," Severus hissed.

"No, I simply thought we should discuss the importance of tonight," Alastor retorted, giving us a knowing look. This instantly set Severus off. He stepped in front of me, getting directly in Alastor's face.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he hissed, his hand gripping his wand tightly.

"I simply meant that tonight is a big night and I thought Y/n might want to take a walk... get her mind off things," Alastor soothed, trying to avoid Severus's wrath.

"Thank you, Alastor. That was a very kind thought but I'm fine, honestly."

The two men turned to look at me before Alastor spoke up.

"Are you sure? I just thought you might like to see the safety precautions we're taking this year. I know how worried you must be for the boy."

"I..." I looked at Severus, unsure of what to say. The truth was I was terrified for Harry and wouldn't mind seeing the safety precautions but I couldn't help the strange feeling I had in the pit of my stomach about saying yes.

"You'd be perfectly safe, sweetheart," Alastor assured. Sweetheart? What the hell was going on? Before I knew what was happening I saw Alastor's wand flick very subtly at his side and a sudden calm washed over me. I couldn't remember why I had been so nervous. The only thoughts in my head were the ones telling me I would be perfectly safe, the ones telling me I had nothing to worry about.

"What do you say, Y/n?" Alastor asked.

"Sure, why not?" I answered, letting my hand slip from Severus's as I stood beside Alastor.

"Darling?" Severus asked me, seeming confused by my sudden change in behavior.

"It'll be fine, Sev," I chuckled as a bubbly feeling settled throughout my body.

"I've got her, Snape. Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to her," Alastor assured, though I could see the small smirk settling on his face as he wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Y/n, I really don't think this is a good idea. Remember what we talked about?"

"Yeah yeah yeah. Something about the Dark Lord. Blah blah blah. He wouldn't hurt me anyway," I giggled, suddenly finding the whole thing quite amusing.

Severus looked horrified as his eyes searched mine. He looked back and forth between Alastor and I before forcefully grabbing my hand, pulling me against his chest.

"Severus Snape, what in Merlin's name are you doing?" I laughed. His hands moved to my face, cupping it as he searched my eyes.

"Y/n? What on earth has gotten into you?" Severus asked me, though I couldn't help the laughter that slipped past my lips at his concern.

"I just want to go for a walk," I giggled. "I'll be fine for a few minutes." I pulled my hand away from his, suddenly finding this less funny, feeling the urge to enter the maze growing stronger as the burning in my chest began to grow again.

"Y/n..." Severus trailed off, no longer knowing what to say. Before he could say another word, Alastor placed a hand on my back, taking us into the maze and away from the crowd of people waiting with anticipation for what was to come. If only we'd truly known what was to come.