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

Chapter 27: Blood of the Daughter

TW: Blood, knives

Severus's POV

Where is she? I worried before finally seeing Alastor step through the maze, Y/n following closely behind him. She searched the crowd, her eyes barely scanning me as she searched for something or someone. Who was she looking for?

Her eyes locked on Igor Karkarof and I could see the disdain written all over her face though I couldn't understand what had changed. She always seemed fine with Igor and had never given me any reason to suspect she disliked him. Alastor whispered something to her and I could see her roll her eyes before making her way toward me.

"Hello, darling. Everything go alright?" I asked her. She nodded, though she kept her distance from me. "Darling, what's wrong?"

"What?" she asked, her eyes locked on Harry as Dumbledore conversed with the four champions.

"Darling, what happened in the maze? You're acting strange." She finally turned to look at me, though her eyes didn't hold the same familiarity I knew so well.

"Nothing happened, sweety," she answered.

"Sweety?" I chuckled. "What's gotten into you, love?"

"Oh... uhm, nothing. Sorry, just a lot on my mind."

I nodded, understanding how worried she must've been. I placed an arm around her waist, noticing how stiff her body seemed against mine. What the hell had happened in that maze? I wanted to hold her, to kiss her, and tell her everything would be fine but I couldn't bring myself to do anything more than just barely having my arm around her waist. Something felt so off about her and I couldn't place what it was. I was pulled from my thoughts as I felt a pull at the back of my head. I looked down at her curiously but she only smiled at me, though the smile did not meet her piercing eyes. I wanted to ask why she was trying to read my mind but I couldn't bring myself to ask her. The champions entered the maze and Y/n relaxed slightly though she still seemed off. Silence fell over the quidditch field as we awaited the end of this daunting task.

Y/n's POV

My eyelids fluttered open though it didn't make much of a difference as darkness surrounded me. I slowly took in the scene around me. I was in a small room, vines growing up the walls, sprouting through the cracks in the stone.

"Ah, you're awake," a familiar voice said. I looked around, trying to identify the source of the voice, before noticing a figure making its way toward me. The figure stepped into the small bit of light seeping in from the window and I instantly recognized the face. I quickly sat up, scrambling off the soft mattress someone had laid me on, backing away from him.

"There's no need to be scared, Y/n. I wouldn't hurt you," Wormtail assured. He was concealing something in his hands, covered by a large, black cloak. My eyes flicked down to the strange thing he was holding and Wormtail followed my gaze.

"Ah, not quite recognizable at the moment, is he? Not to worry. He'll be looking much better soon enough," Wormtail assured, slowly unwrapping the strange thing in his arms. The familiar burning returned to my chest as I locked eyes with a small, baby-like creature. I fell to the floor as I heard a voice hiss.

"Put me down, you fool! Help her!"

Wormtail gently placed the strange looking creature on the floor, still wrapped in the black cloak, before grabbing my arm, helping me to my feet. I pulled away from him, pushing against his chest as I backed away.

"Don't fucking touch me!" I hissed.

"It's nearly time, Wormtail," the creature hissed. "Bring her to the graveyard. Don't harm her but make sure she stays put."