The Brightest Black - A Dramione Fanfic

Night Begins

Sirius felt cold as he saw the wand descend towards Harry. But he did not freeze, he raised his own wand and began to cast the spell to place a wall between Harry and Voldemort.

That was all the distraction that was needed.

A massive man who appeared to be half wolf tore himself out of the rubble that had buried him, he roared as he leapt at Sirius, his hands curved into claws that only accented the sharp, jagged nails at the tip of each finger.

Sirius screamed as teeth dug into his shoulder and wolf-like claws tore at him. He fell to the ground, sharp bits of rubble digging into his front as his back was ripped apart.

His world was filled with pain and blood as he tried to throw and kick his attacker off. He could feel his body growing weak when the man's weight was abruptly yanked off, taking a chunk of his shoulder with him.

He screamed again and his vision grew hazy as he thrashed around. The last thing he saw before blessed darkness took him was Voldemort screaming in rage as Harry disappeared.

XXX

Severus paced back and forth in the small Black Cottage library. Emotions battled inside of him.

He hated this.

The Dark Lord had told him to do nothing to reveal his true allegiance, to stay out of any direct confrontations between the Order and Death Eaters.

And Dumbledore had agreed with it.

He hated feeling helpless, it brought up memories he preferred to ignore.

Draco lay silent and under the effects of a dreamless sleep potion in Potter's room upstairs. Whistledown had helped him with the boy before running off to join the battle now raging at Malfoy Manor.

He glanced at the clock on the mantle and cursed. It wasn't even ten. How had an evening filled with an Order meeting and then, later, a pleasant nightcap with Minerva turned into this insanity?

Why couldn't Draco have taken the bloody mark? Severus would have helped him get away later. Obviously Draco had been spending too much time with idiotic Gryffindors.

A muffled shout rang through the silent cottage.

Severus whipped out his wand and stalked out of the library. The shout had not come from upstairs.

A door slammed open, banging against the wall and making Severus wince internally. He hated loud noises, his father had always been noisy and clumsy at his worst moments.

"Snape! Help!"

The plea came as he rounded the corner and entered the small, cozy entry way.

In the door stood Harry Potter and Hermione Black. They were covered in plaster dust and soot.

Also, blood.

They were covered in blood.

"Please!" Potter cried, bringing Miss Black closer. "She splinched herself. Twice!"

Severus took two steps forward and without a word helped Potter lower Miss Black to the floor.

Then he got to work.

He hadn't helped save her last summer just to let her die now.

He had always considered himself to be a very precise man; and he did not appreciate having his work undone.

At all.

XXX

Harry followed every order Snape directed at him without comment and with as little delay as his exhausted body would allow.