The Potions Master's Daughter (Book Five)

Chapter 6

Hey guys I've been putting up a new story recently, it's on my profile and I think some of you might enjoy it! It's a crossover type story, with mostly Harry Potter though, and a little bit of Hunger Games, Percy Jackson and Divergent. Go check it out if you have a moment, it would mean a lot to me!

The next morning I got up and I knew Severus would have a nasty hangover, so I should stay in my room to try to keep the noise down as much as possible. There was a tap at my window almost immediately after I got up. I went over and let Lucky in, who was carrying a letter, likely from Blake.

I was surprised when I opened it and it was from Ron, not Blake. He was asking me if I wanted to come stay the last couple weeks of summer with him at the Burrow. Hermione and Harry had already agreed. He knew Blake had been staying with me before so he added that Blake could also come if he was staying with me, there was room in him and Harry's room. I smiled down at the paper. I sent back a quick reply that me and Blake would love to come stay. Blake was supposed to arrive at my house today, but I would just tell him we were going to stay at the Burrow instead. I knew Severus would be fine with it, even though currently he was in no state to say anything.

I finally went downstairs, then down to the basement and grabbed a few potions that would help with the hangover. Severus was still sound asleep in the couch when I went to the basement.

I positioned myself in the armchair and began to read. Around noon he finally sat up and blinked hard a few times.

"What time is it?"

'Around noon," I replied, "I wanted to let you sleep off the hangover as much as possible. Take the potions on the table."

He took each of the three with a big gulp then stood up, "Thank you Jessica, I apologize for the state I'm in. I can already feel the potions working, I'm going to shower and get ready then we can talk before I go see Dumbledore. Blake is coming as well correct?"

I nodded, "He is, but Ron said I could go stay with them at the Burrow the rest of summer and Blake too, so we will probably only be here another night before we go there instead. I assume that's okay? I can come back as often as you need me too."

"That's fine, I will just send word if I ever need you, but I imagine everything should be okay, and there's only a few weeks left anyways."

I smiled, "Thanks. I'll have lunch ready for when you're done getting ready."

An hour later we were sitting eating lunch in the kitchen, "I will go see Dumbledore right after this and see if he has any bright ideas to get me out of this situation."

I looked at him sadly, "I hope there's something you can do, some way to break the bond without you..." I trailed off, we both knew what would happen if he broke the bond.

"We will get through this, and if not, then it was my own idiocy and arrogance that led to this."

"Don't say that," I said angrily, "I care very much about you dying, even if you made a stupid choice. We will figure it out, we always do. Dumbledore will have a plan, he always has a plan, and if he doesn't we can make our own plan. We can fool the vow or something."

He said nothing more on the subject, "I suspect Blake will get here while I am gone, so just show him in and get him settled even if it's just for a night or two. I don't want you to leave for the Burrow tonight though, not if I'm not home."

I nodded, "We won't then. I think Voldemort will want to train with me again so I'll probably have to come back for that, and if you want me to do anything with Draco I can come home for that too. Everyone knows I can use magic at this point."

Sure enough there came a knock on the door while Severus was away at Hogwarts. I opened it to find Blake with a rare smile on his face, carrying a trunk in his hand.

"Blake!" I squealed giving him a hug.

"Thanks for letting me come back. I haven't been home a week and it's already been hell."

"Well we won't be here long, Ron invited us to stay with him at the Burrow, and I said we would," I explained, "We will probably leave tomorrow if that's okay?"

He shrugged indifferently, "Anywhere that isn't home works for me. Where is Severus?"

I sighed, "He's visiting Dumbledore. He made an Unbreakable Vow that he would help Draco kill Dumbledore and they're trying to figure out how to get out of it."

Blake blanched, "He did what? Draco has to do what?"

"Voldemort wants Draco to kill Dumbledore this year, but he won't be able to we think, so Severus is supposed to take over when he fails."

"Am I going to have to help with that?" he questioned fearfully.

I shook my head, "No, I doubt it. THis is because the Dark Lord is angry with Lucius and is taking it out on his family."

"That's terrible. I can't believe Severus would do something like that."

"He was being dumb," I said frustrated, "He shouldn't have to die because of it .I'm sure there's' something they can do, I'm not sure what though. When he comes back I'll talk to him and let you know what happens but you should probably stay away just in case it didn't go well."

"Of course."

Blake and I caught up for a few hours, made ourselves some dinner and watched some of the Muggle TV I had gotten him hooked on. Soon it was eleven and we couldn't put off going to bed anymore.

"Well I'm not worried about him getting back late," I told him, "If he's not back by tomorrow morning I'm going to go looking though. I guess we should go to bed though."

We each went in our room to bed. I had told Blake I wasn't worried, but I was. Whenever Severus went to see Dumbledore he was never home this late. There must've been more to discuss at this meeting, or things really didn't go well at all. I was going to stay up until he got back, or until it was morning and I had to go find him,

It was nearly two in the morning by the time I heard the door creak open. I tiptoed out of my room and went downstairs to cut him off before he could go to his room.

"Is everything okay? It's really late."'

He scowled, "There was a lot Albus decided to drop on me tonight. Is Blake here?"

I nodded and pointed upstairs, "Yeah he's in bed. I'm assuming he's asleep by now, we figured you'd be home much earlier."

"I did too."

"So what happened? You were there forever. Did you guys come up with anyway for you to get around this vow?"

He sighed, "Jessica take a seat," he took a seat on the couch and turned to me as I sat down, "We couldn't come up with anything to try to get out of this so for now I have to hold to the vow. We did come up with a plan, but it is a last case scenario option."

"What else did you talk about then?" I inquired.

"Well he is going to try to get Professor Slughorn back to teach Potions, and move me to Defense Against the Dark Arts. He is taking Harry tomorrow to try to convince him to come back. He also is taking Harry away from the Dursleys tomorrow to go to the burrow with all you all."

"That's all good news," I said in a hopeful tone, "But what is this worst case scenario plan?"

"It is nothing I want you to worry about right now. If we need to use it, I'll let you know then, but for now I want you to have as little to worry about as possible. Now get on up to bed, it's very late."

"You'll tell me eventually though right? I want to help."

"Jessica," he said with a sigh, "I do not want to burden my daughter with worries concerning her father. I will be okay, and I will handle this. You should go enjoy time with your friends while you can, I think the war is coming faster as the days pass."

"I really like worrying about you," I told him, "I'm pretty good at it. Feel free to tell me anything at any time," I paused, "I love you."

"I love you too Jess," he replied standing up, "Now we both need some sleep, so let's go get some."