Beyond the Darkness

26. Eternal Glory

Severus was in his rocking chair when she orbed back to his house. He had his hands clasped together in his lap, deep lines of worry etched on his face.

"How are things?" he asked hastily.

Sasha smiled weakly. "Not good. Somebody conjured the Dark Mark at the World Cup. There were Death Eaters there. A whole group of them. They were terrorizing people."

Severus sighed, a realization coming over him. "That's why you didn't want me to go. You knew."

"I'm sorry I didn't explain before I left."

"No matter. And Harry?"

"He's fine," Sasha stated. "He was nearly trampled in all the chaos, but he's safe at home now. All is well."

Severus stood up. "No. All is not well, Sasha."

She frowned, lifting her eyebrow in curiosity. "What do you mean?"

"Something when you left. Something I think we should be concerned about."

She stared at him blankly. "What happened, Severus?"

Consciously he placed his right hand over his left arm and sighed heavily. "It moved."

Sasha's eyes widened. She knew by his gesture exactly what 'it' was. "The mark?"

Severus nodded. "I'm afraid so."

She walked over to the couch and plopped down, her hands in her lap. "Voldemort is coming back."

He walked over and sat down beside of her, placing his hand on top of hers. "He is getting stronger. Only that would make the mark move. I felt it several times while you were gone, the most recent and powerful when the Dark Mark was conjured, I'm assuming. Did anyone see who conjured it?"

"Harry and I were standing right there. It was too dark though and I couldn't see his face. Harry couldn't see either. He was cloaked by the darkness and smoke from the fires."

"Fires?"

Sasha bobbed her head up and down sadly. "They set fire to the whole camp. I don't think anyone was killed, but a lot of people were injured."

Severus sighed. "And what about Ron and Hermione?"

She raised an eyebrow. "What made you ask about them?"

"They're Harry's friends."

"They were fine. They were with Harry and Arthur Weasley.

He seemed surprised. "Arthur Weasley?"

"Yeah. He knows that I'm a Whitelighter and that Dumbledore knows."

"And how did he react?"

"Pretty well, considering. He still doesn't trust me though."

Severus smiled. "Trust is a hard thing to come by." He patted her hands and then got up.

"Where are you going?" Sasha asked him. She followed him with her eyes into the kitchen.

"To get something to drink. Coffee, I think. I don't plan on getting much sleep tonight."

"You better. We go to Hogwarts in a few days."

"I know," he said. "Do you want some coffee?" he asked holding a mug up in front of her.

"No. Coffee doesn't like me very well. Makes me spaz."

Severus chuckled lightheartedly. "Spaz?"

"Nervous. Really, really, nervous," she clarified.

"Oh."