Lessons In Love

Chapter 70: Finding the Answers p 2

There was another blood-curdling scream and it was ripping Severus Snape into shreds. The young woman he loved so dearly was being tortured and there was nothing he could do about it. Could he? Didn't he always promise to be there for her whenever she needed? So far, he had made lousy progress on that serious accusation. It seemed that whenever she needed him, he was always unable to help. He was being pinned to the floor while she lay there having shreds of pain being yanked through her core and he could only watch her misery. He was much too weak to do anything except hope to fight off the man on top of him. Lily had aided him with another chance but it had not been nearly enough energy that would suffice unless he was completely back to health which he knew would have been impossible for her spirit to create for him.

He was wrought with fever and pneumonia, trying to fight for his innocence against something completely nonsensical and irrational. The Ministry was trying to pin the sins of others on him just because it fit in all the cracks. Snape had been in the right places at the right time for everything to fall on him as his doing. Yes, he had admitted to the Dark Lord of the prophecy, but he would have more than likely found out anyways. Harry would not have survived trying to fight against the evil wizard if it wasn't for the fact that he was protected by his mother's love. Because Lily was given the option to live if she handed over her son to the Dark Lord, she was able to bestow one last gift upon her son which was in fact the gift of love. That gift protected Harry Potter and, in turn, halted the work of the evil wizard until the boy could once again fight back. And yet, if Lily had not been offered the chance for survival, would Harry have lived? Would Lily have given him that protection or would she have merely died as well as her little son?

If Severus Snape had not loved Lily Potter enough to ask the Dark Lord to spare her, then would any of it have come to pass? Would Lord Voldemort still be at large, wrecking havoc? Would he still be a follower? Would he have been killed or imprisoned? He definitely would not have become a teacher and definitely would have never met Hermione Granger, the true love of his life. He watched helplessly as Hermione writhed in agony, catching his gaze every so often in a moment of panic and the inability to fight back. Her eyes pleaded with him to help her, to stop her pain, to do anything, and yet, it was all Severus could do to just hold off the man on top of him.

"You might be able to beat me in a battle of dueling... but when it comes to the physicality of brute strength, you have absolutely none. Come Severus," Thorfinn Rowle grinned, wetting his lips in a morbid hunger, "let us settle this without magic. Let us fight with our fists like true men."

The knife inched closer to his neck and he had to push with all of his might for the blade to not slice through his throat. He was to his breaking point, his strength was leaving him in a flood of exertion that he had to use against the blonde Death Eater and he knew it would not be long before something gave and he was caught in the middle of a predicament he didn't want to dare dream about.

His hands shook as his hoarse voice came through gritted teeth, "Stop this, Thorfinn!"

"No I don't think so. I rather enjoy watching you try to hold me back. I'm not even trying with you, my friend, and you are buckling under the pressure. Poor Snape can't handle a true match now can he? He has to hide behind a wand to do his bidding."

Snape growled at this, "Let me go. Don't push me..."

"Or what will you do? Hmmm?" he cackled, "Come now, stop toying with me! Try to at least have a bit of fun and fight back."

Harry had been trying to find Delmer Blevins but couldn't help but watch in horror as his old teacher was being held with a knife at his throat. He was instantly caught off guard though when he saw a powerful shield charm wrap itself around Hermione's suffering form. He wondered if Snape had cast it but knew it was highly unlikely until he saw a figure appearing next to his friend on the floor. Delmer Blevins cracked a wide smile as he took off the cloak when he looked up from the young woman's form.