Beyond the Darkness

54. The Party

Severus couldn't find Draco that evening or the next. He seemed to be avoiding him like the plague and somehow he was managing it. He was getting a bit frustrated. And with him spending as much of his time with Sasha as possible too, he didn't get the chance to confront him about cursing Katie Bell for some time. It was the night of Slughorn's infamous Christmas party. He had been hearing about it in hushed whispers among the students for weeks. It was supposed to be some big deal. Sasha had mentioned Harry being a part of it as well as Hermione, Ginny Weasley, and a few others Harry had told her about. He didn't see how Horace got away with playing favorites with the students so openly. He did it in his own classroom, or rather appeared to, but he didn't flaunt his preferences for the whole castle to see. It was sort of cruel really.

Severus was in his office grading papers when there came a light knock at the door. He looked up for a second, distracted from his work.

"Come in," he invited as he dove back into the papers in front of him. He was preparing grades for progress reports when they got back from Christmas break.

The door opened slowly. Severus expected it to be Sasha walking through the door.

"Good evening," he greeted her without looking up.

"Good evening, Severus."

Severus's head snapped up immediately. It wasn't Sasha at all. It was Dumbledore. He was dressed in a set of periwinkle robes and a hat to match. His half-moon spectacles were on his nose and there was a serious expression on his worn face. He closed the door to the office silently behind him when he walked in. Severus stood immediately.

"Albus, I'm sorry. I thought it was Sasha."

"I know," he said with a light chuckle. "I take it she is a frequent visitor."

"Yes."

"Severus, I wonder if I might have a word with you?"

He cleared his throat nervously. Conversations that began with that question usually led to something he didn't really want to hear. "Of course, Headmaster."

"I'm going to leave the castle tonight. I was wondering if you would be so kind as to give Harry a message for me. He leaves on break tomorrow and I could not locate him. I don't have much time before I have to leave."

"He's probably with Sasha."

"Ah, I see. Well that would be great if she and I were speaking as we used to. She has been avoiding contact with me unless absolutely necessary."

Severus sighed. "Right. Um, I will give him the message. That's no problem."

"Great," Dumbledore commented clapping his hands delightfully together. "Give him by best and tell him I hope he has a good holiday. I'm going to be travelling starting today and continuing over the holidays. I won't be coming back until the start of the term."

Severus nodded, going over every word carefully in his mind. "May I ask where you are going, Albus?"

He smiled cordially. "You may ask, but I cannot tell you, Severus. I must keep a few secrets."

"Yes, of course. Musn't we all?"

He chuckled. "Yes. But enough of that. Any luck with finding out whether Draco cursed Katie or not?"

"No, sir. I think he may very well be avoiding me."

"He seems adamant to fulfill Voldemort's wishes."

"I am sure he does not want to die."

Dumbledore smiled. "Of course he doesn't, Severus. And I take it since you are tied to him now that you don't want to die either. Especially since you have something you've never had before."