Sincerely, Yours My Half-Blood Prince (Book 2)

Chapter 2: Caged

Snape POV

I stood in the infirmary, looking at all the children who were warming up from the ice. Some of them were walking around, confused about what had happened. It seemed the ice had affected their memory.

None of the children knew where she was and who had attacked them; their mind was foggy.

The students who had not been iced under normal ice? This ice was very similar to someone that I knew but who.

Madame Pomfrey had been working with Professor McGonagall to help nurse the children back to normal temperatures.

It had already been a full day since the absence of Athena, and my mind was going crazy.

Why did I not sense anyone entering the castle?

Was it my lack of understanding of the surrounding that I put her in danger? Images of her dead where Lily laid wrapped around my head. I could not think.

Dumbledore made his way to me. I ran to him in a fit full of anger.

"You said the castle was safe," I said in an angry tone.

He looked at the children and back at me, taking my to the outside of the infirmary so we would not disrupt the Infirmary.

"Professor Snape let us go over here," he said in a calm tone.

I shook my head, "You said you were keeping her safe."

Dumbledore looked angry, "Professor, let us not have the children hear our personal affairs."

I grew even angrier, not wanting to leave. My finger fell onto his chest, and I was fuelled with rage. "If she dies, Albus, you will feel my wrath."

He looked into my eyes, taking in my threat. I did not respond back to him, walking out of the room to say anything else and let him squirm in his own faults.

I was going to make my way to the potions room to find a way to track Athena, but something called me to the astronomy tower. Looing p at the stairs, I decided to go there and look for clues. Something that could tell me where she had gone. I looked all around, hoping to find a way to get her back.

I walked to a small desk that was hers. Little scribbles were on a paper.

It was a whole bunch of silly creatures and then my initials in a small heart.

I giggled at it, thinking of how simple and this dub drawing had made me laugh. She wanted this relationship discrete, but her going around doing this would alert people.

Her smile flashed my eyes and the way she grabbed my hand. How her warm hands had cupped my face accepting what I had done and forgiven even then.

I place my hand on my face while the other stabled my balance as I wished to fall into a pit of darkness once more.

"Professor Snape," a small voice called out to me.

I turned, startled by the sound. It wa a child in Hufflepuff robes in front of me. It was the same child that had to warn me about the intruder.

"What are you doing outside of your dorms... past curfew?" I looked towards them as they began to walk towards me.

They place out their hand to give me something. I was hesitant, but something told me to allow it. Opening my palms, they put down a cloth wrapped around a silver necklace.

I construed my face confused as to why this child was giving me this.

Their eyes looked strong and determined. It was strange to see so much bravery in a little Hufflepuff.