Was time speeding up because he had a daunting task ahead of him?
An impossible task?
Or was time speeding up because the universe knew he was destined to fail, destined to lose the one person he can say he truly cares for, and Harry's death is speeding towards him?
It was Harry who was destined to either die or be eternally haunted by a powerful and relentless enemy, yet it somehow felt as if Severus were the one being punished.
Severus' crimes against humanity in the past were catching up to him.
It was apparently the sins of the father that would carry the son to an early death.
Every second of every day counted now.
Every. Single. Nanosecond.
And Severus needed more time.
He needed more time for his research.
He needed more time to scope out individuals who have been cited on obscure rituals for immortality with Nymphadora.
He needed more time with Harry.
Every second counted.
Every second was a cruel joke.
Because the research offered no answers.
The rituals were shams.
And Harry was fated to leave him.
Severus suffered through the beginning of the weeks with as much patience as he could extend to these students who did not matter. Severus dutifully attended meetings with his fellow professors who did not understand why Severus was so withdrawn and left the castle every Saturday.
"You seem unwell," Aurora said hesitantly, holding him back after a meeting. "Is there anything I can do for you, Severus?"
There was not.
Severus listened as Harry's teachers, Minerva, Filius, Horace, and Black raved about Harry in their meetings.
"I've never taught someone with such an innate understanding of magic," Filius cried, excitement dripping from every word.
"Harry is a brilliant brewer, must get that from you, eh Severus?" Horace beamed. "Just as talented as you were!"
Severus wondered if Harry was utilizing his notes in the textbook he so gleefully discovered.
He likely was.
Harry was a shameless cheat when the situation suited him.
Not when his life was on the line and he was tasked with facing a dragon, but apparently being praised in potions warranted using hints and tricks from a teenaged Severus.
"'No need to call me sir, Professor'," Black laughed when he recounted to Minerva why he assigned Harry a detention. "I almost lost it, Minnie. I swear I had to bite my tongue to keep from laughing right in front of everyone. God, it was brilliant."
Which made sense.
Because Harry was a brilliant boy.
A brilliant boy with no bright future waiting for him.
"We'll figure it out," Nymphadora said after yet another failed excursion.
Severus hummed and twirled his scotch in the stained glass that Abeforth served him.
Even Nymphadora was beginning to sound less optimistic and more desperate.
More defeated.
"We will try, and we will fail," Severus murmured to his drink. "We fail and he dies."
"Hey." Nymphadora reached across the table and gripped his arm tightly. "Don't say that," she whispered fiercely. "Failure is not an option, Sev."
'Failure is not an option, Sev,' Lily said with a playful grin. She eyed the sign on the bar they were attempting to sneak in to and hummed thoughtfully. 'Okay, here's the plan...'
"Why do you care?" Severus snapped, abruptly furious. He pulled his arm out from Nymphadora's grip and sneered at her. "He isn't your child. You will not be the one who will grieve his death. Why do you care?"
"First off," Nymphadora's eyes flashed burgundy before settling back on her typical dark blue, "don't yell at me. I know you're scared and you're stressed, but I am trying to help you. Secondly, why do I care? Why do I care about saving the life of the only person who can kill Voldemort? Why do I care about saving your sons life? Ask me again, Sev, why I would care about saving the life of a child, I dare you."
Nymphadora's heated rant drained Severus' abrupt, and inappropriate, anger quite effectively. He was the one to now tentatively reach out and place his hand gently on hers.
"I apologize," he said quietly. He kept his eyes on their hands, as the coward he always feared he was. "You are not at fault for my shortcomings. You have been (unexpectedly) more helpful than you may realize, thank you, Nymphadora."
"You aren't coming up short," Nymphadora told him. She ducked her head until Severus was forced to meet her eyes. "This is hard, but we can figure it out. I just know it."
"This is impossible," Severus whispered. He drained his glass and fished out a few coins to pay for their drinks. "I appreciate you accompanying me though. I suppose I will see you on Friday?"
Severus and Nymphadora had fallen in to a routine. On Thursdays, Severus dove in to research on horcruxes and dedicated a small amount of time in seeking out Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. He had not had much luck—
But he did not truly want to find it yet, did he?
Finding the diadem meant that he knew all the locations of every link tying the Dark Lord to life. It meant that Severus could not continue to put off the task he so desperately avoided.
Fridays were dedicated to looking in to every lore available on immortality rituals and magic; no matter how obscure, no matter how unlikely, they looked in to every. single. one. they came across.
And on Saturdays, they sought out the individuals involved in those individuals involved in the lore and attempted to decipher if they were fact or fiction.
Most of them were fiction.
In fact, every single one thus far had been fiction.
They then typically returned to the Hogs Head and had a drink or two beneath heavy privacy charms as they either discussed their failures or avoided the topic altogether.
"I wouldn't miss it," Nymphadora assured him. "I'll be there Friday. Night, Sev. Try and get some rest."
Severus nodded his head and set off towards the castle for the only day of the week that brought him joy as well as heavy grief:
Sunday, the day Severus blocked off entirely for Harry.
The two of them had fallen in to an easy routine as well. As if Harry somehow knew that Severus was hoarding every memory of him, he showed up without fail, every Sunday morning with breakfast.
They shared a meal. Severus listened as Harry chattered about his classes, his friends, his nightly conversations with Frederick, and his quidditch team. Harry then scampered off to quidditch practice, and Severus followed under a heavy disillusionment charm.
He had no ulterior purpose in stalking the child as he barked orders at his team and flew through the skies, he merely loathed the idea of missing out on witnessing these events for himself.
When Harry went to shower and change, Severus slipped back to his quarters, always in place before a chessboard when Harry inevitably came back to have lunch.
Occasionally, Harry left after lunch to sow mischief with his misfits.
Severus much preferred the days that he came for lunch with his book bag and spread out on the floor to work on his homework.
Harry entered his quarters on Sunday morning, two covered plates floating in front of him. "Morning," he said cheerfully. "I'm here."
Severus chuckled as he moved the pot of coffee and two mugs to the dining table. "I am aware," he said. "Come, sit."
Harry levitated a plate to Severus' seat before taking his own. "Mavis is ridiculous," Harry said with a low laugh. "I've just been making us plates first thing then bringing them from the Great Hall, yeah? Well today, these were already sitting there and he left me a hateful little note. He said 'Mavis is being mad that Master Harry is not letting him makes his breakfast'," Harry imitated the elf in a passable squeaky tone. "I swear, I'm buying him a wand this summer and telling him either we're friends and equals, or I'm... well..." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "I dunno a good threat just yet, but I'll figure it out."
"I am certain you will," Severus said, forcing himself to sound fond instead of forlorn.
Harry had so many goals.
So much ambition.
"Tell me about your classes," Severus said. He removed the cover of his plate and nearly smiled at his exact preferred breakfast before him. "Horace swears you are a potions prodigy."
"I am," Harry deadpanned before grinning like the imp Severus knows him to be. "Well, General Half-Blood is, anyway."
Severus scowled as he poured Harry a cup of coffee. "I could obliviate you," he warned him. "I could take my book back and wipe every memory of it from your mind."
"Hmm." Harry hummed as he accepted the drink. "You'd have to catch me first, Sev, and I'm fast, aren't I?"
Severus twirled his wand between his fingers, in the way that Harry was so fond of doing. "I hardly need to catch you, merely cast quicker."
Harry's eyes glittered at challenge. "D'you think you could?" he asked. "I'm faster than I was when I was a fourth year."
Severus shrugged casually. "Perhaps, I suppose we will never know."
Severus could see Harry's mind whirling as he ate. It took him mid-way through the meal to finally ask the question Severus expected him to ask.
"Can we duel after lunch?" he said. "It's not too cold yet, we could go outside and do it."
"You will not use your quidditch practice as an excuse for exhaustion when you lose?" Severus asked serenely.
"I won't fuckin lose," Harry said with a cocky lilt to his tone.
A cocky lilt that Severus would enjoy knocking right out of him.
Just because Severus could admit that he loved the boy, didn't mean it wasn't immensely satisfying in occasionally knocking him down a peg.
It was also beneficial, because Harry was relentless when faced with obstacles and if he were to beat Severus in a duel, then Harry would find himself with the same shortage of challenging opponents that Severus has.
"After lunch then," Severus smirked.
It was not a ploy to spend more time with the child doing a task that they mutually enjoy.
It was training for the boy who has a future of war in front of him.
Obviously.
Severus sighed when he walked on the grounds with Harry after lunch and saw there were a great number of students lingering around the edge of the forest, the place Severus decided they would duel.
"Harry, did you tell your misfits we would be dueling?"
Harry grinned remorselessly at him, "Yup."
"And they told...?"
"Everyone, I guess."
Severus would have complained, but...
But he had heard a great many jokes regarding 'the Half-Blood Prince' recently.
"Delightful," Severus drawled. "An audience for the Great Heir of Slytherin to be defeated."
Harry laughed and darted away from Severus, leaving quite a bit of empty space between them.
"We'll see, sir," he said.
Severus eyed the crowd of students who were whispering excitedly and...
And betting.
The idiot children were exchanging coins while Ronald and Draco jotted names down on a parchment.
"I am going to draw a boundary line," Severus called to them, "kindly remain on the outside of it if you do not wish to be injured." He waved his wand and gave Harry and himself an orange warded boundary line of roughly 80 square feet, mixing in nearly 20 feet of the forest; far enough in to utilize the trees and boulders, but not too far in to risk running amok of one of the mad creatures within the forest.
"Ready?" Harry yelled.
Severus gave Harry a small bow, a mocking formality as he knew Harry would never bow back. "Begin."
Harry struck immediately.
Severus dodged it as he returned spellfire.
And they began dueling in earnest.
Harry was quick, creative, brilliant.
But he was cocky, and cared more for offense than he did defense.
"You are faster than you were," Severus praised him even as he sent a leg-locking curse his way. "Have you been practicing your control?"
"Yep." Harry grinned and transfigured a pile of rocks in to daggers that he sent at Severus' face. "While you're off on your little secret trips with Tonks and Dumbledore, Sirius and I have been working on my magic."
Observant. Harry was observant to the point of paranoid.
Though, he was slightly off.
"Albus does not accompany Nymphadora and I," Severus said as he slashed his wand and sent the clay daggers back at Harry. He followed it with ice beneath the boys' feet, causing him to slip and stumble.
As soon as Harry stumbled, Severus sent a stunner at him, but Harry rolled and barely dodged it.
"Hey, Sev, wanna see a neat trick?"
Severus hardly had time to duck in to the forest to avoid a tree branch Harry sent flying directly at his head before the idiot child disappeared.
"We are not playing hide and seek," Severus drawled. "Point me Harry Potter."
Severus' wand pointed directly upwards no sooner than Severus was hoisted in the air by his ankle.
"You taught me that," Harry laughed as Severus nonverbally dropped himself to the ground. He looked up and saw Harry had climbed a damn tree, and was grinning down at him.
Severus raised a brow, "You dare use my own spells against me, Potter?"
Harry winked.
And so Severus caught the tree on fire.
"Jesus fucking Christ!" Harry yelled as he precariously leapt to a nearby tree branch of a neighboring tree and nimbly climbed down. "You dick!"
Their duel became quite heated then.
They were so alike.
Stubborn, relentless, clever, vicious, willing to be cruel in order to win.
Severus would hardly gravely injure his child, but any spell that he could heal within a day was acceptable.
Harry held no similar qualms as he shot spells off that burnt, crushed, and crumbled the scenery around Severus.
"You are chaos personified," Severus growled as Harry sent an army of quickly conjured snakes to wrap themselves around his ankles. "Brat."
"Bastard," Harry laughed as he sent two more quick spells at Severus.
Leaving himself wide open with no defensive cover.
Severus sent a slew of distracting lights towards Harry, glittering beams of nonsensical spells to cause him to turn his head, and then he landed a petrification to his neck and Harry fell backwards, stiff as a board.
"You have to defend yourself as constantly as you attack," Severus told him lightly as he approached him. "Finite Incantatum."
"Rematch next weekend," Harry said immediately as he leapt to his feet, his cheeks red and his eyes flashing darkly.
"As you wish," Severus smirked.
Harry opened his mouth, undoubtedly to sass back at him, but was drowned out by the sudden ringing applause surrounding them.
"Son of a bitch," Harry swore under his breath as they realized the crowd of a couple dozen students had grown to nearly every inhabitant of the castle, including most of the staff.
"I will never forgive you," Harry hissed.
"You don't mean that."
"I do."
"Truly?"
Harry scowled and kicked a clump of dirt beneath his boots, "No."
It was almost difficult to not believe Harry had always been Severus' son, as ridiculously similar as they were.
"I can't believe you lost!" Susan Bones howled as Harry and Severus exited their arena and were swarmed by students and staff alike. "You never lose!"
"He cheated," Harry deadpanned. "I dunno how, but I know he did."
Severus scoffed at Harry's arrogance.
"Severus has never lost a duel in his life," Minerva said, quite loyally. "He would have won much sooner had he not been so chivalrous."
He would have.
If Severus had not tapered himself in a conscious effort to not accidentally harm his child, he would have won much quicker.
Dueling Harry was a thrill though, one Severus had not wanted to end too soon.
"How much did you win?" Severus murmured to her.
"Sirius bet me twenty five galleons on Harry," Minerva said with a coy smile. "Easiest money I've ever made."
"You guys were brilliant!"
Severus looked over Longbottom's head and saw Nymphadora lounging on the ground beside Black, both of them entirely at ease as they stretched out on the grass, smiling in Severus and Harry's direction.
Which was a rather discomforting reminder that the two of them were related.
"I mean, Harry owes me ten galleons now," Nymphadora added with a pointed look at Harry, "but still— brilliant!"
Severus scowled for a moment, rather offended that Nymphadora would believe him to be bested by Harry, then she winked and shook her head the moment Harry turned his head to his friends.
"If you bet on me, I'll buy you a drink in Hogsmeade next weekend," Harry told his friends. "Even though Snape cheated," he added hastily.
Petty brat.
"I bet on you," Ronald told Harry. "Course, you lost, so you suck, but I did bet on you so you owe me a drink."
"I didn't," Bailey said smugly. "I knew Professor Snape was too brilliant to be beat. I put all my allowance for the month on him, and now I'm rich."
Harry narrowed his eyes thoughtfully at Bailey before turning an accusing look at Severus.
"I gave you a house," Severus reminded him, easily interpreting his look. "I will hardly give you an allowance on top of that."
"Fair enough," Harry shrugged, his mock-irritation disappearing quickly. "I'm starving, think we can go get a snack from Mavis?"
Severus was under the mistaken impression that Harry was speaking to his friends, so he was taken aback as Harry blinked at him, awaiting a response.
"Certainly." Severus glanced behind him at the wreckage from their duel and briefly considered fixing it. But...
But he would much rather go 'get a snack from Mavis' with Harry.
"Come along," Severus told Harry. "You can praise my superior dueling skills as we walk to the kitchens, hmm?"
"Never," Harry muttered darkly, driving a chuckle from Severus.
The two of them walked in companionable silence for a few minutes, Severus preening over his victory and Harry probably stewing in his loss.
The child deserved it on occasion.
"Hey, Sev." Harry looked up at him suddenly and grinned, a twinkle returning to his eyes as they walked towards the castle together. "Did you kick my arse to impress your girlfriend?"
Severus' neck warmed at Harry's implication. "I will 'kick your arse' again if you ever call Nymphadora that again," he warned him.
Harry laughed and the twinkle in his eyes seemed to multiple. "Who said I was talking about Tonks?" he blinked innocently.
Damn.
Severus had walked right in to that.
Harry had always been skilled at verbal traps.
"Butttt, since we're on the subject... did you see how she was looking at you?"
Severus glanced down curiously and lifted a brow at Harry, silently asking him to elucidate.
"Sev." Harry stopped outside the main entrance of the castle and shook his head, appearing the role of the exasperated adult. "She was looking at you how- how Fred looks at me, wasn't she? Pft," Harry grinned slightly, "She's mad about you, isn't she?"
Severus silently considered that for a moment.
Then he rolled his eyes.
"You became engaged to your first boyfriend," Severus teased him lightly, "I hardly think you are an expert on relationships."
"Ooookay," Harry sang in an irksome 'I know better than you' tone. "Just remember when you and Tonks get married, I wanna be the best man."
Severus rolled his eyes once more as a tiny dagger of ice struck his heart.
He swore then that despite the fact that he saw no romance or marriage in his future, if the day ever came when it was a possibility, either Harry would be there or Severus himself would not be.
There was no future for Severus without his son.
***
Friday, October 31
Severus glanced up from the paper when the entrance to his quarters was slowly opened.
"Oh. Nymphadora. I apologize, I forgot we were meeting today."
Nymphadora cocked a brow at him—
Had they truly spent so much time together that she was mimicking his facial expressions?
— and grinned wryly.
"It's Friday?" she said.
"Correct, although it is also Halloween, which supersedes any other plans."
"Aah," Nymphadora flopped down in one of the chairs in Severus' sitting room and nodded sagely. "I forgot, you're trick or treating tonight, aren't you?"
Despite the actually accursed holiday, Severus' lips twitched at Nymphadora's endless wit.
"I am not," he said. "I intend on stalking my child today, as is my tradition on Halloween."
Nymphadora blinked at him.
Severus took a calm sip of his drink.
Nymphadora blinked again.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Severus smirked, "Harry is the unluckiest child to ever live—
(as they both knew to be fact)
—and the curse appears to flare up particularly on Halloween. Thus, I have stalked Harry every Halloween since his third year when I first realized it."
Nymphadora pursed her lips skeptically so Severus sighed and explained.
"1981, I believe that is rather self-explanatory. 1991, Harry is nearly killed by a troll let loose in the castle by the Dark Lord's puppet. 1992, the Chamber of Secrets is opened, Harry was nearly attacked by Argus, and was believed to be the culprit. 1993, Black broke in to the castle and attacked Harry with a knife—"
"Sirius attacked Harry with a knife?!" Nymphadora yelped.
Well.
Perhaps not.
Not exactly, as it turned out.
"He did," Severus said.
Black could defend himself to his cousin if he wished to, Severus certainly would not do it.
"1994, Harry gets entered in the Triwizard Tournament despite being three years too young. Now, admittedly, I am unsure what happened on Halloween between 1981 and 91, but I am certain something did."
"And last year?" Nymphadora asked.
Severus recalled the day last year he spent silently tailing Harry as his ward went to his classes, flew with his team, and received condolences during the feast before retiring peacefully in his bed.
"Dolores was breathing last Halloween," Severus said solemnly. "Which was a terrible curse on us all."
Nymphadora laughed, delighted by Severus' sarcasm. "Alright, so then I suppose we'll have to push off our plotting in favor of stalking. Want some company? I hear I'm decent at blending in," she winked.
Severus considered it for a moment.
While it would undoubtedly open him to comments or, Merlin forbid, jokes, from Minerva, he was perfectly within his rights as a professor to have a guest roam the castle and grounds with him.
And since Severus had forgotten to cancel their prior arrangement for the day, it would be rude to simply send Nymphadora on her way.
"Certainly," Severus said. He rose to his feet and offered her a sardonic arm, "Shall we?"
"We shall," Nymphadora said with a brighter than usual smile. "Where are we going first?"
"Breakfast," Severus said. "After that, I am unsure. Harry has the day off classes today and typically utilizes that time to either fly, gossip with the house-elves, or work with his godbrother on his 'fighting skills'. It is quite the varied routine."
Nymphadora laughed again. "Alright then," she said. "Let's go stalk your son."
Severus hesitated outside the teachers entrance, he could hardly enter the Great Hall with Nymphadora on his arm and chattering away happily to him. Yet...
Yet, if Harry had a shortened lifespan, Severus did as well.
Which was almost just slightly reassuring as he was certain that Minerva would have a great many comments to make about their friendship.
"Would you do me a favor?" Severus asked Nymphadora before opening the door.
"Of course," she said.
"If you could irritate Minerva to the best of your abilities, it would be appreciated."
"Oh Sev..." Nymphadora shook her head, "I would love to."
And before Severus could hardly blink, it appeared as if Nymphadora had transformed in to Minerva as effortlessly as if she had consumed Polyjuice.
"Perfect," Severus smirked.
And they entered the Great Hall to a sudden silence, then ringing laughter as Nymphadora-Minerva began smiling and waving at Minerva eagerly.
"My long lost twin sister!" she cried. "Oh, I've looked for you my whole life!!"
Minerva's lips flattened while the staff stared between the two incredulously.
"It was not funny when you were thirteen, and it is not funny now, Miss Tonks," Minerva said curtly. "You're lucky I can't assign a detention or you'd be scrubbing the floor with a toothbrush all night."
"Careful Tonks," Black chuckled from his seat. "She'll be docking Hufflepuff points for 'nostalgia' next."
Nymphadora changed her features back to her own with a flourish of a bow to the cheering students. "Can she do that?" she asked Severus as he pulled a chair out for her, the one next to Minerva.
"I can, and I will," Minerva said. Her stern tone was belied by the look of approval she gave Severus as he sat on the other side of Nymphadora.
Severus huffed quietly at her then looked through the hall and spotted Harry in his usual seat. There were quite a few Slytherin students standing around him, offering handshakes and likely condolences to the child they feared and respected in nearly equal amounts.
After a moment or two of subtly watching Harry, and reassuring himself that nothing outrageous would be happening for the next few minutes at least, Severus poured himself a cup of the coffee that the house-elves always sent him since Harry first got him hooked on the drink.
And Minerva, who Severus was certain waited until the moment he took a drink of the scalding coffee, cleared her throat lightly and smiled wryly at Nymphadora.
"Did you stay the night again, Miss Tonks?"
Severus' sputter was thankfully masked from the others by the noise of the incoming owls delivering post and packages to the students.
"I didn't, but if that's your way of asking me to stay with you tonight, then I'm sorry but, as I've told you before, you're just not my type," Nymphadora said unhesitatingly.
Dear God.
The absolute nerve of the woman.
It was as charming as her pink hair and the way she stubbornly insists on assisting Severus on his impossible task.
Pomona, Filius, and Black all laughed loud enough to draw curious students eyes to them, though Minerva did not look so similarly amused.
"Of course I'm not," Minerva said with a sly look at Severus. "I would say you prefer tall, dark, and cunning?"
"Exactly," Nymphadora nodded. "Except, I heard You-Know-Who's completely unavailable. If you find someone else suitable though, let me know."
It was a mad reaction, but Severus took a hasty sip of his drink to hide his jaw dropping at the pure wit of Nymphadora.
It was a wonder she ever made it to Hufflepuff.
Minerva quipped something back to Nymphadora, obviously enjoying the battle of sass with her fellow witch, and Severus looked out towards Harry and his friends.
He watched with mild curiosity as a large auburn owl delivered a box to Harry and flew away before accepting the bit of toast Harry held out as an offer to it. Judging by the child's expression, he was mystified as to the contents.
Perhaps a gift from Frederick, to commemorate the anniversary of his parents' death?
Severus knocked his glass on to the floor as Harry— brave, resilient, stubborn, 'suffers in silence', Harry— opened the box and let out a scream.
A yelp of surprise, more than a scream, but still.
Harry never screamed.
Ever.
Perhaps not a gift then.
So Severus was rushing to the child before he even finished his small shout.
"What the fuck?" Harry cried, flinging the box away from him. "What the fuck is that?!"
Severus was internally relieved that Nymphadora and Black followed directly behind him, as he did not have to choose whether to calm Harry or examine the box. Nymphadora carefully grabbed the box while Severus erected a hasty privacy shield.
No need for all of the students and staff to witness Harry going to pieces.
"Breathe," Severus said calmly. He ducked down behind Harry and put his hands on his shoulders to turn him around until they were face to face. Harry's eyes were wide and his face terribly pale. "Slowly, in and out." Severus guided him for a few moments until Harry was no longer gasping for air and was eventually matching Severus' breaths. "Excellent," he said softly. "Would you like a calming drought?"
Whatever was in the box must be truly terrible, because Harry nodded immediately.
Luckily, or... perhaps... unluckily, Harry had always had a penchant for anxiety and Severus had long grown accustomed to carrying a calming drought in his pocket. He handed it to Harry, who tossed it back without any of his usual fanfare.
"What the ever loving fuck was that?" Harry hissed as his cheeks regained a small blossom of color.
Severus looked through the pale blue mist that surrounded them, and saw that Albus and Minerva were now also looking in to the box that was delivered to Harry.
Which must mean it was something dreadful.
"I am unsure," Severus said truthfully. "I will have to drop our privacy shield to investigate though, is this acceptable?"
"No," Harry said quickly, his face darkening with a blush, one likely born of a sense of misplaced embarrassment. As if a small yelp were a cardinal sin that the Great Harry Potter could hardly bear to face the shame of. "Hold on."
Severus watched, only mildly amused, as Harry grabbed his father's invisibility cloak from his bag and concealed himself beneath it.
"'Kay," Harry's voice whispered. "Go ahead."
Severus waved his wand, dispelling the shield, and was immediately confronted with a grave faced Albus, a pale Minerva, a Black who looked as if he were incredibly nauseous, Nymphadora who wore her 'solemn auror expression', and a glowering Susan Bones.
"I need to send a message to Amelia," Nymphadora told him immediately. "Should I meet you in your office, Sev?"
"My office, I think," Albus said quietly. "Madame Bones can floo directly there." He levitated the box in front of him and gestured for the others to follow.
Nymphadora caught Severus' eye for a moment and shook her head slightly before rushing out the doors to send Amelia her message.
There was nothing good happening right now. Past that though, Severus truly had no idea what was happening.
Severus was not surprised when Susan Bones stepped up directly by his side, her chin thrust out, silently daring anyone to send her back to her seat.
"Where did Harry go?" she demanded quietly.
"'M here," Harry murmured from Severus' right side. "You coming?"
"Of course."
Of course.
Severus stepped forward, catching himself alongside Albus. "What is in the box?" he asked as their odd group traipsed towards Albus' office.
Albus shook his head, his eyes were wide and their customary twinkle was entirely dulled. "Human hearts," he said in a hushed whisper. "Whose they are, where they came from, I do not know."
Severus glanced at the invisible child he could sense was still at his side with incredulity.
The curse of Halloween continues, Severus thought as he followed the group to Albus' office to await the arrival of the aurors.