Another Year at Hogwarts

“Hogsmeade is secured?” Snape asked—finally breaking the silence between the us. I had been sitting there on the steps of the Astronomy Tower for nearly two hours, enjoying the silence with Snape. I didn’t think he realized I was there.

“Yeah. The charms are working well. The Death Eaters are back. All’s good…” I said trailing off.

“Good,” Snape replied dully and without a glance back at me.

“Is there anything else you need before I go make my round?” I asked while circling my thumbs together.

Snape didn’t say anything right away. When he did, though, he said nothing to answer my question. Instead, he asked, “Do you like sunrises?”

Taken by surprise, I replied by asking him to repeat what he has just said.

“I find them…relaxing… Sunrises,” Snape said.

“You are aware that the sun is setting, right?” I asked as I got up from the steps.

“Scarlet enjoyed them as well,” Snape said ignoring my comment. “She said that they helped—”

“Take her mind off things?” I finished.

Snape nodded. “I found her up here during our second year at Hogwarts,” Snape said with a heavy sigh. “Her mother was sick, so she came up here to clear her mind. In the years that followed, I found her up here more and more. By our fourth year, she was up here nearly every day—just watching sunrise.”

“What made you come up here back then?” I questioned.

I heard him smirk. “You could say this place became my refuge. I got used to watching the sunset, too, I guess.”

I smiled when Snape turned to look back at me. “This is the first time you brought up Scarlet. Why the sudden change of heart?” I asked as I stood beside him and leaned on the railing.

“Because I might never get the chance to see a sunrise again,” Snape said—making my heart stop immediately.

My hands tightened around the railing. “You need to have more of a positive attitude than that.” Those were the words I wanted to say to him. But knowing that he would never see another sunrise, I couldn’t bring myself to say that to him. So against my better judgment, I said, “Tonight, if the Dark Lord—”

“Stop,” Snape quickly interrupted before I could say anything more. “Don’t tell me anything.”

“But this could—” I began while turning to him. “This could make all the difference.”

“You can’t change what is to come,” Snape said as he turned to me. “You’re not here to change things. You’re here to make sure everything goes the way it’s supposed to, even if you don’t like it. That means you are not to interfere unless needed,” he reminded. He stared sternly at me as he continued. “This includes preventing any deaths that are supposed to happen. We don’t want anything worse happening. Do you understand?”

I fought the tears forming in my eyes as I nodded and looked away at the fading sunset.

“Do you understand?” Snape repeated.

“Y—yeah,” I stuttered. “I understand.”

Snape sighed heavily as he turned his attention back to the setting sun. The two of us then stood in silence and just observed the beauty before us fading into darkness. And just as the last ray of sunlight disappeared from the sky, a high pitch screech echoed through the darkness.

“It’s begun,” Snape said as a swarm of black shadows appeared and headed in the direction of Hogsmeade. “Are you prepared for this?”

“Yeah,” I replied as I let my hands slip from the railing and headed towards the stairs. “I’m going to make sure that we have some people guarding the entries of the castle.”

“When you’re done,” Snape said before I descended the stairs, “come find me. I’ll be in the headmaster’s office.”

“Of course,” I replied. I then turned and hurried down the stairs before the urge to spill everything out to Snape overcame me.

Hurrying through the halls, I made sure that there was at least two Death Eaters guarding the entries to the castle. Some of the Death Eaters who were at Hogsmeade had returned to Hogwarts to boost the security. Although I knew they were going to be useless in preventing Harry’s entry into the castle, I told them to either guard the doors or wonder the halls. Some of them were reluctant to listen to me because of my age, but a simply wave of the wand proved useful.

Once I was finished making the quick round of the school grounds, I headed to Snape’s office. But even before I reached it, I found him pacing down the hallway towards me.

“What took you so long?” he asked while approaching me.

“Some Death Eaters returned from Hogsmeade and were being difficult,” I informed. “Where are you going?” I then asked.

“Have you seen those Carrow siblings?” he asked as he passed me.

“I saw Amycus heading towards the Ravenclaw Tower on my way here. He seemed to be in a hurry,” I informed as I turned my heels and hurried behind Snape.

“They were supposed to gather the students into the Great Hall,” Snape growled.

“Well, I can do it,” I suggested.

“No,” Snape quickly objected while spinning around to face me. “You’re staying by my side as long as you’re at Hogwarts. You must be kept safe,” he said before hurrying off towards Ravenclaw Tower.

“I’m perfectly capable of taking care of myself,” I reminded.

“Don’t argue with me,” Snape said as the two us ascended series of staircases. “You, above all else, cannot be killed in this battle.”

“It’s just—” I suddenly stopped as Snape and I turned the corner into a long hallway. I immediately stopped and whispered Snape’s name.

He simply looked out in front of him to the end of the hallway where a figure could be seen walking towards us. The figure, too, stopped when it recognized Snape and me at the end of the hallway.

“What are you doing, Minerva?” Snape asked as he slowly began to approach McGonagall. I slowly followed behind Snape, ready to pull my wand out when needed. Anyone, even those who weren’t unfamiliar with Harry Potter, would have sensed the tension in the air and would have known that something was going about to go down.

“I heard a disturbance,” Professor McGonagall simply answered. “I was just heading down now to the Great Hall now. I heard you’re gathering the students.”

“You heard correctly,” Snape replied. “Some people said they spotted Potter in the village,” Snape commented, his eyes narrowing at Professor McGonagall. “Have you heard anything of it?”

“Only fools listen to rumors.”

I heard Snape sigh heavily before saying, “You are aware that anyone caught or suspected of harboring Potter—”

“Don’t threaten me, Severus!” snapped Professor McGonagall. “You’ve caused enough damage here at Hogwarts this year, haven’t you?”

“I’m simply warning you, Minerva,” Snape replied. “Now, are you in anyway assisting Potter in his attempt to penetrate this castle?”

I saw Professor McGonagall tense up a little bit. But in a matter of seconds, she slashed her wand through the air and a curse came darting towards Snape and me. Thankfully, being the skilled duelist he was, Snape whipped his wand out and deflected her curse.

This didn’t stopped McGonagall though. She quickly waved her wand at a torch on the wall and flung it toward the two of us. The flames surrounded Snape and me before beginning to attack the two of us in a whip-like manner.

I helped Snape deflect the whips, but let out a painful yelp when the fiery whip snapped at the back of my hand when I tried to deflect it.

“VI—!” I heard someone begin to call out.

“Harry?” I gasped as I looked over my shoulder to where Professor McGonagall was standing.

“Stand back,” Snape suddenly ordered before jumping in front of me. As another whip came at us, Snape flicked his wand and the fire transformed into a large black serpent. It immediately turned away from us and flew at Professor McGonagall. I heard something escape her mouth, but wasn’t able to make out what it was. Either way, the snake scattered into puffs of black smoke before forming into a swarm of silver daggers.

Just as they came flying at Snape, I jumped out from behind him and summoned a suit of armor in front of us. Loud clanks were heard as the daggers pierced into the metal chest of the armor.

“Step away!” Snape ordered me.

“I’m fine!” I shouted back.

“You’ll do no more murder at Hogwarts, Snape!” rang the voice of Professor Filius Flitwick, catching me by surprise. “Piertotum locomotor!”

My eyes widened when the suit of armor swung its arm back. Snape quickly jumped back and avoided the hit while I scrunched to the ground. But just as I looked up, the suit of armor had its heavy arms raised and was ready to bring them down upon me.

Suddenly, Snape’s arm was around my waist and he pulled me away just as the armor’s hands slammed into the stone floor—leaving a large hole.

“Expelliarmus!” Snape cast.

The spark flew from the tip of the wand and hit the suit of armor square in the chest—sending it flying in the direction of the teachers.

“Let’s go!” he ordered as he pushed me towards one of the empty classrooms.

Even after we had entered the room, Snape told me to keep running towards the far window that took up much of the wall before us. As the large window neared, I felt Snape’s arms around my shoulder and then there was a loud crash.