It Happened One Hallow's Eve

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 31 ~ The Moment Arrives

Severus turned toward Slytherin House. He had to get Draco and bring him outside before meeting with Albus and Harry.

He quickly entered the common room and took the stairs, leading to the young wizard’s room. He knocked on the door. He heard it unlock and it opened a crack.

“Who is it?” Draco asked.

“Professor Snape,” Severus replied.

The door opened wider and Severus entered. Draco stood there in his Death Eater robes…his half skull mask in his hand. His eyes looked a bit glassy.

“Are you ready, Draco?” Severus asked the young wizard.

“Yes sir,” Draco replied, pulling on his mask.

Severus took his arm and disapparated.

They reappeared near the gate. Order members were milling about and getting into position. Many looked up at the pair, staring for a moment…frowns on their faces at Draco’s garb. They had been informed that he would be on the grounds, and good thing too. The blonde wizard would have made excellent target practice.

Kingsley walked up to them and looked at Draco.

“Are you ready?” he asked the wizard, his brown eyes washing over his Death Eater garb.

“Yes sir,” Draco replied, watching as Order members began to disappear in place.

“Good. I want you to wait near the Whomping Willow. When the battle begins, you bolt for safety,” Kingsley instructed Draco, “Be sure to discard your robes so you aren’t hit.”

Draco nodded. Both Kingsley and Severus knew the pureblood had no intentions of fleeing like a coward. Kingsley offered Draco his hand.

“It was a good thing you did, Mr. Malfoy. The wizarding world owes you a great debt,” he said sincerely.

Draco visibly swelled for a moment as he took the Auror’s hand.

“Thank you sir,” he said. Then he turned to Severus.

“Good luck, Professor,” he said to the dark wizard. “I hope it all works out.”

“That makes two of us, Mr. Malfoy,” Severus said.

Draco gave him a small smile, then turned and walked toward the Whomping Willow.

Crookshanks was sitting at the base of the Whomping Willow, watching all the activity. What was going on? His eyes narrowed as he saw Draco approaching, and he nimbly climbed up the tree to his favorite vantage point. He’d be able to see what else was going on from there.

Draco stopped just outside the Whomping range of the willow. He knew it was turned off, but still…better safe than sorry. He watched as the thousands of Order members disappeared, only Severus and Kingsley visible now.

Severus looked about.

“Did you consider that Voldemort may have sent reconnaissance to scope out the grounds before they appeared?", the wizard asked Kingsley.

Kingsley nodded.

“Of course. Last night Albus set up an illusion and a silencing spell around the perimeter of the gate that shows the grounds empty. Anyone looking in would see nor hear anything out of the ordinary,” the Auror replied.

Severus nodded.

“I must go and see Albus,” the wizard said, turning.

“Ah, Severus?” Kingsley called to him.

The wizard turned back to see the Auror’s huge hand held out. He took it.

“I wish you every success. You are a very courageous wizard. Hopefully, history will be kind to you as well,” Kingsley said, shaking Severus’ hand firmly.

“I care little for what history has to say about me,” Severus said, “As long as Voldemort’s madness ends here…today.”

He released Kingsley’s hand and disapparated, the wizard staring at the space the Potions Master had just occupied.

Severus Snape was not interested in personal glory. He only cared about what was right.

He really was a good man.

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Severus appeared directly in Albus office, the Headmaster sitting at his desk, and Harry sitting across from him in the armchair, looking a bit pale but resolute. Both started at the crack of thunder, Harry half rising before realizing it was the Potions Master and taking his seat.

“Ah Severus. I take it Draco is on the grounds?” he asked the pale wizard.

“Yes, he is waiting by the willow,” Severus replied, looking at Harry. “Ready, Mr. Potter?”

Harry looked up at the Potions Master.

"As ready as I can be,” he replied.

Albus motioned for Severus to sit down, and the tall, pale wizard folded himself into the armchair next to Harry’s.
“There’s been a change of plans, Severus. You and Harry will not be alone. When he draws his sword, your duplicity will be revealed. Voldemort will know I have not been killed, so I might as well, shall we say…”pop up,” Albus said, his blue eyes twinkling, though there was a bit of darkness behind that twinkle.

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, and Severus did as well, though internally. Albus’ intervention could mean both of their survival.

But I will still be on the perimeter and have to work my way forward. Yet my appearance will distract him in any case. You may be able to make your move then, Harry. Attack him,” Albus said. Harry nodded, paling a bit more.

Albus looked from Harry to Severus.

“I know it’s a bit early, but I think a shot is in order,” he said, standing and turning around. He pulled a large, dusty bottle off the shelf and three small glasses. The Headmaster then blew the dust off the label. It was Ogden’s Firewhiskey, a very old bottle. Circa 1841. He uncapped it and reverently poured a small splash in each glass and put the bottle away. He sat back down and motioned for Severus and Harry to each take a glass. They did so.

“To victory,” Albus said, holding up his shot.

“To victory,” Severus and Harry intoned. Then they each drank the liquor down, Harry breaking out in a coughing fit as Albus and Severus looked on.

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The corridors were full of students rushing for the Great Hall. Their Heads of House had gone from room to room rousing the lay-abouts and sending them off post haste down to breakfast, their charges grumbling as they fastened their hastily applied robes.

The secret of the upcoming battle had been kept admirably. None of the students knew what was happening. They had been previously told they all had to be in the Great Hall by seven-thirty, yet most believed they were going to be treated to another of Albus’ droning soliloquies about Hogwarts' growth, improvement, new lesson plans, etc. In other words, they’d be able to catch a few extra winks before class.

Ron sat at the Gryffindor table looking about. He knew Harry wouldn’t be here, but didn’t see Hermione. He hadn’t yet had a chance to talk to her. He wanted to apologize for his actions over the past months, and particularly for his reaction to her when she told him she was intimately involved with someone else. He didn’t love Hermione that way after all. It was just a territorial reaction. It had passed. He only hoped the witch would forgive him.

Seven thirty arrived and the doors to the Great Hall were locked and warded. Everyone in the Great Hall could feel the castle’s powerful magic wash over them and began to comment and question what was going on.

Ron was worried. Hermione still wasn’t here. He got up and walked over to Professor McGonagall.

“Professor, Hermione isn’t here,” he said to her. “I’m worried. She could be someplace reading or something.”

Minerva looked at the red-haired wizard and gave him a small smile.

“I assure you, Mr. Weasley, this is not a repeat of Hallow’s Eve. Miss Granger is very safe elsewhere,” she said…just a bit tightly.

Albus had informed Minerva of Hermione’s involvement with the Potions Master, and after he revived her, told him how Hermione would be sequestered in the wizard’s rooms for her own protection.

Minerva protested until Albus pointed out that Hermione was a risk to herself, and if she were given even a bit of freedom, she would no doubt attempt to go to Harry and Severus’ aid at the risk of her own life.

Considering Hermione’s history, Minerva was forced to agree, though she didn’t like the idea of her being trapped in Severus’ bedroom.

“It’s like she’s some kind of…of sex slave,” the witch harrumphed.

Albus shook his head.

“Severus would have to be present for that, Minerva. He won’t be,” the wizard said placatingly.

“He will be when he returns,” she shot back at Albus.

“If he returns, Minerva. If he returns,” the Headmaster replied.

This was enough to silence Minerva. Severus was taking quite a risk…there was a good chance he would die. As lecherous as she believed the Potions Master was being toward Hermione, she didn’t want that to happen. There’d be no replacing him, either in the school…or in her heart. Severus had always been a rather tragic soul to Minerva, and she had known him for many years. He sacrificed so much. For him to lose his life now, when it seemed as if Voldemort’s evil could be ended…would just be criminal.

“The gods protect him,” the witch breathed.

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Albus looked up at the clock. It was five minutes to eight.

“It’s almost time,” he said to Harry and Severus.

Harry drew in a deep, calming breath. This was it. This is what his entire life boiled down to…meeting Voldemort face to face. At least he had made it to manhood.

In the Great Hall, Ginny Weasley sat quietly as all the students muttered around her, demanding to know what was going on. Her brown eyes rested on the clock hanging over the dais. It was almost eight o’clock.

“I believe in you, Harry. You’ll come out all right,” she whispered softly, her eyes filling with tears. "You just have to."

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In the bedroom, dressed in one of Severus’ white shirts, Hermione was desperately going over every brick of the stone walls, pressing them in that hope there was some secret passage that led out of Severus’ bedroom. How could he do this to her? Leave her trapped in here unable to find out what was going on…and worse, unable to help him. And he took her wand. Even if she did get out, how could she help him without a wand? Severus had locked her down tight.

She knew he did it because he loved her, but couldn’t he see she wanted to be by his side because she loved him as well? The witch flopped on the bed. She couldn’t get out. Then she had an idea.

“I need a house elf!” she cried to the walls. Suddenly, there was a pop. A small house elf appeared, looking up at Hermione, his brown eyes wet.

“Can I helps you Miss?” he asked.

“Yes, I need to get out of this room,” Hermione said.

The elf shook his head.

“I is sorry, Miss. The great Dumbledore has forbidden us to takes you from this room. Maybe something to eats?” the elf asked her hopefully.

Hermione scowled down at him.

“No, I don’t want anything to eat,” she said angrily, though she was hungry.

She looked at the clock. It was one minute to eight. Harry said Severus would be taking him to Voldemort at eight o’clock. She looked at the elf, thinking hard. Then she had another idea.

“You can bring me things, can’t you?” she asked the elf.

“Yes, Miss. I can do that,” the elf replied, bobbing his head.

“I want you to go to Professor Flitwick’s class and borrow all the substitute wands you can find and bring them to me,” Hermione said to the elf, who looked at her with a sly smile. House elves loved naughtiness, though they weren't allowed to engage in it themselves, and it was clear that this witch was quite naughty. She intended to get out herself.

“Yes, Miss,” the elf said with a delighted bow and winked out.

Hermione stared at the door, having no idea her wand was in the next room. If she had known, she could have had the elf retrieve it.

“If Severus Snape thinks he can keep me in here, he’d better think again,” she said.

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Kingsley and Tonks removed the illusion around the perimeter and took up their positions near the gate, invoking the invisibility spell, then the Petrificus spell mentally and becoming invisible. They were just in time.

Hundreds of Death Eaters began winking in silently, the sound of their apparition dampened by a silencing spell. They stood in formation, Voldemort appearing directly in front of them, seated on his throne and carried on a gold leafed platform by six Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy appeared in front of him, bowing low.

“Open the gates, Lucius. Let the battle begin,” Voldemort said in his high pitched voice. He was splendidly dressed in crimson robes.

“Yes, my Lord,” Lucius replied, checking the gates and opening them wide. Voldemort was carried through, and the Death Eaters followed silently.

“This is almost too easy, Voldemort thought. Then he heard a crack of thunder. Startled, the Dark Lord and all the Death Eaters looked to the left. There under the Whomping willow, stood Severus, one arm wrapped around Harry Potter’s throat, the young wizard’s wand in his other hand.

Voldemort was delighted.

“He is there! That means Albus is dead!” the wizard lisped, rocking in his throne in his excitement. “Get me over there you oafs. Now! The rest of you wait here until I engage the boy, then charge the castle! Lucius, you are with me. You know why.”

“Yes my Lord,” the pureblood said, motioning for several Death Eaters to fall in as back–up. He saw Draco standing on the outskirt of the tree as well. He was proud of his son. He had done as he was supposed to do and brought honor to the Malfoy name.

Twelve Death Eaters broke rank and joined the entourage, wands in hand. Lucius strode before his Lord, toward the tree, his eyes focused on Severus and his prisoner. His job was to watch Severus closely, to see if he had done anything traitorous. If he found the wizard at fault, he was to kill him where he stood without hesitation. Though he had nothing against Severus personally, he would do his duty. He was a soldier after all.

Had the Potions Master really killed Albus? He must have in order to have taken Harry. Dumbledore would have never allowed it.

The group made their way toward the Whomping Willow, Voldemort’s eyes blazing with victory.

At last…at last he would kill Harry Potter.

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A/N: Ooh…it’s on now. Lol at Voldemort being carried on to the Hogwarts grounds. No little ego there. Severus and Harry are waiting, and Hermione is working on getting out of Severus’ rooms. Will she be able to do it in time? Lol, even I’m on the edge of my seat here. . There are so many ways to write this next chapter…I don’t know which to choose. :))). Anyway, please review. Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

A/A/N: Just a note to AFF readers. I now have a page on LiveJournal under…yes…ms-figg. The address is http://ms-figg.livejournal.com/ Just diatribe, thoughts, craziness, a little ranting etc. If you’re interested in wandering through this twisted little mind and life…by all means pay a visit. Thanks.