E Pluribus Unum

A/N - Again so sorry about the cliff-hanger

Deeble - I liked the knives too.

IrishRavenX - Sorry, no convienent explosions.

Helen - Yup

Droxy - KAte expects money in the long term, she is holding out to be my business manager when I hit the New York Times Best Seller list. :) Very Slyth!

Deblovesdragon - LOL


Chapter 41 – A Fight to the Death

Severus caught the Oni no Hissatsu blade adroitly as the small charm that held it in his sleeve released at his whispered command. Madam Gideon was his target but he paused, strategizing how to get to her without that idiot Ron being killed in the process. The blade was trembling in anticipation, this close to a dark creature; the knife was frantic to lash out.

Lucius stood in the lamplight looking like a strange and terrible god, with his mad gray eyes and with pure white hair flowing over the black robes that swept the snow covered ground. In the small circle of light cast by the lamppost Six other Death Eaters moved forward, their wands covering Potter and the other teens. As much as he wanted to kill Madam Gideon, Potter had to be his priority.

He felt Kathryn shift beside him and heard her whispered “Protegere” charm. He relaxed as he understood what she was up to. She would hold a shield over Potter and the others and he would take care of Madam Gideon. If Potter and his friends couldn’t take on Lucius and six Death Eaters than the prophecy was useless anyway; Potter would never be able to beat Voldemort.

Severus edged quietly around the group, making sure each of his footsteps fell in the shadows and that he made no sounds that might give him away.

“Lovely night for a stroll, Mr. Potter.” Lucius was saying with a supreme indifference to the pointed wands and bristling hostility of those around him. Po, fo, for once, was thinking with his head instead of his wand.

“Yes, it is, Mr. Malfoy.” Potter answered politely, his eyes flicking as he studied the odds. Severus approved of the boy’s level-headedness as he circled behind the Death Eaters and began to move closer to Madam Gideon, Miss Mangle and Ron.

“Isn’t it rather after your curfew though?” Lucius asked, continuing in concerned parental figure mode; and still Potter kept his head, merely nodding as he answered in even tones.

“Yes, sir; normally we wouldn’t be out so late, but we were worried about our friend.” Severus wondered if Potter were being so forbearing because he didn’t want to have to tell Draco that he had killed his father tonight. Or maybe he was just stalling for time, hoping for a miracle.

Severus reached a point where he had to slip from the shadows and cross a patch of light to get near enough to Madam Gideon to attack her. The blade had gone deadly still, keeping itself silent so as not to attract any attention to Severus’ approach. Severus stroked it lightly with an approving thought for it. It seemed to warm in his hand in response to his understanding.

Miss Mangle’s eyes glanced in his direction and he could feel her nearness and knew she sensed his proximity as well. Whatever bond had formed between them, they were mutually aware of each other on a deep level. He somehow knew that she was trying to find a means to remove herself from the confrontation and he needed to give her that means. He waited for the next round of polite conversation between Lucius and Potter and while everyone was distracted, he passed behind Miss Mangle and Ron. Strangely, the blade didn’t respond to Miss Mangle’s presence and he wondered briefly what that meant before his focus returned to Madam Gideon.

He slipped silently behind Madam Gideon and plunged the dagger into her back. She screamed an unearthly, high-pitched wail that shattered the windows around them and sent an explosion of hot wind racing away from her in a rapidly expanding cloud that turned the ice {pick one:}hanging from the eaves/covering the ground/in the trees around them to steam in an instant. The blade heated to a glowing red and Severus dropped it, his hand scalded by the heat and steam. It fell into the mud with an audible thunk.

Madam Gideon’s body began to burn as though she were being consumed with fire from the inside out. She tumbled face first into the mud; smoke and flame rose from her and soon engulfed her form.

Miss Mangle shrieked and, grabbing Ron, she dragged him away from the fallen woman; the foolish boy went with her. Severus darted into the shadows again, his concealment charm starting to fade.

While he was busy dispatching Madam Gideon, the standoff between Lucius and Potter had devolved into chaos. The first hexes the Death Eaters had thrown had bounced harmlessly off Kathryn’s shield charm but the students had scattered and Kathryn couldn’t shield them all. Severus recast his concealment charm while keeping one eye on the battle.

Potter shot off a stunning hex at Lucius who nimbly dodged it and fired an Avada back at him. Potter ducked the killing curse and shoved Luna out of the way of another killing curse at the same time. Luna rolled to her feet and stunned Lucius, her face an expression of perfect calm.

Severus heard Bellatrix’s voice casting Cruciatus at Luna and saw the Ravenclaw girl fall screaming to her knees. Neville was engaged with Shiv who cast a flame hex at him setting his robes on fire.

Neville quickly rolled through the mud putting out the flames that were eating at his robes and came to his feet with the Oni no Hissatsu blade Severus had dropped in his hand. Spinning nimbly on one foot, Neville brought the blade up and around, impaling Bellatrix upon it. Neville paused a moment, blade in hand, and watched as his long-time nemesis pitched over onto the ground, bleeding her life out into the mud.

That seemed to be the signal to retreat. One black-cloaked figure -- Shiv, Severus guessed from his movements -- grabbed Lucius and apparated away with him, while the other Death Eaters dispersed as the noises of the battle woke the people in the nearby houses. Shouts and torches approached. Severus moved farther into the shadows, searching for Kathryn.

He could feel Miss Mangle somewhere nearby and wondered about Ron’s safety. A subtle tingle in his mind and he knew the boy was back on his way to the school, unharmed and apparently unaware of the battle that broken out behind him. He breathed out in relief and moved back towards the sweet shop and the secret passage.

“Honey?” Kathryn’s voice called out. She was smart enough not to wander around calling his name, but he wished she could have chosen something else to call for -- he had never been one for cutesy endearments.

“Yes, Muffin?” He sneered, irritation coloring his voice. He heard a muffled laugh and she was beside him once more.

“We need code names so I can find you in the dark without blowing our cover.” She whispered to him as they made their way back to Honeydukes.

“What was your codename at your old job?” He asked softly in return.

“Ariel. It was the name of an angel.” He could feel her shrug rather than see it and he nodded, thinking.

“How about Azrael? I always identified with him.” He muttered and then a thought hit him. “I hope Longbottom is careful with that blade. I want it back.”


Severus and Kathryn swept up from the dungeons, all traces of their excursion wiped away, to join the rest of the staff in the hallway as the Aurors dragged Potter and the other children in. Someone in Hogsmeade must have had the good sense to floo the Ministry because Shacklebolt was one of the Aurors present, his hand resting lightly on Potter’s shoulder as they entered.

The children looked stunned and weary. Longbottom, he noted, still had the blade clutched in his hand and Luna still looked as though they had all just had a pleasant outing in the country.

In the confusion of explanations and deducting of House points, Severus sidled up to Longbottom.

“Mr. Longbottom, if you wouldn’t mind returning my blade?” Severus whispered to the boy. Longbottom looked up at him in shock, his mouth round and his eyes full of questions.

With a small smile starting to form on his lips he slipped the blade to Severus.

“Nice job on the demon, sir.” Longbottom breathed out almost silently. Severus raised an eyebrow and nodded to the young man before slipping back into the crowd. He strongly suspected that he had undermined the terror with which Longbottom had always beheld him. It was irritating but he had needed that knife back before the Aurors examined it; it was far too distinctive to escape notice.

Albus was eyeing him with that omniscient expression again and Severus grumbled to himself, knowing he would have to give the Headmaster an account before the night was up. Damn it, when was a man supposed to get any sleep around here?

Kathryn shot him a sultry look from under lowered lashes and he rolled his eyes in mock aggravation. Of course, a near death outing and danger would get his homicidal lover in the mood. Severus resigned himself to another sleepless night. At least some of it would be enjoyable. He raised an eyebrow at Kathryn and they slipped away from the crowd. Albus’s briefing could wait; he had far better things to do with his time.

As he took Kathryn’s hand and walked down to the dungeons, he could feel a weight lifting from him. Bellatrix was dead, she could never change her mind and come for Orion now and he would never have to bed the bitch again. He could almost find it in his heart to like Longbottom for that particular gift. Almost.