Please, Release Me!

 

February and March became April soon enough. Neville had acted as Severus three times on other occasions without any trouble.

Nobody knew where the horrible Carrow sister had gone, still, and her brother´s mood was even worse than before her disappearance, naturally, but without his back-up in torture sessions it wasn´t the same anymore, much to the students´ relief.

Voldemort himself was convinced that the Carrow had run away from her duties as a mad-woman and had blacklisted her amongst the Death eaters, even though her brother had tried to beg on several occasions, causing Voldemort to act out towards him in pure rage and punishment.

One did not argue with Voldemort. At all.

The landscapes surrounding Hogwarts were still covered in thick whiteness and it was simply beautiful, like always.

Neville´s favorite time of year had always been the Christmas holidays and whenever else there was snow around, which so happened to be Severus´ least favorite time of year. Neville, however, had sworn to the older male to change that after the war was over and done with.

Severus had of course said nothing to that, only cuddled closer together with his young lover in an excuse of feeling cold. He had avoided the subject of post-war so long it had become an art for Severus, he could not break his young lovers´ heart in the middle of chaos, which would surely crush Neville´s spirit, and maybe even cause his death in the end.

And that would break Severus´ heart.

*

“I demand to know who murdered my sister! Right now!” Amycus yelled across the Great hall during dinnertime. Professor McGonagall had found the body of said sister an hour prior, and it had been held back in the infirmary for further examinations to confirm the cause of death.

“We will not have this discussion here, not in front of the students,” Severus drawled at the fellow Death eater who turned even whiter with anger.

“Then send the fucking spawn out of here!” he spat, causing Flitwick to draw his wand at him. He simply glared down at the half goblin and sneered in disgust. The headmaster nodded to the prefects who took their cues and beckoned the other students out of the dining room.

The death eater turned to Severus. “I demand some answers, right fucking now. Who did this to my sister? Her head has been smashed! She harmed no one –“ Severus snorted at these words.

“The last thing your dear sister was was innocent. She tortured students for fun, even though the Dark Lord specifically ordered tha-“

“So WHAT!” he huffed and drew his wand, not noticing the wand in every other professors´ hands. “Are you telling me that he murdered her? She was loyal to him, and he-“

“Of course not you fool.” Severus drew in a deep breath before going on; McGonagall narrowed her eyes at his. “I did.”

Amycus turned slightly green and looked at Severus. “Yo-you wouldn´t, surely Severus, I-I´m your friend. You would no-“ Severus shrugged off the hand the other had placed onto his arm in an effort to steady himself against what Severus had confessed.

“She -“

A gentle hand on the headmaster´s arm silenced and startled them all, as they turned around to see the body connected to said arm. “No.” The voice of Ernie Macmillan stated confidently.

“Who is this fool?” Amycus barked.

Ernie sought out his headmaster´s dark orbs and smiled calmly. “Thank you for saving my life, but I cannot let you take the punishment that Voldemort woul-“

“Mr. Macmillan, you will return to your dor-“

The student raised his wand slightly between the two of them; Severus touched his own but didn´t go for it. The movement was so quick the next moment that nobody had time to act against it. “Obliviate.” The Carrow male´s eyes grew blank before Ernie´s firm voice spoke. “You are sorry for your sister’s death, but you had to punish her for not following the Dark Lord´s orders, she would have disrespected him and embarrassed your family if not. Go to your master and confess,” he glanced briefly to Snape, “And get out of Severus´ face unless he calls on you.”

The Carrow blinked when Ernie lowered his wand and shook his head in confusion before leaving the room after a deep bow to Severus. Once he left Severus turned to his student.

“You stupid-“

“Shut up!” The silence that followed was disturbed when the young man continued to speak, “You saved my life. You did what you had to because that bloody cow tried to rape me, I will not let you be tortured or worse because of that sick bint.”

“Mr. –“

“I said no!” He leaned closer to Severus, “I meant what I said, I owe you, and you have my trust.” He put his wand aside, before speaking again. “Tell me, if you need anything.” He held out his hand for his former Potions master to shake, in the a pureblood custom to confirm a dept owed between two wizards. Severus blinked before accepting his hand, causing the attractive male to smile.

“Professors.” He bowed to the others before exiting the room.

”Is it true, Severus?” The shaky voice of McGonagall asked.

Severus couldn´t answer due to the shock of the students´ actions. He knew the purebloods were highly bound by life-depts and would take them very seriously, but  it was the words that followed that - You have my trust. In the past months he had heard those exact words from several students, whom he had never thought would feel that way towards him. Neville, the Weasley girl, Thomas, Finnegan, Lovegood and now Macmillan.

Maybe there is hope out there after all, he thought as he nodded in response to the question asked.

*

Jan: Here it is my friend! And thank you!

Lanie: Uhm, so many hot men in this story!

I can´t believe I am running out of chapters to post – only 8 more to go. WAAAAh