“Wake up,” someone was calling from a great distance. “Come on, wake up.” She felt herself being shaken by something.
Stop it. Leave me alone, Selena thought deliriously.
“I can’t,” said the voice, as though it were answering her question. She was being shook again. She made a feeble attempt to lift up her arm and wave the person away.
“That’s it,” the person coaxed. “Come on, get up.”
“Leave…me…alone.” It was an effort to get all the words out.
“You need to get up first,” said the person, a little impatiently.
Why? Selena wondered vaguely. I like it here in the dark.
“It’s dark over here too, don’t worry.” Now they sounded amused.
After several more prods, Selena managed to crack open a eye. She almost laughed wearily at the face hovering in front of her. He just can’t leave me alone, even in my sleep. She placed her hands over her eyes and rubbed them tiredly. But when she removed them, she saw the same person.
It took a moment for the fact that this wasn’t a dream to settle in. When it did, Selena let out a strangled sort of gasp and slid backwards on the floor, attempting to clamor to her feet.
“Relax,” said Severus Tobias Snape, sounding bored; sliding up from his knees smoothly to a standing position. “You were attacked by dementors not too long ago; you don’t want to set yourself into a relapse.”
Too horrified to speak, Selena managed to push herself off the floor, steadying herself with the wall’s support. She grasped a clammy hand around her wand, keeping it inside her pocket.
“I don’t have much time,” Severus continued in the same lazy, bored tone, “so while you’re just standing there, listen close. I need you “ “
“What did you do?!” Selena shrieked. She had finally looked around at her surroundings. She was in a small, dark shack thrown together from splintered pieces of wood. Strewn carelessly in a corner were Remus Lupin and Alastor Moody, lying across the floor. Unmoving.
“They’re fine,” said Severus dispassionately. “They are merely unconscious.”
Selena didn’t believe him (what reasons did she have to?). She quickly hurried over to them, but still unsteady on her feet, she stumbled.
“I told you to watch it,” said Severus, grabbing her arms and pulling her upright.
“Get your hands off me!” To her surprise, he obliged, though this just sent her crashing against the wall. She leaned against said wall and stared at him. “What “ are you doing “ here?” she gasped, breathing hard.
“I think the more appropriate question would be what are you doing here, but we don’t have time for pointless discussions,” said Severus smoothly. He turned around so his back was to her, and paced slowly towards the other wall. Selena saw her opportunity, and pulled out her wand. She may have been light-headed, but that didn’t mean she couldn’t know a chance when she saw it. “Listen close. You need to find P “ “
He stopped abruptly. Selena had quietly walked after him, so when Severus turned around, his hooked nose nearly bumped her wand.
“Give me one reason why you wouldn’t deserve this,” Selena snarled, swaying slightly.
“I could give you several, but you forgot one thing.” Severus pulled out his own wand and twirled it in his hand, raising one eyebrow. “Besides, we both know you wouldn’t.”
“Just because you’re a coward doesn’t mean we all are,” said Selena viciously, the ground rocking beneath her.
A angry shadow flitted across his face, and Selena cringed, preparing herself for anything. But next thing she knew, her brother was holding out a piece of chocolate.
“What,” Selena gasped out, teetering on her feet.
“Take it.”
“That’s how you’re going to kill me then?” Selena said, her head spinning. “Food poisoning?”
“If you would calm down for a moment, you would know I have no intent of killing you.”
“Then why “ “ she swayed dangerously “ “ am I here?”
“Because I have something I need you to do,” said Severus impatiently.
Selena laughed thickly, somewhat drunkenly. “What “ kill myself? Or maybe you? How about if I just do us both in…and maybe the dementors too....” She rambled on senselessly; she didn’t even know what was coming out of her mouth. For a few moments, Severus looked at her with unhidden disgust, then conjured a wooden chair from thin air and placed it down on the floorboards with a loud thunk. Grabbing Selena’s shoulders, he pushed her into the chair. For several seconds Selena tried to regain her standing posture, then gave up and slumped into the chair, burying her head in her hands and feeling like she was about to be very sick.
“And I thought you would be easier to deal with than Moody or Lupin,” Severus muttered to himself. Then, to her, he commanded, “Eat this,” and shoved the chocolate in front of her face. Selena raised one hand weakly, and placed the piece in her mouth. She felt instantly better, somewhat to her surprise, though still not quite herself. She lifted her eyes to his.
“What do you want?” she said in a small, defeated voice.
“Finally,” said Severus. “First, answer me this: does Harry Potter attend the Order meetings now?”
“W-what’s it to you?” Selena stuttered.
“Everything,” said Severus immediately.
“What makes you think I’m going to tell you?”
“I thought you were more likely to than them.” He nodded towards the limp forms of Remus and Moody.
“And why would that be?” Selena demanded furiously, her temper bubbling high. “Because I’m female? Thought you could scare me senseless? Or maybe because I’m your sister, hmm? Is that it? Did you “ “
“Keep your voice down!” Severus hissed angrily, bending so his face was almost level with hers. “Someone could be here any moment!”
“Oh, I see,” said Selena, her strength rising along with her anger, “you want to finish us all off by yourself. Take all the glory, show your Death Eater pals that you are just so “ “
“If you would just shut up for a minute,” Severus snapped, “you would realize that I don’t want them to show up while you’re here anymore than you do. Just tell me: do you have a way of meeting Potter within the next week, if not sooner?”
“We have tea every Thursday afternoon,” said Selena sarcastically.
“I’m serious,” Severus spat through clenched teeth.
“I don’t know. Why?”
“Because you need to tell him what I’m about to say. Do not mix up the words at all, otherwise he won’t understand.”
Selena looked at him suspiciously. “And what am I supposed to tell him?”
Severus’ eyes were fixed on hers. “There is one where his father is buried.”
Selena blinked. “What?”
Severus repeated himself.
“Is this some kind of half-witted trap?”
“No trap. Just tell him there is one where his father is buried. Do not say where your father is buried, either. You must say his.”
“And what if I don’t?”
“You have to,” said Severus hurriedly. She was dumbfounded at the urgency in his tone. “You have to tell him. He needs to know.”
“If you want to kill Harry Potter, surely you could think of a way that doesn’t involve me,” said Selena.
Severus leaned closer. “What if it’s not Potter I’m trying to kill?” he asked softly.
“I’m right here,” said Selena levelly, though the feeling of sickness was rising high again. “You could just do it now if you want to murder me “ “
“Damn it, Selena!” said Severus, straightening himself and striding away from her. “Do you always have to jump to the most half-baked conclusions? It’s not you I’m trying to kill either!”
“So who are you trying to kill?” said Selena, not able to keep the sarcasm out of her tone. “Your buddy Malfoy? Your friend Nott? Or maybe a girlfriend of yours “ Lestrange?” Severus had stopped walking, and she could tell, much to her satisfaction, she was getting on his nerves. “Or maybe even your ‘lord’? Hmm? Is “ “
He turned back around to face her, his expression blank. But his black eyes were glittering strangely. “There is one where his father is buried.”
For a second, Selena stared at him with wide eyes, then she exploded. “Do you really expect me to buy that shit?!” she exclaimed. “You work for him! You worship the bloody ground he walks on! You don’t want him dead! Why “ “
“I told you, keep your voice down!” said Severus frustratedly. “Look, Bellatrix is supposed to be here in a few minutes “ we’re supposed to “ oh, it doesn’t matter “ can you just promise me you’ll tell Potter what I’ve told you?”
“If it’s so important, you can tell him yourself,” said Selena, standing up to inspect Remus and Moody. She knelt beside the two men.
“I would if I could, believe me.”
“Why can’t you?” Selena asked, feeling Remus Lupin’s wrist for a pulse.
“Honestly, Selena. Do you think I can walk just about anywhere in the present situation?”
She didn’t answer him. “They’re alive,” said Selena quietly, more to herself than anyone else. She could feel a pulse on both Remus and Moody.
“I told you.” Severus could not keep the gloating, mocking tone out of his voice.
She looked up at her brother. “You didn’t kill any of us.”
“Well spotted.”
“And you didn’t leave us to the dementors. That was you, wasn’t it, who saved our lives.” Her stomach was clenching and turning oddly.
“I wouldn’t call it saving; it sounds too cliché. Besides, the dementors will obey anyone they see with a D “ anyone who is in service to the Dark Lord.” He rubbed his left forearm vaguely.
She barely heard what he was saying anymore, just stared at him from her kneeling position on the ground. “Why did you rescue us?”
He answered her with a question of his own. “Why not?”
“Well, you did in Dumbledore, didn’t you?” said Selena, standing up again and looking straight into her brother’s black eyes. “Not to mention countless others.”
His lips twisted slightly, but not into his usual smirk. “That was different.”
“Of course,” said Selena, smiling sardonically. “You certainly seem to underestimate my level of intelligence. I won’t use the word fool or idiot about you, Severus, but “ “
“Then I’ll use them about you,” said Severus, clearly losing patience. “You’re being a fool by not having the ability to believe a damn word I say. Only a idiot wouldn’t do what I am telling you “ “
“There’s an awful lot of idiots in this world, then,” said Selena, talking over him. “I guess the brightest people around are all your friends who worship that “ “
“You’re going to have to tell Potter the message,” Severus continued in a dangerous hissing voice, ignoring his sister. “Unless you want to see the wizarding world crumble before your eyes “ “
“I already am!” Selena practically yelled. “And so are you “ it doesn’t help that you are only helping it fall! Don’t you tell me “ “
“You were never able to see what wasn’t placed right in front of you,” Severus went on softly, his eyes piercing into hers. “If it didn’t come in a neat little bundle, all laid out and explained, you could never just place your doubt aside and believe it. Could never dig deeper than you thought necessary, could you? Not in a situation, not in a person…. You always had to see the best in people, could never admit their faults “ “
“I’m quite prepared to admit all of yours, don’t worry “ “
“ “ it was always that ‘our mum tries’, and that ‘she just doesn’t have it in her’. It was never the truth, which was that she was just a coward “ “
“You’re the coward in this family, Severus “ “
“ “ Potter and his friends loved to make my life hell, but you always said that I was just as much to blame. It wasn’t that you couldn’t see what happened, it was just you only saw what you wanted to, just like now “ “
“I didn’t ever want to see that you were a jacka “ “
“ “ then there were the times you just completely didn’t understand a person “ like when you fancied Blackwood “ “
“Just because I’ve learned to love someone other than myself and you haven’t doesn’t make me any more of a fool!” Selena shouted.
His eyes flashed with anger, his mouth opened to retaliate, but suddenly his spine stiffened. Selena froze as well. For a split second, the siblings were utterly silent.
“Someone’s coming,” said Severus in a low voice. “Probably Bellatrix.” His eyes flickered onto Selena. “Will you tell Potter the message?”
“Will pigs fly?”
“If you place a charm on them. But I’m serious.”
“You want me to be serious? Well then, I’m not telling Harry Potter anything.”
Severus seemed to have a silent debate with himself for a moment, then he said, “Ever heard of a Horcrux?”
“Potter wouldn’t make a “ “
“Of course he didn’t!”
“Then what “ “
“Never mind,” said Severus hastily, though both the Snapes knew it was plain what he had been implying. “Can’t you just “ “
“No,” said Selena shortly.
“Don’t you get it?” said Severus quietly, glancing around with a slightly anxious look in his eyes. “Bellatrix is near, we don’t have forever “ can’t you just promise me you’ll do this?”
She stared at him dubiously, one eyebrow arched.
“It’s both our lives on the line if she finds us like this!” Severus hissed.
“I wouldn’t mind dying if I knew my demise had been yours as well,” Selena threw back. The words sounded harsh against her lips as they hit the air. Because a part of her “ a part she come to detest “ was questioning her brother’s words and actions. Again.
Severus swore colorfully, though it did not seem to be directed at her in particular, more the situation. She heard the soft thuds of footsteps again against the ground outside. The minute was passing, and she was going to have to do something…
Severus seemed to size her up for a moment with his eyes. “I’m not leaving here until I get this done. Now are you going to help me, or are we both going to die today?”
Selena could feel her heart hammering in her chest, ka-thump, ka-thump, ka-thump. All the facts she knew about him were piling into two piles, fighting with each other.... He saved you.... But he’s a murderer, a Death Eater!.... You could have died, or you could have lost your soul, but you didn’t, and neither did Remus or Moody.... He fooled you once, didn’t he?.... But what if I wasn’t fooled?.... You just want to believe the best, Snape.... But then again “ but “ but “ but “
“Okay.”
Severus quirked one eyebrow. “Was that a ‘okay’ as in you’ll do it?”
The word ‘okay’ had left her mouth on it’s own. Her lips had parted, but it had not been her speaking. She gaped at him.
Thud, thud, thud.
“Yes.” That time she had spoke intentionally.
He studied her. “Really?”
She nodded firmly, her eyes locked on his.
Severus was silent for a moment, and after his mouth formed into a crooked smile. “Excellent.” Then he cast his eyes toward Moody and Remus. “You may want to revive them soon,” he said, as an afterthought. And then he Disapparated without another word.