"So every once in a while he had to be truly reminded of his place in the grand scheme of things, and that there were bigger fishes in the sea, who, despite his great skill and power, could swallow him whole."
"You wouldn't dare obliviate me," Severus challenged, but refusing to meet his eyes.
...
He gave the potions master a disappointed smile before his wand, already in hand, rose like a striking cobra and shot a binding spell towards the potions master. Magical blue coils of thick energy wrapped around the man, holding him still in his seat.
The magical blue coils of energy then pulsed to life as they started sucking out Severus' magic to prevent the binding from being broken. He then casually summoned Severus' wand from his holster to his open hand, as another spell silenced the man.
"I would, Severus, believe me when I say that I will obliviate you. You may be my friend, but I've lost many good friends and many good students fighting this war. I've watched good people die fighting a war with little true purpose. I've walked down burnt-out streets to find the bodies of gruesomely murdered children. I've walked into crime scenes just to see the dismembered limbs of raped wives and daughters.
I don't plan on letting that happen again, Severus, especially not for your murderous friend and his family who squandered every chance to repent." He lectured, as he walked over to his window and looked out over the grounds. The magical coils pulsed to life again as the potions master flexed his magic, struggling pointlessly against the spell while actually strengthening its hold on him.
Looking casually over his shoulder towards the struggling potions master, the pulsating magical coils grew thicker and stronger as they firmly held Severus in place, absorbing more and more magical energy from the potions master's own core. "Don't bother struggling, my friend. I created that spell for a wizard far stronger than you will ever be. For Lord Voldemort, actually, if I ever got the chance to truly capture him," he offered with a proud smile, watching as the spell ran its course.
Turning back to look out the window, he silently watched the cloudless night and how the moonlight played across the Black Lake's water, whilst periodically looking at Severus in the reflection of the glass. The man continued to pointlessly try to fight the spell. "You are a valuable ally, Severus, and a good adviser to me, but you are not irreplaceable. Don't think for one moment that I won't do what needs to be done. I strongly suggest, instead of struggling futilely, that you actually think about the bigger picture here."
Several long minutes passed as he watched Severus' reflection in the window, before he gave a disappointed sigh... Severus had obviously decided to be stubborn; it was time to deploy one of his backup plans.
Sitting back down at his desk, he quickly composed a note to Madam Bones explaining Severus' resistance to their plan. Fawkes appeared in mid-air, clearly sensing his desire for the letter to be delivered. "Take this to Madam Bones, please," he gently instructed, as his familiar snatched the letter out of his hand. Severus gave him a sharp look at where this was leading.
He gave his old friend a disappointed look, one that he commonly used with misbehaving students. "Plans were created in case you refused to assist us in doing your civic duty, my friend; you will now be spending the next couple of days in witness protection, under the care of the Aurors," Albus stated.
"Since you have refused Madam Bones' rather generous deal, I expect you'll be questioned as well, since you have now thrown doubt on yourself as to whether you were really my spy in the death eaters' ranks." Realizing that Severus may have something valuable to say, he ended the silencing charm with a flick of his wand.
"You don't think Lucius will notice my disappearance?" Severus sneered.
Smiling back at the bound man, "That is what polyjuice is for, my friend," he answered with a smirk. "As far as the rest of the world will be concerned, you are still busy teaching potions. Fortunately for us, due to your bachelor status and your lack of popularity amongst the students and staff, no one will notice the switch, not even Draco," the burning anger disappeared from Severus' eyes at the realization that he truly had no one who would notice.
"I strongly suggest you use your upcoming free time to think about your life, my friend. If you had accepted my offer, I would have made sure that you and Draco were kept safe, that your position and rank rose whilst under my protection and guidance. I ask you this; do you think Lucius would sacrifice himself for you? Do you think he would show you even a shred of the loyalty you believe you're acting on for him?"
He spent the next couple of minutes silently watching Severus wrestle with his hidden emotions. "He didn't even tell you of his plot in the first place. You, my friend, are acting like a stubborn Gryffindor, rather than a cunning and ambitious Slytherin. Lucius is as good as caught, that is a fact," Fawkes reappeared with a puff of flames, a note carefully held within its talons.
Quickly reading the note, he shared what it said, "Madam Bones will be here in a couple of minutes to take you into protective custody for your own good."
"Say whatever you want, Albus. Whatever allows you to sleep better at night," the potions master spat back.
He smiled at this simple act of defiance, so out of character for the man, much like a stubborn child refusing to apologise for obviously misbehaving. "If you really must know about my sleeping habits, Severus, I sleep perfectly sound, despite the many horrors I've seen in my long life... Ah, they're here," he stated, feeling the school's protective wards notifying him of expected visitors. He stood up to meet the new arrivals.
"For fuck's sake, Albus, are you trying to get me killed!" Severus exclaimed, struggling again against the magical bindings, as he casually sent another silencing spell at the restrained potions master, muting him.
Moments later his fireplace sprang to life as the first law enforcement officer stepped out of the magical green flames, his blood-red robes marking him as an Auror. Another two followed through the fireplace in quick succession, in matching uniforms.
"Good evening, I assume you have been briefed on your assignment," he asked the trio.
"Yes, Headmaster," they replied, as he recognised them as his own former students, causing him to smile proudly.
"I'll be the one replacing Professor Snape," the elder Auror declared, as he recognised the former Hufflepuff student.
He smiled back at his former charge, standing there proudly in his uniform, his back straight, his eyes alert and eager. This was why he loved being the headmaster of Hogwarts, how his guidance helped shape the next generation of witches and wizards. As he looked over his former students, he saw the inner confidence the trio had.
"Very good, Daniel. Do you believe that you can successfully replace Severus here?" he asked, as he made eye contact with the Auror, a mental probe effortlessly breaking through the natural surface barriers undetected to find the truth. At first he felt nervousness from the Auror, before courage swelled in Daniel's heart. He already knew the Auror's likely reply.
"Yes, Headmaster, I believe I can," Daniel voiced confidently.
"Very well then," he declared, as he turned to look at the other two Aurors. "Miss Chambers, Mr. Roles, please escort Severus into protective custody."
"One minute, Headmaster, I need to collect some hair samples," Daniel declared, as he moved to the potions master's side, the former Hufflepuff student giving Severus an evil smirk. "Please remain still, Professor Snape; you wouldn't want me to miss with the cutting charm now, would you?"
"I would just use a shaving charm, Daniel," Miss Chambers suggested off-handedly, the former Gryffindor student giving her former potions professor a predatory smile. "That way we have plenty to use; don't want to run out halfway through the assignment now, do we?" Severus shot him a pleading look to intervene. However, before he could, a white light he recognised as a standard shaving charm taught in Charms by Filius hit Severus squarely in the forehead, causing all of Severus' dark hair to fall out.
Fighting the urge to chuckle at the sight of a bald Severus, he schooled his features into a look of mild disapproval at the Aurors' unnecessary antics. "I believe that is enough teasing of Severus."
"Of course, Headmaster," Daniel quickly agreed, before gathering the dark hair with a summoning charm and storing it in a makeshift brown bag.
"Oh, whilst I remember, the silver ring on Severus' left hand, middle finger, actually, is a portkey to a safe house," Severus shot him another look at this seeming betrayal, clearly wondering how he knew of the ring's function. "We wouldn't want Severus here escaping your care now, would we?"
...
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