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The Dying Times	By : Psychi Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 1012 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 1
- 2
The Dying Times
Warnings: Will include
both slash and het.
Summary: Follows
the events of the Half-Blood Prince from
multiple points of view. Those left
behind struggle to deal with the events of
the second war.
Disclaimer: I own nothing, JK Rowling owns all.
Feedback, corrections, brit-picking are all welcome.

His heart pounded, his legs ached and Severus Snape was entirely too old for this kind of utter crap. He knew what he had to do and he concentrated on getting Draco to safety and the Death Eaters who had infiltrated Hogwarts far, far away from the school. Amycus and Alecto shot off spells towards the school, but Severus didn't stumble until he heard a familiar voice shout "Impedimentia".

"Bloody fucking Potter," he cursed under his breath and ran harder, dragging Draco towards the gates.

"Stupify!" The curse just barely missed them and Severus pushed Draco towards the gates, instructing him to go before turning back just in time to see Potter sprinting towards him.

"Cruc-", Potter almost managed to say the unforgivable before Severus could cast silent Flipendo.

The world seemed to narrow to just the two of them, and Severus barely noticed when someone had set Hagrid's hovel on fire.

"Cruc-", Potter started again. He blocked it easily. Years of reflexes Severus had worked hard to hone served him well.

Severus sneered, "No unforgivable curses from you, Potter!" There was something inherently offensive and perverse in Dumbledore's golden boy shouting off an unforgivable with such hatred shining in his eyes. Dumbledore. No, Severus swallowed hard. He wouldn't think about that now. "You haven't got the nerve or the ability �"

"Incarc-", Potter shouted. Severus countered quickly.

"Fight back!" Potter screamed, looking so much like James in the firelight. "Fight back, you cowardly � "

"Coward, did you call me, Potter?" He spat out angrily. "Your father would never attack me unless it was four on one, what would you call him, I wonder?"

"Stup�", the boy started to shout again.

The boy was never going to win the fight going about it like that. "Blocked again and again and again until you learn to keep your mouth shut and your mind closed, Potter!"

Severus spotted movement behind the boy and was once again reminded of more pressing matters. "Now come!" He ordered the other Death Eater. "It is time to be gone, before the Ministry turns up � "

"Impedi�" Potter tried again feebly.

But Severus didn't have a chance to block him, before Amycus had hit Potter with the Crucatious Curse. "No!" He shouted and hit the repulsive, lumpy man with a minor jinx, effectively disrupting the spell. "Have you forgotten our orders? Potter belongs to the Dark Lord � we are to leave him! Go! Go!"

Severus breathed a sigh of relief as they hurried to obey his orders. He tensed again as Potter rose to his feet, blood covering his face and blind with rage.

"Sectum-"

Snape reflected Potter's curse again. 'No. My curse' Severus thought and was once again reminded painfully of James � the way he would always take whatever Severus had done or said or thought and turn it against him.

Looking into those flaring green eyes, he saw another one of his creations. It wasn't far from the spot he was standing where James had used the Leviticus charm against him so long ago.

"No, Potter!"

'Expelliaramus', Severus thought and with a flick of his wand, Potter flew backwards hard and was disarmed.

"You dare use my own spells against me, Potter? It was I who invented them � I, the Half-Blood Prince! And you'd turn my inventions on me, like your filthy father, would you? I don't think so ...no!"

The boy went for his wand and Snape banished it several yards.

"Kill me then," Potter rasped. "Kill me like you killed him, you coward � "

'Like I killed James,' Severus thought. 'You coward.'

"DON'T � " he yelled more to himself than to the boy. "CALL ME A COWARD!" 'Infligo,' he thought violently and Potter once again went flying through the air as something else came flying towards Severus. Sharp claws slashed at him, opening stinging wounds along his arms as he tried to defend himself. The creature backed off a little and he turned quickly and ran.

Once Severus reached the outside gates of Hogwarts, he instantly cast a tracking apparation charm, following after Draco. He blinked at his surroundings, taken aback as to where Draco had taken them and swore loudly.

Malfoy Manor loomed over him, completely dark and seemingly disserted with the gates and front door propped wide open.

Severus wanted to shout after Draco, but thought better of it, weary of whatever else might be lurking in the shadows. Instead he made his way up the winding road leading towards the manor with his wand at the ready.

Nothing stirred and that more than anything raised the hairs on the back of his neck. The entryway was silent when he entered and Severus hesitantly cast a Lumos. Muddy tracks dotted with blood led through the pristine hallway and up the stairs. A vase laid smashed to pieces on the main landing and the footprints continued more faintly, but still visible, up the second flight of stairs. Severus made a conscious effort to quiet his steps and followed.

A rasping sort of noise caught his attention on the second landing and he veered to the left, creeping into the east wing. He realized that Narcissa's rooms were in the east wing and his stomach dropped a little.

The footprints had completely disappeared in the dark print of the hall carpet, leaving Severus only the noise to follow. A foul scent caught his attention just before he spotted one of the house elves disemboweled and half blocking an open doorway. The rasping grew louder and a sniffling noise joined it. Severus muttered "Nox" and stepped over the dead creature.

The doorway had led to a secondary hallway which grew slightly lighter the farther he walked down it. He stopped briefly to listen and to calm his own breathing. "Draco," a feminine voice rasped with a giddy sort of lilt. It almost sounded like Narcissa, save for the rough edge to it.

Severus started moving forward again and turned a corner to see light spilling out of a doorway. Draco stood, backed up against the wall opposite the doorway, clearly in shock and crying.

Narcissa emerged from the doorway, moving with an unnatural sluggishness, her white sleeping gown covered with blood. "Draco, come to Mummy, dearest," she coaxed.

Draco didn't move, frozen to the spot. Narcissa moved forward some more and the light caught her eyes � blank and lifeless.

Severus raised his wand and pronounced clearly "Incendio," setting Narcissa's reanimated body on fire.

"No!" Draco shouted. It was all Severus could do to move fast enough and catch the teenager before he could reach out and touch his shrieking mother, mindless of the flames. Draco thrashed against him, sending searing pains through Severus's arms. "No! Let me go."

"She's dead!" Severus shouted over the racket the inferi was making. "She's dead Draco!"

"I know!" Draco screamed back and then stilled, collapsing back into Severus's arms and sobbing. "But I didn't fail, not really," he said pitifully between sobs. "I did what he wanted."

"The Dark Lord never expected you to succeed."

The hall quickly filled with noxious fumes and Severus looked up to see that the flames had spread to the carpeting and the walls of the manor itself.

"Come on," he pushed Draco back onto his own feet with a wince. "We can't stay here."

"But the house is on fire," Draco objected.

"One of the many reasons we can't stay here," Severus snapped and grabbed the boy's hand. "The other being that this will be the first place the Dark Lord sends his servants to look when it gets back that you didn't actually kill - ," his voice caught and Severus cleared his throat. "That you didn't kill the headmaster."

"But he's dead. You did it."

"Yes I know but � " Severus grabbed a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his nose. The fire was spreading quickly. "- you didn't actually do it. It's an excuse and if I know the Dark Lord, he'll take it."

Severus ran down the stairs as quick as his remaining strength would allow, heedless of noise and confident that Draco was following him by the coughing coming from behind.

By the time they reached the front door and stumbled outside, the manor was filled with smoke and the entire east wing was in flames. Severus urged Draco on until they reached an apparition point where they both vanished with a pop.

*Much of the above dialogue is directly quoted from "Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince", American version, Chapter 28: Flight of the Prince, pgs. 601-604.
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The Dying Times