It is time.

[.livejournal.com]

Severus is reading, as Fran swoops into his office, flies over his head - missing it by only a hair's breadth - and lands on his desk.

The owl holds out her leg, peering at him as if she knows exactly what's on his mind. And it's not the contents of the book he's holding. It's on the hallways ... and the fact that Dumbledore is away once again.

Hopefully that means this will not be the time.

Severus takes the note and reads. His expression relaxes into the faintest of smiles, then he clenches his jaw, features once more unfathomable for a bystander.

He wants to speak with Remus, wants to explain and warn him, see him, but he can't, not now. Dumbledore explicitly forbid him to tell anybody and never had he seen the Headmaster wearing such a grim expression, such steel in the blue eyes. And he had taken the vow.

He moves around the desk and pulls out a small piece of parchment.

[Owl]

Remus,

I wish I could come to you now, but it is impossible for the moment. I will see you as soon as I can. Until then, trust in my love for you.

Severus.

[/owl]

He has said too much, he knows. But he's not said all he wants to. He wonders if he will get a chance to do that as he sends Fran on her way again. With a sigh he sits back to read and to pass time, knowing sleep might not come tonight either. And time does pass, quietly and steadily measured off by the large grandfather clock.

It's around midnight, when he can hear faint yelling outside in the hallway, and just as he's about to investigate, Professor Flitwick bursts into the room with an unaccustomed grim expression on his face. The heavy door falls shut behind him.

"Minerva has sent me!" Filius cries, out of breath. "You must come! The Dark Mark is over the Astronomy Tower! Death Eaters have entered Hogwarts!"

For a moment Severus stands stockstill, just looking at the man.

This is it then.

"Stupefy!" Flitwick doesn't know what hits him, before he crumbles to the ground. Severus doesn't spare him a second look before he strides to the door, opens it and exits. He knows he will not see this room again, but pushes the thought deep down as he instructs the obviously spying girls, Granger and Lovegood, to take care of Flitwick. Then he starts running up and out of the dungeons, hoping he will not be too late, steeling himself and his heart for what he knows will come.