Golden Age by black_blade

Chapter 22: Chapter Twenty-two

Remus ran but everything in him wanted to go back but Sirius and James kept him in line. He could still feel the fear in his belly and the magic clinging to his fur. It followed him all the way back to the Shrieking Shack. They piled into the room then stopped short as they took in Severus Snape standing there and looking pale.

"What are you doing here?" James demanded, once he'd transformed.

Sirius growled before he transformed and grabbed the other teen and slammed him into the wall. Remus growled in warning and Sirius stepped back.

"This is where the portkey sent me," Severus gasped.

A boom sounded on the air and they looked over to the windows. Severus paled even more with large eyes and more expression on his face then the other teens had ever seen besides rage or disgust. He was terrified. Severus went to run forward but Remus knocked into him. The tall teen went down and Remus growled in warning. If they went back there then it could mean their deaths.

"The Aurors will get to him," James commented. "We had to evade a few of them."

Severus nodded from his place on the floor but Remus could smell the fear and see the concern on his face. He then sniffed a little more and knew that Voldemort's words had been right. He could smell Harry on Severus. They looked back to the window as strange dark orange light burst outward in an explosion then the night went dark. The boom took a while to get to them and it rattled the windows when it did.

Then everything went silent.

"Was that it?" Sirius uttered.

"Do you think he killed You-Know-Who?" James whispered.

"No," Severus answered as he slowly stood. "No one can, yet."

"Why?" James asked.

"He has magic in place," Severus said reluctantly, as he wrapped his arms around himself. "That's where we were going tonight. The Aurors had a tip off and Harry was going to look into it."

They all jumped when Swift apparated into the room and looked around. He had ash and dirt on his face and Remus could smell blood on the air and on Swift's shirt. Severus then rushed forward and took the short man in a hug. Swift grunted at the impact but hugged the teen back. James and Sirius shifted on their feet at the move. Swift gently pushed Severus back and the teen blushed when he realised what he'd done.

"I need you to stay here," Harry ordered as his hand slipped down to clench on his side where blood stained his shirt with a flinch. "I'll ward this room in case some Death Eaters got loose."

"Peter is still out there," James gasped.

"I'll include him in the wards but you can't go out there until the Aurors lock it down." Harry replied. "I'll inform the Headmaster that you are here as well as Greengrass. Remus stay out of the cage but be careful. There is a tunnel to Hogsmeade from here-"

"We know it," Sirius cut in and Harry nodded.

"Use it if you need it," Harry told them then settled his eyes on Severus. "When it's safe, get back to my rooms and stay there."

"Where are you going?" Severus demanded with sharp eyes.

"We have to move on the information that we gathered," Harry replied and removed his hand from his side, blood coated his palm and fingers. "Damn."

Severus stepped forward and grabbed Harry's wrist. The Gryffindors shifted on their feet but then stilled when Severus grabbed Swift's shirt and pulled it up. Remus wined in the back of his throat at the sight of the torn flesh and blood.