The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 30- Lifeline

Sabrina was nervous about returning to Hogwarts for her final year.
Not just because she had a fancy new engagement ring on her finger, but because she was now head girl, so would have a lot more attention on her than normal. And she was terrified that someone was going to find out what she got up to during her holidays.
Anyone associating themselves with the dark wizard known only as Voldemort, was an enemy of the people. And being seen with him was enough to get you sent to Azkaban.
If anyone discovered her secret, she would be in a lot of trouble.
Sabrina hadn't been too worried the year before, because she had only met Voldemort a couple of times, and she wasn't as involved with him.
She had also only been 16, so couldn't be punished like an adult.
But things were different now.

Sabrina wanted to keep her head down, and not attract any unwanted attention.
But being Head Girl made a lot of students and teachers keep their eyes on her.
And on her second day of school, Dumbledore summoned her to his office, alone.
She had only been in there once before, but that time she'd had her brother by her side. And this time, she did not.
Slughorn escourted her to the headmasters office, and after announcing the password to the stone gargoyle, he left her alone.

Sabrina took a deep breath, and knocked on the door.
"Enter" said a voice on the other side.
Sabrina pushed the door open and stepped into the office.
Dumbledore was stood next to his Phoenix, stroking it tenderly.
"You asked to see me, Professor" said Sabrina as she made her way across the room towards him.
"Yes, please take a seat" replied Dumbledore as he gestured to the seat opposite his.
Sabrina sat down tentatively as Dumbledore walked around his desk, before sitting down too.

"Have I done something wrong?" Asked Sabrina.
"Of course not Miss Snape. I often like to talk to the new Head Boy and Girl at the start of the year" admitted Dumbledore.
"Then why isn't Regulus here too?" Questioned Sabrina.
"I thought it would be best if I spoke to you both alone. You two do seem rather joined at the hip, so to speak. So I thought that separating you would be the only way to hear your individual thoughts"
"If you wanted to separate us, then why did you make us Head Boy and Girl? We spend more time together, now more then ever before"
"You were the best candidates in your year. All of your teachers believed that you would make the best Head Boy and Girl".

"Why did you want to talk to me and Regulus individually? What individual thoughts did you want to hear from us?" Quizzed Sabrina curiously.
"I happen to be one of the only people who know where you have been living these past few years. Did you never wonder how your school letters always seemed to find you, even though you were not living at home? I didn't want to intervene, because even though you were not an adult, I felt that you were old enough to decide where you wanted to live" admitted Dumbledore, not answering Sabrina's question.
"Who else knows that I left home?"
"No one, as far as I am aware".

"I am thankful that you didn't tell anyone else" Sabrina said quietly.
"You are welcome... I notice that you have a new piece of jewellery on your finger" replied Dumbledore.
"Yes. I am engaged. But I'm 17 now, so me and Regulus aren't breaking any rules by getting married" insisted Sabrina.
"I am well aware of that. However, I am concerned for your wellbeing. I know you have been spending a lot of time with the Black family. But what you might not be aware of, is their association with Lord Voldemort".
Sabrina shivered at his name, and she was suprised that Dumbledore said it so calmly, as most people were too afraid to even say it.
The death eaters refered to him as the dark lord, so Sabrina wasn't used to actually hearing someone say Voldemort.

"I'm not sure I understand" mumbled Sabrina.
"Regulus Black's cousin Bellatrix Lestrange has recently been unveiled as a death eater. During a recent mission, where the Order of the Phoenix fought the death eaters, her mask fell off, as did the masks of several other death eaters, including her husband Rodolphus. So there is now a warrant for their arrests" revealed Dumbledore.
Sabrina felt her palms begin to sweat nervously.
She was well aware of the disastrous mission that had happened a few weeks earlier, as it had made the dark lord very angry.
Bellatrix and several other death eaters were now in hiding with the dark lord.

"I did see an article about that in the Daily Prophet. But Bellatrix is a Lestrange now, not a Black. Me and Regulus never had much to do with her anyway, since she is quite a bit older than us" lied Sabrina.
"So you haven't seen her recently?" Questioned Dumbledore.
Sabrina lowered her head, not wanting to look into Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes.
She closed her mind as she did regularly, using Occlumency to keep her thoughts hidden.
"No Professor. I haven't seen her since her sister's wedding last year" replied Sabrina.

"I see... You know, if there was something you wanted to talk to me about, you could. If you find yourself stuck in a difficult position, I can help get you out" promised Dumbledore.
Sabrina's eyes flicked to her left arm, where her dark mark was.
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine. Me and Regulus are going to have a long and happy life together. Now, if there is nothing else I can help you with, I had better be on my way" announced Sabrina as she stood to her feet and turned to head towards the door.

"Miss Snape, it's not too late to turn things around" insisted Dumbledore.
Sabrina looked back over her shoulder to face the headmaster.
"I'm afraid it is Professor" she said quietly.
"It's never too late to make things right, and choose a different path. I can help you make those changes" replied Dumbledore.
Sabrina shook her head, "I'm a 7th year Slytherin. It's too late for me".
"Just because people see us as one thing, it doesn't mean that we have to be, what they believe we are"
"Yes, it does. Some things can't be fought against, and my place in this world is one of those things... Goodnight Professor".