The Half-Blood Princess

Chapter 55- Headmaster

On the 1st of September, after a day planning with Harry and the others, Sabrina returned home that night, to find her brother waiting for her.
"Where the hell have you been!" Shouted Severus.
He looked angrier than Sabrina had ever seen, but she tried to act like his fury didn't frighten her.
"Nice to see you too big brother. I see that you haven't moved on from the over grown bat look, since I last saw you" replied Sabrina, as she folded her arms.

"You know full well that you aren't allowed to leave the house. So, where were you?" Demanded Severus.
"Not that it's any concern of yours, but I was at Grimmauld Place, visiting Kreacher" answered Sabrina, twisting the truth, to protect Harry.
She knew that Severus was very good at Legillimancy, like her. So she hoped that by telling part of the truth, he wouldn't be able to tell that she was hiding something.
"How did you get there? There is powerful magic around that building, preventing people from apparating inside" said Severus.
"House-elf magic if different to ours, so Kreacher was able to come and get me without any difficulty" replied Sabrina.

"Why would you want to go back there anyway?" Asked Severus.
"I lived there for several years remember. It's the only place I can visit, that reminds me of Regulus. I also happen to quite like Kreacher the House-elf, as he and I have always gotten on well" answered Sabrina.
"Have you been going there a lot?" Frowned Severus.
"Yes. But like you said earlier, it's protected by powerful magic. So I am just as safe there, as I am here... Now it's my time to ask the questions. What are you doing here? I thought I made it quite clear that I didn't want to see you again, after you killed Dumbledore".

"I needed to talk to you... The dark lord made me the Headmaster of Hogwarts today" revealed Severus.
"I know. I saw it in the Daily Prophet. Congratulations. I guess that was your reward for killing Dumbledore" replied Sabrina coldly.
"I didn't want to kill Dumbledore" insisted Severus.
Sabrina laughed, "Sure you didn't. You know, I thought that your love for Lily was the most important thing in the world to you. But I guess your loyalty to the dark lord was more important".

"I'm not the only one who was forced to kill someone they liked, by the dark lord" reminded Severus.
"I was still a death eater back then, when I murdered father. But you were Dumbledore's spy. You have been protecting people ever since the dark lord returned. You hadn't killed anyone this time around, until you murdered Dumbledore" snapped Sabrina.
"Look, things aren't good in the world right now. The dark lord is stronger than ever, which is why I need you to trust me, so that I can keep you safe"
"How can I trust you? You killed the only person that the dark lord ever feared. Without Dumbledore, we don't stand a chance".

"I didn't have a choice. The dark lord expected me to kill Dumbledore, if Draco Malfoy couldn't do it. Surely you would have preferred me to have done it, and not that boy. Killing splits the soul, and murdering Dumbledore would have destroyed that boy. Dumbledore was going to die one way or another. If I hadn't done it, the dark lord would have lost faith in me. And I needed him to believe that I was still his loyalist supporter. He wouldn't have made me Headmaster if he didn't trust me. And I need to protect the students at Hogwarts in Dumbledore's place" admitted Severus.

"Protect the students? That's a joke. You hired Alecto and Amycus Carrow, two very evil death eaters, to teach Muggle Studies and Defense Against The Dark Arts" reminded Sabrina.
"Use your head. I didn't hire either of them. It was the dark lord who placed them at Hogwarts" replied Severus.
"That may be true. But I can't see you protecting the students you hate, if it ruins your reputation. You care more about what the dark lord thinks of you, than doing the right thing"
"That is not true. Everything I do has an ulterior motive that the dark lord does not know about. I want his downfall more than anyone else".

"The dark lord has given you everything you've ever wanted. And I'm starting to think that you don't want him to lose power anymore" admitted Sabrina.
"Oh for God's sake, Dumbledore wanted me to kill him" shouted Severus.
"Come again?" Frowned Sabrina.
"Dumbledore was dying. He had limited time left, and he wanted me to be the one to kill him, so that Draco didn't have to. That night he died, he looked sicker than normal, and he begged me to end his life, to put him out of his misery".

"So, you're saying that you were acting mercifully, when you killed Dumbledore?" Questioned Sabrina.
"Yes. Everything I did was on his orders. It still is. Even in death, he won't let me be. I've been taking orders from his portrait in the Headmaster's office for ages" answered Severus.
"How do I know that you're telling the truth?" Asked Sabrina.
"I wouldn't lie to you Sabrina. You are the one person alive that I actually still care about. And you're the only one I can talk to about what I've been up to. I've been very lonely ever since you told me to leave and never come back. And I want you to forgive me".

"I want to believe you, really I do, since you are the only person I have contact with. But it's hard to believe the word of someone who spends so much time with the dark lord" admitted Sabrina.
"I understand. But I only rejoined the death eaters, because Dumbledore wanted a spy close to the dark lord. I have dedicated my life to protecting Potter's son, and bringing down the dark lord, so I won't be stopping any time soon" insisted Severus.
"You have done a lot to look out for Harry over the years, I agree, even though the boy hates you" replied Sabrina.
"The feeling is mutual. I have not grown to like that boy. I only do what I do, because of Lily, and I would never betray her".

Sabrina sighed, "I guess your love for Lily really is stronger than everything else".
"It is... Neither of us got to live with the person we loved. But we never moved on, or gave our love to someone else. Me and you are very similar that way" admitted Severus.
"I guess you've got a point. We are siblings that have both suffered heartache in different ways. We never got our happy ever after" agreed Sabrina.

"But you are the one thing that keeps me going" announced Severus.
"I feel the same way about you. I don't know where I'd be if I didn't have you" revealed Sabrina.
"Does this mean that you have forgiven me for my part in Dumbledore's death?"
"Not entirely. But I'm willing to move on and put it behind me, because I don't want to lose the one person who helps keep me sane".