Knight of Pentacles, Queen of Wands

Ch17: The Star

Severus chanced a glance at Lucius and Regulus before having a bout of inspiration. He just hoped they cooperated with him.

"Ah, Lucius, forgive me. Imperio!"

Lucius Malfoy immediately took on the glazed look the curse was famous for and continued to stand there. If Lucius wanted to use the Imperius defense like he recalled him doing once before, then Severus would make it easy for him.

"Severus, what the hell are you playing at?"

Regulus looked panicked.

"Turn your wand on me. I have coerced both you and your brother into being Death Eaters. Lucius is only a Death Eater because he's been controlled by the Imperius Curse."

"Severus, no!"

"If I'm captured, there's no way I'm getting out of Azkaban. If we play our cards right, both you and Lucius can still get out of it."

"But Severus..."

"Damn it, Regulus, we don't have time for this."

Severus pointed his wand toward Regulus and purposefully missed with a poorly aimed Blasting Curse.

"Confringo!"

"Fuck! Severus!"

"Hey look! The one with the invisibility cloak is attacking the other one!"

Regulus was wasting valuable time. Despite everything, Severus really was hoping to still escape.

"Fire back at me, you fool! Edge back toward the Aurors," Severus hissed.

"Fine. We'll play it your way, Severus. Confundo!"

Thus began the most complicated duel Severus had ever participated in. Maintaining invisibility, attempting not to cause real harm to Regulus, and fighting off Moody all at once was taxing.

The Aurors had secured Lucius with no trouble and immediately realized that he was Imperiused. After releasing him from the spell, Lucius wasted no time in going along with the easy out Severus had given him. Severus couldn't help but to smirk at the thought.

"Regulus Black! Stand down."

Potter. Of course Potter would be here. Severus was running on pure adrenalin now.

"Leave him to us, Black."

"That bastard forced me to...Gah! Let me at him! Azkaban is too good for the likes of him!"

Well, finally! Severus had been starting to doubt that Regulus could play along and lie convincingly at all. However, he did give up his wand to Potter and allow himself to be taken by the Aurors without any fuss.

"Who is he?"

"Snape. Severus Snape."

Moody's spells were gaining strength if anything.

"Of bloody course it is! I should have known!"

It was then that Severus saw her. Lily Evans couldn't leave well enough alone. Any reasonable person coming from Hogsmeade to Hogwarts would stop and turn around the way they came if they saw a group of Aurors attempting to take out an invisible dark wizard. Lily Evans was certainly not a reasonable person. He had to get her out of there and she was closer to him than the Aurors were. Potter apparently saw her too and swore.

"Lily! Get out of here!"

She did look a bit shocked, but determined as well. As he got closer, Severus fired an Impediment Jinx at her and hit his mark. It only slowed her down slightly.

Severus never knew that Moody actually used borderline dark curses until that day, though it didn't surprise him. There was no way he could successfully fight dark wizards if he didn't. Severus barely managed to get out of the way of a particularly nasty curse the dark wizard hunter sent his way. His head would have surely been separated from his shoulders were he any slower. Severus sent a Blasting Curse his way in retaliation.

"Constant vigilance, boys!" the gruff wizard bellowed at his fellow Aurors.

There was no doubt about it though. Severus was sure he'd be caught now. He just had to get the sword and the invisibility cloak to Lily. Then he saw it- the ring. The Horcrux she somehow managed to get when Dumbledore couldn't. He could sense the dark magic easily from where he was. The ring she was going to place on her finger any moment so as not to lose it. Was she daft? He quickly sent a Stinging Hex at her, causing her to drop it.

"Do you want to die today, Lily? Do you fancy having a useless and blackened hand from that ring? Haring off, playing the dunderheaded Gryffindor as usual..."

She looked shocked at hearing his voice and not seeing him.

"Severus? What's going on? I was just trying to come and help..."

"Obviously."

Severus was torn between anger and exasperation at her. Despite Moody's aggressive curses, he was behind Lily now and had his wand at her throat. The spells came to a stop, but he knew it wouldn't last.

"I'm leaving the cloak and the sword with you. Take it and the ring to Regulus. Don't you even fucking try to destroy them yourself, Lily," Severus hissed at her.

She looked like she wanted to protest, but Severus insisted.

"I mean it, Lily. Get Regulus to help."

"All right."

"Good girl."

He then decided it was time to speak to Moody.

"Back off, Mad-Eye, or the Mudblood gets it!"

It was Potter who answered though.

"Come out from that invisibility cloak you coward!"

"DON'T CALL ME A COWARD!"

What the hell was it with Potters anyway? If this lot wanted a damn Death Eater, then they would fucking get one! Severus conjured his Death Eater robes and mask and quickly flung the sword covered by the invisibility cloak to the ground.

"So, the scum surfaces! Stand down, Severus Snape!"

Every Auror had their wand trained on him now.

"I don't think so! The Dark Lord wanted you, Mad-Eye! It can still be arranged."

He pushed Lily to the ground and sent the Cruciatus Curse straight at Mad-Eye, who barely managed to dodge it. Death Eaters fired Unforgivable Curses at Aurors and Severus wasn't going to disappoint.

"Sectumsempra!"

Severus actually hit James Potter that time, and ironically grazed the same cheek he had once before. It wasn't lost on Potter either.

"Snivellus! You'll pay for that!"

Moody's gruff voice was added to the fray.

"I've heard stories about you, Snape. Dark to the core, they say. Dark wizards never win, boy. Remember that. Stand down, now!"

"And miss out on all this fun? Wouldn't dream of it," he taunted.

Severus lasted maybe twenty minutes more and gave an impressive show of dark magic to the DMLE. He could see that Lucius and Regulus were impressed, though they hid their admiration quite well when the Aurors were looking. He didn't spare a glance for Lily, who wisely stayed on the ground and out of the way. He could only hope that she had successfully hidden the cloak, the sword, and the ring. It wouldn't do for her to be caught now.

It was a well-placed Incarcerous from Moody that got him in the end.

"Told you that dark wizards never win, Snape," Moody's gruff voiced taunted as he snatched off his Death Eater mask.

Severus sneered at Moody and looked at him in contempt.

"You can lock me away in Azkaban, but the Dark Lord will win. He'll get me out again."

Dear Lord, what the hell was he thinking, spouting off like that? Not that it mattered in the end after all that he had done.

Everyone around him had disgusted looks on their faces.

"Severus Snape, you're under arrest by the DMLE on the orders of the Ministry of Magic. You are charged with being a Death Eater, using dark magic (including Unforgivable Curses), attacking Aurors and civilians, attempting to take a hostage, and resisting arrest. Do you understand the offenses you are being charged with?"

Severus said nothing and spit on the ground. When Moody looked as if he wanted to hit him, Severus smirked.

"Long live the Dark Order."

He heard Lily gasp and looked straight at her. She looked like she was about to cry. When all was said and done, Severus had a feeling of serenity after the day's events. Lily was safe and that was all that mattered to him.