//Oh my it's been awhile. This was at the bottom of my never-ending list, so thank you for bumping it. I was actually going to ask you if you wanted to continue sometime anyways but since you weren't always online, I wasn't so sure. We're too far into this, we have to finish!

// Lovely little story by the way. You always do really well with those... I think I'm going to throw in a few myself when I have time, esp since I have some great prompts.

A sigh left Severus. As a tear brushed against his finger, he pulled away from Ellie. Soon enough, the professor rose to his feet once again with an understanding gaze staring down at her. "We shall then," he muttered. Truly, he was developing a soft spot for Ellie. Unlike with his students, he wasn't going to tell her to step it up or fight for herself, but instead he'd guide her. Eventually she'd have to part from him though. Deep down Severus knew it was for the better, just as he always distanced himself from everyone else.

"Let's go-"

The cries of Dumbledore caused his head to whip around. He paid no attention to the aurors, instead leaving his sight on the headmaster. A scowl rose upon his lips. "Dementors," Severus responded dully, "but I think you already know that." After all, why would the aurors be here without prompting? That was his witty logic though.

Dark eyes drifted down towards the girl, noticing her sudden trembling, only to look back up at Dumbledore seconds later. "They got to the girl." Despite his distasteful reference to Ellie, Severus felt obliged to acknowledge her horror. He slide his hand down across her back and laid his skinny palm around her shoulder. "So to speak though, Pettigrew has arisen from the metaphorical grave and Sirius has found us..." Snape didn't believe a damn word he said. "Lupin, though, is obviously discontent right now..." His other hand gestured up to the full moon. "Needless to say, we've got a problem on our hands." Unless, that was, Dumbledore was hiding extra information from him again.

Severus just scowled. While he agreed on keeping Ellie safe, he wished to go after the Marauders. The professor had yet to realize that his seething, revenge-filled rage was his downfall. Luckily, Dumbledore was persuasive enough to push him in the right direction. Losing another one of Snape’s acquaintances would send him off the deep end... As if he hadn’t already done that.

Ready to move on, he tried to wordlessly pull Ellie along with him. Finding nothing but a limp being in his grip, his dark gaze shifted towards the girl. Ellie swayed in her spot, muttering along senselessly. Her words stung. They gave him false hope. His weak spot. The anger coursing through his veins exhausted him. Pained and defeated, he just froze. Severus didn’t know what to think or how to respond. Something told him to push her for more information, as if interrogating an enemy, but he held his tongue. This was no ‘Potter’ that he’d bash.

“Let’s go,” he mustered up. His tone was cruel and commanding, but not degrading whatsoever. With his words, he’d attempt to pull Ellie forward and lead her back to the castle. They both needed time to rest.

//back from vacation <3 time skip?