The Four Swords of Hogwarts

Chapter 22: A Trial of Love

Severus gazed around the room as the dozen torches flashed to life, lighting up the chamber. About half a dozen huge badger statues stood along the room's perimeter, each with a thick black band of shimmering obsidian around its neck like a collar and a gold pendant with a word on it. Looking closely at one revealed a trait associated with the Hufflepuff house, and he assumed the rest had other traits. Vertical strips of yellow gold and black obsidian lined the walls. The center of the room was a large, stone dais with a flat platform top. An 'H' of gold and obsidian was set into the platform, glittering in the torchlight.

His eyes widened when a translucent figure materialized on the opposite side of the dais and gazed at him steadily. It didn't take long to recognize her as Helga Hufflepuff.

"Possible hero," her voice echoed in the room. "Step forward if you dare to attempt the trial of Helga Hufflepuff."

Severus gripped his wand tightly and did as she commanded, walking up to be directly across from her. She stared at him and clasped her hands in front of her.

"Do you hold the title of Hero of Hogwarts?" Hufflepuff asked.

Severus hesitated briefly, still unsure Hogwarts had made the correct choice in him. "Yes," he finally said.

"Do you intend to claim the Sword of Hufflepuff?"

"Yes."

"Feel the love denied to you and reject the hate in your heart. Prove you are worthy of my sword and title of hero."

Hufflepuff's shadowy form disappeared, leaving him in a silence broken only by the crackling torches and his breaths. Severus was tense as he waited for the trial to begin, unsure what to expect. After several moments, a couple of figures materialized in the room and walked up to the podium. His eyes narrowed and he stiffened as he faced his parents and they glared hatefully at him. Even after them being gone for more than two decades, it was still hard to face them.

"How could I ever love a freak like you?" Tobias sneered. "I never wanted a kid, but to have you was worse than anything."

"I didn't protect you because I didn't love you," Eileen said. "How could I?"

The words cut just as deep as when he heard them as a child. They had been a staple growing up, having heard some variation nearly every day up until the day he left.

His heart stuttered when Lily stepped up beside Eileen, her face twisted with disgust.

"You really believed I loved you?" Lily said. "Oh, Severus."

Her harsh laugh stabbed at him.

"I could never love someone like you. I talked to you out of pity for the pathetic, poor, abused boy you were, but nothing more, certainly not love," Lily said.

Severus could hardly breathe, his heart constricting so painfully he feared it would stop all together. He'd dreamed such things numerous times, but this felt real.

"You remember what you said to me?" Lily said and Severus remembered the day he'd lost her. "You can't love."

Severus couldn't help the lone tear that fell down his cheek. He watched Dumbledore appear beside Tobias.

"You must protect the boy, but you can never tell him and you cannot care for him. You put everyone you love in danger. Do you want to do that to Lily's precious son?" Dumbledore said, his blue eyes twinkling with his manipulation. "You must never care for him. It will only kill him."