I'M GOOD, I'M GONE ? george weasley

# 017 ━━ safe and sound ( final )

   "I'm not a wild animal, Severus!" Deleine snapped, her voice trembling with indignation. Her chest heaved as she glared at him, the fire in her eyes barely contained.

   Snape's expression didn't waver, but his lips pressed into a thin line. "You were being reckless," he muttered, his voice edged with a warning. "I was keeping you safe."

    "Safe?" Deleine echoed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Since when is locking someone up in a room the definition of safe?"

    Snape's hand twitched as if he were about to grab her again, but he stopped himself, his gaze flickering between her face and the crowd around them. His usual cold demeanor seemed to waver for a split second, something unspoken hanging between them.

   "I need you to let me go." Deleine's voice was firm, yet there was a tremor in her words as if she was holding something back. Her breath hitched slightly as she glanced towards the maze again. "I need to get into the maze."

   Severus' eyes darkened, his lips pressing into a hard line. "No. I told you to stay away from this, Deleine. I meant it." His tone was flat, the edges sharp like a blade. "What possible reason could you have for being in there—amidst that danger?"

   Her frustration flared, her fists clenching. "Do any of you lot even know what you're doing? Are the professors at this school just completely oblivious?" Her voice raised, almost breaking, like a dam about to burst.

   Severus frowned, taken aback by her outburst. "What are you on about?"

   "There's something wrong," Deleine said, her tone lowering but with an unmistakable intensity, like a storm brewing.

   "We'd know if something was wrong with the maze, Deleine," Severus shot back, but his voice faltered ever so slightly.

   "No, you wouldn't!" she retorted, gripping the necklace tightly around her neck. Her voice wavered between pleading and frustration, the weight of her words dragging down the air between them. "Sev, there's something wrong. Seriously. I need to get in there."

   His gaze dropped to the necklace, a flicker of hesitation passing over his face. "Even if I wanted to let you in, I can't. The maze is sealed by enchantments," Severus muttered, his voice quieter, as if trying to reason with her. "Just let us handle it—"

   "I need to," Deleine interrupted, her eyes locking with his, wide with urgency. "I know what's going to happen. I've seen it."

    They stood there, locked in a whispered battle of wills. His stern face was unreadable, but Deleine could see the flicker of doubt in his eyes, something unspoken lurking beneath his cold exterior. She could hear the murmur of the crowd around them, the weight of every second pressing against her chest, the maze calling out to her, and time slipping away, one heartbeat at a time.

    Severus exhaled slowly, almost as though he was conceding to something deeper, something he couldn't control. "I knew I shouldn't have given you the necklace," he murmured, the confession heavy in the air. His eyes searched hers as he continued, "I knew what it did... but I gave it to you because Marelia—your mother—asked me to."

   Deleine froze, the world tilting as the realization washed over her. He knew. He'd known the entire time, and yet... yet he'd handed it over. Her thoughts spiraled, a rush of panic and confusion swirling in her chest. He wouldn't have given it to her if he thought it would harm her—would he? But now, seeing the faint crack in his usually impenetrable expression, doubt crept in.

   And she now knew who Marelia was.

   Severus' voice broke the silence. "You can get in," he whispered, defeated. "If you're meant to be in there, the necklace will allow it."