the_debt_of_time

"Easy." Malfoy bowed his head in acquiescence before making his way for the door,
quickly disappearing down the spiral staircase.
"And you?" Sirius finally asked.
"I'll be making my grand escape, coward that I am," Snape said sarcastically. "I've
been found out after all. I still have orders to follow. You remember those, Black? It's been
a few years, I'll give you that, but if you recall, you had orders to remain within the confines
of Grimmauld Place and not to go gallivanting about the Ministry and getting yourself
killed."
"Don't." A wand was raised and pointed in Snape's direction.
Sirius smiled wryly as Hermione's brown eyes flashed in the flickering light as she
glared daggers at her former professor.
"Just as I thought." Snape almost grinned. "Touchy subject, Miss Granger? Or is it
Miss Po―" Snape slowly began, his gaze drifting to Sirius who cut him off with a low snarl.
"We are leaving now!" Sirius interrupted, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
Snape stared at Sirius for a long moment. Sirius broke eye contact first, turning and
ushering Harry, Ron, and Hermione out the door.
Once the trio started down the stairs, he spun on Snape viciously. "What're you
playing at?"
"I've had a feeling for several years but thought it was impossible. I almost didn't
place her," Snape drawled. "But the way the girl dotes upon you and comes to your defence,
raising her wand in threat even." He sneered at Sirius and scoffed loudly. "For Potter?
Perhaps. But you? I imagine if the wolf was here she'd be raising her fists, the violent little―"
"Aren't you supposed to be making your grand escape?" Sirius snapped, storming
out of the room and flicking his wand to slam the door violently behind him before Snape
could say another word.
"What was that about?" Harry asked immediately as Sirius re-joined them.
"Nothing. Snape's an arse," Sirius replied as he moved toward the grand staircase.
"He seemed to know something about Hermione―" Harry began again, but Sirius
stopped him, mid-thought.
"Harry, I'm sorry, but now is not the time to be questioning the words of Severus
Snape. We've got jobs to do, right, son?" He put his hands on Harry's shoulders, trying to
get him to focus. "Now, Ravenclaw Tower?"