Although the man who appeared suddenly had an ordinary pair of eyes and an intact nose,
Snape recognized him instantly from the long staff he carried, and from the thunk-thunk sound his steps made as he moved.
Alastor Moody.
"I'm a student at Hogwarts!"
Snape quickly shouted at him.
He raised his hands and slowly stood up, stepping out from behind the armchair.
Moody did not lower his wand because of this. In his coarse, rasping voice he ordered:
"Throw me your wand yourself, or I'll take it."
After a few seconds' hesitation, under Moody's piercing gaze, Snape slowly turned his wand around, holding it backwards, and tossed it at Moody's feet.
"Incarcerous!"
A thick rope like a giant snake shot through the air, binding Snape's body tightly, locking his arms against his sides.
"Hey, I already gave up my wand!"
Snape protested helplessly, standing in place.
Of course, he had no intention of making any move. He did not believe, without his wand and bound like this, that he could stand a chance against Moody.
Moody ignored Snape's objection.
Seeing Snape make no further movement, Moody turned with his uneven steps and freed the MacKinnons from their bindings with a spell.
He raised his wand, pointing it at Mr. MacKinnon's chest, and muttered softly:
"Rennervate!"
The spell took effect, and Mr. MacKinnon stirred faintly.
Mrs. MacKinnon and Marlene clapped their hands over their mouths in excitement.
Mr. MacKinnon's puffy eyelids fluttered open.
He blinked hard, confused, then his eyes widened in terror as he looked around.
When he saw Mrs. MacKinnon and Marlene crouching safe in front of him, he let out a long sigh of relief.
Mrs. MacKinnon carefully supported him, helping him sit down on a crooked bed.
"What happened, MacKinnon?" Moody asked. "I came as soon as I got your signal."
"Someone stopped the bus, saying they needed my help," Mr. MacKinnon said, still shaken. "Mrs. Coppet,no, Macnair. He disguised himself as an old woman using Polyjuice Potion.
"I saw Macnair's long gray hair shrinking shorter, his body getting taller and broader. Then he stunned me with a spell."
"What did they need your help for?" Moody pressed. "And who stopped the bus?"
Mr. MacKinnon muttered: "I don't know."
"The one who stopped it was Avery, also a Death Eater," Snape added from the side. "He tried to make me kill Marlene."
"Severus!"
Marlene seemed to have just noticed Snape's situation. She screamed:
"He saved me!"
"Well... I just didn't kill you..." Snape muttered slowly.
"Uh,you mean him?"
Moody pointed at Snape, asking after Marlene's words.
Seeing Marlene nod, Moody hobbled forward a few steps, leaned over Avery, and tore off his mask.
Moody's cold eyes scanned the wound on Avery's neck.
Then he frowned, studying Snape before turning back to Marlene.
"He saved you?"
"Yes, the Death Eater forced him to kill me, but he didn't!" Marlene explained urgently.
Moody picked up Snape's wand and, with heavy steps, walked up to him, staring into his eyes for a long moment.
At last, he released the binding spell on Snape.
"Here, take it."
Moody's expression seemed to soften slightly. He held out the wand.
"Sorry, I have to stay vigilant at all times."
"Yes, I know. Constant vigilance."
Snape took back his wand and slipped it into his robes.
He rubbed his sore arms where the ropes had dug in and grumbled:
"So what do we do now?"
"Leave here first."
Moody glanced out into the pitch-dark night as he spoke.
At the same time, he reached into his bulging traveling cloak and pulled out a curved flask. He opened it and took a long swig.
Noticing Moody's action, Snape squinted at him a few times, then couldn't help but ask:
"Can I have a sip?"
"Don't put your mouth on it!"
Moody glared at him and shoved the flask roughly into his hands.
"Kid, that request is disgusting."
"Ah..."
Moody's unexpected action left Snape momentarily at a loss. He hurriedly feigned clumsiness, tilting the flask so that a few drops of the clear, colorless liquid spilled onto the back of his hand.
"Oh... thanks, but no. I was joking."
"Fine."
Moody took the flask back and rapped his staff twice against the floor of the bus. He asked gruffly:
"Is the driver alive? We need to head to Hogsmeade."
"Ernie was attacked at the start. He fell outside the bus," Snape said.
"I'll check."
Moody hobbled off the bus.
Watching him disappear into the storm, a wild thought flashed through Snape's mind.
Macnair had seen his face and knew his name.
He might be sent to Azkaban,but one day, Voldemort could free his servants.
When that day came, what would they do? What would happen to himself and to Eileen...
Snape quietly drew his wand from his robes again.
He lowered his head, staring at the unmoving Macnair lying in the carriage.
Finally, he whispered:
"Sectumsempra-"
"Pfft-"
Mr. MacKinnon heard the faint sound.
"What are you doing?! Petrificus Totalus!"
Snape's wand clattered to the ground.
His body stiffened like a statue and crashed to the floor, immobile.
"What happened here?"
Moody returned to the Knight Bus, supporting Ernie, his voice full of surprise.
"What's going on now?"
"This boy... he... he attacked Macnair."
Mr. MacKinnon knelt by Macnair, wand pointed at the wound.
"Episkey! Episkey... Ferula... nothing works..."
"Let me."
Moody pushed him aside. But his own healing spells failed just as completely.
He went to Snape, lowered his head, and said, staring into his eyes:
"This wound was caused by Dark Magic. Leave him here for now."
Moody turned his head toward Ernie.
"Are you alright, can you still drive?"
Ernie gave no reply.
Soaked to the skin, clothes plastered against his body, his breathing shuddered uncontrollably.
"Tod..."
Ernie called hoarsely, his voice breaking.
"Tod... uhh... uhh..."
He was already sobbing uncontrollably.
"Tod... what should I do... today is Stan's birthday... he's only one..."
The wind howled into the bus as Ernie wept, his sobs endless.