"Damn it, it's much colder here than at Durmstrang."
Crunch, crunch.
Footsteps crunched through the snow in the distance. It was Snape, dressed in black robes and looking like a great bat, his expression gloomy, as though someone owed him several hundred Galleons.
"Snape, you were the one who arranged this meeting, and you still turned up late!"
Karkaroff was slightly angry.
Snape remained unhurried, his tone flat. "Tell me, what exactly are you trying to do, suddenly coming to Hogwarts on some flimsy excuse?"
Karkaroff faltered, then lowered his voice. "Severus, you know, don't you? You know he's back?"
Snape remained expressionless. "And?"
"And?"
Karkaroff laughed in anger. "Don't forget, Severus, we're not like Lucius and the others. We're both traitors. Once the Dark Lord returns, he'll never spare anyone who betrayed him!"
"So?"
Snape gave a contemptuous smile. "So that's why you came running to Hogwarts on that ridiculous excuse? You want to seek refuge with Dumbledore? Hah, you're even more of a coward than Wormtail Peter."
"..."
The muscles in Karkaroff's face twitched. "They... those servants who are utterly loyal to the Dark Lord have already started moving. They've attacked me several times. Once, I nearly died. I was that close."
He yanked his clothes aside, revealing a festering wound the size of a fist. "...I have no other choice!"
Snape remained unmoved, his manner as cold as ever. "If you've truly only come here for refuge, then behave yourself while you're here. If I notice anything wrong, I won't need to wait for those servants to act. I'll send you to hell myself."
With that, he swept his robes around and turned to leave, leaving Karkaroff seething in impotent rage.
Early the next morning, when everyone came to the dining hall for breakfast, they found