Prologue

Ducking quickly behind the thick tree Severus Snape took in a deep breath before tensing and then quickly sticking his head out to get his bearings, before immediately pulling it back as a bolt of violent purple light passes through the space his head had just occupied. Leaning back against the tree, he took several slow breaths in an attempt to calm his racing pulse. It didn't work of course. However capable he happened to be at keeping emotions in check, no one was ever calm in the middle of a raging wizarding battle. There was not enough time to think actions through, when there was only a second until a spell fired from one hundred feet away was inches from your face. There was hardly enough time to get the words from a block out or to rollout of the way once the spell was on its way, just enough time to see it and react.
In front of him, a figure stepped out from behind a different tree and, raising a strong shield, ran quickly to his side. Stopping next to Snape the masked figure ducked down and began whispering urgently. "We're moving in a couple of minutes, the signal's supposed be obvious"
"Not too obvious I hope. We can't have the mudbloods know we're coming can we?" Snape replied dryly sticking his head out just enough to see and aiming his wand at the side of a tree he knew Felix Vector was hiding behind. With in seconds the professor stuck his head out looking around for a threat. A quick stupefy took care of him rather nicely.
"Why don't you just kill them if you're going to take your time about it?" Questioned the elder Malfoy in a tone of voice that suggested he really didn't care much.
Snape let a hint of malice creep into his voice as he responded, "Well, they're such bad sport when they don't scream. Don't you agree"
"Certainly." Of course, the sport they provided had little to do with Snape's reasons for merely stunning his opponents rather than killing them. As long as they weren't moving and casting spells the other Death Eaters had little reason to bother them, and hence they had a better chance of surviving to the next day. However, he was naturally rather keen to avoid mentioning such justification to Lucius Malfoy. Snape may not have had the best of lives, but he wasn't exactly eager to end it before the age of thirty-five. Closing his eyes to prepare for the inevitable charge the Death Eaters were about to begin Snape was quite or a moment before asking, "Do you want to shield or should I"
"I will," said Malfoy immediately and Snape relaxed minimally. The shields used by Death Eater during times like these were some of the most powerful Snape had encountered that did not have to stay anchored to still spot. However, because it took long moments of complete concentration to place, and because the caster was unable to use any other spells while it was up, the shield was unable to be used in active battles. Though Snape was often frustrated at the limits of magic, he was glad that there was no way to use that shield in battle. Death Eaters were bad enough as it was, that would only make it worse. The limits of magic, however, were not what the Potions Master was considering at that moment. Instead, his thoughts centered on how Malfoy would be unable to cast spells in order to keep the shield anchored, and how he would have a much easier time trying to assure himself no one was permanently damaged. Leaning back against the tree he began going over useful spells in his head, as was his wont before a fight. It had developed early in his life, as he went over ingredients for a potion trying to fall asleep, and the path thoughts soothed him by taking his mind from the moment.
"I'm set" he heard Malfoy murmur and they sat together in silence waiting for the upcoming event.
It was, as always, not nearly long enough, and the loud explosion that blasted through the air, followed shortly by screams of fear and pain quickly got them both to their feet. At Malfoy's nod, for words were nearly impossible this close to a fight, they were running across the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was not very surprising that the Dark Lord had finally lost his patience with Dumbledore and launched in attack on the school. For that matter, Snape was rather impressed that he had managed to wait until the school was mostly deserted for Christmas break. As soon as Malfoy had given the word that Potter was going to be staying at the castle for the break with out his friends, the Dark Lords sole focus had been getting past the rather significant wards. It was simple enough to send one or two people in to capture the boy, but the Dark Lord's flair for theatrics would not allow for such a course of action. As he had done on so many occasions the Dark Lord was sacrificing practicality for the effects that a more dramatic maneuver. It was, Severus had thought when he first heard the plan, a disgustingly un-slytherin idea. Far more suited to a Gryffindor in fact. At the moment, however there was no time for opinions on the Dark Lord's personality, just for firing off curses and spells as fast as he could think them up. Loyal or not, Severus had no desire to leave a bunch of order members and fellow teaches behind him with no way of knowing which mask he was behind. Most of them were worthless anyhow. They were approaching the school rapidly, with the defenders retreating as quickly as possible with out becoming a full route when he was pulled from his state when Malfoy's hand wrapped around his arm and physically stopped him. "Look what I've found." Following Malfoy's out stretched arm Severus barely bit back a curse when he saw a familiar student's face disappear behind a turn in the castle wall before popping out just long enough to let of a spell at a Death Eater's back. "Come on. Can you imagine how pleased He'll be?" With out waiting for a response to his question Malfoy took off after the Dark Lord's most irritating enemy. By the time they got close Potter had seen them and taken off around the corner. Following swiftly Severus did swear when Potter made a turn into what the Potions Master knew to be a dead end. "Don't you remember? That's a dead end we used to skip classes there all the time." Malfoy had heard him and had looked back with what Snape would have sworn was a smirk under his ivory mask. "Ah. Yes," Snape replied "of course." Malfoy shrugged and continued forward toward the place he knew Potter was hiding. Stepping inside his partners shield, fully aware Potter would stick at the first thing he saw Snape rounded the last turn and stopped next to Malfoy as a disarming hex bounced harmlessly of the aristocrats shield. "Run well for Gryffindor brat, don't you boy," Malfoy laughed at the retaliatory curse and continued, "It doesn't matter much anymore I suppose. Severus, why don't you do the honors?" Potter gave Snape a terrified look that only served to cause Malfoy to laugh again. Bringing up his wand Snape braced himself for what he knew he needed to do. Swinging his arm around to Malfoy, he spit out a rapid stunning spell before turning back to Potter. The boy still had his wand up and leveled with the Potion Master's chest. "Really Potter," Snape muttered reaching up and pulling of his mask, "whatever your opinion of me do you really think Dumbledore is that big a fool?" He never got an answer to his question because at that moment the dark figure behind them decided to speak. "Dumbledore can indeed be called a fool. Yet do you truly think that I am such a fool as to be unaware of your true loyalties"
The world froze.