AN: Here it is, my new story! It's AU again, so if some things are different, that's why. I hope that everyone enjoys!
I don't own anything.
Nine wizards and a witch followed Snape into the room. The last one to enter shut the big oak door behind him, creating a muffled thud. One by one the others lit their wands as Snape stood next to their leader, who cast his luminos last. Snape evaluated his surroundings. The floor was dirty gray cement while the walls were stark and white. The only hint of natural color was the auburn glow of the full moon outside the window, but the window was so small it barely shone through.
"Do you want me to cast the Patronus?" the leader asked.
Snape shook his head. "I'll think of something," he replied.
The leader nodded, but made no move to leave his side. Snape thought for a moment, but it was difficult to come up with a happy memory. He heard the leader tap his foot. Snape glared at him. While the leader didn't look intimidated, he did stop.
Snape returned to his thoughts. The only one that came to mind was the moment he'd first come here. He'd apparated to a mountain just to look over the city. The sun was rising, illuminating pink and neon orange clouds against the dull gray skyscrapers. The skyline had gone on for miles, an endless sea of buildings. He may not have been happy, but for the first time he felt free. He smiled as the fullness of the memory returned. "Expecto Patronus," he whispered.
He was jolted from his thoughts by a collective gasp. He opened his eyes, but he did not see the stag. Instead, he saw a mongoose. The others looked just as stunned as he was, though how they knew about the stag he didn't want to know.
The leader recovered from his shock in time to cast a muffliato charm for Snape. Snape nodded his head in thanks, stricken by the irony that this man had just performed a spell Snape had created. He looked down at the Patronus and whispered, "Go find Lucius and tell him I'm in Terminus. Tell him his immediate presence is needed at this address."
The mongoose nodded, jumped onto the windowsill, then left. Snape was still stunned that his Patronus had become a mongoose, but he didn't want the others to detect his surprise. He watched them stare at him with a mix of fascination and terror, some debating which was most appropriate. Then the leader undid the muffliato. "How long will it take him to get here?" the leader asked.
"I have no idea," Snape answered.
"Would you like to wait here, or would you prefer to wait in a cell?"
He sighed. "Is there a difference?"
"In theory, you can sleep in a cell," the leader answered.
"Sleep may be a good idea," Snape replied.
The leader nodded. "I'll need your wand," he replied.
Snape tried to hide his fear by glaring. The leader kept his hand outstretched as his nine followers remained silent. Snape could hear their breathing slow as they anticipated his next move. He finally thrust his wand into the leader's hand. The leader took it and gave it to one of the others, who scurried out of the room. "Do not scratch it," Snape called after him.
"We won't," the leader replied. "Put him in the cuffs."
No one moved. "Put him in the cuffs!" the leader demanded.
Finally, the lone female crept forward. She forced Snape's hands behind his back and applied the cuffs. Instantly, Snape began to feel nauseated and faint. He gagged. "A lot of people feel sick the first time we use these," the leader began, a look of sympathy on his face. "The stronger the wizard, the worse the reaction in most cases."
Snape nodded, afraid he'd vomit if he spoke. The leader then led him out of the room. Snape felt his legs buckle under him. "Jeeze," the leader commented.
"Think they're defective?" the woman asked.
The leader shook his head. "I think he's just not used to being without magic. Like I said, 'the more powerful they are, the worse they react.'"
Snape wanted to bark at them to stop talking and get him to a cell, but he could feel his throat begin to burn from the rising bile. The leader, sensing his distress, helped him up and walked him to a cell. The others stayed outside and watched with interest. When they stepped inside the cubicle, the leader cast another spell then manually removed the cuffs. Snape felt his health return. "Feel better?"
Snape nodded, still afraid to speak. "I'll tell you when he comes, if he comes. Try to get some sleep in the meantime."
Snape nodded again, his eyes filling with a growing terror. The leader walked out of the cell. Snape heard the clank of the metal door as it closed behind him. He looked around and gulped. He was sitting on a steel bed with thin blankets. There was barred window in front of him. He could barely see the moonlight, but the few rays there were gave him some comfort. When he felt well enough to stand, he stepped over to the window and looked out. He could still see some of the skyline he remembered from so many years ago. He hoped to recapture some of the peace he'd felt then, but to no avail.
Lucius strolled through his gardens, enjoying the crisp autumn air. This wasn't an activity he normally engaged in, but with everything that had happened in the past decade, he found himself more contemplative than he was in his youth. Before he could go too deep into his thoughts, he heard a rustling among the leaves. His heart nearly stopped when he saw the mongoose. The Patronus said, "Come to 9234 Dementor Lane in Terminus. Severus is there. He needs you!"
"Shit," Lucius muttered. "I'll be there as soon as I can."
Lucius quickly exited the gardens, his mind racing with one worst case scenario after another. He entered the house. "Dear? What's wrong?" Narcissa asked as he entered.
"They have him," Lucius answered.