"I have to find somewhere safe, someone I can trust." he said under his breath to himself as he made his way down the empty street. He kept himself covered, hood up, and his robes pulled as tightly around his thin body as he could. Continually looking back over his shoulder, he turned down a small alley way. As his eyes fought to focus in the dimly lit passageway he spotted a piece of bread lying on the ground. He quickly ran over to it and scooped it up then began eating it. "How pathetic I've become." he told himself with a defeated tone in his voice. He was weak, dirty, hungry, tired and completely hopeless now.
Quickly but quietly he moved back into a large shadow when he realized someone else had joined him in the alley. His eyes scanned from one end to the other but stopped when he caught sight of a hooded figure. He squinted his eyes trying to make out who this person was as he moved back pressing his body as tightly against the cold brick wall as he could.
"Lucius?" the figure called out rather quietly. The hooded man moved closer to where the other was hiding and said once more. "Lucius?" He stopped now standing only a few feet from where Lucius was hiding. The man sighed as he reached up and removed his hood. "I know you're here. I've been following you for the past hour just waiting for the right time to get your attention."
"Severus!." Lucius said all too happily as he reached out and grabbed the dark haired man to pull him into the shadow with him. He pushed the other way as quickly as he had hugged him. "What are you doing here?"
"I came to help you." Severus replied while he reached out and took Lucius' hand in his own. "Come with me. I'm going to take you somewhere safe were you can get some food and rest."
"Alright." he said moving closer to the other.
"We're going to apparate. Just relax and allow me to guide you." The potions master said as him closer and supported the weaker one the vanished.
When they appeared Lucius realized they were just outside the school grounds. He looked to Severus with a hint of alarm in his icy blue eyes as he went even more pale than he had been before. I've been betrayed he thought to himself as they started to walk towards the overly large castle Severus now called his home.
"The best place to hide is right under their noses." He said after seeing the blonds reaction to where he had brought them.
Lucius still didn't move. He thought this was a terrible idea and began to believe all the rumors he had heard about Severus being a traitor to the master.
"Come." The potions master said as he tugged gently on the weaker mans arm. "You'll be safe in my room." He paused looking for something else to say to re-assure him. "No one comes down there without my permission." He continued as he led the blond into a secret passage that went to the dungeon.
Lucius slept better that night than he had since before he was imprisoned the past year. There were no dreams, no fear of being caught, nothing but sleep. He awoke the next morning to find himself alone in this large, warm room and had, for a moment, forgotten where he was and how he got there.