Disclaimer: I own nothing that sounds familiar to you, dear reader.
Chapter OneThe scream ripped itself out of Hermione's throat as, struggling within her bonds, she saw with wide eyes Harry collapse against the pillar. The dark cloaked figure towered over him, a triumphant laugh trickling from his wicked smile.
"STUPIFY!" Harry's voice echoed through the hall but the bright light that burst from his wand was caught in Voldemort's hand. The dark lord cast the spell aside, his smile never flickering.
"I will kill you, Potter, and end this mad game." He hissed just loud enough for Hermione to hear. Her eyes searched wildly for her wand, which had fallen far from where she laid. With horror she watched Voldemort bring his wand down on Harry as he screeched unintelligible words.
A violently red light exploded from where the two stood. When it reached Hermione it felt as though all her blood and life were drawn from her body and added to the mist of light until it passed over her.
The dungeon became unbearably dark, and the silence pressed all around, stiffening Hermione with fear.
"Harry?"
When her whisper was greeted by the thickening quiet she screamed his name again and again, wrestling with the ropes that held her.
"He's dead, you silly girl."
Hermione froze but her mind still struggled with reality and fear of to whom this strange, cold voice belonged.
"They both are," the voice finished rather briskly, and she felt two hands rest on her side and rather forcefully turned her on her back. With seemingly no effort he lifted her up, an arm under her back and her knees, and continued in a soft voice that made Hermione think that he was talking to himself, "it has been set in motion."
The man continued mumbling to himself as she felt him ascend stairs only to descend another flight. Her mind was snatching about nebulous ideas wildly trying to explain what was happening, but fear kept freezing her thoughts and her voice. Although the stranger had not killed or threatened her yet, that did not prove his innocence, and Hermione was so frightened by the alternative she could scarcely move.
Without warning or explanation Hermione was dropped with a distressing lack of ceremony or dignity. The man that had been carrying her paused his mumbling, as if his thoughts now dominated every ounce of his energy.
Trembling with anxiety, Hermione waited for him to say something or walk away, but he did neither, that she could sense. His breathing became quicker, and more rasping. Something hit the stone floor with a soft thump, followed by an even softer hiss.
Hermione, though confused and thoroughly frightened, still managed to reason about what had just happened. Before she could call out to the stranger, another hiss echoed through the vast darkness. She felt rather than heard the presence of something slip away from her. In the distance a door slammed, and piercing laughter sliced through the blackness. In an instant it stopped, and silence fell heavy all around Hermione.
/\
Severus Snape walked with confident stride down the familiar steps to his office. He nodded in greeting to Igor and Bellatrix, but grimaced after passing. Although Hogwarts had been seized and infested with Death Eaters months ago, Severus still could not overcome the shock of seeing several dark wizards walking down the hall instead of perhaps giggling young women or scheming, pimply boys.
As the follower that had allowed the siege of Hogwarts to be initiated, Severus had been granted first choice (after the Dark Lord, naturally) of living quarters. Unphased by his master's predictable seizure of Dumbledore's office, Severus harbored no bitter feelings and selected his own rooms with no protest.
The invasion of Hogwarts had almost seemed too easy. Lazy, warm summer days put most people at extreme ease and sloth. There were no nosy students prowling the corridors during holiday, nor professors enough to overcome a battalion of Death Eaters and dementors.
As Severus's hand rested on the knob of his door, a voice called out his name. Severus turned slowly, and the face that met his eyes made him stumble backwards in shock.
But you died! his brain marveled at the grinning man, but found his nerves in such a state of astonishment he could not move.
/\
Hermione tried not to cry as she lay bound on the cold floor. It seemed there could be no hope for her now. It wouldn't be until morning that the Order would realize hers or Harry's absence, and by then she would probably be dead. Death Eaters did not keep prisoners, nor were they merciful to their victims.
A shiver trickled down Hermione's back and settled within her soul as she attempted reason and calm. Her wand was gone and she could hardly move. It had been a miracle she and Harry had even entered the heavily guarded castle, and she doubted the Order would be as lucky as they, should they even try to rescue her.
And what of Harry? she wondered miserably. Did the man she encountered know what had happened? Would he return to her?
Her greatest fear was of veritaserum. Hermione did not know whether Professor Snape had completely converted to the side of Voldemort, but she knew that he always seemed to have the truth potion when needed. She could not bear to think of what she might say should she be forced the liquid.
With effort, she managed to sit up, and lean against the wall for support. Her wrists felt raw from the bindings, but she still twisted them hopefully, as if perhaps the fortieth time she tried to wriggle them from their bonds it might prove successful.
After a few moments of struggle she slumped down and, to her great surprise, fell asleep.
/\
"What are you doing here?" Severus asked, keeping the shock in his voice to a minimum. The man drew nearer, his smile growing even larger.
"I have come to direct this chaos as the dark lord would have wanted it," Bartimus Crouch Junior answered nonchalantly.
"Quite unusual, I must say," Severus began, "for I was under the impression you had a rather touching encounter with a dementor three years ago. I believe he was kind enough to give you a kiss?"
Crouch's eyes smoldered with a controlled fury, but his smile did not flicker. He moved a step closer, and added, "I feel rather exposed out in this hallway for such conversation. Would you be welcoming enough to allow me into your… dear me, dare I call it a room? I inherited the Dark Lord's quarters after his disappearance. I must admit, I feel rather spoiled compared to all…"
His voice trailed off as Severus, glaring, swung his door open beyond his office and antechamber. With a sort of triumphant pride he strode in and lit the fireplace with a careless flick of his wand. It takes a course of several years to make a "house a home," to use a cliché phrase, but Severus's had developed quite classically. The bookshelves gripped beautifully aged volumes, frosted lightly with dust, and their titles glinting gold from the firelight. Numerous antique sofas and armchairs circled the hearth with a conversational tilt to them, but a coldness radiated from them as though no guests had delighted in their comfort in years.
Beyond the alcove of books and seating was a small but luxurious dining area, and passed that, a rather inconspicuous door.
"Well, well, well!" Crouch exclaimed, walking gingerly into the room, "I see your home has seen a good deal of gold spent on it."
Irritated, Severus closed the door and locked it with a snap of his wrist, and said coldly, "Tell me why and how you are here."
Crouch smiled mysteriously, and flung himself onto one of the armchairs. "You are, of course aware, that I am an animagus."
Severus, despite his surprise, gave a convincing, curt nod, and Crouch continued, "I served our lord more than anyone else could possibly have done, and he blessed my servitude with the greatest honor. An honor, I'm sure, not even you could conceive." He laughed. " I see your face, Friend, and know that I mean that in the best possible way. You are also of the way our lord nearly reached immortality?"
"Yes."
"I take the form," Crouch began softly, dangerously, "of a snake. Nagini, he called me, after he'd found me. I was his loyal friend, and he never discovered my secret."
"Tea?" Severus asked languidly. Crouch was the dark lord's repulsive pet? The thought was horrifying, and also genius. What better way to learn the dark lord's doings and orders? Tea was just the thing Severus needed the moment to steady himself.
Looking somewhat startled and annoyed, Crouch shook his head. Severus drew himself up a teacup, and took a swig. As an afterthought, he added a touch of brandy, and then turned his gaze back to Crouch, as if signaling him to continue.
"It was an excellent night he chose me. He, that wretch, Wormtail, and myself as Nagini, were resting at the old Riddle house. The old muggle was killed the instant he was caught listening to our plans of sabotaging the World Cup, and then the dark lord turned to his faithful pet. As his soul divided for the sixth time, he channeled it into me."
Crouch paused, obviously reflecting on that night, and then continued, "When a dementor kisses its victim, it extracts the person's soul. My treatment was no different than any other victims, but unlike the others, I had two souls within me. The dementor withdrew Lord Voldemort's soul from me, and thus destroying the horcrux. After that it was a simple task of acting as though I had no soul left. Fudge himself dumped me onto the streets of London, convinced that I would appear just another homeless person in an overpopulated city. The night the dark lord returned to power, I transformed to Nagini, knowing that I must remain in its form for an indefinite time. That Potter filth destroyed the rest of the horcruxes and then our dark lord, but I have returned to take his place."
An insane fire sparkled in the young man's eyes as they darted to look at Severus, who merely took a sip of tea in reply.
"There is quite a powerful resistance. It grows with every day passing. How do you intend on breaking them?"
Crouch stood up and smoothed off his robes. He walked to the door, and then turned back to Severus.
"That is why I have kept a hostage from the Order, and that, my Friend, is where you come in."