AN: Dedicated to Hedgie. This is a re-upload so for those of you who already read it, there's nothing new yet!

Disclaimer: I don't own HP

Chapter 1 – A bad day

Severus Snape was having a bad day. The Headmaster had insisted he take a group of the 7th years to a muggle musical. For Severus there were several things that he hated with a passion. He hated the Dark Lord, he hated melted cauldrons and he hated musicals. The Headmaster of course knew this and yet was making him and Professor McGonagall escort them. He looked around at the group; it consisted of Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Pansy Parkinson, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy. He felt like hitting his head, this was the worst group in the world to be in charge of, it was like a disaster waiting to happen. The Dark Lord was still at large and here he was taking a bunch of 17/18 year olds to a musical in muggle London. He had of course been told to keep a special eye out for Harry Potter, however, he knew that there would also be Order members all around.

McGonagall shook him out of his reverie, "Come Severus, we are here, why don't you stay here while I pick up the tickets." He sighed again, after replying with an affirmative, he went back to his thoughts about the musical in question. They were here to see Wicked the musical. The Headmaster had thought it was amusing due to the fact that it was about witches. The two girls in the group looked slightly more excited than the guys, they didn't look as thrilled to be there. No one however dared talk to him as he stood watching over them with his customary sneer. Finally McGonagall came back with the tickets and they went in. Having found their seats, the musical started, Severus didn't pay any attention as he hated the kind of music and storyline that the musical had. So back to his customary sneer, most people believed that he hated the world and that it was his natural disposition. However, most people didn't know that he was a Death Eater, a spy and many other things. He just let people assume that they knew all about him. However, no one actually knew anything about him for certain, they just assumed they did.

Suddenly, something more urgent pierced painfully through his musings. His right arm, above the elbow burned, he knew that if he lifted his sleeve up he would find his dark mark had gone black. This was obviously awkward for him as he was sitting in a muggle theatre and he needed to get out quickly. The Dark Lord might suspect something if he didn't leave then. He looked to his right for a way out, there was none, he looked left and he found the emerald green eyes of Harry Potter looking at him. Harry shook his head, Severus was confused, he didn't understand what Harry meant. He continued to look at Harry, then to his relief the interval was called. He rushed out of his seat towards Harry. Harry stopped him dead with a hand on his arm: "Don't go Professor, he knows, please don't go," Harry pleaded with him. Severus went cold, how in hell did Harry know. Then Severus took a closer look at Harry; he took in the white face, shaking shoulders and the small trail of blood on that famous scar. Severus then realised that Harry had had a vision "But how do we know that it was a real vision this time? We never finished Occlumency," he said this slightly apologetically. Harry looked taken aback at the slight apology in his tone.

"If I don't go, he will definitely know, if I do go then there is a chance that he may not know." Harry stood thinking for awhile,

"I think that you shouldn't go sir, I know that you are extremely important to the cause, however, you will be just as important without this job. And sir, just to be slightly selfish, I do not want to see you crucio'd."

Severus took this into account, then said quietly "I must go, I don't think I can stand not knowing, tell the Headmaster, tell him thankyou for being the father that I never had." This last he said quietly into Harry's ear so only he could hear. He then swept out of the theatre already well into the act he must play.

Harry then looked around at the staring group and sighed, he decided to ignore the stares and said to Professor McGonagall "Professor, we really have to get out of here before the show starts again." McGonagall gave the affirmative and they stepped out of the theatre. As they walked out a tallish woman walked up to them and said "Wotcher people, Severus came storming out, what is wrong?"

"Not now Nymphadora, we must get to Hogwarts quickly," replied McGonagall sternly. Tonks then took in the sight of Harry and agreed immediately. She ushered them to an alley and pulled out a pen. She whispered "Portus" and then looking at the group said "hold on everyone." They grasped the pen and everyone felt the unpleasant sensation accompanying portkeys. They found themselves just outside the gates of Hogwarts, they all rushed inside and up to the castle. They reached the entrance hall where McGonagall said "Everyone to their dormitories except for Mr Potter, please." Harry's friends gave him a look telling him that they didn't want to leave him, however he firmly shook his head indicating that they should go upstairs. Everyone went to their respective dormitories while Harry, Tonks and McGonagall moved up to the Headmasters office after giving the password at the gargoyles. The Headmaster didn't look surprised at seeing them as the usual twinkle had left his eyes and he didn't offer them a sherbet lemon. He just asked quietly "He's gone hasn't he?"

"Yes sir" replied Harry "he also told me to tell you and although he probably wouldn't want me to say this in front of people, he wanted to say thanks for being the father he never had." Harry was only mildly surprised at how close to tears the occupants of the room were. He had a lot of thinking to do about Severus Snape. He had for the first time had a civil conversation with the man and he had been almost apologetic. He chased the thoughts out of his head, he needed to focus on telling the headmaster what had happened.

He turned back and was about to speak when suddenly his head felt like it was about to explode and he collapsed to the floor. The dreaded vision had begun. He could see the room, quite dim. He was Voldemort as he could see all the white masked Death Eater's kneeling in a circle around him. Voldemort started speaking in his usual sibilant voice "sssso there isss a traitor among usss. Doesss thisss traitor want to own up of ssshal I jussst point him out?" No one in the Death Eater circle stirred.

"Ok then, I am warning you it will be worssse for you." Still no one stirred.

Voldemort whirled around and pointed to one of the masked men and said "you stand forth and reveal yourssself ssso your fellow Death Eater'sss may ssseee who you are." With his head held high the man stepped out of the circle and with a flourish flipped his mask off and threw it away in disdain. He then took the characteristic Death Eater cloak off to reveal the muggle clothes he had been wearing he had had to wear to the musical. In his mind Harry was screaming not to make Voldemort more angry than he already was. However, unfortunately Severus Snape was not telepathic. Severus faced Voldemort defiantly and spat "Yes Tom". This angered Voldemort even more and Severus could see it in the way that Voldemort was shaking. Voldemort shouted "Crucio, Crucio, Crucio" with as much venom as possible. The torture went on and Harry felt more pain with every curse that hit Severus. As for Severus himself he was in agony with every new curse. Voldemort then said, "and let that be a lessssson to you and your preccccious order". Voldemort sent another curse at Severus and with this curse he finally passed out with the amount of injuries he had sustained. "Take him back" said Voldemort. Then Harry was back in his own mind, only vaguely aware of the people who were worried around him.