Found
Chapter Three

Sirius had sensed something lurking around for a good while but every time he stopped in his tracks the feeling would disappear. Shaking his head the animagus continued on. Far behind him, hidden by the tall grass, Severus shadowed silently.

For hours they walked through the dense forest, until finally Sirius slowed down and sought shelter from the cold within a fallen oak. Unable to find any refuge from the elements, Severus curled tightly into himself on the damp ground; his long black tail protecting sore paws. Seconds later, his eyes closed.

Irritating chirping was what woke him from his deep sleep. He felt as though he had just closed his eyes mere minutes ago. It took a moment for Severus to discern where he was and how he had gotten there. The memories hit him at once, all the weeks hiding in some Godforsaken home in the middle of nowhere with his idiot older brother, said idiot brother running out, following a dog...

Black eyes shot open.

The first thing he saw was a wand aimed directly at him. The owner? None other than his brother.

Severus abruptly morphed back to himself. Wand ready and mutually aimed at Sirius.

"Should've known you would be following me. Some things just never change," sneered Sirius. "All those years at school I thought you followed me and James to try and get us expelled, but now I know you're just too nosey for your own good. What with that overgrown nose of yours."

Severus's lip curled and he tucked his wand into his sleeve, "I know these woods as well as you do, mutt. I'm not going to risk my neck should one of us be captured by You-Know-Who. And I'm sure he has followers just itching for the chance."

"But to apparate would take just seconds-"

"Seconds we might not have. You don't know what he is capable of."

Sirius snorted at that and lowered his wand some. "Well, genius, what are we supposed to do? Keep walking these woods until we collapse? For all we know, we may be going around in circles."

The former Death Eater shook his head, "I don't know."

"Lovely."

A peculiar wind suddenly picked up, taking with it the dead leaves that scattered the ground. Unable to see beyond the leaves that were blowing around him, Severus took out his wand and experimentally whispered "Finite."

The wind immediately died, leaving a deafening silence behind. The brothers shared a quick glance, before spinning around.

Before them stood two figures dressed all in black, grotesque masks covering their faces.

"We've been looking for you," the tall one on the right said with a smug tone.

Without warning, Sirius fired off Expelliarmus, which was then blocked. But it gave the two enough time to take cover. The curses relentlessly shot between the trees that the brothers were hiding behind. Sirius tried to send out another spell, but was unexpectedly entangled in ropes. Severus flicked his wand at his brother, the ropes disappearing instantly.

"Come out, come out, traitor."

Severus nodded to his brother and leapt out from behind his shelter, launching a silent Avis. Both Death Eaters ducked the swarm of birds that had sprouted from his wand. Smirking, he followed the charm with his own creation, "Sectumsempra!" just as Sirius shouted "Furnunculus!"

The heavier of the two masked figures rebounded Sectumsempra back at its caster. Severus just barely blocked most of his own curse with a quick shield, but his face and robes were now covered in cuts. He hid behind his tree once more, breathing heavily, trying to come up with a plan.

Sirius was now holding his own against the two others, but his resolve was growing weaker with each spell that left his wand.

Severus heard one of the Death Eaters scream at the other over the barrage of spells, "Stop playing around, he said nothing about killing the other one!" Looking up at his brother, who was launching another round of curses, Severus went into action.

Once more, abandoning his cover, Severus jumped in front of Sirius, deflecting a spell, and cast a strong disarming charm at the two dark wizards across from him. One collapsed backwards with the force, wand sent flying the opposite direction.

Sirius watched in slow motion as the other Death Eater raised his wand high into the air then slashed it downwards, a menacing green light flowing out. Grasping his brother's sleeve, Sirius screamed, "CONFRINGO!" and apparated. The last thing he saw before feeling the familiar compression of apparating were the two spells merging and Severus in the crossfire.