AN: Hi again, sorry about the wait for this chapter but I hope it was worth it :) Thanks to everyone who reviewed and I hope they continue, you readers are my driving force with this story. Enjoy xx

I do not own Harry Potter, I live on a couch, not in a mansion.

Snape apparated to where Voldemort was hiding and threw up his occulmency shields. The stone house looked dark and angry with dead trees staring down at him. He calmed himself down and entered the depressing building. A Death Eater raised his wand at the intruder and Snape rolled his eyes.

"For Merlin's sake, Hickory, do you honestly think that I would be allowed through the wards if I were not trusted by the Dark Lord?" Snape sneered.

Hickory lowered his wand with a frown. "I'm just following orders, Severus. Are you trying to tell the Dark Lord how to run his army?"

"I never said such a thing. And I don't recall giving you permission to use my first name."

"I don't need your permission."

Snape flicked his wrist and grabbed Hickory's wand. A gash sliced across Hickory's hand and he cried out in shock. Snape threw the wand down onto the ground.

"Know your place," Snape taunted as he walked past the man and up the staircase. Hickory grabbed a nearby cloth and wrapped his hand up to stop the bleeding. Snape lifted his chin up and walked arrogantly up the stairs to show is lack of fear. The lower ranked Death Eaters were given the boring task of patrolling the hallways but unlike Hickory, they were smart enough to move aside for the man as he walked by. A nasty odour drifted past his nostrils and he managed to refrain from recoiling in disgust. A large body walked around the corner and growled at the Potions Master.

"Greyback," Snape greeted as he breathed through his mouth.

"Why are you not at Hogwarts eating cookies?" the werewolf grumbled and blocked Snape's way.

"I've already reminded Hickory of his place, werewolf, don't make me have to do the same to you."

Greyback lunged at him and slammed him against the wall. "I don't need a wand to be able to torture. I can tear you to shreds."

"Well you can do that on the Dark Lord's orders. However he requires my presence so unless you want to be crucioed for hours because he has to talk to my foot instead of my face then I suggest you release me."

Greyback dropped the man and stepped back. Snape landed smoothly on his feet and squared his shoulders. Fenrir pointed to the door on his left and grunted.

"Why don't you go and take a shower like a good dog," Snape said bitterly as he headed to the door. Greyback snarled and bared his yellow jagged teeth before he stormed off and punched a passing Death Eater. Snape shook his head and opened the door. As soon as he stepped into the room a spell bolt struck the doorframe and he faced the attacker.

"Bella!" he said in shock.

Bellatrix cackled as she lovingly stroked her wand. Her hair and face were as crazy as they were over a decade ago. Her mind was probably even worse.

"What is it with people attacking me today?" Snape sighed. Bellatrix giggled and strutted to the armchair in front of the roaring fire. A large snake slithered around the seat and white bony fingers caressed the scaly beast. Snape approached the armchair and dropped to one knee with his head bowed low.

"My Lord, you summoned me?" Snape asked in a respectful tone.

Voldemort looked up from Nagini and his lipless mouth curled into a smile.

"Ah, Severus, one of my most trusted and loyal servants," Voldemort said silkily. Snape couldn't resist throwing a smug expression at Bellatrix who sat on a cabinet with her arms crossed. They never got along and both always tried to prove who was Voldemort's favourite. Snape didn't care but any chance to make the witch jealous was too good an opportunity to miss taunting her. Her face twisted in disgust and she looked away.

"I hear that young Harry Potter has killed three Ministry workers, tortured Fudge and also tried to kill him," Voldemort continued, unaware of the hostility in the room. Snape closed his eyes; Wormtail has already set his plan in motion. "Did you have any knowledge of this? Why would Dumbledore allow his golden boy beyond the grounds of Hogwarts?"

"I had no idea about Potter's attack on the Ministry," Snape replied. He chose his next words carefully and tried to remember what Dumbledore had told him to say. "Potter is turning rogue that nobody believes that you are back, my Lord. My guess is that he attacked Fudge for failing to believe him and for calling him a liar. Dumbledore is getting weaker everyday even though he never admits it so I believe that you should seek out Potter whilst the old fool is most vulnerable which would be in the next month."

"What does Albus Dumbledore being weak have to do with dear Harry?"

"Dumbledore can only tame Potter if he is more powerful than the boy. If Potter finds out that his beloved headmaster is weak and frail then he can't look up to him anymore and will, as the Muggles say, go off the rails."

"You dare use a Muggle term in front of our great Lord?" Bellatrix shrieked and aimed her wand at the still kneeling man. Voldemort held his hand up and the witch stopped at once.

"I understand what Severus is saying and sometimes we must use terms we disapprove of to get the point across," Voldemort defended coolly.

"I apologise for my lack of though, my Lord," Snape submitted. The words tasted like vomit in his mouth as he apologised.

"Watch where you tread and what you say, my loyal spy. I will grant you mercy and ignore it this one time."

"A thousand thank yous, oh Dark One."

"Harry is no longer at the Ministry. Lucius has reported everything to me about what happened and the aurors are now storming around to seek the boy."

"Then maybe we should let them do all the dirty work and capture Potter. When he is locked we could take him and you can carry out your plans."

"What a brilliant idea, Severus. This is why you are my favourite."

Snape looked at Bellatrix again who looked ready to snap her wand in half. A mouse scurried past her and she crucioed it to release some steam. The mouse reminded him about Wormtail.

"Words I am pleased to hear from you, my Lord," Snape said with fake gratefulness in his voice. "May I ask where Wormtail is? I seem to remember overhearing Potter telling his friends this morning that he saw a rat that resembled Wormtail on Hogwarts grounds."

Voldemort stroked his chin in thought. "He should be here, perhaps in the kitchen. I will interrogate him about his whereabouts later on. You are dismissed, Severus."

"A pleasure to serve you, my Lord," Snape almost did vomit at that sentence and rose to his feet and left the room. He could hear Bellatrix begin to swoon over Voldemort almost immediately in a bid to become the favourite Death Eater. He walked down the corridor and was shoved unceremoniously into a closet.

"What the-," Snape yelled startled but a silencing charm had been placed upon him and he felt his body freeze due to a body bind spell. He went rigid and was settled against the wall before the end of a wand was illuminated. His eyes widened as he stared at himself who had his trademark smirk plastered on his face. His doppelganger pressed his finger to Snape's lip and left the closet. The Potions Master could only lean against the wall and listen. Once the spell would wear off he had to apparate quickly back to Hogwarts. It only took a few minutes before he could hear a duel going on above him.

"SEVERUS SNAPE!" Voldemort bellowed and an explosion sounded and shook the entire building.

"I am sick of having to follow your orders, you scaly behemoth! Why don't you go and buy a nose from the shops?" Snape's voice retorted.

"GET HIM, MASTER! GET HIM!" Bellatrix shouted in glee.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!"

"MY LORD! HE CUT MY FINGER OFF! MY LORD, I AM INJURED!"

"SEVERUS, PUT DOWN BELLATRIX'S FINGER!"

"GIVE IT BACK! MY LORD, HE THREW MY FINGER OUT THE WINDOW!"

A door burst open nearby and a stampede of feet raced along the wooden floorboards.

"GET THAT TRAITOR! GREYBACK, TEAR HIM TO SHREDS!" Voldemort hollered from above.

Snape closed his eyes and willed for his body to move. The closet door opened and Wormtail entered with a look of pure glee carved into his face.

"Enjoying the show?" Wormtail mocked. "I managed to use Lockworth as my puppet to use the polyjuice and turn into you. I don't think that you are the favourite anymore. I have done my part as Potter who is now wanted by the Ministry so now I can sit back and watch you be dealt with. Oh what a pity, you don't have a wand."

The closet door was yanked opened again and the fake Snape scrambled in as the angry mob thrashed around in the hallways firing curses. Wormtail released the body bind spell and threw the real Snape out into the hallway.

"He's here! I have him!" Wormtail called out as held Snape down to the floor with his knee.

"Where have you been, Wormtail?" Greyback snarled as he bounded towards them.

"He knocked me out and locked me in the closet!"

"You pathetic rat, give him to me!"

Greyback shoved Wormtail aside and hauled Snape to his feet by his teaching robes and chuckled evilly.

"Ready to be shredded?" the werewolf asked. "I seem to remember you saying I could if You Know Who granted me permission, and you know what? He just did."

"But, I...I caught him! I should get a reward," Wormtail squeaked.

"Your reward is that I'm letting you live, rodent!"

Snape raised his arms and easily slid out of his robes before kicked Greyback in the groin. The werewolf whimpered as he collapsed to the floor. Snape reached the closet and wrenched out his doppelganger who had changed back into Lockworth. Bellatrix appeared at the foot of the stairs with blood pouring out from her dismembered digit. Her face went stormy when she saw Snape and jabbed her wand violently in the air.

"Avada Kedavra!" She bellowed. Snape threw Lockworth towards the killing curse and ran off down the hall. Lockworth crumpled to the floor after the green light dimmed and lay forgotten as Death Eaters stormed after Snape. Blasting spells were thrown and blew up parts of the building. Snape scrambled down the stairs and jumped as a blast destroyed the lower part of the staircase. He landed safely on the landing and continued to run. A Death Eater appeared around a corner and Snape punched him in the face before sprinting forward. He skidded to a halt at a dead end and spun around to face an angry mob led by Bellatrix.

"It's over, traitor," she said venomously and aimed her spell.

"I've got it!" Wormtail said and pushed the witch aside before throwing his curse. Snape dodged it and there was a hole blasted in the wall and Snape climbed through it and landed in the garden.

"You idiot!" Bellatrix screamed. "Crucio!"

Snape heard Wormtail scream in pain as Bellatrix held the torture curse on him and barked to the other Death Eaters to capture Snape. The Potions Master ran towards the gate and shoved Hickory aside as he pushed the iron gates open and apparated to Hogwarts.

He made his way to Dumbledore's office and froze as he couldn't say the password. Students hurried past him and avoided eye contact with him. He saw Ron and Hermione and grabbed both of them by their robes and spun them around to face him. Ron paled at once and Hermione looked nervous.

"We can't walk in this corridor now?" Ron said more bravely than he felt. Snape glared and went to take points but nothing came out of his mouth. He looked desperately at Hermione who seemed to click what was going on.

"You've been put under a silencing spell, haven't you, professor?" she asked.

'Good girl' Snape thought and nodded.

"Why didn't you say so?" Ron huffed and Snape scowled before smacking the boy upside the head. Hermione followed quickly with a clip to his ear. "Ow!" Ron hissed and backed away.

"Would you like me to remove it, sir?" Hermione asked. Snape just rolled his eyes and waited for his student to reverse the spell.

"Twenty points from Gryffindor for disrespecting a professor, Weasley," Snape spat out when he felt his voice box open and turned to the gargoyle. "Ice Mice!"

The gargoyle let Snape through whilst Ron flicked the professor the bird behind his back.

"Another twenty points for that rude gesture!"

"Ronald!" Hermione snapped and clipped his ear again.

Snape didn't bother knocking and burst through the office door and froze. Umbridge, aurors and Fudge were all in the room surrounding Harry.

"What the hell is going on?"