Apologies for the late update!
Chapter 7. Part 1
Moody was in a cheery mood as he entered Dumbledore's office. Now that school was finished, Hogwarts would be used as a secondary meeting location which offered convenience to certain people.
Though Potter was currently with the Weasleys, he would soon be moving into Grimmauld Place, and Severus was not pleased. Therefore, he was currently glad for the change of venue.
He was not pleased, however, with Moody's annoying arrival.
"Did ya hear, Snape? Got a few of your friends killed last night during a raid." He sighed in fondness. "Been so long…"
Severus appeared disinterested and ignored Moody. He had been going over some tedious business with the Headmaster when Moody interrupted and now wished for nothing more but to leave. However, not wanting to seem intimidated by the great oaf, he chose to ignore him instead.
"Alastor, you have news then?" Albus asked.
"Sure do! Bagged us about fifteen Death Eaters. With a bit of coercion, we may get some goodies out of some of them. A few…died unfortunately, but the ones we got were no mere fledglings," he finished with a dark grin.
Severus rolled his eyes. "Are you aware of the number of followers the Dark Lord has, Moody?"
Moody glared with his deformed face. "No, but if you do, then that's information you haven't shared, have you?"
Albus coughed and gave a pointed look. "Gentlemen."
Moody turned his gaze back to the Headmaster. "So Lupin is taking a stab at it again, is he?" Albus had announced Remus' mission to a select few Order members since he had left three days ago.
Severus had said no more on the topic, though he was pretty sure Albus knew exactly what he thought of the whole venture. Now, hearing his lover's name made his heart twinge uncomfortably.
He barely heard what Dumbledore was saying to Moody. He turned away from the conversation, absentmindedly glancing all around the eclectic office. He noted the ancient portraits, the strange, tiny devices Dumbledore so loved scattered about, the tattered sorting hat. The uncomfortable burning.
His hand automatically sought to cover his mark, as if the pressure could stop the escalating pain. The sudden movement stilled the conversation.
"Severus?"
Snape turned and looked at Albus. "I have to go." He hurriedly flew past the two wizards and out of the castle as quickly as he could. He stopped just inside the gates and from his inner pocket retrieved two tiny items.
He had taken to shrinking his cloak and mask for reasons such as this and, pausing to un-shrink them, he hastily dressed and stepped out of the boundaries before he was whisked away.
He arrived in a familiar location, just as evening was setting in. The humidity was overwhelming as he cautiously strode towards the dilapidated barn.
He had been there before, not that long ago. He swallowed in remembrance and disgust at what was done here. He remembered the poor muggle girl, barely a child… and the curses leaving his lips, unbidden. And the werewolves salivating.
He tried to block out those memories as he entered the barn. For some reason, he felt as if the walls were closing in on him.
Head held high, he studiously walked over to Malfoy whom he noticed first upon arrival. It was hard not to recognize the long, blonde locks, even though his mask was firmly in place.
"Ah, Severus," called out Malfoy in greeting. Though Snape too had his mask on, Malfoy surely could recognize his mannerisms by now. He stood at Malfoy's side and nodded.
"Malfoy."
He could practically hear the blonde's smirk. "Long time no see."
"Indeed," was all Snape could say. He didn't want to appear put off for being excluded at past meetings. All those long weeks without a summons surely did not mean that one never happened-only that Severus hadn't been invited…
"Where is our Lord?" Snape asked when conversation proved impossible.
"He has a surprise for us," Malfoy cryptically replied with unaccustomed glee. And before Snape could further question Malfoy, Voldemort materialized in the center of the barn.
Every cloaked figure dropped to their knees in perfect unison.
"Rise, my faithful followers!"
Clearly ecstatic about something, thought Severus as he got to his feet. Silence reigned as Voldemort glanced around the semi circle surrounding him, comprised of Death Eaters.
He didn't appear menacing or crazed. In fact, he looked upon his followers with perfect calm.
"We have a traitor amongst us."
If Severus were a lesser man, he would have flinched right on the spot, for all to see. Instead, he mentally swore and kept his outward placidity, even as he felt his pulse speed up marginally.
No one dared to speak.
Snape could feel his palms getting clammy but he retained his exemplary composure, strengthening his perfected mental shields.
Voldemort fiddled with his wand nonchalantly as his gaze found each and every Death Eater. Then he smiled and his eyes practically glowed.
"Severus."
Snape clenched his jaw to prevent any other reaction. He could see Malfoy's nervous gesture out of the corner of his eye. Worse, he could hear people gasping and whispering. He ignored all of them as he calmly, and without hesitation, approached Voldemort.
"My Lord," he replied with a nod. He knew he was finished, but he would go down with his head held high. He was just about to prepare for the inevitable when Voldemort utterly stunned him.
"I have something for you. A gift, if you will."
Mouth drooping slightly, his mind went blank for a second before he could even manage to speak. He saw Voldemort's grin turn wider.
"I reward those who are most loyal, and you Severus… are also my most talented."
Snape didn't like where this was going and half-bowed again, just to be on the safe side.
"Thank you for the praise, Master. Please tell me what I have done to earn this great honor?"
There were others in the barn that would fall to the floor, weeping with pleasure to be addressed thus by the Dark Lord, but Voldemort knew Severus wasn't like the others. Therefore, Snape decided not to overdo the theatrics.
He calmly regarded Voldemort through his mask and waited patiently for an answer.
Voldemort looked at Snape with barely suppressed glee, and with a loud shout, called out, "Fenrir!"
Severus frowned in confusion but noticed a commotion towards the back of the barn.
Fenrir Greyback, most dreaded werewolf, and another unknown came into sight, walking towards the rest of the group. They were awkwardly dragging a struggling individual between them, his head covered with an oversized sack. No sound escaped him and Severus figured he must have been jinxed speechless.
Severus silently noted that Voldemort's eyes were fixed on him the entire time and a moment later, he found out why.
Fenrir and the second man came to a stop close to Voldemort and violently whipped off the bag covering the cloaked person.
Snape felt his heart stop and his stomach drop to his feet. He could no more control his shock than he could prevent what was about to happen.
He stood speechless as he stared into the bloodied, though familiar face of Remus.
