Chapter 7
I landed in an alley next to the visitors entrance, once I had transformed from rather skinny and unhealthy raven back to man. I could feel that he was angry – my arm burned furiously. But for once I was doing the right thing – and for Harry. I entered the code for the ministry, I ran straight to the lifts pressed the down button and waited impatiently. It was odd though no one around at all, on watch at reception, nothing – but I had no time to think about it. The lift finally arrived, I immediately pushed the button her level ten; I ran to the department of mysteries, now I should be worried – the door was already open.
Curiosity got the better of me. The entry hall was a circular room of doors leading to other corridors and rooms; I knew where the hall of prophecies was – it was always a direct line ahead. Potter had informed me that I was looked for isle ninety-five but I knew the likelihood of Black being here at all was fairly slim. I reached the correct isle, no Black – not that I was surprised – however the insane voice of Bellatrix Lestrange: "Severus?" clearly was. I was unexpected to the death eater scum, "where is Potter?"
"Not here," opps, I was gloating; oh well.
"He was supposed to be here!" this was too easy; getting her pissed that is – she always did have a short fuse.
"Bellatrix; calm down," I knew that voice anywhere.
"Lucius,"
"Severus; why are you here?"
"To get Black; I take it he's not actually here?" indeed, I'd walked into a trap.
"Took you long enough," came a voice form behind me.
"Avery," I heard muffled laughs from either side of me. "Really all of you for one boy?" I rounded on each of them in turn, "McNair, Greyback", I was surprised to see the next person, "Rossier, but you're dead" they were all laughing but all I could hear was Bellatrix's manic cackle. We all stared at each other until the door opened again and Black entered the hall of prophecies.
"Am I interrupting something?" his Gryffindor recklessness was glowing.
"Black you idiot! What are you doing here?"
"Getting you," there was an odd look of defiance in his eyes.
"I didn't know you worried about me, Black," I spat out his name – more for show than anything.
"I don't but Harry and McGonagall do," he shrugged. I stared at him.
"Ahhh, itty bitty baby Potter worried about the big bad snake," I growled at her pathetic excuse of a cooing voice; it could probably make the devil cry; and by devil I meant Tom Riddle.
"Black," I whispered to Sirius,
"Yeah, " he knew I had a plan.
"Run,"
"When?"
"NOW, stuprify!" I managed to hit both Lestrange and Malfoy with the same spell. Both Black and I ran through the door, except I knew to jump. We landed at the base of the veil of truth – awful name but still. It was for punishment should the dememtors turn; only those who had done great evil would be drawn to it. And I felt the pull of the veil; seemed Black only wanted to leave.
"Snape, can we leave?" I turned to look at him.
"Sorry what?"
"What is it with you and that archway?"
"It's a contemplation thing; I'll explain later," we both knew I wouldn't.
"Wow, you said that without any bitterness," I glared at him.
"Whatever, exit," the door to the atrium appeared, I gestured to it "Ladies first"
"Funny, most amusing," he walked through the door anyway, I followed.
"Well I thought so,"
"Aren't you worried they'll be back?" I stopped as the marks burning intensified. Black looked back at me, "Snape?" he could see the pain, his face paled.
"You would be the last person I expected to betray me, Severus," the dark lord had returned and was hissing. I signalled for Black to leave, he understood as he ran towards one of the fireplaces; a scream was heard as a torture curse caught Sirius' ankle. But at least he was safe-ish.
"How did you come back? I thought you needed Potter,"
"Not all my plans revolve around the boy, traitor,"
"Doesn't answer my question," I continued to use my basilisk stare but it had no effect on the thing that called himself a Dark Lord.
"Simple, your blood instead of the boys; the blood of a traitor rather than my enemy," I noticeably paled. "And since I treat traitors worse than I do my enemies; you will not live long, Severus," I couldn't help shivering under the intensity of his stare. He smirked – how I hated that look.
"Traitor would suggest previous loyalty, I have never been loyal to you," not really I added to myself.
"So traitor doesn't suit you, Snape but what; spy does?" he sniggered, I hated him.
"Someone like that," I shrugged, turning my back on the dark lord – it was official I had lost all my sanity. For there was one thing you never did and that was turn away from an insane dark wizard.
"Don't turn your back me, Severus Snape,"
"I did that years ago," a tone of defiance was easy to hear as the auror's finally arrived and a crucio collided squarely in my back. The pain – as usual – was agonising.
"He – who – must – not – be – named, you are under arrest for crimes against humanity," it was the head auror; the dementors who glided towards him all bowed to the dark lord; and turned to me. I was still under the effects of the torture curse as I whispered,
"Expecto Patronum," nothing, not even a shade of grey came from my wand. I tried several more times before a silver doe finally burst from my wand and chased away the dementors. The auror's were stunned and of course due to the commotion the dark lord vanished. As I stood up painfully from the atrium floor, it was fairly apparent that no – one but the Potter boy had a chance of defeating this dark wizard.
