Chapter 8
Severus stood in front of the large mahogany doors. Voldemort had summoned him a little while ago. He wondered what the Dark Lord wanted. His normal report wasn't due for another two weeks. Usually when the Dark Lord summoned him this way, it meant he had someone for Severus to hunt down. He hated these jobs, because he knew the usual outcome of his hunts.
He steeled himself for whatever was to come and entered the study. Voldemort was sitting behind a desk. His high back chair was turned away from Severus.
"You summoned me, My Lord."
The chair turned and Voldemort was sitting there with his hands clasped together in front of his chest, his long index fingers pointed upward.
"Yes, Severus, how are things going at Hogwarts?"
"They are going as planned. There have been the usual student problems, but the Carrow's unique form of punishment usually scares away most problems before they even start. Those who are reprimanded know not to cross us again."
"Good," crooned Voldemort. He was now fiddling with his wand. Turning it back and forth between two fingers and watching it. "I have heard some rather disturbing news, Severus."
"My Lord?"
Bellatrix has informed me of something that has made me...upset."
"What would that be, My Lord?"
"She seems to think that you have been keeping something from me, Severus."
"My Lord, she always thinks I am keeping something from you and she has yet to be right," Severus said stonily.
"She seems to think that you have had a relationship with one of the other teachers at Hogwarts. Is this true?"
Severus started at Voldemort. "Yes, My Lord," he said slowly, "but that relationship has been over since the end of the last school year."
It seemed as if angry flames shot out of Voldemort's eyes. "And you didn't feel the need to tell me about this relationship, Severus?"
"My Lord, you have much more important things to do than to hear about my romantic life."
Voldemort stood and pointed his wand at Severus. "Now why would you think such a thing? I don't care that you had a girlfriend! I care that you did not tell me about it. You know that you are not to keep secrets from me!" He was almost screaming.
"Surely, My Lord, you didn't mean…"
"Do not presume to know what I mean," he shrieked. "If you are to be a loyal servant to me, I must know everything about your life, not just the things that pertain to your work."
"Forgive me, My Lord, I meant no disrespect. Since the relationship ended so long ago, I didn't think it was worthy to bring up."
"How did this relationship end?" Voldemort asked.
"She couldn't find it in her heart to accept my return to you. I am better off without her."
Voldemort stared deeply into Severus' eyes, reading his thoughts. "Yes, I agree with you, Severus. If a woman cannot see the greatness in you, then she is worthless to you."
Severus secretly boiled inside. "Of course, My Lord."
"Severus, you have been a faithful servant. It…pains me to have to discipline you for this infraction, but if I didn't you would never learn," Voldemort hissed.
"My Lord, I…"
"Silence!" screamed Voldemort. "You will learn not to keep secrets from me. Your mind must be an open book! Crucio!"
Severus fell to the ground in a fit of tremors, screaming.
"Crucio!" Voldemort repeated and repeated until Severus passed out.
Severus awoke to an empty, darkened room. He slowly lifted his head and pushed himself up with his arms. He was very weak, but he had been tortured in worse ways before. The last time Voldemort decided to "play" with him, he was unable to rise from the floor for a day. He shakily got to his feet and disapparated to Hogwarts.
With a pop he appeared in front of the gates, falling against them for support. After a minute he opened them and stumbled onto the grounds falling on his face. He moaned and lay there for a minute before he turned onto his back and secured the gates with his wand. He brushed the dirt from his face and decided he would need to rest before continuing.
How had Bellatrix found out about Lana? He made a great effort not to be anywhere near Bellatrix, let alone talk to her. He mulled it over. She must have found out from the Carrows. He had never spoken of his relationship with Lana to any of the Death Eaters, but the Carrows probably heard someone gossiping about it in the school halls. He could just imagine Bellatrix gloating right this minute. She always looked for ways to expose him. It was too bad he couldn't get rid of her, but he couldn't blow his cover just to make Bellatrix squirm.
He rubbed his eyes with his hand. Even after all of his careful planning, Lana was still in danger. Hopefully he had convinced Voldemort that there was nothing to the relationship and he need not think about it again. He couldn't have anything happen to her.
He shakily got to his feet again and managed to stumble to the front doors of the school. He was barely able to open them. He stepped into the school, and turned to close them again.
"It's a bit late to be out for a stroll, Headmaster!" came a sharp voice.
He turned and saw Professor McGonagall regarding him distastefully. Losing his strength again, he slid down the door to a sitting position on the floor.
"What on earth happened to you?" Minerva asked, looking him up and down with a mildly concerned look on her face.
He tried to speak, but was too weak to form sentences. He could only mutter a few words. "Voldemort…Cruciatus…curse."
She looked at him pathetically. "Well if You-Know-Who treats his loyal followers this well, what have the rest of us got in store for us?" she asked sarcastically. She looked at him for a while, debating something within herself. "I should just leave you here in this corridor, but I hate to see anyone, even you, suffering. Although it's against my better judgment, I'll go get Madam Pomfrey."
"No...need…rest…bed."
She gave him an exasperated look. "Severus, you need medical attention."
"No…just…need…sleep."
She stared at him for what seemed like hours.
"All right, I'll help you to your room."
She walked over to him. "Can you boost yourself up?" she asked him.
He nodded. Together they got him standing and began the long journey to his room.
Svetlana jumped up, startled. There had been a great clanging in the hall outside her room. She got up and ran to the door. She threw it open and peered into the hall. Her mouth dropped open. There was a suit of armor broken apart on the floor and Minerva was holding Severus against the wall.
"What's going on, Minerva?" she asked.
"Oh Lana, thank heaven! Could you give me a hand? Severus has passed out. I need to lower him to the ground so he doesn't fall over and hurt himself."
Lana raced over and helped settle Severus on the ground. "What on earth happened?" she asked Minerva.
"You-Know-Who happened. Severus can hardly speak, but from what I could gather, he set the Cruciatus curse on him."
"Why didn't you take him to the infirmary?"
"He said he only needed sleep and wanted to be taken to his room. We were going along all right for a little while, and then he started to sway and fell into this poor knight. I was barely able to catch him."
Lana stared down at Severus. "Why would You-Know-Who do this to Severus? He's his best soldier."
"You-Know-Who likes to let his servants know who the boss is, I suspect. Awful, isn't it?" Minerva asked, looking with pity upon Severus.
"Mmm hmm," Lana answered. She looked down at Severus and her throat tightened. "Nobody deserves this, no matter what they've done," she whispered to Minerva.
Severus moaned and started to stir. He opened his eyes to find not one, but two faces staring down at him. One of the faces was Lana's. He opened his mouth to say something, but she stopped him.
"No, don't say anything, just relax for a minute, then we'll help you get up."
Severus' eyes grew wide. He lifted his head and looked at Lana, "No…go…back. Don't…help," he said to her.
She got an annoyed look on her face. "Listen, Severus, you're not in any shape to be making demands. When you're ready we'll get going."
He laid his head back on the ground and closed his eyes. This was just what he needed. Not only was she seeing him in this awful state, she was probably endangering her life just by talking to him. He would have to go out of his way to avoid her from now on to assure her safety.
He opened his eyes and nodded to them that he was ready to go on. Between Lana and Minerva they were able to steady Severus as he got to his feet. They continued down the hall toward his room. His legs gave out on him several times, but with the two women to support him, he was able to make it all the way to his room. He unlocked the door and they walked him to his bed and got him settled in.
"Thank…you," he struggled to tell them and then passed out again.
Lana looked at Minerva. "Should one of us stay with him?" she asked her.
Minerva stared down at Severus. "I think he just needs to sleep. This curse takes a lot out of the body. He'll be all right with rest. We can leave." She moved to the door and looked back at Lana. "Are you coming?" she asked her.
Lana looked at Minerva, "I'll be there in a minute." She told her.
"Don't let yourself get involved with him again, Lana, it will only lead to heartache," warned Minerva.
Lana looked at Minerva, then at Severus, then back to Minerva again. She heaved a great sigh.
"You're right, of course, Minerva," she said sadly. "Just because he's hurt doesn't change anything does it?"
"No, I'm afraid it does not," she said strongly as she gazed at Severus, unconscious on the bed.
Lana gave him one last look and followed Minerva out the door.
