Acceptance

Chapter 8: Out, Out Brief Candle

Within a few short minutes, they were ready to leave for Hogsmeade.  Severus used an appearance altering charm to make Harry and Draco look like him.  If anyone asked, they would be his nephews, Sebastian and Seth.

Once they got to Hogsmeade, the three of them split up.  Severus went to the apothecary to get his Dragon's blood and other potions ingredients; Harry went to a clothing store that sold both magical and muggle clothing; Draco just wandered around.

At one o'clock, they met at the Three Broomsticks.  Because of the deep conversation they'd just had, none of them talked about anything important, keeping to easy topics such as quidditch and school.

When they were done with lunch, they all went to Honeydukes.  While Draco and Harry bought tons of everything sweet, Severus bought tons of every kind of chocolate.  After paying, Severus made Harry eat a small bar before leaving the store, explaining, "Chocolate isn't only for the after effects of dementors, you know."

Draco wondered: Could he be referring to the cruciatus? 

When they got back to Hogwarts, Severus split Harry's huge bed into two beds, making one of the bedspreads and hangings Slytherin green.

They all did their own thing.  Severus stayed inside to work on potions while Harry and Draco decided to take advantage of a beautiful summer day and go outside.  Harry loaned Draco the book Severus had given him to read, and Harry brought out the tray with padding underneath to write letters to Ron and Hermione.

True to his word, he didn't tell them where he was or who he was with.  He apologized for not being able to write, but Uncle Vernon had kept him 'busy.'  He was in no mood, nor was he ready, to relate what had happened the first two weeks of summer.  To Hermione's, he added how eternally grateful he was that she'd voiced her concerns to Dumbledore, saying he'd probably be dead if she hadn't.  When he was done, he sent them off with Hedwig.

Dinner that night passed in comfortable silence, after which they all got into their beds and crashed.

During breakfast that morning, Draco stunned both of them by asking if he could stay longer.

"But…Why?" Harry asked.

"Are you kidding me?  I can't face Lucius, not knowing Uncle Sev is a spy.  So, Uncle, can I stay?  Please?"

Severus thought: A Malfoy, asking please??  Out loud he said, "Two weeks, Draco."

Harry did some quick mental math.  "Stay till August first, the day after my birthday."

"Really?  You wouldn't mind me at your party?"

Pause.  "Party?" Harry asked blankly.

"Yeah, you know, party…." Harry just blinked.  "You invite your friends, we have food, cake, fun. And you get presents… Geez, haven't you ever had a birthday party?"

Harry studied his food for a long time before saying very softly, "No."  He glanced quickly up at Severus before looking back down and asking, "Can I have a birthday party?"

"Of course Harry.  I think that would be a great idea.

Harry smiled widely.  "Great!  So, whom can I invite?  Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Fred, and George?"

"You can invite whoever you want, Harry.  It's your birthday party.  We should probably start planning it though," Severus said.

There was a pause while the three of them thought.  "I've got a idea!" Harry said.  "Hermione goes over to Ron's before hand, and we tell them the person who I'm staying with will apparate to the Burrow, and then everyone Floos over.  OOHH, can Ron and Hermione spend the night?"

"I don't see why not.  I'd have to clear that with Albus."  At the look on Harry's face, Severus quickly said, "But don't worry, I'm sure he'll say yes."

"Yes!!  When Hedwig comes back, I'll tell them."

During that morning until past lunch, Severus had Harry and Draco read books on shields for dueling.

Before dinner, Severus called them into his workshop.

"It's finished-a head of time," Severus said.

"What is?" Harry asked.

Severus was holding a phial of potion. "The liquid cruciatus," he said triumphantly.  He looked around the room before spotting a spider and stupefied it.  He then transfigured it into a fluffy brown cat.  He picked it up and petted it until it was purring loudly.  "Don't worry, Brownie, it'll be over in a minute," he said to the cat, and before either boy could say anything, poured the potion down its throat.  The cat started yowling, twisting, and turning.

After watching in horror for a couple of minutes, Harry said very loudly, "Why are you doing this to a cat!?  Don't you have an antidote?!  Make it stop!!!"

"Calm yourself, Harry," Severus said.  "Its procedure to test a new potion on an animal first.  What happens if I did something wrong, and instead of just causing pain, or on top of it, it kills?  And what happens if we don't try it out on an animal first?  Someone needlessly dies."

"But what if the cat dies," Draco said in a whiney voice.

"It won't.  Its just procedure." Severus replied.

They stood watching for a couple more minutes before the cat stopped squirming in pain.  Severus performed the spell that checks on injuries, and was very pleased to note the cat was in perfect form.  When he said as much to the boys, both let out a sigh of relief.  He picked up the cat, and started petting it again, and it was soon purring.  He filled another phial and disappeared into his room without another word.  The boys glanced at each other shrugged, and went into the living room to continue reading.

Severus emerged a half an hour later looking extremely pale.  He sat on the couch and said tiredly, "Well, I guess I can officially approve it for human consumption.  It's much more painful than a regular cruciatus, but at least I was right about the after affects."

"Are you sure you're feeling alright, Uncle?"

"Yeah, Draco, fine."

Harry and Draco were beginning to get sick of reading about shields, so they decided to get started on their History of Magic homework.

It was later into the night, after dinner when they were lounging in the living room.  Harry and Draco were playing wizard chess, and Severus was reading.  Suddenly, both Harry and Severus hissed in pain, Severus was grabbing his arm, Harry, his scar.

"What's going on?" Draco asked confused as to why Harry would be grabbing his scar while his Uncle Sev was being summoned.

Rather than answering, Severus said, "Harry, get changed, and get into bed," before going to his bedroom and getting the cloak and mask, as well as the box that contained the potions.

Harry did as he was told.  Draco sat in the living room, trying to figure out what was happening.

When Severus apparated to the throne room, almost everyone was already there.  After kissing the Dark Lords robe, he said to him, "The potion you requested has been made, my Lord." He handed the Dark Lord the box and stood in his place in the circle.

"Very good, Severus.  And it has been tested on both an animal, and you, correct?"

"Yes, my Lord."  Just then, someone else (who, upon closer inspection turned out to be Lucius) apparated in, kissed the Dark Lord's robes, and stood in his place.

The Dark Lord continued as though he didn't notice Lucius' arriving.  "I'm very impressed, Severus.  Congratulations.  I've been looking for a right hand man.  It appears you are he."

"Thank you, my Lord.  That is quite an honor," Severus responded.

The Dark Lord turned to Lucius.  "Since you were the last to arrive, you will be the first to test the potion in my presence, Lucius."  He opened the box and held it to Lucius.

"Yes, my Lord," he responded.  He picked a phial and downed it.  Within seconds, he was on the floor, screaming at the top of his lungs and withering in agony.  The Dark Lord studied him with a critical eye.  After about twenty minutes, Lucius stopped yelling and withering, and calmly got up. 

The Dark Lord turned to Severus.  "Very good.  I'm proud of you.  You will make a good right hand man."

"Thank you, my Lord."

The Dark Lord made his round of the circle asking questions before coming to a halt in front of Severus.  "I am becoming impatient.  I need to know where Potter lives.  Either tell me now or, regardless of your new status, you will die."

Severus swallowed and let out a breath and silently prayed he wouldn't go there tonight.  "Number four, Pivet Dr., Surrey." He responded.

"You are all dismissed, except Lucius, Crabbe, and Goyle.  You will be coming with me.  We are going to be taking a …trip…to Surrey."

Severus came very close to saying something, but instead apparated to Albus' daughters' home.  He ran to his room, and shook the old man.  "Albus, Albus, you need to wake up.  The Dark Lord is attacking the Dursley's NOW!!"

Albus sat up.  "Could you…say that again?"

"The Dark Lord is attacking the Dursley's!  Get the Order together!  I have to go back to Hogwarts.  Harry needs me," and he apparted to the boarders of Hogwarts and very nearly flew to his quarters.

At Pivet Dr.

The four of them apparated to outside of the boundaries of the wards of the house, and went to the door.  The Dark Lord Alohamoraed the door with no problem.  "Search the house, now!"  The Dark Lord ordered.

While the other three searched the upstairs, he wandered around the downstairs.  It was small to the Dark Lords liking, but attractive nonetheless.  He perused the photographs in the living room.  Disgusting muggles.  Can't even make pictures move!  He thought.  But then he noticed something: there was not one single picture of Potter.

When Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle came down the stairs and into the living room, they were levitating three muggles.  The first was a heavily obese man with a large mustache.  His wife was a horse faced looking woman.  Their son, the boy in all the pictures, was morbidly obese.  He looked to be the size of a baby killer whale, and looked like a large pig.

Envenerate the Dark Lord said to the father.  When he saw the Dark Lord the let out a blood-curdling scream.  "Put a silencing charm on the house, Lucius," said the Dark Lord, before saying Crucio to the father.  When he let up, the man was panting.  "Where is Potter?" the Dark Lord asked.

"I…I…I don't…know…" said the father.

"What do you mean you don't know?" said the Dark Lord in a dangerous voice.  "Crucio!  I'll give you one more chance.  Where's Potter?"

"He… he disappeared…a couple of nights ago," the father simpered.

"Very well.  Avada Kedavra."  And with a flash of green light, the man died.  He went to the mother and revived her.  "Where's Potter?" he asked.

"I…don't know,"

"Muggles," the Dark Lord said in an exasperated voice.  "Crucio!  I'll give you one more chance,"

"I…don't know where he went…he's no longer here…we haven't…heard from him for a couple of days, now."

"WHERE DID HE GO!!!?"

"I…I…told you…I don't know," the woman whispered.

"You try my patience.  Avada Kedavara!"  The woman died.

The same procedure was repeated with the pig-boy.  "Search the WHOLE HOUSE!!" the Dark Lord yelled.

After tapping his foot for a couple of minutes, he heard one of the men making gagging sounds.  "I found something, my Lord!"  It was Lucius.

The Dark Lord went to where Lucius was.  He was leaning against a wall in front of an open cupboard, vomiting.  The Dark Lord, who's patience was gone, Crucioed Lucius, and went to the cupboard.  The smell was almost enough to make HIM gag.  It was the smell of blood, vomit, pain, starvation, hopelessness, sorrow, guilt, and near death. 

He backed away and said to the three men in a calm voice, "It appears the muggles did a better job at torturing Potter than we could have hoped.  You are dismissed."  The four of them walked beyond the wards, and apparated.

What the Dark Lord, and therefore Harry, did not know is the instant they apparated away, almost the entire Order of the Phoenix that was in the area arrived.

End Chapter 8.

A/N: I got the chapter title from a monologue in 'the Scottish play,' Macbeth.  I wanted to use it for a death scene, so I decided to use it for this.  I'm not sure I'm entirely happy with the way Voldie kills the Dursley's.  It was a spur of the moment decision, and mainly a plot point, so my heart wasn't really in it.  I would like to thank my bff, my 'sis,' my 'sam,' and my beta Harry Estel for everything she has done for this fic and me.  I would like to remind you that she has a story up called Harry Potter and the Legend of the Phoenix, and the second chapter should be up today or tomorrow.

A/N2:  I'm going out of town AGAIN to visit more grandparents, this time to North Dakota.  NORTH DAKOTA!!!!!  There's NOTHING to do there.  For those of you who live there, please, don't take offense.  I'm leaving tomorrow WAY too early in the morning, and I won't be back till Wednesday.  If there's a computer there, I'll update, but if there isn't I won't be updating until after then.  I'm very sorry about this.  Please don't be mad.  And please review!!!

Thanks to all of you who reviewed in the under 24 hour period since I last updated: ,00,(), jennifer(),

Replies to reviewers (Thanks apply to you guys too):

leggylover03: As you can see, after this there will be plenty of angst.  I hope you can wait till I get back!

starangel2106:  Yep, they had fun shopping, even though I don't really show it.  If I'm late next time, I'm sorry in advance.

Hecate Aiwe: WOW!  WOW WOW WOW!!  You reviewed every chapter as you read!!  THANK YOU!  That means SO much to me as a writer.  I'd like to address some things here, if you don't mind.  I caught that 'Surry' 'Surrey' thing right after I posted, and I'm too lazy to repost.  Sorry if that really bothers you.  Quite honestly, I never noticed, nor did I even think about Mum vs Mom.  It isn't something spell check checks.  I'll have to watch out for that.  I'm glad someone noticed my bat comment.  I couldn't resist.  I looked it up, and bats really are social creatures.  That's a very good point about a soft Snape.  My Snape won't be doing that though.  You're right about the nervous Snape bit.  I don't know why I did it that way.  I don't think Harry could have handled someone snapping at him, though.  I actually used a 'Harry's POV' originally, but Mr. Murphy suggested against it.  If you like it, I might use it in future chapters, but not this one.  I'm glad that Harry and Draco getting along doesn't come as cheesy.  I was kinda worried about that.  I hope you feel better.  And thanks for not screaming.  I hope you liked this chapter. 

GoddessMoonLady:  He used a charm.  I was originally considering using polyjuice potion, but I hope this works out ok.  Quite honestly, I don't know why I brought Draco into it.  I don't even like him, or Snape for that matter, as they are written in the book.  I like my versions better.

Jen(): You're welcome.

scythe21:  I nearly missed being able to put this in my story.  As for a confrontation, you'll just have to wait to see if there is one.  I don't want to give too much away.  I've never been asked to review a story before.  I'm honored.  *Authoress blushes furiously *  I don't know if I'll have time in the near future (see above) but when I do I'll review and email you.  I really like the way you reviewed too.  Very professional.  Thank you.  I look forward to reading your story.  *Authoress is still blushing *