Betaed by Lliey Gemini
Revised: 05-01-04***************************************************************************
Chapter 10 - Blacks, Snapes, Potters and others
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"When, do you think, they will come again?" asked Harry weakly.
"I don't know. Why?" Snape's sound was a little bit irritated.
"I think... it's more than 20 hours that they let us sit here in peace. It so... unusual of them."
"Yes, although I am glad they temporarily forgot about us. I don't feel... prepared for new..."
"Neither do I..." answered Harry and yawned. "Some water? Aren't you thirsty?"
Snape just nodded. Harry stood up and walked to the door to fetch the jar, and Snape could catch a glimpse of Harry... Harry's body. Clotted blood all over the whole figure, some still oozing injuries, covered by some ridiculous remainders of clothes stuck in the cuts...
"You look terrible," he mumbled sadly.
"You too," the boy replied, then he added simply. "We will die here."
"Yes. We will die here," echoed Snape Harry's words. When the boy lifted the jar to let him drink he automatically reached his hands to grab the pot... then he lowered them as quick as he could and hid them behind the cloak. He didn't want to see them – and didn't want Harry to see them either.
"No need," Harry shook his head. "I've seen them yesterday, do you remember? I won't freak out at them."
"It's me," Snape answered weakly. "I don't want to see them."
"Are they aching?" Harry sounded worried.
"A little... better today. Just... throbbing and I have to be careful not to try to move them," he smiled an encouraging smile, but it didn't succeeded the way he wanted. Harry stared at Snape even more concerned. Suddenly, his professor seemed so... human. Or weak?
"Are you all right, sir?"
"No, Harry," the black eyes were distant and empty. Harry remembered that he had already seen a certain kind of emptiness in those eyes during the four years, but that had been another thing... THAT emptiness had radiated total lack of interests and emotions, this one, however, was a sign of resignation and acceptation of the situation, and pain. Spiritual, emotional pain.
Harry didn't say a word. Just put the jar on the floor after he drank and with careful touches washed the blood off from the professor's face.
"You have a fever," he mentioned matter-of-factly.
"Oh, it seems to be my turn..." it sounded pretty bitter and Harry jerked.
"You are too exhausted."
None of them spoke. After a while Harry finished washing his face.
"Thank you," he said softly as he lowered the piece of rag.
"For what?" Snape looked puzzled.
"For giving me family," he sat at the professor's side. "For caring. You know, yesterday was my life's best day. When you said that I could live with you."
"You not only COULD. You are actually living with me."
"No, sir. I am actually dying with you," Harry corrected him smirking.
"Ah, indeed."
"Do you know that Sirius too offered me to stay with him?"
"To stay? He is not staying if I remember correctly. He is running, isn't he?"
Harry appreciated Snape's effort to be humorous and smiled.
"Well, he is. But there was a moment when it seemed that I could live with him."
"When?" The question was short, but Harry could hear real curiosity. He suddenly felt a little embarrassed.
"Ah... After the events in the Shrieking Sack, when we... stunned you..." He barely dared to see the professor's face and became shocked when he caught him smiling.
"Oh," said Snape in thought. "It was a well-performed spell of the three of you..."
"You didn't seem to be happy then..." Harry risked a short remark.
Snape's smile widened.
"Well. I WASN'T too happy. You can imagine it, Harry... I, one of the most trained wizard in our world was stunned by three children... not to mention the fact that it just happened in front of the man who had been always waiting for this moment in his whole life..."
"Don't you think that's an exaggeration, professor?"
Snape's face suddenly darkened.
"I am not sure you want to hear about all this stuff, Harry," he answered thoughtfully.
"About what?"
"About the story of Black and me and our mutual hatred."
Harry shifted uncomfortably.
"Er... sir, if you don't want to talk about it I won't be mad... perhaps just a little bit... disappointed." Harry closed his eyes then added. "You know, the thing I hate most in my life is that everybody knows more details about me and my parent's past than me. It's truly... disturbing."
"All right, then, Harry, though this story has nothing to do with your life or your parents', not really at least.... Where should I begin?"
Snape leaned against the wall and closed his eyes. Harry sensed a little trembling from the man and carefully touched his forehead. The professor sighed and smiled at Harry.
"You know, you remind me of my brother, Quietus so much, Harry... So, well, I begin." Snape inhaled deeply. "Our war, I mean the war between me and your father's group started in the last month of our second year, in a Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I don't remember any more which house won that game, but an accident happened there. A mere accident, really. I was a beater of my team, and that damn... so Black was a Chaser just like your father. James Potter didn't play then, he was elected to the team in the next year. But Black was a bloody good flier and McGonagall let him play."
"I've always thought, that my father was the best..." wondered Harry. "Everybody said that. And say that I am a natural at Quidditch because I inherited his abilities."
"He was really good, but you're better than him. Much better. And I think your flying abilities are not a family heritage, but your... let me say this way: simple... features of yours alone. You are good at Quidditch because of who you are and not because of your parents or family..."
"I see," Harry smiled. It was just so good to hear that he wasn't the infamous Harry Potter just because of his parents. That he had abilities and features of his own that made him himself.
"So in that match I hit your godfather with a Bludger and he fell from his broom and nearly died. It was nothing but a bloody accident, but he, from that time was absolutely convinced that I wanted to kill him though. I don't know why your father believed him, but he did it nevertheless, so in our third year, which was the following year, I realised I became their constant target. I couldn't understand why, but I didn't really care until..." his voice faded.
"Until...?"
Snape opened his eyes and looked at Harry.
"Until they decided to play an idiot prank on me, which nearly killed Quietus."
"Ho...how?" Harry was stunned. "They didn't want to harm him, did they?"
"No, now I think no," Snape shook his head. "But then, I was deadly sure that they wanted to hurt him. It was a stupid prank with some potion elements. They told Quietus that all the third years would need a Mandrake in their next potion and I would be most likely happy, if he had brought me one from greenhouse three... which was naturally restricted for all the first years, but Quietus didn't know. And he didn't know anything about those damned mandrakes too..." Snape seemed suddenly really angry. "Those idiots forgot to told him not to pick the plant from his pot, and Quietus didn't want to steal the jar so he picked it out..."
"The mandrake's cry..." whispered Harry in terror. "How could your brother survive...?"
"The plants were young. They were not babies, but adolescents... so the cry's effects didn't kill him, although caused Quietus to stay in the Infirmary for nearly a week until he was completely healed. I became mad. Oh, God, I was so mad that I decided to revenge to the death on Black and Potter... But until Quietus's recovery, I stayed in the Infirmary with him, so I was there when..." Snape closed his eyes again. "Your grandfather, who - as I told you - wasn't yet a teacher, and Dumbledore went to visit him and to question him about that happened. First, my stupid brother didn't want to confess anything at all, and said he had been just curious and it all had been his fault. I became really angry with him, but when I wanted to open my mouth, Dumbledore sent me out. Then I..." Snape shifted uncomfortably. "I eavesdropped..." Harry blinked incredulously. He just couldn't imagine the picture of Snape eavesdropping in front of the Infirmary's door. His ear on the keyhole... He smiled, but Snape was so busy with his tale that he didn't notice it. "Dumbledore didn't believe him and the old Potter said that he knew the truth, because his son had told him. Dumbledore and the old Potter agreed that the two boys had to be expelled, because they had known the possible consequences of their deed. Quietus, however, disagreed and protested. There was a pretty ferocious quarrel between the three of them, but in the end Quietus won. He convinced the professors that the two stupid boys never intended to hurt anybody. It was just a prank - a dangerous one, but only a prank. He said that if it was needed he would deny the mere fact in front of anybody who asked. Dumbledore was so appalled that he couldn't speak for minutes. It was just too hard for him to believe, that a 'dark-originated' child defended his favourite light Gryffindors. I think this was the point of his change towards us, so-called 'dark children'. Since then, even I could notice the changes in his behaviour towards the Slytherins. He became much more kind and open. Naturally, I didn't confess this fact for months or years, until Anne made me admit it... But that is another story. So, finally, Black and Potter could remain Hogwarts' students. I didn't want to believe it. I was so mad at Quietus that I didn't talk to him for weeks. And then, he sneaked in my dormitory one night, woke me and begged me to forgive him." Snape's face twisted in pain. "HE begged ME to forgive... I was such a bloody idiot to him..."
"Why did he have to sneak in your dormitory? Wasn't he a Slytherin too?" asked Harry.
"No. He was a Ravenclaw."
"Oh..." Harry was surprised. "You've never mentioned this before."
"Haven't I?" Snape was amused. Harry shook his head in return.
"No. But it... it means that he and my mother were class-mates, weren't they?"
"Well, really... I've never thought about it before... But as you said, yes, they were in the same year too..."
"My dead mother knew your dead brother... so strange."
They just sat numbly. Harry could see Snape struggling to remember the old days.
"Hmm... now, that you mentioned it I seem to remember that they were kind of friends by the way..." Snape muttered uncertainly. "They both were prefects and spent endless hours in the library... Typical Ravenclaw behaviour, nothing unusual... It seems to me that several times I wanted to talk to Quietus and I went to the library and I found them studying together as you and Mr Weasley do with that Granger girl... In reality, there are a lot of similarities between Miss Granger and your mother... Their passionate wish to know everything and their annoying I-know-everything-better-than-you-do behaviour."
"Hermione is not annoying," replied Harry sharply, then added "Well... sometimes perhaps a little bit but... she is a good friend and she TRULY knows almost everything, or at least the book you can find your answers in."
"That's a very important ability," agreed Snape. "But the way she lets everybody see that she knows the answers is still annoying."
There was a sudden change in the cell's lighting. One of the torches flickered angrily and its flame began to fade. After ten seconds it went out.
"I got old," Snape remarked amusingly.
Harry looked at him in slight surprise.
"What?"
"Seemingly, I got old. It was me, who brew the potion that we use here for the torches, the Lightening Potion, and it would have to endure for a year. I brew it only one month ago. But this torch is seemingly... put off."
"A year?" Harry was surprised. "What do you put into that potion to be able to endure for a whole year?"
"My, my, Mr Potter. If I understand well, you are asking me about your favourite subject..." Harry blushed and didn't say anything.
"Very well, I'll tell you. The ingredients are: phoenix feather, dragon teeth, powdered sulphur, powdered charcoal, raw heliantus oil and some well-pronounced spell during the potion-making."
"The sulphur and the charcoal are ingredients of a similar muggle-erg... spell too. They call it gunpowder, but they add saltpetre to the mix too."
Suddenly Snape became animated.
"And where do they use this potion?" he asked.
Harry snickered. Potion?
"It's not a potion, it's a kind of powder. They use it in wars. There are muggle weapons to kill, and the gunpowder is an important element of them. There are many types of it. Bombs for example... This... mixture explodes easily, it needs only a little spark and then... it's terrible. It has immense power when it explodes. You can ruin whole buildings with a handful of it."
"Oh... interesting... but I believe I've read something about it before... I read that it killed hundreds of people. I found this statement a little... exaggerated."
"Exaggerated??" Harry didn't want to believe Snape's words. "Professor, have you ever heard about muggle wars?"
It was Snape's turn to blush. It was a very interesting picture and Harry was positive there were only a few people in this world, who had ever seen the professor actually becoming red.
"Well, I've certainly heard about some of them, though..."
"Only in the second world war more than 40 millions of people died in 6 years!" Harry yelled angrily.
"What?" Snape's face told him that the professor wasn't going to believe Harry's statement.
"You heard it," Harry shrugged. "And the main weapon of both side was this gunpowder, although not in that simple form I described to you, but the essence was undoubtedly that..." he shrugged again then added. "May you go on with that Lightening Potion?"
"Where did you learn about this... muggle weapon?" Snape asked.
"In primary school. We learned Chemistry. It's something like potions, in a specific muggle way... without incantations and spells, of course."
"I see..."
Harry stood up and stretched his hand to reach the torch. When he finally managed to grasp it, he took it off from the wall and sat back next to the professor.
"Let's see..." he murmured.
After a short examination Snape's face lightened.
"Oh, I understand. See, here is a hole in the wood. The liquid must have been flowing out from the top..." Harry saw the professor relieving and threw the torch to the other corner.
"I feel so strange..." the Potions Master spoke up suddenly.
Harry reached his hand and touched the professor's forehead again.
"Your fever... raised I think. Are you all right, sir?" he asked worriedly.
Snape felt as his heart warmed in return of the boy's words. He embraced Harry cautiously, trying not to hurt his throbbing hands.
"Harry?" he called the boy's name and when he lifted his gaze to him he smiled. "You can call me Severus. And I am almost all right, I think."
Harry became pretty embarrassed.
"Uh, sir...but..."
"No, Harry. I was serious when I said that you can live with me - if you want it too. But if we are going to live in the same house or quarters - you know, I spend my time mostly in Hogwarts - then you can't call me always 'professor' or 'sir.' That's quite uncomfortable for me. All right?"
"All right, sir," sighed Harry deeply. In that moment he caught Snape's gaze and corrected himself abruptly. "All right, Severus," he murmured and blushed. The professor smiled widely.
"I am, Harry, first of all a human being..."
Harry's blush became a brick-red embarrassment.
"I know, I know, but I need some time to get used to it."
"To the thought that I am a human being?" there was an unfamiliar twinkling in Snape's eyes.
"Don't tease me, please," Harry's embarrassment was now mixed with a bit of annoyance. "I thought: to get used to calling you by your first name."
"Oh, I see..." Snape leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes again.
"Si...uhm... are you sure you're all right?" Harry was extremely worried.
"Yes, Harry..."
"But the fever... If it will get higher..."
"I don't have a cold," Snape interrupted him "I have some broken bones and they causes inflammation. The inflammation causes fever. It's not the same you had some days ago. I'll feel better."
"Are you sure?"
"No. But I hope."
They sat in silence again. After a while Harry realised that the professor fell asleep. He decided to stay awake. He wasn't sleepy and he wanted to think and rethink the conversation again and again to feel that inexpressible happiness which filled him at Snape's words. He was accepted. He was cared for. Snape allowed him to use his first name. It meant that...
IT SURELY MEANT THAT...?
How ironic! He had to get caught and brought here to find the home he was always longing for in his life...
He remembered Snape's silent mumbling few days ago: 'Happy days in hell.' Did he think of the same? Harry wondered. That was something he would perhaps never know. But it didn't matter. Harry stared at the darkness for long hours, filled by emotions and a wish to jump, to dance, to shout aloud in order to show his happiness to everybody. These feeling tightened his chest, his heart so much, he could barely breath.
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"How long was I asleep?" was the first question Snape asked when he finally woke up.
"Several hours. I don't know exactly. For me, time here is something... fluid and endless," Harry explained. "Though is still annoying that they didn't come to fetch us for a new round..."
Snape stretched cautiously.
"I have a feeling that nothing good will happen in some hours."
The air seemed to freeze. Harry gulped.
"Do you mean that..." he didn't dare to finish the question. He could feel his body trembling in panic.
"Sssh..." Snape embraced him instantly. "Calm down, Harry." But he didn't know why the boy should calm down. Death was never an easy thing to face.
"I am not afraid of death," mumbled Harry. "I am afraid of the tortures. I don't want to be tortured any more. I don't want Avery to... And I don't want to see you tortured any more," his voice cracked. Snape's heart sank. Again, the familiar feeling of impotency clenched his chest. "It's just too hard to remain firm. I don't know if I can stand it," he could barely hear the boy's voice.
Snape just sat in silence. He desperately wanted to say reassuring words but there weren't any. Their situation was extremely helpless. He inhaled deeply.
"I haven't finished the tale about Sirius and me," he said finally, struggling to distract Harry. Harry seemed thankful as he began to talk. "So... Where was I?"
"Quietus begged you to forgive him, because he defended my father and Sirius from getting expelled."
"Ah, indeed..." he thought for a little while then went on. "After the accident of Quietus your father apologised to him. I wasn't there but my brother assured me about it. I don't know if he did it out of his father's expectation or of his free will, but he apologised nevertheless. But I've never heard about Black apologising. Never."
"Perhaps he just forgot..." Harry tried to find an explanation for Sirius' behaviour, but he could see on Snape's face that it wasn't at all satisfactory, even he himself was not convinced.
"Forgot... good job. He nearly killed somebody and he just... just forgot about it. Like he forgot to apologise to me after my accident. He was not forgetful then, he was totally amnesiac," Snape said angrily. "He pretended that nothing happened. And the main reason I loathe him: he always detested Quietus and called him names, which I would have deserved without question, but he didn't, not at all! I can't forget him for that. I won't forget. And I don't understand it as well. Why?"
"Perhaps he didn't want to face his own fallibility. He didn't want to believe that he was so cruel," Harry shook his head as he gave up, "I don't know. But, believe it, he is not so evil. He is just... too impetuous, he first acts and thinks only afterwards, so he does lots of things he regrets. I think if once you decide to give him a chance to talk about the past and you give him time, ENOUGH time to release his sudden and stupid emotions, he will apologise."
"You love him," it was not a question.
"Yes, I do," nodded Harry. "You know, he is just so fast to love as to hate. And he loves me, without further reservations, and he offered me a family without knowing me. Well, it's perhaps because he is a little narrow-minded and biased towards me because of my parents... But he never withdrew his offer for care."
"I see your points."
"As I see yours," Harry assured him. "I just wanted to explain my feelings to you. I can't understand Sirius, but I accept him as he is. Sometimes, he reminds me of Ron. They are so... similar."
Snape smiled slightly.
"I think you are right with this last remark. Perhaps this is the reason I can't support Mr Weasley..."
"Is there any student you can support?" asked Harry rather impertinently.
"Yes, of course," nodded Snape grinning. "There is you, for example."
"And...?" Harry became extremely curious. "Draco?"
"He is Lucius' son. And my godson too..." answered Snape silently.
"But," Harry gaped, "Lucius was who... who did THIS to your hand..."
For an instance, Harry could see clear sadness and desperation on Snape's face.
"I know. I've never believed it that he would hurt me before..." Harry wanted to say something, but he couldn't find any proper word to change topic. He was relieved when the professor finally went on. "But I don't think I will change my behaviour towards his son, if I can return to Hogwarts somehow nevertheless..."
"Why?"
"It was not him who hurt me."
"It was not Neville who hurt you," Harry's words were too sharp, he could sense it, but they were already out. Snape shuddered and turned his head to Harry.
"Perhaps you are right. But I think my behaviour will never lead young Mr Longbottom to become a loyal Death Eater. In the case of Draco and the other Death Eaters' children the situation is much more complicated. I try to keep them back from committing the same faults and sins I committed when I was the same age as them. I try to show them other ways to reach greatness instead of the Dark Magic and violence. I try to keep them on the light side, but it seems Dumbledore sometimes plays against me in this game..."
"What...?"
"In your first year, when your house won the House Cup, the way he humiliated my house was distasteful. We didn't talk after that show for the whole summer. It was so useless to humiliate those children. Not the fact but the way he did..."
"You are right," nodded Harry. "Although I didn't see that then."
"It wasn't on you to think. Albus was the Headmaster, not you. He should have thought about it before. It took a lot of time to calm those kids down afterwards, and I think many of them will never be able to trust the Headmaster again. But the instincts... They are just children. Not dark and evil wizards, just stupid kids."
Harry couldn't reply, so he was just sitting in perfect numbness when Snape suddenly continued his story.
"Your grandfather and Quietus were on good terms later." Harry blinked with surprise.
"How?"
"I think the old lad was deeply touched by Quietus' selflessness or by his other features, I don't know precisely. I told you that Quietus was a really good guy. Almost everybody loved him."
"Except for Sirius," muttered Harry uncomfortably. Snape didn't react.
"Potter offered Quietus to tutor him in Defence and he accepted this offer, because, as I said, we've never had a normal Defence teacher during our school years. Despite the age difference, they become some short of... friends, as Quietus said to me. I was really mad at him, but I couldn't do anything against it. I didn't want to tell our parents about it, they would surely have taken him away from Hogwarts, and I would have found myself alone in the school... The best thing I could do was to keep this relationship in secret from our parents and I begged Quietus several times to be more cautious, but he just didn't care. In my last three years, he spent the winter holidays at the Potters' while our parents believed him to be with his Ravenclaw friend. The name of this boy will be familiar for you, I suspect."
"Why?"
"One of his twin daughters is a classmate of yours."
"Patil?" Harry's eyes widened with total surprise.
"Precisely. Arcus Patil and Quietus were inseparable in a time. But Quietus always seemed to be older than his mates, so I think he was in better terms with the old Potter than anybody in his class. Your father utterly disliked this relationship and I think it was his frustration united with Black's hatred that deepened our quarrels into a war."
"A war? How do you mean?"
"Verbally. They claimed themselves light wizards and called all the Slytherin House the 'Dark House' so our personal antipathy became a sacred war of light against darkness. We were so frustrated about it that we decided to become real dark wizards to defeat them, Black especially. Lucius joined me, and after a while a third boy, called Rosier. All began like a general house rivalry... then I met Anne." Snape's expression suddenly became distant. "I didn't want to continue that meaningless war afterwards. I was afraid of losing her just because of an idiot rivalry. I often followed Black and his fellows everywhere and I strongly hoped I would have a good occasion to talk to him about his sister and me. Once I finally could, he lost his temper and we... started a fight. I broke his arm and he broke my nose," Snape touched the mentioned member. "And after that, there was no room for peace. We were fighting continually until he almost got me killed by Lupin. Then Anne threatened to kill him if he dared to do anything against me... so then we had two calm years afterwards. But until then I was totally dedicated to dark magic and I didn't want to return. I joined Voldemort and Anne left me. Some years later, Voldemort slaughtered the Black family, including Anne, and I hated myself so much... I could have saved her if I hadn't turned to the dark side. I could have married her and she would have been safe with me..." Snape shook his head. "But I did turn to the dark and Anne is dead. Black hates me and I hate him, and Quietus is dead too like Harold Potter and James Potter and Lily Potter and Rosier... Sometimes I feel that I am the only one who survived the massacre alone with my archenemies: Black, Lupin and Voldemort..."
None of them said a world. Then Harry cleared his throat.
"Prof... Severus," began. "I don't think Lupin hates you..."
"Don't?" Snape lifted an eyebrow. "After all I did to him one year ago? Perhaps he wanted to come to terms with me when we were together in the school, but after Black's escape I was so mad that I didn't think about the consequences of my words and I bailed him perfectly..."
"So it seems that Black is not the only one who doesn't care about the consequences in time."
"Do you dare to compare me with...?" asked Snape menacingly.
"Yes, I dare. You have many things in common. You both are impetuous, stubborn and sometimes narrow-minded too, then again you have a good heart under these features. It's just difficult to see. And you both spend a shedload of time in Azkaban..."
Snape's face darkened even more.
"Never mention it again, Potter."
"Sirius spent twelve years there," stated Harry calmly. "Can you imagine it?"
"I DON'T WANT to imagine it. No," shaking his head he continued the sentence. "It was the worst part of my life. And I have to tell you, Harry, I don't think ANYBODY deserves to be there. Death is better. Torture is better. Everything is better, believe me. Everything."
"... and Sirius was there for twelve years," repeated Harry quietly.
"I SEE, Mr Potter!" Snape's voice all of a sudden turned sharp.
"And he was innocent."
Snape laughed bitterly.
"Innocent..."
"You just said that nobody deserves to be there."
"Oh, again this stupid game to throw my words into my face! Who, do you think, you are to judge my behaviour, my feelings? Who gave this right to you? You are just a stupid, impertinent child who thinks to know the correct answer to everything, who thinks he is wiser than anybody else around him, who...!" Snape glared at Harry, who didn't dare to answer. The glare frightened him and he could feel a strong fear clenching in his heart. He lost Snape's friendship because of a totally pointless quarrel he could never win. He lowered his head and his heart sank.
"Sorry," he interrupted Snape. "Sorry, sir, I didn't intend to hurt your feelings..."
It was again too hard to say these words to Snape. He didn't dare to move as he was waiting for the continuation. It was just too familiar: Snape glaring, sneering and yelling and he waiting in silence for the detention, lost points or other uncomfortable consequences of his idiot deed. Yes, idiot. He had always been an idiot when he dared to argue with the annoyed Potions Master. And now, he had an extraordinary angry one.
There was a very long and completely uncomfortable silence between them. Snape didn't say a word and after ten minutes Harry decided to risk another topic.
"Sir, I..." he spoke up tentatively, but the creaking of the door interrupted him.
Voldemort stood in the frame.
"No," moaned Harry softly and he could see Snape's face whitening.
"I think that this is the proper time to deal about the possible date of your end," the monster smiled. "I thought tomorrow would be a perfect date, wouldn't it?"
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"...and they said that there is a large manor over the river," finished Lupin. "They could see masked figures around in the last two months or so."
Sirius shifted in impatience.
"Let's go now then!" he said and stood up.
"Sirius, I don't think this is a good idea..."
"What?" barked Black annoyed.
"To go there alone. To try to save them..."
"THEM??? I SURELY will leave that slimy..."
"Shut up, Sirius, or I will leave you here. We will save the two of them or nobody. But first we get Dumbledore."
"NO!" cried Black. "No," he added a little calmer. "We have to first see if this is the right manor. We have to snoop around a little bit before reporting to Dumbledore."
Lupin sighed.
"All right then, you're right. Let's go."
With a silent pop Black transformed into his usual animagus form. Lupin, naturally, remained human. Full moon was in three weeks yet and he couldn't transform himself freely, not as if he wanted it too much. Transformation without the Wolfsbane Potion wasn't a simple, painless thing. And if Snape didn't return, then he would count on numberless painful transformations.
The trip to the manor was long and uneventful, almost boring. Black went ahead leaving Lupin behind just as they crossed the river. Lupin didn't mind: with his werewolf senses he was able to precept his surroundings' voiceless messages and Black as a dog wouldn't raise too much suspicion in the inhabitants of the manor.
It was already late evening, but the sun was yet on the horizon and they had no real chance to find a way to get to know about the manor's inhabitants in light. They had to wait for the darkness to come. At least he was able to examine thoroughly the manor and its surroundings before any action.
It was situated in a large wood, consisted mostly by mountain pines, which meant that there was no underwood to hide in. So if they were forced to fly, they would be able to use only the trunks to seek refuge. Not too amazing! The manor itself was an immense building with two floors, built by some volcanic kind of stone and was totally black. This fact gave a little hope to Lupin, although he had a feeling that THIS manor wasn't the one they were looking for.
But how could they check whether it was the right place or not?
The answer was so simple that it hit Lupin. They had to get inside somehow and check the captives. Bloody hell! And if he, Lupin, had ended to this solution, then Black, Lupin was convinced about it, must have been already inside.
Lupin shuddered. Never. He would never go with Sirius to a mission again. Now, he perhaps had three persons to save instead of two...
"Remus!" he could hear his friend's sound. Lupin sighed in relief.
"I was certain you are already inside..." he whispered in return.
"Well, I was," Black smiled widely.
Lupin paled.
"You are totally mental, stupid dog," he glared at his friend. "It's all right that you go ahead, but this unnecessary trip to a Death Eater..."
"Hey, Remus, it was just OK!" Black insisted. "Why are you so angry with me?"
"You will surely kill me with your childish and idiot behaviour, Sirius!" he hissed in anger.
"Just shut up, Remus. I went inside because I could smell that there were only two persons in the manor..."
"Do you think that...?" Lupin interrupted him.
"No, no... I felt the smell of two old friends of us: Crabbe and Goyle personally at our disposition!"
"And I suppose they are alone."
"No. I could feel something else too," Black's face darkened as he said this.
"Death?" Lupin's voice cracked.
"Yes. Death and blood."
"Oh, my God..." Lupin whispered. "Do you think that…?"
"I don't know. I couldn't identify the persons... The smell of the bodies was too old, two or three days before, and I could only feel the blood. Nothing else." He lifted his eyes. "Remus, we should go in. I think they are here. We now have an excellent opportunity to save them. Just the two idiots are here..."
"No, Sirius," protested Lupin. "We have to call Dumbledore."
"Well, Remus, you can call Dumbledore if you want, but I will go in now. Bye..."
Lupin grabbed his friend's arm.
"Hey, what are you doing? You MUSTN'T do this alone! It's just too dangerous..."
"Crabbe and Goyle are NOT dangerous. Two stupid pigs. I can handle them, believe me."
Lupin shook his head.
"You are totally idiotic."
"So, will you come or plan to return to Dumbledore?"
The werewolf was thinking for a moment.
"I go," he muttered finally in a desperate voice. "But if we get home safely, I swear I will hex you into million pieces!"
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The manor was just too immense and intimidating to feel safe inside, although even Lupin could sense that there were only two other living persons in the building. The only hard thing was to find them, but after that everything went quickly and without problems.
Lupin stunned and Obliviated the two monsters and Black took the magic keys from them.
Then they headed to the dungeons.
"Sirius, I am not sure I am prepared to do this..." Lupin whispered in an unusually tiny voice. The imagined picture of a dead Harry was just unbearable.
He felt pity for Snape too. Well, he wasn't a fan of him, not at all. The man was a total git: malicious, acidic, satiric, often mean and all in all insufferable.
But then again, he brew the damned Wolfsbane in every month and posted it to him (even if it was possible that this fact was just a sign of his guilt for making Lupin lose his job), saved Harry's life in his first year, and tried to do it in his third - against them. And now, he was possibly dying with the son of his sworn enemy, James Potter, who once nearly killed his brother with a stupid prank...
No. Severus's life wasn't without complications.
Voldemort killed his brother.
Albus had said he had changed sides afterwards. Or because of it? This second seemed the truer answer. The greasy-haired sneering git had really loved his brother. He could see them sitting together in the school's grounds arguing or just talking to each other, seemingly appreciating the other's company, and the rare occasions he had seen Severus smiling happened in these times.
A soft voice snapped him out of his short trance. Black unlocked the magical door of the prison.
"You'll stay here," Black turned his head to Lupin. "Cover me. I will look around there."
Lupin just nodded and lifted his wand cautiously as his friend disappeared. He looked over the room where the two monsters lay on the floor. Its destination was clear for him: he was standing in a torture chamber.
No, there were no torturing utilities on the walls, and there were no chains pending from the ceiling: for a general visitor this room was nothing else than a chamber with some chairs and a large table.
But on the floor... on the walls... on the table... on the chairs... everywhere there were the signs of violence. Blood and sweat and pain and fear - he often hated himself for being a werewolf, but now, he so desperately wanted to be everything but a werewolf that he almost went mad. Damned senses! He shuddered again and again and after a while it was a demanding urge to vomit...
"Remus, come, please!"
Fighting his urge to retch, he ran down after Black's calling. He found himself in a long and extremely dark corridor.
"Where are you, Si...?"
"Here," a voice whispered suddenly behind his back.
The next moment a wand was pointed to Black's neck.
"Oh, Sirius, you are such a damned idiot. I nearly killed you," Lupin shook his head and lowered his wand. He could see his friend face turning extremely white.
"Hey, Remus, you are really fast," gulped Black.
"Did you think I was accepted as a Defence teacher by Dumbledore just because I am a werewolf?"
"Er... no" Black blushed slightly. "But... here is something you have to see... I didn't dare to..."
He motioned Lupin to a nearby door.
As he looked inside he thought his heart would stop beating.
On the floor, two people were lying, seemingly dead.
"We're too late, Remus," croaked Black's voice in the dark.
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