Author's Note: Thank you for your reviews, and for sticking with this story through my horrendous updating habits.

TRIGGER WARNING: This chapter contains torture and rape. If these upset you, I would rather you didn't read and weren't upset or triggered.

Severus knew Chase wasn't in the maze. He knew she wouldn't appear suddenly, triumphantly holding the Triwizard Cup while Potter snivelled in the background. He knew that, but he couldn't stop himself from glancing at the maze every few seconds, desperately hoping that this was all a horrible dream. Not for himself; life had never been kind enough for him to even think this could be anything but reality. He hoped this was his nightmare, for Chase's sake. If the Dark Lord had her, he would punish her for his, Severus's, mistakes. For all he knew, she was already dead- No! She's alive; he has no reason to kill her, he thought desperately.

After a while, there was a commotion near the entrance of the maze. Potter lay on the ground, holding the Triwizard Cup in his hand. Severus could tell, even from thirty feet away, that he was injured, but he cared more about the fact that Chase wasn't with him. He and Dumbledore ran to Potter, with the Minister of Magic right behind them, and Severus cast a last, terrified glance at the maze. If Potter could apparate out of there, Chase could have… But he can't apparate, he's too young… She isn't-

"Professor, he's back," Potter said in a thin, exhausted voice. "Voldemort. He's back. The Cup… 's a Portkey." He was trying to stand up, and Severus was surprised to see Potter look directly at him. "Chase…"

"Where is she?" Severus demanded. He grabbed Potter's shirt by the collar, and, ignoring the affronted noise from Cornelius Fudge, repeated himself. "Potter, where is she?"

"At a house near a graveyard," Potter replied. There was something unfamiliar behind his eyes. "She was alive when I left." He lowered his voice. "Lucius Malfoy was there, Professor; he spoke up for her. Said you'd come back if you knew Voldemort had her."

You would be bold enough to use the Dark Lord's name, Severus thought bitterly, but he released Potter without another word. Turning, he began striding toward the gates to Hogsmeade as fast as he could.

"Severus!" Dumbledore called after him, but Severus paid him no heed. Chase's life was in immediate danger, and if Dumbledore thought he was going to stay behind like a good boy-

"Severus, you must wait!" Dumbledore was next to him. "We have a plan-"

"You have a plan," Severus corrected him tersely. "And to hell with it. That plan didn't include my niece's life being on the line."

"I understand your fear, but Chase is in no danger."

Severus stopped dead at this and turned to Dumbledore. "'Chase is in no danger'?" He repeated incredulously. "The Dark Lord is holding her hostage-"

"As collateral for your return," Dumbledore said. "Lord Voldemort has no regard for her life, but he knows she's important to you. He won't kill her unless he knows you won't return to him."

Severus thought for a second. Dumbledore was right, of course, but…

"Chase will not goad Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said firmly. "She's come face-to-face with him; I'm quite sure that took away any bravado you saw from her in discussing his return."

Sighing, Severus nodded. Dumbledore turned back to the maze and started walking toward it, and Severus followed.

Halfway back, he noticed two people walking back to the castle. After a moment, he recognized Moody's odd gait, and realized that he was half-dragging Potter with him. "Headmaster?"

"Yes?"

"Did you tell Moody to take Potter to the castle?" He pointed toward the figures. Dumbledore looked, then broke into a run, with Severus close behind him.

XXX

Wormtail led Chase into the parlor of what Chase thought might once have been a lovely manor house, but had since fallen into disrepair. He left, and Chase could feel her tongue loosening. She looked at a dusty sofa for a minute, before she performed a silent scourgify and sat gingerly on its edge.

She thought for a second about Apparating out of the house, but her common sense told her that an Anti-Disapparation charm had been placed on it. Even if that wasn't the case, she reasoned, she needed to stay where she was; if Severus came and she wasn't there, Voldemort might kill him. She understood now what Severus had been trying to tell her: She had no grand plan, no desire to fight Voldemort by herself. All she knew anymore was that she was completely, utterly, paralyzingly afraid.

She could hear nothing from the graveyard; whether it was too far away, or Voldemort had put a soundproofing charm on the house, she couldn't say. Not knowing was the worst part; what if Severus was out there, even now, being tortured or killed by Lord Voldemort? No, he isn't, she told herself firmly. Think positive, Chase. Immediately after the thought ran through her head, she buried her face in her hands and let out one, desperate, terrified sob.

XXX

"Severus, you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready… If you are prepared..." Dumbledore's voice betrayed no hint of apprehension, but Severus saw it in his eyes.

"I am." Severus knew he was in for an unpleasant reunion with the Dark Lord, but he did not care. He was finally getting his chance to atone for Lily's death. And, with any luck at all, to keep Chase from meeting the same fate.

"Then, good luck," Dumbledore said.

Severus swept from the hospital wing without another word. The only thoughts in his head were the ones the Dark Lord would want to see. He had no doubt that he would be subjected to Legilimency within the hour, and he hoped, dimly, that that was the worst the Dark Lord would do to him.

XXX

The door to the manor opened, and Chase stood up, raising her wand slightly. Wormtail came in, followed a moment later by Lord Voldemort, whose expression Chase couldn't make out.

"Put your wand away," Voldemort said. "If you cooperate, I will let you go with your life."

"He's here," Chase said, lowering her wand just slightly.

"Yes," Voldemort said. "But before he takes you back to Hogwarts, I have a proposal for you."

"What kind of proposal?" Chase was starting to get an uneasy feeling.

Voldemort studied her for a moment. "Are you aware, Chase, that I am the last direct descendant of Salazar Slytherin?"

Chase shook her head.

"But now that you do know, you might agree that it would be a shame to let that noble line die out."

Chase swallowed. She thought she knew what Voldemort was asking her. "I suppose so…" She said slowly.

Voldemort looked hard at her for another moment. "I have considered this for a long time, Chase. I need a young, healthy witch to help me carry on Slytherin's legacy."

Chase could hear her heart banging against her chest once again. "No," she said. "I won't do it."

"Do you think I am asking for your consent?"

"Why are you asking me at all?"

Voldemort laughed. The sound made Chase's hair stand on end. "I am not asking. If you cooperate, there will be no need for violence. You may even enjoy the experience. I am told it can be quite pleasurable. I wouldn't know; I have never found it more than boring, but occasionally useful."

Now Chase felt sick. "I won't do it," Chase said, her voice stronger than before. "I won't let you-"

"You seem to think you can stop me," Voldemort said, the amusement in his voice more pronounced. "What gives you that idea, Chase? Did your little stunt in the graveyard make you think you could defeat Lord Voldemort?"

"No!" Chase was surprised by how shrill her voice had become. "No, it didn't, I swear, but please, I'll do anything else, anything! Just please, don't make me do this."

"You have no other use to me," Voldemort said quietly.

"I'll take the Dark Mark!" Chase said, desperation turning her against common sense. "I'll go abroad and spread your message, I'll do anything, please-"

"I have had enough of this," Voldemort said, and he bore down on Chase until she backed into the sofa. She raised her wand, ready to fight.

Voldemort had his wand raised as well, but he seemed to be considering something. "No," he said softly, more to himself than to Chase. "No, that would be crude… I have no intention of hurting you. Perhaps you just need a little persuasion. Wormtail!"

"Y-yes, my Lord?" Wormtail said, jumping to attention. Chase had the feeling -and it made her feel more sick- that Wormtail had been eagerly watching the whole thing.

"Bring Snape here."

"Yes, my Lord," Wormtail repeated, then scurried out the door.

Chase stood up, cautiously, her wand still clutched firmly in her left hand. Nothing would make Severus agree to this either, she knew, so why Voldemort thought he would persuade her, she didn't know. In a few minutes, she saw Wormtail come back, and just behind him -and rather much taller- Severus.

Voldemort turned to the door. "Severus, do come in."

Severus did as Voldemort commanded, and his expression remained passive as he looked at Chase.

"Leave us," Voldemort snapped at Wormtail, who scampered up the stairs at once. Voldemort turned to Severus.

"This is your niece?" Voldemort asked, pointing at Chase.

"Yes, my Lord."

Voldemort circled around to Chase and put a hand on her shoulder. With difficulty, Chase held back a shudder.

"She's quite clever, Severus, not unlike yourself. In fact," he said, turning his snakelike gaze back onto Severus, "she knew that putting a Silencing Charm on Wormtail would render him incapable of casting a Killing Curse." His voice became colder. "You, Severus, are the only other person I have ever known who knew that."

Chase felt her jaw drop, and quickly shut her mouth. She had cast the Silencing Charm out of desperation; she'd had no idea that it would actually work.

"She may have picked it up from a book, my Lord, the way I did."

Voldemort laughed and stepped forward, taking his hand off Chase. "Crucio!"

"NO!" Chase screamed, but to no effect. Severus was already on his knees, arms clasped around his torso, and Chase could tell he was grinding his teeth to keep from screaming.

Voldemort lifted the Cruciatus Curse, and spoke in a softer, more dangerous voice. "I am not convinced, Severus. After all, you told me, not ten minutes ago, that you returned to me on Dumbledore's orders. How am I to know you haven't turned into his stooge?"

"My loyalty to the Dark Lord has never wavered," Severus answered. Chase had to admire the fact that his voice was still steady.

"Has it not? Then why did you stop Quirrell from procuring the Philosopher's Stone three years ago? Crucio!"

Chase turned her head; she didn't want to see this.

"Quirrell… was unworthy… I did not know his intent-" Severus panted.

"Crucio!"

"STOP!" Chase screamed, tears now streaming down her face. "Stop it!"

"Be quiet, Chase!" Severus snarled, now curled over his knees from the last two Cruciatus Curses.

"Perhaps I should give you a taste, little one?" Voldemort said in amusement, raising his wand threateningly at her. Chase stumbled backwards.

"Please, just stop this. He doesn't deserve it-" She was frozen in mid-sentence by a Full Body-Bind Hex.

"My Lord, forgive her," Severus said. "She is exhausted, she doesn't know what she's saying-"

"And neither did you, I assume, when you claimed you did not know of Quirrell's plan to use the Stone to bring me back to my body?"

"I did not, my Lord, I thought Quirrell was going to use it to bring wealth to himself."

"Crucio!"

This time, Severus let out a grunt of pain. Chase, paralyzed and unable to speak, could only watch helplessly.

"The truth, Severus," Voldemort said, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"Dumbledore had the Stone under several enchantments," Severus said, his voice also quiet, but now hoarse. "I made it my mission to bring the Stone to you, myself. I had heard you were hiding in Albania, and I wanted to have the honor of bringing you back to strength myself. Had I known you were with Quirrell, I would have helped him. I did not know; he did not reveal his true intentions to me. He did not trust me."

Voldemort considered all of this. "Very well, Severus. Now, tell me this: You were at Hogwarts when I fell, where I had instructed you to be. Why did you not seek to find me, the way Bellatrix, Rodolphus, and Rabastan did? Did you believe me finished, perhaps?"

"I beg your forgiveness, my Lord," Severus said. Chase saw him bracing for another Cruciatus Curse, which came almost as soon as he'd finished talking. Another, slightly louder grunt of pain escaped him.

Voldemort lifted the Cruciatus and turned to Chase. "Well?" He said, flicking his wand at her.

Chase, able to move again, looked over at Severus. He couldn't know why Voldemort was making her watch this… Or maybe he had an idea, because he gave a barely-noticeable shake of his head "no".

"I won't do it," Chase said, her voice shaking slightly.

Voldemort turned away, back to Severus. "CRUCIO!"

This time, the curse was so powerful that Severus recoiled, finally letting out an agonized scream. Voldemort's anger was apparent as he twitched his wand and Severus's screams grew louder.

"STOP!" Chase screamed again.

Voldemort lifted the curse and looked coldly at Chase.

Severus was panting, pushing himself back onto his knees. "My Lord…" he gasped, his voice thin and scratchy.

"CRUCIO!"

"NO!" Chase tried to knock Voldemort's wand out of his hand, but he -being nearly as tall as Dumbledore and much taller than Chase- merely held his wand higher, oblivious to his former servant's screams. "STOP IT, PLEASE!" Chase yelled, tears running down her face once again.

Voldemort laughed, twitching his wand even higher. Severus stopped screaming and seemed to go limp; only then did Voldemort take the curse off him.

Chase ran to Severus's side and knelt next to him. His eyes were rolled back into his head, and he seemed totally unaware of anything. "You killed him," Chase said weakly, looking around at Voldemort.

"He is still alive," Voldemort said dispassionately. "Just. One more Cruciatus Curse will either kill him or break his mind. You make the choice."

Chase looked back to Severus and put her hand over his face. He was still breathing, but she realized Voldemort was right: Another curse would kill him or leave him worse than dead. She stood up slowly, hating herself for her decision.

"I'll do it," she said.

"On the couch," Voldemort said, his voice still empty of emotions.

Chase walked back to the couch, feeling as though she was walking to the gallows. Once there, she slowly removed her pants and knickers, and lay back, closing her eyes. She bit her lip as she felt Voldemort climb on top of her, suppressed a sob as he entered her, trying to imagine herself anywhere but at the manor house.

Not soon enough, Voldemort finished, but pushed her back down when she tried to sit up. He tapped her lower abdomen with his wand, muttering as he did, and a warmth exploded in her womb. Finally he stood, rearranged his robes, and walked out of the room, leaving Chase alone to dress and deal with Severus.

Severus, she thought, determined not to think about what had just happened to her. She walked back to him. He was still unconscious and not moving, and Chase realized that she had no idea where they were, or if Dumbledore knew. She looked around for some clues and found none. Disappointed, she put her arms around Severus's torso and heaved him into as much of an upright position as she could, and slowly walked out of the house with him.

Once she'd made her way across the manor's garden, she focused all of her attention on Apparating into Hogsmeade.