My apologies to my readers. I uploaded this chapter prematurely before it was edited and included essential material. So I am reloading a new version of this chapter. Thank you for your interest in this story. Natasha

Chapter 10

Hermione was at the top of the long drive when she realized she still had the vial filled with the antidote for lycanthropy. She wished she had had the presence of mind to tell Lupin about it before he left, but there had been so much on her mind.

Her's was filled with the images and thoughts of the woman and she was trying to sort through it all so she could find some useful information. It wasn't like reading a book where you could look up information in the contents or index and have it all sorted alphabetically.

There was ancient information the woman had gleaned from years of potion-making and learning dark magic. It felt like an old blood stain on her brain; it felt ugly. There were also the woman's crazy thoughts; her paranoia, her grandiosity to wade through and a backlog of memories.

One thing that stood out amongst the ubiquitous thoughts were those of her son, Severus Snape. The woman thought about him at a much earlier time in his life, and even given the fact she was crazy, there were still some feelings for her son; albeit homicidal ones. His mother hated him to the core, and for good reason. He was the only one who had any control over her and had kept her from making many people her victims. Hermione hurried up the curving road towards the ancient castle.

Snape wasn't at the entrance when she arrived. It was a huge oak double door with rusted iron hinges and a door lock comparable to the ones on Hogwarts gates. However, she didn't have to worry about trying to open the massive doors because they were already open. She peeked into a dark so dense it felt solid. There was no light to illuminate the interior and she hesitated to light her wand out of fear Morilla Prince would find her before she could find Snape.

She stepped into the dark, walking very slowly in hopes she would hear something that would give away his position. She walked through a foyer with inch deep dust on the marble floor and made no sound, her breathing muffled by the large space.

Her heart very nearly went through the floor when a hand reached out and grabbed her from a doorway she had not even been aware of. Snape had his hand over her mouth and was whispering in her ear. "Be very quiet, Miss Granger. We do not want to meet up with this monster unexpectedly. Stay back now and wait for me."

Hermione shivered at his words but managed to nod. He turned her loose and she felt him step past her out into the open midnight blackness. They had made no plans and she had no idea how he intended to proceed. She didn't understand why Morilla Prince had come back to her ancestral home. It was obvious from the very short time she had been in the woman's mind that Madam Prince wanted to run as far away from her prison as she could, but something drew her to this place.

The woman had no human emotions left; no conscience, guilt, regret, love or fear, but she was full of cruelty and hate. Having a brilliant mind and subjected to years in Azakaban and afterwards in a private hospital had been the factor which had torn the woman's mind loose from its moorings. And yet, she'd lost none of her intelligence, in fact, had grown even more crafty and sly.

Hermione understood only a portion of what she'd encountered in the woman's brain. She'd told Snape his mother knew how to destroy the Horcruxes. She had taught Riddle how to make them back in the days when he attended Hogwarts and she was a teacher there. Hermione had always thought it was Slughorn who'd dropped the ball and given the information to Riddle. It was what Harry had seen in the Pensive. Dumbledore had been on the wrong path in seeking the information from the man.

Hermione couldn't glean the details from the woman's mind, because her own had been dominated by the far superior intellect. She might, given enough time, scrape away all the extraneous information to learn the facts, but she wasn't sure they had that kind of time. Morilla Prince knew about Daniel and Georgia Mason, about Harry and more particularly about Voldemort and what he had become. And in that dark fathomless pit of a mind Hermione heard the gleefulness and joy Madam Prince felt about the news.

Curiously, Voldemort didn't interest her much. He was an obstacle to everyone but her because he didn't seem to present a threat to her. Hermione's impression from the brief encounter told her Morilla Prince wanted one thing and one thing only, and that was Daniel.

Hermione listened as hard as she could in the dark, holding her breath, pressed against a cold marble wall. She couldn't grasp how Snape was managing to find his way around in the absolute pitch blackness of the main hallway, other than the fact it had been his home at one time.

Suddenly, there was hissing in the darkness.

And then there was a horrendous growling, strangled howling sound erupting in front of her and sounds of a struggle. She was frozen in fear, unable to move and afraid to make a sound. She needn't have been afraid of making noise since the screeches and growls in front of her were ear piercing and drowning out even the strangled cries of the man she knew to be Snape.

And then there was a silence.

Hermione waited breathlessly, feeling horribly vulnerable in the dark. There was nothing to hear and nothing to see and she had no idea if she were in danger. She finally pointed her wand and said "LUMOS" very softly. She almost dropped it when she saw the scene before her.

There was a large black panther with very green eyes staring back at her. The mouth of the great cat was latched onto the throat of the man who lay beneath it. They were both covered in dust so that at first glance they presented a diorama of muted grayed-out colors much like two ghostly statutes. Hermione could see the white canines as the cat curled back its lips. It had not bitten through Snape's neck but he was helpless in Morilla's grasp.

"Don't…don't," Snape managed to say before the teeth tightened. His hand came up as if to stop her from trying to curse the cat.

Hermione was momentarily taken back by Snape's precarious situation and confused about whether she should try and stun the cat or not move. Before she could utter a word, the panther sprang at her and took her to the ground, the power and weight of the beast easily overwhelming her. She felt nothing else, not even when the teeth sank into her shoulder and began to pull her up the stairs towards the towers of the big castle in a straddling waddle so indicative of a great cat hauling its' catch away.

Snape lay in the dark, bleeding, but not dying. He struggled to his knees and then his feet, hand on throat, moving up the stairs and in a dazed shuffling, stumbling walk followed the dreaded woman he called his mother.

…

Harry, Ron and Daniel arrived at the Inn just before midnight. The streets were empty and there was no traffic. A heavy fog churned in the empty streets and buildings were beginning to lose shape in the dimness.

"We can't go in looking like this," Harry said, glancing up and down the street. He'd forgotten to change his Hogwarts robes for muggle street clothing. "I'm not as good as Hermione at transfiguration but I'll try not to turn you into a rat." He waved his wand over Daniel and was satisfied to see that it was effective. He changed Ron and then himself.

"Harry, why don't I go in first and you and Daniel wait out here," Ron said, studying the entrance to the Inn. "I'll see if anybody's been asking after Madam Mason and Daniel just to be on the safe side.

"That's good, Ron," Harry said. "We'll go off here and stay in the shadows and wait for you."

"My mom should be back by now," Daniel said. "Perhaps you should leave a message at the desk."

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Be back in five."

"Ron!" Harry stopped him. "Don't leave our names, just in case we're being watched or followed. Just enough information for her to know Daniel is safe."

Ron nodded and walked across the street and went in without turning around. Harry pulled Daniel into an alley and kept watch.

Ten minutes later Ron stepped back out and hurried across the street. "She's not come back yet, Harry."

"You see," Daniel said. "She left me last night and she's not been back. Something has happened to her."

"What do you think, Harry?" Ron stood watching the street. "What do you suppose we should do?"

Harry groaned inwardly. He would have preferred to be by himself at the moment but knew Ron and Daniel would never allow him to go it alone. "Perhaps it'd be best to take Danial back to Hogwarts. If Hermione is back she can tell us where Snape is."

Ron was nodding when he suddenly shoved Harry against the brick wall of the alley and pushed Daniel behind him. He was looking over Harry's head at the street with a finger to his lips.

Harry turned to study the street and kept a hand on Daniel's shoulders. There were two figures who apparated in the avenue underneath a tree. They were walking very slowly towards the Inn. One of them was a woman.

"It's mum!" Daniel whispered frantically struggling to get around Harry.

"Shh, she's with someone and we don't know who," Harry whispered holding him back.

The couple drew closer and the faint light on the sign of the Inn illuminated the faces.

"Remus!" Harry gasped and gave the two in the street a start. "I didn't expect to see you! Sorry, we've been looking for Madam Mason. He stepped out into the walkway.

"Daniel!" Georgia said, quietly as they gathered in a group. "What happened? Mr. Potter why are you here? Is it Severus? Has something happened to him? To your friend, Hermione?"

"I was about to ask the same question," Remus said.

"Daniel came to Hogwarts and asked for my help to find you," Harry said. Ron came out from the shadows.

"Good, we've got you two together," Remus said, sounding relieved. "Let's get on to Number twelve Grimmauld Place. You'll be safe there. Harry, I suggest you and Ron go back to Hogwarts."

"What about Hermione, Remus?' Harry asked. "She and Snape are alone."

Remus nodded. "Leave it to me, Harry. I'll go back and see what's become of them."

Harry shook his head. "I trust you Remus, but you are one man, alone. Ron and I will go with you. We'll make sure Madam Mason and Daniel are safe and then we'll go. There's something we have to take care of."

"This is not the place to discuss this Harry," Remus groaned looking around them at the empty street." Five of them were quite conspicuous standing on the street in the dark.

"I won't let you go alone," Harry answered and Ron stood resolutely by him.

"I know what it is you're trying to do, Harry," Remus whispered. "Hermione and Snape intend to destroy it. If you are going to join me we must hurry if we wish to be of any help. I wouldn't even consider having you along but I think they are really in grave danger."

"My dad is in danger?" Daniel asked. "I want to go."

"No!" Georgia pulled him to her and knelt. "There is nothing you can do. WE must go into hiding until we can be sure that we're safe." She glanced up at Remus. "Let's get on with it if we're going to this house."

They disapparated.

Twenty minutes later Harry, Ron and Remus were in one corner of the sitting room talking in whispers and Georgia was in the kitchen looking for something to prepare for a meal. Daniel was supposed to be in one of the bedrooms above, instead he stood in the hallway his back pressed against the wall listening to what they were saying.

"Harry they can't hope to destroy a Horcrux," Remus was saying. "I know very little about them but this is folly to chase after Snape. Besides he can take care of himself. I'll go and find Hermione. You stay here. There is no reason to risk losing either of you."

"It's all we've got, Remus," Harry argued. "You know what I must do. I have to try and kill Him and I can't do it as long as they exist. I destroyed one, the diary, with a basilisk tooth. So we know they are destructible. Now we're wasting time. Are you going to take us to where Hermione and Snape are?"

Remus nodded and headed out the door to the hallway. Daniel slid into the shadows. "I need to speak to Madam Mason and let her know someone will be back within twenty-four hours to see to them." He left and Ron followed him in search of a meal.

Harry stepped out into the hall and hesitated, glancing around. "I know you're there Daniel."

The boy came out into the gas light. He looked scared and worried. "How did you know I was here?"

Harry smiled. He remembered what he had done when he was this age and he didn't blame the boy for wanting to know what was happening. He also remembered when Remus had been kind to him and treated him as an equal. There were very few people in his life that had done the same for him.

He ushered him to the stairs and sat down and patted the step next to him.

"You're worried about your dad and you want to help," Harry said. "In time you might have the skills to face some of these people, but not now. You can best help by protecting your mother."

The boy didn't speak, his head was down and Harry could sense by the slope of the shoulders he was upset.

"Will you go back to Hogwarts for me?" Harry asked. "If I promise to send you messages about your dad and let you know that he's alright, would you do it then?"

Daniel looked up. "Would you?"

Harry nodded.

"I don't want him to die," he said. "The other kids at school didn't like him much, you know. They talked about him all the time,then he murdered Professor Dumbledore."

"Killed him, Daniel, not murdered," Harry said refreshing his memory. "And you know why. If anything happens to me or your father then you are the only one who can clear your father's name. Believe me. I had no father growing up and I learned from others that he was not always a nice man either." Harry didn't mention it was Snape who had pointed it out to him many times. "I had to learn the truth because it was important to me. I'm not saying anything is going to happen to him, but do you want people to go on believing your father was a murderer even after he is gone?"

There were tears in the boy's eyes. "I wanted him to be a nice man. Mother would never talk about him and I thought he would be sort of like….you, brave and…heroic." The boy blushed and dropped his head.

Harry covered a smile and waited and then shrugged. "You don't know him yet. He has fought many hard battles. Sometimes we aren't considered to be very nice people when we have to do things we don't want to do." Harry watched the boy. "What difference does it make what others think? What do you think?"

"He was nice to me," Daniel said.

"Go on back upstairs," Harry said, patting his shoulder. "Someone will come by to take you back to Hogwarts."

Daniel slipped up the stairs and Harry watched.

…

"Snape's family home?" Remus nodded as they readied themselves at the front door. "It's a castle on the east shore not far from Godrick's Hollow."

"Blimey!" Ron snickered. "He come's from a bloody rich family hasn't he. But if I'm right and I think I know which one you're talking about then it isn't called Snape's castle has it Remus?"

Remus shook his head. "I believe his mother's side of the family owned it. Now shall we go?" They moved to the street and disapparated. Daniel slowly stepped out into the dark street, alone in the dark with only the noise of distant traffic giving him company.

…

Hermione woke in the dark, lying on a cold stone floor. She mentally examined herself and decided she felt no pain although she did feel stiff. She listened intently trying to gauge if the panther was still with her in the room or if the transformed woman was nearby. She could hear haggard breathing and then there was a groan and a whisper, but it was a male voice

"Georgia, I tried to protect you," Snape's voice said. "I tried to keep the demons from you. I promise I will find you, if I have to search until I take my last breath."

"Mr. Snape?" Hermione whispered. "Mr. Snape?" She clawed around on the stone floor searching desperately for her wand and found it not far from her, abandoned. Gasping with relief she said NOX and lit the room. They were in a cell of sorts, much like a dungeon cell with iron bars on the door. Snape was lying in a corner, his robes shredded. There was a dark crimson substance staining his neck and shirt; it was blood.

Hermione rose to go to him and found her leg chained to the wall. She pulled it as far as it would reach and knelt beside him. "Mr. Snape, you're hurt." She shone the light on him and his dark eyes turned to her, but there was no recognition. She studied the wound on his neck and looked over the rest of his body. The wounds were superficial and had bled for awhile and then stopped. She knew very little of battle-field medicine and wished she'd taken the time to read one or two books about taking care of the wounded.

"Mr. Snape, it's Hermione Granger."

He frowned at her and looked around the room and stirred a little, glancing down at his blood-soaked clothes. He sighed and leaned against the wall. "She has captured us?"

Hermione nodded and looked at the chain around her ankle. She held her wand out, concentrating and tried to unlock it. She failed.

"A simple spell like that won't unlock it," Snape said.

"Do you know one that will?" she asked sarcastically.

He shook his head and moved his legs, He was also chained. "Madam Prince is unlikely to be careless about such things."

"Are you hurt badly?" Hermione asked.

He shook his head and yet let out a small groan when he moved again.

Hermione reached over and pulled his coat away and pulled the shirt away to expose his skin. He didn't stop her, but stared at her with his dark eyes. She wasn't certain if he wasn't in shock. "Why didn't she kill us?"

He shrugged and then winced as she dabbed at the wounds with a cloth torn from her own shirt. She managed a spell to produce water and this helped to wash away the grime so that she could better see. He, once again, did not stop her and she continued talking as she worked.

"She doesn't want me dead," he explained. "I am sure I am bait for a trap. I don't why she left you alive. Perhaps she thought you meant something to me."

Hermione glanced up, not missing the point he was making. "Will you explain?" She asked. He frowned. "Back there in the asylum did you really intend to let Malfoy kill her?"

"I will answer your question, if you tell me how you stopped her legilimency," he replied and stopped her hand as she wiped at the wounds. "Let this be. I am fine."

"You'll need a med-witch to attend to those soon." She dropped the bloody rag and wiped at her hands. She sighed, kneeling on her knees, hands in her laps and stared at him for a trime. Then she said, "I concentrated on the book Hogwarts: A History and it seemed to bore her."

He stared at her once again with a slight squint of curiosity. "You have read Hogwarts: A History?"

"Yes," she said, praying he would not make a snide remark. She had never told anyone about her eidetic memory and the books she read because she feared they would not believe her or worse. She didn't want them to make fun of her.

"And you remember it?" he asked.

"Yes."

"All of it?"

"Yes." They were both silent for awhile. "Will you tell me then?" she asked.

He leaned his head against a wall. "She dabbled in the dark arts when she was a teacher at Hogwarts. When you do that, sometimes things go wrong. It affected her." He stared at her. "She became quite evil. A kind of evil that is unfathomable. She has no feelings, no emotion, no empathy. She kills at will and without remorse and she is entertained by it. She began practicing human sacrifice." He stopped and stared at her. "However, I think she would have been satisfied just to have an opportunity to glean some information from your mind. I wasn't aware there would be so much for her to gain." He shrugged again, aware of his insult to her.

"Was I to be her victim then?" Hermione asked, astonished. "Was I bait?"

"She would not have killed you, of that I was certain. She's been there for too many years and I made sure she received no news from the outside world. I thought you would be relatively safe."

"Did you intend to let Malfoy kill her?"

"No, Miss Granger, I am not a killer and he would not have done so without my agreeing to it. If I had intended to kill her I would have done it years ago, but I didn't realize she had slipped the mental restraints placed on her. A great deal of time and energy was put into the peculiarities of her imprisonment so she couldn't do what she ended up doing."

"She…" Hermione bit her lip and frowned in concentration, "she had very confused thoughts. I mean…" she glanced at him. "I was busy trying to keep my mind impenetrable so I felt only shadows of her thoughts. It was obvious she was insane. She didn't realize time had gone by and she was not in the present. If she took away anything from my mind, I believe it would confuse her, particularly because I am muggle-born. But…" she stopped, hesitating.

"What?" he asked, his eyes turned to her, piercing.

"Her thoughts about the Dark Lord," she said, "She….was surprised at his power, his greediness. Anyway she took the Medal. It's gone from my pocket. Do you think she'll go to him?"

He shook his head again. "I don't think so. If she wanted to go to him she would not have come here. There is something drawing her back to this place. She might be holding onto the Horcrux to use against him in some way."

"Why didn't she become as powerful as Vol…as Him?" she stuttered. "If you say she is so evil, and she is so skilled in the dark arts, why didn't she become stronger?"

"I persuaded Albus Dumbledore to stop her before that happened," he mumbled. "It took both of us to incarcerate her, something he was not inclined to do with Tom Riddle, although I warned him many times something should be done before he became stronger."

Hermione sat back and leaned against the wall. They sat close together. "Why did she leave my wand? Did she leave yours?"

He reached inside his cloak and nodded. "Yes, she did."

"Why didn't she take it?"

"She doesn't fear you or me. It seems we are no match for her. Miss Granger," he sighed. "I am tired and I need my energy to concentrate. Can we leave these questions until later?"

"I learned some things while she was probing my mind which might interest you," she said, lightly.

"Pray tell," he said tiredly and closed his eyes.

"She was interested in getting to Hogwarts so that she could kill Dumbledore…" she hesitated again.

He shrugged. "Hogwarts. She can't get into Hogwarts."

She nodded. "Good…that's good. Like I said, she is unaware of the passage of time it seems. The Horcrux is of little consequence to her, I think."

He remained still but she knew he was listening. "It's good Daniel and Madam Mason are gone from Hogwarts even if she can't get in." she added.

"What are you not saying?" Snape came to attention. "There is something you're not saying about Georgia and Daniel."

"She remembers Georgia Mason from earlier, when you were together eleven years ago. She sees her as a rival for your affections. Although that's a little strange since she also wants to kill you. But like I said she is insane…."

Snape jerked spasmodically and stared off into space, his face frozen in worry.

"That's why you left her wasn't it. You didn't want your mother to harm her."

"This is intolerable!" he mumbled and struggled to move. "Is that all? Are you done prying into my personal life, Miss Granger? Or do I have to learn about it every time you open your mouth."

"You didn't kill your father," she said, quietly. "She made it look like you did and left you to face the consequences."

He glared at her, struggled to his feet and withdrew his wand. After several attempts he was unable to free himself and turned to hit the wall with his fists, finally leaning into it.

"I've watched a few movies on TV where they chip away at the wall around the chains." Hermione said, watching him. " Perhaps we can try to free ourselves that way."

He turned to her. "Movies? TV?"