Chapter 9: Payback's a Bitch
The room was dark and cold with dark stone walls
The room was filled with figures in black robes and white skull masks cowered before a golden throne with snakes carved into it and a large thick snake coiled around it.
"Always figured him for being a dramatic son of a bitch"
"What happened?" the figure on the throne demanded "How did we lose the Werewolf?"
"We don't know my lord" a familiar voice from the front replied "All Fenrir reported was that Potter and Longbottom had both been sighted in the village"
"And now thirty of our number are DEAD" Voldemort screamed "HOW?"
"We don't know" another familiar voice trembled "The Inyugami's have always been strong in the ancient arts"
"How do you know this Wormtail?" Voldemort sneered
"L…Lily's mother was from there Master" Wormtail whimpered "She spent some of her summers there and told us about here Uncle and her Grandfather and how powerful their magic's were"
Red eyes bored into the mask of the trembling figure "And you didn't think to tell me about this? CRUCIO"
After holding his most trusted Deatheater under the curse for a few moments he was released Wormtail managed to say "I didn't know they were still alive Master, Potter never mentioned them to Weasley"
"Never mind maggot" Voldemort sneered "SNAPE"
Harry watched through the shadows as a Deatheater approached.
"How is it, my most loyal Potions Master" Voldemort said in a silky tone "That Potter has been able to sever the connection between us?"
"I do not know my lord" Snape replied "When I opened his mind to you last year he showed no trace of Occulmency skills"
Opened his mind? Oh God, it couldn't be, Snape was supposed to be a spy for Dumbledore.
"When he returns to Grimmauld Place I want you to enter his mind and find out what he has done" Voldemort said
"Of course my lord" Snape replied "The Muggle Lover has ordered me to resume Occulmency lessons with him as soon as Hogwarts resumes"
"Tear the brat's mind apart if you have to" Voldemort snarled "I want answers"
"You'll get your answers before I tear out your heart out ya greasy fucker"
"Bella" Voldemort sneered "Are the preparations complete for the attack on Bones?"
"They are my lord" Bellatrix replied "Snape and I await only your order"
Oh good, a chance to catch the bastard and interrogate him.
"Good" Voldemort said "Leave none alive"
"Yes my lord" Bellatrix said happily "We will leave in one hour"
In an instant Harry was gone from the shadows.
A feral grin crossed the Harmonixer Wizard's face as he leapt to his feet and slapped Neville across the back of the head to break his meditations.
"What now?" Neville growled.
"I thought you would he happy to have the chance to fry Bellatrix Lestrange" Harry said idly as he removed a four foot long broadsword from the wall.
"What?" Neville hissed.
"In an hour Bellatrix and Snape will be leading an attack against Amelia Bones" Harry replied as he tossed Neville the Spiked Staff he had been training with "And both will probably die before the night is out"
"Why Snape?" Neville asked as he spun the spike tipped staff in his hand.
"If what I heard him say was right then the bastard may have served us up to the Deatheaters at the Ministry in June" Harry replied as he sheathed the sword and walked from the Dojo "You find Shana, I'll find David"
"Right" Neville nodded as he jogged down the path towards the forest training ground while Harry headed towards the Forge.
Where he found the familiar faces of Remus Lupin and David Evans.
David was sixteen, standing at six feet with dark red almost brown hair and emerald green eyes almost identical to his own a tan complexion and an athlete's build. He had considered their relation through his mother, but he had checked the Lineage book and he found no relatives in the Evans line that had produced a son other than his mother. Besides Evans was a common name.
"What's up Harry?" David asked
"I was just doing a little spying" Harry replied "Lestrange and Snape are leading an attack on Madame Bones' home in an hour. I intend to catch both of them and find out Snape's true allegiances"
"True allegiances?" Remus asked as David passed the tools he had been using to the local Blacksmith.
"When my powers unlocked I managed to sever the link between mine and Voldemort's minds" Harry said "He questioned Snape about it at the meeting and the greasy bastard admitted to opening my mind to Voldemort"
Remus' eyes narrowed as he stood up "Let's find Mad Eye"
Susan Bones smiled to herself as she finished the Potions essay Snape had assigned for the summer "Finally done"
"Good" her aunt Amelia replied "But why a Healer? You told me when you were a little girl you wanted to be an Auror like your father"
"No offence meant Aunt Amelia" Susan replied "But I'd sooner let Draco Malfoy shove his tongue down my throat than work for the Ministry as it is"
"Yes I suppose Fudge did leave a rather big mess behind him when he quit" Amelia replied.
After Susan put away the rest of her essays for charms, transfiguration and Herbology Amelia said "You were a member of the Defence group Harry Potter set up weren't you Susan?"
"Yes" Susan replied "If it hadn't been for Harry I never would have passed my Defence OWL"
"Was Umbridge really that bad?" Amelia inquired
"I've had five teachers in five years Aunt Amelia" Susan answered "And Umbridge was a hundred times worse than Lockheart. She never taught us anything, all she did was make us read the theory book and take notes; we never practiced a single spell in her class. And when she wasn't wasting time, she was putting Harry and Cedric down and spouting ministry propaganda"
"As in Cedric Diggory?" Amelia asked
"Yes" Susan said "She was always putting him down and insulting people, I think she was doing it just to get a rise out of Harry so she could put him in detentions"
"Do you know how many detentions he had with her?" Amelia asked
"About three weeks worth I think" Susan replied "When he passed the Fat Friar on his way back to Gryffindor Tower the Friar told some of the portraits that he looked really weak and tired, especially during the times after Christmas that he came up from the Dungeons from Remedial Potions with Professor Snape. During the DA meetings he seemed…I dunno, stretched and worn out I guess"
"Do you know what he was doing during the detentions?" Amelia asked
"No" Susan replied "But I know Lee Jordan had some detentions with her and he avoided clenching his left fist for days after the detentions, but neither he nor Harry ever talked about it"
"Do you know if anybody else had detentions with her?" Amelia asked
"Quite a few people" Susan answered "Umbridge wasn't exactly the easiest person to get along with. All the teachers hated her"
"Did Harry ever avoid clenching his fist after the detentions?" Amelia asked
"I'm not sure" Susan replied "But I think so, why do you ask?"
"If I'm right" Amelia replied "Then Umbridge has been forcing students to use a Blood Quill. Those things have been classified as Level A Dark Artefacts for centuries"
"What do they do?" Susan asked "I remember something about them but not all the details"
"They write the words using the victim's own blood" Amelia replied "And magically carve the words into the other hand of the user. If the use is repetitive enough the words cause a permanent scar"
"Oh Merlin" Susan whispered
"I want you to write a letter to Mr Potter" Amelia said "Tell him I'd like to speak with him as soon as he's available"
"Alright" Susan nodded as she stood up.
She was just passing behind her Aunt's seat when she saw a figure in the shadows outside the window, with a wand trained on…
"GET DOWN" Susan yelled as she tipped the chair forward and aimed her wand at the bay window and yelled "REDUCTO"
The curse smashed through the window and collided with the Deatheater's back, blasting him clear of the window just as several more curses rained through the window, striking pieces of furniture.
"How the hell did they get past the wards?" Amelia asked as she fired a reductor of her own at a Deatheater charging the window.
"How should I know?" Susan yelled back from behind the overturned dining table before levitating the burnt and glass pieced coffee table into the air and banishing it at a group of Deatheaters who tried to climb through the smashed window.
"Was it really necessary to do that?" Amelia yelled over the curses "That table is an antique"
"Better for the table to be a busted antique than us to be dead witches" Susan yelled before returning fire.
"Where the hell are the Aurors and the House Elves?" Amelia screamed.
"Why're you asking me?" Susan yelled before she looked up and yelled "Cyan, Jarred"
Two near silent cracks announced the arrival of two crouching House elves wearing children's Muggle clothes.
"What happened to the Wards and the Auror's?" Amelia asked
"Auror's were killed mistress" the first elf Cyan replied "Deatheaters took down the wards and we were knocked out by the feed back"
"Don't worry" Susan said "Just try to get them back up and contact the Aurors"
"We's been trying mistress" Jarred cried "We cannot get the Floo working. It is being blocked"
"Shit" Amelia muttered "Looks like we're on our…" but she never got the chance to finish the sentence as there were several impacts and explosions outside.
At the same time the curses stopped coming in as well.
Susan and Amelia frowned as the Deatheater's outside started screaming.
The noise continued for a few moments before it came to an end.
Susan and Amelia slowly stood up, their wands still trained on the window as a voice yelled "Lestrange is missing"
"Snape too" a thunderous voice intoned "Mad Eye, check on Madame Bones and Susan. David, Shana, let's FIND THE BASTARDS"
"Snape?" Amelia asked
"That's my name" a slick voice sneered behind her before someone wrapped their arms around her neck and placed their wand under her chin.
Susan had time to scream before she was stunned from behind.
Snape and Bellatrix ripped off their masks and Bellatrix cackled as she yelled "Whoever is out there, come into the house or Bones dies"
A few moments passed before Neville, Remus, Mad Eye, Shana and David came into the room through the window.
"There was another one" Bellatrix said "Where is he?"
"Everywhere" Neville replied with a feral grin "Just like you're gonna be by the time I'm through with you bitch"
"Oh the baby Longbottom talks big" Bellatrix laughed "But does he had the stones to back it up before we do both of them"
"Or are you like your father" Snape sneered "All talk"
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk to much Snivelus?" a voice rumbled from all around.
"Uhh Snape" Remus said with a smirk "Look down"
Snape looked down in time to see a black fluidic mass cover the tip of his wand. The mass had covered his entire body bar his head.
He had only a few moments to realise this before the black mass forced his arms from around Madame Bones' neck and the Witch and her niece were summoned away from the Deatheaters.
In the few seconds it took Bellatrix to raise her wand a crackling sphere of energy was flying from Neville's empty left hand.
"I owe you PAIN" Neville roared as the ball struck Bellatrix, sending a stream of lightning coursing through her, causing her to scream and howl with pain.
"HOW DOES IT FEEL?" Neville roared as the force of the wind blew her into the wall.
In the same moment the black mass surrounding Snape fell away and splashed to the floor.
"Say goodnight" the echoing voice said a split second before a grey skinned figure appeared and decked Snape.
When Snape hit the ground the figure reared back his head and roared with laughter "I've wanted to do that for YEARS"
A moment later silver light surrounded the figure and in a white and green flash he was replaced by Harry Potter.
Harry smirked at the fallen Deatheater, used the incarceration spell on him and slapped a pair of grey hand cuffs on his wrists.
Then Harry glanced at Neville, to find him with his right hand opened at Bellatrix.
"Don't hesitate Nev, just do it" Harry said "If you do you'll regret it"
"I'm not hesitating" Neville replied "I'm going to revive her and let her try to earn her escape"
"You mean you're going to fight her with the honour she deprived your parents of" Mad Eye said
"It proves that I'm the better man" Neville muttered as he levitated her out through the window.
"There was never any doubt of that Neville" Harry said as the Mage climbed through the window.
"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Madame Bones demanded "I was under the impression that Snape was Dumbledore's spy"
"Recent events have brought the professors allegiances into question" Harry said "I came here this evening to keep you and Susan alive. And to capture Snape and Bellatrix. Now while I would have preferred to kill her myself for killing Sirius, Neville has more right to her life than I do"
At that moment there were several cracks from outside and then a great thunderclap and then Neville yelled "Bumblebee's here Harry"
"Oh good" Harry said as he pointed his hand at Snape and levitated him into an undamaged chair from the desk at the far wall.
"What're you doing here Longbottom?" Harry heard Ron demand
"Doing your job" Neville snapped as he climbed through the window
"Is she dead?" Harry asked a he bound Snape to the chair
"The bitch has been flash fried" Neville said "We can send her corpse back to Riddle"
"No burn her" Harry said "Riddle's got a bunch of Necromancer's working for him. I don't trust him not to use the bitch for something"
"Are you alright Amelia?" Dumbledore asked in his grandfatherly tone.
"I was until your pet Deatheater held me hostage" Madame Bones snapped and then she looked at Harry "Do you need Veritasum Potter?"
"Veritasum can be defeated" Harry said "The Korean Aurors came up with something a little stronger last winter" Harry noticed Snape was coming to and looked at the Deatheater as he said "It cost me a favour I had hoped to hold onto but I've gotten my hands on a dose, just for you my greasy friend"
"Harry is this necessary?" Dumbledore asked "I trust Severus"
"I don't" Harry growled "And if I discover that he had any hand in the ambush at the ministry or the murder of my family. Your potions master will not live to see another sunrise. Now open your mouth Snape"
"Harry that's enough" Hermione pleaded
"You stay the hell out of this Granger" Harry growled "You and your little boyfriend are no longer a part of my equation" then Harry grabbed Snape by the throat and roared "OPEN YOUR FUCKING MOUTH"
It took a few moments before Snape was forced to breath but when he did open his mouth he was immediately hit with the Petrificus Totalus curse, freezing him while Harry emptied the contents of the vial down his throat, then Neville released the curse.
It took a few moments, but Harry knew that the potion had taken effect from the glazed look in Snape's eyes.
"What is your name?" Mad Eye growled as he limped towards the chair
"Severus Ignatius Snape" he replied in a monotone voice
"When were you born?"
"October seventeenth nineteen fifty nine"
"How long have you been a Deatheater?"
"Since Christmas of nineteen seventy six"
"Where do your loyalties lie? With Dumbledore or Voldemort?"
"Voldemort, I have always served Voldemort"
"Did Voldemort set you up as his spy against Dumbledore?"
"Yes, when I told my master of the Prophecy he targeted Potter and his Mudblood and we used the situation and manipulated Dumbledore into thinking I wanted out"
"Were you the one who heard the Prophecy in the Three Broomsticks?" Harry asked
"Yes, then I brought the prophecy to my master and he targeted the Potter's"
"Why the Potter's?" Neville asked
"My master knew that any offspring of Potter and his Mudblood would be descended from Godric Gryffindor and the Warriors of Inyugami and would be a threat to him"
"Was Sirius Black ever a Deatheater?" Harry asked
"No" Snape answered "His brother Regallus tired to recruit him but Black turned him down and broke his nose"
"Did he kill Peter Pettigrew?" Mad Eye asked
"No" Snape replied "Pettigrew framed Black and then blew up the street and used his Rat Animagus form to escape"
"Who recruited Pettigrew?" Remus asked
"I did" Snape answered "I knew he resented Potter for getting the Mudblood Evans and always beating him in class so I used it to get to him during the Summer break of nineteen seventy seven"
"Was Pettigrew involved in the murder of James Potter and Lily Evans' families in June that year?" Madame Bones asked, she had remained silent up 'til now, watching Dumbledore and his little gang watch helplessly as their spy's allegiances were revealed.
"Yes" Snape answered "It was his first mission. Our Lord ordered us to get rid of Potter and the Mudblood and their families, but Potter and Evans hadn't arrived yet so we just killed the rest, I killed Potter and Evans' fathers, Pettigrew got Potter's two brothers and the two of us, Lucius and Rebastian took turns raping his little sister while Potter and Evan's mother's watched"
Harry screamed in rage and leapt at the Deatheater.
It took all of Remus, Neville and David's strength to hold him back as he screamed in anger and tried to get his hands around Snape's throat.
"Revenge later Harry" Neville snapped as he locked his arms around Harry and held him "We still need information from him"
It took Harry a few moments to calm down, but when he did he glared at Dumbledore and said "When we're done here old man, not even you will stop me" then he looked at Mad Eye and nodded
"What happened when you were done with the girl?" Mad Eye asked
"We killed the mothers" Snape intoned "We left the girl alive, as a message to Potter and Pettigrew cast the Dark Mark and left"
Then Harry stepped forward "I've got a few questions for him" to which Mad Eye simply stepped aside.
"Did you know that Quirell had Voldemort in the back of his head?" Harry asked
"No, I assumed he was planning to steal the stone so I tried the same thing and planed that if he got to it before me I would kill him and take the stone"
"Did you know that Lucius Malfoy had given Ginny Weasley Voldemort's cursed Diary?" Harry continued
"No, I knew Lucius had planed something but I didn't know what"
"Did you know that Percy and Ron Weasley's pet rat Scabbers was Peter Pettigrew in his Animagus form?"
"Yes" Snape answered "I saw the article in the prophet and I knew after Black escaped that he would come. So I waited for my chance, I knew that Black and the Werewolf would link up eventually and when they did I planned to feed them both and Potter if I could, to the Dementors"
"You owed James Potter a Life Dept" Harry said "By causing my death you would have broken that debt"
"I cancelled that dept when I saved Potter from Quirell when he hexed Potter's Nimbus during the first match of the season. I knew after that I was free and clear to let the brat die"
"Did you know that Barty Crouch Junior had Polly Juiced himself as Mad Eye Moody during the year of the Tri-Wizard Tournament?"
"Yes, Lucius had informed me of the plan so I helped Crouch make the Polly Juice to stay hidden until the third task. When Potter and Diggory took the Portkey it was expected that neither would return"
"What happened when they did?" Mad Eye asked
"Our Master started making plans to obtain the prophecy. When he discovered the connection between himself and Potter he knew that Dumbledore would have me teach him Occulmency so when he did I entered Potter's mind and enhanced the connection between them. Umbridge and her Blood Quill detentions wore him down even more to the extent that even if Potter had learned Occulmency he wouldn't have been able to keep my master out"
"Is Delores Umbridge a Deatheater?" Madame Bones asked
"Yes" Snape replied "She was recruited by Avery ten years ago. She manipulated Fudge to get the Defence Position last year and made it seem as if Dumbledore was plotting against him and then we set the plan to get Potter into the Prophecy room at the ministry"
"Do you know the names of any other Deatheaters at the Ministry?" Madame Bones asked
"Edgecombe and Dawlish are the only people Umbridge and Weasley were able to recruit" Snape replied
"What about at Hogwarts?" Harry asked "Which students from the four houses have taken the mark?"
"From Slytherin, Parkinson, Bullstrode, Crabbe, Goyle, and Nott"
"What about the rest?" Neville asked "What about Draco Malfoy?"
"Draco doesn't wish to take the mark. And Narcissa has no intentions of forcing her. after Lucius was arrested they disappeared. I've left orders with the other new recruits in his year to bring him to me when term starts"
"What about in the other houses?" Harry asked
"In Hufflepuff just Zachary Smith, none in Ravenclaw, none in Gryffindor"
"I find that hard to believe" Harry thought.
"What about former students?" Mad Eye asked
"Marcus Flint is the only Slytherin I was been interested in" Snape replied "But Weasley may have recruited more"
"Should have kept him alive" Harry muttered so that Ron could hear him "Might have got something out of the fucker before he died" then Harry looked to Mad Eye and said "You get the details of any plans he knows out of the bastard. I've got to talk to Madame Bones"
Mad Eye nodded as Harry walked towards Madame Bones.
"What are the common practices regarding the claiming of life debts between families?" Harry asked
"He saved your life" Bones said "By his own admission he was free of the debt"
"But he forgets that he was responsible for the murders of nine members of my family" Harry said "That mother fucker has aided in three attempts on my life. He raped my four year old aunt. For that alone I should rip his heart out"
"It doesn't really matter to me" Bones said "With all the Deatheaters you and your friends killed tonight I don't think Snape would be much of a loss. After Master Auror Moody gets the information from Snape, he's yours to do with as you wish"
"Amelia" Dumbledore said "If you allow Severus to die you will be no better than him. We cannot stoop to that level"
"The Minister disagrees" Bones said "Scrimgeour is already planning to suggest a declaration of Martial Law to the other Ministers at the Summit meeting next week. He's given me authorization to allow my Auror's to use Lethal force in capturing Deatheaters. You seem to be forgetting that we are at War Dumbledore. Anyone who takes the Dark Mark and decides that the life of another human being can be taken deserves everything they get. Just like the…how many did you guys get?"
"Including Bellatrix Lestrange I counted twenty nine bodies" Harry said "Riddle's orders were to leave no survivors"
"There you have it Dumbledore" Bones said "That's your problem I think. You want to see the good in everyone, even when it may not be there. And it has cost too many people their lives. So get out of the way and let somebody else do the job for a change" then she looked towards Susan and said "But since you're here make yourself useful and undo the damage your dog did to my home. That coffee table is an antique. And fix that bay window, repair those curtains while your at it, they're my favorite set" then she stalked towards Moody.
"Are you done yet Master Moody?"
"Yeah" Mad Eye replied "I'm done" then he handed Madame Bones a sheet of paper "That's a list of all the Deatheaters he knows, their current locations and future plans"
"Anything coming up for the Hogwarts express or Hogsmeade?" Harry asked
"I asked" Mad Eye grunted "He doesn't know, he knows something's planned for Hogwarts during the Sorting feast but nothing concrete"
"We'll be ready" Harry said
"What about Snape?" Neville asked
"I'll take care of him" Harry said as he looked up "Hedwig"
Then in a flash of white and gold flame Hedwig appeared on Harry's shoulder and Harry said "You guy's head back to Inyugami, I'll deal with him and meet you in time for breakfast"
"OK cub" Remus said "See you soon"
"Gotta go Madame Bones" Harry said with a grin "Give Susan my regards and tell her I'll see her in a few weeks" then Harry put a hand on Snape's shoulder and said "See ya later Prof" and he and Snape vanished in a flash of flame.
"Was that Hedwig?" Ron asked
"Yes" Shana replied "The result of your bastard brother's attempt at glory. But his end was very gory. Hey that rhymed"
"Badly" Neville said as Ron spluttered angrily.
"Bite me rock tumbler" Shana snapped as she looked at her watch "We really need to get going. I'm hungry and Yuri won't wait for us"
"Agreed" Mad Eye said before he looked at Dumbledore "Gotta go Albus. It's breakfast time and not even you can keep me from Yuri Inyugami's cooking" then he, Shana and David apparated while Remus grabbed Neville's shoulder and apparated with him.
In the centre of the Romania Dragon Reserve.
Harry had Snape locked on his knees using the shadows and a curse, with the broadsword raised over his head.
"For your betrayals against my family" Harry began "You will die tonight Snape"
"It doesn't matter" Snape sneered "The Dark Lord will kill you one day Potter" then he spat in Harry's eye.
"Maybe he will" Harry said "But before he does, I will send every one of your little friends down to hell to join you"
Then Harry slashed down, cleaving off Snape's head with a single stroke.
Harry looked down at the body for a moment before he sheathed the sword and looked up at the dragon that was standing behind him and said "A little snack for you Norbert. Although he may be a little greasy"
Then Harry closed his eyes and quickly dropped into the shadows beneath him and was gone, leaving Snape's body with a Norwegian Ridgeback called Norbert.
Done.
Next time the Will and some playtime.