AN: Thanks to Shadow for editing this for me. As well as to Yen, Raven and Raya for their help as well. Any mistakes are all mine.

Chapter 11: Storage and Searches

They apparated to the spot near Ron and Hermione's. Harry let go of Severus' hand reluctantly, but he knew that Severus would not agree to them holding hands in public. With a quick glance at the older man, he strode across the yard and opened the door. "Ron! Hermione! We're here."

Severus caught up with Harry and glared down at him. "You do not just walk into someone else's house. You should knock first."

Whatever Harry's answer was going to be was cut off by the arrival of his friend.

Hermione smiled at both of them. "Master Snape, Harry welcome." She gestured to the living room. "Dinner is almost ready."

Severus looked about for the seat that Harry said was there for him. There, next to the fireplace, was a wing backed armchair that looked unused. Harry's look told him that it was his. Settling into the chair after Hermione had sat down, he looked over to see if Ronald was coming before focusing back on her. "Thank you for having us over, Mrs. Weasley."

"Thank you for coming, Master Snape." Hermione glanced up and caught sight of Ron in the door.

"Dinner is ready earlier that I thought it would be." Ron smiled as Harry whipped his head around to see him. "I'm putting it on the table now. So, come on."

It was throughout the meal that they discussed all the information that they had discovered, comparing thoughts and ideas.

Ron pushed his plate away. "What I cannot figure out is how all those kids are connected to this. It feels like I am working on unrelated problems. I have to be missing a large piece to this puzzle."

Severus leaned back in his seat. "They are all children of Death Eaters that did their best to slip out through the cracks when the Dark Lord came back."

Ron's eyes widened as the pieces fell together. "It is two different puzzles. The Unspeakables have nothing to do with the case. They are just making our life difficult. That is what all the files that I have gathered show, but it kept being clouded because no one understood the connection between the kids and why the Unspeakables were focused on them." He leaned forward, his forearms resting on the table. "But if you look at them as two separate things, the Unspeakables trying to get Snape, and the Death Eaters trying to punish those who tried to desert Voldemort..." He trailed off at Snape's glare as he used the name. "Really, Snape. There is nothing to be afraid of now. The name is just a name. There is no reason to be afraid of it, nor any reason to call him the Dark Lord like you do."

Severus felt three sets of eyes peer at him, two trying to pin him to the seat and one questioning. He considered leaving them to wonder at his reasoning, but the quiet inquiry in Harry's eyes made him explain himself. "I refuse to call him by the name he decided to give himself in some egotistical moment. That is just rewarding him with the power, the remembrance, that he asked for."

"You could call him Riddle. That was his real name." Harry tilted his head slightly to one side.

Severus let his eyes discreetly trail the length of neck Harry exposed before answering. "Most people will have no idea who I am talking about. Then I would have to explain." His expression said how he felt about that. "Everyone knows who I am referring to when I call him the Dark Lord. And it is just a title. One that has been given to a long list of losers. At least most of them tended to use their real names, like Grindelwald. Riddle didn't, so I will just call him the title."

Harry stared at him for a moment before smiling. Hermione and Ron just stared before nodding.

"Now that that is settled, you were saying." Severus rested a low level glare on Ronald.

Ron blinked and continued where he left off. "I have enough evidence to show the Unspeakables blocking the investigation."

"Where is it?" Severus' eyes narrowed.

"Here. I didn't trust to leave it at work." Ron looked over at Harry. "Notesworthy started paying too much attention to what was on the desk."

"We need somewhere to put it that is as safe, if not safer than, Gringotts." Hermione looked at Ron before shifting her look over at Harry. "And your information as well."

Harry stared into the brown eyes before shifting his gaze to Severus. "There is only one place that matches that description."

Severus drew in a breath. He had to call Minerva and ask a large favor. "Is your floo secure and connected?"

Hermione nodded even though her expression was puzzled.

Severus headed back into the living room and found the floo powder. Tossing a small handful into the fireplace, he called out in a clear voice. "Minerva McGonagall, Headmaster's office, Hogwarts"

The others had followed him into the room. When Hermione and Ron heard who he was asking for, their eyes widened with understanding.

The flames burned green before Minerva's face appear in them. "Severus, what's going on?" There was a concerned edge to her voice.

"Minerva, is that old chest of Albus' still in the office?" Severus looked the elder witch in the eye, willing her to understand what he was asking. The chest was the one that Albus had kept all the Orders papers in.

Minerva's eyes narrowed. "It's here. Do you have something that you need to add to it?"

Severus nodded. "Can I send part to you now?" He watched as Minerva nodded and Hermione scamper out of the room. "Then, if you can stop by in a couple of hours, I'll get the rest to you later."

"Of course." Her eyes promising that there were going to be questions asked.

Hermione placed a thick sealed file onto the floor next to Severus' hand.

Drawing his wand, Severus cast a version of his protection spell that Minerva knew the counter for. Now, if it was taken, no one could read it. Picking up he held it out towards the fire. "I'm sending the first set through. Thanks, Minerva."

"You're welcome, Severus. I'll see you later tonight." Minerva backed out of the flame so that the folder could floo through.

Stepping back from the fireplace, Severus looked at the three who were watching him. "We'll meet at the Shrieking Shack tomorrow morning at eight."

As they nodded, Severus looked at Harry. The only reason he had agreed to take them to the old labs was because he knew that Harry was right. Those three would follow him. Tomorrow was chosen since both of the Weasleys had the day off. "Let's go, we have a few more stops before we can call it a night." Turning to the Weasleys, he nodded his head. "Thanks for having us over."

Harry gave them both hugs. "Thanks for dinner. I'll see you in the morning."

Hermione saw them to the door. "Bye Harry, Master Snape."

ハリーポッター セブルススネイプ

It took them no time to apparate home, but it took quite a bit of time to pull all the original files together. After sorting them and organizing the information in a reasonable fashion, they copied each one. The originals were going to Hogwarts with Minerva.

"Harry, do you know where Spinner's End is?" Severus wasn't sure if Harry had tracked down its location during his supposed seventh year.

Harry shook his head. "Isn't that where you grew up?" He pulled the name out of a late night conversation.

Severus nodded as he headed out the door. "Come on, I will apparate you there. That is where we are meeting Minerva."

Once they made it to the apparation point, he took a hold of Harry's arm. "Ready?" When Harry nodded, he took them off to the Spinner's End.

Severus contemplated the building that appeared for just a moment before heading for the door. "This way, Harry."

"Did you set any wards that would keep me out?" Harry asked the question as he crossed over the threshold into the dark entry hall.

Severus looked over his shoulder to see Harry peering about he gloom that was his living room. Turning back to the fireplace, he unlocked it so that Minerva could come through. "If there was something there that could hurt you, I warded it so that you could not get through. Such as my personal potions cabinet. But if there was a slim chance that it could help you, such as this place as a refuge, then no I didn't." He turned back around and placed the files on the coffee table. "I'm going to make some tea, would you like something?"

Harry shook his head. "I'm still full from dinner." He flipped through the folders as Severus left. He was surprised when a tea pot settled onto the table next to him.

"Anything that stands out?" Severus watched as Harry tapped one of the pages thoughtfully.

"Malfoy. Lucius Malfoy. He was there at all the trials. I know that it's not that suspicious, but it stands out to me." Harry looked up to see the thoughtful look on Severus' face.

Severus considered what Harry had said, turning the thought this way and that. Blending it with all that he knew of Lucius. "There might be something there. He was there even for the lower Death Eaters?" When Harry nodded, he frowned. "There was no reason for him to be there for each one." He sank down onto the sagging sofa and his hand rested on Harry's shoulder. "Is there anything else?"

Harry tapped the folder as he thought. "Not yet. I have to let it settle in my mind." Glancing back over his shoulder, he smiled. "When are you expecting McGonagall?"

"She should be coming through any moment now."

Harry glanced at the fireplace and then at Severus. "Do you think I have time to use the loo before she gets here?"

Severus sighed. "It is through that door." He pointed to a bookshelf. "Then go up the stairs. It is on the right."

"Door, Severus?" Harry looked at the bookshelf questioningly.

"Yes, door. The handle is behind the Handyman's Guide to Stairs." He watched as Harry bounded over to the shelf and searched out the book in question.

The moment the door closed behind Harry, the floo flared.

Minerva stepped through and took in the dark room. "Severus, when are you going to invest in a few lights? This place is not a dungeon."

Severus glared at her a moment before gesturing to the arm chair. "Please have a seat. Would you like some tea?"

Minerva sat with a small smile twisting her lips. "Thank you, yes." She accepted the cup and blew lightly over the top. "What is going on, Severus?"

Severus looked into the concerned hazel eyes for a moment. "You know that a number of your students are currently in a sealed ward at St. Mungo's." When she nodded yes, he continued. "They were poisoned with a potion. Sometime early on the Aurors case was taken over by the Unspeakables. Their reasoning was that the potion was a mystery and needed a skilled master to work on it. The Unspeakables proceeded to get the different Potions Research companies to attempt a cure."

Harry stopped outside the door when he heard voices coming from the living room. Standing with his hand on the knob, he wondered if it was time to let others know about them. They had just worked through a kink, and he wasn't sure that they needed to distract McGonagall from what they wanted her to do. He knew that the Headmistress was able to sniff out a half truth in a heartbeat, it was what made her such a good teacher. So, the moment he tried to brush off his and Severus' association, he knew she would know something was up. Severus might be able to fool her, but he knew he was hopeless. Dropping his hand, he sat on the stair tread to wait.

Minerva already knew that much. She selected a small biscuit while she waited for new information. She didn't have to wait long.

Severus glanced over at the door as Harry settled on the stairs. He would have to ask why later. "The Unspeakables didn't give the research companies all the information that they needed. My connections have told me that they were deliberately trying to draw me out. They even got the Auror Division involved with the hunt."

Mineva's eyes widened. "Mr. Potter. He came to see me about a month ago to ask if I knew where you were."

Severus nodded. "Thank you for not telling him."

"You trusted us. There is no way we would tell anyone where you disappeared off to." Minerva looked slightly affronted that he might of thought she would have.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Us?"

"Poppy and myself."

He nodded. "Potter found me not long ago. And I agreed to work on the case on my terms. He accepted them. Somehow, this simple cut and dry potions case has turned into a Potter et al. adventure. The et al. are responsible for the information that was sent over earlier. These files," He touched the parchments that were stacked on the table. "are the ones from the main healer at St. Mungo and the entire potions community. They prove what the Unspeakables have been doing. There is also bits of evidence that point towards the culprit in here, but we need more information to identify them."

Minerva looked at the parchments and then back to Severus. "You want me to keep them safe. Do the Unspeakables know what you have?"

Severus shook his head. "Not as far as we know. As we gather more information can we send it though to you?"

Minerva smirked lightly. "Yes, I'll pretend to be Albus for you. Call Dilly, the house elf, and she'll deliver it. It'll be safer that way. Does Kingsley know anything? If I am to be Albus, I need to know which fronts I have to cover."

The image of Minerva in one of Albus' robes and hat flitted through his mind. Severus fought to keep the amusement out of his eyes. "Nothing points to the Minister knowing what is happening. Just that the case is progressing. We are not sure if it is time to tell him. It might tip our hand to the different culprits."

Minerva studied the dark eyes before she nodded. "I'll keep this quiet. But I am going to have to let Filius know, as he is currently the deputy."

Severus twisted up the side of his mouth. "That is fine. Filius can know, as can Poppy just in case."

Minerva sat her cup onto the table and picked up the files. Shrinking them down, she pocketed them. "I'll be heading back. If you need anything...anything at all Severus, call. Send a patronus." She rested a steady gaze on him. "We will come." The promise of all the Order members and teachers as his back up was in her gaze.

"Thanks Minerva. I'll tell them." Severus watched she stepped back through the floo before opening the stairwell door. "Harry?" The question he was asking was on his face.

"I couldn't lie to her. And I don't think she needs to know about us yet." Harry watched Severus' face, hoping the man wouldn't take his comment wrong.

Severus looked down at the wary face. He could tell Harry was nervous about his admission. "I doubt she would have been as focused on what really mattered. You made a good decision, Harry."

Harry pulled himself up. "Let's go home. Tomorrow is going to be long."

Severus turned and headed back into the living room. "We can leave right after the dishes are done." He looked over his shoulder as he picked up the tea pot. "Are you helping?"

Harry followed him to the kitchen.

ハリーポッター セブルススネイプ

There were four dark shapes that slipped through the shadows of Hogsmeade and into the old haunted house at the edge of the Forbidden Forest.

Severus looked down at the three younger ones, since he could no longer call them children, that were accompanying him. Hermione and Ronald had been just as insistent as Harry on that point. "We have four different labs to go through. You will not touch a thing without my approval, you will not move ahead of me until we have entered the lab properly, and you will not speak unless it is a necessity. You shall be disillusioned the entire time we are gone. Harry shall let me know that you are all with me by placing three fingers on my right shoulder." He searched their faces, looking for discontent.

Harry frowned a bit. "How about I use one finger, my index finger, to indicate I am there. Ron shall be the middle finger, and Hermione shall be the ring finger. That way you know who is missing. But if we are all disillusioned, how will I know that they are there?"

Ron's frown mirrored Harry's. "I'll touch your right shoulder and Hermione will touch your left. We'll do this as Snape is moving towards the door in and out and then once again when we are outside. That way you know who is with you."

Severus smirked. They were not discontent, they were just planning ahead. "We will be portkeying to the different locations. Harry you are to stand at my right and touch my right hand once you know they are all there. I recommend that Mr. Weasley be on your right and Mrs. Weasley be on his. Only touch the person on your right once you are holding onto the portkey."

The other three nodded. Hermione eyes widened and she reached into a pocket to pull out a coin. "If we get separated, we can use the coin to let everyone else know where we are."

"I forgot to give Severus his." Harry reached into his robe pocket, pulling out two galleon coins and handed one to Severus.

Severus studied the coin careful. "A protean charm. How does it work?"

Hermione took up the explanation. "The numbers will change into words. WH is for Weasley home, HF is for Harry's flat, SH for Snape's House, OH is for Grimmauld Place. Our initials shall stand for us. Then a short message like hurt, danger, safe, or whatnot can be used to tell what is going on. So, if for some reason we get separated we can apparate to one of the locations and tell the others were we are."

Severus considered the coin for a moment before looking at the others. "HI for Hogwarts Infirmary. Madam Pomfrey has been told that we are doing dangerous things by the Headmistress. Her ward will be waiting for us if we need it. St. Mungo's would draw too much attention."

He waited for them to agree before handing each of them a parchment roll. "When we come to the wards that surround the labs, I will cast a reading spell. It will record on these parchments every person that has passed through those wards since the Dark Lord died. They will be warm until they finish. Only then will it be safe to pass through and only where I walk through at. Remember, do not wander away or touch a thing."

Harry cast him a reassuring look. "We understand."

With a snort and an uncertain look, Severus pulled a black ribbon out of his pocket. "Disillusion yourselves now."

Three wands tapped three heads. Severus watched as his companions disappeared. "This is the portkey. Each one will be a ribbon of a different color. If you are ready, we should be heading on."

He watched as the opposite end of the ribbon lifted into the air. The center stiffened and then he felt a touch on his right hand. Harry's hand stayed on top of his. "Mare."

The world disappeared and when it reappeared there was the sound of an ocean in the distance. Keeping a hand on Harry's, he walked forward and stopped at a small boulder. Maneuvering Harry so that the younger man was behind him, he cast the reading spell on his ward.

Harry felt the scroll warm up in his pocket. When it finally cooled, he felt Ron and Hermione's hands on his shoulders. Reaching forward, he placed three fingers on Severus' shoulder. Severus gave no indication that he noticed, but he did start walking forwards.

Severus walked through the boulder that was the doorway into the lab. As he crossed it, the stairwell on the other side lit up. He moved down the stairs, making sure to avoid the fifth and twelfth stair out of habit. Opening the door with his wand, he peered into the large room. Everything was as he had left it, or seemed to be at a quick glance.

Striding into the room, Severus removed a shrunken trunk from his pocket and placed it on the center table. He then walked the room. He could feel the others moving around him. Peering about, he noted the position of the cupboard doors, where the cauldrons were sitting, and which book was placed where. When he had the area mapped out in his head, he moved back to the center table.

Once there he opened the trunk and methodically moved all the potions ingredients into it. Closing it, he opened it again to another section and placed all the potion making equipment in there. He closed it once again before opening it one last time. The books and any scrap piece of parchment that was in the room found their way into the this compartment. Closing the trunk, he pulled another black ribbon out of a different pocket and tied it on the trunk's handle.

"Sans Mare." The trunk vanished. Pulling a vial out of his pocket, he poured a viscous orange potion around the edges of the room. He then capped the vial and put it up.

The fumes were starting to make his eyes water when Severus walked back towards the door. He patiently waited until he felt Harry's three fingers on his shoulder before he walked back out, making sure not to step on the same steps on the way out as well.

Once Harry confirmed they were all out, he rolled an open green vial down the stairs and cast a shield spell.

Even as the lab exploded, throwing sand high into the air, Severus pulled out a dark gray ribbon. As he waited for them to take it, his glare became more pronounced. He could tell they were watching as the sand sifted back to the ground and filled in the hole that had once been the lab.

Finally, he growled under his breath. "I can leave you here if you find this so fascinating." He was rewarded by seeing the ribbon being held. Harry hand finally touched his. "Harena."

This time they landed in the middle of a sand pit. They repeated the same procedure as last time. The only difference was that this time they were looking at a falling down house.

Before they passed the ward barrier, Severus turned to face where he thought the three might be. He spoke in a voice that promised death if he was not obeyed even if it was not louder than a whisper. "Follow in my exact footsteps." Spinning back around, he made sure that his steps were ones that Hermione could follow in.

Hermione peered about the room as much as she could as she watched where to step. The floor was pocked with holes throughout the room that were coated in a rusty brown substance. A small corner of her mind told her that it was most likely blood. As they walked down the stairs towards the basement, she almost grumbled about having to dance from one side of the steps to the other, but that died out when she had to worm her feet between the balusters and step on the baserail instead of the tread.

Harry almost gagged when Severus opened the lab door. A quick glance at Severus' face showed a blank cold face. It was Snape, Death Eater spy, that was walking through that door. Peering around the broad shoulder, Harry spotted the decayed body laying on the floor with a black bound book in its hand. The book was the same color as the ones that Severus had placed in the trunk at the last lab. Once Severus entered the room, Harry took no time going to see what the name of the book was. He also looked over the ingredients that were scattered on the floor.

A hand on his back startled him, but the whispered breath in his ear was more of a surprise. How did Severus know where he was?

"Harry, you need to move. I must see what Avery has." Severus stepped back to give Harry room to move. Once the disillusioned man was gone, he took samples of the ingredients that were on the floor, and noted the book. 'He must have been desperate. I know the spells that are on those books. First touch, it's a small shock. To continue holding it would be like a mild cruciatus curse. To actually open it and try to read one... Well Avery found out the end result of that. Unless, of course, you were keyed into it.' He place a spent portkey ribbon to mark the page.

After that the clean up worked the same as it had in the last lab. This time it was a purple liquid that was poured on the floor and all the way up the stairs. A dark brown potion was poured at the head of the stair well about a foot away from the end of the purple trail.

They made it just beyond the ward line before the place went up in flames.

Severus held out a medium gray ribbon and waited. It didn't take as long to feel Harry's hand on his. "Campus."

Ron looked about at the wind torn plain that they were standing in. He could not see a structure for miles. Not even a standing stone to pretend to be a door. He let his eyes rest on the tallest thing his could see. Snape was looking about, as if hunting for something. 'He has destroyed each one of the labs so far. I will admit that he has cleaned them out. But we have no idea who the body in the last one was. Maybe he does. I wonder what killed the bloke.'

Ron broke out of his thoughts as Snape turned and walked four yards towards the north. The dark haired man then slashed the air with his wand and Ron felt the scroll in his pocket warm up. Moving until he found Harry, he placed his hand on his partner's shoulder. 'Just what are we supposed to be going through?'

When Snape started forward, Ron made sure to stay as close as possible. The last place warned him that the potions labs were not a playground. He was partially suspicious that Snape had a hand at making the defenses and he tried not to let that worry him. As they walked forward, he still saw nothing. Then, suddenly they were in the lab.

Looking around him, Ron saw nothing but walls. All but one was covered in shelves and lined with counters. There was barely a place for the four of them to fit. Standing as close to the blank wall as possible, he watched as Snape observed and then packed the room.

Severus wondered if all of them had fit into his tiny lab space. This one was his personal lab, and no one but the Dark Lord had ever entered it. According to his reading spell, that was still true. He took the time to pack up the supplies he had here and portkey them to the Spinner's End lab before turning about.

He could feel Harry pressed up against his front. Placing his hands where he knew the invisible shoulders should be, he turned the warm body about until Harry was against one of the counters. Taking just a moment to discreetly press against the body he had trapped, he released Harry and stepped towards the door. He watched as his cloak brushed against two other forms. Once he felt Harry's hand on his shoulder, he passed back through the door.

Outside, he made a large down sweeping motion with his wand and heard the muffled explosion. Pulling out the pale gray ribbon, he was rewarded with a quick hand placed on his own. "Silva."

Harry looked about the dark forest that they landed in. The place felt darker than the Forbidden Forest. His wand was in his hand before he thought about it. Watching Severus out of the corner of his eye, he paid close attention to his surroundings. He was positive that he had seen an acromantula slipping through the trees right before Severus stopped. He patiently waited for the scroll to cool down before following Severus into the last lab.

This was the lab that Severus suspected to being the one that the Death Eaters used since it was the most commonly visited one. The sight that greeted him confirmed his suspicion. Whomever was researching and brewing did not know to clean up after themselves. And for once he was glad that they didn't.

Moving carefully about the lab, he took samples of the remnants left in the cauldron. The samples and the left over ingredients sitting on the table were stored in their own compartment of the trunk. The book and the parchments that were scattered on the table were also put in the same place. He then proceeded to pack up his lab.

As they left, he treated the room with a dark blue potion and a pale yellow one. Green smoke was filling the room as he sealed the door behind them. Holding out a white ribbon, he waited for the last time that day. "Salus."

When they appeared back at the Shrieking Shack, Severus watched as his three invisible companions became visible once again.

Ron looked at the potions master before he sighed lightly. "I can accept you destroying all those places. No reason to let the enemy have access to them any more. I can even understand you cleaning them out. No need to waste ingredients and equipment. But, we never had a chance to find out who the dead person was."

Severus smirked at Ronald's acceptance of what had happened that day. "I also cleaned them out to discover what was missing. I kept an up to date log of everything that was in those rooms. What is missing will help determine what was used. The man was Avery."

Hermione looked from Ron to Snape and back again. "What were those books?"

Severus looked at the healer. "Potion books, mainly. I need to see what they were researching and hopefully I can determine how to create a cure for whatever they picked."

"Why was Avery dead with one in his hand, but whoever used the one in the last lab wasn't?" Harry watched Severus' face closely while he waited on an answer, wanting to see any emotion that might cross it.

"The other books had a multitude of protection charms woven about them. The ones in the last lab did not." Severus watched as comprehension flooded over Harry's face.

"So, where did you send all those to?" Harry was hoping that they were not lying around the house now. He didn't want to accidentally touch one.

"I sent them to Spinner's End." Pulling his scroll out of his pocket, he called for the house elf that Minerva mentioned. "Dilly."

The small brown eyed elf appeared next to him. "Yes, Master Snape, sir?"

Severus handed her the roll. "Deliver this to the Headmistress."

"Dilly will at once Master Snape." The elf vanished with a soft pop.

Severus looked over the small group. They looked as tired as he felt. "It is time to go home. Have a good evening."

Ron and Hermione answered at the same time. "You, too."

Harry grinned at them "See you guys later."

"See you soon, Harry." Hermione grinned back.

"Yeah, see you soon, mate." Ron nodded with a grin.

Four shapes slipped out of the haunted house and headed home.