Chapter 21

An increasingly agitated Greyback led him towards the steps. The sweat on his brow was increasing and Snape was sure he could hear Greyback's breathing becoming laboured.

As he shoved Snape down the stairs, Snape hurtled to the bottom against the iron door.

It didn't hurt as much as he thought it would and realized there was probably an imperturbable charm on the gate.

Whatever was behind that door, they didn't want it to make any noise.

As Snape got to his feet, he looked behind at Greyback who pointed his wand at the door.

As soon as the door sprung open. Snape knew why it was imperturbable.

"-ME OUT OF THIS FUCKING DUNGEON OR I SWEAR TO MERLIN I WILL HEX YOU INTO A MILLION PIECES OF SLIME YOU BASTA-Sev!"

Lily made to rush forwards but the chains at her wrists prevented her. Binding her to the slimy flagstone wall behind her, pulling her back roughly.

It inflamed him to see her bound like a common slave.

"Enjoy your time with her." growled Greyback. "It's going to be short."

Snape looked at Greyback who pointed his wand at Snape's hands that were bound behind his back.

Snape found the rope suddenly tightened and found himself flying backwards into the cellar besides Lily.

Slightly dizzy, he got back up and made to run at Greyback but found himself bound, just like Lily. The magical manacles had turned to metal and he was now bound to the back wall.

As the door slammed shut Lily began to jabber rapidly, her pale, dirty face twisted into an apologetic grimace.

"They found us by the floo network; they must have been listening in on us for days, waiting for the right moment. They must have seen you leave and then came for us. I can't believe you came here alone!"

"I didn't." Snape said gravely, twisting his wrists tentatively in the dirty metal manacles. "Black and Potter are still upstairs. Potter is unconscious; Bellatrix hit him with a curse. He's not dead." he quickly countered to her panicked look. "Black, he's being as cavalier about it as always. We tried to rescue you but this place is better protected than Gringotts."

"They took my wand." Lily said fretfully. "I'm an Auror and they took my wand. I feel so ashamed! Mad Eye was always telling me: 'Watch everyone', 'Constant Vigilance!'"

"They took ours too." Snape replied, looking around for a way to remove the binding on his wrists.

"I'm sorry Sev, if I knew who he was I woul-"

"You were very clever to think of a way to let us know where you were…" Snape began conversationally. "Sirius clocked it straight away. Smart man that Sirius."

Lily looked taken aback.

"That's right, I praised him, don't expect it too often. Now let's get out of here. That werewolf is ready to transform."

"Sev, we have no wands." she began again. "How-."

"Use your brain." he began. "You were one of the brightest people in your house and in our year Lily. We're trapped in a magically sealed room with no wands. The room is imperturbable and Sirius and Potter are still upstairs. We're bound and we can't move."

Lily's green eyes focused on his black ones for a few moments and she nodded and started to look around urgently.

"They're going to do something tonight." Snape began. "The dark lord is going to do something tonight. I heard them talking."

"Where are they going?" she asked urgently.

"I don't know." Snape sighed. "Lily…I'm sorry for being so horrid to you earlier. Well, for the last few months. It's inexcusable. I've treated you badly and I have no one to blame but myself. We lost everything…But I never lost you."

Lily paused, with a softened look on her face.

"Sev…There's som-"

There was the sound of a cannon blast; the door coughed some dust before falling forwards with an almighty, final 'CRONG' noise.

Sirius Black was stood there with an unfamiliar, crooked wand pointed where the door was.

"Black?!" Snape asked incredulously, his black curtains hung over his face as he shied from the rubble and dust.

Sirius pointed his wand at the manacles and said clearly:

"Relashio."

The manacles binding their hands to the wall fell away and to the floor before disappearing.

"How…" began Snape, walking forwards and rubbing his wrists. "In the name of Merlin's left testicle did you manage that?"

"I had back up." he stepped aside to reveal Tonks, supporting a sick looking Lupin.

"What in Merlin's name?! Have you SEEN outside? Are you AWARE of that great big white thing hanging in the sky?!" Snape yelled incredulously.

"He insisted!" Tonks bleated.

Lupin raised his head and smiled weakly at Sirius.

"I couldn't miss another night out with the marauders."

Sirius gave Lupin and indulgent smile and nodded firmly.

"We have to get out of here."

"Wait! I am going nowhere with a werewolf about to turn!" Snape began. "No offense, Lupin but you aren't much good to us trying to kill us. Has he even had his potion tonight!?"

Tonks bit her lip guiltily.

"Great." Snape snapped sardonically.

"He'll be alright. We've done it before the tonic was invented, Tonks, where's Prongs?" Sirius asked.

"He's messaging the order." Tonks began and fished in her coat pocket for a moment before throwing Lily and Snape their wands.

"Where are we headed?" asked Lily, catching hers and inspecting it.

"The Ministry. Department of Mysteries. They left Greyback …in charge. Greyback started…wolfing out so the death eaters tried to force him into the pantry using stunners. It wasn't easy. You can't stun…a werewolf that easily when he's in the wolf state." panted Lupin.

"We watched from the hallway. They didn't even notice us…" Tonks added, using her sleeve to blot the sweat on Lupin's head.

"And Greyback?" asked Lily.

"Yeah…he's not going to stop in the pantry forever. He's a werewolf, not a Yorkshire terrier." Sirius said urgently, turning back towards the dusty cellar staircase as they followed. Lily and Snape hand in hand, Tonks supporting Lupin whose pallor was now reminiscent of a Vampire.

"And we're going to head them off?" Lily asked.

"For as long as we can til we can get a hold of Dumbledore." Sirius replied, pointing his wand down a spell damaged corridor where several stunned Death Eaters now lay.

"And what if the werewolf wakes up?" asked Snape.

Just then there was an almighty crash, an impatient, enraged, animalistic roar from the bottom of the corridor, accompanied by James Potter skidding out of the kitchens, falling over the hem of his robes and helping himself up running and urging them to run breathlessly.

Tonks made to move Lupin but he shook his head resolutely.

"Leave me…" he grunted.

"Remus, you're in no state-"

"I'm in…" Remus looked up, his eyes had changed from a solid green to a darker green. "…the…perfect….state."

The tweed jacket over his pajama top began to split rapidly as his spine broke through the already threadbare fabric. His transformation was beginning. The howl of Greyback had forced it.

"Run." Sirius began, staring at the man he knew transforming into the wolf he recalled from his school days.

Snape did not need a further prompting and took Lily's hand as James and Sirius ran on ahead.

Tonks was staring at Lupin as he transformed, transfixed. Her eyes wide with terror, and at the same time interest.

"Dora! Come on!" Sirius cried to her.

"Go! I can handle this!" Tonks yelled back and pulled out her wand.

Sirius seemed torn momentarily, then shook his head and urged the others through the splendid doors, leaving behind a witch, and two very angry werewolves.

Apparating inside the ministry itself was not something Snape appreciated.

He had been there only once to testify against a former-friend-turned-death eater. Augustus Rookwood.

He had forgotten the layout and very nearly apparated in the fountain of magical brethren.

"Where is the Department of Mysteries?" Potter asked, looking around and rubbing his back. "I've only ever been to petition a three match ban at the department of magical games."

"We need to use the lift." Lily said, nodding to the golden grilled elevators towards the bottom of the long, black marble foyer.

"I don't like elevators." Snape muttered. "They're unnatural."

"Just come on." Sirius implored, pulling him by his elbow. "I want to know what they're doing. I'd love to catch Lucius Malfoy, I'm desperate to get a leg up to the Auror office."

"Any word from the order?" asked Lily quickly, tapping the grills with her wand, watching the gates open to reveal a gleaming brass elevator.

"Not a peep." Potter responded as they loaded themselves into the lift.

"Department of Mysteries." Sirius said aloud to the elevator.

The lift gave a less than graceful shudder before moving.

"Ever been here?" asked Snape.

"Not the department of mysteries." Potter responded.

Lily and Sirius shook their heads.

"First time for us all then…"

There was an uncertain and uncomfortable silence as floors passed them by, visible from beyond the shining grilled doors.

Finally, the black marble of the department of mysteries slid into focus.

"Department of Mysteries." came a pleasant, yet hopelessly cold voice.

Snape shook his head urgently, to clear all concerns. The speed at which this unwanted situation was occurring was driving him insane and dulling his wit and senses.

He couldn't recall a solitary incantation and the cold sweat on the back of his neck had a feel reminiscent of his brush with dementors at the trial.

There was an unpleasant coldness that was gripping at his liver and threading its icy fingers through his stomach. He felt on the verge of vomiting.

Lily put her hand on his arm and held her wand up, its glow lighting up the sleek marble ahead. The warmth of her touch spread through him again, thawing the frozen organs within him.

She was like fire whiskey on a winter's night.

She was watching with renewed vigour, her green almond eyes hawk like in the darkness.

A number of doors lay ahead, and no way to tell of what lay behind them.

"Right…Four of us, eight doors. I'm going to come out and say it." Sirius began, taking a deep breath. "We are going to have to split up."

"No way." Snape began as Potter nodded enthusiastically. "We split up; we get lost, captured and probably killed."

"You act as if the death eaters and Malfoy's inbreeds actually stand a chance against us." Sneered Sirius, his voice echoing in the small foyer.

"Do not underestimate your enemy." warned Lily, sounding much like the old Auror Mad-Eye Moody, that mismatched doom-bringer. "But there is something in that idea. If we get into trouble, send a patronus as soon as you can. We'll meet up back here in fifteen minutes."

"Fifteen?" asked Potter. "And if we're a bit caught up with battle? Dodging hexes, flicking jinxes?"

"The rest of us will meet up here and come rescue you." Lily remarked cuttingly.

Snape smirked as Sirius clapped a hand on Potter's shoulder.

"You've been told. Right…Each one take a door, see you in fifteen minutes."

With that, each of them took a door handle in their hand and after a silent count of 3 entered.

Turning the door handle, and thrusting himself into the room, Snape found himself in a room that was thick with pink light. It looked a great deal as if Dolores Umbridge had eating pot pourri and vomited everywhere…except for the scent.

The scent was simply beautiful.

Looking around, with his wand out, he knew there was absolutely nothing in this room that could hurt him.

The walls were a dusky peach, the floors a polished white marble, and in the centre of the room was a luxurious white marble fountain that was gushing out a familiar fluid.

Amortentia.

Walking towards it, the smell was getting stronger. The spiral shaped steam danced on the highly polished sheen of the potion as even the popping of the warm liquid seemed to be blowing kisses and sighing hopelessly.

Sitting on the marble pedestal bench that was surrounding the fountain, he dipped his slender, white fingers into the liquid and let it caress them before bringing them to his nose to smell.

Baking. Freshly baked fairy cakes. The scent of egg, flour, sugar and milk.

The lakeside. Water and grass. Lily pads and frogspawn.

And more curiously, the smell of Spinners end.

Snape paused for a moment, his wand resting on his lap as he allowed the intoxicating scent to completely assault his senses.

He remembered that night in the potion cupboard, the uncontrolled lust they felt for one another. It had cost him his job, but now it seemed as thought it was the best thing that had ever happened to him. He could smell her skin now, her hair; her perfume…the smell was changing…

He didn't know how long he had sat there but a sudden urgency…the others, they would be waiting…

Time was running out. He had to continue.

Beyond there was another black door leading out, past the fountain. It was the only thing in the room that looked uninviting.

Most reluctantly Snape moved on, the dizzying scent of the Amortentia, stronger than he had ever brewed leaving him as soon as he opened the next door.

Inside was a strange collection of objects.

It was like a cupboard full of bizarre magical stock room of failed or secretive inventions.

There was a bell jar with an egg in it…then a chick…then a bird…then an old bird…then an egg…

A whole cupboard full of strange little miniature hourglasses in decorate golden necklaces…

There were a number of books that rattled and giggled in their shelves and occasionally whispered something inaudible that sent the other books into fits of giggles, jiggling and creasing in their dust jackets.

On another shelf, a purple vase hummed and buzzed, levitating a little before sitting back on its shelf. The stopper on the vase was made of thick cork and was sealed with wax that was cracked. Whatever was inside wanted to get out, and curiosity demanded he inspect it.

Again, Snape knew he had to pass through to the next room. Nothing in here was of any use to him at the moment even though the scholar in him begged to stay and explore.

Passing through to the next door, he noticed there was a clear, metal sign saying above the door stating:

"Warning: Do not enter alone."

Snape discarded the warning and held out his wand before pushing open the door.

Opening it, he held out his wand warningly and shone it around the large, circular room that was dark and barely lit.

He had no idea what he was meant to expect in here…

There was nothing in the small, box like room. A door opposite, no shadows, no books, nothing…whatever was in here, it must have escaped, or been destroyed by the death eaters. After all…if the death eaters were in here, they wouldn't be good enough to put up a sign warning people of their presence…unless it was a trick.

Seeing nothing, he lowered his wand and saw a human hand in the small pool of light it illuminated.

Quickly casting his wand out to see the scene better, his eyes widened and his heart stopped.

He fell to the floor in shock. His wand cascading to the floor, showing the corpse in better relief.

His eyes filling rapidly with tears that matched nothing to the agony climbing to an unbearable, screaming crescendo in his chest.

Injustice, despair and pure sorrow that had no rightful place in a heart that had seen so much of it was now immersed…drowning…

Lily.

His beautiful, pure Lily.

Dead