Chapter Twenty-Six
Severus groaned and threw the covers over his head when Molly hollered for everyone to get up the next morning. He couldn't wait until the festivities were over. Harry's birthday and the wedding were both just a few days away, and the Delacour family was expected tomorrow. Mrs. Weasley was taking advantage of the full house to whip everyone into frenzied action.
After a very busy day and deliciously filling dinner, Severus decided to read a book in the garden by wandlight. He ignored Harry, Ron and Hermione, who were gossiping near the shed about something-or-other. He paused for a moment to look up at the stars. It was a beautiful night, and the air was scented with honeysuckle. For a moment, he forgot about his cares. He wished he could seize this moment and make it last forever.
Fickle fate, as usual, had chosen to kick him in the teeth. A sudden series of cracks and pops echoed, and before Severus could move, several hooded figures Apparated into the yard. Hermione screamed and tried to draw her wand, but the closest Death Eater grabbed her and pinned her arms to her side. "The wards!" she shrieked. "They must have dismantled the wards!"
"But how?" Ron yelled, battling another Death Eater who was trying to incapacitate him. "The Order and the Ministry Aurors set them up, and they're the best!"
"Maybe there's problems at the Ministry!" Harry suggested, stunning one of the masked men. "Anyway, it wasn't hard for the Death Eaters to guess where I was being kept, once they realized I didn't make it to headquarters."
Snape found himself surrounded by several Death Eaters, all of whom had leveled wands at his heart. Dumbledore was right; they were less than receptive toward him. He noticed that Harry, Ron and Hermione had all been subdued. Shouts from within the house indicated that help would arrive at any second, but it would likely be too late. He slipped his hand surreptitiously into his pocket, gripping his wand. "What took you so long?" he asked casually. "I thought you'd never come!"
The Death Eaters looked at each other. "What should we do with this one?"
Another shrugged. "Take him with us. Let the Dark Lord decide his fate."
Snape moved to dodge around them, but one was too fast for him and grabbed him in a bruising grip. Severus heard an angry cry and realized that Harry had wounded one of the Death Eaters, but he didn't get to see how the struggle turned out, for the world disappeared as the man holding him pulled him along in side-along Apparition.
They reappeared on the lawn of a massive estate. It was a place he recognized. Malfoy Manor. What in the world were they doing there? Had Lucius busted out of Azkaban to host a Death Eater reunion? Several albino peacocks fled from the commotion.
Loud cracks all around him echoed as the other Death Eaters returned form their tasks. He noticed that Harry, Ron and Hermione had all been captured. Harry had a black eye, Hermione had a large bloody scrape on her leg, and Ron was semiconscious.
"My Lord, we return victorious!" announced the man holding Harry.
"Excellent!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed. A figure stepped from the shadows, and Severus fought to not recoil. The man was very different from the pictures of Lord Voldemort that he had seen. This *thing* was barely human, with pallid skin, a bald head, and slits for a nose. His fingers were long and spiderlike. At his feet lay a massive snake. "Welcome, Harry! You're just in time."
Harry's face twisted into a grimace of defiance. "Glad to hear it. I wouldn't want to miss your defeat."
"Impudence!" Voldemort shrieked. His sudden rage subsided. "Never mind. Soon you will be nothing but a touching memory in the hearts of those that loved you. Now that you have left your childhood home, your mother's love can no longer protect you. *You* *are* *mine*."
"Leave him alone!" Ron screamed, and the Death Eaters laughed.
A low gurgling sound caught their attention. "Ah, Severus, we have guests. It was kind of them to drop by for a visit, was it not?" For a moment the young man thought that Voldemort was talking to him. All heads swiveled to look in the direction that the Dark Lord was gazing. A quick flick of his hand illuminated some magical torches around the yard. Flickering firelight played across a crouched nude figure. The man's back was striped with crusted blood and oozing pus. One leg was clearly broken. Hands and feet were secured with painfully tight manacles. He seemed semiconscious, but at Voldemort's mocking words, he stirred and his head lifted.
Severus felt the bile rise in his throat and swallowed hard. Professor Snape had been beaten and abused to within an inch of his life. Judging from the number of festering wounds, he wouldn't be surprised if the man had blood poisoning at this point. Hermione screamed, while Ron gagged. His kidnapper looked disgusted and pointed the boy's head away from him. Voldemort spoke the Cruciatus curse and pointed his wand at the prone figure, which became rigid, and then began to shake violently but soundlessly. A few Death Eaters jeered, looking ecstatic at the downfall of the Dark Lord's former favorite. Some seemed disappointed that the tortured man wasn't vocalizing his agony.
Young Snape was nonetheless surprised to note that a few gatherers seemed less than pleased about the torture. Draco was staring at the professor with horror in his eyes. Lucius stood behind him, hands gripping his son's shoulders, his mouth set in a firm line. Severus would not be very surprised to know that there was a mass breakout from Azkaban, liberating those loyal to the Death Eaters. Several of Severus' fellow classmates were gathered with their fathers – Nott, Crabbe, and Goyle in particular – and all were staring determinedly at the ground. He wasn't sure if it was out of respect for the naked and battered man, or out of simple revulsion, but all looked too horrified for words.
"My Lord, what should we do with this one?" asked the large blond Death Eater holding him.
The eerily pale face snarled. "Is that the Snape boy? What is he doing here?"
The youth looked beyond the dark wizard to his older self. Their eyes met, and Severus could feel the professor practically draw him into his mind. The boy initiated Legilimency, and images flickered in his head, almost too fast to catch, of young Severus bowing to Voldemort and denouncing Professor Snape. Severus withdrew with an almost imperceptible nod. He knew what he must do. "My Lord!" he exclaimed, trying to fall to his knees. He glared angrily at his captor. "Have you no regard for the Great One? How dare you keep me from showing him the respect that he deserves; nay, demands?" The blond blinked stupidly. He had no idea how to react to such a statement.
"Hmmmm," the dark wizard mused, his snakelike features crinkling in an expression of curiosity. "You seem quite eager to pay homage to me. But that garbage over there," he gestured to the slightly twitching body, "also wore the face of a loyal follower. Forgive me if I am slightly skeptical."
At his master's gesture, the Death Eater released Severus, who bowed low. "I praise your wisdom, My Lord, and am elated to be in your presence at last." He threw a filthy look toward the heap of a man in the shadows. "My older self is an absolute fool. He has let Dumbledork warp his mind with his overblown notions of Muggle-love and equality." A wave of hilarity broke out at the insult. Voldemort seemed particularly amused. "I confess that I was saving the news of his treachery until our meeting. I had hoped that it would give me leverage in your ranks. But I should have realized that our Lord knows all."
The gathered crowed looked from one Snape to another in disbelief. Had the boy really been prepared to sell out his older self?
"So you say," the Dark Lord said carelessly, "but fine words are worth less than the air that breathes them." He lunged forward and seized the boy's chin with his hand, peering deep into his eyes. Severus was ready for him, locking the innermost part of his mind tight while the images of his choosing surged through the forefront. Every bitter and angry thought churned through his mind: humiliation as he was hung upside down near the lake, his robes falling around his head and exposing his underwear – his face frozen in a mask of terror as a werewolf, saliva dripping from its sharp fangs, lunged toward him – his body trembling with barely-restrained fury as Dumbledore calmly awarded points to James for the rescue and in the same breath forbade Severus to reveal Lupin's secrets – himself reading under the sheets by wandlight, devouring books on the Dark Arts with a burning desire to know all its secrets – his cursed Muggle father whipping him with a metal belt buckle as his mother wept and he ground his teeth, wishing he was of age with his own wand so he could hex the man's face clear off – overlying everything was an intense emotion of HATE HATE HATE and the fierce yearning for revenge against all who had wronged him.
Voldemort drew back and laughed. "Now *that* is the Severus Snape that I used to know, with fire in his belly and hate in his heart! Very well; there is still a place in the Death Eaters for you. But you must perform one more task to prove your loyalty. Kill that filth over there." He jerked his head toward Snape's battered body.
The Potions master stared at him, his black eyes like tunnels. Severus stared back. The man was willing him to do it, to just forget what he said earlier about dying instead of joining the Death Eaters, to do anything necessary to survive this night alive; Snape was as good as dead anyway, and at this point dying would be a relief. He would be glad to die if it kept the boy safe. Severus slowly raised his wand. He couldn't do it… there was no *way* he could do it… but he couldn't let the Dark Lord know that, and all he had to do was wait another few minutes but he didn't *have* another few minutes, and dammitall what was *taking* them so long?
He breathed a silent sigh of relief as an explosion of cracks and pops sounded all around them. The cavalry had arrived. About bloody time.
Harry was immediately surrounded by Order members, who roughly pulled him away from his captors. The Death Eaters who held Ron and Hermione immediately found themselves at the business end of Order wands, and they dropped their prisoners to draw their own weapons. The grounds were suddenly ablaze with multicolored jets of light as the combatants began to do battle.
"Nooooo!" Voldemort screamed as curses whizzed over his head. "I will not be denied victory! Who lead them here? WHO?"
"I don't know, my Lord!" Blondie stammered. "They couldn't have traced our Apparition; such a thing is simply not possible!"
"The Trace!" Bellatrix yelled. Good god, her looks had gone to rot. "Potty is not of age; he still has the Trace about him!"
"Fool!" Voldemort yelled, and his most faithful follower cringed. "Potter did not do magic! He was not the one to Apparate; the Trace would not have given him away! Besides, I *own* the Ministry and the trackers! No one so much as sneezes without my express permission!"
The enraged wizard narrowed his red eyes. "You!" he roared, seizing Severus by the arm. "You must have lead them here!" He cast his wand quickly over the boy's body and cursed at his findings. "It was you! You have a tracking charm!"
Severus could not stop a flicker of fear from crossing his face. "A thousand apologies, my Lord!" he gasped. "They never trusted me; my every move was watched! I tried to come to you one day, but they trapped me! Some of them are trusting fools, but others are not nearly as softhearted. They must have guessed my plans!"
Voldemort sneered. "Again with your pretty words. You have the gift of gab, Snape. Your sharp tongue and mind have kept you and the professor out of trouble for many years. But this time your luck has run out. Priori Incantatem!" The air around Snape's wand shimmered, revealing that the tracking charm had been cast with his own wand.
"So," the Dark Lord hissed, pointing his wand at the boy's chest, "you have followed in the steps of Snape after all. Both of you are two-faced vipers. What have you to say for yourself now?"
Severus' expression became eerily calm. "Congratulations. It's only taken you about twenty years to realize. Either you are really slow on the uptake, or we are just that good."
The elder Snape stifled a groan of despair. His eyes pleaded with the boy to flee, to Apparate while he had a chance. But with Voldemort's wand leveled at him, Severus would be dead before he could so much as twitch. Damn the Order! They were spending so much time fighting Death Eaters and protecting the other children that they didn't spare the Slytherin so much as a glance. They probably assumed that the boy was one of them. Stupid! Didn't they *realize* who had lead them there in the first place? Why didn't they *listen* to what was going on around them? If only he wasn't so weak!
"Silence!" Voldemort roared as his face contorted in rage. "I will not tolerate insolence! Either you are with us or against us. Choose!"
The boy laughed bitterly. "Please! As if you'd ever trust me now. You'll execute me no matter what my choice is. The professor is right; it's better to be dead than to serve you. You've disgraced the name of Slytherin and thrown shame upon our entire House. You can kill me if you like, but you'll never change how I feel."
"That can be arranged!" he screamed. "Avada Kedavra!" A jet of green light flew from the tip of Voldemort's wand and struck Severus full in the chest. His body fell backward gracefully, seemingly in slow motion, until he hit the ground with a soft thud. His fathomless eyes stared vacantly at the sky.
Sudden silence reigned. The absence of curses and hexes was deafening. The Order and Death Eaters alike ceased their combat as they all stared dumbly at the lifeless body. Both sides seemed absolutely gobsmacked at the murder of a boy who had seemed destined to join the ranks of the Death Eaters. Snape's Slytherin dorm mates looked absolutely sickened. The elder Snape could scarcely breathe for shock and grief. Hermione screamed and burst into tears. Ron's jaw worked but no sound came out. Harry let out a yell that seemed to echo from the bottom of his soul and lunged into the fray, attacking the nearest Death Eater.
"You killed him!" Draco exclaimed. Lucius turned deathly pale and clutched his son's shoulder convulsively, but apparently the murder had perversely brought calm to the dark wizard. Rather than chastise Draco, Voldemort looked pleased.
"So I did!" he agreed almost cheerfully, fending off a few hexes that flew his way. "No big loss. He was a filthy half-blood anyway."
"So what does that make you?" Harry cried, drawing attention to the argument. "Your father was a Muggle! If Muggle blood is dirty, then you're as contaminated as anyone else!"
"Lies!" Bellatrix shrieked and lunged toward the Gryffindor.
"NO, Bella! He's MINE!" Voldemort roared, bringing his wand down in a slicing arc. A burst of red light threw her to the ground, where she lay immobile.
"Thanks!" Harry jeered. "You're doing our job for us. Why don't you hex a few more followers while you're at it?"
"Stupid boy!" the wounded professor hissed from the shadows. Severus had gotten himself killed for his cheek, and now Potter would be next. He glared at his shackles, which had chafed his wrists and ankles raw. He had never felt so useless in his life!
Just then the air shimmered before his eyes, and two small items appeared. He blinked a few times in disbelief. Surely he was hallucinating. He reached out with one manacled hand and touched the objects. No one would have thought twice about them, but to him they meant survival. The first item was his wand; its importance was obvious. The second item – a black button ripped from his throat-to-ankle concealing robes – seemed worthless. But obviously someone had learned its secret and given it to him as a means of deliverance. His eyes darted around the warring crowd, but no one was paying him the slightest bit of attention. His savior's identity remained a mystery.
"Potter!" he wheezed, cursing the weakness of his voice. Even if he had been in full form, it would be difficult to make even his imposing voice carry over the sounds of battle. He had to get Potter's attention, had to get him to safety. "Accio Potter!" he muttered, and to the boy's astonishment, he felt himself abruptly jerked backward to land awkwardly by the professor's side.
"Professor Snape!" the brat exclaimed as he got a close look at the wreck of the proud man's body. "Oh my god, you're—"
"Silence!" he snarled with as much vehemence as he could muster, wincing at the sharp twinge from broken ribs. From his shortness of breath, he feared that one was pressing on his lungs. "Here, this is a Portkey." He held the button aloft. "It will take us to safety!"
"No!" the boy exclaimed with his usual impudence. "I won't leave Ron and Hermione! They're only here because of me!"
"Do not argue! The Order will see them to safety. But if you fall, the sacrifice of all who have died will be for nothing!" The latest death hung like a heavy weight on them both. He wanted to say more, but his breath was taken by a painful coughing fit. A froth of blood formed around his mouth.
"Professor!" Harry exclaimed anxiously. "You're hurt! We've got to get you to Saint Mungo's!"
"The Portkey!" Snape insisted. "It is the only safety we can be sure of."
Harry glanced toward the body of the young Slytherin, who stared sightlessly at the sky, seemingly in defiance of the combatants around him. "I hate to leave him," he whispered.
"He's gone," Snape said harshly, but the words seemed to hurt him nonetheless. "There's nothing more we can do for him." He held out his hand, the button cradled in his palm. Harry folded his hand over it. With a rough tap of the professor's wand, the Portkey was activated, and with a sharp tug behind their navels, they were whisked away.
Several combatants witnessed their departure and were thrown into a frenzy. Voldemort was enraged at loss of his captive and his mortal enemy, who had been abruptly snatched from his grasp in one fell swoop. Several Order members were on the verge of panic, not knowing for sure what had happened to their Chosen One. Their fears were quelled when a shimmering phoenix Patronus appeared in their midst. Harry and Snape had arrived safe and sound in the Headmaster's office, it announced in Dumbledore's voice, then faded away as abruptly as it had appeared. Harry had been whisked away to Grimmauld Place, while Snape had been rushed to St. Mungo's. The Portkey had considerably worsened the man's internal injuries, and the mediwizards feared that he would not last the night.
"Harry is safe!" Lupin exclaimed, grabbing Ron by the arm. "I'll get his friends to safety."
"Don't worry about me, Professor!" Hermione exclaimed. "I can Apparate myself." Once the young adults were safely away, the Order unleashed another wave of attack with intense ferocity. They fought just long enough to force the Death Eaters back, and then they left to tend to their wounded. Kingsley and Lupin, who had returned to the battle, bundled up the deceased Slytherin with gentle hands and spirited away his body for an honorable burial. Dumbledore feared for the safety of the surviving Snape, who was clinging to life by a thread at the wizard hospital. Recalling all too well what had happened to Bode and the Devil's Snare, several Order members volunteered to keep a rotating watch over the fallen professor.