Title: The Rising Phoenix. Chapter: 35 – Him Or US
Main Characters: Harry Potter, Ginny Potter nee Weasley
Author's Note:Now we're back to the reality we've been reading about so far! Thank you for your reviews so far! I always read them and like hearing your feedback! Hopefully you'll like this chapter as well. I think you might be surprised with this chapter.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the original characters!
Severus heard the alarms go off and was surprised. The Taboo had not been triggered in years. People had learned what happened when you said the name. The consequences were so harsh that even the Order and Dumbledore stopped saying it. Most went back to You-Know-Who and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, but a few, like Lily and James, started using Riddle. In a way, using that name was the same as using Voldemort, it showed the speaker was not afraid of the name. But on the other hand it was supremely foolish. If the Dark Lord ever caught James and Lily and they used Riddle, they'd suffer a long and slow death. Well, they almost did, Severus corrected himself mentally.
He was currently heading towards the entrance hall where he knew the Snatchers would take whomever they found. Hopefully it was not one of the Phoenixes, that would be devastating. However Severus was sure that wouldn't be the case, they were smart enough not to use the name. He walked into the entrance hall and found there was no one there, however he heard excited voices coming from the room just off the hall. Frowning, for no one was allowed in there unless they were a Death Eater or specifically called by the Dark Lord, Severus entered the room. What he saw inside stopped him in his tracks.
Minnie was bound and in the possession of none other than Greyback, one of the few werewolves the Dark Lord let survive. Severus was floored. How could this happen? How could she have been caught? She was careful and Harry never sent the Heirs out without at least one more person. Severus looked at the other captured person with her and saw that he was tall and had red hair. He was freckly and looked a lot like Fred and George Weasley. Confused, Severus looked back at Minnie and realized this was not Minnie at all. This girl before him had much too long and bushy hair to be Minnie. She was also staring back at Severus like she had seen a ghost. She seemed to be terrified, which definitely told Severus it was not Minnie. While Minnie would also be terrified, she would be putting up a fight, bound or not, against Greyback.
Severus realized that these were none other than Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, Harry's friends. Apparently they had found a way into this reality after their friends. And as Severus made that observation, he realized just how much trouble they were in. He had to get them out of the house and the sooner the better. If the Dark Lord discovered who they were, it could lead to the downfall of the Phoenix Flame and then all hope would be lost. Severus realized all this in just a few seconds. He quickly determined there was only one course of action that could work and they definitely would not like it.
Severus pulled an angry mask onto his features and glared at the two friends. They were surprised by the sudden glare but Severus noted they seemed to be used to it. "Thank you Greyback, it would seem you found my missing property."
"Missing property?" Greyback questioned uncertainly. He looked at the two in his possession quickly before looking back at Severus. "What are you talking about Snape? These are the scum who triggered the Taboo."
Severus sighed. Of course they would have. Harry had mentioned to him once that this might be the way they found Ron and Hermione. He wasn't surprised that Harry knew his friends so well, but he was surprised that Severus himself hadn't expected this from the start. "I told you not to say that name!" Severus thundered at them.
For their part, they looked too taken aback to say anything. Greyback, on the other hand, was growing suspicious. "What?"
"I told you Greyback, these are my slaves."
"I wasn't aware you had any."
"They were a recent acquisition." Severus explained tersely as if he wasn't used to explaining himself, which he wasn't.
"Then perhaps you have the ownership papers?"
"They are in my quarters. Now hand them over Greyback." Severus' hand was twitching towards his wand, very slowly and unnoticed as of yet by Flint or Greyback.
"No. They broke the Taboo, the King is supposed to be notified."
"I have already notified him that Taboo has been broken and that you are out searching for the ones that broke it."
"And I found them. Are you going to get the king?"
"No."
"No? Why not?"
"Because you idiot you didn't catch the right one."
"What are you on about?"
"The Taboo was only broken once. Meaning only one person said it. You have two people in front of you there. So either only one of them said it and you hauled in an extra for fun or you don't have the right one at all. Did you even verify that one of them triggered the Taboo?" Severus drawled in annoyance.
"I-I, they were in the right location."
"Oh and you and Flint responded right as the Taboo was broken and you didn't have a few minutes delay did you?"
"What does that matter?" Greyback snarled.
"They probably already moved on from that spot. These two were probably in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"Likely story," Greyback snarled. "You have no idea what you're messing with Snape. This one admitted to being a Weasley and this one," Greyback caressed the side of Hermione's face in a way that made her shiver with fright and Severus had to repress the urge to punch him. "She looks rather a lot like the slave girl that escaped during the rebel escapade at the auction. Perhaps you remember the one I'm talking about? This one was bid on by our King himself."
"I remember that auction Greyback. I also remember the girl in question. You, however, are mistaken. Neither are who you say they are. You seem to have been misled."
"This one," Greyback pulled Ron towards him and caused Hermione to fall to the floor when he pushed her away from him, "did not seem to be lying about his identity."
Severus didn't even answer. It was the opening he was waiting for. Hermione was on the floor, no longer in his direct line of fire and Ron was now between Greyback and Flint, making easy targets of both Death Eaters. Severus' wand was out of his pocket before Greyback had even finished speaking. The werewolf's eyes widened as he realized Severus was about to curse him. "Obliviate! Obliviate!" Severus cried twice. Both Flint and Greyback went glossy eyed as the spell took effect.
Severus pulled Hermione to her feet and pulled Ron towards him. He looked at Greyback and held out his hand. "Thank you for returning my property Greyback. Could you hand me the wands you recovered from them? They stole them from me when they ran away."
"Oh right. Here ya go Snape." Greyback gave Severus their wands which Severus swiftly tucked them into his pocket. Greyback and Flint left the room after Severus gazed coldly at them and then he turned to the two friends. Quickly, Severus cast some spells on both to obscure their identities. When he was done, they were no longer recognizable as Ron and Hermione. The spells wouldn't hold up under close scrutiny but it would do for the trip to his quarters.
He grabbed Ron and Hermione by the arm and dragged them towards his quarters. It was the only safe spot for them at the moment. However, Severus was so occupied with getting them there as fast as he could and not letting them be seen, they realized he was distracted. They both twisted out of his grip at the same time and started running. Unfortunately, they must not have been paying attention very well to which way he was heading because they started going the wrong way. Severus stared after them for a millisecond in shock and then started running after them.
"Stop!" Severus called after them. He pounded after them, silently cursing them for their actions. They continued to run, their hands still bound and presumably under a silencing spell for they had yet to speak. Severus ran after them, his sense of urgency and panic starting to overwhelm him the closer they got to the wing of the home where the Dark Lord resided.
They rounded a corner and what little color Severus had left in his face, drained away. At the end of the hall was His bedroom, but that wasn't the worst of it, He was walking down the hallway, his wand out and pointed at the two idiots. "Wait!" Severus skidded to a halt behind them and quickly inclined his head in a display of submission. At the same time, he kicked the legs out from under Ron and yanked Hermione down as well. "Please my lord, forgive me. These two belong to me. We were playing and it got out of hand. They are new to this manor and do not know what areas to keep out of." Severus quickly explained hoping it would satisfy the Dark Lord.
"Severus, these are yours?" He asked looking uncertainly at Ron and Hermione.
"Yes my lord. I only recently obtained them." Severus answered observing that the Dark Lord's wand was still visible in his hand.
"I did not know you were into that sort of thing." The Dark Lord noted amused as he looked at the ropes around the two.
Severus cast around for a possible explanation but then decided to let the Dark Lord supply the information. "Yes my lord, I- it, I find that it is rather satisfying." He said softly.
"Ah I always thought you would like that sort of thing my friend. But Severus, a male?"
"I-I wanted to experiment my lord." Severus explained knowing that he was probably making Ron and Hermione utterly clueless and uncomfortable.
"And?"
"I-I haven't quite decided yet my lord." Severus answered while grimacing on the inside. He could see that Ron and Hermione were disgusted with the direction of the conversation, but Ron was showing it more than Hermione. Hermione was quaking in terror next to him at the mere sight and sound of the Dark Lord.
"Ah, the foreplay got a bit out of hand did it?" The Dark Lord asked with a smirk on his face.
Severus could only nod and go with it now. "Y-yes my lord."
"Well go back and have fun my friend. But do not allow them out of your quarters from now on. You wouldn't want your fellow Death Eaters the chance to have fun with them."
"No my lord." Severus agreed and started to pull them back down the hallway. They came willingly enough this time.
"Oh and Severus," the Dark Lord called and Severus stopped. "The girl is rather pretty. I may ask you to donate her to me for some time soon. And if you don't like the male, our revel is tomorrow. Perhaps some of our other family will have fun with him if you do not."
The Dark Lord went back into his own chamber leaving Severus feeling disgusted and also filled with a sense of urgency to get them out of there. "Come on." He growled at the two and pulled them back down the hallway towards his quarters. They resisted only a little when they stopped outside his door, but Severus was not going to let a repeat happen. He opened the door and threw the two inside. He quickly closed the door and put up the wards. Most prohibited the act of eavesdropping or dropping in when Severus didn't want company. He added a few others to make sure that no one could open the door without him and no magical means could get through the door when it was closed.
Once the door was sealed, he waved his wand at the two and their appearances turned back to normal, their ropes fell away, and the silencing spell was cancelled. The three looked at each other, calculating and evaluating. Finally Severus decided to start and perhaps they would relax a little. "My name is Severus Snape."
"We know who you are." Ron said a bit harshly. "What the hell is going on here Snape?" He demanded.
Severus sent him his coldest glare in response and then took a deep breath. "How long have you been here?"
"You saw us when we were brought in."
"You misunderstand me. When did you arrive in this reality?" Severus asked.
The two looked at each other in surprise. Severus could tell they were a bit unnerved to realize that he knew they came from an alternate reality. Severus decided to have some fun, after all, they just about got them all killed with their actions a few minutes ago.
"You are Ron and you are Hermione Weasley. You came here after Harry and Ginny Potter because they were pulled into this reality. But you can't have been here very long because you were stupid enough to say the Dark Lord's name which broke the Taboo and sent the Snatchers and Death Eaters out after you. You allowed Greyback of all people to catch you and you tried to run from me when I pretty much confessed I was on your side when I got you from Greyback. I'm surprised Harry got anything done with you two bumbling idiots running around."
"We don't know whose side you're on!" Ron defended. "We saw you here with the other Death Eaters and for all we knew you could be taking us to Vol-."
"DO NOT SAY HIS NAME YOU FOOLISH BOY!" Severus roared standing up. Ron cowered under his fierce anger. Severus calmed down some and then decided to pound it into their thick heads he was on their side and was someone to be trusted. "I do not know what you know about this world, but here are the facts. The Dark Lord is a self proclaimed king here. He rules almost the whole magical world with a hard and cruel fist.
"However, there has always been a resistance to him. At first it was led by Dumbledore and then by Crouch. Dumbledore was killed and Crouch was also killed, but not before he pulled your friend Harry and his wife Ginny into our reality. Harry has started his own resistance against the Dark Lord called the Phoenix Flame. It is the only organization that now stands between the Dark Lord and a complete takeover."
"You already said that he controls the whole magical world."
"I said most." Severus countered.
"Why should we believe you?" Ron demanded unconvinced.
Severus rolled his eyes in response. "You don't think that my act of saving you from the Dark Lord twice now is convincing enough?"
"It could be an elaborate trap." It sounded weak, even to Ron.
Severus snorted. "Please."
"Why can't you just get us out of here? You're on our side right? So prove it."
"I can't just march you out that front door. The manor is on a lockdown of sorts. If I try to leave, and have my two slaves come with me, I'll raise a lot of questions."
"So?"
"So, we'll all be dead if we do it that way. We need to do it differently."
"You need to get us out of here!" Ron demanded.
Severus checked the time and then stood up. "I need to go. I am expected at dinner and I cannot miss it. Please do not try to leave this room. It's safer for us all if you don't."
Hermione nodded while Ron just scuffed. "No promises." He said.
"I can tie you to the bed if you prefer." Severus threatened.
Ron looked ready to say something back to him but Hermione stopped him. She shook her head at him and then looked at Severus. "We won't. I swear." It was the first she had spoken since being brought to the manor.
Severus studied her quickly to make sure she was sincere and then nodded curtly. "I'll be back soon." Severus left the room and warded the door again. The whole way to dinner Severus tried to think of a way to get them out of the Manor. Obviously, contacting Harry would be one of the first things he did when they got back. Perhaps he could come up with a way that would be better than anything Severus had thought of. As he got closer to the dining room, he emptied his head of his thoughts and focused on his mental shields. He took a deep breath before entering the room, trying to steady himself so that he could bear to be at the same table as the Dark Lord.
~RP~
Dinner had gone much longer than Severus expected and he was concerned about his two guests in his quarters. He knew they promised they wouldn't try to leave but perhaps they got stir crazy and trashed his quarters. It would be something he'd do if he were locked in a room with very little information. But perhaps they were better behaved than that. They were, after all, Harry's friends. They should be somewhat used to this kind of thing. That was Severus' thought as he reached for his doorknob. He took down the wards quickly and then entered the room. What he saw made him stop in his tracks.
Before him, were Ron and Hermione, but not the way he left him. Ron was curled into a fetal position on the floor, his hands clutching his head and tears streaming down his face from his eyes that were clenched closed. Hermione was sitting with her back against the wall and her arms hugging her knees. Her eyes were wide open but she was staring unseeing at the room around her. Tears were also running unchecked down her face. They were both screaming, but apparently silencing spells had been put on them so they emitted no sound.
Severus took out his wand and was about to reverse the effects when he heard high pitched laughter behind him. Slowly Severus turned his face full of dread. He knew who that was and he was not happy to see him. Pettigrew stood there, a wide smile on his face.
"What the fuck are you doing here?" Severus growled out. He was so mad that sparks shot from his wand.
Pettigrew noticed this with a frown but his eyes were still twinkling with madness. "Oh Severus," Severus noted the use of first name with surprise. "We were having a wonderful chat. You see the King mentioned to me that you got some new toys and I wanted to see them. You really should be careful when you leave your room, any old rat could get in. You're lucky it was just little old me."
Severus closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. That was not good. It meant that Pettigrew was locked in here with Ron and Hermione for as long as he was at dinner. Depending on what time Pettigrew had decided to reveal himself, he could possibly know a lot now. "And rats know better than to stay out of my room. Bad things happen to them."
"Yes well now bad things are going to happen to you Severus. You're a spy. And a spy for someone that is friends with these two, none the less. Tell me, is it embarrassing to be spying for a twenty year old brat? Or does the fact that he's Lily's child change things?"
"You can't be serious Pettigrew." Severus said slowly and softly. "You are foolish if you are going to believe anything these two say."
"Oh really? What are you going to do Severus? Mind wipe me like you did to Greyback and Flint? I doubt you'll get the chance. I have learned quite a bit about you and this mysterious Harry Potter. Both of which I'm sure the King would like to know. I can't believe you've been a spy all this time and we didn't see it. Now that I think about it, it should have been obvious when Lily was threatened."
"But you and no one else believed it. When we were all kicked out of Hogwarts, you thought I was on your side like everyone else. Now that you know the truth, what are you going to do about it Pettigrew? You can't leave this room unless I open the door and the only way that is going to happen is over my dead body." Severus hated Pettigrew with a passion. The rat had been the one who told the Dark Lord where the Potters were. They suspected it to be true, but he couldn't actually tell them one way or the other due to the nature of his spying and the oaths he had taken.
Because of Pettigrew, Lily and James had lost their Harry. Severus had almost lost Lily as well. She couldn't see anything to live for without Harry but between himself, James, Remus, and even Sirius, they got her to see that she had a life that was worth living. However, even though she had healed, Lily had not truly gone back to herself. Not until Harry and Ginny showed up that is. Through this Harry, Lily got to know the son she was robbed of. And through Lily, he got to know the parents he was robbed of. Without knowing it, they healed each other. Severus saw it whenever he managed to slip away for meetings. Lily and James were the fun loving, caring, and ambitious couple they had been, now more than ever.
For his part, Pettigrew was afraid of James and Lily, and even Sirius and Remus to some extent, but he was not afraid of Severus. He thought Severus was on his side, or he had up until a little bit ago. That was his first mistake.
"Severus, you threatening me? You think you and I are going to duel? No, you are going to come with me to the Dark Lord and you are going to spill your guts. Then we'll have the rest of the Death Eaters access to these two," he gestured at Ron and Hermione, "but first I'm sure He'll want to see them."
"You are so naïve Pettigrew. You're not leaving here alive." Severus spat before he started the duel.
Pettigrew was on the defensive from the start. Severus and Pettigrew whirled and ducked, but only Pettigrew was forced to dodge and dive from the spells they cast spells at one another. Pettigrew was so focused on Severus that he didn't notice the spells he had cast on the other two lifted. However, they were too drained to do anything other than watch. Severus' wand was a blur of activity as he cast spells at Pettigrew. Pettigrew quickly realized he was not going to win this. Severus was far too determined and fast to let him go. He did the only option he believed he had left. Pettigrew transformed to his rat Animagus so that he could find a spot to hide.
Severus knew his plan the moment he started the transformation. Pettigrew became the rat and started to run. "OH NO YOU DON'T! REDUCTO!" Severus' spell hit the rat dead center. Severus cringed a little at the mess that was made but he knew it was the only way, not to mention he felt relieved that his secret was still safe and that Pettigrew was dead. He turned to the other two who were watching him with wide eyes. He could see it in their faces, they trusted him now. Severus snorted; it only took the death of Peter Pettigrew for that to happen.
Severus cringed at the alarms that were going off and knew he had to move quickly. There was no time to call Harry or to formulate an elaborate plan. He had to get them out of here now and there was only one way to do that. Severus withdrew their wands from his pocket and held them out to the two. They took them with shaking hands.
"You just killed him." Hermione squeaked in surprise, her eyes gazing at the sight that was Pettigrew.
"It was him or us. And believe me, no one is going to miss the rat." Severus answered casting an extra locking charm at his door. It would only hold for a few moments. He crossed to a shelf where he kept a few emergency potions, hidden from view by spells. At his touch, they fell, revealing the bottles. He quickly selected one, uncorked it and held it out to Hermione.
"Drink. It'll help you." He directed. Hermione nodded and quickly took a few gulps before Severus held out a hand for it. She gave it back and he held it out to Ron who took it after glaring at Severus for a moment. When Ron had taken a few gulps as well, Severus took back the bottle and put it back under the spells. Then he bent down, picking up Pettigrew's wand from the floor, before turning around and tossing it to Ron. "You need to cast a dehabilitating spell at me." Severus ordered.
Ron and Hermione looked at each other in surprise and then shook their heads. "No. We are all leaving together. Come on," Ron started to cross for the door and Severus stopped him.
"If I'm not found here than my cover will be blown and my usefulness will be over. For the plan to work, I must stay! You two need to get out of here, now."
"We aren't leaving you." Hermione said echoing Ron.
"We don't have time to argue!" Severus snapped at the idiotic Gryffindors. "Do it!" Severus growled looking at Ron.
Ron shrugged, a slight panicked expression on his face. "I don't know any."
"And you three saved the world in your reality?" Severus tone of voice conveyed his skepticism and his disbelief. "Use diffindo with the thoughts of maiming my leg."
"I can't do that!" Ron objected.
Pounds on Severus' door interrupted anything that Severus was going to say. He looked at Ron. "Do it now or we all die." He hissed. The charms on the door would keep them from being overheard but it felt natural to speak softer now.
Ron had no choice so he did like Severus wanted. He cast the diffindo spell as Severus had directed. The spell did like it was intended and Severus couldn't help but emit a hiss of pain. Ron had done too good a job, Severus' leg was maimed but also broken.
"Here." Severus hissed holding out his portkey necklace Harry had given him. "Take it. It's a portkey."
Hermione's hand closed on Severus and felt the warm metal between her fingers. It was obviously a necklace, and there were spells on it so that only Severus could see it because even though she was holding it, she still couldn't see it. "We need to go outside for a portkey." Hermione pointed out nervously.
Severus just gave her a pointed glare. He had positioned himself next to his bookcase when Ron cast the spell so all he had to do was reach next to him and tilt the correct book, a Sherlock Holmes novel. A secret passageway was revealed as the door was thumped on again. "Go. It'll get you out of the wards."
He took his hand off and the door began to close, giving the two no choice but to dive inside. The door closed just as Severus' door was broken down. Ron had dropped Pettigrew's wand near the blood spatter so it looked convincing. As the Dark Lord was first to enter, Severus could only silently thank his lucky stars that they had gotten out of there.
"Severus? What has happened? Are you alright?" The Dark Lord actually sounded concerned about him Severus noted with some amusement.
"Pettigrew was hiding in my quarters so he could have some fun with my slaves. I discovered him in here after dinner, my slaves were brutally beaten. He tried to kill me when I walked in, I had no choice but to retaliate."
"Your leg, is that because of Peter?" The Dark Lord asked bending down to inspect Severus' leg.
Severus nodded and winced as the Dark Lord's long cold fingers prodded his broken leg. "Yes my lord. He was trying to kill me. I had no choice but to kill him myself."
"And what happened to your slaves?" The Dark Lord asked standing up.
"They were hit by a spell Pettigrew aimed at them. They were transported away, but they were so grievously hurt, I think they're already dead."
"I'm sorry Severus, we'll have to get you some new ones soon. Lucius!" Lucius stepped up and bowed to the Dark Lord.
"My lord?"
"Go and get the healer and have her tend to Severus here."
"Yes my lord." Lucius nodded and left Severus' quarters.
"My lord, what about Pettigrew?" Bella asked from the doorway. She was watching Severus with suspicious eyes.
"What about him?" The Dark Lord asked raising an eyebrow. Everyone was clear what that meant, Peter Pettigrew was no more and Severus would not get into trouble for killing one of their own because he was defending his property. The Dark Lord left and soon everyone was gone. The healer came and went and Severus was glad to know that the Weasley boy had not done any permanent damage to him. He re-established his wards around his door and fell onto his bed, drained from the evening's activities and fervently hoping that nothing else major fell into his lap anytime soon.