A/N: Hi guys, sorry for the long wait. Let's just say...life stuff. A whole lot of life stuff. Regardless here is a new chapter and I hope to have another out soon!


Chapter 14: Hopeful Oxymoron
By BelovedWithKindness

"What's wrong?" Lee asked all of a sudden and the pair of red heads paused unable to muster an answer. They'd started speaking the previous night and concluded in their morning talking to Lee, mending a friendship and explaining the whole crazy issue that they barely understood themselves. Luckily the truth of an unwanted Love Potion made their actions understandable and all was forgiven, even if the boy was a little sore regarding his crush' direction and method of affections. But it was after the madness of yesterday that all had been set aside and when class started that Lee started to see his friends clearly stressed and by lunchtime he was worried.

"Wh…what do you mean?" Tried George in a bafflingly distracted display and neither twin ate lunch with any appetite. They looked scared. "Did you just stutter?" Lee replied, his tone calm but blunt. What had gotten into them? They'd went from a little tense, to him not being able to find them for second period, to an almost sickly feeling and as a friend he was deeply concerned.

A silence hung between them and for a moment the pair wondered if they could share the details of their relationship, but they had no mind for it, they weren't calm enough to be patient as someone came to terms with just who they were dating. So Fred said what he could "Sorry, its just…the guy we're dating…nobody knows where he is."

"What?" came a concerned reply but no further words came, only waiting for anything further. "Hopefully he'll just turn up, he's older so nobody home waiting up but he hasn't turned up to work…he's likely ok, we don't really want to talk about it but that's why we're out of sorts".

"Okay, jeez, hope he turns up, and soon" Lee sympathised, no wonder they looked so awful. "Does he do this often or…?"

"It's not the first time" George answered "…but it's complicated". And with that Lee left it and just encouraged them to eat and tried to take their minds off of it, and was kind when they couldn't.

Severus hadn't turned up to school, the concerning thing was that Albus hadn't been informed at all, even if the summoning had been harsh he usually sent something. No one had heard from hims since last night and he still was no where to be seen and no further communications. Their usual pang of concern loomed over them but with an added punch to the gut at its swift nature, especially after the previous nights chaos, but they waited diligently, nothing else they could do even after skipping second period to check all the places they thought he could be if returned. Something felt wrong and so they were extremely restless, just hoping any moment that they would see him back and safe.


A trap. It had to come eventually. Since Severus had arrived for the 'meeting' he'd been ambushed and accused of, well, the truth, and quickly it had become clear no amount of acting skills would convince them otherwise. Upon arrival Severus had been cornered and punished, there must have been a mole in The Order for them to realise his disloyalty with such certainty. He'd managed to take out several Death Eaters before being suppressed, not a shabby number either which was something at least. Though it may just have made them even more pissed off.

In a rare moment of quiet since he had arrived for the 'meeting', battered and bleeding, he did think if he would have preferred he be caught like this before he had gotten close to the twins; before they'd come to care for him, before he could have more faces to put with regrets of not enough time spent with them. But it made no difference, life's cruelty never failed to outdo itself and he had to deal with it; right here, right now.

He'd been bound to a seat, wrapped in a similar beastly plant to the snare, impressively they had a creature he hadn't known of, but every wriggle and it tightened terribly and his wand was missing now, either stolen or broken. Given how skilled Severus was they were right to be severe, though he wasn't sure why he was still alive at all, except perhaps to draw out information.

Realistically he wasn't getting out of this. But he knew that. He knew that long before this trap actually sprung. Never having believed he would survive the war, never thought of his life after the war…only recently wanting to. And he'd believed it would happen many times before, when great threat loomed, yet he had never felt like this. His mind filled with images of the twins, both of moments had and times they wouldn't get, yet so clearly. He supposed that was a symptom of 'hope', however futile it may be, for the first time in a long time it was there in his chest. Hope in Severus Snape felt like a cruel oxymoron, he had no escape, he had no reason to think he would survive this, but he wanted to.

It had been hours, he had no idea what time it was but the twins were likely worried, and he felt guilty that they would feel so much for the doomed man, their relationship so unknown they outdent even be considered worth taunting with his corpse. The news would be as though nothing ever happened between them, maybe a sympathetic Albus or a motherly Molly but beyond that, he just felt wrong wi be causing them any pain.

The vines around him squeezed and he realised he'd been moving, this creature with thorns making him grimace as some broke the skin through his clothes. He had to remain calm…or just have the vines strangle and crush him to death, given the dark lord's love for slow torture it wasn't a bad idea. Still some idiotic need to try his luck won out and he kept still.

The room was dark with brick walls and no windows, he knew it had to be some hiding place belonging to one of his many followers, the dark lord wouldn't have many of his prime areas that the Slytherin couldn't name and hence possibly try to use to his advantage, it was probably someones cellar or cabin or something, anything inconspicuous yet private and charmed to hell.

He heard someone first, faint light entering the dull room a moment after, and he fought against every urge to turn and look to the side where the stairs were for fear of being constricted further. The clack of heels and that irritating cackle made him want to end everything now, Bellatrix, here for her turn.

Slowly, savouring every step, she walked around the room, floor creaking and echoing against the cold walls until eventually she stood feet in front of him with a gross smirk. "I wish I could say I'm surprised, I do wish someone had told me straight away you were here…like this…looks like others have already had some fun" referring to the blood and bruises, the usually immaculately kept wizard with tears in clothes and under those deadly vines likely broken bones.

He didn't answer, knowing anything he could contribute would only make her violent, specifically the truth was she was unpleasant company and could get overly excited hence why she was only recently told. She wouldn't like hearing that. He kind of wanted to say it now.

"I never did trust you, Snape, as you very well know" Bellatrix boasted, like a big 'told you so' to nobody listening, glad to be top dog for once - always envious of Snape's position with 'her master'. She was one of the people jealous of every bit of abuse, or as she called it 'affection', from the Dark Lord, every bit of praise or inclusion made her boil with envy. "Some delicious things I've been told lately" she said in an entertained tone, no doubt her eager nature loving every detail of his exposing "nothing more yummy than the ugly truth, right traitor?"

"You mean like your own desperation?" He couldn't help it, something had to give, and although the voice he heard was very unlike his own, dry and weak this time she heard the words loud and clear.

Without hesitation she pointed her want and began a choking spell, Severus caught between struggling for air and trying not to anger the vines holding him prisoner, a warning "silence scum" from her painted lips before keeping him under her spell for an agonising minute. Severus only able to stay calm through knowing she wouldn't have permission to kill him. Upon release he was careful not to pant too harshly so his chest wouldn't be constricted, he was already exhausted from the day before, not drunk anymore but rough and for his earlier torture and unable to risk sleeping in the confines of the creature any mental energy he spared was draining to the soul.

Lestrange visibly cooled off from his comment, only proving to him further that she had not been given permission and it bothered her. No doubt she might have been hoping to take his spot of importance, to at least be given the responsibility and honour of dealing with such a pest, but not, she was still sam old Bella and nothing changed for her. He decided not to think on it, but prepared to be tortured a little further by the pathetic death eater even if only for her own venting. Besides, if there was any chance of him getting out of there, to which his head told him to forget and his heart told him to at least try, he would need his energy.


Classes finished for the day and the twins didn't even pretend to pay attention or play it cool, they were concerned and it showed. Every couple minutes concerned friends and girls asked how they were and after long they stopped answering. Something was wrong, they could feel it. They were desperately trying to distinguish between their own want to see him safe and a very real feeling of dread, Severus' teachings on Legilimency and Occlumency having them question just what was within them and what might be picked up from their beloved.

Immediately the pair headed to the Headmaster's office to no answers, flooing to his home again they found no one, returning to Hogwarts the dungeon was also empty of their favourite person, Severus had let them in a couple of times and just added them to the few to pass through his barriers, they checked his desk and no messages had been left . Nothing. Just gone.

They had continued to wonder why Severus sent no message, he was unlikely to have unexpected death eater company watching his every move within Hogwarts, if the summoning was demanding he would have asked an elf. But Albus had said nothing had been sent. Deciding to investigate the pair made their way to the kitchens and while several sheepishly said they couldn't sneak them any extras for dinner they just smiled tiredly and started their questioning.

They were aware that Severus was rather nice to house elves and many might become overly concerned if they explained too much so they just asked if any had seen the professor around? All shook their heads, "do you know who was the last to see him?" Fred asked, hoping they might be of some help.

"Is Master Severus alright?" asked one elf, quickly followed by another "Has no one seen the Professor?" with concern and a small flurry of worry voiced itself and putting on a reassuring voice from somewhere not unlike a brave faced parent to young children George soothed them "The Professor is just fine, I'm sure he's just buried in his work somewhere but we would very much like to find him." The murmur turned more curious than scared and both brothers sighed in relief, Fred then pushing their investigation further with "was anyone summoned last night? Or early this morning by the Professor?"

And all of a sudden, like some shining light in darkness they heard a helpful answer of "oh, umm Mipsy was young sirs!"

Looking to each other they steadied their hearts, it could be nothing, he may have only ordered food or something light but it was something, "Mipsy?"

A few started to nod, "yes young sirs, last night, rather late." George nodded and asked "do you know where she is?"

The elves looked around and no one answered, so she wasn't around either? "Ok" Fred resigned and tried to summon this Mipsy, several times he tried and…nothing. She wouldn't appear. A sinking feeling made the twins want to holler but they kept their heads for now. "What does she look like?"

Bit by bit the elves offered their descriptions and they gathered that she was "littler than regular little", "always wears a yellow bow but bright yellow like a really yellowy yellow thing" and her "hair in really bushy bunches." Feeling exhausted from their investigation, they thanked the helpful but dizzying elves and bid farewell.

Speedily the brothers made their way down hallways, ignoring the odd professor or ghost telling them no running in the halls, intending to go straight to talk to Albus and to try and find their shred of a lead. However as they walked down one quiet hallway they knew was a shortcut form he kitchens to the office they found themselves yelled at by none other than the squib Filch.

"Oi, gingers!" came the charming call and they knew better than to mess with the caretaker so slowed their pace and answered, "yeah Filch?" The old man was crouched by one of the many cupboards in the abandoned corridor, lantern in hand and seemingly examining something gross, as a caretaker that was his domain but as they moved closer their blood ran cold.

"Tell the headmaster I gots a dead elf over 'ere, not sure what's got 'er but best I don't let some pesky student step on her by accident…"

Their bright eyes fell upon the tiny unmoving body, their breath catching in their throats and feeling the sudden urge to vomit, they saw the tiny body, the bunched hair although messy matted with blood they were there and with a bit yellow bow. Mipsy.

"Oh fuck…"