{Disclaimer:  The Harry Potter World was created by J.K. Rowling and rights are owned by, but not limited to Warner Brothers and Scholastic Books.  I, therefore, own no parts of this, save for the characters that are parts of my own imagination, mostly including Andromeda McGee and Wyvern}

Chapter 23

I Am Invincible!

**We are the dead- George Orwell 1984**

Sirius rubbed his bleary eyes.  The words on the second year essays were fusing together into black blobs.  Why had he ever let Andy convince him to do this?  Curse her for being able to persuade him into doing almost anything.  She had agreed to grade the third year essays on the effects of Belladona in sleeping potions, which was a much longer assignment.  He went back to reading the almost illegible hand writing of the Hufflepuff's paper he was grading and gave up.  It was almost impossible to do.  Sirius placed his head in his hand and closed his eyes.

"You will have to learn how to do it eventually."

"I know, Remus.  Some of these kids seemed to have learned how to write from a full grown mountain troll."

"For once, I understand completely what you are saying, though it is the reason why I prefer to teach them by hands on experience."

"I do teach them hands on, but there is only so much that can be learned from that.  Some of the things on the O.W.L.S. these days are impossible to teach without notes and research.  We didn't even have to know as much!"

"You could find ways around that."

"How?"

Remus shook his head.  "Think about it.  You're talking about potions here.  I know I'm far from an expert on it, but you can do more with hands on brewing techniques than the essays or you could get Andy to do the hands on stuff, since she knows just a bit more than you do."

"Hey!  I resent that!"

"She does, though.  You went off to your Auror College and she went on to a Potions Laboratory project."

"Point taken.  Where is she by the way?"

"I don't know, probably torturing Snape some more."

"I don't know what she sees in him."  Sirius pulled out the Marauder's Map from his desk.

"How'd you get that back?  I thought Harry had it."

"I asked him to borrow it for a few days.  I want to make a copy of it, some how."

Remus gave his friend a dubious look.  "Do you remember how long it took us to make the one?"

"I know.  I wanted to try, just for old time's sake."  Sirius pointed his wand at the Map.  "I solemnly swear I am up to no good."

The Marauder's Map focused to the halls of Hogwarts.  Remus peered over Sirius's shoulder finding the dot labeled 'Andromeda McGee'.  "There she is, in the infirmary."

"Probably Snape taunting again, like was said.  I think she gets great pleasure from bating him while he's incapable of hitting back.  A low blow, yes, but effective none the less.  I would have done the same thing save for the fact it would turn to physical blows no matter what state of being the bastard's in."

The two watched intently as the dots traced a path around the room.  They saw the dot with Andy's name on it seated next to the one labeled 'Severus Snape.'  And then both dots disappeared.

"What the hell?  Where'd they go?"

"I don't know.  Invisibility cloaks show up on the Map.  They must have disappeared."

"But no one can apparate out of Hogwarts!"

"I realize that, Padfoot.  That leaves the option of Port Key."

"But why?"

Remus shrugged, still intently staring at the Map.  "I don't know, but I have a feeling Dumbledore should be notified of this."

"All right, let's go.  I don't want Andy getting hurt again."

Both Remus and Sirius walked up to Dumbledore's office.  "Blood Pops."  The gargoyle leaped aside, giving way to the door with the griffin knocker.  Sirius rapped on the door.

"Come in."

The two entered the room, Sirius still clutching the Map.

"Good evening, Sirius, Remus.  What can I do for you?"

"It's about Andy.  We think she disappeared."

Dumbledore raised a bushy eye brow over his half moon glasses.  "And how did you come by this conclusion?"

"This," Sirius handed the Map to Dumbledore.  "I wanted to see where she ran off to.  We saw her in the infirmary with Snape, then all of the sudden both dots that represented them were gone."

"Are you certain that they were there before?"

"Yes, they were.  The Map can tell location of all people at Hogwarts, even if they're invisible.  Neither Andy nor Snape are currently residing at Hogwarts."

Dumbledore steepled his fingers on his desk top.  "I suggest you check the infirmary.  In fact, I shall accompany you.  I was wishing to pay a visit to Severus tonight any way.  Come."  The Head Master led them to the infirmary and into Snape's room.  Like the Map said, it was completely deserted save for the cat curled up on the chair.

"That's Andy's cat," Sirius spoke in a voice that wished the Map had been wrong.  "It follows her everywhere."

Remus with his inhumanly sharp eyes noticed a piece of paper on the floor.  He picked up and read it swiftly.  "You should hear this.  'This is your Port Key to you know where.  Please use it when the time comes.'  Interesting, isn't it?"

"You were right, Remus, it was a Port Key."

"That explains why neither of them is here now.  I suppose we shall have to wait until they return."

"What makes you think that they'll return?"

"They will come back," Dumbledore said gravely, honestly hoping he was correct.

Forty eight hours later, somewhere far, far away…

Forty eight hours, though considered by some, is never a short period of time.  In fact, given the correct circumstances, it can seem endless.  A second can turn into an eternity without warning and that eternity can last forever.

Andy paced the perimeter of the room, giving an impression that a mad scientist would have been proud of.  Her eyes were red rimmed from stress and lack of sleep, hair looked to have lost a battle with an egg beater.  She raked her hand through it, making the locks more disheveled than they already were.

"Sit down, McGee, before your dig a rut in the floor."

Andy spun around quickly, almost losing her balance.  She sat down hard on the end of a table.  "Is that better?" she snapped, temper having been lost at the beginning of the escapade.

"Much," Snape went back to writing.

"How can you stay calm in a situation like this?"

"Practice and patience."

"Damn serpent," Andy began to swing her legs restlessly.

"I cannot help what I am."

"It's ironic, that's all.  In the Chinese culture the snake symbolizes patience."

"And why is that useful?"

"It's not supposed to be useful.  It's just a random tidbit of information found in a book."

Two plates of food appeared on the table, thanks to Lord Voldemort's numerous house elves.  Snape slid his closer to his side and began to methodically devour the pot roast.  He hadn't been able to eat a full meal in days, given his prior condition.  Andy poked at hers with a fork as if she fully expected it to spring alive and devour her in one bite.

"It won't kill you."

"How do you know?"

"Because if he wanted us dead, he would have killed us before now."

"So?  It might be poisoned."

"He wouldn't kill you until after he gets the potion."

"That's encouraging.  I might have a chance of dying tonight any way," a hint of acidic sarcasm was easily detected in her tone.

"Yes, that is a possibility."

"Oh joy.  Cheers, then, to the night."  Andy raised a piece of meat impaled on the fork and stuck it in her mouth.

A few minutes later an ordinary looking egg timer went off.  Instead of minutes, it timed days.  "It's done, completed finished, et cetera and so forth."  Andy hopped off the table and carefully poured the remaining contents of the cauldron into a small glass vial. She held it up to light, checking the final color.  It was the shade of green connected to long summer days, lying in the sun on a thick, lush lawn.  "And now we see what happens."

"I hope you know what you're doing."

"So do I."

For a third and hopefully final time, they made their way into Voldemort's throne room once again led by the ever watching guard.

"You have my potion?" the Dark Lord hissed from the gloom surrounding his throne.

"We do, Master."

"Give it to me."  Andy handed the container over.  Lord Voldemort uncorked it and swallowed the entire contents.  A greenish radioactive glow encapsulated him then faded from existence.  "I am invincible!"

Had not the situation involved a psychopathic evil overlord that might kill her in the end, Andy would have found it hilarious.

"You have redeemed yourself, Severus.  For the time being, I shall no longer have to kill you."

"Thank you, Master."

Voldemort turned his serpentine head toward Andy.  "But you, Miss McGee, have caused me to suffer these last years rather painfully.  Yes, you did see my point in the end.  You shall have to pay for your disobedience.  Electrocrucio!"

Andy collapsed on the carpet, blue waves of energy rippling across her body like a powerful electric current.  Voldemort watched for a moment to make certain she was truly suffering.  "Finite Incantatem.  Now get out of my sight, both of you."  With a quick wave of his wand, Voldemort banished both Snape and Andy.

Snape felt the familiar blackness fade to dull twilight.  All around him were tress blackened with age and disease.  He knew this place well; the Forbidden Forest, about a mile outside the castle.  If he followed the right trails he would live.  If he didn't, he might be lost forever.  He started off to the east and paused.  He was forgetting something, or someone to be a matter of fact.  He glanced around the area.  On a pile of leaves lay a crumpled body.  Snape jogged over to her, bending down to see if she was still living.  She moaned softly, showing she was, though just barely.

"God damn it, McGee, we don't have time for this.  Get up!"

Andy made no response.

"Come on, we can't stay here.  It's late and there are creatures in these woods that even I can't handle."

She mumbled incoherently under her breath as something howled in the distance.

Snape gently bushed the hair away from her face.  Her skin felt cool to touch.  Sweat beaded out on her forehead.  "You can't do this to me, McGee."  He took her arms over on shoulder, hooking her legs with the opposite arm.  She felt to light for her small frame and his comfort.  "You had better not die on me."

A small voice muttered weakly in his ear.  "Go to hell, Sev."

At least he knew she wasn't too far gone if she could still insult him.  Snape began to run, glad of the strength the Merlin's Potion had lent him.  He could feel every jolt of every step he took.  Every rock was an obstacle.  He could not let her down, not after all she had done for him.  Andy bounced lightly on his back becoming more of a burden with every foot closer he came to Hogwarts.  She had started out a feather, slowly ebbing away his strength top make her seem heavier.  He broke out of the forest, breath coming in sort rasps and Hogwarts Castle in full view.  Never had something seemed so dear to him.

"McGee, I have to set you down for a moment.  I'm losing my grip."  Snape inhaled deeply and wiped the perspiration away from his eyes.  There was no hair for it to saturate.  It had all been burned off by the dragon.  "We're going to try something else.  I need you to hold on to me."  He picked her up, carefully placing her arms around his neck.  "Grab tightly."  He felt a feeble squeeze as he scooped the rest of her into his arms.  Gods, was she tiny.  Andy laid her head on his shoulder unseen tears of agony soaking his robes like a gentle rain.  Snape hurried into the castle, robes billowing out behind him.

"Who's there?  A student out of bed at this late hour?" the bitter voice of Argus Filch echoed in the empty hall.

"It's Severus.  I need to get to the infirmary now."

Filch held up his lantern, eying warily the sobbing bundle in Snape's arms.  "Go on, man."

He took the stairs to the infirmary two at a time, an easy task with his long legs.  The door was thrown open with a solid kick.  Andy was swiftly laid on the bed he had inhabited a few days earlier.  Madame Pomfrey was no where in sight.  She must have gone to sleep, judging by the lack of motion in the hospital wing.  Obviously no students were in grave medical conditions at the moment.

Snape glanced down at Andy as another flash of blue light shook her fragile body.  He wished he could do something to help her.  All he could think of was an all purpose healing potion.  There was some in one of his laboratories if no one had moved it.  He hoped they hadn't.  Snape rushed down to the dungeons, a specter in the gloomy darkness.  He reached the door to the lab, remembering when McGee had first come down here.  The potion he had told her to create was the all purpose healing potion he was looking for.  A few vials of it lay on the shelf nearby.  He scooped them up, racing back to where his injured charge slept.  How ironic it was that the first potion he had her make was the one that might save her life.

Andy hadn't changed much by the time he reentered the infirmary room.  She was shivering, shaking with sobs of pain.  What ever Voldemort had done to her, he had done it to cause extreme agony.  Snape placed a thick blanket over her.  He sat next to her on the bed, gently supporting her upper body in his arms.  "This should help."  He poured the contents of one vial down her throat.  She coughed lightly, not up to swallowing much after the curse.  She snuggled her head into his shoulder, tears still flowing from her eyes.  He pulled her into him.  All he could do was comfort her.  There was nothing else to be done.  It was all he could do to wait with her until it was over.

{Author's Note:  Oh, my!  I have got to stop writing these things around midnight or later.  The beginning part of this was inspired by one of my faithful readers, Anna Black, who suggested it in an e-mail.  Go and read her stuff.  She has some great Harry Potter stories.  The "I resent that!" comment I could not resist in putting it in.  It comes from a friend of mine.  Some of you know who it is (Jess, Jackie, Patti).  For the others, don't worry about it.  I did say things would get much more interesting and they have.  The electrocrucio curse, in my imagination, is something akin to Sith Lightening (i.e. the stuff the Emperor used on Luke and Darth Vader at the end of Return of the Jedi.)  I have a slight Star Wars obsession, so be warned. 

WeasleyTwinsLover1112:  I'm not exactly sure what this is.  It was originally Andy/ Sirius, but, well, I can't exactly explain it without ruining half the plot line.  But Snape has his moment, I will assure you that.

Hope you enjoyed it!  Peace, Love, and Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies, Nataly Ravenlock}