By Maven Cree
Chapter 1: The Stalemate of Pride(Four Years Earlier)
He'd been summoned to a very remote area just outside Northumberland. A dark castle in a thick wood, hidden from muggle eyes and curiosity. Voldemort had sent him there to join his fellow Death Eaters in guarding a new prisoner. Severus knew that it must be a prisoner of some importance for someone in the inner circle to be standing guard. He hadn't heard any reports of anyone going missing in the past few weeks. No one of significance to the war that is. Four witches and six wizards had disappeared in the past month. Seven of them had been found… dead. But these were simple people who lead normal wizarding lives. They weren't key or even minor figures in the war against Voldemort. Severus knew that their deaths had been pointless. A simple exercise in can-do, will-do.
Whoever it was that was being kept in this remote place must have been key to Voldemort. They were more than likely suffering beyond anything they had ever experienced before. They would probably be dead within a week. Severus would find a way to free them if he could. Or he would make their suffering end more quickly if he could. But he could not expose his position of double agent. Hopefully only he, or maybe another would be the only ones of the inner circle present. Underlings… Death Eaters of lesser importance were terrified by the inner circle, and thereby easier to control. If it were possible, this would make getting whomever was in there, out of there, much easier.
The massive stone doors of the castle opened upon his approach. He did not see anyone else until he was deep within the bowels of the dark fortress.
It was then, any idea of aiding an escape left him.
"Severus, old friend," McNair drolled, "Welcome to the party."
Professor Snape had entered a rather large and unexpectedly comfortable sitting room. It's occupants, seven fellow Death Eaters… all from Voldemort's inner circle.
Snape kept his face impassive. "A very select party I see," he replied flatly.
"Yes, yes, we have quite a prize down below. Our Master honours us with such a task."
"And who, prey is the cause of this great honour?"
"I'd be happy to show you. Would you care for a drink, first or are you still clinging to that tired practice of yours of remaining immaculately sober?"
"My wand works best on a clear mind, McNair. And if this prize is as important as it appears to be…"
"Point taken. Come along then," McNair motioned for Severus to follow. Nott and Bennings also followed.
"Everyday, our Lord sends another of the circle." McNair said, leading them down a steep stone stairway. "Understandable, I suppose. He can only be missing for so long, before someone notices. It shouldn't be very long now. We've had him for over a week."
"Someone of this import has been gone a week and no one has noticed?" Snape asked.
"Well, those who were supposed to be watching him couldn't be rid of him fast enough," McNair said.
The small group reached the dark dungeons of the castle. The dungeons of Hogwarts, while they would always be dungeons were much more… hospitable… than these accommodations. Most of the wall area was wet and often slime covered. There was a foul odour that permeated everything. The dampness slicked the skin beneath his robes.
McNair reached the only cell with a closed door. He waved his wand at it several times dispelling the powerful wards which guarded it.
"Besides, Severus," he continued swinging the door open. Magical torches lit themselves at their presence. "You didn't notice, and you were his teacher."
Even with all his years of spying and acting and pretending, Severus could not hide the look of surprise on his face. He took a step forward. The boy's back was to them, but Snape would know that unruly mop of hair anywhere.
"Potter?" he breathed in disbelief.
Lying on his side on the filthy floor was a very dirty, very naked Harry Potter. The boy's only movement was his low breathing.
He turned back to McNair. "How? Dumbledore had wards even I couldn't break…"
"A Persian flaw. Dumbledore has a little too much faith in his own aging abilities. Simply put, he forgot something."
As McNair smirked, Snape silently ground his teeth and turned back to the boy. He did a visual inspection of his injuries, while trying to keep the look of indifference on his face. The boy had been beaten. Healing track marks painted his back, the telltale marks of some sort of whip. Avery, who had remained in upstairs in the sitting room, was rather fond of the short-whip and carried one within his robes at all times.
McNair and Bennings had their own vices. And it was evident that one or both of them had expressed their taste for young boys, by the drying trail of blood along Potter's inner thigh. Nott just like to watch.
It took every ounce of self-restraint for Severus not to turn and set all three on fire… permanently.
"I see you've been indulging yourselves," he managed silkily through gritted teeth.
"Our only instructions are to keep him here and alive. Aside from than that, our Lord doesn't care how we pass the time. In fact I'm sure he'd prefer it if the little prat were suffering. Care to take a turn?"
"No thank you," he said tightly.
"Really, Severus, you must learn to enjoy yourself more," McNair sneered. He stood beside Snape, looking down at the young Gryffindor. "Though this one did manage to take some of the fun out of it. No matter what we did to him, he wouldn't scream. Bennings even used an engorgement charm on himself. That just made the little bastard pass out."
Snape turned on his heal and headed for the door, before he did something that would get both he and Potter killed.
"I've no interest in your perversions McNair. I'll be upstairs with the others."
The three Death Eaters caught up with him (after re-setting the wards) halfway up the stone steps.
"We're finished with him for the day. It's always a little better when he's had a chance to heal some."
Snape sighed. "Whatever keeps you interested, McNair."
It was going to be a very long night.
*~*~*~*~*
While the other Death Eaters took their turns resting, Severus spent the night casually siphoning information from them.
It went without saying that this would be his last night as a spy. He intended to make the most of it. There was no way that he could leave Harry there. He was too important to the war, or at least he would be. And there was no way to free him without blowing his cover.
So tomorrow, Voldemort would know he had betrayed him… again. Snape pictured the length of his life becoming significantly shorter.
*~*~*~*~*
"I believe it's my turn to check on the brat," Severus sneered, rising from his seat.
"You might miss Lucius's arrival," Kelly said. "He should be here within the next fifteen minutes or so."
"Then bring him down when he comes," he replied with a simple wave of his hand. "Dirkson," he said to the man he knew to be the weakest of the inner circle (aside from Peter Petigrew), "are you coming with me? I don't trust that boy any further than I can throw him."
Gilbert Dirkson nodded and followed Severus down into the dungeons.
Over the course of the night, Snape had learned that the wards around the castle would be down for ten minutes to allow Lucius Malfoy to arrive. The lowering would be in five minutes. He would use that time to escape with the boy or (most likely) die trying.
Dirkson was dead before he realized what was happening. Not the Killing Curse, that left too big a signature. A simple splitting spell aimed at the back of his neck, more specifically the base of his nervous system, and the Death Eater fell silently and landed with a soft thud. Snape tossed his corps into one of the open cells, but didn't close the door, only placed him out of the line of sight. The longer, the rest of them believed everything was all right, the better.
Snape quickly reached Harry's cell. Upon entering, he removed his cloak and draped it over the still boy. He shook him by the shoulder.
"Potter!" he whispered loudly. "Potter, wake up."
"What makes you think I've slept?" came a scratchy voice. "Come to take your turn Professor?"
Snape narrowed his eyes dangerously; a move that he soon realized was lost, as the young wizard looked up at him with unfocussed green eyes. The boy's glasses were nowhere to be seen and neither were his clothes. Snape waved a wand over Harry, transfiguring the large black cloak into a manageable set of full robes and shoes for the boy.
"Don't be stupid," he hissed. He walked back to the door, checking the hallway. "Now get up. We're getting out of here."
"…I… can't."
"What do you mean you can't?!" Snape demanded in another whisper. This was no time for his Gryffindor stubbornness.
"I can't," the boy repeated. "I can't…walk. I can barely stand… I've already tried…"
Snape sighed. He had planned on giving the boy a field healing draught once they were far enough away, but it appeared that something would have to be done on the spot. He waved his wand over the boy again and muttered a spell.
"How do you feel now?"
Harry slowly pushed himself up on his arm, his brow knitted in confusion. "I—I feel…I don't really feel anything… I'm… numb… sort of…"
"Good. But it only lasts thirty minutes, so come on."
Snape led Harry down twisted corridors seeming to go deeper into the bowels of the small castle. He kept his eyes focused on the slime-ridden floor. When he'd found what he'd been looking for, he pointed his wand.
"AVIKALLUS!"
The bars on the low grate shimmered and disappeared. He motioned that Harry should go through, which the boy thankfully did without question. Severus followed him, carefully manoeuvring so that his wand was constantly pointing at the missing grate. Once he was completely through (and ankle deep in sludge), he lowered his wand and the bars reappeared, slime and all.
He turned to find the boy watching him like a wide-eyed puppy.
"Come along, Potter. We haven't got much time."
Harry stumbled after the Professor, still in silence.
Snape was amazed that the boy was being so trusting. Especially after what he'd been through. He knew perfectly well what the students of Hogwarts said about him. For the boy to be so blindly (almost literally) following him and obeying his orders without question…
The again, there was the alternative…
Having been using the tip of his wand for light thus far, his eyes narrowed at the growing light in from of them.
Daylight.
As they approached this second set of narrow iron bars, Harry finally spoke.
"How--how did you know--"
"Mr. Potter," he said flatly. "A bit of advice. Never go into a place you don't know how to get out of, at least two different ways. As I spend the majority of my time in a dungeon, it would stand to reason that I would know how to get out of one. All dungeons must have a place for the excess water to drain. AVIKALLUS!"
He pointed his wand at the bars and held his hand up to halt Harry's progress.
"Wait," he said quietly.
Snape withdrew a small glass orb. Inside was what appeared to be a small sleeping cobra. Snape rolled the orb out of the dark tunnel onto the grassy embankment. The snake, floating freely remained right side up and in its slumber.
"What--"
"A sneak-o-scope, Mr. Potter. The way is clear."
Snape and Harry made their way out of the castle and into the dense woods. They paused long enough for Snape to magically remove the sludge from their clothing ("Lest we leave a trail."), before continuing into the foliage.
Like the forest that edged Hogwarts, the forest behind the Death Eater's castle was monstrously large, with treetops that could not be seen for their height.
They moved swiftly for over a quarter of an hour, wanting to put as much distance between themselves and the Death Eater's castle. Snape had been fighting with his mind to develop a plan further than 'get away'. It was about this time that Severus started to notice a growing gap between himself and his younger charge. He looked over his shoulder to see that the boy was moving with great difficulty, his arms wrapped tightly about his torso. He was biting his bottom lip in a poor attempt to his growing pain. Their half hour was almost up.
Snape stopped and after a few seconds, Harry walked right into him. The former spy paid him no mind; he was looking about their surroundings.
It would do more harm than good to re-cast the numbing charm. While it was in effect, the body's own ability to heal was frozen. Too much exposure and the body would loose the ability to heal itself all together. H knew however that Harry would not be able to carry on in his present state. In a few more minutes. He would be back to laying on the forest's floor. They could not remain where they were The Death Eaters would most likely have assumed he would have apparated as soon as he was free of the castle's boundaries. But he couldn't rely on that assumption.
Apparating to Hogwarts was out. They couldn't go directly onto the grounds that way and Death Eaters by now were no doubt already lining the path from Hogsmeade.
A temporary solution came to him.
Snape reached out and pulled Harry close to him. He could feel the boy's feeble attempts at pulling away.
"Stop struggling, boy and clear your mind. Focus on just one thing, the pain if you must. The last thing we need is for you to be splinching yourself!"
Harry froze and Snape knew the boy was now taking him seriously.
With a quiet 'pop', the two wizards disappeared from that forest, and re-appeared in another.
"Where--where are we?" Harry asked wobbling slightly. Snape guessed that it was his first apparition.
"The forest just outside the Goyle Estate."
Harry's eyes widened again.
"Can you think of any place else they'd be less likely to look for us?
Harry shrugged slightly. "The Crabbe Estate?"
"Sarcasm?"
"When in Rome… Oh…"
Harry collapsed to his knees, and arms hugged tightly about himself. He touched his head to the forest floor. Severus searched the hidden pockets of his robes. Finding what he was looking for, he withdrew the vial and unstoppered it. Kneeling next to the Gryffindor he pulled the boy as upright as he could manage.
"Drink this Potter," he said, and it was not a request.
Snape held the vial to Harry's lips. The younger wizard allowed the creamy blue liquid to slide down his throat. Snape knew from experience that it had an almost metallic taste, but it was not as unpleasant enough to activate any serious gagging reflex.
In a moment, the boy's breathing steadied.
"Wuh--What was that?"
"A general healing potion. Can you move?"
"Yes, but, I still… hurt."
"It is not a numbing potion. A quick fix. It heals vital or life threatening injuries. Anything that is not mortal or potentially so, it leaves alone. It does it rather quickly so it is rather… uncomfortable."
"No kidding," the boy mumbled. "Why can't you do that numbing thing again?"
"Using it more than twice in twenty-four hours is dangerous. It is best to save it in case we have to run."
Harry was now slowly walking in aimless circles, his arms still tightly crossed.
"What do we do now?" he asked quietly.
"First, you stop that ridiculous pacing. The potion works best when you are resting."
Harry stopped his wandering and looked up. Snape was settling himself against a large tree.
"Find a suitable place and sit down Mr. Potter. Try to sleep if you can."
"We're staying here?"
"For the time being. They'll be expecting us to move. We must not do what they expect. Rest."
Harry looked around the tiny clear spot before sitting against the same tree as his professor. Not exactly next to him, but near enough to be noticeable. Snape raised an eyebrow.
"I can't sleep," he said quietly.
"Fine." Snape reached into his robes. He removed his sneak-o-scope and placed it on the ground. The snake slept.
"You would do well to get yourself one of these, Mr. Potter. As it is, I normally carry two, but the other was recently damaged."
Harry looked at Snape and then looked around. Snape couldn't help but start as the boy opened his mouth and began to hiss. Parseltongue, he convinced himself, was unnerving to even the stoniest of wizards.
There was a slight rustle from the brush. Snape stood and withdraw his wand. He lowered it slightly as two small snakes appeared. They approached Harry and seemed to lay prostrate at his feet. Harry continued to speak to them as Snape watched on. After a minute or so, the snakes turned and headed back to the brush.
"Would you mind telling me what that was about?" Severus asked dangerously.
"Impromptu sneak-o-scope," Harry explained. "They're going to get the snakes to surround us; two circles. Anyone headed in our direction and they will let me know."
"Hmph. Rather Slytherin for a Gryffindor," Snape replied. He was determined that that would be as close to a complement the boy would ever get from him.
"Since we have some time, would you mind telling me how you got yourself into that predicament? My position in that circle was rather important. I would like to know why it ended prematurely."
"Could have just left me there," Harry muttered quietly.
Snape gave him a wicked glare. Harry sighed.
"It--It wasn't my fault."
"No. Of course not."
Harry ignored this. "My aunt and uncle, they sent me to the store."
"The store?"
"To buy some milk. I should have known something was wrong right then. Uncle Vernon was trying to hide a smile as he gave me the money. He and Aunt Petunia saw me out the door… they were waving…."
"And this is unusual?"
"Do you smile and wave at people you hate?"
"I doubt that your family hat--"
"They do. I just came out of the shop when I--I could have sworn I heard someone say 'Stupefy'. I must have, because everything went black. I woke up in that dungeon. McNair later told me that my family had been involved in the set-up. All they had to do was send me to the store and they'd never have to see me again. They didn't even want the money the offered!"
Snape let the gravity of this set in. He'd never agreed with Dumbledore's plan, but to have the futility of it thrown into his face.
The spells and wards around the Dursley's home were only effective on the home itself, or if Harry was with a member of that family. The latter would only work through the emotional bond that existed within most families. If the bond had never been there to begin with…
Severus began to wonder, just how many times it would have been easy for someone to get at the boy, if what he was saying were true.
*~*~*~*~*
Night was falling.
Harry lifted his head from his knees. True, he had not slept, but managed to doze some.
"Have you got a plan yet?"
"We need to get into Hogwarts."
"That's not a plan."
"That is a goal. Our problem is that we cannot apparate there."
"Apparate outside the gates."
"If you were a Death Eater and you'd just lost your Lord's greatest desire, what would you do?"
"Besides hide?"
"Yes, besides that."
"Find it… er, him… er, me…"
"And how would you go about doing that?"
Harry thought about this for a moment. Understanding dawned on his face.
"They're going to have everything from Hogwarts to Hogsmeade covered aren't they?"
"You see our dilemma."
"And we can't even use the Floo Network because you can't Floo into Hogwarts."
"Actually, you can." Snape said standing up. "Two places. Dumbledore's office and the infirmary. Both keyed to the staff only. The only viable option that I can see if for us to use one of the Goyle's fireplaces. There aren't any guards here and Goyle's warding ability is pathetic. It should not be hard to get in. Once the wards are down though we will have to hurry. They'll be alerted to our presence. You will have to do exactly what I say, do you understand?"
Harry stood up. He had a distant look in his eye, as though he were considering something. Snape could not figure what he could possible be considering. Either he listened and they escaped or he didn't and they were killed.
The boy sighed seeming to have come to a decision.
"I have a better plan."
Snape raised a curious eyebrow. "Really. Prey, enlighten me."
"Well, they'll be covering all of Hogsmeade, including the fireplaces of the shops."
"I believe we've covered that."
"Is there any reason for them to cover the back rooms of the shops?"
"If you are suggesting we wait them out, Mr. Potter, I should remind you that you still need medical attention. And it is not likely that the Death Eater's will be leaving their posts anytime soon. Not if they hold any value to their lives."
"No, that isn't what I meant," Harry said. He looked divided again. He took a breath.
"There's another way into Hogwarts."
"What?"
"The Marauder's found it. It's goes from the cellar of Honeydukes to a statue inside the school."
"And you only see fit to tell me about this now?!"
Harry lowered his head. "Well, it only came to me a few minutes ago. I was hoping that you'd already have something planned and a I never really thought--"
"That much is obvious! Mr. Potter, you of all people should know that such secrets could be deadly in these times. What if a Death Eater had found it?!"
Harry grimaced. "I didn't think that was likely…"
"You didn't think. That tunnel will have to be warded after we use it."
"Erm… there are others…"
Snape's eyes widened angrily.
"Filch knows about four of them," Harry said quickly. "But there are three he doesn't know about. This one, one that's caved it, so no one can use it anyway, and the one under the Whomping Willow. I believe you know about that one."
Snape narrowed his eyes. If Filch knew about four of the tunnels, there was a good chance that Dumbledore knew about the others. His soft spot for mischief would probably have led him to leave them open to the boy and his friends, but it could possibly be warded against darkness. He would have to ask the man about it.
"Let's go Potter," he said snidely.
"Wait!" Snape stopped his hand in mid-air.
"What is it?"
"Do… Does anyone else… have to know?"
"Know? Know what?"
Harry lowered his gaze.
"You know. About… About what they did... Do you have to tell?"
Snape straightened. "Mr. Potter, you require medical attention."
Harry shook his head. "Not for that. The potion you gave me… I'm okay for that…"
"Mr. Potter…"
"Please," he implored. "It's going to be bad enough as it is. I don't need even more pity."
Snape thought about this for a moment. "Should Madame Pomfrey… discover anything, you will have to make your own plea to her. If I am asked, I will not lie to the Headmaster," he said. "Other than that, you may be assured of my silence."
Harry nodded. "Thank you, sir."
Snape pulled the boy to him and they disapparated.
The trapdoor would have been nearly impossible to find if Harry had not previously been through it. Surrounded by crates and covered in dust, it blended perfectly into the cellar floor. The two wizards opened it silently and climbed through.
Snape lit his wand. There were steps. Hundreds of them.
"You're certain there's a bottom."
"I didn't say it would be easy."
"For me. MOBILICORPUS."
Harry floated up as though held by marionette strings. His head bumped against the trapdoor.
"You'll need your strength for the walk." Snape said as he began down the many steps. Harry floated down after him.
Nearly fifteen minutes later, they reached the bottom and a sloped walkway. Five minutes after that, they reached the lowest part of the tunnel. Snape released Harry from the spell and continued walking ahead.
Twenty minutes into their hike, Snape stopped and turned.
"Mr. Potter. You said the Marauders knew about this tunnel?"
"Yes."
"All of them?"
"I assume so."
Snape turned and began walking even more swiftly. "Then I suggest we double our efforts Mr. Potter. You might recall that one of those said Marauders now sleeps at Voldemort's feet."
He heard Harry gasp.
"And while he is a blubbering idiot, he may very well remember this tunnel. With our luck, he is already waiting at the other end."
Harry hurried along after his teacher.
It seemed as though they had been travelling for hours when they came to the end of the tunnel. They were at what appeared to be a stone slide. Next to it, more steps. Snape sighed.
*~*~*~*~*
Snape helped Harry though the narrow passageway of the hump of the one-eyed witch, then followed him through. He could scarcely believe it. They had made it. They stepped out from behind the witch and Snape heavily warded it.
"Come," he said to Harry, "I will take you to the Hospital Wing and then speak with the Headmaster."
"Shouldn't I go with you?"
"That won't be--"
"I think I should go with you."
"If it's your confidence that you're worried about, I've already told you--"
"It's not that…"
Severus watched the boy carefully.
"Come along," he said, walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Although his days as a spy were now over, he had the feeling that his life was soon going to become much more complicated.
*~*~*~*~*
At the top of the winding staircase, Snape knocked on the Headmaster's door. Dumbledore's pleasant voice bid him enter.
Snape opened the door, and froze.
Sitting across from Dumbledore, in all his elegant splendour, was Lucius Malfoy.
TBC…
Feedback please! Should I continue with this tale, or should I drop it?
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