Evangeline left the castle early on the morning after the students had departed for Christmas break. A trip to Diagon Alley to visit her Gringotts vault shouldn't take very long; she hoped she could be there and back again before anyone realized that she'd gone. The last thing she wanted was to argue about going…with anyone, and she didn't want Severus to go with her because it would spoil her surprise. So it was better that he didn't know about this trip at all. What he didn't know wouldn't aggravate him.
Wading through newly fallen snow, she made her way down to the gates of the castle. As she went along, she found herself remembering the last time she'd taken this walk, last summer, when Severus had taken her shopping. She'd been attracted to him even back then, she realized. He'd first endeared himself to her when he'd become embarrassed over that silk negligee. The blush on his cheeks when she'd caught him looking at it was her first realization that there was more to him than cold looks and sneering expressions. So she smiled happily to herself as she made her way through the snowdrifts and remembered.
Upon reaching the gates, she walked through them, still lost in pleasant memories of the past, when three hooded figures appeared out of nowhere. One of them pointed a wand at her. "Crucio," whispered a soft voice.
Suddenly, she experienced such burning pain that every nerve in her body felt like it was on fire. She screamed in agony and bent over double. As the pain intensified, she fell sideways into a snowdrift. Rough hands hauled her to her feet and tied her hands tightly in front of her. One of the figures produced a wooden box and held it out in front of him, while another of them forced Evangeline's shuddering body tightly up against his own and forced her bound hands to join theirs on the box's lid. After a moment of silent waiting, all four figures vanished, as if they'd never been there at all.
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Snape knocked on Evangeline's door at lunchtime, to see if she wanted to come down to the dining hall with him. An entire morning had passed without her, and he found that he missed her company. Other than when he'd had classes, and some meals, they'd been inseparable these past few weeks. He couldn't remember a happier time of his life.
Wishing he could simply relax and enjoy it, he found himself instead expecting trouble around every corner. Nothing good ever lasted for long in his life. How likely was this to be an exception? What was taking her so long? With a slight frown on his face, he knocked again and tried the doorknob. The room was unlocked. Getting her to keep it locked seemed to be an impossible task. He looked inside, but she wasn't there.
Perhaps she'd gone to lunch ahead of him. He went down to see but found only Flitwick and Hagrid at the table. Suddenly an uneasy feeling began in the pit of his stomach. He began to search the castle for her, at first somewhat casually, then, when he didn't find her, more frantically. When he came upon McGonagall and Lupin in her classroom, he asked them, with a worried look in his eyes, if they'd seen Evangeline. The professors exchanged glances. McGonagall said that Evangeline had told her that she was going to Diagon Alley to get something out of her Gringotts vault.
Confirmation of his fears caused Snape to explode. "Alone!" he yelled. "You let her leave the castle alone, knowing what danger she's in?!"
McGonagall looked taken aback. "I did tell her that she shouldn't go alone. She seemed confident that she'd be fine. I assumed that meant you'd insist on going with her."
"I would have, if she'd told me of her intentions," raged Snape.
"Calm down, Severus. She just went to town to get you a Christmas present. She'll be right back," said Lupin.
Furious, Snape rounded on Lupin. "You knew about this, too? Why didn't you offer to go with her?"
Lupin looked abashed. "I didn't think of it. She didn't tell me when she was going to go."
Snape thought hard for a moment. "She was going to Gringotts?" He looked at them. They both nodded.
He frowned ominously. "Did it never occur to either of you that if the Dark Lord is looking for her, he would naturally place agents to watch any known places of her association? This would include her shop in Diagon Alley and her vault at Gringotts!"
Looks of alarm passed over both of their faces. "What does Voldemort want with Evangeline?" asked Lupin.
His eyes flashing in anger, Snape whirled around and stalked out of the room without answering.
Lupin followed him. "Where are you going, Severus?"
"Gringotts!" came the answering growl from his rapidly retreating back.
"I'll come with you!" called Lupin anxiously, as he hurried down the hall to fetch his cloak.
The two of them left the castle together, finding Evangeline's path through the snow. They followed rapidly in her footsteps. When they got to the gate, and saw the trampled snow, and the three extra sets of footprints, alarm turned to gut wrenching fear for both of them.
Whoever had been there had obviously disapparated away. There was no way to know to what location the intruders might have gone. So, they followed their original plan and headed to Diagon Alley.
Together they checked Evangeline's shop, which was closed and deserted. Then they checked Gringotts. No one had attempted to access her vault in months.
Snape was beside himself with fear and was desperately trying not to let it show. Lupin was feeling horribly guilty for not enquiring into Evangeline's plans more closely. He knew she was in hiding, he just hadn't realized that it was so serious. There was a lot that he and Black hadn't been told, obviously, and it was past time that they found out what was going on, and Lupin told Snape as much, as they left Gringotts and headed back to Hogwarts.
As soon as they entered the castle they were accosted by a very worried Minerva McGonagall and an equally worried and somewhat confused Sirius Black. Lupin paused to speak to them, but Snape just kept on going up the stairs.
"Where are you going, Severus?" called McGonagall.
"I'm going to see, Albus!" he snarled over his shoulder. The other three hurried after him, filled with trepidation.