The incantations, thankfully, were brief. Each member of the Hogwarts trio, brows furrowed in concentration, tried to commit each word and action to memory. Every swish of the wand, every Latin phrase and every call to the powers of Darkness were duly noted and filed away for future use. If only the horror of the evening could be filed away, as well, thought Snape, as he chanted with Lucius. Then the two boys -- *his* boys, *his* students - could wait until they were ready to handle the emotional ramifications of this night and only then, pull out the memories for inspection and introspection.

Snape's eyes communicated understanding and reassurance to Harry as he grasped the young man's arm and began the intricate design that is the Dark Mark with his wand. The charmed tip of his wand burned and seared the white flesh of Harry's forearm as he twitched and struggled not to scream. Draco could barely hold back a whimper as his father simultaneously traced his wand across his son's translucent skin. Soon the enchantment was concluded - and the true horrors began.

Muggle women were brought in and the Death Eaters fell upon them, ravenous with lust and rage. The narcotic-based potion barely slowed the majority of them down - although a few seemed to be perfectly happy simply drinking and eating. Lucius stood off to one side with Snape, Harry and Draco, who were all mentally running over the specifications of the Dark Mark incantation and attempting to ignore the 'party' around them. Harry fought back tears as he watched his fellow Death Eaters plow their way viciously through the women while Draco sent surreptitious glances of disgust at his father - who appeared to be enjoying the show. Only Snape stood expressionless and apparently emotionless.

"Come boys, this little party is in your honor, after all," drawled Lucius. "Harry, wouldn't you like to have a little fun before you go home to your little wife? And Draco, my dear own son, come with me - let's see how you are coming on your casting of Unforgivables. I'm sure we can find a Muggle to enjoy, then you may practice."

Lucius smiled predatorily and held out his hand to his son. The boys were momentarily dumbfounded at the request - no, it was a demand wrapped in Lucius' own brand of poisonous sugar. Snape, however, had anticipated and been waiting for the 'request.'

"No, Lucius," he said firmly, placing a strong hand on each student's shoulder. "These are my protégés. I have overseen their training since they came to Hogwarts and I alone will continue to teach them about the Dark Arts. They will become intelligent, elegantly vicious and very deadly wizards, I promise you that. But, I must insist that they not take part in this or any other 'revel.' Bloodsports such as this are for those who are poorly educated and are too idiotic to use their brains, I am training them to be better than that."

Lucius looked like he would like to kill or hex Snape. He spat: "Watch yourself, Snape, old man. You are alive and you are still a Death Eater because I have use for you. No other reason," he said. "Remember you are in my debt."

"And remember that your son and the Boy Who Lived may not be among your ranks if it weren't for me," hissed back Snape. "I will train them as I see fit, Lucius *old man.* Now, why don't you go and enjoy yourself, Lucius. Perhaps the boys and I will go home, it's been a painful night for them - you remember how much taking the Mark hurt as well as I do."

Lucius softened somewhat and smirked at his son, nodding. He clamped down on Draco's arm and dragged him from Snape's protective grasp.

"But, first, I must insist that my son meet one of the Muggle ladies," he said, smiling darkly. "The men went to much trouble to find just the right girls this time."

And then Draco was gone, pulled into the throng of drugged merriment by his father. He shot one look of panic and helplessness to Harry and Snape before he disappeared. Harry was desperately trying to not lose his dinner or show his intense fear in front of the dark crowd as he constantly scanned the group for Draco. Snape merely tightened his protective grip on Harry and his wand.

Around dawn, the three were finally able to apparate back to Hogwarts. Draco, in bloodsoaked robes, was shellshocked and unable to speak - merely nodding and shaking his head in response to Snape's gentle questions. The three entered the classroom and stood in the doorway for a few moments just looking at the familiar surroundings and their friends. The contrast of the warm dungeon room with its snack table of cookies, milk and freshly baked bread; gently bubbling cauldrons; glowing candles and concerned and loving faces with the cold, hateful and deadly horrors they had just lived through was startling. Draco seemed to be shocked back into motion as he quickly scanned the group and darted to Molly Weasley, burying his fair head in her lap and sobbing violently. Molly looked questioningly to Snape.

"Both of our new spies took the Dark Mark tonight," he said calmly, steering the still-stunned Harry Potter to his crying wife and scanning the room for Hermione. "Harry and I managed to avoid the unpleasant 'Muggle- sports' that followed, but young Mr. Malfoy was not so lucky. I believe his father forced him to rape and possibly kill a Muggle woman."

The head in Molly's lap briefly nodded. Fighting back her own disgust and horror at touching someone who had committed such acts, Molly gathered Draco into her arms and pulled him on her lap like she would a small child - and simply rocked him until his sobs were spent. Ginny and Harry were locked in a tight embrace on the opposite side of the classroom, Ron hovering nearby. Hermione looked from Harry to Snape and then to Draco, shuddering tiredly and placing a protective hand over her stomach. She quietly turned and went back to work on their latest trial. She looked exhausted and a bit unsteady on her feet, he thought. Snape fought the urge to go to her and find solace or reassurance. Not only did she seem unprepared to give it, but he had work to do.

He grabbed quills and parchment off of his desk and hastily scribbled out a note to post on the potions classroom door. There would be no classes until further notice. All of their time, efforts and abilities would now go to the link potion. Classes could wait, he thought briefly, if the Dark rises powerfully this time, there may be no one left to practice potion-making anyway. It was time to stop the Death Eaters once and for all. Harry noticed Snape's quiet flurry of activity and joined him at the worktable, after giving Ginny a final kiss and sending her to bed.

"Draco," Snape called quietly. "We need you."

"I can't, Professor," came the muffled reply.

"If you don't fight them, then that woman died in vain. Don't do that to her," Snape said. "Make her death a part of the solution, Draco, not a completely pointless and senseless act forced upon you both by your father. Do you understand me, Draco?"

Draco nodded and pulled himself together. He gave Molly Weasley a slightly embarrassed, small smile as he stood up. She squeezed his hand as he leaned back down to plant a kiss on her cheek.

"Thank you."

"Stop your father, Draco," she said softly. "You can help end this nightmare."

Draco nodded once again and joined Snape and Harry at the table. Together, they sat until nearly lunchtime, putting together the pieces of the Dark Mark and it's incantation. Finally, Snape felt they had a complete account. He made several copies and sent the boys to bed, while he took a copy to Dumbledore.

"We'll be ready next time," he told the older wizard. "I think we have the information we need to destroy the link Lucius has with our Marks via a potion. I'll need Hermione and Flitwick to add a charm to the potion so its effects can never be reversed - but, we will be ready. The Death Eaters were thrilled with the vials of narcotic potion we gave them, we'll just add the link destroying agents to a similar drug for our next meeting."

Dumbledore nodded. "Perhaps we can track the three of you this time, and once the link is broken and the Death Eaters are all drugged, we can bring in the Aurors," he suggested.

"Good plan, but I would recommend that we add a calming solution to the narcotic-link potion, then. They will be too drugged, happy and drowsy to fight the Aurors," Snape quickly replied, fighting back a yawn.

"Go to your rooms, Severus," said Dumbledore, without emotion. "You need sleep. Come talk to me again tonight after dinner."

Dumbledore sighed and turned his attention to the landscape out of his office window. Snape stood silently for several moments, staring at the old man that was half mentor, half personal antagonist. When Dumbledore turned his eyes back to the potions master, they were filled with sadness and disappointment. Snape felt like he had just been slapped with the gaze.

"You are disappointed in me," Snape said, realization and sleep-deprived anger hitting him. "I am risking my bloody arse nearly every week and you are sitting there on your damned throne judging me!"

"I only wish that Harry and Draco hadn't been forced to take the Mark," the old wizard said, rather sternly. "I am not angry with you, Severus. I am angry at the situation. Go to bed. I believe your wife is waiting for you in your rooms."

Snape opened his mouth to let loose with another volley of outrage and, receiving a sharp look from the Headmaster, snapped it shut just as quickly. He turned on one heel and stormed out of Dumbledore's office, slamming the door behind him as he went.

He frightened many students with his scowl, billowing robes and disheveled, wild appearance on the way to his home in the dungeons. Opening the door, he scanned the living room and found Hermione sleeping on the sofa. She had obviously been waiting for him, and upon closer inspection, she had obviously been crying. Snape quietly covered her with a blanket and sat down in his favorite armchair to doze and wait for her to wake. Moments after he sat, he slept.

"Severus?" came the voice, cutting into the hazy fog that was his tired brain. "Severus, go to bed."

Hermione was sitting up on the couch, calling to him from across the room. He came fully awake and stood to join her on the sofa. When she noticed that he was advancing on her, she cringed and shrank back into the cushions. Startled and scared of her reaction, he stopped mid-stride.

"Hermione, we need to talk. Please. You are acting strangely. What is wrong?"

Her brown eyes flashed and she laughed with a hysterical edge to her voice.

"Let's see, my husband is a Death Eater. My best friend is a Death Eater. They attend meetings where mudbloods and Muggles are regularly killed for fun. I'm pregnant and Poppy said that if I don't slow down, I could go into premature labor and my baby could die or have problems. But, if I slow down and don't keep working on this damned potion, then I could lose my husband, my best friend and the wizarding world could face another war like we had with Voldemort," she spat. "Oh, and I'm trying to finish my degree so I can have a job someday, in case my husband's death wish is fulfilled. And my back hurts."

Snape took a chance and moved to sit next to Hermione, rubbing her back until he hit the right spot and she arched into his touch involuntarily.

"Poppy is right," he said. "You have to stop pulling all-nighters and you have to take better care of yourself. I'll be fine. You take care of yourself and Faith - and I'll make sure that the world is a bit safer place for her when she gets here. Deal?"

"Deal." Hermione sighed sleepily and Snape maneuvered her so she was lying on the sofa once again. He then began to rub her feet and swollen ankles until she fell asleep. He spent the next few hours watching her silently, thinking about the new potion and the defeat of Lucius and his cronies.

This time, Snape would make sure the Death Eaters never returned.