The next month saw Snape completing the polyjuice potion for Voldemort. He
had retrieved the strands of hair from the trio during their detention the
month before. Altering the potion slightly, he was able to tell who the
real person was with a simple incantation that was nearly undetectable. He
put the bottles in one of his pockets, making sure that they were labeled.
The last thing he needed was to raise suspicions by forgetting small
details such as that.
Upon completion of the potion and the bottling, he made his way up to the Headmaster's office to discuss the next move. This particular plan of Voldemort's could do a lot of damage. Potter, Weasley, and Granger needed some sort of protection to keep the plan from working. Trying to do this and appear loyal at the same time was going to be a challenge.
He approached the stone gargoyle ("snickers") and made his way up the spiral steps. Dumbledore already knew about the polyjuice. Snape had told him the day after the meeting. It seemed that the trust that Voldemort has placed in his followers was fragile. Otherwise, he would have explained more of the plans to the group, and he would allow for discussion on what parts each member played.
Upon entering the Headmaster's office, Snape was offered a lemon drop, which he refused. Taking a cup of tea, both Albus and Severus sat in front of the fire for what was going to be a difficult discussion.
"Any new news from Miss Granger, Severus?" Albus asked.
"None since she mentioned some vague details about dreams she's been having. Although, I believe that she has been keeping some of the information from me." Severus replied. "I am unsure on how to coax it out of her."
"What have you done so far?" The Headmaster asked.
"I've allowed her time to come to terms with what has been happening to her. Allowing her time to speak without feeling intimidated - although you know that is a big challenge on its own." Snape replied.
"I think it's time for you to take more direct measures, Severus." Albus replied.
"I will agree with you on that. What about the 'golden' trio's safety?" Snape said with a hint of malice when he said 'golden trio'.
"I have been thinking of that. Considering the danger is within the castle walls, I have reluctantly come to the decision to send them to a secret location." Snape began to protest. "I have thought long and hard on this, Severus. The place I have in mind is inconspicuous, and very few people know of its existence. It has the power to mask the energy that radiates from the very walls. They will even be able to continue their education, uninterrupted."
"You think it wise to take them off the grounds of Hogwarts." Snape said, almost in an unbelieving tone. "How will you ensure their safety? You would not be able to protect them yourself there as you can here."
"That is why I'm sending a member of faculty with them." The Headmaster said, almost gravely. Snape recognized that look.
"You cannot be serious." He said, he knew what Albus was thinking.
"I'm very serious. I have reason to believe that Voldemort knows of your spying activities."
"And you would have reason to believe that because?" He snapped bitterly.
"You are not the only spy I have among the ranks."
The news did not come as a big surprise to Severus, but he was still a bit hostile about the fact that he was never let in on it. Taking a moment to think about it, however, he realized that it was probably a very smart thing to do. Without the knowledge of other spies, Voldemort would not be able to get any information out of him.
"I cannot suddenly stop because somebody suspects that my spying activities are common knowledge. I need substantial proof before I discontinue." He finally spoke up.
"If you must, Severus. I only hope that this substantial proof does not come in the form of your premature death." The Headmaster said sadly.
The Dark Mark began to burn on Snape's forearm. He stifled a groan of pain, and clutched at it. The Headmaster nodded his dismissal knowingly, and Snape made his way out of the office to his rooms. Grabbing his attire for the Death Eater meetings, he slipped outside to the gates at the front of the castle, and appaparated.
~@~
When Snape regained his composure, he looked up into the eyes of Voldemort. Almost like he was automated, he bent down and bowed respectfully towards him.
"Ah Severus. Have you completed your task as of yet?" Voldemort asked.
"Yes, My Lord." Snape replied, pulling the vials out of his pocket and depositing them into Voldemort's reptile-like hands. Voldemort brought them up above his head, noting the colours of each potion.
"Very good, Severus. I must ask you something though."
"My Lord?"
"Why did you allow the Granger girl to start the potion for you?" Voldemort asked.
Snape knew lying outright would be rather foolish. So he said the first thing that came to mind. Something that was always true, but he never dared voice it for fear that it could expose him if he said it at the wrong time. "My Lord, she is one of my most brilliant students. I wished to begin the potion right away, and she had a detention with me." He said.
"Ah. But if she is so brilliant, than why be foolish enough to have her start it. Surely she would have recognized it." Voldemort pointed out.
How the hell would Voldemort know that she had started it in the first place? That must have been the spy on the inside. He would be sure to ward his class and office more thoroughly. "Your request came at a most convenient time, my Lord. I have a lesson for the uses of Polyjuice potion with one of my classes in a few days." Good thing that Voldemort didn't know his class schedule or curriculum.
There was silence for a few moments. "Do not lie to me, Severus." Snape looked up, and saw that Voldemort was clutching the timetable for the second year notes. "You've already taught that lesson."
How the hell-? That thought was cut off when one Draco Malfoy entered the room. "One of your senior students has been nice enough to provide me with the information. I will teach you to lie to me. CRUCIO!"
Snape's body felt like it was being stabbed by knives while boiling in hot oil and being baked by a desert sun. He refused to scream. Unfortunately, a few moments later, another voice shouted "Crucio" and the scream forced its way out of him. After a few minutes, the torture stopped, and Snape was left with the numbness left behind. He could hear Voldemort now address the group of Death Eaters that had arrived for the meeting. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. I will not tolerate insubordination. I will have your loyalty, or I will take your life." With that, there was a quartet of voices all shouting out, "CRUCIO!" and Snape blacked out. Good thing too. After losing the battle with consciousness, they began to beat his body until they thought him dead. A few minutes later, he lay on the outside of the gates of Hogwarts; Poppy and Albus awaiting the worst.
A/N: Sorry 'bout the long wait. Tell me what you think. I'm a bit out of practice with this one.
Upon completion of the potion and the bottling, he made his way up to the Headmaster's office to discuss the next move. This particular plan of Voldemort's could do a lot of damage. Potter, Weasley, and Granger needed some sort of protection to keep the plan from working. Trying to do this and appear loyal at the same time was going to be a challenge.
He approached the stone gargoyle ("snickers") and made his way up the spiral steps. Dumbledore already knew about the polyjuice. Snape had told him the day after the meeting. It seemed that the trust that Voldemort has placed in his followers was fragile. Otherwise, he would have explained more of the plans to the group, and he would allow for discussion on what parts each member played.
Upon entering the Headmaster's office, Snape was offered a lemon drop, which he refused. Taking a cup of tea, both Albus and Severus sat in front of the fire for what was going to be a difficult discussion.
"Any new news from Miss Granger, Severus?" Albus asked.
"None since she mentioned some vague details about dreams she's been having. Although, I believe that she has been keeping some of the information from me." Severus replied. "I am unsure on how to coax it out of her."
"What have you done so far?" The Headmaster asked.
"I've allowed her time to come to terms with what has been happening to her. Allowing her time to speak without feeling intimidated - although you know that is a big challenge on its own." Snape replied.
"I think it's time for you to take more direct measures, Severus." Albus replied.
"I will agree with you on that. What about the 'golden' trio's safety?" Snape said with a hint of malice when he said 'golden trio'.
"I have been thinking of that. Considering the danger is within the castle walls, I have reluctantly come to the decision to send them to a secret location." Snape began to protest. "I have thought long and hard on this, Severus. The place I have in mind is inconspicuous, and very few people know of its existence. It has the power to mask the energy that radiates from the very walls. They will even be able to continue their education, uninterrupted."
"You think it wise to take them off the grounds of Hogwarts." Snape said, almost in an unbelieving tone. "How will you ensure their safety? You would not be able to protect them yourself there as you can here."
"That is why I'm sending a member of faculty with them." The Headmaster said, almost gravely. Snape recognized that look.
"You cannot be serious." He said, he knew what Albus was thinking.
"I'm very serious. I have reason to believe that Voldemort knows of your spying activities."
"And you would have reason to believe that because?" He snapped bitterly.
"You are not the only spy I have among the ranks."
The news did not come as a big surprise to Severus, but he was still a bit hostile about the fact that he was never let in on it. Taking a moment to think about it, however, he realized that it was probably a very smart thing to do. Without the knowledge of other spies, Voldemort would not be able to get any information out of him.
"I cannot suddenly stop because somebody suspects that my spying activities are common knowledge. I need substantial proof before I discontinue." He finally spoke up.
"If you must, Severus. I only hope that this substantial proof does not come in the form of your premature death." The Headmaster said sadly.
The Dark Mark began to burn on Snape's forearm. He stifled a groan of pain, and clutched at it. The Headmaster nodded his dismissal knowingly, and Snape made his way out of the office to his rooms. Grabbing his attire for the Death Eater meetings, he slipped outside to the gates at the front of the castle, and appaparated.
~@~
When Snape regained his composure, he looked up into the eyes of Voldemort. Almost like he was automated, he bent down and bowed respectfully towards him.
"Ah Severus. Have you completed your task as of yet?" Voldemort asked.
"Yes, My Lord." Snape replied, pulling the vials out of his pocket and depositing them into Voldemort's reptile-like hands. Voldemort brought them up above his head, noting the colours of each potion.
"Very good, Severus. I must ask you something though."
"My Lord?"
"Why did you allow the Granger girl to start the potion for you?" Voldemort asked.
Snape knew lying outright would be rather foolish. So he said the first thing that came to mind. Something that was always true, but he never dared voice it for fear that it could expose him if he said it at the wrong time. "My Lord, she is one of my most brilliant students. I wished to begin the potion right away, and she had a detention with me." He said.
"Ah. But if she is so brilliant, than why be foolish enough to have her start it. Surely she would have recognized it." Voldemort pointed out.
How the hell would Voldemort know that she had started it in the first place? That must have been the spy on the inside. He would be sure to ward his class and office more thoroughly. "Your request came at a most convenient time, my Lord. I have a lesson for the uses of Polyjuice potion with one of my classes in a few days." Good thing that Voldemort didn't know his class schedule or curriculum.
There was silence for a few moments. "Do not lie to me, Severus." Snape looked up, and saw that Voldemort was clutching the timetable for the second year notes. "You've already taught that lesson."
How the hell-? That thought was cut off when one Draco Malfoy entered the room. "One of your senior students has been nice enough to provide me with the information. I will teach you to lie to me. CRUCIO!"
Snape's body felt like it was being stabbed by knives while boiling in hot oil and being baked by a desert sun. He refused to scream. Unfortunately, a few moments later, another voice shouted "Crucio" and the scream forced its way out of him. After a few minutes, the torture stopped, and Snape was left with the numbness left behind. He could hear Voldemort now address the group of Death Eaters that had arrived for the meeting. "Let this be a lesson to all of you. I will not tolerate insubordination. I will have your loyalty, or I will take your life." With that, there was a quartet of voices all shouting out, "CRUCIO!" and Snape blacked out. Good thing too. After losing the battle with consciousness, they began to beat his body until they thought him dead. A few minutes later, he lay on the outside of the gates of Hogwarts; Poppy and Albus awaiting the worst.
A/N: Sorry 'bout the long wait. Tell me what you think. I'm a bit out of practice with this one.