Snape groaned and sat up, his head still pounding. He grabbed his head, only to find a mop of black mess. Oh no, he thought, I'm still in Potter's body. This was not good. He looked around, his eyes desperately trying to adjust to the low light. He didn't see himself anywhere; another bad sign. Voldemort didn't like traitors, and was no doubt torturing him mercilessly.
In answer, the cell door opened and he was flung in, bloodied and broken, but alive. Snape made no move until the Death Eater, who looked like Parkinson, was out of sight. He knelt down and shook his shoulder.
"Potter!" he whispered, "Potter, wake up!" The boy opened Snape's eyes and blinked a few times, trying to figure out just where he was.
"Hurts…" was all he managed before falling unconscious. From the looks of him, the boy had been through hell and back. Snape closed his eyes and cursed, wishing he knew what time it was. How much longer would they be stuck in each other's bodies? What happens if one of us is unconscious at midnight? A million thoughts raced through his head as he tried to revive the unconscious form beside him.
"Never knew you cared about the traitor, boy." Snape turned around to face a relatively young man, an American by the accent. Voldemort must be stretching his boundaries, Snape thought.
"Who are you?" he snapped.
"How rude of me; let me introduce myself. My name is Brendon Roberson. The Dark Lord welcomed me into his ranks a few short days ago, and I was given the dutiful task of torturing one of you of my choice. Come Potter, I have waited for this for a long time."
"No," a weak voice croaked, one Snape recognized as his own.
"What was that, traitor? Did you not get enough?"
Harry sat up painfully and looked the young man in the face. "Leave the boy alone. It is me the Dark Lord wants to play with, let him."
"The traitor has a soft spot for the Potter boy? Who knew? Well, I am a patient and generous man. I shall grant your request. Come along now." He opened the door, and with strength he didn't really know he had, Harry stood on shaky legs. Snape laid a small hand on his arm.
"What are you doing?" he asked forcefully.
He faked stumbling so he could get closer to his own ear. "Buying time until midnight," he whispered. Then he straightened and limped out, cradling a broken arm and a dislocated shoulder. So Snape was left to try and figure out just how long that was.
******
"Professor! Harry and Snape are gone!" Mike came barging into the Great Hall during dinner, after having been assigned fetch the pair.
"What do you mean?" Dumbledore stood in the young Slytherin's body.
Lupin's face contorted into one of terror. "They're gone! They weren't anywhere in the castle."
"Hmmm….Accio Marauder's Map!" Seconds later, a small scroll came flying through the door. He unrolled it and pointed his wand at it. "I solemnly swear I am up to no good," he whispered so no one else could hear, and carefully studied the grounds. Snape and Harry were nowhere to be found.
He nodded to the young boy in Lupin's body and swished his wand in a wide circular pattern. "Finite Incantum." With a discomforting whoosh, everyone in the room was returned to their rightful bodies. "It seems he is correct. We can only assume the worse; that Riddle has them." No one missed the use of the Dark Lord's true name. "Draco, Damon, Remus, we will go after them. The rest of you stay here. Minerva, you know what to do in case…?" She nodded solemnly, and he smiled weakly. Draco, Damon, Remus, and Albus hurried out the door to the Headmaster's office.
"Months ago, when Severus was still a spy, he told us where Voldemort's castle is. We will Apparate just outside its boundaries, so as not to be detected. Draco, go to Harry's dormitory and get his cloak out of his trunk. The password is 'Lions for the Cup.'" Draco rolled his eyes and ran off.
Once he reached the portrait, the Fat Lady eyed him warily. He hurriedly told her Harry was in trouble and gave the password, and she swung open without hesitation. He flew up the stairs (after gaping at the hominess of the common room) and began rifling through Harry's trunk. He grabbed a silky cloak and bolted back down the stairs. He met everyone on his way back to the gargoyle and they all jogged out to the edge of the Apparation barrier. On the way, Dumbledore explained the plan.
"Draco, you know you are a part of the prophecy," Dumbledore said. "Where is Caribe? You may need him." Draco nodded and pulled out the whistle. He blew on it, but no sound came out. He was about to try it again when the golden eagle screeched overhead.
"You and Damon are to hide out under this cloak," Damon snorted a little, "It is an Invisibility Cloak, so you will not be seen. I will cast a non-detection spell so you will not trip any minor alarms. Remus and I will each attack a side of the castle while the two of you slip in. With his numbers so low, there should only be about ten Death Eaters, and none that strong. I believe the strongest is Parkinson, but he is easily taken care of. You two are to find Severus and Harry. When you do, have each of them drink this," he handed each boy a vial of potion. "It will cancel the spell I cast and return them to their bodies. When that happens, Damon, you are to take the cloak and Severus and get out of there. Draco and Harry must face the Dark Lord alone." Caribe screeched. "Alright, you'll help out where you can," he told the bird.
"That reminds me," he, too, pulled out a whistle and blew on it, and Fawkes appeared. "We may need you old friend." Fawkes nodded and joined Caribe in flight.
They all reached the barrier and paused a moment to catch their breaths. Draco grabbed Dumbledore's wrist, and Damon latched onto Lupin. The two older wizards Apparated to a dark cemetery. Draco snorted quietly.
"Figures," he said as he and Damon slipped under the cloak. They slinked up to the doors and waited for them to open. Dumbledore and Lupin spread out and cast shield spells on themselves. Lupin readied defense spells while Albus warmed up some minor curses and hexes. Sure enough, eight Death Eaters, with Parkinson in the lead, stormed out of the gate, and the two boys slipped in unnoticed. Each cast a glance back to the wizards fending off the enemy before turning to their own mission. And with that, they crept down to the dungeons.