"Albus, she -"
"We know Severus. We know."
Severus burst into the headmaster's office, slamming the door back on its hinges and against the wall, causing Lucas to scream even louder than he had been. His face was red as a tomato and he was rubbing his eyes exhaustedly. As soon as he saw Severus he stretched his arms out and leaned so far out of Albus' arms that the old man had to scramble to keep a hold of him.
"I think he wants to be with you, Severus." Albus held Lucas out and Severus took him. The change in the boy was instant and uncanny. Lucas curled up on his belly on top of Severus' chest and buried himself in the old man's robes. He found his thumb and started to suck on it, and although his chest was still heaving thanks to his earlier scream fest, he was beginning to quiet himself.
"Albus it was Lucius. He took her right out from under me." Severus was breathless and Albus motioned for him to take a seat, which he did, and instinctively he began to rock back and forth in it. His eyes had taken on a completely new look and it seemed as if he were consumed with something.
"I think it would be prudent to begin at the beginning. As you said, it was Lucius, and we both know that he won't kill her outright."
"It doesn't matter. It's what he'll do with her in the meantime, Albus. I can't stand the thoughts of it."
"Was there anyone with him?"
"Three others. All deatheaters."
"Did they see you?"
"No."
"And where did they take her."
"Knockturn Alley. Albus what if she-"
At that moment a great snowy owl flew through the window and landed atop Albus' desk. There was a letter tied to its leg with a piece of silver ribbon, which it was holding out to be untied. Albus took the ribbon and pulled, picked up the letter, and read the front.
"It's for you, Severus,"
Severus took the letter from Albus and turned it over. There on the back was the Malfoy seal in forest green wax. He cast a tentative glance up to the older wizard, and Albus nodded him on. Slowly, and with a trembling finger, Severus broke the seal and pulled out a single piece of parchment, folded three times. He unfolded it and began to read.
"Severus -
I have come across something I think you'll be infinitely interested in taking advantage of, so to speak. Please stop by the manor this evening and see. Send your reply with Hermes as soon as you can.
Yours,
Lucius"
Severus looked disgusted and slapped the parchment down on the desk.
"Ink, please. And a quill." Severus took the instruments that Albus lay before him and scrawled a quick reply.
"Lucius -
Will be there at seven this evening.
S.S."
He tossed the quill back into the inkwell and sat back in his chair, cradling Lucas silently. Albus read the note, folded it, and tied it back to the regal owl's leg, sending it off with an offer of water from Fawkes' dish. Then he turned and regarded Snape with a very serious expression.
"You realize what this means, don't you?"
Severus rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. He was beyond annoyance. He just kept his head down and focused all of his nervous energy on Lucas.
"Of course I realize what this means, Albus. It means I'm going to have to go to Lucius' manor tonight and pretend that I have no morals and that I've never seen her and that - Gods, Albus. You know what Lucius does with his female captives. What he makes others do to them. I don't know if I can -" and then it happened. His eyes began to sting and his voice caught in his throat. "I don't know if I can do this."
Albus sat silent for a very long time, regarding the man that had become like a son to him. His fingers were steepled under his chin and he seemed to be assessing the slightly aging wizard.
"You must, Severus. Play along. It's the only way to get her back. And I'd wager that Lucas isn't the only man that needs her."
"That's nonsense." Snape continued to stare down at Lucas' blonde head while he sucked quietly on his thumb.
"Is it," Albus asked quietly.
"We know Severus. We know."
Severus burst into the headmaster's office, slamming the door back on its hinges and against the wall, causing Lucas to scream even louder than he had been. His face was red as a tomato and he was rubbing his eyes exhaustedly. As soon as he saw Severus he stretched his arms out and leaned so far out of Albus' arms that the old man had to scramble to keep a hold of him.
"I think he wants to be with you, Severus." Albus held Lucas out and Severus took him. The change in the boy was instant and uncanny. Lucas curled up on his belly on top of Severus' chest and buried himself in the old man's robes. He found his thumb and started to suck on it, and although his chest was still heaving thanks to his earlier scream fest, he was beginning to quiet himself.
"Albus it was Lucius. He took her right out from under me." Severus was breathless and Albus motioned for him to take a seat, which he did, and instinctively he began to rock back and forth in it. His eyes had taken on a completely new look and it seemed as if he were consumed with something.
"I think it would be prudent to begin at the beginning. As you said, it was Lucius, and we both know that he won't kill her outright."
"It doesn't matter. It's what he'll do with her in the meantime, Albus. I can't stand the thoughts of it."
"Was there anyone with him?"
"Three others. All deatheaters."
"Did they see you?"
"No."
"And where did they take her."
"Knockturn Alley. Albus what if she-"
At that moment a great snowy owl flew through the window and landed atop Albus' desk. There was a letter tied to its leg with a piece of silver ribbon, which it was holding out to be untied. Albus took the ribbon and pulled, picked up the letter, and read the front.
"It's for you, Severus,"
Severus took the letter from Albus and turned it over. There on the back was the Malfoy seal in forest green wax. He cast a tentative glance up to the older wizard, and Albus nodded him on. Slowly, and with a trembling finger, Severus broke the seal and pulled out a single piece of parchment, folded three times. He unfolded it and began to read.
"Severus -
I have come across something I think you'll be infinitely interested in taking advantage of, so to speak. Please stop by the manor this evening and see. Send your reply with Hermes as soon as you can.
Yours,
Lucius"
Severus looked disgusted and slapped the parchment down on the desk.
"Ink, please. And a quill." Severus took the instruments that Albus lay before him and scrawled a quick reply.
"Lucius -
Will be there at seven this evening.
S.S."
He tossed the quill back into the inkwell and sat back in his chair, cradling Lucas silently. Albus read the note, folded it, and tied it back to the regal owl's leg, sending it off with an offer of water from Fawkes' dish. Then he turned and regarded Snape with a very serious expression.
"You realize what this means, don't you?"
Severus rolled his eyes and sighed heavily. He was beyond annoyance. He just kept his head down and focused all of his nervous energy on Lucas.
"Of course I realize what this means, Albus. It means I'm going to have to go to Lucius' manor tonight and pretend that I have no morals and that I've never seen her and that - Gods, Albus. You know what Lucius does with his female captives. What he makes others do to them. I don't know if I can -" and then it happened. His eyes began to sting and his voice caught in his throat. "I don't know if I can do this."
Albus sat silent for a very long time, regarding the man that had become like a son to him. His fingers were steepled under his chin and he seemed to be assessing the slightly aging wizard.
"You must, Severus. Play along. It's the only way to get her back. And I'd wager that Lucas isn't the only man that needs her."
"That's nonsense." Snape continued to stare down at Lucas' blonde head while he sucked quietly on his thumb.
"Is it," Albus asked quietly.