Exultet, part 2

Minister Fudge entered Dumbledore's office just as Severus brought Draco in.

"Snape," Fudge sneered with an edge of well-wrought hatred. When Severus ignored him he glanced at Draco and turned to Dumbledore. "I thought that we had agreed the boy would be sent back to his father, Headmaster." He glanced at Draco once more, almost uncomfortably. "I was quite clear about that."

As Dumbledore reassured the Minister that everything would be just fine, and importuned him to sit down and have some tea, Severus positioned himself so that he could see the boy's face indirectly. He saw Draco register his attention without taking his eyes off the Headmaster.

Draco clearly thought, like a voice above the distant babble of his fear, I was distraught over a serious falling out with my father and went to you for help as my Head of House.

Severus barely repressed a scowl at the boy's impertinence in thinking to instruct him in subterfuge. Realising there was no reason to repress it under the circumstances, he scowled.

Severus saw the line of Draco's mouth adjust minutely and his thoughts stumble over themselves trying not to be amused. The boy was juggling confusion and fear at least, was possibly even rather unstable; but considering he'd spent two days enjoying Voldemort's careful attentions he was still remarkably competent. Still strong.

". . . but really that is all, thank you," Fudge was saying, as he finally succumbed to Dumbledore's tea.

"Severus, Draco," the Headmaster said affably, as if he'd invited them to breakfast, "Please, do sit down." He moved chairs and the tea service into place with a sweep of his wand.

Fudge spluttered his tea, slightly. "Headmaster Dumbledore, there is absolutely no question of the boy remaining here." He put his cup firmly on the desk. "I made it perfectly clear," he lowered his voice and glanced at Draco with obvious nervousness this time, "that his father wants him to be examined right away."

Severus heard Draco's mental flinch and snapped out, "Examined how?"

Fudge ignored him, and even reached for his cup again.

"For signs of abuse," Dumbledore said.

The clamour of Draco's mind disappeared and Severus turned to look at him. Draco blinked and dipped his head. Severus finally caught his eye but he could hear nothing.

"If Mr Malfoy requires his son to have medical attention," Dumbledore said, "that can certainly be done here. Madame Pomfrey is a most accomplished medi-witch."

Fudge went to object but Severus cut him off, "And what does Mr Malfoy require for me."

"Under Veritaserum, to be interrogated about your relationship with his son and dismissed from service to Hogwarts when your abuse of him has been exposed," Fudge said, with rather more confidence and satisfaction.

"I could agree," Severus said, and he felt a stir of panic from Draco, "but I will not."

"Then," Fudge said with evident pleasure, "I must insist you leave Hogwarts at once, pending an inquiry - for the protection of the children. The boy may be examined here if you wish, Dumbledore," he added, rising, "but his father will collect him this evening as arranged. He is of course not to be left alone with the abuser."

Dumbledore stood as well, uncommonly grave. "Very well, Minister."

"No," Draco exclaimed sharply. "I won't go."

"My boy," Fudge said with a nervous laugh, "you needn't worry. Your father isn't angry with you," he added after a moment of clear uncertainty. "Even a Malfoy, when young, can be subject to influence."

"I will not," Draco said emphatically, although his face was unnervingly pale. "My father is a Death Eater and I will not go with him. I will stay at Hogwarts."

Fudge sat, his expression shifted through a range of equally displeased and distressed responses. "That is impossible. . ." he began.

"And I am fully prepare to take Veritaserum or anything else to testify to it."

"You're just a boy. . ."

"He is of age to make a formal charge and bear witness," Dumbledore said in a quiet firm voice.

Severus looked away rather than watch, but he couldn't escape Draco's pitched supplication to himself, to something, to anything, that it work - and he didn't think he had a right to try. His skin crawled with the small memory flashes of Voldemort's hand and Lucius's mouth and the dark ballroom and heating water in a dark bathroom to wash away his own blood and the blood of others.

Into the tense expectation, Fudge said bitterly, "I hope you know what you're doing, boy."

Severus didn't look at Draco, only tried to think something conciliatory, something warming, something full of care. They were not emotions he had much experience with.

"Snape still leaves, while we investigate all these. . . allegations," the Minister spat, getting to his feet again. "I will summon Aurors to remove him, and the boy will come with me."

Dumbledore raised his hand and a door swiftly opened, admitting Remus Lupin. Sirius Black stood in the background, wearing an unpleasant expression.

"Our Defence instructor, Remus Lupin, Minister Fudge; you have already met. And my friend Sirius Black, who of course you have also met, and who is staying with us at the present time."

Fudge tensed but didn't respond.

"I'm sure you'll agree that they are more than capable of escorting Professor Snape out of Hogwarts and ensuring he is somewhere safe?" The Minister agreed with a curt nod. "But as I have a duty of care to the boy, I must insist that he remain with me. The Aurors are of course welcome to interview him here."

Fudge was only just managing an objection when Lupin signalled for Severus to follow him. Severus looked directly at Draco then and, carefully not thinking about the audience, inclined his head to him, almost with a smile. Draco smiled and internally thanked him, wanted him, needed him, asked him not to go and then apologised. . .

"I'll see you soon, Draco," Severus said, walking directly to the door as the protests began.

* * *

"Do they put rapists in Azkaban, Remus?" Black asked with faux concern as they moved up the stairs. No Aurors had been summoned, or not yet, but they had drawn their wands.

"There's no suggestion of that, Sirius, and you know it," Lupin said, glancing at Severus, who ignored them both.

"Oh right. Would it be brainwashing or abuse of a minor then?"

"Sirius," Lupin warned.

"I think we'll have to assume brainwashing," Black continued, as they turned along another corridor. "The kid's not blind."

"The safe room?" Severus asked evenly. Lupin nodded. "For how long?"

"We're to come back for you when things have been settled."

"Could be a while then, " Black said cheerfully. "Just as well you like your own company best. I can tell you, though, even being in a room with Snape is better than Azkaban."

Lupin gave Black a furious look as they stopped in the corridor and waited. Severus ignored him, although Black was clearly still enjoying himself. Finally the door melted into view and Lupin took out a key and a bag which he passed to Severus.

"Just a hint, Snape," Black said as he went through the door. "Wait till they can Apparate."

* * *

When the door clicked shut with a heavier sound than it should have made, Severus had been glad to be rid of Lupin's sympathy and Black's abuse. Two hours later it was certainly not the isolation that had become frustrating, but the lack of information. He needed to know what was happening - what was Dumbledore doing, what exactly did Lucius hope to accomplish and was he following orders or just freely intuiting them, and where was Draco?

This time the silence in his mind where Draco might be positively echoed. He wasn't exactly surprised it didn't enter this room, but he was disappointed. It would have provided a useful awareness of external events.

Had he been officially dismissed from Hogwarts? The boy would defend him; he was surprisingly certain of that. As would Albus, for his own reasons, but much would depend on how much effort Lucius was willing or able to expend and that depended on how much of this was actually jealousy or possessiveness and how much of it Voldemort's plan. There was nothing he could do here except analyse the situation from every available angle, and create both elaborate and straightforward plans based on things he did not know.

Severus selected the least perishable of the food Lupin had left and retired to the couch. Transfiguration had never been one of his specialties, but one of the six long wooden benches became a quite comfortable couch. Paper had not been as difficult as he had expected (it was based on wood after all), but writing instruments had been more so. Fortunately, or not, he had time, and a candelabra with which to begin.

He carefully coped the rose and serpent frieze to paper by means of a spell he had often used for recording the appearance of plantlife, mapped the dimensions and magical fields of his prison in detail, and finally determined it would be acceptable to sleep. Wards wouldn't work here, falling in silent colourful showers of light into useless glitter on the stone floor, but the door was the only entrance, only Dumbledore could reveal the door, and at this point if Dumbledore wasn't with him he was lost.