Nobody Knew
Part Four

-

Severus walked through the Hogwarts grounds wondering if he was about to meet his maker. Well, he was about to see his Master, no doubt here, and perhaps lose his life. There was a possibility that Voldemort broke into Theresa's mind – she didn't have many defences against Legilimency. Her Occlumency training was rudimentary at best, nothing to match the power of Voldemort. In that case the Dark Lord knew he was a traitor and Theresa was probably dead. As would he be in the few hours.

But there was also slight possibility that Theresa didn't break, that she remembered the tricks from the past and he was needed for something else. In that case Theresa was probably dead too. Or he would be expected to kill her, like before.

It was highly unlikely the summons had nothing in common with the raid on his and Theresa's house last night.

Considering each of the aforementioned possibilities, it seemed to Severus he had two choices. One, he could ignore the summons, live safely at Hogwarts, take care of his children and slowly go insane. Two, he could do his Death Eater duty and either see his wife die or die himself.

Well, it wasn't really a choice either way.

Shooting a last glance at the Hogwarts Castle, the bastion of relative normalcy in the world he had chosen to leave in, before entering the Dark Lord's realm, he Disapparated.

-

The gloom of the huge main hall of Sailstone Castle greeted him along with the speculating looks from several Death Eaters standing next to the Voldemort's throne. Snape knew those looks well. They were searching for weakness, for any sign that would degrade him in the eyes of their master, for any chance they could replace him as one Voldemort's trustees. Every each one of them would happily stab him in the back has it not been for his terrible reputation. They all heard what Severus Snape could do to if someone happened to fail in their little game. The precedence of Marisa Wilkes was a legend already.

"Master." Severus bowed to the Dark Lord, his tone one of adoration and total submission. "What do I owe the honour to be called to your side?"

Voldemort didn't answer. Instead he snapped his fingers and one of the Death Eaters Snape didn't recognise came into the hall dragging somebody behind him.

Severus barely recognised her. Her black hair, usually twisted into elegant, shiny knot, was now a filthy mess and her translucent skin was of a sickly bluish shade. Her face was lined; he knew it was the effect of the Cruciatus Curse and he had almost clenched his hands into fists before reminding himself who was watching. Her crystal blue eyes were empty, unfocused pools of pain.

It took all his self-control to look at her indifferently, not to go running to her, take her into his arms and try to comfort her. Then he realised she didn't even blink with recognition upon seeing him.

What had they done to her?

He managed to slow his heartbeat to almost normal pace, and half-expecting to hear a triumphant laughter or a mocking hiss, looked up at the Dark Lord questioningly, meticulously wiping any dangerous emotions off his mind and schooling his thoughts into the slight confusion the situation demanded.

Voldemort's white hand caressed the head of an enormous snake, slithering up and down his 'throne'. Even in Severus' days as a loyal Death Eater, despite his fondness for serpents, Nagini had the characteristic of making him shiver. Nagini had a quality about him that no other animal, magical or otherwise, possessed. This quality was pure, unadulterated evil. It was not any animal's nature to be evil. Animals could be dangerous and vicious as was required for survival in the harshest of environments, but not evil. Except for Nagini that is.

"We need your expertise, Snape."

Expertise? They needed his expertise?

Allowing just a hint of curiousity to his face, Severus answered as best as possible. "My knowledge is at your disposal, Master."

"This woman," Voldemort gestured to Theresa, "is -- or rather was -- a researcher for the Ministry of Magic. She appears to have invented several complicated and detrimental potions. Very detrimental indeed." The Dark Lord's voice reverberated through the otherwise silent hall with it's hearty timber that could send one to their grave with the right utterance of syllables, and that was enough to make Severus' spine shiver.

Once more answering in a tone of indifference Severus' could hardly manage a glance towards his wife. "Why is she alive then, my lord?"

"You always have been such a straight-to-a-point person, Snape... One of the reasons you are so effective..." Voldemort chuckled in a way that was chilling and hardly merry or jolly as one would often expect. "Her record doesn't indicate such aptitude when it comes to potions... yet, she swears that the potions that cost us so much losses lately are of her own making... which you have to verify. We were unable to locate the man by the name she has provided us with and thus ensuring us that even in the face of death of her children she can be a liar. If she is indeed such a talented potion-maker, we might make a good use of her."

Snape understood immediately. It was not the first time he was supposed to evaluate the usefulness of another scientist. The procedure included the subject making the potion or casting a spell or performing some other kind of magic and him testing the results provided. In fact it was one of the very few activities he actually enjoyed as a Death Eater, if such a thing could ever be possible any more.

He smiled with an effort. "It will be a pleasure, Master."

Voldemort didn't know. He didn't know. Theresa didn't let the Dark Lord access her mind or she managed to fool him – either way an impressive feat – and they didn't kill her. It was almost beyond belief.

The wheels in his minds were turning furiously. It was his chance. If he found a way to stay with Theresa alone, if he managed to help her snap out of her trance (which he now recognised as an effect of Imperius Curse), they could try to leave the castle and Disapparate. But he wouldn't be able to break the Imperius cast by Voldemort himself... he had to find a way to get her released.

"When you are finished we have some other business to talk over..." Voldemort dismissed him with a wave of hand.

Snape followed a Death Eater, (Roderick Green, a Slytherin, graduated six years ago, excellent with potions, Severus remembered) to the laboratory. Green was dragging Theresa behind him, although she didn't resist. They entered a windowless room filled with glimmering vials and steaming cauldrons. Almost like home, Severus thought morbidly, even my wife is with me.

Under Green's attentive gaze he came to the table where six vials awaited for the examination. Green filled him in about what kind of potions Theresa was supposed to make and where he himself had failed to recognise the concoctions. It appeared that Green was able to confirm the identity of four of them, the more simple ones, but didn't know how to proceed with the rest.

Looking to the vials, Severus mentally ticked off each name without any real effort. Anti-Veritaserum. Severus biggest achievement in several years (it was a material for a Faustus Award -- a magical equivalent of a Nobel Prize -- if it could see the light of the day). Not perfect yet but he was working on it. New Memory-Alternating Potion, good for inducing fake memories in whatever purpose it could serve. Resistance Potion, such that increased the natural ability to resist the Imperius Curse. Extra strong Numbing Potion, which helped to go through the aftermath of Cruciatus more simplistically. The Boomerang Potion which, combined with several charms, caused the drinker's wand to always come back to its owner. The Leeching Elixir which allowed one to draw out the strength of another person by a mere touch. The last one qualified fully as Dark Arts, but the Ministry was willing to overlook the fact.

All the potions were soon to become a standard Auror equipment.

Severus took the tools and ingredients and began the testing, painfully aware of Theresa's blank stare on his back. If only she wouldn't remember... but Imperius didn't make people forget what they did under the influence.

After four hours he was done. Theresa managed to make only two of his recent inventions correctly, the Boomerang Potion and the Memory-Alternating Potion. The other four were close enough for him to fix them, although he dreaded to leave even those small amounts for the Death Eaters to use. Especially Anti-Veritaserum and Leeching Elixir. Green didn't notice anything suspicious however, and Severus was thankful for such.

When he returned to the hall, he noticed that there were more people around than four hours ago, about fifteen of them – the recruiting must have gone better than anyone suspected. They were standing in the large semi-circle around the Dark Lord's stone throne. He stepped into the circle, Roderick Green with Theresa right behind him.

Careful, be careful, he warned himself when he stood before the Dark Lord again, his head bowed respectfully. "She seems to be telling the truth, Master. The potions are correct, as far as my experiments can tell. I believe she might be indeed a useful addition to our cause."

Voldemort seemed to be considering his words. "Good. Take her away."

Severus heart almost stopped. Now or never, you must do it. "Master..."

"What is it?" There was a hint of irritation to Voldemort's icy tone and Severus felt sweat run down his spine. He was probably about to be hit with Cruciatus for the next sentence, but it had to be done.

"It might be," he searched for the word that would not infuriate the Dark Lord too much, "desirable... to release her from Imperius. As you know, Master, creativity is so severely infected by that curse that she would not be able to come up with anything new... she would just reproduce what she already knows..."

If that little display of lack of trust in Voldemort's omniscience was to have some painful repercussions, it would have happened by now. Severus almost sighed with relief as Voldemort waved his wand at Theresa.

Her eyes cleared and he saw a flicker of recognition in them. Just a flicker and her face once again became a painfully blank mask.

"My Potions Master says that your efforts proved to be of some value." Voldemort's cold voice echoed against the stone hall. "You may yet save your life by complying..."

"Never! Death first!"

Severus closed his eyes at that. Death? And what about me? But he could understand her. If he was sure that all his children were dead... and he was ordered to participate in atrocities... Fight, my love, fight!

"Death?" Voldemort laughed. "You soon will be praying for death if you don't comply... Severus?"

Snape clenched his teeth. It couldn't be happening... Merlin why him? Why again?

"Crucio," he whispered.

Theresa's body convulsed in pain and his heart wrenched. He had to go to her, tell her not to give up, to fight, tell her that he would get her out of here... somehow.

He lowered his wand and forced an evil, twisted grin to his lips. He approached Theresa slowly, making it a big show for everybody to see. He crouched next to her and tossed his hair back, arrogantly. Her eyes filled with fear as he run one finger along her jaw in a cruel parody of tenderness.

"Fight it, Theresa, fight it. I will get you out from here," he said in a low voce, so that only she could hear. Then he laughed sensually.

His laughter evoked more than one chuckle from the assembled Death Eaters.

"You have always been the biggest slut among us, Snape," somebody commented. He sounded like Macnair, but the echo of the hall and the mask distorted voices a little and Severus wasn't sure. It would mean that Macnair, together with Lucius Malfoy managed to wriggle out from the Aurors' clutches.

Theresa shivered at his touch, but not with the usual pleasure.

"Don't... Don't do this to me... " Her eyes filled with tears and he understood that if he went through with it, everything between them would change beyond repair. There must be another way, than claiming her for his pleasure...

He stood up. "Ah, but you would like that, wouldn't you... Crucio!" Again, she begun screaming, but her eyes held gratitude. They could go together through physical pain, but not... that.

Severus turned to Voldemort. "She will comply, Master. I would suggest she starts working now... and I will check on her progress at the Dark Revel."

"Yes, the Dark Revel." Voldemort focused his gaze on Theresa's limp, barely breathing figure. "She might be an excellent example that not only Muggles and Mudbloods should be afraid of me, but everybody who defies me. Yes... after the Dark Revel she won't as much as think of defying me, will she, Severus?"

Snape gave just a smile as an answer. He couldn't form any words. So she would be another toy at the Dark Revel... even if she survived it, she would not be the same.

Another snap of fingers on the Dark Lord's part and Theresa was out to the laboratory with Roderick Green. The clean efficiency of it seemed out of place in such a dirty and detestable atmosphere that surrounded him.

I have time only to the Dark Revel, he thought before inquiring: "What is the matter you wished to talk over with me, my lord?" "Dumbledore, of course." Business as usual. Snape stepped into the small circle and played the role he had become so good at. One part of him silently vowed something that Voldemort would rather not appreciate. I will get you out of here, my love. Even if I had to use the darkest of Dark Arts.