Title – The Price We Pay 8/12
Rating – PG-13/T
Disclaimer – I own none of this, it all belongs to Rowling. I just have the honor of using her creations in my story. No slash, sex or profanity.
Summary – A trip to Diagon Alley, an uninvited visitor and a relapse.
A/N – Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Well school starts on Monday, which means I will have less time to work on 'The Price We Pay.' I had hoped to finish this before then but school has spoiled my plans. :( I will of course write in my spare time but I can't guarantee weekly updates! Don't worry I won't forget this, just please be patient! Anyway, all reviews, questions, suggestions and corrections are welcome! Read and enjoy
The Price We Pay
Chapter 7
"Master Sevrus!"
The wizard called rolled over and pulled a pillow over his head, attempting to shut out the insistent demands of a particular house elf. A slight weight settled on his shoulders and a squeaky voice, thankfully muffled by the pillow, said,
"Master Sevrus! Yous must be getting up now! Breakfast is getting cold!
Groaning loudly, Snape curled deeper into the warm blankets of his bed and dislodged the house elf from his body with a shrug. He clenched his eyes tighter and tried to fall back asleep.
But Miel was not to be ignored. With a wave of her hand the blankets and pillow vanished, causing the slim figure on the bed to shiver in the cold air. Snape was instantly awake and pinned the smirking, (smirking?)house elf in an annoyed glare. Miel was not intimidated in the slightest and shook a finger in his direction.
"Breakfast is waiting for yous Master Sevrus. You must eats, master is too skinny!"
There was something in the voice of the elf that made Snape smile fondly despite his annoyance over the wake up call. He had discovered, over the course of his imprisonment, that his pureblooded way of treating and thinking about house elves had been fundamentally changed. If the brave house elves of Riddle Manor had not sneaked him leftover bits of food he would have surely starved to death. When his captors deigned to feed him, it was usually rotten scraps of food they would force down him. Snape had tried to starve himself after a few months; even refusing the food the house elves would bring him. He never found out why they had done that for him or what had become of Riddle Manor's house elves, but he owed his life to them now and could not ignore Miel, especially since she was so persistent.
"I'm up, I'm up! Give me a few moments will you! Annoying elf!"
But there was no anger or reproach in his voice, just a fond tolerance for the ever-cheery house elf. Apparently satisfied with his response, Miel nodded, but wisely waited until he actually got up and reached for the dressing robe draped over a chair. He slid his feet into his favourite pair of enchanted black bunny slippers and rubbed the sleep from his eyes. She magically straightened the covers as he stretched.
"Master Sevrus be coming now! Bacon and eggses get cold!"
"Yes, yes Miel, I'm coming." Snape answered with a wry smile at the thought of being ordered around by the small creature. He did not mind it as much as he thought he would and with a yawn followed the elf down the stairs and into the dining room.
Dumbledore was sitting in his usual place at the table, sipping orange juice and reading the Daily Prophet. He looked up as Snape entered and smiled,
"Good morning Severus!" He said brightly, causing Snape to groan and glare sleepily at the wizard who was too damn cheerful for this hour of the day. Snape grunted a reply and plopped down next to him, immediately reaching for the teapot. He downed a cup of black coffee and sighed as the caffeine-enriched elixir worked its own magic on his sluggish body.
"Morning Albus." he finally replied, "I see you sent Miel up to wake me again. She is not an alarm clock you know."
Miel chose that moment to reappear, placing a plate full of delicious breakfast foods right in front of him and smiled at them.
"I don't minds waking Master Sevrus! Sleeps too much anyway, if you asks me."
Snape groaned again and decided to focus on his breakfast. Dumbledore simply chuckled and accepted another slice of toast from Miel. They ate in silence, Dumbledore occasionally mentioning articles he thought Snape would be interested in and soon the empty dishes were vanished. Snape rose, intending to wash and dress before heading down to the special laboratory Dumbledore and Miel had created for him a week ago. It was located down in the basement, but lighter and warmer than his old dungeon rooms, and was perfect for his fledgling attempts to relearn the subtle art of potions making. His new lab had been thoughtfully stocked with his old, familiar equipment and he found a few new and quite rare ingredients in his stock while carefully cataloguing all the supplies Dumbledore had provided. He had not asked what had become of his personal possessions when he disappeared, but now it was obvious that the Headmaster had saved his private belongings and work equipment in the hopes their owner would return to reclaim them. Smiling at the thought of spending another afternoon in the lab, Snape turned to leave when Dumbledore's voice stopped him.
"I am heading to Diagon Alley today to pick up a robe I ordered from Madame Malkin's. We can stop by the apothecary shop and then visit Ollivander's to buy a new wand."
Dumbledore was careful to maintain a neutral tone in his voice, but inside he was hoping Snape would agree. Snape had proven to be somewhat reluctant to going out in public, preferring the safety of his lab and garden to the unknowns of large crowds and open places. He still shied away from groups of people, despite Dumbledore's attempts to help him conquer his fear with quick visits to the closest town. Dumbledore suspected this irrational fear stemmed from being the entertainment of large Death Eater meetings for so long, being cursed and tortured while so many others watched. He studied Snape's face from the corner of his eye, hoping the younger wizard would consent to a short trip.
Sighing, Snape was torn between the safety staying in the house provided and the desire to get more supplies. He also desperately needed a wand. As his magic abilities returned to him and he regained his former strength, Snape desired a wand to protect himself should the occasion arise. Knowing Dumbledore was only trying to help, he nodded slowly and replied,
"I suppose a short trip wouldn't hurt. There are a few items I need before I begin work on some rudimentary potions. Though I'm not sure if I can apparate yet."
"Excellent!" said Dumbledore with a pleased smile, "We can floo to the Leaky Cauldron and it should be early enough to avoid the crowds."
Snape resigned himself to a morning spent back in the wizarding world he quickly washed and dressed in a dark green robe so dark it almost appeared black. While most of his robes and clothes were dark he did not own one item of completely black clothing except for a warm black cloak. It was another fear of Snape's they had discovered over the last few weeks that came from his time with Death Eaters. Now he could not even look at a black robe without his heart giving a tiny lurch of fear and panic. So Dumbledore had happily supplied him with robes in dark greens, blues and even a dark red one that contrasted nicely with his black hair and eyes. The crafty former Headmaster had tried to sneak a yellow robe into the mix, but it was promptly tossed into the fire.
Dumbledore was waiting for him by the fireplace, humming happily to himself and waiting patiently while Snape worked up enough nerve to leave the house. With his emotions under tight control, Snape flooed to the Leaky Cauldron, followed shortly by Dumbledore.
True to Dumbledore's word, the Leaky Cauldron was practically empty; there was only a very drunk witch passed out in one corner and the owner Tom. Tom looked up as they brushed any dirt off their robes and nodded at them in greeting. They nodded back and some moments later were standing in Diagon Alley, the early morning sun shining down on the open shops and the few customers shopping in them.
Dumbledore allowed Snape to take as long as he needed to become accustomed to the prospect of encountering groups of people in public and after a small nod from the younger wizard they set out.
Their first stop was the apothecary and Snape gave a small, pleased sigh as they entered the dim, smelly shop full of potion ingredients, common and rare. He smiled then and Dumbledore had the sudden image of a child in a candy shop. But the image passed, as Snape suddenly turned quite serious and perused the shelves and bins with the critical eye of a Potions Master. He easily found the few items he needed and selected only the best for purchase. When they had paid and went back out into the sunshine Snape gave another small mournful sigh and clutched his bag of ingredients tightly. Dumbledore patted him reassuringly on the shoulder and led the way to Madame Malkin's.
The witch dressed in mauve robes was very pleased to see them and smiled when they entered her shop.
"Ah, Headmaster Dumbledore and Professor Snape! Good to see you both again!"
"Unfortunately we no longer go by those titles Madame." Dumbledore explained while Malkin retrieved the robe he had ordered. "We are just here as common customers today."
The witch only smiled and waved her hand nonchalantly.
"Yes, well you don't mind if I continue to think of you as such do you? Such habits are hard to break."
She returned then with a robe only Albus Dumbledore would wear. It was sky blue with enchanted white clouds and yellow suns that drifted lazily across the "sky." Snape smiled despite himself and when he looked closer he could see flocks of brightly colored birds fly through the clouds. It was an exquisite robe and Dumbledore felt as happy as Snape was in the potions shop. He even modeled it for Snape who smothered his grin and turned to inspect a rack of hats. Dumbledore had a merry talk with Malkin about the merits of purple robes while he paid. They bid farewell to the smiling witch and stepped back out into Diagon Alley.
Where they literally ran right into Draco Malfoy.
"Professor! Headmaster! What a pleasant surprise!"
Snape bent to pick up the bag he had dropped and then turned to look at his former student. He vaguely remembered hearing Malfoy's voice after he had been rescued, but students had been forbidden from visiting and he had not seen or spoken to Draco in almost a year. The boy who had ruled his Slytherin peers had grown into an elegant, capable young man, and Snape was reminded of Lucius, only without the arrogance and contempt. Draco carried himself with pride, he was still a Malfoy after all, but his grey eyes were warm with friendliness and honest pleasure at seeing them. Dumbledore politely inclined his head and let the former student and professor carry the conversation.
"Draco, it is truly a delight to see you again." Snape answered.
"And with you as well Professor. It's good to see you up and about." Draco paused and with a grin whispered conspiratorially, "I was worried those Gryffindors didn't know how to take proper care of you."
Snape returned the smile and softly replied,
"They actually know what they are doing this time Draco, trust me." In a normal, polite voice he asked, "So what brings you to Diagon Alley today?"
Draco shrugged and waved a hand back toward Gringott's Bank.
"I had some financial business to take care of this morning. Father left the accounts in shambles and I finally got everything sorted out. Once Mother died, her share of the Black fortune also passed to me and I've been settling things with the goblins. There are still accounts in France and Switzerland that need to be looked over."
Snape nodded, not surprised in the least that the Malfoy fortune extended that far. He was surprised however that Draco had managed to keep the wealth out of the hands of the Ministry. Some of the Malfoy assets had been seized when Lucius was revealed to be a true Death Eater, but it appeared that Draco had saved most of it himself. Of course having Dumbledore vouch for you and defend you in court certainly helped, Snape knew that from personal experience.
"What about you sir? What are you here for?"
"Just picking up some potion items and a new robe for Albus."
Malfoy glanced at the robe Dumbledore was carrying and his lip curled ever so slightly into a sneer. Compared to the fine black and silver robes Draco was wearing, Dumbledore's new robe was positively blinding. The two Slytherins shared a look before the new Lord Malfoy took a step back and said,
"Well, I don't want to keep you from your errands then. I have other meetings to attend today. Good day Professor, Headmaster."
They exchanged pleasant farewells and Malfoy apparated away with a pop. Snape stared at the spot his student had been a moment earlier, stirring when Dumbledore touched his shoulder. The streets were starting to come alive with shopping wizards and witches and he wanted to finish their errands quickly. They turned and proceeded to Ollivander's, oblivious to the ominous pair watching them from a darkened alleyway.
- & -
From the shadows of Knockturn Alley a man and woman watched the trio of wizards converse and eventually go their separate ways. The woman growled angrily and raised her wand, intending to attack. But the man grabbed her arm and hissed,
"Not here. You know the plan. Split up and wait for the right moment. You take Malfoy, your sister did tell you how to get through the wards of the Manor before she killed herself didn't she?"
"Of course Cissy told me! My darling nephew won't stand a chance."
The man narrowed his eyes and released his hold on his sister-in-law's arm. He had other things to worry about. Like breaking into Dumbledore's own house and killing Snape like their Lord should have long ago. They had been planning their revenge for some time now and by the end of the day there would be two less traitors in the world. He smiled coldly at the thought of finally delivering the Killing Curse to Snape, after a bit of fun of course, just like they had in the dungeons of their Lord's Manor.
Insane eyes watched the old fool and the traitor head further into Diagon Alley and with an evil grin the pair slunk back into the shadows.
- & -
Twirling his new 11 inch oak and dragon heartstring wand in his hand, Snape hummed happily to himself as he pulled his purchases out of the bag and placed them on their designated spots on his shelves. Still smiling, he levitated a cauldron to rest on a burner and said "Incendio," to light the fire. He had been practicing simple spells with Dumbledore using a practice wand to prepare for an actual wand and he had to remind himself to take it slow. It would not do to overtax his fledgling magic on the first day of owning a new wand. Pocketing the wand, Snape lost himself in the preparation of the ingredients for a simple cleaning solvent for Miel to use. He was so involved in the process of brewing he jumped when a hand touched his shoulder. Spinning around, Snape frowned at Dumbledore and snapped,
"Don't scare me like that Albus! I could be brewing a potion that needed my precise attention! We could both be dead right now."
"But you're not brewing anything quite so dangerous which is why I can interrupt you without fear of death." Dumbledore replied with a smile. Snape scowled, but gave him his full attention. Holding up a letter Dumbledore continued, "I just received this letter from Minerva. It appears there are still some unresolved matters at Hogwarts I must take care of personally before school starts. I'll only be gone a few hours at the most and Miel has promised to drag you up for lunch if you don't surface soon."
Snape looked uncertain all of a sudden. His eyes flickered over to his cauldron and his hands curled in on themselves, like they wanted to clutch tight to something. But he nodded and said in a slightly shaky voice,
"I'll be fine and come up for lunch in a little bit. Go and find out what Minerva wants."
He abruptly turned and reached for a ladle when strong arms enveloped him in a hug. Snape squirmed a bit before relaxing into the comforting embrace and rested his cheek on the softness of Dumbledore's shoulder. He did not know why he wanted the other wizard to stay, but he was reassured when Dumbledore said softly in his ear,
"It will be all right Severus. You've been alone for short times before and this time will be no different. Miel and Fawkes will keep an eye on you and the house. I'll come back as soon as I can. Everything will be fine, I promise."
Smiling a little, Snape stepped back from the hug and replied,
"Thank you. You better go before Minerva gets impatient."
Dumbledore paused, watching him closely before nodding and apparating away to Hogwarts. When he was gone Snape picked up the ladle and turned back to his potion, a pleased little smile on his lips.
- & -
Albus Dumbledore smiled happily to himself as he walked through the front doors of Hogwarts. He stopped and took a deep breath, savouring the feeling of being in this particular castle again. Forcing himself to focus on the matters at hand, he headed up to Minerva's office, wondering what needed his personal attention now. He turned a corner and almost ran right into the person he was looking for.
"Albus! What are you doing here?" McGonagall exclaimed in surprise, eyes narrowing in confusion. Dumbledore's smile quickly faded and a cold feeling gripped his heart. He held up the letter in a suddenly shaking hand and replied,
"You sent this letter to me this morning. You asked me to come and settle some unresolved matters. Didn't you Minerva?"
"I didn't send that letter Albus. I've been talking with the new Charms professor all morning. What is going on here?"
Dumbledore could not answer her, as he suddenly felt sick and faint. He leaned against the wall for support and clutched the letter tightly in his hand. His mind went black with fear and anger and it was a few moments before he could answer her. Before he could open his mouth however a new voice called out,
"Headmaster!"
They turned as one and saw Malfoy limping as fast as he could toward them. His face was bruised and his blond hair was wild, falling into wide eyes. His robes were torn and blood covered his hands and wand. He was shaking, but his eyes were determined and angry.
"Mr. Malfoy! What happened? We must get you to the Hospital Wing immediately." McGonagall asked as she helped the young man stay standing. Malfoy took several deep breaths and looked fearfully at Dumbledore.
"No! We don't have the time! I had just arrived home when Bellatrix attacked me. My mother must have told her how to get past the wards. We dueled for a bit when she hit me with the Cruciatus. She took my wand and told me the traitors were going to get what they deserved today. We have to go to Professor Snape!"
"Calm down, Draco. What happened to Lestrange?" McGonagall asked as Dumbledore had turned pale and was staring at Malfoy in horror. Malfoy smiled then, an evil, proud smile and answered,
"I stabbed her with a dagger I keep hidden in my boot. She's dead. You'll probably want to call the Aurors to claim her body. But what about Professor Snape? If Aunt Bella came after me then Rabastan is going after him!"
Now Dumbledore came out of his stupor and ordered,
"Minerva take Draco to the Hospital Wing and tell Poppy to keep him there. Find Harry and tell him to contact the Ministry. Then get Remus and come to my house as soon as you can. I'll see to Severus."
Neither McGonagall nor Malfoy had time to say anything as Dumbledore had turned and was heading back out of the castle. He didn't get far before a burst of golden light stopped him and everyone shielded their eyes from the sudden brightness. When it faded Fawkes appeared, screeching angrily and digging his talons into Dumbledore's shoulder, apparently urging the wizard to come with him. The phoenix's feathers were ruffled and some of the golden wing feathers were bent. Dumbledore's heart dropped. If Fawkes was here, in such an agitated state, what had happened to Severus? A variety of situations, each more horrible than the last ran through his mind and he forced himself not to think of them, to concentrate on what needed to be done.
"Bring Poppy with you as well. I fear we may need her." Dumbledore called back to McGonagall and drew his wand. He grasped Fawkes's tail, signalling to the bird he was ready and they vanished in another burst of light.
- & -
Snape was pouring the last of his cleaning potion into bottles when he heard a crash followed by a high-pitched squeal. Then silence.
Frowning, he wiped his hands on a towel and headed up the stairs, drawing his wand when he reached the top. Snape took a few cautious steps toward the kitchen.
"Miel?" He called softly, not wanting to scare the house elf if she was not aware of him yet. There was no sign of the elf until Snape entered the kitchen and he suppressed his gasp when he saw Miel. She was bound and gagged with bonds designed to restrain house elves and tossed carelessly into the corner. Her wide eyes were shining with tears and went even wider when she saw him. She glanced suddenly to his right and before Snape could turn he felt the point of a wand being pressed into his neck. He froze, heart pounding in fear and anxiety.
"Good to see you again Severus. Ready to play?"
The cold, crazy voice of Rabastan Lestrange sent icy chills up his spine and Snape struggled not to vomit. He turned slightly to look at Lestrange, who was smiling and it was then Snape realized he was truly insane. What Azkaban did not do, the death of Voldemort did. Fear made him shiver again as Lestrange plucked the wand from his trembling hand and said,
"We are going to have so much fun. Then I will kill you like our Lord should have from the start."
Snape had no time to respond before a fist smashed into his face, sending him sprawling across the kitchen floor. For a man that had spent the last 3 months on the run Lestrange was stronger and quicker than he though possible. Miel squeaked and furiously twisted in her bonds, but could do nothing but watch helplessly as Lestrange mercilessly beat her master.
Groaning, Snape peered through a rapidly swelling eye and spit out blood from his split lip. It was taking all his effort to hold back the painful memories in his mind and he could feel the familiar darkness teasing the edge of his awareness. Swallowing hard, he managed to say in a weak voice,
"Albus will be back soon Rabastan, give up now."
Lestrange laughed, a cold, chilling laugh and pointed his wand at Snape's prone body.
"Let the fool come then. Crucio!"
White-hot pain consumed his mind and spread through his bones. He screamed and twisted on the floor, trying to escape the agony coursing through his blood, squeezing his heart and bringing all sorts of horrible memories flooding back with surprising clarity. When Lestrange released him from the curse Snape slumped boneless to the floor, gasping heavily, and limbs still twitching. Tears seeped from eyes clenched shut and he whimpered for Albus. There was a commotion above him and he cracked open an eye to see Fawkes swoop down on Lestrange in a flurry of wings and talons. Where the phoenix came from he did not know. The Death Eater cursed and swung his arms in an attempt to scare away the phoenix, but Fawkes was determined and scratched fiercely at his face. Only when Lestrange managed to grab one of his wings and pull hard did Fawkes stop his attack and realize he needed more help. Jerking away from Lestrange, the phoenix vanished in a burst of light.
Lestrange cursed and levelled a few kicks to Snape's ribs in response. Snape curled into a ball and had only a moment to rest before Lestrange again called out, "Crucio!" and the world exploded in pain.
Snape heard someone screaming and vaguely realized it was himself. Not that he cared; he was more concerned with the darkness threatening his sanity and awareness. He fought hard to hold onto the light, but felt it slip away to be replaced by darkness. It was too much, the pain, the memories of torture, memories of this curse being used over and over again; it was all too much to his still sensitive mind and soul. The pain overwhelmed everything else and he cowered from reality to hide in the farthest reaches of his mind, where nothing could reach him.
- & -
They reappeared in the middle of the kitchen and Dumbledore was immediately aware of someone screaming. His heart twisted and tears clouded his eyes. He turned, wand ready, and saw Lestrange cursing Severus with the Cruciatus.
The fugitive stopped the curse and spun to lock eyes with an enraged Dumbledore. Lestrange smiled and opened his mouth to cast a spell but Dumbledore was faster and more determined. Driven by blind rage, Dumbledore pointed his wand at the Death Eater and bellowed,
"AVADA KEDAVRA!"
Lestrange was dead before he dropped to the floor and Dumbledore did not spare a second thought for him. All his thoughts were focused on the curled ball in the middle of the kitchen.
Shaking, Dumbledore forced his body to move and dropped to his knees next to Snape, who was also trembling. He laid gentle hands on the twitching ball and almost cried out in despair when Snape violently flinched and shied away from his touch.
"Severus? Child?" He whispered but received no response. The memory of finding Snape in that dungeon cell suddenly sprang to mind and it fueled his concern and despair. As he looked into Snape's still open eyes Dumbledore finally let his tears flow freely.
There was no spark in those black eyes. No life. No awareness.
Nothing.
TBC
(Runs and hides from all the angry reviewers!) I know, I'm evil for leaving you with such a cliffhanger but I promise to update as soon as I can! Please feel free to leave a review telling me what you think; it'll encourage me to work faster on the next chapter which should be out within a week or two. (I hope).
