A/N – Praise be! The girl has finally learnt how to update quickly!… Insanely quickly!!!
Enjoy!…
Chapter 62- Truth or Dare?"Oh, Harry. I am disappointed. I though that, you, of all people, would recognise me."
The potions master's voice was silky and self-confident.
"You're not Snape."
Said Harry suddenly, raising his head to look at his captor.
As soon as his eyes met the other's, his scar flared in pain.
"You're Salazar Slytherin."
He gasped, pressing a hand to his pounding forehead.
"Not quite 'in the flesh'… But close enough."
Replied the Snape look-alike.
"So why the disguise?"
Asked Harry, feeling a strange sense of confidence rush through him.
"Really? You have to ask? I'd have thought that even your pathetic Gryffindor mind would have realised that I would not get very far in a Ministry building looking like Voldemort."
Harry couldn't help the wry smile that crept onto his face.
"No indeed. What I do wonder about is, why Snape?"
"Ah yes. You're notorious Potions Master. The man really is quite pathetic you know. You've done a superb job of crushing the man. Didn't know you had it in you."
He replied with a chuckle.
Harry scowled.
"So, how did you change your appearance?"
Snape's face was contorted into a grimace.
"As much as I hate to admit it. The Snape family are distant relatives of mine, it was therefore quite a simple matter to shift into Severus' form."
"So you can't shape-change into anyone?"
Asked Harry, his curiosity piqued.
"Only people with whom you have some sort of… bond?"
"Ten points to Gryffindor."
Answered Slytherin sarcastically.
"Okay. Then my next obvious question is, why have you brought me here?"
There was a brief silence before Slytherin started to cackle slightly manically.
"Wait and see Mr Potter. I'm sure the suspense will keep you occupied."
And with that Slytherin swept from the room, the potion's master's cloak billowing behind him.
***
"Dawn. Please go and check Severus' rooms. If he's not there, we may gain some information of his whereabouts."
Said Dumbledore tersely. He was obviously in shock at the idea that his trusted ally, spy, and friend, might be the one responsible for the latest attack on 'The Boy Who Lived'.
"He was at the ministry at the same time as we were."
Sirius growled,
"He made quite the spectacle… He even threatened us!"
Dumbledore's shoulders sank slightly.
He looked to Remus for verification.
The werewolf simply nodded.
"Albus. At least we know that Harry's still alive. And from what I can tell he's in no noticeable discomfort."
Said Arabella gently.
"I know that you've invested a lot in Severus, but we still don't know exactly what's happened."
Ginny interrupted the conversation.
"Excuse me."
"What is it Miss Weasley?"
Asked Dumbledore.
"Do you think I might attempt to telepath to Harry?"
She asked timidly.
Sirius turned his attention to her at this suggestion.
"Do you think you can?"
He asked, restrained hope and anxiety thinning his voice to almost nothing.
"I can try."
Replied Ginny, her face set in determination.
She shut her eyes and tentatively called to Harry with her mind.
A tiny flutter at the back of her mind caught her attention and she latched onto it calling louder.
'Harry? Harry?!'
There was no response.
Arabella touched her shoulder.
"Perhaps you ought to try again later. After all... he might be unconscious or sleeping."
"I suppose so."
Replied Ginny,
But her hope was diminishing and looking at the other faces in the room she knew that she wasn't the only one.
***
Draco regarded the mansion dispassionately. He'd never been particularly enamoured with the place. Unlike his mother and father who were quite possibly the most house proud wizards in England.
The tall grey towers at either end of the house had at all times remained disused, since as far back as Draco could remember.
He was surprised therefore to see a candlelight flicker in the highest window of the East tower.
He regarded the oddity for a moment and then stalked brusquely into the house shivering into his cloak.
He was not greeted as he breached the entrance hall. But then of course, the spells on the room were keyed in to members of the family, he had not broken any wards.
He strode quickly to his room.
He knew that he'd need some of the questionable items he'd stored there in order to carry out his plan.
He was going to find his great aunt.
His mother Narcissa had always been complaining about her Aunt Rosemary… The only squib in the Cardinal family for 19 generations.
He wasn't sure how long it would take him to find her.
But first he needed to make sure that he had everything he required…
And that was going to include a trip to the kitchen on the East side of the Mansion.
Perhaps whilst he was there he'd use his invisibility cloak to sneak up to the tower and investigate that strange candle…
***
Severus Snape awoke, for the first time in 3 days… and he immediately wished that he hadn't.
Grimacing he gingerly catalogued his injuries.
All in all there was nothing too serious.
There was a sprained wrist, a bump to the head, and a split lip. They were all probably from when he'd fallen down after being cursed from behind.
Damn that Lucius Malfoy. He never was one to pull his punches.
The stunning spell he'd been hit with wouldn't have needed much more power behind it to induce a coma.
Oh, he didn't doubt that it was Lucius that had done this to him.
He knew the man too well.
Besides, only Lucius Malfoy even knew about Snape's private workroom in the forbidden forest.
And that had been the location of the attack.
It was, he conceded, possible, that he'd been followed there. But being a spy had instilled a sixth sense about that sort of thing.
No. It had been an ambush.
And he'd walked straight into it like a Gryffindor fool.
Sighing Snape began the laborious task of freeing himself from the binds that were tightly wrapped around him.
This was going to take a while…
***
Harry had never felt as stir crazy as he did at that moment.
His prison was completely barren. There weren't even any cracks in the walls, ceiling or floor that he could discern.
There was a window on one side, but it had been charmed with a spell that made an attempt to look out of it result in a serious dizzy spell and eventually a blinding headache…
So no, he wasn't going to try that again.
He hated to dwell on the questions that were still demanding his mind's attention. Because that was what Slytherin had suggested that he do.
He wasn't going to bend to that creature's will any more than he would Voldemort's!
With a deep sigh he continued his earlier pursuit of picking at the skin next to his thumbnail.
He'd even tried contacting Dumbledore by telepathy. It seemed that the room was somehow spelled to prevent him from that method of salvation.
He growled in frustration and kicked the door angrily wishing it would open and grant him an escape.
To his utmost surprise, a second later it did open.
And on the other side…
Looking as stunned as he felt…
Was Draco Malfoy.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
A/N – So… How many of you saw that one coming?!!!
I wonder what Draco's going to do… hmmm…
Well, actually I know… But still.
*grins*
Hope you all liked that chapter…
Shame on you all for suspecting Snape!!! Hehehe.
On to the review responses!…
Thorgood – indeed! Your encouragement was the extra spur I needed! And now another one!! Aren't you proud of me?!
Elucreh – Well… I guess I'll have to settle for that then. There are a few more chapters… but the end is in sight! Yay!
Shrimpo/Jewels – Hehehe, two great reviews! Thankyou.
keroberous – I wont make you do that again! Kudos for doing it once!! And yes, I'm hoping to finish the monster before Saturday!
gaul – It's funny. Now that the crunch time is here everything is slotting nicely and the writing's flowing… Maybe I should have set an earlier deadline ages ago! Lol, thanks for your support!
abbey – Er… *pouts* I didn't mean to be mean… I posted quickly again… see!
Kit Cloudkicker – Hehehe,
Thankyou all!!!
luv,
jona
xxx