Voldemort, eyes red slits voice like no other, laughed with triumph.
***
Severus opened his eyes to an unfamiliar stone chamber. He had no idea where
he was or why he wasn't in the school. He looked to the right and his blood
went cold. Sheyliegh, and beyond her Minerva. With growing awareness he
realized that they were all propped up against a wall. Both Witches were
still unconscious, or worse. Violently forcing the thought away, he jerked
around to survey the rest of the room. 'Well at least we found Albus,' thought
Severus.
Albus saw that Severus had woken up. He looked to Sheyliegh and Minerva.
Although he couldn't talk, Severus got what Albus was wanting him to do. He
leaned over on his side. He knocked Sheyliegh on the shoulder with his own.
She wouldn't budge. He kept trying until finally her eyes flickered open. At
first she was terrified. She saw Minerva to her left and then realized that
Severus wanted her to wake the other Witch. Carefully, she bumped Minerva
back into consciousness. The excitement that everyone felt at being reunited
was dampened by the obvious fact that they were now all prisoners.
About forty-five minutes later the door swung open. Albus was used to these
sudden entrances, but the Witches jumpped. Severus had long since mastered
any sort of automatic fear response, but he did pale when their captor
stepped fully into the room. Voldermort.
"Sssoo... Ssseverusss," he hissed. "I sssee that my plan worked. You fool!"
He flicked a wrist and a sharp blow split Severus' lip. The dark man showed
no signs of pain or fear though, and so Voldemort lost interest for the
moment. "I knew that you would come looking for you dear friend... but I had
no idea you would bring your friends with you." He looked around at
Sheyliegh and then Minerva, looking both of them straight in the eye. "And
such lovely friends at that."
With a flick of his wand, the material gagging Severus was gone. "Ssso, tell
me Ssseverusss... why did you betray me and leave me to join this old fool?"
He had walked over to where Albus was tied and sent him an impacting curse
similar to the one he had just used on Snape.
"Stop this," Severus whispered.
"Or you'll do what?" Severus was finally reacting. Gleefully Voldemort
continued to taunt him. "Come now Sssevvie... tell me what a traitorous,
weak, little, potionsss massster such as yourself you could do to the mosst
powerful wizard to ever live," the answer was obvious in the crimson glimmer
of Lord Voldemort's eyes.
Severus sat silent for a while, looking Voldemort straight in the eye. "The
reason I left you," he finally broke the silence with a disbelieving
whisper, "can you truly have forgotten?!" Long hidden emotion cracked his
voice. "You killed Sara and Lily! You took my world from me!" Though he had
not seen his family's killer for twenty five years, the cold rage had only
deepened with time. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to crucio
Voldemort until the monster lost what little mind it still had. The Magic
bindings around his wrists and ankles would not allow that.
"Yesss. I think I do recall that. How Sssara told you to leave me, you
lissstened to her, and resssigned. That wasss not the smartesst thing for
you to do. For you knew that I would kill them. Or are you no wissser than
that?"
Severus fell silent, the demon was right. It was his fault that Sara and
Lily had been killed. He hadn't allowed himself to think about it since
Sheyliegh had arrived. He had allowed another woman to take precedence over
the memory of his family! Selfloathing bit deep. Detachedly he knew that he
was struggling, trying to free his arms.
"Ssseverusss, it would be wisse of you to ansswer. But then again, you have
proved that when it comes to making decisionsss, you do not alwayss make the
bessst..." He took out his wand again and began to pace the room, pointing
it at each of them, "Imperio!" They were now under his control. He made them
stand. He then led them out of the room and into a hall.
At the end of the hall they reached a room that all were compelled to enter.
He put each of them in a separate corner, and forced them to sit He then
lifted the curse, it was time to play. "Now, tell me... which one of you
shall I'll kill firssst? I know. How about you old man?" He walked closer to
Albus and pointed his wand at the great Wizard's heart.
Severus noticed that they weren't alone in the room. Lined up against one of
the walls were about 5 people draped in black cloaks, and they were all
wearing a familiar mask. They were Death Eaters. They must have apparated
for the event. He heard Voldemort start to whisper "Avad-" but he was
suddenly interrupted. The door to the room had flung open. Standing in the
doorway, were ten people. Severus recognized their uniforms at once. He felt
an unbelievable wave of relief. Until he recognized one of their rescuers
"DAMN IT POTTER! Do you have to be in the middle of EVERYTHING?!" Severus
knew that it was not the time to complian about the identity of one of his
saviors, but he just couldn't help it.
A moment later there was light flying everywhere and curses being screamed
all over the place. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Professor Flitwick, Maddam
Hooch, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hagird... and...
Neville?! Severus' analytical mind boggled at who had been chosen for such a
dangerous rescue mission.
But now was not the time to worry about it. There was a full out dueling
battle happening. After about five minutes, and two casualties, Lord
Voldemort and his followers disapperated.
Sirius walked over to Minerva and untied her. Remus had untied Sheyliegh,
and Maddam Hooch was seeing to Albus. Once three of them were untied, Sirius
walked over to stand in front of Severus. "Well Harry, do you suppose we
should untie this git too?" Harry let out a small snicker.
"Sirius you can't leave him tied up for Pete's sake!" protested Hermione. As
usual she hadn't caught the joke. Though, deep down she wouldn't have
protested so hard, if the other teachers hadn't been present.
"Hermione! You take all the fun out of everything!" pouted Ron. Albus ended
up untying Severus, everyone else was taking too long. Severus stood up and
forgetting for the moment that Potter and Black had wanted to leave him
there, looked over to Sheyliegh. "Sheyliegh, are you alright?"
"No," she whimpered, "but I will be."
"Let's go home you guys. This place scares the hell out of me," exclaimed
Neville.
***
"So, do you think we saw the last of him tonight?" asked Minerva sitting with
Albus, Severus, and Sheyliegh at a table in the Headmaster's office.
"Minnie, I'm afraid we'll never see the last of him," said Albus taking a
long sip of his tea. "I will be having security here at the castle increased-
Severus, are you okay?"
Severus had been staring out the window down at the school grounds. He
apparently hadn't heard Albus' question. He looked out at the grounds, with
a picture of Sara and Lily in his head. He saw them all three together, and
happy again. His heart felt empty. If only he could have killed Voldemort
tonight... no one would ever have to suffer the same fate.
"Severus? Are you alright?" Albus asked again with more concern and urgency.
Severus sat up with a start. "Yeah... er- just thinking," his voice trailed
off. Before he knew it, Sheyligh had stood up and taken a hold of his arm.
She led him out of the room, and down to the dungeons. The cold draft of the
dungeons took away the drowsiness he had felt. He look over at Sheyliegh. His
black eyes reflected her face, she looked back at him through her own silver
eyes.
Finally they reached Severus' room. She took him inside and sat him down.
She had suddenly realized that the night's events must have been harder on
him than for the rest of them. He had faced his family's murderer with
bravery and courage, and it was probably one of the hardest things that he
could have ever done. She sat beside him on the couch and held him close
until they both fell asleep, in front of the fireplace.
***
***
Severus opened his eyes to an unfamiliar stone chamber. He had no idea where
he was or why he wasn't in the school. He looked to the right and his blood
went cold. Sheyliegh, and beyond her Minerva. With growing awareness he
realized that they were all propped up against a wall. Both Witches were
still unconscious, or worse. Violently forcing the thought away, he jerked
around to survey the rest of the room. 'Well at least we found Albus,' thought
Severus.
Albus saw that Severus had woken up. He looked to Sheyliegh and Minerva.
Although he couldn't talk, Severus got what Albus was wanting him to do. He
leaned over on his side. He knocked Sheyliegh on the shoulder with his own.
She wouldn't budge. He kept trying until finally her eyes flickered open. At
first she was terrified. She saw Minerva to her left and then realized that
Severus wanted her to wake the other Witch. Carefully, she bumped Minerva
back into consciousness. The excitement that everyone felt at being reunited
was dampened by the obvious fact that they were now all prisoners.
About forty-five minutes later the door swung open. Albus was used to these
sudden entrances, but the Witches jumpped. Severus had long since mastered
any sort of automatic fear response, but he did pale when their captor
stepped fully into the room. Voldermort.
"Sssoo... Ssseverusss," he hissed. "I sssee that my plan worked. You fool!"
He flicked a wrist and a sharp blow split Severus' lip. The dark man showed
no signs of pain or fear though, and so Voldemort lost interest for the
moment. "I knew that you would come looking for you dear friend... but I had
no idea you would bring your friends with you." He looked around at
Sheyliegh and then Minerva, looking both of them straight in the eye. "And
such lovely friends at that."
With a flick of his wand, the material gagging Severus was gone. "Ssso, tell
me Ssseverusss... why did you betray me and leave me to join this old fool?"
He had walked over to where Albus was tied and sent him an impacting curse
similar to the one he had just used on Snape.
"Stop this," Severus whispered.
"Or you'll do what?" Severus was finally reacting. Gleefully Voldemort
continued to taunt him. "Come now Sssevvie... tell me what a traitorous,
weak, little, potionsss massster such as yourself you could do to the mosst
powerful wizard to ever live," the answer was obvious in the crimson glimmer
of Lord Voldemort's eyes.
Severus sat silent for a while, looking Voldemort straight in the eye. "The
reason I left you," he finally broke the silence with a disbelieving
whisper, "can you truly have forgotten?!" Long hidden emotion cracked his
voice. "You killed Sara and Lily! You took my world from me!" Though he had
not seen his family's killer for twenty five years, the cold rage had only
deepened with time. In that moment he wanted nothing more than to crucio
Voldemort until the monster lost what little mind it still had. The Magic
bindings around his wrists and ankles would not allow that.
"Yesss. I think I do recall that. How Sssara told you to leave me, you
lissstened to her, and resssigned. That wasss not the smartesst thing for
you to do. For you knew that I would kill them. Or are you no wissser than
that?"
Severus fell silent, the demon was right. It was his fault that Sara and
Lily had been killed. He hadn't allowed himself to think about it since
Sheyliegh had arrived. He had allowed another woman to take precedence over
the memory of his family! Selfloathing bit deep. Detachedly he knew that he
was struggling, trying to free his arms.
"Ssseverusss, it would be wisse of you to ansswer. But then again, you have
proved that when it comes to making decisionsss, you do not alwayss make the
bessst..." He took out his wand again and began to pace the room, pointing
it at each of them, "Imperio!" They were now under his control. He made them
stand. He then led them out of the room and into a hall.
At the end of the hall they reached a room that all were compelled to enter.
He put each of them in a separate corner, and forced them to sit He then
lifted the curse, it was time to play. "Now, tell me... which one of you
shall I'll kill firssst? I know. How about you old man?" He walked closer to
Albus and pointed his wand at the great Wizard's heart.
Severus noticed that they weren't alone in the room. Lined up against one of
the walls were about 5 people draped in black cloaks, and they were all
wearing a familiar mask. They were Death Eaters. They must have apparated
for the event. He heard Voldemort start to whisper "Avad-" but he was
suddenly interrupted. The door to the room had flung open. Standing in the
doorway, were ten people. Severus recognized their uniforms at once. He felt
an unbelievable wave of relief. Until he recognized one of their rescuers
"DAMN IT POTTER! Do you have to be in the middle of EVERYTHING?!" Severus
knew that it was not the time to complian about the identity of one of his
saviors, but he just couldn't help it.
A moment later there was light flying everywhere and curses being screamed
all over the place. Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Professor Flitwick, Maddam
Hooch, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter, Hagird... and...
Neville?! Severus' analytical mind boggled at who had been chosen for such a
dangerous rescue mission.
But now was not the time to worry about it. There was a full out dueling
battle happening. After about five minutes, and two casualties, Lord
Voldemort and his followers disapperated.
Sirius walked over to Minerva and untied her. Remus had untied Sheyliegh,
and Maddam Hooch was seeing to Albus. Once three of them were untied, Sirius
walked over to stand in front of Severus. "Well Harry, do you suppose we
should untie this git too?" Harry let out a small snicker.
"Sirius you can't leave him tied up for Pete's sake!" protested Hermione. As
usual she hadn't caught the joke. Though, deep down she wouldn't have
protested so hard, if the other teachers hadn't been present.
"Hermione! You take all the fun out of everything!" pouted Ron. Albus ended
up untying Severus, everyone else was taking too long. Severus stood up and
forgetting for the moment that Potter and Black had wanted to leave him
there, looked over to Sheyliegh. "Sheyliegh, are you alright?"
"No," she whimpered, "but I will be."
"Let's go home you guys. This place scares the hell out of me," exclaimed
Neville.
***
"So, do you think we saw the last of him tonight?" asked Minerva sitting with
Albus, Severus, and Sheyliegh at a table in the Headmaster's office.
"Minnie, I'm afraid we'll never see the last of him," said Albus taking a
long sip of his tea. "I will be having security here at the castle increased-
Severus, are you okay?"
Severus had been staring out the window down at the school grounds. He
apparently hadn't heard Albus' question. He looked out at the grounds, with
a picture of Sara and Lily in his head. He saw them all three together, and
happy again. His heart felt empty. If only he could have killed Voldemort
tonight... no one would ever have to suffer the same fate.
"Severus? Are you alright?" Albus asked again with more concern and urgency.
Severus sat up with a start. "Yeah... er- just thinking," his voice trailed
off. Before he knew it, Sheyligh had stood up and taken a hold of his arm.
She led him out of the room, and down to the dungeons. The cold draft of the
dungeons took away the drowsiness he had felt. He look over at Sheyliegh. His
black eyes reflected her face, she looked back at him through her own silver
eyes.
Finally they reached Severus' room. She took him inside and sat him down.
She had suddenly realized that the night's events must have been harder on
him than for the rest of them. He had faced his family's murderer with
bravery and courage, and it was probably one of the hardest things that he
could have ever done. She sat beside him on the couch and held him close
until they both fell asleep, in front of the fireplace.
***