Jailbird
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling (JKR), various publishers of the Harry Potter (HP) series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 8 (uploaded 11/21/03)
Moody and Dumbledore walked into the library to find Snape pouring over a large book. Moody growled, "You're looking in the wrong books."
"How do you know what I'm looking for?" Snape snapped back and slammed the book shut.
Dumbledore interrupted, "Gentlemen, come with me to the lounge. Let's have a discussion over tea."
When they settled in the teacher's lounge, Dumbledore poured for the three of them. Moody picked up a half sandwich and finally took a bite after inspecting every layer and sniffing carefully. Snape sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, staring out the open door to the hallway. After the white-haired wizard placed the cups in front of his guests, he sat down. "Alastor, would you like to begin?"
Mad-Eye swallowed and glared across the table at the potions professor. "He knows what I want."
Snape said coldly, "Did you ever go back for the flasks of Polyjuice?"
Dumbledore took a sip of his tea and set it down on the table. "Stop there. Perhaps for everybody's sake, let's go over the story again. I performed an invisible bubblehead charm on Alastor before he was kidnapped."
"But I fell asleep in the trunk," the gruff auror finished, "and woke up in the middle of a Death Eater circle when Malfoy hit me with the enervate spell."
"That's why you were able to react so quickly," Snape said quietly. "I was very stiff after less than a full day of sleep on the same potion." Snape chuckled, "Then he stood up and announced everybody was under arrest. Moody, your balls are as big as bludgers." [A/N: Okay, I don't think that was something Snape would have said, but I wanted to use it.]
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly as Moody continued, "Voldemort turned Malfoy into a ferret, undoubtedly so he could feed him to Nagini, his pet snake. I ducked under the overturned trunk. The trunk was blasted off my back and somebody turned me into a small rodent."
The black-haired wizard flinched when Moody mentioned the Dark Lord's name. "That would be me," smirked Snape.
"You think well on your feet," Moody complimented the spy, "and I forgive you for waiting so long to turn me back. That worked out rather well."
Dumbledore took a biscuit, "Back up a bit."
Snape continued the story. "Bellatrix Lestrange saw me pick Moody up. She thought he was Malfoy's ferret, so she didn't argue when I told her I was leaving. Malfoy was tucked into my robes and she never saw him."
Dumbledore asked, "You said Malfoy let you into the Mansion, how could he have done that?"
"As I studied the lock, I happened to lean on the door close enough for Malfoy to touch the door. It opened. The wards on his study worked the same way. I searched the house and found Draco asleep in his room."
Dumbledore nodded, "You put Lucius in a cage and entered his secret chamber."
Snape squinted at Moody, "Yes, how did you know where the entrance was?"
"I was present at the raids on his house three or four years ago," Moody replied.
"I found flasks of Polyjuice, the sleeping potion and its antidote, and a couple unmarked vials of blood. My best guess is Narcissa's blood for use in the ring," Snape said to the headmaster.
Moody slammed his hand on the table, "I want that ring. And for your information, we did destroy the Polyjuice."
But Dumbledore held his hand up at Moody. "Please continue, Severus. I want to know if you're still safe."
"I believe I am, sir. Bellatrix sees me as a friend of the Malfoys. The actions I took were to aid Lucius in his disgrace. She is the only one who knew I had Lucius, rather thought I had Lucius. She hadn't yet informed the Dark Lord."
"Where is he now?" Dumbledore asked.
"He is asleep in his cage, in my room. I gave him a drop of Draught," Snape said before lifting the teacup to his lips.
Moody raised an eyebrow, "What of the goons who visited later?"
"I got them drunk and sent them on their way home. They conveniently forgot why they were there, the dimwits." The edges of Snape's lips curled into a weak smile. "By the way, Crabbe's wife is in his place at Azkaban. He couldn't tell me how she maintains his form, only that Malfoy arranged it. Their son, Vincent is asleep in his own room. Draco is in the Hospital wing recovering from his influence of the Draught. Madame Pomfrey is working with him, his muscles and joints have stiffened terribly."
"Does Draco know who's who?" Dumbledore asked thoughtfully.
"I don't believe he does, sir." Snape added, "He was sent to his Aunt's house immediately upon his arrival from Hogwarts. He genuinely thinks his father is in prison, and his mother is at home being comforted by Auntie Bella. I did inform young Malfoy that Bellatrix has been recaptured." He looked over at Moody, "Unless Ms. Lestrange has been corrected, she probably still blames me for grabbing the wrong ferret."
The slit on Moody's face that was his mouth curved into a grin, "Yes, she thinks you're an idiot."
Dumbledore chuckled and tugged on his beard. "That only leaves Mr. Malfoy, you told me you obliviated Crabbe's memory."
Snape nodded affirmatively. "Malfoy thought I was out of the picture. Only Bellatrix and I knew about their identity games. He may have been surprised to see me at the meeting, but nobody else knows I have him. I had Malfoy hidden in the study while I entertained Crabbe and company."
Moody stood up, "Let's awaken Malfoy and interrogate him. I'll get to the bottom of this. Snape, bring the Veritaserum. I'll clear it with the Ministry later."
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling (JKR), various publishers of the Harry Potter (HP) series. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 8 (uploaded 11/21/03)
Moody and Dumbledore walked into the library to find Snape pouring over a large book. Moody growled, "You're looking in the wrong books."
"How do you know what I'm looking for?" Snape snapped back and slammed the book shut.
Dumbledore interrupted, "Gentlemen, come with me to the lounge. Let's have a discussion over tea."
When they settled in the teacher's lounge, Dumbledore poured for the three of them. Moody picked up a half sandwich and finally took a bite after inspecting every layer and sniffing carefully. Snape sat back in his chair with his arms crossed, staring out the open door to the hallway. After the white-haired wizard placed the cups in front of his guests, he sat down. "Alastor, would you like to begin?"
Mad-Eye swallowed and glared across the table at the potions professor. "He knows what I want."
Snape said coldly, "Did you ever go back for the flasks of Polyjuice?"
Dumbledore took a sip of his tea and set it down on the table. "Stop there. Perhaps for everybody's sake, let's go over the story again. I performed an invisible bubblehead charm on Alastor before he was kidnapped."
"But I fell asleep in the trunk," the gruff auror finished, "and woke up in the middle of a Death Eater circle when Malfoy hit me with the enervate spell."
"That's why you were able to react so quickly," Snape said quietly. "I was very stiff after less than a full day of sleep on the same potion." Snape chuckled, "Then he stood up and announced everybody was under arrest. Moody, your balls are as big as bludgers." [A/N: Okay, I don't think that was something Snape would have said, but I wanted to use it.]
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled brightly as Moody continued, "Voldemort turned Malfoy into a ferret, undoubtedly so he could feed him to Nagini, his pet snake. I ducked under the overturned trunk. The trunk was blasted off my back and somebody turned me into a small rodent."
The black-haired wizard flinched when Moody mentioned the Dark Lord's name. "That would be me," smirked Snape.
"You think well on your feet," Moody complimented the spy, "and I forgive you for waiting so long to turn me back. That worked out rather well."
Dumbledore took a biscuit, "Back up a bit."
Snape continued the story. "Bellatrix Lestrange saw me pick Moody up. She thought he was Malfoy's ferret, so she didn't argue when I told her I was leaving. Malfoy was tucked into my robes and she never saw him."
Dumbledore asked, "You said Malfoy let you into the Mansion, how could he have done that?"
"As I studied the lock, I happened to lean on the door close enough for Malfoy to touch the door. It opened. The wards on his study worked the same way. I searched the house and found Draco asleep in his room."
Dumbledore nodded, "You put Lucius in a cage and entered his secret chamber."
Snape squinted at Moody, "Yes, how did you know where the entrance was?"
"I was present at the raids on his house three or four years ago," Moody replied.
"I found flasks of Polyjuice, the sleeping potion and its antidote, and a couple unmarked vials of blood. My best guess is Narcissa's blood for use in the ring," Snape said to the headmaster.
Moody slammed his hand on the table, "I want that ring. And for your information, we did destroy the Polyjuice."
But Dumbledore held his hand up at Moody. "Please continue, Severus. I want to know if you're still safe."
"I believe I am, sir. Bellatrix sees me as a friend of the Malfoys. The actions I took were to aid Lucius in his disgrace. She is the only one who knew I had Lucius, rather thought I had Lucius. She hadn't yet informed the Dark Lord."
"Where is he now?" Dumbledore asked.
"He is asleep in his cage, in my room. I gave him a drop of Draught," Snape said before lifting the teacup to his lips.
Moody raised an eyebrow, "What of the goons who visited later?"
"I got them drunk and sent them on their way home. They conveniently forgot why they were there, the dimwits." The edges of Snape's lips curled into a weak smile. "By the way, Crabbe's wife is in his place at Azkaban. He couldn't tell me how she maintains his form, only that Malfoy arranged it. Their son, Vincent is asleep in his own room. Draco is in the Hospital wing recovering from his influence of the Draught. Madame Pomfrey is working with him, his muscles and joints have stiffened terribly."
"Does Draco know who's who?" Dumbledore asked thoughtfully.
"I don't believe he does, sir." Snape added, "He was sent to his Aunt's house immediately upon his arrival from Hogwarts. He genuinely thinks his father is in prison, and his mother is at home being comforted by Auntie Bella. I did inform young Malfoy that Bellatrix has been recaptured." He looked over at Moody, "Unless Ms. Lestrange has been corrected, she probably still blames me for grabbing the wrong ferret."
The slit on Moody's face that was his mouth curved into a grin, "Yes, she thinks you're an idiot."
Dumbledore chuckled and tugged on his beard. "That only leaves Mr. Malfoy, you told me you obliviated Crabbe's memory."
Snape nodded affirmatively. "Malfoy thought I was out of the picture. Only Bellatrix and I knew about their identity games. He may have been surprised to see me at the meeting, but nobody else knows I have him. I had Malfoy hidden in the study while I entertained Crabbe and company."
Moody stood up, "Let's awaken Malfoy and interrogate him. I'll get to the bottom of this. Snape, bring the Veritaserum. I'll clear it with the Ministry later."