DISCLAIMER; I wish I owned it but I don't!
Thanks for the reviews, glad your enjoying it, hope you enjoy the next
bit, it could all go a bit pear shaped now, I don't want to predict what JK
will do in the next books, but I wanted to finish the story. Also I'll try
to remember my punctuation, thanks for pointing it out, I tend to get
carried away writing and forget the grammar! Sorry.
Chapter seven Snape Torture
Severus awoke in the hospital wing, tightly bandaged and with little memory of how he had arrived. He had a vague recollection of seeing the normal dignified Head master racing toward him with his purple robes and white hair flying in all directions, it had made a remarkable sight and Severus smiled at little at the memory.
"Ah! I think he is waking up Poppy" rumbled the old wizard's voice in the distance.
"Now what can you possibly have to smile about Severus Snape?" asked the formidable matron in a tight voice.
Severus recalled himself and frowned slightly at the bright sunshine as he opened his eyes. Ignoring the healer he spoke to Dumbledore directly, "we must talk now, in private" he tried to push himself up in the bed. 'I'm sure Madam Pomfrey makes her bandages this tight to prevent escape,' he thought to himself.
"You'll drink this blood replenishing potion now and you will stay exactly where you are young man, another few moments and even I would not have been able to save you!" snorted Madam Pomfrey. Then she cast her steely glance at Dumbledore and said "5 minutes, no more" with that she turned back to her office muttering "next time they'll go to far, animals, he can't take much more of this"
"She is right Severus, your body cannot take much more of these punishments, this time we saved you by a hairs breath, next time we may not be so lucky," he raised a hand to forestall any arguments Severus was about to make, "if your are dead then we would not know the information anyway, I feel that it is becoming to dangerous."
"We all take risks, I am aware of the inevitable outcome of my choices, but they have been my choices, no-one forces me to go back, I know the cost." Replied Severus quietly.
Dumbledore sighed, knowing now was not the time to argue with the head- strong man, and asked, "What do you have to tell me?"
"Voldemort has Wormtail tracking squibs through the ministry birth records, you must warn Arabella Figg, she will be exposed, especially since she testified at Potters trial last year, when they find her they will find him!" Severus suddenly realised it was day light "how long was I unconscious for this time?"
"Two days, much to Poppy's displeasure" said Dumbledore quietly.
"Then you must warn them now, Wormtail has had two days head start, with luck you may still catch him at the ministry." Severus urged.
Dumbledore stood up and nodded but as he was leaving he turned to add "Please Severus follow Poppy's instructions, stay and let your body heel for once," and with that he left.
Severus relaxed into the pillow trying to force his brain to quieten enough to allow him to sleep. He was exhausted and it was becoming increasingly difficult to recover as quickly as he used to. None of his recent injuries had surpassed the first meeting after The Dark Lords resurrection however, Severus paled at the memory, and Madam Pomfrey had been beside herself in rage when Hagrid had carried him to the hospital wing.
Barely breathing with every bone in his body broken and several missing completely, many of his major organs had been reduced or increased in size, leaving his heart unable to pump blood properly. Though these were surface wounds compared to the mental torture he had sustained from Lord Volemort himself, the Dark Lord wanted an explanation as to why Severus was now working for Dumbledore. How he could have escaped Askaban when so many other had not. To add to these supposed sins, Severus had aided Potter in his defence of the philosopher's stone.
Severus had claimed he was caught by Dumbledore and as he opposed the use of dementors had opted for indentured service, forcing him to work at Hogwarts a virtual prisoner, only recently allowing him more freedom. Severus also claimed ignorance of Voldemort's presence when the idiot Quirrel had tried to steal the stone, calculating that if he could steal the stone himself, he could then search for The Dark Lord.
Unbelievably the first excuse for not returning immediately had been accepted. Karkaroff had fled Hogwarts when the mark burned on his arm and Severus claimed that he had wasted time trying to find him, before returning to his Master. But the delay had allowed him to relay the fate of Barty Crouch.
Voldemort had spent many night's battering at the defences in Severus' mind, eventually deciding that no-one could withstand such a long punishment without revealing everything, Voldemort declared himself satisfied that Severus was indeed telling the truth, and had allowed the death-eaters, his old friend Lucius leading the group, to sharpen their skills on him before returning him to Hogwarts.
"Lucius, damn it there was something else I had to tell Dumbledore," Severus muttered to himself, "I have to remember." His mind wandered for some time, a result of the pain relief Madam Pomfrey had poured liberally down his throat, eventually he latched on to an image of young Draco Malfoy, which eventually led his tired mind to Potter, and suddenly he sat up "Weasley and Granger!" he exclaimed in a voice so loud, Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office.
"Madam Pomfrey I must speak to Dumbledore," Severus told her, while trying, unsuccessfully to get out of bed.
"Now Professor, really, your are in no condition to go anywhere," seeing that her patent was no going to be put off so easily, she forced him back down on the bed and said "wait here, I'll call him immediately," she turned to the fire at the other end of the room.
What seemed like an eternity later, but was in reality a few minutes Dumbledore swept out of the fire and headed for Severus, concern written on his face. "What is it, is there something wrong?" he asked without pre- amble.
"Weasley and Granger, they could be in trouble, I am supposed to 'question' Potter's friends to ascertain his whereabouts. Draco will no doubt have informed his father who they are, and if Malfoy knows rest assured that The Dark Lord knows. Damn it he is setting me another loyalty test, I cannot pass it this time, I cannot endanger those children, yet if I do not bring him some proof of my attempts, he will have discovered us all" Severus blurted out, with unusual anxiety showing in his voice.
Dumbledore stood silent for a few moments, Severus could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he came up with and discarded various theories, then suddenly his facial expressions settled into their usual composure and he smiled. At any other time Severus would have enjoyed watching the old wizard, he was an amazing man, yet today he was too worried, he released the breathe he had been unaware of holding whilst he waited for Dumbledore to explain his latest brilliant solution.
Chapter seven Snape Torture
Severus awoke in the hospital wing, tightly bandaged and with little memory of how he had arrived. He had a vague recollection of seeing the normal dignified Head master racing toward him with his purple robes and white hair flying in all directions, it had made a remarkable sight and Severus smiled at little at the memory.
"Ah! I think he is waking up Poppy" rumbled the old wizard's voice in the distance.
"Now what can you possibly have to smile about Severus Snape?" asked the formidable matron in a tight voice.
Severus recalled himself and frowned slightly at the bright sunshine as he opened his eyes. Ignoring the healer he spoke to Dumbledore directly, "we must talk now, in private" he tried to push himself up in the bed. 'I'm sure Madam Pomfrey makes her bandages this tight to prevent escape,' he thought to himself.
"You'll drink this blood replenishing potion now and you will stay exactly where you are young man, another few moments and even I would not have been able to save you!" snorted Madam Pomfrey. Then she cast her steely glance at Dumbledore and said "5 minutes, no more" with that she turned back to her office muttering "next time they'll go to far, animals, he can't take much more of this"
"She is right Severus, your body cannot take much more of these punishments, this time we saved you by a hairs breath, next time we may not be so lucky," he raised a hand to forestall any arguments Severus was about to make, "if your are dead then we would not know the information anyway, I feel that it is becoming to dangerous."
"We all take risks, I am aware of the inevitable outcome of my choices, but they have been my choices, no-one forces me to go back, I know the cost." Replied Severus quietly.
Dumbledore sighed, knowing now was not the time to argue with the head- strong man, and asked, "What do you have to tell me?"
"Voldemort has Wormtail tracking squibs through the ministry birth records, you must warn Arabella Figg, she will be exposed, especially since she testified at Potters trial last year, when they find her they will find him!" Severus suddenly realised it was day light "how long was I unconscious for this time?"
"Two days, much to Poppy's displeasure" said Dumbledore quietly.
"Then you must warn them now, Wormtail has had two days head start, with luck you may still catch him at the ministry." Severus urged.
Dumbledore stood up and nodded but as he was leaving he turned to add "Please Severus follow Poppy's instructions, stay and let your body heel for once," and with that he left.
Severus relaxed into the pillow trying to force his brain to quieten enough to allow him to sleep. He was exhausted and it was becoming increasingly difficult to recover as quickly as he used to. None of his recent injuries had surpassed the first meeting after The Dark Lords resurrection however, Severus paled at the memory, and Madam Pomfrey had been beside herself in rage when Hagrid had carried him to the hospital wing.
Barely breathing with every bone in his body broken and several missing completely, many of his major organs had been reduced or increased in size, leaving his heart unable to pump blood properly. Though these were surface wounds compared to the mental torture he had sustained from Lord Volemort himself, the Dark Lord wanted an explanation as to why Severus was now working for Dumbledore. How he could have escaped Askaban when so many other had not. To add to these supposed sins, Severus had aided Potter in his defence of the philosopher's stone.
Severus had claimed he was caught by Dumbledore and as he opposed the use of dementors had opted for indentured service, forcing him to work at Hogwarts a virtual prisoner, only recently allowing him more freedom. Severus also claimed ignorance of Voldemort's presence when the idiot Quirrel had tried to steal the stone, calculating that if he could steal the stone himself, he could then search for The Dark Lord.
Unbelievably the first excuse for not returning immediately had been accepted. Karkaroff had fled Hogwarts when the mark burned on his arm and Severus claimed that he had wasted time trying to find him, before returning to his Master. But the delay had allowed him to relay the fate of Barty Crouch.
Voldemort had spent many night's battering at the defences in Severus' mind, eventually deciding that no-one could withstand such a long punishment without revealing everything, Voldemort declared himself satisfied that Severus was indeed telling the truth, and had allowed the death-eaters, his old friend Lucius leading the group, to sharpen their skills on him before returning him to Hogwarts.
"Lucius, damn it there was something else I had to tell Dumbledore," Severus muttered to himself, "I have to remember." His mind wandered for some time, a result of the pain relief Madam Pomfrey had poured liberally down his throat, eventually he latched on to an image of young Draco Malfoy, which eventually led his tired mind to Potter, and suddenly he sat up "Weasley and Granger!" he exclaimed in a voice so loud, Madam Pomfrey rushed out of her office.
"Madam Pomfrey I must speak to Dumbledore," Severus told her, while trying, unsuccessfully to get out of bed.
"Now Professor, really, your are in no condition to go anywhere," seeing that her patent was no going to be put off so easily, she forced him back down on the bed and said "wait here, I'll call him immediately," she turned to the fire at the other end of the room.
What seemed like an eternity later, but was in reality a few minutes Dumbledore swept out of the fire and headed for Severus, concern written on his face. "What is it, is there something wrong?" he asked without pre- amble.
"Weasley and Granger, they could be in trouble, I am supposed to 'question' Potter's friends to ascertain his whereabouts. Draco will no doubt have informed his father who they are, and if Malfoy knows rest assured that The Dark Lord knows. Damn it he is setting me another loyalty test, I cannot pass it this time, I cannot endanger those children, yet if I do not bring him some proof of my attempts, he will have discovered us all" Severus blurted out, with unusual anxiety showing in his voice.
Dumbledore stood silent for a few moments, Severus could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he came up with and discarded various theories, then suddenly his facial expressions settled into their usual composure and he smiled. At any other time Severus would have enjoyed watching the old wizard, he was an amazing man, yet today he was too worried, he released the breathe he had been unaware of holding whilst he waited for Dumbledore to explain his latest brilliant solution.