Chapter 36
~*~
Song of the Update : No Use For A Name - "Let Me Down" If Sirius had a voice, he'd sing like this. And he does in this chapter, I haven't had him sing in a while, so I thought it was high it was high time that he sang again.
~*~
"Somewhere in this lonely game of sympathy, there is a selfish dream that makes me sick."
"Charming, Sirius." Remus frowned, sitting on an overgrown gravestone in the forested graveyard, the crescent moon shone high above them, dappling through the trees with a silvery light.
"And there's a past, and she's telling everyone, it must a garden that wouldn't grow. standing on the high wire while you're on the ground, to you what is dangerous is safe and sound..." Sirius quietly hummed the rest of the song, tracing his finger across the name of the grave. "Domitius Ahenobarbus, died 965 AD aged 61, In Omnia Paratus."
"Wonderful place isn't it." Remus scowled, "I hate graveyards, why does Voldemort always always always hold his Death Eater meetings near graveyards."
"He likes them I suppose, they're aesthetically pleasing and kind of relevant to the situations and schemes he makes." Sirius threw a twig into the distance. "If this goes wrong, I am personally holding Moody and Snape responsible for this."
"Pessimism will get you nowhere." Remus sat down next to Sirius. "Think of the happy, she's alive, she's over there, and we're getting her back."
"Away from integrity. She writes a book in her head that nobody will read. Whatever you say, please don't talk about the time when she was young, apparently there was a different person, and so long ago it's strange to me, there's no history."
"How melodic, Black." Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows, looking more like a shadow himself, his Death eater mask in his hands. "Are you ready for the worst nightmare that you will ever experience?"
"I've had worse nightmares than this, I can tell you." Sirius muttered, "Lock yourself up in Azkaban for a few years and then ask me that question again."
Remus stood up, "What's the situation?"
"Dangerously close to homicidal it would seem." Severus looked calculatingly at the men in front of him "The Dark mark on your arm, it will disappear by daybreak, it acts as a portkey, its attached to you so just. be ready you will not have any say in when the Mark pulls you into His presence, that is up to Moody's decision, he is already hidden within the Death Eaters believe it or not."
Remus noticed that Severus was having some trouble in believing that a great hulking form like Moody, limp and all could possibly hide in the Lion's Den, apparently, without the help of polyjuice potion, which the Death eater's buildings were alerted to since Anna's escape. "How many are there?"
"As many in one place as you will ever see." Severus paced between trees, "Ambushes are never worth the carnage they create, but if this is how Moody wants to play, then so be it."
"Shouldn't you be at the meeting?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.
Severus gave a reproachful glare, "Of course, but I thought it prudent to warn you of the coming situation, rather than you simply being thrust into it, perhaps losing valuable time." He stopped, and took out his wand, "Time is of the essence, and. good luck Black, Lupin."
Remus nodded thanks as Severus drifted back into the shadows he had come from, back towards the empty space that Remus assumed to be the cloaking spell around Voldemort's castle.
~*~
Draezyc spun round in Voldemort's empty presence chamber upon the arrival of Severus. "What's Pytheus doing here?" She hissed, "Why is my son in the most dangerous place in the Wizarding World at the moment?" Her eyes were wide with an unusual amount of fear. "What's he playing at, why does he want my son?"
Severus paused, closing his eyes for a moment. "Our Lord wishes Pytheus to witness this piece of history, feel the pride at his mother's actions today, for the good of Our Cause." He took Draezyc's hands, "He will come to no harm as an observer."
"How can you." Draezyc was interrupted by the large doors behind them swinging open; she twirled round out of Severus' grip and down into the perfect curtsey as Lord Voldemort glided into the room. Severus smiled slightly at the practised perfection of this act; she got it right every time. The billowing swirl of her robes, the elegant dip to the floor, the raised head with challenging smile. Graceful, yet subtly arrogant is pose, perfectly Slytherin.
"Well, well." Voldemort mused, "Interrupting the lovers, am I?"
"Hardly, my Lord." Severus replied smoothly, taking his wife's outstretched hand and lifting her from her curtsey.
"Quite the double act." Voldemort smiled his lipless leer. "Draezyc my child, are you ready?"
"Of course."
"But you were commenting on the suitability of viewing for your son?" Voldemort held her gaze, "He shall revel in his family's glory. Revel in my glory and the glory of the Cause." He paused then continued, "He will take my side at the sacrifice, prime viewing, an honour he shall remember in years to come, an honour not easily given."
"We are humbled by your grace." Severus acknowledged with a short bow, "Pytheus will be grateful for your attention, I am certain."
"The gathering is waiting for you."
"Executioner style... I must admit I have never had an audience before." Draezyc smiled slowly "Give her her wand back. I want a duel in the pit; otherwise it would be a lamb to the slaughter, no performance for the crowd. Lets make it interesting."
"Indeed. You have a sporting nature." Voldemort nodded and left the room, the doors magically closing behind him without the opening slam he had entered with.
"He knows exactly what's going on." Draezyc whispered in Severus' ear, wary of eavesdroppers even thought the room seemed empty. "He's going to hold my son as bait."
"Maybe he will, but he shall achieve nothing." Severus kissed Draezyc's forehead. "Now, go. I will be watching over you."
Draezyc nodded, regained her imperial posture and walked out of the door leaving Severus alone in the darkening chamber.
~*~
Remus and Sirius were mid-conversation when they found themselves at the back of a large crowd, swathed in black robes, Remus quickly tugged his hood low over his forehead, and Sirius did the same, wary that there were people who knew his face all too well in the crowd.
"It's a duelling pit." Remus hissed, peering over someone's shoulder. "They're going to give Edea her wand to duel with."
Sirius took some comfort in this, at least Edea was mobile enough to have a duel, even if it was with the rather maliciously inclined Draezyc Snape.
"Look, she's being brought out." Remus pointed, as Sirius pushed his way through the crowd so he could at least see what was going on. Remus followed with caution, looking up across the pit and saw a small boy shivering with fear and excitement, standing next to Voldemort's seated figure. The sight of Voldemort made Remus want to retch.
The murmurings in the crowd only grew louder as Draezyc entered the pit, dropping Edea's wand to the floor with disgust.
Edea stood up, and with as much dignity as she could muster, bent down and picked it up, the utter revulsion of the scene unfolding, pure as day on her face. Edea did not know what was going on, Remus assumed she believed she was going to fight to her death, either way, if she hit Draezyc there were a good dozen armed Death Eaters above her who would retaliate faster than light. Catch 22 situation. Remus resisted the urge to signal to Edea, who was looking up at the gathering crowd as if to survey the witnesses of her impending death.
"When will you ever end this, Snape?" Edea croaked to Draezyc loud enough for the crowd to hear.
"The minute your heart stops, just before you hit the floor." Draezyc coolly replied, earning a smattering of laughter from above.
"You think you've won so soon?"
"I win either way." Draezyc flicked her wand casually, disobeying all rules of duelling. "Crucio!"
Edea crumpled to the floor, teeth bared with pain.
Draezyc lifted her wand. "So sorry, wand slipped, my mistake."
"Scelestus!" Edea angrily hurled a spell at Draezyc who neatly stepped aside
"Now that's MY spell, as you well know." Draezyc pulled a vial out of her pocket and threw it at the wall behind Edea. The green vial shattered on impact, the liquid steaming and hissing, thousands of tiny snakes filling the pit's walls, snapping at Edea's heels and shoulders when she came too close to the edge. "Atmospheric for a finality." Draezyc closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds, then looked up at her son, and across to Voldemort. "Last words, DuCruet? Lest you lose your chance and punish me from heaven above forevermore."
"Just two." Edea shrugged, then with lightning speed whipped out her wand and screamed "Avada Kedavra."
Draezyc fell to the floor in a flash of green light, all life had gone in her expressionless face. Glazed.
Stunned silence enveloped the watching crowd. Nobody had expected this of all things, Voldemort was content to sit back and watch, intrigued at the sudden turn of events. A dead Snape was no loss. It was one less traitor to worry about.
"Anyone else want some?" Edea challenged the crowd, a new confidence in her face. "I'll take you one by one if you want to see if you're hard enough."
A hooded figure beside Remus spoke up "Your glory is false DuCruet."
"Ah, Severus Snape." Edea paced the pit, "Your loss must pain you greatly, do you wish to join her? I could make it painless, a simple momentary seizure of death."
Severus took off the heavy cumbersome cloak and handed it to Remus, "Draezyc my love, shall we do this together?"
A voice from across the crowd answered him "I think so. You know, DuCruet was awfully rude about me."
Edea looked worriedly up at the two advancing figures, unmistakably Draezyc and Severus Snape. "Who.."
"Oh!" Draezyc laughed carelessly, "That was just a polyjuiced double. For being an Auror, you're horribly unobservant."
"Really?" Edea snarled "Avada Kedavra!"
"Now, now." Severus ducked, the curse missed him by inches. "You could get put in Azkaban for such curses."
"Like Rookwood." Draezyc nodded, "But of course, you don't remember that do you." She threw her own cloak aside. "You ruin my dress, I'll make you pay for a new one."
A group of house elves tentatively crawled in and took away the rapidly changing body of Draezyc's double.
"Service." Draezyc laughed. "Crucio!"
Severus smirked at his wife's carefree attitude to torture, she'd always liked antagonising people. Edea was rigid with pain, crying out in pain as Draezyc withdrew her wand.
"Bolla di spurgo!" Severus aimed with precision at her feet, which started to blister and bleed.
"Excellent choice." Draezyc nodded with approval, "Buccia Via!"
Skin began to peel away in layers, like the layers of an onion on her hands and arms.
Edea gritted her teeth and groped on the floor for her wand.
"Wingardium leviosa" Severus made her wand hover just above her reach. "Pitiful." He shook his head, "How abhorrently pitiful"
"I'm bored." Draezyc sighed, "Avada Kedavra!"
Her wand was knocked out of her hands and the spell ricocheted off the walls and up into the distance as what seemed like a thousand bodied hurled themselves into the pit all at once, spells being thrown in all directions, curses flying everywhere, even simple muggle fighting was breaking out.
Somewhere near the bottom, Remus located Edea, bleeding and curled up on the floor.. "Come on you." he murmured, taking hold of her hands "Portkey."
A tug below the stomach and they left the scene of carnage transported directly into Madam Pomfrey's office. "You're safe now." Remus comforted a shaking Edea.
"Remus!" Anna came running in, "You're safe. Edea. she's.. she.."
"Needs attention. Poppy, will she be alright?"
Madam Pomfrey hurried from cupboard to cupboard. "This is dark wizards' work."
"Anna, I can't leave Sirius there, I have to go back. They need my help." Remus kissed Anna gently on both cheeks, "Will you help Poppy?"
"Of Course." Anna nodded as Remus touched the small wolf figurine on his necklace and disappeared again.
TBC
~*~
Song of the Update : No Use For A Name - "Let Me Down" If Sirius had a voice, he'd sing like this. And he does in this chapter, I haven't had him sing in a while, so I thought it was high it was high time that he sang again.
~*~
"Somewhere in this lonely game of sympathy, there is a selfish dream that makes me sick."
"Charming, Sirius." Remus frowned, sitting on an overgrown gravestone in the forested graveyard, the crescent moon shone high above them, dappling through the trees with a silvery light.
"And there's a past, and she's telling everyone, it must a garden that wouldn't grow. standing on the high wire while you're on the ground, to you what is dangerous is safe and sound..." Sirius quietly hummed the rest of the song, tracing his finger across the name of the grave. "Domitius Ahenobarbus, died 965 AD aged 61, In Omnia Paratus."
"Wonderful place isn't it." Remus scowled, "I hate graveyards, why does Voldemort always always always hold his Death Eater meetings near graveyards."
"He likes them I suppose, they're aesthetically pleasing and kind of relevant to the situations and schemes he makes." Sirius threw a twig into the distance. "If this goes wrong, I am personally holding Moody and Snape responsible for this."
"Pessimism will get you nowhere." Remus sat down next to Sirius. "Think of the happy, she's alive, she's over there, and we're getting her back."
"Away from integrity. She writes a book in her head that nobody will read. Whatever you say, please don't talk about the time when she was young, apparently there was a different person, and so long ago it's strange to me, there's no history."
"How melodic, Black." Severus Snape stepped out of the shadows, looking more like a shadow himself, his Death eater mask in his hands. "Are you ready for the worst nightmare that you will ever experience?"
"I've had worse nightmares than this, I can tell you." Sirius muttered, "Lock yourself up in Azkaban for a few years and then ask me that question again."
Remus stood up, "What's the situation?"
"Dangerously close to homicidal it would seem." Severus looked calculatingly at the men in front of him "The Dark mark on your arm, it will disappear by daybreak, it acts as a portkey, its attached to you so just. be ready you will not have any say in when the Mark pulls you into His presence, that is up to Moody's decision, he is already hidden within the Death Eaters believe it or not."
Remus noticed that Severus was having some trouble in believing that a great hulking form like Moody, limp and all could possibly hide in the Lion's Den, apparently, without the help of polyjuice potion, which the Death eater's buildings were alerted to since Anna's escape. "How many are there?"
"As many in one place as you will ever see." Severus paced between trees, "Ambushes are never worth the carnage they create, but if this is how Moody wants to play, then so be it."
"Shouldn't you be at the meeting?" Sirius raised an eyebrow.
Severus gave a reproachful glare, "Of course, but I thought it prudent to warn you of the coming situation, rather than you simply being thrust into it, perhaps losing valuable time." He stopped, and took out his wand, "Time is of the essence, and. good luck Black, Lupin."
Remus nodded thanks as Severus drifted back into the shadows he had come from, back towards the empty space that Remus assumed to be the cloaking spell around Voldemort's castle.
~*~
Draezyc spun round in Voldemort's empty presence chamber upon the arrival of Severus. "What's Pytheus doing here?" She hissed, "Why is my son in the most dangerous place in the Wizarding World at the moment?" Her eyes were wide with an unusual amount of fear. "What's he playing at, why does he want my son?"
Severus paused, closing his eyes for a moment. "Our Lord wishes Pytheus to witness this piece of history, feel the pride at his mother's actions today, for the good of Our Cause." He took Draezyc's hands, "He will come to no harm as an observer."
"How can you." Draezyc was interrupted by the large doors behind them swinging open; she twirled round out of Severus' grip and down into the perfect curtsey as Lord Voldemort glided into the room. Severus smiled slightly at the practised perfection of this act; she got it right every time. The billowing swirl of her robes, the elegant dip to the floor, the raised head with challenging smile. Graceful, yet subtly arrogant is pose, perfectly Slytherin.
"Well, well." Voldemort mused, "Interrupting the lovers, am I?"
"Hardly, my Lord." Severus replied smoothly, taking his wife's outstretched hand and lifting her from her curtsey.
"Quite the double act." Voldemort smiled his lipless leer. "Draezyc my child, are you ready?"
"Of course."
"But you were commenting on the suitability of viewing for your son?" Voldemort held her gaze, "He shall revel in his family's glory. Revel in my glory and the glory of the Cause." He paused then continued, "He will take my side at the sacrifice, prime viewing, an honour he shall remember in years to come, an honour not easily given."
"We are humbled by your grace." Severus acknowledged with a short bow, "Pytheus will be grateful for your attention, I am certain."
"The gathering is waiting for you."
"Executioner style... I must admit I have never had an audience before." Draezyc smiled slowly "Give her her wand back. I want a duel in the pit; otherwise it would be a lamb to the slaughter, no performance for the crowd. Lets make it interesting."
"Indeed. You have a sporting nature." Voldemort nodded and left the room, the doors magically closing behind him without the opening slam he had entered with.
"He knows exactly what's going on." Draezyc whispered in Severus' ear, wary of eavesdroppers even thought the room seemed empty. "He's going to hold my son as bait."
"Maybe he will, but he shall achieve nothing." Severus kissed Draezyc's forehead. "Now, go. I will be watching over you."
Draezyc nodded, regained her imperial posture and walked out of the door leaving Severus alone in the darkening chamber.
~*~
Remus and Sirius were mid-conversation when they found themselves at the back of a large crowd, swathed in black robes, Remus quickly tugged his hood low over his forehead, and Sirius did the same, wary that there were people who knew his face all too well in the crowd.
"It's a duelling pit." Remus hissed, peering over someone's shoulder. "They're going to give Edea her wand to duel with."
Sirius took some comfort in this, at least Edea was mobile enough to have a duel, even if it was with the rather maliciously inclined Draezyc Snape.
"Look, she's being brought out." Remus pointed, as Sirius pushed his way through the crowd so he could at least see what was going on. Remus followed with caution, looking up across the pit and saw a small boy shivering with fear and excitement, standing next to Voldemort's seated figure. The sight of Voldemort made Remus want to retch.
The murmurings in the crowd only grew louder as Draezyc entered the pit, dropping Edea's wand to the floor with disgust.
Edea stood up, and with as much dignity as she could muster, bent down and picked it up, the utter revulsion of the scene unfolding, pure as day on her face. Edea did not know what was going on, Remus assumed she believed she was going to fight to her death, either way, if she hit Draezyc there were a good dozen armed Death Eaters above her who would retaliate faster than light. Catch 22 situation. Remus resisted the urge to signal to Edea, who was looking up at the gathering crowd as if to survey the witnesses of her impending death.
"When will you ever end this, Snape?" Edea croaked to Draezyc loud enough for the crowd to hear.
"The minute your heart stops, just before you hit the floor." Draezyc coolly replied, earning a smattering of laughter from above.
"You think you've won so soon?"
"I win either way." Draezyc flicked her wand casually, disobeying all rules of duelling. "Crucio!"
Edea crumpled to the floor, teeth bared with pain.
Draezyc lifted her wand. "So sorry, wand slipped, my mistake."
"Scelestus!" Edea angrily hurled a spell at Draezyc who neatly stepped aside
"Now that's MY spell, as you well know." Draezyc pulled a vial out of her pocket and threw it at the wall behind Edea. The green vial shattered on impact, the liquid steaming and hissing, thousands of tiny snakes filling the pit's walls, snapping at Edea's heels and shoulders when she came too close to the edge. "Atmospheric for a finality." Draezyc closed her eyes for the briefest of seconds, then looked up at her son, and across to Voldemort. "Last words, DuCruet? Lest you lose your chance and punish me from heaven above forevermore."
"Just two." Edea shrugged, then with lightning speed whipped out her wand and screamed "Avada Kedavra."
Draezyc fell to the floor in a flash of green light, all life had gone in her expressionless face. Glazed.
Stunned silence enveloped the watching crowd. Nobody had expected this of all things, Voldemort was content to sit back and watch, intrigued at the sudden turn of events. A dead Snape was no loss. It was one less traitor to worry about.
"Anyone else want some?" Edea challenged the crowd, a new confidence in her face. "I'll take you one by one if you want to see if you're hard enough."
A hooded figure beside Remus spoke up "Your glory is false DuCruet."
"Ah, Severus Snape." Edea paced the pit, "Your loss must pain you greatly, do you wish to join her? I could make it painless, a simple momentary seizure of death."
Severus took off the heavy cumbersome cloak and handed it to Remus, "Draezyc my love, shall we do this together?"
A voice from across the crowd answered him "I think so. You know, DuCruet was awfully rude about me."
Edea looked worriedly up at the two advancing figures, unmistakably Draezyc and Severus Snape. "Who.."
"Oh!" Draezyc laughed carelessly, "That was just a polyjuiced double. For being an Auror, you're horribly unobservant."
"Really?" Edea snarled "Avada Kedavra!"
"Now, now." Severus ducked, the curse missed him by inches. "You could get put in Azkaban for such curses."
"Like Rookwood." Draezyc nodded, "But of course, you don't remember that do you." She threw her own cloak aside. "You ruin my dress, I'll make you pay for a new one."
A group of house elves tentatively crawled in and took away the rapidly changing body of Draezyc's double.
"Service." Draezyc laughed. "Crucio!"
Severus smirked at his wife's carefree attitude to torture, she'd always liked antagonising people. Edea was rigid with pain, crying out in pain as Draezyc withdrew her wand.
"Bolla di spurgo!" Severus aimed with precision at her feet, which started to blister and bleed.
"Excellent choice." Draezyc nodded with approval, "Buccia Via!"
Skin began to peel away in layers, like the layers of an onion on her hands and arms.
Edea gritted her teeth and groped on the floor for her wand.
"Wingardium leviosa" Severus made her wand hover just above her reach. "Pitiful." He shook his head, "How abhorrently pitiful"
"I'm bored." Draezyc sighed, "Avada Kedavra!"
Her wand was knocked out of her hands and the spell ricocheted off the walls and up into the distance as what seemed like a thousand bodied hurled themselves into the pit all at once, spells being thrown in all directions, curses flying everywhere, even simple muggle fighting was breaking out.
Somewhere near the bottom, Remus located Edea, bleeding and curled up on the floor.. "Come on you." he murmured, taking hold of her hands "Portkey."
A tug below the stomach and they left the scene of carnage transported directly into Madam Pomfrey's office. "You're safe now." Remus comforted a shaking Edea.
"Remus!" Anna came running in, "You're safe. Edea. she's.. she.."
"Needs attention. Poppy, will she be alright?"
Madam Pomfrey hurried from cupboard to cupboard. "This is dark wizards' work."
"Anna, I can't leave Sirius there, I have to go back. They need my help." Remus kissed Anna gently on both cheeks, "Will you help Poppy?"
"Of Course." Anna nodded as Remus touched the small wolf figurine on his necklace and disappeared again.
TBC
