Chapter 10 - An Escape and an Oath
Half an hour had passed, and Cornelius Fudge regretted having that last cup of coffee.
The questioning by Alastor Moody had been grueling; Severus had been profoundly grateful that he wasn't under oath. He had gone with his father's suggestion that the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library had been the source for his knowledge. Severus had known that Filch the caretaker had been away two weeks before to visit his mother, so the lie had worked out well.
He was just a stupid kid in their eyes, after all. A stupid kid meddling in things that weren't to be meddled with. Severus was contrite. He even shed a few tears of regret over what he had done. His father's eyes glittered strangely at him. Fudge was placated, although Moody was not.
"Well, well!" said Fudge. "Why don't we take ten minutes and stretch our legs?" At this, all three Ministry employees rose and worked the kinks out of their bones. Fudge looked at Snape.
"We don't need to stretch our legs - do we, Severus?" Maledictis Snape said.
"No, Father," the boy replied. Nearly all the hope he had of returning to Hogwarts -- even with the problems he had faced there -- was gone. He would have given a hundred galleons to see either Lily, his old friend Britomartis, or Albus Dumbledore just then.
"Fine. Well, we'll see you in a few minutes, then." Moody, Bludwyd, and Fudge left the room.
As soon as the door latch snicked, Maledictis pounced on his son like a ratter on a stoat. "It's a good thing you didn't open you mouth about the back anteroom at home," the man hissed. "Everything's been put there. It's warded, but not heavily. Unfortunately, I hadn't anticipated my son turning into a stupid, disgusting oaf, calling attention to us and ours. You did all right so far, boy, but best keep your wits about you. You wouldn't want that nose and ankle broken all over again, now would you?"
"I want to go back to Hogwarts," Severus moaned. "Please, Father. I've done what you've asked. Let me have that one thing."
At this, Snape reached over and grabbed his son by the hair, yanking him close. "Shut your head about that, you little whelp," he growled. "Durmstrang's the place for my little Dark wizard. It's just too bad that you didn't factor the family into your decision to blow our cover. Damned fool."
Severus -- emboldened, perhaps, by the knowledge that people must have been outside somewhere -- took his father's hand and tried to pry it away from his forelock. Enraged, Snape Senior yanked him straight up and punched him in the stomach. "Whine again and you'll get worse, you worthless excuse for a son. Little bastard." He grabbed Severus by the throat again. "When I get you home, I'll beat you so roundly that you won't be able to to leave the Manor for a week," he promised.
Severus tried very hard not to cry. The last few days had been trying -- that was true -- but Hogwarts was a far better home to him than his own had been. He would have given into despair but for the kind words Albus Dumbledore had given him last night and today. As long as Severus could cling to that, he knew he would make it through whatever torments the Ministry of Magic -- or his father -- had in mind for him.
"Now," his father said, slamming him down in the chair again. "Wipe your damned snotty nose, boy. I'm going outside for a few minutes. You know better than to set foot outside this room. I'll make sure the door is watched, you can bet your life on it." With this, Maledictis Snape left the room.
As soon as the door closed, the atmosphere above the table shimmered and a teenage boy and girl appeared, along with a large red and gold bird. The boy and girl lay prone on the table top, which was too short for James Potter, whose legs dangled a good three feet in the air beyond it.
"Gah!" he spat. "I've got ink all over my head! Damn!"
Lily sat up with a moan. "Glad that secretary didn't need that spare quill! Here, James, let me wipe some of that off." She raised the hem of her school gown, giving Severus a tantalizing glimpse of slender leg. "Good thing your hair is black. What a mess it would have made of my hair! Oh, hello, Sev," Lily said, turning around after taking care of James' ablutions. "Potter and I have come to rescue you. Fawkes here turned us into ... "
"I know -- " Severus grinned. "Two quills and a parchment. I can see them missing from that woman's tray! Thank you so much! But how do we get out of here?"
"Portkey," said Lily, picking up the ink bottle. "We couldn't apparate in here, nor keep our wands, but a Phoenix knows older tricks than anyone here has even dreamed of. Portkeys aren't allowed here either, but the Ministry's protections can't detect this one. It's well over fifteen hundred years old. That Fawkes is a resourceful bird, to be sure! Sev, get over here quick! I think I hear footsteps! Fawkes?"
The bird bent his lovely head, and Lily slid the portkey -- formerly an ink bottle and now a simple amulet on a thin leather cord -- over his neck. James held onto Lily, Lily held onto Severus and the portkey.
Within seconds, all four living beings winked out of existence.
---------------------
By mutual consent (they were all hungry, thirsty, and in need of someone fussing over them) they all ended up at James' home. Once Fawkes was given the family parakeet's cuttle bone and a drink of water, the teens had the time to clean out the Potters' refrigerator (not that Mrs. P wouldn't have enjoyed cooking for them!) and for James to lend Snape one of his old school robes. Using the family's floo portal, Severus had a rather nice and information-intense conversation with his mother.
All three teens then spoke to James' parents about what they should do next, and all three had raced back to the kitchen (Mrs. Potter had just finished cleaning off the table; she hadn't seen food disappear that fast in decades) and drafted the following communique to the Ministry of Magic:
"Dear Minister,
We have reason to believe that a Dark wizard by the name of Confutatis Maledictis Snape has hidden a quantity of forbidden items in Snape Manor, North Yorkshire. Upon information and belief, they are behind warded doors in the back anteroom. The wards should yield to standard charms.
Sincerely,
A Friend"
James raced out of the room to owl the message straightaway. He wasn't concerned that the owl could be traced, if one cared to. The Ministry had a lot of owl visitors.
"I'm glad your mother has left to visit her brother," Lily said to Severus. "Even though it will be a surprise for him!"
"It's best that Mother not be around when Father is -- how do the Americans call it -- busted. She won't be put in the position of resisting or inviting the Aurors inside."
"You're a good son, Severus," Lily said solemnly.
"I'm tired of the beatings. For her and for me. It really must stop."
"You do realize your father could end up in Azkaban," James said, reentering the room.
"Certainly I do," Severus said. "Best thing for him, actually. When he's there, he can't be pounding us. And thank you, James, for assisting. And your family for coming to my aid as well. I must say I never knew you'd do anything to help me."
"Listen, Sev, I'm -- sorry about what I did. I had realized it was wrong by the time dinner rolled around night before last. Frankly, I thought you were going to snuff yourself."
"I wanted to, but the wild beasts of the Forbidden Forest decided to go on a mass diet."
"Fifteen is too young to die," Lily said.
"It depends on your point of view," Severus replied solemnly.
James looked at him. "Anyway, I apologize. I can't do anything about my friends, I suspect, but I won't harm you again. What I saw your father do to you in that Ministry office made me sick, and I know that's only a glimpse of what you've suffered over the years. What we -- we Marauders -- did to you was every bit as wrong."
Severus blinked hard and nodded. "I'll foreswear any retaliation. Thank you."
"If you're in earnest, you boys can take the Wizards' Oath, then," said Lily, crossing her arms and glaring at James.
"Do you know it?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Where's your Standard Book of Spells"?
"Hang on! I'll fetch it."
James sprinted out of the kitchen. Both heard him stomping up a flight of steps. Snape turned to Lily.
"You fancy him."
Lily looked into his dark eyes.
"It's all right," Severus said with a rueful smile. "I think he fancies you as well. Nobody fancies me."
"Don't be ridiculous, Sev. Putting yourself down is like what your father always did to you. Try not to do it to yourself; there's no need for it." She then reached over and hugged the Slytherin. He fought the urge to cry. He'd never felt lonelier or more left out in his life. "You'll do well enough, Sev," Lily concluded. "We're only fifteen. My mother says it's much too early to think of romance anyway. You should see the great lump my sister Petunia has on the hook!"
"Is he a whale?" Severus grinned.
"At least," Lily chuckled. "Most boring git I've ever listened to. He's obsessed with industrial drills. And speaking of boring gits, where is Potter?"
Both heard large feet stomping down the stairs.
"Here I am," James panted. "Took me forever and a day to find the forty-fifth edition."
"The forty-fifth is the Encyclopedia Britannica of the Wizarding world," Lily explained to Severus.
"All right then," said James, rejoining the two at the Potter's kitchen table. "Here it is. Wizards' Oath. What we'd do is promise to defend one another, and this obligation would continue for our descendants. Are you game, Sev?"
"Definitely," the Slytherin replied. "I'd be happy to take it. And you don't have to pretend to be my friend at school. We move in different circles, and I know that your mates think I'm dirt."
"Black, mostly," James said. "Remus is a kinder soul than any of us. And Peter -- well, Peter goes with the crowd."
"Are you going to keep yammering at each other? We have to get back yet tonight! Dumbledore is expecting us."
Sev's mouth quivered. "Dumbledore! I thought I'd never get to see him again."
"He's a better father to you than your own, nasty piece of work that he is!"
James looked at them quizzically.
"The oath?" Lily said. "Earth to James Potter?"
"Oh -- right -- " James said, turning to the correct section. "Here it is. Let's do it!"
------------------------
"Where the hell has that boy gone?" Maledictis Snape roared, causing Miss Bludwyd to give a little shriek and to ignore the apparent dimunition in her office supplies. "I know for a fact that he didn't open that door!"
"Excuse me, Snape, but the lad has disappeared? Impossible!" Fudge said, not really caring as it was getting late and his wife was holding supper over for him. A nice beef brisket it was, too.
"Don't be too surprised, sir," Moody hissed to the Minister, pulling him out of the irate Snape's hearing. "The father's no good, and the son's worse." he whispered, his rogue eye rolling crazily in its socket. "That boy is a sly one, a real lying little Slytherin snake, I say. Neither one of 'em should be trusted. The boy most likely used his Dark magic to get past our wards and charms."
"Well," Fudge sighed and turned to Snape, who was busy poking at the ventilation duct in the ceiling. "This hearing is temporarily adjourned."
-----------------------
Within the next half hour, Snape flooed his way to Hogsmeade and rented a broom. Once again, bullied his way into Hogwarts and demanded to meet with the Headmaster, even in the absence of an appointment.
Within a few minutes, Albus Dumbledore met with him in his office.
"I would like to know what happened to my son," Snape demanded.
"Pardon me?"
"My son! The whereabouts of my son! Have you gone daft?"
"Daft? Well, I supposed that depends on your point of view. Personally, I find a certain degree of insanity lends vigor to a wizard's personality. The last time I saw your son was when the Minister of Magic showed up here with his Aurors. They took the boy away and I have not seen him since."
"I demand to search the school, then!"
"Certainly," Dumbledore responded. "Search away. You might want to keep a close watch on our ghost population -- they tend to become active after dark. There's also that three-headed dog, but if you stay well clear of the Third Floor he shouldn't be a problem -- "
----------------
"Ouch, blast it!" Maledictis Snape snarled as he ran into a student bench in the Great Hall. He carried a torch which had the tendency to nearly extinguish itself when a supernatural being passed through the flame.
"Excuse me, sir, but can I help you?" a student's voice inquired.
"You might at that. My name is Snape, and I am looking for my son."
The boy would have known the man's identity instantly, even in the absence of an introduction. The man looked like an eagle with that hooked beak of his.
It was Sirius Black, come back down to collect James Potter's books. "Ah, yes -- Severus. Well, I don't know where he is, but I do know that two of my Gryffindor classmates were trying to locate him earlier this evening."
"Ah! Their names, please?"
---------------
Within an hour's time, Maledictis Snape had transported himself (the best he could in the land of the Muggles, at any rate) to the home of Lily Evans' family. Lily's sister Petunia - wearing a frilly apron embellished with pink poodles as she was fixing a treat of popovers for her oversized boyfriend -- took one look at the man's obviously evil visage and fainted dead away at his feet.
"Well, I like that!" Snape growled.
---------------
By the time he had gotten to the Potter house and back home, it was quite late indeed. Cursing his rotten luck and vowing to throttle all three teenagers, he began to remove the wards securing the front doors of Snape Manor, only to find them already broken.
With an oath he stepped into his entry hall, where he was greeted by a Ministry of Magic Auror and a Dementor, both ready to take him into custody for his numerous violations of the Dark Wizard Paraphernalia Sanctions Act of 1969.
----------------
Half an hour had passed, and Cornelius Fudge regretted having that last cup of coffee.
The questioning by Alastor Moody had been grueling; Severus had been profoundly grateful that he wasn't under oath. He had gone with his father's suggestion that the Restricted Section of the Hogwarts Library had been the source for his knowledge. Severus had known that Filch the caretaker had been away two weeks before to visit his mother, so the lie had worked out well.
He was just a stupid kid in their eyes, after all. A stupid kid meddling in things that weren't to be meddled with. Severus was contrite. He even shed a few tears of regret over what he had done. His father's eyes glittered strangely at him. Fudge was placated, although Moody was not.
"Well, well!" said Fudge. "Why don't we take ten minutes and stretch our legs?" At this, all three Ministry employees rose and worked the kinks out of their bones. Fudge looked at Snape.
"We don't need to stretch our legs - do we, Severus?" Maledictis Snape said.
"No, Father," the boy replied. Nearly all the hope he had of returning to Hogwarts -- even with the problems he had faced there -- was gone. He would have given a hundred galleons to see either Lily, his old friend Britomartis, or Albus Dumbledore just then.
"Fine. Well, we'll see you in a few minutes, then." Moody, Bludwyd, and Fudge left the room.
As soon as the door latch snicked, Maledictis pounced on his son like a ratter on a stoat. "It's a good thing you didn't open you mouth about the back anteroom at home," the man hissed. "Everything's been put there. It's warded, but not heavily. Unfortunately, I hadn't anticipated my son turning into a stupid, disgusting oaf, calling attention to us and ours. You did all right so far, boy, but best keep your wits about you. You wouldn't want that nose and ankle broken all over again, now would you?"
"I want to go back to Hogwarts," Severus moaned. "Please, Father. I've done what you've asked. Let me have that one thing."
At this, Snape reached over and grabbed his son by the hair, yanking him close. "Shut your head about that, you little whelp," he growled. "Durmstrang's the place for my little Dark wizard. It's just too bad that you didn't factor the family into your decision to blow our cover. Damned fool."
Severus -- emboldened, perhaps, by the knowledge that people must have been outside somewhere -- took his father's hand and tried to pry it away from his forelock. Enraged, Snape Senior yanked him straight up and punched him in the stomach. "Whine again and you'll get worse, you worthless excuse for a son. Little bastard." He grabbed Severus by the throat again. "When I get you home, I'll beat you so roundly that you won't be able to to leave the Manor for a week," he promised.
Severus tried very hard not to cry. The last few days had been trying -- that was true -- but Hogwarts was a far better home to him than his own had been. He would have given into despair but for the kind words Albus Dumbledore had given him last night and today. As long as Severus could cling to that, he knew he would make it through whatever torments the Ministry of Magic -- or his father -- had in mind for him.
"Now," his father said, slamming him down in the chair again. "Wipe your damned snotty nose, boy. I'm going outside for a few minutes. You know better than to set foot outside this room. I'll make sure the door is watched, you can bet your life on it." With this, Maledictis Snape left the room.
As soon as the door closed, the atmosphere above the table shimmered and a teenage boy and girl appeared, along with a large red and gold bird. The boy and girl lay prone on the table top, which was too short for James Potter, whose legs dangled a good three feet in the air beyond it.
"Gah!" he spat. "I've got ink all over my head! Damn!"
Lily sat up with a moan. "Glad that secretary didn't need that spare quill! Here, James, let me wipe some of that off." She raised the hem of her school gown, giving Severus a tantalizing glimpse of slender leg. "Good thing your hair is black. What a mess it would have made of my hair! Oh, hello, Sev," Lily said, turning around after taking care of James' ablutions. "Potter and I have come to rescue you. Fawkes here turned us into ... "
"I know -- " Severus grinned. "Two quills and a parchment. I can see them missing from that woman's tray! Thank you so much! But how do we get out of here?"
"Portkey," said Lily, picking up the ink bottle. "We couldn't apparate in here, nor keep our wands, but a Phoenix knows older tricks than anyone here has even dreamed of. Portkeys aren't allowed here either, but the Ministry's protections can't detect this one. It's well over fifteen hundred years old. That Fawkes is a resourceful bird, to be sure! Sev, get over here quick! I think I hear footsteps! Fawkes?"
The bird bent his lovely head, and Lily slid the portkey -- formerly an ink bottle and now a simple amulet on a thin leather cord -- over his neck. James held onto Lily, Lily held onto Severus and the portkey.
Within seconds, all four living beings winked out of existence.
---------------------
By mutual consent (they were all hungry, thirsty, and in need of someone fussing over them) they all ended up at James' home. Once Fawkes was given the family parakeet's cuttle bone and a drink of water, the teens had the time to clean out the Potters' refrigerator (not that Mrs. P wouldn't have enjoyed cooking for them!) and for James to lend Snape one of his old school robes. Using the family's floo portal, Severus had a rather nice and information-intense conversation with his mother.
All three teens then spoke to James' parents about what they should do next, and all three had raced back to the kitchen (Mrs. Potter had just finished cleaning off the table; she hadn't seen food disappear that fast in decades) and drafted the following communique to the Ministry of Magic:
"Dear Minister,
We have reason to believe that a Dark wizard by the name of Confutatis Maledictis Snape has hidden a quantity of forbidden items in Snape Manor, North Yorkshire. Upon information and belief, they are behind warded doors in the back anteroom. The wards should yield to standard charms.
Sincerely,
A Friend"
James raced out of the room to owl the message straightaway. He wasn't concerned that the owl could be traced, if one cared to. The Ministry had a lot of owl visitors.
"I'm glad your mother has left to visit her brother," Lily said to Severus. "Even though it will be a surprise for him!"
"It's best that Mother not be around when Father is -- how do the Americans call it -- busted. She won't be put in the position of resisting or inviting the Aurors inside."
"You're a good son, Severus," Lily said solemnly.
"I'm tired of the beatings. For her and for me. It really must stop."
"You do realize your father could end up in Azkaban," James said, reentering the room.
"Certainly I do," Severus said. "Best thing for him, actually. When he's there, he can't be pounding us. And thank you, James, for assisting. And your family for coming to my aid as well. I must say I never knew you'd do anything to help me."
"Listen, Sev, I'm -- sorry about what I did. I had realized it was wrong by the time dinner rolled around night before last. Frankly, I thought you were going to snuff yourself."
"I wanted to, but the wild beasts of the Forbidden Forest decided to go on a mass diet."
"Fifteen is too young to die," Lily said.
"It depends on your point of view," Severus replied solemnly.
James looked at him. "Anyway, I apologize. I can't do anything about my friends, I suspect, but I won't harm you again. What I saw your father do to you in that Ministry office made me sick, and I know that's only a glimpse of what you've suffered over the years. What we -- we Marauders -- did to you was every bit as wrong."
Severus blinked hard and nodded. "I'll foreswear any retaliation. Thank you."
"If you're in earnest, you boys can take the Wizards' Oath, then," said Lily, crossing her arms and glaring at James.
"Do you know it?"
Lily rolled her eyes. "Where's your Standard Book of Spells"?
"Hang on! I'll fetch it."
James sprinted out of the kitchen. Both heard him stomping up a flight of steps. Snape turned to Lily.
"You fancy him."
Lily looked into his dark eyes.
"It's all right," Severus said with a rueful smile. "I think he fancies you as well. Nobody fancies me."
"Don't be ridiculous, Sev. Putting yourself down is like what your father always did to you. Try not to do it to yourself; there's no need for it." She then reached over and hugged the Slytherin. He fought the urge to cry. He'd never felt lonelier or more left out in his life. "You'll do well enough, Sev," Lily concluded. "We're only fifteen. My mother says it's much too early to think of romance anyway. You should see the great lump my sister Petunia has on the hook!"
"Is he a whale?" Severus grinned.
"At least," Lily chuckled. "Most boring git I've ever listened to. He's obsessed with industrial drills. And speaking of boring gits, where is Potter?"
Both heard large feet stomping down the stairs.
"Here I am," James panted. "Took me forever and a day to find the forty-fifth edition."
"The forty-fifth is the Encyclopedia Britannica of the Wizarding world," Lily explained to Severus.
"All right then," said James, rejoining the two at the Potter's kitchen table. "Here it is. Wizards' Oath. What we'd do is promise to defend one another, and this obligation would continue for our descendants. Are you game, Sev?"
"Definitely," the Slytherin replied. "I'd be happy to take it. And you don't have to pretend to be my friend at school. We move in different circles, and I know that your mates think I'm dirt."
"Black, mostly," James said. "Remus is a kinder soul than any of us. And Peter -- well, Peter goes with the crowd."
"Are you going to keep yammering at each other? We have to get back yet tonight! Dumbledore is expecting us."
Sev's mouth quivered. "Dumbledore! I thought I'd never get to see him again."
"He's a better father to you than your own, nasty piece of work that he is!"
James looked at them quizzically.
"The oath?" Lily said. "Earth to James Potter?"
"Oh -- right -- " James said, turning to the correct section. "Here it is. Let's do it!"
------------------------
"Where the hell has that boy gone?" Maledictis Snape roared, causing Miss Bludwyd to give a little shriek and to ignore the apparent dimunition in her office supplies. "I know for a fact that he didn't open that door!"
"Excuse me, Snape, but the lad has disappeared? Impossible!" Fudge said, not really caring as it was getting late and his wife was holding supper over for him. A nice beef brisket it was, too.
"Don't be too surprised, sir," Moody hissed to the Minister, pulling him out of the irate Snape's hearing. "The father's no good, and the son's worse." he whispered, his rogue eye rolling crazily in its socket. "That boy is a sly one, a real lying little Slytherin snake, I say. Neither one of 'em should be trusted. The boy most likely used his Dark magic to get past our wards and charms."
"Well," Fudge sighed and turned to Snape, who was busy poking at the ventilation duct in the ceiling. "This hearing is temporarily adjourned."
-----------------------
Within the next half hour, Snape flooed his way to Hogsmeade and rented a broom. Once again, bullied his way into Hogwarts and demanded to meet with the Headmaster, even in the absence of an appointment.
Within a few minutes, Albus Dumbledore met with him in his office.
"I would like to know what happened to my son," Snape demanded.
"Pardon me?"
"My son! The whereabouts of my son! Have you gone daft?"
"Daft? Well, I supposed that depends on your point of view. Personally, I find a certain degree of insanity lends vigor to a wizard's personality. The last time I saw your son was when the Minister of Magic showed up here with his Aurors. They took the boy away and I have not seen him since."
"I demand to search the school, then!"
"Certainly," Dumbledore responded. "Search away. You might want to keep a close watch on our ghost population -- they tend to become active after dark. There's also that three-headed dog, but if you stay well clear of the Third Floor he shouldn't be a problem -- "
----------------
"Ouch, blast it!" Maledictis Snape snarled as he ran into a student bench in the Great Hall. He carried a torch which had the tendency to nearly extinguish itself when a supernatural being passed through the flame.
"Excuse me, sir, but can I help you?" a student's voice inquired.
"You might at that. My name is Snape, and I am looking for my son."
The boy would have known the man's identity instantly, even in the absence of an introduction. The man looked like an eagle with that hooked beak of his.
It was Sirius Black, come back down to collect James Potter's books. "Ah, yes -- Severus. Well, I don't know where he is, but I do know that two of my Gryffindor classmates were trying to locate him earlier this evening."
"Ah! Their names, please?"
---------------
Within an hour's time, Maledictis Snape had transported himself (the best he could in the land of the Muggles, at any rate) to the home of Lily Evans' family. Lily's sister Petunia - wearing a frilly apron embellished with pink poodles as she was fixing a treat of popovers for her oversized boyfriend -- took one look at the man's obviously evil visage and fainted dead away at his feet.
"Well, I like that!" Snape growled.
---------------
By the time he had gotten to the Potter house and back home, it was quite late indeed. Cursing his rotten luck and vowing to throttle all three teenagers, he began to remove the wards securing the front doors of Snape Manor, only to find them already broken.
With an oath he stepped into his entry hall, where he was greeted by a Ministry of Magic Auror and a Dementor, both ready to take him into custody for his numerous violations of the Dark Wizard Paraphernalia Sanctions Act of 1969.
----------------
