The sweat was now rolling down Snape's face. However he was not alone, as Lucius was now starting to turn red as the heat penetrated his boots. Both were sitting strapped to chairs whilst their feet were lowered into the fire with their shoes still on making it more unbearable as they started to melt. Severus estimated that he probably had about 55 minutes before his potion would wear off. He congratulated himself on making it stronger, so that it would last longer than normal. He winced however; as the flames were growing higher and that he had no way out of this situation.
'Why did I ever get involved with Hermione,' he thought savagely. It was true that she was far to young for him, and the he had jeopardized his double role, being a spy. Maybe he had done it to get over Marie, the woman he had lost, maybe in the moment of vulnerability he had forgotten for all he stood for.
'With granger of all people,' he berated himself. Disgust now filled Severus Snape, that and the will to die.
* * * * * * * * * *
Harry approached the hideout cautiously, hidden under his invisibility cloak. It was now dark; the street lit dimly by only one working lamp much further down. There was no one about which made Harry uneasy. Finally he recognized the marking on the wall of a small bat, the same one drawn on Snape's directions. He had too scribbled down what the password was. Harry slipped the parchment into his pocket and took out his wand. With a deep breath he spoke the password, and the door that had not been there before appeared. Harry glanced around before taking a firm grip on the handle an opening it. Inside his eyes took a moment to adjust to the lack of light in the hallway. Deatheaters hurried about not noticing that there was someone unseen in their presence. One even brushed past Harry yet did not seem to notice. They seemed in a frantic panic; as though they were looking for someone. It was not till Harry almost made it to the main chamber that he heard what all the commotion was about. Hermione had escaped.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Dursley's rose to the occasion beautifully when Hermione had broken down in tears, sobbing dramatically how Hogwart's and Wizardry hard let her down. They were pulled in closer with every word. They swept Hermione off to her home, although concerned she was alone, left her finally after she swore that she would come over the following day for tea. Dudley had seemed to think that Hermione was now the type of girl that he was looking for, and attempted flirting with her although Hermione thought there was something strangely wrong with him and the way he was acting. Even Ron was a little more graceful. After they had gone, she swiftly wrote a note for Ron and Harry. She then used the floo powder network to get to Diagon Alley, where she sent an urgent owl, expensive though it was. Hermione then bought herself a new wand; her own had been destroyed by Voldemort. Just even thinking about him made her ill, yet she felt so connected, it actually hurt to be away from him. Confused yet knowing what she needed to do she hurried to the nearest fireplace. She was about to step in when she felt a hand on her shoulder holding her back.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Ron climbed the stairs to his dorm and lay down on his bed. It was still early, some of the students were in the Great Hall enjoying a game of Wizard Monopoly in teams. The winner of each team would then play a final against each other. Ron under usual circumstances would have been really willing to play. He liked the thought of having all those galleons even though they were fakes. But he was too preoccupied. Sirius had cornered him and Lupin earlier that day on a mission to find out were Harry was. Ron obviously could not tell them anything, so even when they threatened to turn him into something strange, he insisted he was telling the truth. Finally they had given up after Professor McGonagall had come across them. In her words,
"Weasley would tell you if he knew anything, I am sure he would not want to lose Potter, seeming they make such an excellent pair when it comes to rule breaking,"
She finished by giving Ron a prickly look before sweeping off after Peeves who was chasing Mrs. Norris, the caretaker's cat.
Ron's thoughts were interrupted by a clattering noise outside of his window. He looked up to find an annoyed brown owl with a letter attached to his leg, who apparently had been knocking for quite some time before getting the red headed boy's attention. Ron hastily took it and snatched away his had before the owl could nip him. He tore open the letter to see it was from Hermione who had escaped but it now meant that Harry was going after Voldemort for nothing. Ron raced downstairs to his brother, who were working on their latest inventions.
"Fred, George, you got to see this," Ron said out of breath. The twins quickly read the letter. George raced upstairs and a few moments later returned with a small sack.
"Let's go, if we hurry we might even catch her," George muttered excitedly. They hurried down to the dungeons and into Snape's office.
"I hope this works," Fred said as they all grabbed at the floo powder and shouted Diagon Alley in unison. Ron was stunned that it had actually worked. The twins had found a way to unblock Snape's fireplace so they could floo out. They arrived at Diagon alley a few moments later and just in time to see Hermione about to leave. Ron lurched and grabbed her shoulder just in time.
* * * * * * * * * *
Harry knew that something was a miss, when he saw two Lucius Malfoy's being tortured. It was possible that one of the members of the Order of the Phoenix, in disguise, it could easily be Snape. Harry twirled his ring on his finger and remembered what Merlin had told him. He had no idea that Lucius was wearing the one he had taken off Hermione although he had no idea what powers it held. Harry whispered into his ring to find a ring bearer in the room. His finer rose involuntary and wavered between the two Malfoy's.
'That's impossible,' Harry thought to himself. Had he not been clear? Realizing that his idea was not going to work he had to think of another plan. Slowly he approached from behind Lucius number one. He the whispered into his ear.
"If you are the real Lucius Malfoy, tell me what was hidden in Voldemort's diary when it was returned to you, speak softly and I will help you,"
Malfoy said nothing but continued to groan. Harry walked over to the other Malfoy, unseen by anyone else and asked the same question. This time he got an answer.
"Sock," Malfoy number two whispered. Harry then needed to decide how he was going to get Snape out. A diversion would be the best but what. He scratched around in his pockets and found one of the Weasley's latest inventions, Retching Slug Gas, inspired by Ron's encounter with Draco Malfoy in his second year at Hogwart's. Anyone who came in contact with it would start throwing up slugs; the only way to avoid it was to keep your eyes closed even though it was a clear gas. Harry figured that he would have to take his chances. He went over to Malfoy number one, took a look around the room, whispered to Malfoy to keep his eye's closed and threw the bomb. Two minutes later Voldermort fled the room and soon the sound of retching filled the room as the slugs made their exit. Harry grabbed Malfoy and covered him under the cloak and out of the room. When he decided that he was clear, he told Severus to open his eyes. There was a look of shock on his face when he saw Harry, yet he said nothing. Harry could not be bothered, he knew Snape hated him but they need to get out.
"This way," Harry whispered.
"I don't think so Potter!" was the response. "You see, my master will reward me greatly," he said loudly, pulling of the cloak off both of them.
Meanwhile Snape, who had his eyes closed because he was in pain, felt himself starting to transform in his usual shape, his luck had finally run out.
He wondered why someone had asked him such a question, but Lucius had told him the story and he thought it was a test. So he had answered.