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Not Myself by Saerry Snape

Chapter 143 – Breaking and Entering Plus Some Talk

"There is always one guard at every entrance," explained Severus as he and Harry crouched next to the Darcorn in the bushes.  They were about fifty feet from the prison stronghold, its dark turrets and towers holding a highly foreboding presence.  One could practically smell the Death reeking from the place.  "Five Death Eaters patrol the grounds in a twenty foot span away from the walls.  We'll have to get through them in order to make it to our point of entry."

"Ye sound so military."

"I'm falling into Auror-talk," explained Severus as he patted the Darcorn's shoulder.  "Wait for us here, my friend.  If we are not back within two hours, return to Hogwarts and find Rebecca."

The unicorn nodded and edged back into a shadow as Severus and Harry began to creep along the line of bushes.  They got stuck in a large swath of brambles but soon found their way about those and made it to the perimeter of the grounds.

A Death Eater passed inches from their faces and the two Snape's held their breath.

"That way," whispered Severus, pointing to their right.  Harry went first and they crawled on their hands and knees down to where a water-filled trench was.

"Da…"

"Slide on down.  Don't make any noise."

Harry nodded and carefully slid down the short incline to the water.  He shivered as he let himself fall into the dark, liquid flow.  It was colder than the small pond the children at Argil's had swam in to get clean.  Even in winter it hadn't been this cold.

Severus slid noiselessly down into the water behind his son and gave him a nudge forward.  They crept along the bank slowly, keeping their heads low so they wouldn't be easily spotted or heard.  When the reached the castle wall, there was a grate blocking the passage under the castle.

"Go under," hissed Severus.  "There should be a hole in the grate about five feet down.  After that, keep swimming until you see light."

"Tunnel?"

Severus just nodded and Harry took a deep breath before he let himself sink underneath the water.  Eyes open wide to try and see through the gloom, he followed the grate down until he found the hole.  Slipping through, he kicked off the grate and kept going, marveling at the fact that the Gauntlet, although made of metal, didn't weigh him down.

His lungs were just beginning to burn for air when he saw a pinpoint of light through the gloomy water.  Kicking wildly, he swam for the surface, breaking through it with a heaving gasp for air.  Dog-paddling, he moved back towards the wall to give his father room to come up.

Severus surfaced about a minute and a half later, his hair plastered to his head.  He peered at Harry from underneath dripping brows then nodded towards a staircase that led up from the pool they'd surfaced in.  Clothes dripping, the two crept down the corridor that led away from the pool, not wanting to cast Drying Spells in fear of alerting the Death Eater's to their presence.

"Where do we loo'?" whispered Harry as he peered around a corner into an empty corridor.

Severus frowned and studied the corridor for a moment before he pointing down the one that veered off to the right.

"That way.  Most likely they will be in the lowest cells."

"Why?"

"They're the strongest."

"Ah," said Harry as they headed down the right corridor.  Suddenly Severus jerked him into a shadowy alcove, hugging him close to his body.  Two Death Eaters passed them a few minutes later, not even glancing towards the small alcove.

"Tha was close," breathed Harry as they stepped back out into the hallway.

"Indeed," agreed Severus.

A moment later they heard a faint scream of pain and looked at each other.  Severus looked at a barred window to his right and cursed.

Seconds later they were both running, caution blown to the winds.

* * * *

Mika screamed in pain as the huge gray werewolf that had once been Amadeus slashed its claws across his chest.  He scrambled backwards and stumbled, falling hard onto the ground.  The werewolf roared in triumph and leapt at him, jaws open wide.

Mika used his feet to pull himself downward quickly.  He then scrambled out from under the werewolf and ran to the other side of the cell.

The werewolf turned furious amber eyes towards him then lifted its bloody paw to its mouth, licking Mika's blood away with slow motions.  Those feral eyes met the boy's and he could see the hunger for more blood in them.

Mika snarled animalistically and crouched low, arms away from his body and legs ready to throw himself in whatever direction he needed to go.

The werewolf snarled and lunged, great jaws agape.  Mika flung himself to the left and the wolf snarled as it missed him.  The Slytherin rolled to his feet and backed away slowly as the werewolf carefully stalked towards him.

"Mika!" shouted a voice from far away.  But he could tell that it was Harry.

"Harrrrrrreeeeeeeyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!" he bellowed, the bellow turning into a shriek as the werewolf threw itself at him again.  He rolled to the side but got the razor-sharp claws scored down his shoulder for the trouble.

Cursing in English and Gaelic, Mika backed away again – only to find he was trapped in a corner.  A terrified glance at the werewolf confirmed that this was what had been planned all along.

Mika hissed and crouched again, glaring at the werewolf.  He tried to still the sudden quiver of fear in his heart that mingled with the hope that Harry would get to him before Amadeus killed him – or bit him.

The werewolf hurled itself towards him and he dove at the floor underneath it.  But the wolf bounced off the wall and spun in midair, landing on top of him.  Mika felt its hot breath before the huge jaws clamped down on his already injured shoulder.

He screamed and jerked wildly, feeling his skin rip and the light-headed feeling of blood loss.

"MIKA!" shouted Harry, his horrified face appearing in the small, barred window in the door.  When he saw the werewolf, his eyes burned black and he stepped back from the door.  Lifting his right arm, he pointed one finger of the Gauntlet at it and tried to do what he had done earlier with the fire.

Only this time with lightning.

Gathering his anger into a tight ball, he held it for a moment before he tried to imagine all of that anger coursing down his arm.  The moment he saw it in his mind's eyes something clicked in his head and it worked.

Fire rushed down his arm and enveloped the Gauntlet, fire so hot that it burned the sleeve of his shirt to ashes.  He screamed angrily as he hurled the burning Gauntlet at the cell door.  The fire, hot as volcanic lava, punched straight through the metal and continued to burn it as Harry stepped through, his all black eyes reflecting the fire in their depths.

Slowly, he stepped towards the werewolf that had his friend in its jaws.

"Let.  Him.  Go," commanded Harry in harsh, dark tones.  The werewolf glared at him and bit its teeth deeper into Mika's flesh.  The white-haired boy whimpered and jerked feebly, his eyes clenched shut against the pain.

Harry snarled and swung the Gauntlet, bringing it down hard on the werewolf's head.  It stiffened and collapsed, its jaws coming free of Mika's shoulder as it fell.

Mika moaned and looked up at Harry as the dark-haired teen dragged him away from the now unconscious werewolf.

"Harry," he hissed in pain-laced voice.

"Shh.  Doan talk.  Da!"

"What is it…?  Damnitall, I knew this would happen!"

Severus looked at the unconscious werewolf then at Harry.

"We can't get them both out."

"Mika firs' then," said Harry.  "We'll ge' him next."

"We?" repeated Severus.

"We," replied Harry savagely.  "Now…'ow are we goin' ter ge' out?  We can'na take 'im out the way we came in.""

"No, we can't.  But I have an idea.  Grab his feet and I'll take his head."

"Where are we goin'?"

"One of the towers.  Stay with us, Mika."

"I'll…try," said Mika softly, his shoulder aching with every movement of his body.

Severus looked at Harry across the burden they carried between them and they heard the sound of feet pounding down the corridor behind them.

"Faster," said Severus in a hurried tone.

Harry nodded and they moved as quickly as they could move carrying Mika's weight between them.  They reached one of the towers in a short time and only got spotted once.  Severus had thrown the Death Eater against the wall as he'd come around the corner and broken his neck with one hand.

"Now wha'?" asked Harry as they carefully laid Mika down.

"Now we call out ride."  Severus leaned out over the top of the tower and whistled loudly.  Another whistle answered him and Harry got the shock of his life when he looked over and saw the Darcorn flying towards them.  Dark, draconic wings extended from the black unicorns shoulders but – on closer inspection – one could see that they were not completely draconic wings.  The forward half of the wing was covered with pitch black feathers that tapered down to the black draconic wings with their pale gray membrane.

Shouts rose from below as the Darcorn landed carefully beside them on top of the tower.  Severus heaved Harry up onto its back then carefully pushed Mika up.  As he leapt on last, he grabbed a tight hold on his student and son before shouting something in Elven to the Darcorn.  The black unicorn snorted and leapt off the tower just as Death Eater's came charging up the stairwell, firing curses at them.

Harry sank gratefully against the Darcorn's neck and laced his hands loosely about it.  He missed the shiver that went through the unicorn's body as he dropped off into sleep, Mika's unconscious body leaning against his and his father watching over the two boys like a hawk.

* * * *

"How old is it?"

"Half an hour.  Maybe more.  We couldn't get back as quickly as we got there."

Harry started to open his eyes and winced when a shaft of bright light invaded.  He decided to forgo opening his eyes and just listened to the conversation going on to his left between his father and Madam Pomfrey.

"Severus…you know how long the period of time is for when the Wolfsbane Potion must be administered to bite victims."

"I know, Poppy.  But…please, try it."

"Very well.  I will try.  But get in touch with Remus just in case."

"Of course."

Severus' footsteps started towards the door then stopped and came towards Harry's bed.  His shadow blocked the bright light and Harry opened his eyes a slit to peer at his father.  With his eyes open he felt really tired…

"Da…"

"Shh," said Severus, laying a finger over his son's lips.  He then brushed a lock of the long black hair back as he said, "You wore yourself out with that display.  But…I'm very proud of you, Harry."

"The…the Gauntlet…i-isn't killing me," whispered Harry.  "It…its channeling…"

"I know," said Severus.  "It channeling the powers of the Tethdaìr.  Now sleep.  I'll send Niamh up here to sit with you if you want."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes again as he mumbled, "That'd be…nice…"

Severus just smiled and pulled the blanket up to his son's chin as the teen fell back into sleep.  He brushed his hand  over the face that was so like his own yet held a softness that came from his mother.  Harry didn't know just how much he was like his mother.  He had her eyes, her spirit, her temper, her compassion.

Severus smiled grimly to himself.

Harry had the Snape name and general look but he had the Evans soul.

Glancing at the two curtained off beds that held Mischa and Mika, Severus turned and left, going to contact the werewolf and to get Niamh.

Author's Notes

Saerry: Behold what the Gauntlet and the power of the Tethdaìr can really do!

Atra: Hey, you said DESTRUCTIVE magicks.

Bryv: Fire IS destructive, you idiot.

Atra: Say that again.

Bryv: Idiot.

Atra: GRAH!  *jump Bryv and they go down in a cloud of dust*

Saerry, Mel, and Saerwy: *sigh*  Men…