Voldemort's got Snape and it's not looking good, but...
Hey, did you ever hear of the Evil Overlord's Code of Genius? Oh, you mean that "Don't ramble on about your plans and be sure to kill your enemies right away" thing? Yes, that's the one. I came across it on the 'net the other day.
So what about it?
I'm just saying Voldemort needs to pay more attention to the Muggle internet, that's all! Then maybe he could figure out what he's been doing wrong! Why he can't seem to win. I think Wormtail's been paying attention.---Maybe V ought to pay more attention to Wormtail, too then!
(Oh, and a little reminder that these are JK Rowling's characters; so don't go thinking their mine. As if I really thought you'd think that anyway. But could I dare hope? hahaha )
Harry felt as if he had a first-row seat in learning how the Longbottoms had been tortured into insanity.
Voldemort's Death Eaters performed whatever curses came to mind on Snape. They manipulated him without mercy, ignoring the cries that punctured the night. He twitched and jerked as they forced him into motion, though his pinned hand kept him from running away. The Cruciatus Curse flew at Snape relentlessly, while the Imperius Curse seemed to be favored as well--one Death Eater ordering Snape to say Harry was in Hogsmeade, another ordering him to say Hogwarts at the same time; while another, the Forbidden Forest. And Snape struggling to say none of them. Far too soon Snape was uttering nonsense.
Voldemort appeared, back among his Death Eaters. "Brothers, Stop!" he ordered. They quickly lifted hexes and curses, and bowed, backing to their familiar circle.
Snape was no longer gasping, nor crying; he only dangled pitiably against the tree, with red welts on his face and neck from stinging hexes.
Voldemort approached the tree and pointed his wand at Snape. "Ennevarte." Snape's vacant eyes drew open and he mindlessly tried to gather his feet under him, though he was shaking hard.
Voldemort paced before him. "So. You thought you would hide from me, living in that rat infested castle, under Dumbledore's protective wing. But you knew his protection wouldn't last. Not with Potter there. You were quite right." Voldemort sketched a brief pattern in the air with his wand and bonds appeared, which quickly bound Snape's right hand to a branch. Snape hardly reacted. He only stared about, making small, useless movements, and twitching his fingers against the bonds.
"You were our brother, Severus. Or at least we thought you were. But you are worse than a traitor. You use those dark eyes to spy on me; that sharp tongue to tell my secrets. Never again!" Voldemort spoke a spell that Harry had never heard before, and a shower of sparks erupted from Voldemort's wand, to slash across Snape's face, though it left no mark. "You are no family of mine! You will never be able to betray me again!"
Voldemort's voice climbed higher, became shriller. He grasped the material of Snape's shirt sleeve and ripped it harshly downward. Snape's chest heaved as his hand took the force of the pull.
The Dark Mark, burning an ugly black, was plain on Snape's angular forearm. Voldemort lightly traced the Mark with a finger. He frowned with anger. "No. You will never betray us again."
He turned his wand in his hand, and transfigured it before Snape's face into a silvery, gleaming knife. He put the knife's tip against Snape's skin, just above the Dark Mark. "Never."
"No..." Snape eyes tried to focus on the knife; he began to plead weakly, "No, don't, no, please don't."
Voldemort's eyes flashed. "It is far too late to change your mind, Severus Snape." With an exhalation Voldemort sank the dagger crosswise into Snape's flesh. Snape screamed.
Harry wanted to vomit, but he couldn't; he couldn't even close his eyes against watching as Voldemort carved the tattoo out of Snape's forearm.
God! Please stop! Please stop!
But it didn't take long. Soon Voldemort dropped the bloody lump of flesh on the ground. Snape fell, his face bluish and clammy with perspiration. He shuddered now as if very cold, while the blood pumped itself out of his arm and splattered on the ground.
Voldemort haughtily stepped back. "Scourgify," he hissed. The blood neatly cleaned itself from Voldemort's wand and cloths. He kicked dirt over the Dark Mark on the ground. "Try to find me now, Professor Traitor," he hissed.
Wormtail appeared at Voldemort's side. He poked the tip of his wand into Snape's wound, gouging at the exposed muscles and tendons. Snape recoiled, but when Pettigrew stepped away Harry saw that the bleeding in Snape's arm had nearly ceased.
"Wormtail, my faithful one," Voldemort reproved, "What are you doing?"
"My Lord!" Wormtail shivered, "You don't know where the Potter boy is yet. Kill Snape now and it may be days or even weeks before we find him! Better...better to keep Snape alive and let me torture his secrets out of him!"
But Voldemort scowled at Wormtail. "What makes you think you can?" He composed his expression and turned to the others. "Come, Brothers. Come see my creations." He turned his back on Wormtail, but Peter grabbed Voldemort's arm. "What about Snape!"
"What about him?" Voldemort replied.
Wormtail stared at the drooping Professor. "He will escape."
Voldemort laughed at once. "Likely. But if he does, where will he go? He won't be able to apparate in this state. No one will come to help him...not even those Muggles in the village. None will come here. I be back and I will kill him at my leisure."
"But my Lord!" Wormtail interrupted.
Voldemort rounded on him angrily, "Wormtail! Do not get above yourself! Leave him! Come up to the house!" Voldemort turned and left without looking back to see if Pettigrew was following him up the hill.
"I will bring Snape." Wormtail gritted. "We can use him; and he must not escape." Peter reached toward Snape, but Malfoy seized Wormtail's silver wrist. "Do not disobey your lord Wormtail, or I will make certain you do not live long enough to learn the consequences of your actions. Do not doubt your Lord." Wormtail glared into Malfoy's pale eyes, but he looked away quickly. He jerked his hand from Malfoy's loosening grip and turned to follow the Death Eaters up to the Riddle mansion. Malfoy's derisive snort laughter followed after.
Harry looked to Snape and wondered if the professor still knew his own name. Snape's head hung limply, his open eyes gazed unfocused on the ground. Had the torture had been too much? Harry found himself hoping with all his might that it had not been.
Lucius, however stood staring malignantly after Wormtail, fingering his lip and considering. With a last sneer at Snape, Malfoy squared his shoulders and marched up the hill.