Kidnapped
Disclaimer: Characters and setting are the property of J.K. Rowling, I'm just borrowing them for a little non-profit fun.
Silverthreads, duj, wsox2004, Virage: Thanks for the feedback.
Elladora D. Jobberknoll: Thanks for reviewing. It's a fine line picking a name that's not too normal or too strange. It's much easier naming characters who were born Blacks, I can just pull up a star chartfor them.
Sirius moaned, he reached up to rub his eyes and felt something hard and smooth wrapped tightly around his wrist. He squinted at it in confusion then he realized what the stuffed up feeling in his head meant and a cold ball of fear formed in his stomach.
For years black humor had dubbed suppression bracelets 'a kidnapper's best friend.' The plain, dull gray band fastened around Sirius' wrist blocked his magic, both conscious and accidental; without such things Wizarding children were practically impossible to kidnap, given sufficient incentive they simply apparated to a place safety. Without blocking the child's magic they would generally appeared in their beds or some other place they thought of as safe as soon as they became frightened.
Sirius took a moment to gather himself then glanced around his prison. It looked like someone's storage shed. Severus lay sprawled near the door there was another suppression bracelet was fastened around his wrist. Sirius crawled over to Severus. The first thing he noticed was that there was something wrong with Severus' arm. His wand arm was swollen so badly that the suppression bracelet barely fit around the severely discolored limb.
Sirius sat down beside Severus and put a hand on the unconscious boy's shoulder. He patted it absent-mindedly. "Don't worry, everything'll work out all right." Sirius tried to make his voice sound confident. Practice, he told himself, for when the other boy woke up. Severus wasn't Gryffindor; he'd be scared… Sirius reminded himself that he was good at being brave.
Clarissa Black stared at the two empty places at the dinner table. "Chessa, how many meals have Sirius and Severus missed?" she asked a cringing House-elf.
The little creature wrung its hands in distress. "Chessa is a bad, bad elf. She no has given food to young masters since dinner night before last. Bad, bad Chessa."
"Yes, yes, go punish yourself. I have more important things to do," Clarissa said with an air of distraction. "They might have been gone for two days. I'm going to skin that boy alive when I get my hands on him. Bellatrix, who are those Gryffindors Sirius is always running around with?"
"Potter, Pettigrew and Lupin," Bellatrix replied promptly. Her eyes gleamed in anticipation of seeing her cousin punished.
Clarissa marched over to the fireplace and tossed a handful of floo powder in. "Potter residence," she stated and leaned into the fire.
"Creature, go summon your master, immediately," Clarissa ordered. After a few moments' pause she said, "Auror Potter, has my nephew run off to your place again? … They couldn't possibly have flooed back here this morning our fireplace is warded against any unauthorized use by the children. We do not allow our offspring to run wild with their friends whenever they please…"
Clarissa abruptly terminated the conversation. "The honor-system, what a ridiculous notion," she muttered as she scooped up a second handful of floo powder.
"Pettigrew residence," Clarissa declared. "Boy, go get your parents and my nephew… Sirius Black. …When did he leave? …Where do you live? …Get your parents boy and be quick about it! ….Mrs. Pettigrew, my nephew and his friend never made it home. If you'll start a fly over of their route from your end we'll do the same. …I most certainly did not give them permission to attempt such a fool thing. …We'll contact the Aurors and Snapes if we don't find them after a quick check of the route between our houses."
Polaris quietly sent his daughters and Lucius to collect their brooms. Then he summoned a House-elf and ordered her to keep the two younger boys inside and under close watch.
"Narcissa, Lucius, you'll be flying with me," Polaris said. "Andromeda, Bellatrix stay with your mother. I want your eyes, but you aren't much older than the boys. You're not to be out of sight, ever. I'll fly as the crow would. Clarissa, follow the muggle road they might have used it as a reference."
Severus woke to a throbbing pain radiating up from his wrist. He wondered why one of his parents wasn't fixing it. No matter how disgusted with him his father got he had never left him in this kind of pain, never.
"Please, at least tell me why?" Black's voice intruded on the other boy's misery.
The last Severus remembered he had been utterly furious with Black for his moronic friends and their incredibly idiotic prank at his expense. What's more he hated them all for putting him in a position of being forced to confide his family's problems to Harold Potter. His father was never going to forgive him! Still he felt inexplicably relieved to hear Sirius' voice.
"The little Black wants to know why does he?" the cackling, high-pitched voice spoke directly to Severus' nightmares. Then memories of his capture and Sirius' body sprawled limply in the dirt slowly rose to the surface of Severus' mind.
"Yes, I want to know why you kidnapped us." It sounded like Sirius was awake and in fine Gryffindor form.
"They took my magic little Black. Might as well have taken my soul; no that would have been kinder, it wouldn't have left me knowing. 'Just a small favor Curse-breaker. A trifling matter, really. An inheritance from a rather foul tempered relation, you wouldn't mind examining the chest for us Curse-breaker? Just like the old man to leave a nasty surprise. Nothing for a curse-breaker of your abilities I'm certain.' Evil it was! Pure evil. Cantankerous relative, pah! It took my magic, left me a worthless squib!"
"I'm sorry you lost your magic," Sirius said and Severus groaned. He recognized the other boy's tone. "But that doesn't give you the right to go around kidnapping people!"
"It was Orion Black what did it to me!" the former curse-breaker howled. "I'll make him pay for what he's done." Severus flinched at the man's gleeful cackling. "You'll make him pay. You'll make him suffer like I suffered, yes you will."
Harold Potter looked grim when he walked into the Black's front room. Several of his people nodded a terse greeting to their chief.
"The parents are in the sitting room," one of the Aurors reported.
Harold nodded. "No ransom demands yet?"
"Nothing."
Harold's mouth tightened. He walked into the dinning room.
"Another 'no progress, be patient' speech?" Esterhazy Black snapped.
"Mr. and Mrs. Black, Artalocus, Desmona," Harold said quietly. "We found both boys' brooms. The good news is that neither crash looks too severe. Severus definitely walked away from his landing."
Desmona Snape's eyes closed as she sighed in relief.
"We think he made a fast, hard landing. He lost control but he went down of his own volition."
"And Sirius?" Orion Black asked.
"The spells on his broom failed. The back-ups softened his landing…"
"Spells on brooms don't just fail," Esterhazy spat. "What is happening here?"
"We don't know how the spells on Sirius' broom were compromised," Harold admitted. "But we believe the boys were kidnapped. Severus' path led back to where Sirius crashed, the boys' paths overlap at that point. They dead-end at the muggle road. There is no magical signature; we can't trace muggle conveyances. We believe that is how the boys were taken."
"If it was a kidnapping why hasn't there been a ransom demand?" Esterhazy demanded.
"Who would want to hurt your family Mrs. Black?" Harold asked solemnly. "Only one spell was used, that limits our ability to track the kidnappers. They're either very smart or that's all the magic they have access to. It's been three days since the boys were last seen, I have to consider the possibility that their more interested in your anguish than in your money…"
"Harold it sounds like you're certain that they weren't interested in Severus," Artalocus said.
"Nothing is certain, but the kidnapping happened while the boys were retracing their steps to the Black Estate. Sirius' broom was the one that was disenchanted. I'll want a similar list from you but we're working under the assumption that Severus' kidnapping was not their primary goal… Unless there's some reason to think your son would be in danger?"
Artalocus hesitated. "No, what does that mean for Severus?"
Harold glanced at Desmona. "We can't say at this point. We'll have a better idea once they make their demands."
"What if they don't make any demands?" Esterhazy exclaimed.
"We'll find your sons," Harold promised.
As Artalocus got up to leave Harold caught his arm and led him aside. "I didn't want to say this in front of Desmona," the Auror said, "but the fact that we haven't received a ransom demand is a very bad sign. Are you absolutely sure no one has a reason to hurt your family?" Harold waited for a moment. When Artalocus didn't reply he said, "When Severus spent the night at our home he had a panic attack, practically tore apart the room with a several uncontrolled bursts of magic. I've been dealing with it personally; I know how much you value your privacy. But if he has a reason to be afraid, if it has any possible connection to this you need to tell me right now. Artalocus, what is it that your son locks out of his bedroom before he goes to sleep every night?"
"I have no idea," Artalocus said.
"Mister… um Sir, I'm not a Black," Severus said. He kept his injured arm cradled against his chest. "I'm not anyone you're interested in. Why don't you let me go?"
Their kidnapper looked down at Severus and hissed, "You think I'm crazy. You think I'd let you go, let you tell them about me. No, I won't do that, but you're right I don't need you. Thought maybe I got the wrong boy at first, good to take both, be sure. But now I know."
He took a gun out of his pocket and pointed it at Severus.
"What's that?" Sirius asked nervously.
"A muggle wand, it only knows one spell: Avada…"
"No!" Sirius yelled. He stepped between Severus and their kidnapper. "Severus is my cousin, my dad's sister's kid. He's Slytherin, so you can't trust much of anything he says, but my parents care about him as much as me… You don't want to kill him." Slowly Sirius walked toward the man. "I know my family's awful, I have to live with them after all. I want to help you get even; they shouldn't get away with stuff. Please, please don't kill him." Sirius put his hand over the barrel of the gun. "I'll help you. I'm on your side. I'll help you punish my parent but please don't kill my friend."
"You are going to help me, little Black?" the man laughed.
"My parents were wrong. I'm a Gryffindor, I have to try to make it right," Sirius said, his voice filled with sincerity.
The kidnapper looked past Sirius to glare angrily at Severus. "Nasty little brat thinks he's smarter than me; thinks he's better than me."
Severus stared back at the man blankly. He was in shock over how badly his gambit had backfired.
"He's not," Sirius said. His knuckles were white as he held fast to the gun barrel. "He's just a self-centered Slytherin prat out to save his own skin. You've got a cause. You captured us without even using magic. My parents tried to wreck your life but they couldn't stop you."
The man smirked and ruffled Sirius' hair. "I have friends. They give me things," he said as he fingered the suppression bracelet around Sirius' wrist. "These, a way to nullify spells, all sort of useful things. I find muggle things for the rest but I won't forgive them for what they took from me."
"Who would?" Sirius replied. He sagged with relief when the gun disappeared back into their kidnapper's pocket. Severus didn't seem to notice.
"You want to help me? Come help me my Black Griffin."
A non-descript owl bearing a screaming red envelop pecked politely at the side window to the Black's front room. One of the Aurors stationed there, Alistair Moody, opened the window. He detained the owl then took the letter. "Get the Blacks and the Chief." He told one of his journeymen.
A few moments later Harold Potter arrived with Sirius' parents and Desmona Snape in tow. Esterhazy reached for the Howler. "Wait," Harold said. "Are we ready to record the contents?"
Moody nodded. "We're ready. We've detained the owl as well. It's probably a general postal owl but there may be some information to be gleaned from it. You can never be too careful."
"Thorough as always Alistair," Harold replied. "Mrs. Black, go ahead."
As soon as Esterhazy broke the seal the envelope jumped out of her hands. "Mom? Dad?" Sirius' voice called excitedly. "He really, really hates you. He says he won't let us go unless you pay him ten million galleons. I told him you don't like me that much but please? Severus' arm hurt and He won't fix it. Um…" Sirius' voice trailed off for a moment while he seemed to search for an appropriate plea.
Everyone in the room flinched at the shocked and pained gasp that broke the pause. "Say what I told you to say," a strange voice ordered.
"He said he'd kill us," Sirius' voice returned, he sounded shaky and subdued now. "He said put the money in the metal box at the North-West corner of the property and say prodo. He says don't try to use the portkey yourselves, or else."
"On second thought, Black go ahead and use the key," the second voice laughed. "I'd rather have your dead body than the money, that I would."
"I don't recognize the voice," Orion said quietly. "How could someone hate me that much and yet make no impression on me?"
"How many do you figure the pureblood muckity-muck tramples everyday and never once does he look down," one of the Aurors said in a sotto voice to his neighbor. Harold sent a quelling glare in their direction.
"Severus…" Desmona began in a faltering voice. Several of the men noticed her chalky complexion and a chair was quickly produced for her. "Severus generally carries healing potions with him; he tries too hard to be self-sufficient. Even without his wand Severus could treat most minor injuries. He must be badly hurt."
Harold knelt beside Desmona's chair and placed a hand over hers. "Or the kidnappers took his potions along with his wand. Don't torture yourself with worst-case scenarios," Harold gave Severus' mother a moment to recover herself. "I am curious about why Severus would feel it necessary to carry an apothecary with him at all times. Who is he afraid of?"
"No," Desmona said firmly. "You heard the message; this has nothing to do with Severus. It's their fault." She glared angrily at the Blacks.
"We are focusing our investigations on the Black's possible enemies but I don't want to overlook anything," Harold stated. "We'll need a few hours to analyze the recording and investigate the drop-box. Mr. and Mrs. Black, I recommend that you allow one of my people to legilimize you."
"You can't treat us like suspects," Esterhazy exclaimed.
"It is, of course, completely voluntary," Harold said. "However, if you concentrate on the voice it might pull up a subconscious memory."
"My brother, Polaris knows the spell," Orion stated. "I'd feel more comfortable not having a stranger ransacking my memories."
"That is your choice," Harold replied. "However, my people have experience specifically in using Legilimency to unbury memories."
"I'd rather Polaris cast the spell," Orion reiterated.
With a gesture Harold dismissed them. Once the families were out of the room Moody said suspiciously, "The kid sounded off at the beginning."
"He's been kidnapped, who know how he's coping," Harold replied. "Patil, you've a knack for deciphering spelled objects."
"North-West corner, right. I'll have one of the House-elves show me the property lines…"
Note: I know Sirius is developing Stockholm Sydrome very quickly, but the hostage situation thatthe condition isnamed for lasted for under a week and Sirius is predisposed to sympathize with anyone who claims his parents are evil. Severus on the other hand doesn't have much reason to believe that someone who likes him would be less likely to hurt him.