Part 14 – MRS. BLACK'S LAUGH

come and learn -

When Snape woke up, he didn't open his eyes. He knew what was coming, and though he had prepared himself to face it – though he had actually wished it – he needed another minute to be ready.

But the Dark Lord wasn't there.

If you thought it was going to be so quick, you're a fool, said Malfoy's grey eyes as he bowed him into the torture chamber.

« He betrayed us. »

« WHAT? »

A horrible voice, a woman's, started to laugh shrilly.

« You asked, where is Severus Snape, and I said, he has betrayed us, » repeated Harry, forcing his voice to be calm.

« I don't believe it, » said Lupin, flatly. He didn't bother to Stun Madam Black's portrait, which was laughing louder than ever.

« Look, he lowered the wards for Malfoy! » said Ron, angrily. « He was there with him! He didn't fight him! »

The three of them had been relived by the pull of the Portkey, and Harry had quickly filled them in as they were waiting for someone to come.

« And Malfoy asked him to- to murder Harry. »

Lupin turned towards Hermione.

« Did he? And what did Severus do? » he asked her.

« He started to say the curse. But I was too quick for him and broke his wand. »

Lupin stormed towards the kitchen. He had to talk with Dumbledore that instant. Severus Snape, not quick enough for a teenage boy? He had done it deliberately, Lupin was sure of it. And now he was in the hands of the Death Eaters without his wand.

« What did he run for? »

« Lupin trusts him, » spat Harry. « He told me so last night. »

And he isn't the only one, thought Harry, almost ashamed of that single moment in which himself had believed Snape to be on their side.

« Well, Dumbledore trusts him, » pointed out Hermione, in a would-be-reasonable tone.

« Are you saying – are you trying to say – SHUT UP YOU! » Harry turned to face the portrait, but with no effect whatsoever.

Sirius' mother seemed utterly mad. She was beyond words. She tried to clam down, but she failed, tears streaming from her eyes as she continued to laugh shrilly.

« Hermione – are you – what are you saying? » Harry asked furiously.

« I know you don't like him, but maybe – »

Ron sighed with exasperation.

« What are you waiting for? » he said. « Do you want him to stand up during the Hallowe'en Feast, say, 'Goodbye everybody, I go to my true master', turn into a greasy bat and fly away? »

Ginny giggled, and Hermione stared at the others for a moment, then mumbled something of which only the word useless could be overheard over the noise, and went up to her room.

Lupin came back into the Hall.

« Stupefy » he shouted, aiming at the portrait. « We should have done something ages ago, » he added, and Harry didn't understand wheter he was talking about the house or about Snape.

He stood glaring at them, which was most unlike him, then beckoned Harry into the kitchen. Ron and Ginny were shooed away by Mrs Weasley, who went after them to be sure they couldn't overhear.

As he stepped into the room, Harry felt half-nervous and half-furious. They were behaving as he'd done something wrong – hadn't he just saved everybody's necks, again?

To his surprise, Professor McGonagall, and not the Headmaster, was waiting for him.

« We need to know the details, Harry, » she said abruptly. « Who was there? »

« Lucius Malfoy, » said Harry, breathing hard, as Lupin went to look into the fire. « One of the Lestrange brother – Bellatrix's husband. »

« If they were on the train, Severus must have given them the passwords, » said Lupin without turning.

« What did they do? » continued Professor McGonagall, ignoring him.

« Malfoy said something about me – I don't remember – then they invited Snape to – to 'claim his prize', or something like that. »

« His prize? » echoed Professor McGonagall, surprised.

« Hermione, » said quietly Lupin, speaking into the flames.

« How did you know? » asked Harry.

« What did he do? »

« He – he protected her from Lestrange. Then both of them went away. »

Professor McGonagall sighed.

« Albus thought he could resist... » she murmured.

« He didn't want the book for himself! » Lupin turned and stared at her. « You he didn't, » he added, in a gentler voice.

« Which book? » asked Harry, and as Lupin's mouth opened, Bill Weasley stepped out of the green flames.

« He's gone, » he said, panting. « The wards are broken. »

Lupin swore loudly, and Professor McGonagall went very pale.

Mrs Weasley stepped over the threshold.

« Come on, Harry, » she said kindly, « I've made you all some chocolate. »

Harry allowed himself to be pushed upstairs, and was completely uncapable to repeat to Ginny, Ron and Hermione what had been said down in the kitchen.

« Something about a book, about resisting to it, » he mumbled, and Ron took advantage of his silence to start insulting Snape.

Christmas made them forget the attack on the train, and as the days passed, Harry, Ron and Ginny found themselves spending very little time thinking about Snape. They would mention him occasionally, to wonder aloud where he could be.

But they were too delighted about Molly Weasley's wonderful cooking to bother seriously about it. After all, they were alive, and this was the one important thing.

Only Hermione was still thinking about Snape, trying to put everything togheter.

He saved Harry from Quirrell...

She felt his smell on her pillow...

He showed his Mark to Fudge...

She felt his hand on her waist...

He went to look for us into the Forest...

She felt his tall, muscular body over hers...

And where is he now ?

On January the first, Harry went ahead with his guard, while Ron and Ginny followed with Tonks and Hermione with Kingsley Shacklebolt.

She never knew how they were taken. Suddenly, everything was black, and only a split moment later, she was vaguely aware of Shacklebolt supporting her weight, and then of the cold and the dark and the noise of a door closing behind them.

« Snape ! Thank Merlin, you're alive ! » she heard Shacklebolt say, as he walked away from her.

Hermione stood in the dark, breathing heavily. Snape – here?

« For the moment. And why do I have the pleasure of your company? »

Hermione jumped when she heard the familiar, drawling voice. Now it sounded as though her Potions Professor hadn't used it for a very long time, and was trying to imitate his former self.

« Snape – there is no time for this. They said they were coming for me, and you have to get the girl out of here. »

There was a short pause, and Hermione saw Snape's dark eyes looking towards her in the dim light.

« You're joking, » he said eventually.

« Snape – please. You know she doesn't deserve this. »

« Nobody deserves it except me, why don't you say it? »

Shacklebolt never had the time to answer.

A/N Sorry, my connection is lousy again – can't understand or view your reviews..sigh...see you next time, I hope!

Next update: March 15th