Chapter Six
"Let me come with you. I've been to those-"
"Who's there!" Severus swung around, wand in hand.
"I'm here, it's me, Harry," he tugged on Severus' sleeve.
"Get back inside!" Severus hissed at him.
"No. You've been alone all your life and this thing determines your life. I'm not letting you go alone no matter what a big git you are," he tried to put some sense into his actions.
"I am touched," Severus sneered sarcastically, "But if I can go on with life without others, I can go on now without you."
Harry felt torn. He couldn't help someone who saved his life multiple times. Some savior, you are. You can't even help someone. You were useless when you saw Cedric die, and you're useless now. The pain that he felt after Cedric died welled up inside him. It was as if a knot tied up inside him and wouldn't let him breathe. You're an idiot… a useless idiot. You couldn't even help yourself! You got Dudley crazed up and—His string of thought was disturbed when he heard a small pop. Severus was gone. No.
"Even with Snape muttering his little counter-curse, I still would've killed you," Quirrel had said, with a smirk across his face.
"Snape was trying to… save me?"
"Did Umbridge do this to you?" Severus had asked. Something ran through his eyes but Harry couldn't see what it was.
No one will remember me…Memories danced around his head. Harry stood there, a good 500 feet away from the house. He'll be fine. He turned and began to head back.
"Lucius," Voldemort's voice cut the air, "He's vulnerable, get him to me."
"Yes, m'lord," he bowed and Apparated away. A pop resounded and he was on his way towards Harry Potter.
Stop worrying, the Ministry doesn't have proof! Harry kept reassuring himself of this but it never really satisfied him. They can't harm a member of the Order. Dumbledore'll help him. He's probably telling Fudge everything right now.
A small pop resounded. Suddenly, a pair of strong arms came around Harry's neck. What the fuck? Harry looked down and saw the cloak was black. Snape? "Who-" Before he could speak again, he was Apparated away…
Not too far away, a Dark Mark began to burn.
Severus drew a sharp breath. Not now… He groaned. He had only stepped through the threshold of the Ministry of Magic. Not now! The pain in his left arm did not disappear, it continued to stay there, it persisted and within every few moments, it burned even more. For the love of Merlin… NOT NOW!
He Apparated away, the Death Eater mask in hand. The Apparation receiving site was as dark as always. The Riddle House? The Dark Lord needs to learn to have some originality. He walked on, towards the room that echoed with babbled whispers. He edged away the door and all eyes, behind masks, were on him.
"How nice of you to come on time, Severus," Voldemort drawled.
Severus knelt down, "Sorry, my lord-"
"Groveling and apologizing will not work this time, Severus. I daresay you are in need of discipline. Crucio!" An ear-splitting scream ripped the room as Severus curled into a ball on the floor. I won't scream. His body ripped into pieces as he struggled to remain standing.
"Come now, Severus. Show some decorum to me," Voldemort continued to sneer. From the corner of his eye, he saw a platinum-haired figure come into view with a young boy in front of him.
"I have him, my Lord," Lucius knelt before the Dark Lord and thrust Harry Potter to him.