Thanks once again to everyone who reviewed! I posted two chapters at once and this (of course) is the first chapter! I know that all of you might have been angry with me but bear with me! And don't stop reading if you are displeased with this chapter because the next chapter will be a good one (I hope!).

This chapter as well as the other one is unbetaed, my beta reader must be on vacation or something, I don't know.

Chapter twenty six- Traitors always pay....

"My Lord, the ministry has taken some of our recruits prisoner," Lucius Malfoy spoke quietly to the ground rather then looking the monster into the eyes.

"Crucio!"

Lucius winced as the curse sailed by him and struck another Death Eater somewhere behind him. A muffled yell filled the air as one of the newest Death Eaters from Durmstrang rolled around on the ground in agony. The blonde man sighed in relief; maybe he would get through this meeting without being crucified for once.

Lately, the Dark Lord had been more short-tempered then usual since his finest Death Eater, Severus Snape, and his future heir, Damien Snape had betrayed him. He took his anger out on his other Death Eaters, namely Lucius.

"Perfect."

Lucius jumped at the pleased response before clearing his throat importantly, "Might I ask what is so perfect about this plan, my Lord?" His voice almost shook as he prepared himself to be hit by the dreaded curse for the fourth time this week. Fortunately, it didn't come, instead the Dark Lord responded with surprising patience.

"Take three of our first-rank Death Eaters to Azkaban prison. We attack tonight," Voldemort commanded as he idly twirled his wand between his fingers.

A murmur ran through the group at their master's command.

Voldemort paced around the circle and eyed them impatiently. "Well, what are you waiting for? I want my heir back! No one opposes Lord Voldemort!"

Lucius bowed before hurrying away with the two Lestranges and Macnair, his black robes swirling behind him and his face two shades paler.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Damien shivered in his cell, his knees were drawn up to his chest as he rocked slowly back and forth. From somewhere beside him, he could hear Draco murmuring quietly to himself. He wondered what the blonde was experiencing. Well whatever it was, it was clear that it was scaring the shit out of him.

Damien himself had just experienced the time when Severus had told him that he didn't care if he lived or not. That seemed ages ago and yet it still scared him into thinking that Severus might abandon him one day. He had already witnessed his godfather's death around six times, not to mention the times that he had seen Cedric and his mother die. It hurt, it hurt more then he thought it ever would.

He had tried to prepare himself for Azkaban, for the horrors he knew he was to face but now it seemed that nothing could have prepared him for this. It was horrible, like living in a nightmare with no one to wake you up, no one that cared.....

He felt like an endless void as of right now, as if he could barely even remember the people he loved like his father, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione. Their images, their faces seemed to be floating away and he, Damien, was helpless to bring them back.

Damien curled up into a tighter ball as a dementor stopped by his cell for the fifth time since he had gotten thrown into it. Damien pressed himself flat against the stone wall of the cell, trying desperately to meld into the wall and get away from the horrid creature.

A rattling sound met his ears as the dementor started to suck in any memory of Ginny, Hermione, Ron, or his father that he might have. Damien closed his eyes as his mother's screams rang in his ears once again. The coldness seemed to consume him and he suddenly felt as if he were falling, falling in an endless hole.

"Damien!" Said boy jumped as a familiar voice met his ears. His emerald eyes shot open and he took in his surroundings hesitantly. He was still curled up against the wall but the dementor was gone. Apparently he had passed out.

"Damien!" he heard Draco's voice call out again. He shakily got to his feet and walked as fast as he could to the bars of his cell. He grabbed onto the iron bars and pressed his face against it, his dulled green eyes staring across the dark aisle hopefully.

"What?" his voice sounded dry and raspy to his ears. A second later, Draco Malfoy's familiar silvery-blonde head came into his peripheral vision.

"Did you hear that?" Draco asked, his blonde hair was on end, mixed with dirt and sweat. Damien quieted his breathing and listened intently. He heard it, a muffled rumble from somewhere deeper inside the prison. His frightened eyes met Draco's and they stared at one another for a minute before turning back to the long aisle that led deeper into Azkaban.

There was silence, then a loud bang echoed through the corridor, making the walls shudder. Damien sucked in his breath as four dark figures made their way to his and Draco's cell.

"Those aren't dementors," he whispered to Draco. The figures moved to swiftly to be dementors, to rough. No. They were wizards, Death Eaters, he could tell by their masks and robes.

"Draco," he began. "I think th-they're Death Eaters."

The blonde said nothing as he stared blankly at the approaching figures.

"Stop!" a voice commanded. The ministry wizard that had carried Damien into Azkaban strode over to the cloaked figures, his wand drawn threateningly. "Stop in the name of the Ministry of Mag-" Whatever he was going to say next was cut off one figure spoke in a hushed tone, "Avada Kadavra" There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound and the man's now lifeless body dropped heavily onto the ground right in front of Damien's cell.

Damien's eyes widened as he stumbled away from the body, his breathing quickened rapidly as he flashed back to when Cedric died. It was all his fault.....again. This poor man was just another victim that had been killed because of Damien. Sure he hadn't been all that nice, but he had just been doing his job.

Damien squeezed his eyes shut as he fought down the bile rising in his throat. He could hear Draco calling to him but couldn't respond. He clamped a hand over his mouth and didn't even respond when the figure that had killed the ministry wizard blasted away the bars of his cell and roughly hauled Damien out of his cell.

He didn't respond when they port keyed away to the Riddle House. He didn't respond when the four Death Eaters drug him into the meeting room. He finally looked up when he recognized the familiar burning in his forehead, magnified a hundred times what he was used to. He let out a soft whimper of pain and clamped both hands over the hidden scar.

"Damien?" Draco asked from beside him. "Are you alright?"

Damien shook his head and finally looked up to glance around at his surroundings. The room was exactly how he had remembered it.

The Death Eaters were in a circle around him and he realized that Draco was no longer beside him. His eyes darted around frantically for his friend and he spotted the blonde beside Lucius Malfoy, looking as haughty as ever.

Draco glanced at him almost apologetically as Damien watched him accept the Death Eater robes that his father offered to him. He swallowed, he was all alone now. Draco couldn't help him. His father didn't know he was here, nor did Dumbledore or the Order. He was going to die.

Realization hit him at full force and he felt sick again. He was going to die. He was never going to see daylight again. He was going to die at Voldemort's hand. The prophecy will be fulfilled tonight.

His eyes refocused on the man at the front of the circle. He felt as if he had swallowed his tongue as his head exploded in pain. Lord Voldemort looked down upon him with interest, a cruel smirk planted on his face that clearly yelled out, "I win."

"Damien Snape," he spoke calmly. "How nice to see my precious heir again."

"I will never be your heir. I'd rather die then serve you!" Damien yelled in a raspy voice. He felt his heart turn to ice. Why? Why had he said that? He stupid-ass Gryffindor foolishness had gotten the better of him once again. He settled on biting his tongue to suppress the pain.

Voldemort started to laugh, a cruel sound that echoed through the large room. Damien shivered and the Death Eaters shifted uncomfortably. The Dark Lord continued to smirk at him, "I'm afraid you lost that choice when you were marked, Mr. Snape."

Damien swallowed, the pain was unbearable now. He couldn't see, everything seemed to be in a big, dull haze. He blinked rapidly to clear his vision and held his ground as Voldemort towered over him.

'If you are going to die,' he told himself, 'then you will die with honor, you won't die begging for mercy. Don't give that bastard the pleasure.'

Damien agreed with the voice and looked up into the Dark Lord's scarlet eyes. His head felt as if it were splitting open. Just like last year except worse, so much worse....

Voldemort's smirk turned into a sneer. "You will pay. You and your pathetic father will pay. No one opposes Lord Voldemort." He paused as he studied Damien's tortured expression almost curiously.

"But I still need an heir," he said in an acid tone as his eyes bore into Damien's.

"Never," Damien whispered weakly as he looked the monster into the eyes. "I will never....never join.....you," it was getting much more difficult to talk.

Voldemort's eyes flashed in anger and he spoke so coldly that Damien shivered not only at his words but at his tone:

"You will be my heir and I will crush every resistance that you have even if I have to hunt down every loved one you have."

&&&&&&&&&&&&

Severus shakily stirred his tea as he reached for a muffin only to knock over the pitcher of pumpkin juice. Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder.

"Relax, Severus or you will not make it through breakfast."

Severus closed his eyes briefly and took a deep breath. "He's already been in Azkaban for two days, Albus," his voice shook as he spoke. "How long could it take to get an appeal? What if we're to late? I can't loose him Albus...."

"Severus," Dumbledore interrupted gently. "Everything will be alright, I promise you that."

Severus sighed again and took a sip of tea.

"Oh my goodness!" Professor McGonogall exclaimed from beside him as she stared at the Daily Prophet. "What is it, Minerva?" Dumbledore asked calmly.

Professor McGonogall glanced at Severus cautiously before slowly handing over the paper. Severus stared down at his son's smiling face as he read the headline:

Death Eaters Attack on Azkaban. Snape and Malfoy escaped!!

Beside Damien's picture was a picture of Draco Malfoy. Severus's heart skipped a beat as he read the paper.

On the night of January 11, 1997 another Death Eater attack was launched on Azkaban prison. Draco Malfoy and Damien Snape were found missing from their cells and their guard, Phillip Marchessie, was found dead by the killing curse. Snape and Malfoy were arrested only two nights before from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and were labeled as Death Eaters in training. The Dark Mark was found on both boys' forearms and Ministry Wizards suspect that You-Know-Who may be coming back for the remaining Death Eaters still locked away in Azkaban that were arrested on the same night as Snape and Malfoy. Meanwhile-

Severus looked up from the paper to glance at Albus. The old man looked very pale, a rather unusual sight to be seen on Albus Dumbledore. It made Severus shiver.

"I should have known something like this would happen," Dumbledore whispered as he sat back looking very old all of the sudden.

"But we are going to save him," Severus told the man. "The Dark Lord will kill him, Albus. We have to find him!"

Albus shook his head. "There's nothing we can do, Severus."

"Why not?" Severus exclaimed as he stood up, glaring down at the headmaster. "How can you say that? You said he was just like a grandson to you and yet you sit there and do nothing when he needs us the most!"

"Severus..." Dumbledore began looking up at the Potion's Master with tired eyes. "We cannot just attack Tom and survive no matter how many order members we have. They will be expecting that. We need to wait-"

"But I don't want to wait!" Severus roared, attracting the attention of the students. "What I want is to have my son back! To know that he isn't going to be mutilated by a monster just because he tried to do the right thing! I will not wait while he is out there suffering when it is my fault in the first place that he is out there."

A ringing silence met the end of Severus's rant. Dumbledore sighed, ignoring the students shocked and curious looks as he reached up to rub his eyes tiredly.

"I know Severus. It only your nature to want to keep your child from harm but we have to wait, Severus. There is no other choice unless you wish to...ahem," Albus said very quietly, taking note to the students, who were still staring at them, "...reveal him." He glanced around at the students and cleared his throat. "If you could please get back to your breakfast we would be most appreciative," he said, addressing the students.

The chatter and talk started back up almost reluctantly though it was obvious that many of the students were still staring at their two professors.

Albus turned back to Severus, who was staring blankly at him.

"Why? Why do you say that?"

"Because, why would the leader of the Order try to rescue a Death Eater? It wouldn't make since and the only way we could explain our actions would be to reveal who he really is," Dumbledore spoke very quietly.

"We can't do that," Severus whispered glaring at Dumbledore. "He'd die for sure and if he did manage to survive then they-everyone would hate him....shun him because he is the son of a supposed Death Eater."

"Exactly my point." Dumbledore said wisely. A squawk rang through the hall and he looked up to see a raven flying at top speed toward them.

It flew by Severus and dropped a note on his lap before taking off again.

Severus stared at the black envelope cautiously and glanced over at Dumbledore, who gave a firm nod. Slowly he broke the seal and took out the note. It only had one line on it:

Your son is mine now.

There was no signature, but none was needed. Severus dropped the letter with trembling hands and sat stock-still as Dumbledore reached down to pick it up and read it.

"Severus..." Dumbledore whispered as he stared at the frozen Potion's Master.

Severus was quiet as he stared unblinkingly at the man he had considered a father so many times. Without a word he stood up and strode out of the Great Hall, a scowl planted firmly on his face.

&&&&&&&&&&&&

"Crucio!"

A ragged scream echoed through the cavernous room followed by the sniggers of the others who were in it. Damien panted as the curse was lifted from him. His already sore throat burned terribly once again. The Death Eaters jeered at him, daring him to keep resisting.

Damien groaned as he tried to move. He was lying on his back in the middle of the circle of Death Eaters; the Dark Lord was looming over him, his wand still trained on him. Damien swallowed, they had been at it for hours but he wouldn't give in, he would never serve that monster.

"Have you had enough, Damien?" Voldemort asked mockingly. Damien said nothing, he was to concentrated on the still increasing pain in forehead. He was surprised that it hadn't gone numb from the pain. He nearly gagged at the smell, to put it simply he was lying in a pool of his own blood. He had thought that he had experienced pain before, but he was wrong, so wrong. The pain that he had felt at the Ministry of Magic last year was nothing compared to this. He had lost count of the number of Cruciatus's that had been cast on him. Everything seemed to be in a big blur and the only thing his worn out mind could comprehend was the pain.

Bellatix Lestrange stepped up to him, bowing before the Dark Lord. "My Lord, if I may?" she asked humbly, her smile was hiden by her mask.

"Of course, Bella," Voldemort smirked at his most loyal Death Eater.

"Thank you, my Lord," she took off her mask and pulled out a small vial of a yellowish potion from her robes, smirking at Damien. "Here you go, sweetie," she cooed mockingly as she opened the vial and put it to Damien's lips. "Open up."

Damien clamped his mouth shut as tightly as he could shut and glared at her defiantly. Her smirk turned into an angry scowl as her cooing voice hardened significantly. "I said open up!" she kneed him hard in the stomach and Damien hissed in pain. Bellatix grabbed his chin and forced his mouth open before pouring the liquid into his mouth.

It tasted strongly of overcooked cabbage, like the Polyjuice Potion had except the taste was more stronger.

Bellatrix smirked victoriously as she stepped back and waited for the potion to take effect. For a moment, Damien felt nothing, then all of the sudden, a horrible pain tore through his body. He clamped his mouth shut once again as he felt a wail of pain welling up in his throat. It felt exactly like the Cruciatus Curse, like a million hot knifes cutting into him over and over again.

Damien waited tersely for the pain to recede like the Cruciatus eventually did but the pain only grew. Why wouldn't it stop? He felt as if he were bleeding, the knives were stabbing into him over and over again, it wouldn't stop, the pain only got worse. It was like the Cruciatus times ten and it felt as if it wasn't stopping anytime soon. The pain magnified even more and Damien was surprised that he didn't feel blood running down his body. Perhaps he was starting to get numb. A scream finally tore from his mouth as it echoed loudly across the room, filled with more pain then any Cruciatus Curse could have ever done.

Voldemort chuckled, "Excellent potion, Bellatrix," he commented as he watched Damien's squirming form with amusement. "The Razor Edge Potion I assume?" he asked idly.

Bellatrix nodded, pleased with her master's comment. "Yes, Severus brought it in on the last meeting he attended."

Voldemort's smirk widened as he bent down next to Damien and whispered in the boy's ear, "You hear that, Damien? Your father made this potion. He did this to you, he caused you this pain, not I. Just one word Damien and this will stop."

Damien let out another yell of pain as Voldemort put a hand on his shoulder to stop his squirming. His father had made this potion? No. His father didn't know that Voldemort would use this potion on him, it wasn't his fault. He knew that. His father never would have given the monster this potion had he known what it would be used for.

His father......Damien's heart ached as he thought of the man. He missed him so much. He wished that he were here right now, comforting him, telling him that he was doing the right thing.....anything, he just wanted to hear his father's voice again. He could barely even remember what he looked like, his mind was so clouded with pain.

"Dad," he whispered so quietly that only he could hear himself. He watched as Voldemort drew back with a scowl and raised his wand to Damien again. "Please.....please help me, Dad. I need you...."

His scream rose astonishingly as the Dark Lord added the Cruciatus Curse to the potion.

() Like I said before, read the next chapter!! I would also appreciate it if you review!