Disclaimer: The magnificent, wonderful, stupendous world of Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. But this plot is mine...

Chapter Eight Loyalties of Professor S. Snape

Harry flipped himself to his knees and stood weakly to face Snape, hate written all over his face. Snape however turned away from Harry darkly and surveyed the corridor to see who was out there.

"Harry you have to let me help you," Snape said.
"Help me!" Harry cried, "Are you mad? Do you think I am stupid?"

Snape crossed his arms against his chest and looked down at Harry with a rather superior expression on his face. How ironic! He was risking everything to help the boy whom he hated beyond petty hatred!

"You're giving me a grand display of your stupidity now, Potter," Snape replied, his lip barely separating as he spoke in a deadly quiet voice.
Harry snorted loudly with sarcastically retorted, "You probably let the Death Eaters in!"
"I did not," Snape replied almost too calmly.
"Yeah right," Harry snapped and took a step to sit against the wall next to the boy Ahawn. Godric frowned upon seeing Harry's pain return. "You only conned me into trusting you so that you could hand me to the Death Eaters on a silver platter."

Godric Gryffindor had moved slightly to sit next to Helga and Rowena unnoticed and were having a whispered conversation. Snape stopped and realising this shot a look of pure annoyance at the founders before replying, "Again your stupidity."
"The only thing I was naïve about was trusting you," Harry ground his teeth together hard, "You're right, though, Snape, I should have run with the rest of the students when I had the chance instead of warning you. And then hopefully Lord Voldemort would catch you with your pants down so to speak…"

Snape turned a brilliant brick colour when he heard Harry's somewhat charming reply. He pursed his lips together hard forcing them into a straight line that could rival even Professor McGonagall. Harry didn't care he felt a surge of righteous fury at repeatedly being called stupid by Snape a man who he felt only anger towards.

"You are a coward Snape," Harry announced to the chamber. Godric, Helga and Rowena glanced up from their conversation to see how their captor would react to this statement. Ahawn brought his hand elegantly to his mouth and forced himself to cough down a laugh.

"And you are an egotistical, over brave, arrogant brat," Snape replied. Harry's face didn't even flinch, he had expected this reply from his former potions master.
"At least I won't betray people who are relying on me for survival. At least I can keep my nose clean and do the right thing… At least I have not betrayed the wizarding world."

If at all possible, Snape became even paler at Harry's angry retort. He swotted back a strand of oily black hair and glared at Harry with fathomless black eyes. "I did not betray the wizarding world."

Harry stared at Snape in disgust. "No only hundreds of thousand will probably die if your master wins… but of course their's nothing wrong with that!"

"The dark lord." Snape paused and glanced over his shoulder as if Voldemort himself was standing there and then added in a tiny whisper, "Is not my master."
Harry snorted in disbelief of what he was hearing.
"I work for the order… surely even you can see that, Potter?"
Harry lifted his chin proudly and surveyed Snape's Death Eater costume darkly. "I only see a traitor… a man who gave me up to the Death Eaters…"
"Your sticking your nose into the order's business gave me no choice!" Snape cried, now in earnest to get Harry to believe him. "Voldemort would want to know why I didn't hand you over… then my ability to spy on the Death Eaters will be zero, because I would be dead!"
"You could have run away… escape like everyone else…"

Snape rubbed his long thin fingers across his temples as if he had a sudden headache. He did not know how to make Harry believe him… or how to convince the others in the cell he could be trusted. That was when a brilliant idea hit him!

Turning very slowly Snape addressed Rowena Ravenclaw, "May I address to your famed intelligence madam…" Rowena nodded her head once gracefully and looked to her co-founders, who also nodded their permission for Snape to speak to them. "I know very well who you are… The quarter that makes you a whole is here… he desires that you should escape from your most uncomfortable and undignified situation."

"A quarter that makes us a whole…" Rowena repeated uselessly.
"You mean Salazar!" Helga Hufflepuff cried, "Thank God, Godric, Salazar is here too!"

'Hang on,' Harry thought weakly, 'Salazar… Godric… what's happening here!'

Godric didn't look all that pleased and glanced worriedly in his son's direction. "'tis a miracle indeed madam," he replied dryly.
Missing Godric's sarcasm about Salazar, Helga dabbed his eyes with her handkerchief.

Godric however was not so much a fool not to take a chance at freedom. He glanced at Harry who was staring defiantly back at him. "Harry," Godric said gently, "We need to take this opportunity…"
Harry didn't reply only to stare darkly back at Gryffindor.
"Harry you are weak," Gryffindor prompted kindly, "If they should…." He glanced up at Snape and shook his head sadly, "If they should torture you again, I do not know if your body had the strength enough to… survive…"

Gryffindor's last word drilled a hole in the pit of Harry's stomach. He felt himself forced down a painful cough and looked away from the pitying eyes of Ahawn.

"But you would stop them Papa!" Ahawn cried confidently thrusting his fist into the air.
Gryffindor shook his head. "Under the current circumstance I would be powerless…"

A grin spread across Harry's lips – he had forgotten something very important. Digging into his clothes, Harry's fingers immediately found what he was looking for. Pulling out the long wand, Harry held it up, enjoying the look of surprise on Godric's and Snape's faces. "Not entirely…"

"My wand!" Godric cried stepping forward to take it into his hands almost lovingly. He stroked his hands up the length and felt the power warm his hands and heart.

"Very well, I will consent to go with you," Harry announced looking back at Snape, who looked relieved. "But if you intended to betray us, he is armed." Harry nodded in Godric's direction.

Snape nodded and opened the door. "Quickly I don't know how much more time we have."

Godric stretched his legs and then offered his hand to Harry. Harry glanced up the founder's arms into his large golden-brown eyes. "You're body is not recovered, I will help." There was no option of refusing help in the founder's voice, so Harry gripped Godric's wrist and was hurled gently to his feet.

Ahawn stood beside them, beaming with what Harry assumed to be relief. Godric turned gracefully and lead Harry out of the dungeon cell like he was a cripple. Although deeply annoyed by such treatment, Harry could not muster the strength or the courage to complain. However one part of Harry was thankful for the strong support of the older wizard.

"Where are we going, Potter?" Snape asked sarcastically from the front.
"To the one eyed witch with the hump…" Harry called as loudly as he dared. Snape surveyed Harry intently the emotions in his dark eyes were unreadable but his lips formed the words, 'I knew it'.

Harry allowed himself to be lead down the corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was so odd walking down the halls that once he felt at home, even during his midnight trips. Now they were dark and frightening. They never knew what awaited them around the next corner.

Harry felt himself drift into semi-consciousness and more than once, Godric stopped to pick Harry up onto his feet again. The tiredness and other side effects of the torture, which up to this time Harry had resolutely pushed away, started to catch up with him. "Poor lad," Harry heard his guide murmur sympathetically.

Harry barely heard the whisper of 'Dissendium' and the stone passage being opened up. He did feel himself sliding, with Godric's strong arms about his belly. All too soon they were walking again…

They reached the end of the tunnel and Harry was shaken awake. Blinking around Harry soon realised that only he knew how to get where they were going. He opened the trapped door and crawled through, then waited for the others to follow. As he had expected they were in the cellar of Honeydukes.

Quickly as they could they stole through the shop and out into the deserted streets of Hogsmede. It was quite eerie… it was so very much like a ghost town. Exactly like a ghost town.

Harry guided their way through the village and up to the caves where Sirius had hidden in his fourth year, hoping that he would see his friends and acquittances waiting for him alive and well.

They were in luck. Hermione came running from a cave as soon as she saw them approaching. Without warning she wrapped her arms around Harry's neck with a cry of… "You're okay… you're okay…"
Harry smiled sheepishly at her as she broke the embrace and looked at him from arms length.
"What have they done to you!" Hermione asked almost crying and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck once more (more gently this time). Unsure Harry patted her back gingerly. "I'll be okay, Hermione…"

"Hey Harry!" Harry looked to see Ron beaming from the cave of the mouth. Neville Longbottom was at his side along with Luna Lovegood. "You're alive…"
"Brilliant synopsis, Ron," Harry called back.
"Who are they…?"
Harry looked back at the founders and shrugged with the reply of, "Fellow escapees…"
"Ah…."

Godric at first intrigued by their welcome shook himself and stepped forward, placing a hand on Harry's shoulder. Hermione sniffed loudly and stepped back. "Come young sir, it's time to patch you up a bit."

Harry didn't have time to protest before Godric lead him up and into the cave. Helga Hufflepuff had stopped by Hermione and draped her arms around her shoulders. "Godric is a gentle healer… Harry will fine, love, don't you worry…"

Godric entered the cave with Harry and Ahawn closely following on his heels, with a few pointed stares by the youngsters around them. He walked briskly past them and found a space on the floor.

Whipping off his cloak Godric laid it on the floor and indicated Harry to lie on it. Harry glanced at Godric as if he were mad, behind him Ron was watching with a raised eyebrow. "Come young sir, lay on your back, arms straight against your side."

Harry did as he was instructed and looked up into the gold-brown eyes almost trustingly. Placing his thumb on Harry's forehead so lightly that they were barely touching, Godric felt the heat and Harry's pain.

"Don't worry, Harry," Godric said genially with a large grin, "When you wake up you'll feel much better… I promise…"

Godric then whispered an incantation and Harry's head lolled to one side as he became unconscious.

"What have you done to him!"