Disclaimer: I own NOTHING! And that includes Harry Potter.
Chapter 3- The Return of the Damned
Snape swept through the school, cloak billowing out behind him ominously.
'Now, of all times, he has to call,' he thought angrily. He wanted to stay and make sure Harry was all right.
'And that's the first thing I intend to do when I get back,' he thought as he grabbed his arm and prepared to apparate.
He appeared just outside the circle of Death Eaters that had already arrived and surrounded Voldemort. He pulled on his mask and stepped through the small gap that was his place and up to the dark lord, bending down and kissing the hem of his robes.
"My lord, you called," he murmured in his most submissive tone, not daring to look up at the wizard. He was angry, Snape could sense it. The power in the air around him was almost like a damp cloth, choking his senses.
"Snape, you've come," Voldemort stated the obvious. Snape stayed on the ground.
"You called, my lord," he repeated, keeping his voice quiet.
"Yes, I did. Return to the circle." Snape did as he was told, playing the obedient servant all the way. He hated the role, but it was necessary.
"Unmask yourselves," the dark lord commanded. Each one did. He watched as Voldemort slowly walked around the circle, searching each face for something known only to him. As he passed the Potions Master, Snape could have sworn his gaze lingered on him a little to long for comfort. After completing his round, he broke through the circle and went to his black marble throne. After seating himself, he continued his scrutiny at his servants.
"It has come to my attention," he began. Finally, thought Snape, now we get to find out what's going on.
"It has come to my attention that Harry Potter is no longer with the Muggles he stays with during the summer." Immediately whispers broke out, speculations flying in all directions.
"Silence!" The wizard hissed. They instantly fell silent, not wanting to anger the wizard further.
"It seems that two weeks ago, a wizard showed up and rescued him from them," he continued.
'Oh this can't be good,' Snape thought as Voldemort's eyes once again swept over them.
"Was-was it Dumbledore sir?" Avery foolishly asked. He was dropped almost instantly by Voldemort's Crutciatus curse.
"NO IDIOT IT WAS NOT DUMBLEDORE!!" the man screamed, holding the curse for a full minute before letting up.
"And DON'T interrupt me again, or I promise it will, be worse," the dark wizard vowed. Avery only whimpered in reply. Snape was now thoroughly alarmed. He hadn't seen the dark lord this angry since after the Triwizard Tournament and his anger meant one thing: extreme and enduring amounts of pain for someone and then, death. Snape knew that who ever he punished would endure a long drawn out torture session, which he hoped he didn't have to watch. Or be a part of.
"As you all know, I have had that house watched constantly in hopes of finding a way around the protections. It was during of these vigils that Wormtail saw a wizard entire the home and exit some time later with Potter," Snape was now on the verge of panic. The house had been watched? He hadn't heard about that. He was a goner if Wormtail ID'd him as the one he saw.
"Unfortunately Wormtail could not give me a description of the person. It was too dark did you say Wormtail?" Voldemort's looked at the small man who mumbled his apologizes under his breath.
"Yes, I know you're sorry Wormtail and won't let it happen again. At least you won't if you don't want another punishment like before. Now, when I sent Malfoy to investigate he brought back something interesting, the Muggles Harry lived with," the dark wizard paused for a moment to let this sink in before going on, "An interesting tale they told me, after a little persuasion. It seems that they got a very good look at the wizard in question and gave me a description that matched one of you." Now he knew why Voldemort had wanted them to remove their masks; it was so he could look for any sign of guilt. Snape knew he should just apparate away, it was the only way he was going to save himself but he found he couldn't, he was rooted to the spot with the horror that he'd been found out.
"Yes, one of you, and, I think that person knows who he is," Voldemort said silkily. No one moved, no one breathed, all were petrified to their spots, Snape most of all. When he saw that no confession was forth coming, the dark wizard rose from his throne and walked back through the circle, heading directly for the Hogwarts teacher. Snape tried to quell his rapid breathing as the man drew closer. Voldemort stopped only inches from him.
"They described the man as being very tall, with exceedingly pale skin, long black hair, and black eyes. That does seem to fit you well does it not Snape?" Voldemort continued to toy with him. 'Damn I'm done for!' He closed his eyes and answered.
"Yes my lord it does."
"And can you tell us why it fits you so well?" Voldemort, leaned closer to him, almost nose to nose. 'Looks like the time has finally come.'
"Because it was me Voldemort," he spat in the dark lord's face. Voldemort drew away and calmly wiped the spit from his face, restraining the other Death Eaters with a look.
"You admit it?"
"Willingly. I did rescue Harry. I am a spy for Dumbledore, not you. I curse the day I ever joined the likes of you," Snape knew this was it, so why not get it all off his chest? Voldemort smiled at him menacingly, coming towards him again. Snape stood his ground as the wizard trailed a finger down his face and throat. Suddenly, he grasped Snape's throat and lifted him from the ground.
"My dear Snape, I had such high hopes for you. I had wanted you to be at my side, but you've made that impossible," he tightened his hold, any more pressure and he'd crush the man's windpipe. Snape knew he wouldn't get off that easily for everything he'd done. Voldemort proved him right by throwing him across the room with as little effort as throwing a rag doll. He hit the stone wall with a sickening thud and slid to the floor. Snape's head swam from the impact and he could fell something sticky and wet sliding down his neck.
"Take him to the dungeons and put him in chains. You may have your fun but I expect him alive when I return. And if he is not you all will pay the price. One more thing, if I have not returned within two days, take him to the hut in Salazar's realm, no one will dare come near that place." Snape heard a faint pop after the dark lord had finished and knew he had gone. Two sets of hands grabbed him roughly by the arms and hauled him to his feet. Someone grabbed his hair and jerked upwards. He hissed in pain but opened his eyes to stare directly into Lucius Malfoy's face.
"It's time to teach the traitor a lesson, boys," he proclaimed, getting answering hoops and hollers from the others. To his surprise, Snape smiled at him.
"Do what you want, Malfoy, but at least my conscious is clear. I know I've done the right thing, something you can't say." This remark earned him a hard right fist across his jaw.
"Quiet traitor! You won't be smiling for long. Your going to regret ever crawling back to that fool Dumbledore. Take him away!" The two guards pulled Snape towards the dungeons, the others following not far behind.
'I'm sorry, Albus; I'm sorry, Harry, I tried.'
Snape gradually woke many painful hours later. He'd been lucky enough to have been knocked unconscious only a few minutes into the beating. Carefully, he opened his eyes to look around. His cell was a small one, cold and damp on top of that. The dull, drab stone was nothing to look at. The only light into the cell came from the small bared window on the wooden door. Shifting slightly, he found that both arms and ankles were held fast in iron chains fastened against the wall. He shivered, they'd taken his clothes.
'Just bloody wonderful. I'm sure Malfoy had fun with that cat-o-nine tails of his.' His body hurt in more places than he thought he had.
'Well, I probably won't be here too long any way. Not if Voldmort has anything to say about it.'
But Voldemort did not come. The Death Eaters were regular visitors, coming in almost every hour to inflict more pain on his already pain wrought body. After two days Malfoy came into the cell with a set of black robes.
"Up traitor. We're going on a little trip," he snapped his fingers and the chains fell away. Snape didn't even bother to move, he didn't care anymore. Growling in anger, Malfoy grabbed his hair and pulled him up. All he could do at this point was whimper. Malfoy barked at someone to come and help him. Crabbe and Goyle held him up while Malfoy quickly pulled the robes on him.
"Come on, the fireplace is at the end of the hall. Bring him." He exited with the two Death Eaters trailing behind him. When the reached the fireplace, Malfoy took the jar of Floo powder and tossed a handful in.
"Salazar's Realm, access right Lucius Malfoy," he stepped back, "Take him through," he ordered. The trio stepped into the green flames and was sucked away. They landed in a rather diminutive hut, not much better than the cell, Snape reflected as he got a good look. Crabbe and Goyle jerked him roughly out of the way as Malfoy stepped out of the fireplace next.
"Put him on the mat and guard him, I'll check around to make sure the perimeter is secure. I'll send two more to guard the entrance when I return." They pulled him towards the mat and dumped him unceremoniously on it. He grunted in pain. Pulling himself into a ball, he tried to get as comfortable as possible, hoping to get some sleep.
"Professor Snape?" Snape stirred as someone called his name and opened his eyes. He gaped at the form of Harry bending over him with and worried expression.
"Harry?" Now he was confused, Harry shouldn't be here. Around the teenager was a golden aura that gave off a warmth that permeated his cold body. No, it was just a dream. Just a dream of salvation that he knew would never come. He closed his eyes and willed himself back to sleep.
"Professor Snape! Severus!" Damn, the dream was persistent, the image was shaking his shoulder. Snape opened his eyes. Shaking his shoulder? He wouldn't feel that if it was just a dream. Maybe his savior had come.
"You're still here," he whispered. God, did he sound pathetic. Probably didn't look any better either.
"And I'm going to stay here until you get out." Such courage. Snape wished he had it, but he knew Harry should leave. He could put himself in danger.
"I doubt that's going to happen." He tried to get him to leave. He tried to convey the fact that he was a lost cause. The student shook his head defiantly.
"Severus there are people back at Hogwarts that are waiting for you, that care about you. You can't give up yet," Snape closed his eyes again to stop the tears that welled up in them. No dammit, he would not cry! Not over what the son of his old enemy said to him. Yet the warmth from the aura had not only given his body its strength but had crept into his long frozen heart and begun to melt it.
"You did something at the Dursely's," He tuned Harry back in, "you activated some power within you. Find that power again and stun the guards. If you get to the forest you should be able to apparate from there," Snape stared deep into the teenager's fiery green eyes and felt his strength and courage return.
"Please come home Severus," The student reached down and undid the bonds that held him. Snape could only stare at him for a moment, afraid that if he blinked, Harry would disappear. The pleading look on the boy's face told him he had to try.
'I have to try,' He pulled himself shakily to his feet. Taking a deep breath, he delved deep inside himself searching. He found the power and released it, gasping as the white-hot energy flowed through his battered body. The two guards spun around.
"What the...." Snape cut him off.
"STUPEFY!" He gathered the power together and released it in all directions. The two guards dropped like flies. Snape swayed, fighting desperately to keep his balance. He grinned, he'd done it! He turned to where Harry had been but the boy was not there. He blinked in confusion. Had the boy been real or just a figment of his imagination? He shook his head, that didn't matter now. The 'image' had been right about his power so maybe he was right about the forest as well. Stumbling towards the door, he flattened himself against the wall and listened. No sound from outside. His yell should have brought them in. Looking around, he spotted his wand on the mantle of the fireplace and called it to him. Aiming carefully, he blasted the door open. He waited but no one came. Carefully he stepped outside. Both guards lay stunned on the ground.
'I must have got them too,' he thought. Taking a good look at his surroundings, he realized where he was.
'Salazar's Realm,' he shivered, 'I gotta get out of here.' He ran, or stumbled, towards the forest. When he reached the rim, he gripped his wand tightly and apparated.
He appeared deep in the Forbidden Forest.
'I guess beggars can't be choosers,' he thought. He still wished he'd landed nearer to Hogwarts but there was nothing he could do. He was too exhausted to apparate again. Stealing himself, he began his long trek to the school.
It took him the better part of the night to reach the Entrance Hall doors. He gripped them tightly for support.
'Just a little further,' He winced and pushed himself forward. He walked through the long halls not paying any real attention in which direction he was going. It was too late, therefore, when he realized he'd headed towards his dungeons instead of up towards the hospital wing. His legs gave out from under him and collapsed to the cold floor.
'I'm sorry, Harry; I'm sorry, Albus, I tried,' His eyes drifted close as he fell into a nightmare filled sleep.