Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. If I did, I would be rich, and bribe all the examiners to pass my AS exams…but unfortunately I'm not. Damn.

Thanks to all my reviewers!

Balthamos – This is a bit longer, hope you approve :-)

GalynSolo – Thanks! Updates are sporadic unfortunately…I write when I get time, which, with college, is not very often. But I try!

Gillian88 – I've continued been mean I'm afraid…but we might get to find out more next chapter. Maybe…mwahaha!

On with the story!

Earlier that morning

Harry flew out of the common room window, soaring up into the sky like a bird. Once he gained sufficient height, he stopped, to hover and ponder his problem. He had set off with one clear mission – to rescue Snape. But how on earth was he going to manage it, when he didn't even know where Snape was? Harry thought for a minute, then the solution came to him. He would have slapped himself on the forehead had he not been suspended in mid-air. He drew out his wand, lay it flat on his palm, and whispered:

"Point me, Severus Snape."

The wand quivered in his hand, and spun round, eventually resting to point due south. Harry glanced at the compass he had thankfully remembered to clip on his broom, pocketed his wand and set off. He had a gut feeling that Snape wasn't far away…

At Voldemort's lair

Snape lay inert on the stone floor. The Death Eaters that had been in pursuit quickly reached him. After checking to make sure he was unconscious, they roughly bound him and dragged him back along the way they had come.

Entering the room at the end, they pulled him in and presented him to Voldemort, with murmurs of "Master" as they did so. As they melted into the shadows, Voldemort stepped forward. Placing two long white fingers against Snape's throat, he felt his pulse.

"He is not dead. A pity, perhaps…for him at least. He will not wake any time soon. Put him in one of the cells. Make sure you take his wand."

The Death Eaters immediately moved to do his bidding.

Voldemort turned back to face the window. Looking out reflectively, he murmured:

"And what of you, Harry Potter? I know you saw what happened here tonight…but what will you do? Indeed, after that…interesting…event last year, you may be more cautious…but would you be willing to risk a human life? We shall see…it would be a pity if you ran to Dumbledore, of course. The last thing I need is him and his Order turning up…but I have a feeling that you will come alone…"

Lord Voldemort turned away from the window, smirking.

"And what a foolish act that will be to do. And I suspect it may well be your last. I'm prepared for you this time Potter…"

"No escaping."

Flying high in the sky, Harry felt a surge of pain in his forehead, and a strange calm settled over him. He thought grimly about what that must mean. Snape was still a prisoner. The bait…taunting Harry to come. And Harry was about to walk into the trap.

Spotting a shadowy building below, he began to descend. Strange…he didn't seem to have been travelling for so long. And Harry couldn't explain how he knew it was this house…he just had a gut instinct. It just felt…wrong. Like he could feel the dark magicks that surrounded it…entwined around the very foundations. Harry shivered.

Slipping off his broom, he shrank it and slipped it into his pocket, silently thanking Hermione for teaching him that one. He stole up to the nearest window, then cautiously peered in. He shrank back into the shadows immediately, momentarily forgetting that he was under the Disillusionment charm, for Voldemort was facing the window. He listened intently, but couldn't make out a word; the window muffled all the sounds. He cursed, wishing there was a window open…and didn't notice as a window silently drifted open, seemingly on its own. All of a sudden, voices filtered through into the midnight sky, and Harry pricked up his ears. They were talking about Snape!

"Where have you put him?" Voldemort's cold, high voice made the hairs on the back of Harry's neck stand on end.

"In the cells, as requested, my Lord." Avery's quavering voice replied.

"Thank you Avery. We will have to wait to deal with the spy…I want to know exactly what he's been telling that Muggle-loving fool, Albus Dumbledore. But he is in no state to talk at the moment…a pity. But I no longer trust his potions, and no one else is competent enough for the complexity of the potions required. I don't want to poison him yet after all…we shall have to wait."

Harry slunk away from the window, having learnt enough. He had to get to Snape…he had to get him out of there. But from what he had heard, Snape was in no condition to get back to Hogwarts. Harry thought hard. The only option that he could think of was a Portkey, and he shuddered at the very thought. But if it was necessary…Harry squared his shoulders. He had come this far…he was not going to let Voldemort rule his life. He scanned around for something he could use as a Portkey, and his eyes alighted on an empty Coke can. Wondering momentarily why there was a Muggle item in the grounds, he shrugged and leaned down to pick it up…but before he touched it, his senses suddenly went haywire. He leant back, and studied the can critically. It looked normal enough, but Harry had a gut feeling…he reached out with his senses. He soon understood what had made him recoil away. The can was surrounded with the same dark magick as the house…Voldemort's magickal signature. He wasn't sure what the can did, but he was pretty sure that it wouldn't lead to puppies and kittens. The whole house must be booby-trapped.

Resolving to be more careful in future, Harry decided that items from the grounds weren't safe. Rifling through his pockets, he produced a crumpled Chocolate Frog card…it would have to do. Noticing ironically that it was Dumbledore, he pointed his wand at it, and, focusing as much as possible on Hogwarts, he whispered, "Portus". The card shimmered momentarily, and then was still. Harry looked at it grimly. His portkey skills had never been too hot…but he hoped they wouldn't let him down now. His and Snape's lives depended upon it.

Pocketing the card, Harry continued to move around the house, looking for an entrance. Spying a door that looked ajar, he stole across the grounds to investigate…

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