sweet as lemonz: what side is Snape on? I suggest you read this chapter to find out.

newspaper taxi: you really don't like Malfoy do you? And if I told you what was going to happen to Adrian that would wreck this chapter.

Chapter 22: Dumbledore's Granddaughter

I barely had time to process what was going on when Severus had taken my wand and pocketed it. Lucius chuckled and I looked behind him to see the elder Crabbe and Goyle looking like bodyguards and Draco Malfoy wearing a smile that looked exactly like his fathers.

Then Voldemort stepped out from the trees. From the moment his red eyes met mine I threw up my mental shields only to feel him intensify his efforts. It was taking all of my strength to keep him out of my head, despite the frightening fact that he wasn't using a wand, and suddenly found myself with newfound respect for Severus' abilities in Occlumency.

Suddenly Voldemort broke off his attack and said, "Your Grandfather taught you well."

I stared at him in shock, mental shield almost failing.

Voldemort gave a cruel high-pitched laugh. "Yes, I know. Thanks to young Draco who spotted a picture of you and Dumbledore in your office and managed to trace the reason why. It's funny that years ago your parents were killed for defending muggles, your mudblood father didn't matter but your mother, Dumbledore's daughter and we never knew it. What a blow that must have been to him to learn of his daughters death, and what a blow it will be now when in the wake of a Death Eater retreat he finds his granddaughters body."

Suddenly understanding explodes in my head, this attack had never really been on Hogwarts or Harry or Grandpa, it had been on me to demoralize Grandpa, to hurt and weaken the only person Voldemort was afraid of. And I had charged right into the trap because I had charged in here so convinced of my own invincibility, simply because I was Dumbledore's granddaughter. Because I had forgotten to hide the photos from Draco when he had came for his detention a few weeks ago. Because I had ignored Severus' repeated warnings and severely underestimated Draco Malfoy.

My stomach did an uncomfortable lurch as I realised that I had never told Severus about my relationship to Dumbledore. Not in all these years, and now because of it he was looking at me with hate filled eyes.

"And now, at the end she understands," said Voldemort with a cruel smile. "Have fun with her, Lucius, but make sure the body is recognisable."

With that he disappears leaving me staring at Lucius who looked like Christmas just came early.

"Well Severus," he said. "Do you want the first turn with her since she's your ex?"

"Perhaps that honour should go to Draco, since this is his successful assignment."

The tone of Severus' voice had me seriously doubting he was going to help me get out of there. It also causes me to realise something, in the overall scheme of things I'm expendable. It's not a nice thought.

Lucius reached out and grabbed me pulling me in the direction of his uncertain looking son.

"Let go of me," I said with as much anger as I could muster.

"Oh I will, once I'm done with you," he said pulling me right up next to him.

I didn't like the prospect so I spat in his eye. He relaxed his grip on me and I tried to escape but he managed to grab my wrist. Executing my well-practised spin kick I struck him in the stomach causing him to double over in pain and let go.

Then I was gone, disappearing into the trees of the forbidden forest so I had somewhere to hide.

"After her!" Lucius screamed and I heard the sound of them crashing through the underbrush.

All of a sudden a hand was clamped over my mouth and I'm forced to the ground, pinned under Severus.

"For all your talk of trust you never told me about your relationship to Dumbledore, even when I told you everything," he hissed and for a frightening moment I thought he was going to turn me over to Lucius. But Crabbe crashed past and he didn't move.

I wished there was some way to communicate to him that I hadn't told him because I'd promised Grandpa that I wouldn't. But his hand was clamped so tightly over my mouth that I couldn't speak.

"The Dark Lord is going to be furious," Draco said somewhere in the distance. "We had her then you let her go."

There is the sound of a hand slapping across someone's face and Draco cried out. I saw Severus wince above me and for the first time I felt a tendril of pity for Draco Malfoy.

"I did not let her go," Lucius snarled. "And we are going to find her before she can get back to her dam grandfather."

It seemed like an agonisingly long time that I was pinned down by Severus, abruptly he stood up hauling me to my feet by my arm, and keeping a death grip on that arm propelled me back in the direction of Hogwarts.

The Death Eaters had all disappeared and the ministry was in the middle of it's clean up process when we made it back to the grounds. Grandpa was standing in the middle of the lawn looking around, then his eyes fell on me and Severus and he looked instantly relieved.

We got closer to him and Severus suddenly shoved me roughly to him. "There's your precious granddaughter, who I'm sure is the one you were worried about."

Before Grandpa could overcome his shock Severus disappeared inside the castle.

"He found out," I said drawing Grandpa's attention back to me. "Voldemort told him how I was your granddaughter because Draco had figured it out somehow so they attacked the school tonight just to get me to hurt you. And I never told him, and he's furious…"

Grandpa pulled me into his arms as I began bawling like I hadn't since my parents had died. "Hush child."

"He hates me now, because all I ever talked about was how he had to do stuff so I could trust him and I never told him despite the fact that he told me everything and…and he wants nothing to do with me, I thought he was going to leave me with Lucius."

"He wouldn't," Grandpa said softly stroking my hair. "He may be hurt and angry but he's a good person."

"He hates me."

"I'll have a word with him, child, I promise."