Chapter 8

The next few weeks were agonizingly slow for Harry. He tried to speak to Snape every chance he got. He went to his office after classes, after meals, once or twice a day on the weekend with no success. Eventually the potions master was only seen during class. It worried the Gryffindor even more to think that Snape was eating because he was never seen in the Great Hall during meals, or ever.

It had been a month since Voldemort had gotten his potion and there had been little action on his part during this time. That too worried Harry. What was he planning?….he wondered.

One Saturday afternoon Harry got tired of just sitting around and worrying so he decided to pay a visit to Snape's office and not leave until he talked to him. As he came to the door he walked in without even knocking and there sat his teacher looking better than he had ever seen him before. "Professor?"

"Ah, good morning, Potter. Lovely day, isn't it?" The potions master replied.

Ok, that is definitely not like Snape at all Harry thought while he went over what the man had just said. "Yes, it is beautiful." The Gryffindor responded. "I haven't seen you in awhile so I just wanted to come down and see how you were."

"I'm great. Haven't felt this good since before Voldemort disappeared when he attacked you." Snape said as he got up from his seat and walked over to the boy then placed his hands on the others shoulders. "But, that's not the real reason you came down here is it?"

"Well…" Harry glanced from one of his teachers hands to the other then back up at the man himself. "I wanted to know how the potion…Wait! Did you just call him Voldemort? You always yell at me for saying his name and now you are using it freely?" This is when Harry knew there was something wrong.

"I…I guess I feel a bit less fear now that I'm freed from his service." That was an outright lie of course, but it was the best he could think of. "You wanted to know how the potion is working, right? It's doing exactly what it was supposed to do. I'm very pleased with it."

"That's good, I think." Harry paused. "Do you know who he is testing it on?"

"Hmm, yes I do actually, but I can't tell you, Potter." Snape replied.

The Gryffindor suddenly remembered the older man's hands on his shoulders. Slowly he reached up and took one of those hands then pulled it back and looked at it simply to see how Snape would react. "I should probably being going. I just wanted to check on you and ask how the potion was going." Harry said though he didn't move, or even make an attempt to do so.

"No, no, no, Mr. Potter, I think you should stay. As a matter of fact I think you should come with me to Hogsmeade. I could use your helping picking some things up." The older man said as he started to guide them both towards the door. "Don't worry you won't get in trouble if you are with a teacher."

"I…Alright, I'll go with you." Harry agreed. But why had he agreed? Hadn't he just been trying to get out of there as fast as he could because the way Snape was acting had made him feel something was wrong? Despite all this Harry followed the other through the halls and out the large front doors.

It took only about fifteen minutes for the town to come into sight in the distance. Harry had to half run to keep up with the older man, this too made him feel uneasy. It was as if Snape was excited about something, but that was unlike him. Everything he had done since he took that potion to Voldermort was unlike him actually. Harry's thoughts were quickly broken when he realized they had strayed off the path and were now deep into a small forest that grew just outside of it. The Gryffindor froze and looked around knowing for sure something was wrong now.

"Potter?" Snape's voice called out. "Are you coming?"

"Where…where are we going, sir?" He asked refusing to take another step until he got some sort of answer.

"You have already figured we are not going to Hogsmeade, I assume?" Harry nodded in response. "Good, you are a bright boy. No, I'm actually leading you into an ambush so we can end this war forever. Don't worry though, I doubt it will be painful for you." After this was said four masked wizards stepped out from their hiding places, wands raised, and led the two to their destination.

"I hate you." Was the only thing Harry said as they walked through the thick trees. He could run….but he didn't know how to get back, or if he even could get out of here. He sighed inwardly and admitted his defeat.

Shortly they came to a large white house. It was old and appeared to be uninhabitable. What a perfect place for Voldemort to hide Harry thought as the approached the front steps. One of the hooded figures muttered something and the door sprung open allowing them passage inside. This was not good and Harry knew he was in more trouble than ever before. But he still had his wand…Why had they not taken it from him as soon as they captured him? Perhaps they hadn't thought about it?

"Inside, boy." One of the hooded figures spat as they pushed him over the threshold of the old house. He nearly fell from the force of the push but managed to keep his balance.

He was lead into a large sitting room which only lay host to a single chair. There were many deatheaters standing along the walls as he entered. He kept his eyes directed at the floor for the most part but was forced to look up when he felt Voldemort enter. His eyes emerald green eyes caught sight of those red…..Wait, they aren't red anymore. What could this mean?