Snape let out a blood curdling scream as the Dark Lord subjected him yet again to the Cruciatus curse.
"Severus." He hissed. "I am most surprised you showed your face to me again after helping that traitorous girl to escape me."
"My Lord," Snape gasped dragging himself off the floor to his knees in front of Voldermort. "Please if she had had control-" he tried to say but the Dark Lord cut him off.
"She interrupted the initiation process!" he roared. "Draco Malfoy was sure to be a fine Death Eater, but now he has fled, and why? Because of HER!" he screamed. "Crucio!"
Snape bit his lip in an attempt to hold back another scream until the pain subsided. He scrambled to his knees, head bowed. He could hear the Dark Lord's heavy breathing after his angry out burst.
"Complete what you attempted to say and we shall see if I will be forgoing further punishment." He hissed in a whisper. Snape didn't let his guard down, he knew this was far from over. Clearing his mind and weighing up every word carefully, he began to speak.
"My Lord, she was not in complete control of her faculties. She had recently conceived a child and it was just coming into it's magical inheritance, this had put a great drain on her, physically and mentally she was exhausted." Snape paused and took a breath, glancing up at the Dark Lord who was listening impassively. "Her and Draco are close friends, always have been my Lord. In her disillusioned state she believed she was protecting him." He paused again.
"I see." Voldermort nodded and Snape continued before he could be interrupted.
"She begged me to let her return to you tonight when she felt the mark burn, so she could face her punishment at your hands my lord, I had to physically restrain her." He said.
"And why did you do this? Why not let her return and tell me this herself? Face her punishment if need be?" The Dark Lord questioned. At this Snape ducked his head in apparent embarrassment.
"I am afraid they are selfish reasons my Lord. I did not wish to see her hurt again." He said quietly.
Blood red eyes gazed at him, cold and calculating. Snape felt him press against the barriers in his mind. Carefully he conjured up images that fitted with and did not contradict his story, of Jasrene bleeding on the table, of her crying and hysterical. Eventually the Dark Lord gave a sharp nod, feeling him withdraw from his mind Snape breathed and inward sigh of relief.
"You are forgiven Severus, for now. But I will not forget this incident." He warned. "I'm disappointed Severus," he added, "I never knew you were this weak. Endangering yourself for another, how Gryffindor of you." He said in disgust. "Crucio." He muttered and once again Snape was writhing on the floor in agony.
Harry's eyes snapped open abruptly as someone shook his shoulder violently.
"Harry?" Remus said concern evident in his voice.
"I'm fine." Harry croaked, his throat sore from screaming. "Bad dream." He said unconvincingly.
"What happened?" he heard more people enter the room but didn't have the energy to sit up and look. "What happened?" Ron asked again.
"Nothing." Harry murmured.
"You were screaming the house down mate." Ron insisted.
"Where's Jas?" Harry asked sitting up unsteadily.
"Here." Said a quiet voice from the doorway. She stepped forward with a frightened look on her face. "Is he okay?" she asked.
"He was going through another round of Crucio just before I woke up." Harry said. She nodded. Harry looked at her silently for a minute before blurting out, "Why would you stop Draco Malfoy from becoming a Death Eater?" She looked up at him.
"He's too good for it." She said simply.
"And you?" he asked before he could stop himself. She smiled sadly at him before leaving the room.
When Harry woke up the next morning he was being shaken awake by a rather stressed looking Fred Weasley.
"Harry! It's nine already!" he said urgently. Harry rolled over and buried his head in his pillow. "C'mon you haven't even packed your stuff yet Harry!"
"I haven't even bought my books and stuff."
"I got your stuff yesterday." Fred said dragging Harry into a sitting position.
"But I haven't got my results yet, I don't know what courses I'm taking." Harry said sleepily, rubbing his eyes with his hand. Fred's expression softened for a moment and he brushed an errant lock of hair off of Harry's face. Harry looked at him blearily. Fred retracted his hand quickly and cleared his throat.
"Dumbledore gave me a list." He explained.
"So you know what I'm doing and I don't?" Harry asked as he stood up and stretched.
"Wha-? Ah, erm, yeah." Fred stuttered. Harry frowned at him.
"What's wrong with you today?" he asked.
"Nothing." Fred said quickly. "C'mon Harry hurry up and get ready." He said making ushering movements towards the bathroom.
"I'm going, I'm going." Harry grumbled.
"Where's Jas?" Harry asked Remus as he grabbed a piece of toast from the table. "I want to say bye." he said. Remus gave him a funny look.
"She left last night. We don't know where she went." He replied.
"Oh." Harry said quietly. He didn't know why he was disappointed, he still hadn't forgiven her, but still, to leave without saying goodbye . . .
"Eat up Harry, we're going to be late at this rate." Remus said folding up his paper. Harry made quick work of his slice of toast and gulped down a glass of water.
"Ready." He said.
"Great, where's your trunk?" Remus asked.
"In the hall." Harry told him. Remus shrunk Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage, letting her fly ahead to Hogwarts on her own. When Fred came downstairs they left and began the walk to the station.
"Shouldn't there be more people, you know, guarding me or something?" Harry asked just as the station came into sight.
"Tonks and Moody are around and about." Remus told him. When they reached the barrier they casually walked through, past the oblivious Muggles and materialised on platform nine and three quarters. Harry couldn't help but smile as he saw the familiar red train. Remus gave him his luggage - which he kept small so he wouldn't have to drag it everywhere - and they walked up the platform to a small group of red headed people and one brown haired.
"Hey guys." Harry greeted them all. Mr.Weasley shook his hand and Mrs.Weasley gave him the usual bone crushing hug before asking him if he'd remembered to pack everything. Eventually they said their farewells.
"Thanks for everything Fred." Harry said.
"No problem." Fred said pulling him into a hug, when he pulled away he ruffled Harry's hair fondly. "Away with you then." He said motioning to the carriage.
"See you." Harry said to the Weasleys and Remus, he waved to Tonks and Moody who he spotted at the entrance to the platform and followed Ron, Hermione and Ginny onboard.
"We've got to go to the prefect meeting Harry." Hermione said to Harry.
"Sorry mate." Ron added.
"No problem, see you later." Harry said and began to walk down the train with Ginny. She soon spotted Dean and Seamus in a compartment and said farewell to Harry. Eventually he found an empty compartment at the back of the train and laid down on one of the seats and closed his eyes.
Back to school, well almost! Review and tell me what you thought! thanks to Captain Oz for the review, I totally agree btw, I really think he was asking him to do it (especially with the arguement Hagrid overheard) Anyways. Review plz! x