Disclaimer: They aren't mine. Not now…not ever. Anything recognizable belongs to JKR and Company. Anything else is simply me having a bit of fun!
A Tense Situation
Chapter Eighteen
"Checkmate," an oddly quiet voice called, its usual jubilance at winning the game of Wizard's Chess missing from the owner's voice.
"That's two games in a row that you've beaten me at now," Harry murmured, though there was little conviction behind his words over his second defeat of the evening at the hands of his long time friend.
"I suppose so," Ron muttered, his eyes filled with worry.
"This is ridiculous," the Boy-Who-Lived noted, slamming his recently defeated king back on its appropriate place on the chessboard as they reset their pieces for yet another game. "Why haven't we heard anything yet?"
"It hasn't really been all that long, Harry," Ron reminded him, glancing at the magical clock that hung in the corner of the Gryffindor Common Room.
"What if he doesn't get her out in time?" the worried Gryffindor asked, though it was a general question that he really wasn't expecting an answer to. "What if Snape decides to save himself and doesn't bring Hermione back?"
"Dumbledore did tell him that his position was the most important thing," Ron agreed glumly, wondering how much longer it would be before they received any word regarding their friend's fate.
"That's what worries me," Harry muttered, sitting back in his seat and staring vacantly at the oversized fireplace. "What if he decides to listen to Dumbledore and we don't ever see her again?"
"I don't know, but Hermione's wicked smart and if anyone can find a way out of such a mess then it would be her especially since she still has that secret wand," the youngest of the Weasley boys declared, injecting a note of confidence into his words that he didn't really feel. "Besides, Snape wouldn't have gone if he didn't think he had at least a small chance of bringing her back."
"Are you sure about that?" his friend grumbled uncharitably. "I mean this is Snape we're talking about. Who knows what his motivations are for doing anything?"
"You might have a point," Ron agreed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a Sugar Quill. After tearing off the cellophane package, he plopped the candy confection in his mouth and momentarily enjoyed its sweet flavor.
"I don't know, Harry," he mumbled thoughtfully as he attempted to speak around the candy. "Snape's an awful big mystery at times and he's certainly as nasty as they come when he's dealing with students, but I don't think that he would knowingly walk into a situation like this when he knows that he could very well die if he didn't think that he could succeed. Besides, it's a challenge and the git gets off on that kind of thing."
"For someone who's always proclaimed to hate the man, you certainly seem supportive of him now," Harry observed with a frown.
"I never said that I like him and I still don't," Ron admitted, thankful that no one else was in the Common Room to hear the conversation. "But you have to admit that the man has a knack for pulling off the impossible when it comes to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. I mean, look at what he's pulled off so far. I doubt that many others could have done it. Maybe it's because he's Slytherin or maybe he's just so mean that he intimidates everyone, but if anyone can get Hermione out of this whole mess then it's going to be him. He probably had a plan all thought out by the time he got there and he's probably got her out by now. Right?"
Harry reluctantly nodded his head, not wanting to dampen the positive attitude that his friend was trying so valiantly to put forth. The Boy-Who-Lived wasn't certain which of their spirits Ron was trying to raise but a part of him suspected that the answer involved both of them. He shook his head slightly and thought about his friend's words.
Hopefully Ron was right and Snape did have a plan. He certainly seemed determined enough when Harry had stopped him in the hallway earlier and demanded to go with him. A frown marred his face as he thought for the hundredth time that evening that he should have ignored Snape's orders, grabbed his father's Invisibility Cloak, and secretly tagged along despite the Potions Master's insistence to the contrary. After all, he rarely listened to such advice in the past if he thought he could help so why did he listen now when Hermione's life was in danger?
'Because you know that Ron is right and that if anyone can get her out of there it's Snape,' a voice inside his head whispered.
The frown deepened as he realized that the words held more than a slight ring of truth. Snape was familiar with the way that Voldemort and the Death Eaters operated and he knew how to maneuver in such situations. Whether The-Boy-Who-Lived liked it or not, the irritating Wizard was Hermione's best option for survival at the moment and Harry only hoped that his unusual acquiescence to the Potions Master's demands wouldn't cost the young Witch her life. If it did then there would be no holding back the tide of ire that threatened to flow from him. He would go after Voldemort, Snape and even Dumbledore if it meant avenging her death and no one would convince him otherwise.
'Snape was right,' he thought, the haze of anger and frustration having momentarily played itself out. 'I couldn't have sat there calmly and waited for an opportunity to defeat Voldemort if Hermione's safety was at stake.'
"Harry…" a voice repeatedly called, finally pulling the young man away from his dark thoughts.
"What?" the black haired Gryffindor asked, turning toward the voice to see his friend looking at him with more than a touch of concern.
"Harry, it's your turn, mate," Ron explained, pointing to the chessboard. "Where were you? I called you several times and you just sat there frowning and staring off into space."
"I was thinking about Hermione," he admitted with a sigh. "I keep thinking that I should have taken the Invisibility Cloak and followed Snape. Maybe I could have gotten her out of there and he wouldn't have needed to risk his position."
Ron went silent for a moment and then finally laid the now empty Sugar Quill stick on the table next to the chessboard, just barely touching the edge of the well-worn surface. The chess pieces looked at the refuse momentarily and then began pointing angrily to the candy stick and then to Ron. Flicking his hand at them in annoyance, the young man returned his attention to his friend and cautiously spoke his next words, hoping that Harry wouldn't be too angry at his frankness.
"Listen, mate, I know that you don't like Snape. I mean, blimey, I don't like him much either but the man is obviously good at what he does otherwise he wouldn't have lasted this long. Dad says that Snape's one of the best duelers around and Mum said that he knows more about the Dark Arts than anyone she's ever met, Dumbledore included. So, I figure that if he's that insistent on being the one to save Hermione then he must really believe that he can do it. I have to believe that, Harry, otherwise I'll go nuts just sitting here waiting. And let's face it I wouldn't be much use as I am right now if I had to go up against You-Know-Who and his cronies. After all, the training we've had in Dumbledore's Army has been great but there's a big difference when it comes to casting hexes in practice and facing down the Dark Lord's goons, wouldn't you say? And yes, you might have been able to get Hermione out of there but chances are that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would have sensed your presence or something; because of your scar and your link with him, and then you and Hermione would have been in greater danger. Then Snape would have had to try to save both of you, which would have made his job twice as difficult. Not to mention that it would have made him all the more impossible to deal with if you all did make it back alive and he's already impossible enough to deal with as he is with all of his snide remarks, detentions and bloody House Point deductions." Drawing breath, Ron continued, "really, Harry, I think this way is for the best and since you are the one that's going to have to face the Dark Lord in the end, I just think that you should wait until you're fully ready to do it right and not when your mind is only half there because you're preoccupied with trying to rescue Hermione at the same time."
Ron sat back for a moment and took a deep breath as he awaited his friend's reaction to his honest, but rather long-winded speech. He only hoped that Harry wouldn't storm off in silence and attempt to deal with things on his own as he had a habit of doing from time to time.
Harry, for his part, remained oddly quiet as he picked up a pawn and advanced it two spaces forward on the chessboard. It was his opening move but for all the attention he was paying to the game it could have been his final move and he probably wouldn't have noticed… or cared for that matter. All he wanted was to get Hermione back safe and sound, finish up his last week at Hogwarts and then go after the Dark Lord and finish things off once and for all. He was tired of sitting around and waiting to see what the reptilian fiend would come up with next or which of his friends would suffer simply because they dared to care enough about him to stand by his side. It simply wasn't fair and he had had more than enough. It was time to put an end to things and it was time to do so in the very near future. But first he had to make certain that Snape brought Hermione back alive and well.
"I guess that it's just all too much to take in," Harry admitted grudgingly. "First you and Hermione disappear, then you come back and Hermione is still in danger, then Malfoy turns out to be something that we hadn't counted on and helps us out for whatever reason, then Snape decides to play hero… I'm just tired of this game between Voldemort and myself."
"I know, Harry, but the way I see it, you've got no choice right now," Ron pointed out grimly. "First we get Hermione back, then we figure out why Malfoy turned against his dad and is suddenly on our side and then we make plans to put an end to things once and for all with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. One step at a time, Harry… One step at a time."
"Yeah," Harry repeated hollowly, "one step at a time. Do you really think Snape had a plan to get Hermione out of there all along?"
"He's Slytherin, isn't he?" Ron asked, moving his knight the appropriate number of spaces and watched as the tiny playing piece gleefully knocked Harry's pawn off the board. "And we all know that Slytherins don't do anything that hasn't been planned out and doesn't benefit them in some way. He's got a plan and he's probably just about ready to put it into action and get Hermione out of there if he hasn't already. You'll see, Harry, she'll be back with us anytime now and boy will she be angry with Pansy and Blaise when she finds out that they were the ones that kidnapped us in the first place."
"I'd hate to be Pansy when Hermione finds out that she took the bracelet for the Perattrahere spell," Harry said with a devious grin, knowing that all hell would break out when his bushy haired friend discovered who was behind her extended stay with Lucius Malfoy and the rest of the Death Eaters.
Ron merely replied by flashing his friend an equally devious grin before pointing to the chessboard indicating that it was Harry's turn to make a move.
"Thanks, Ron," he murmured, determined to concentrate on his friend's words rather than his own nagging worries. After all, Ron was right when he said that Slytherins never went into a situation without a plan or something to gain and Snape had his life to gain by making Voldemort believe his story and turn against Lucius Malfoy.
'But what does he have to gain by saving Hermione's life?' the voice whispered yet again.
It was a question that brought another frown to Harry's face as he realized that Snape really didn't have anything to gain by saving the Gryffindor. Still, the brooding man had seemed to be genuinely concerned for her safety when they were all in Dumbledore's office and he had almost slipped up and called her by her given name. That had to mean something, didn't it? Harry sighed quietly yet again and plastered a fake smile on his face for the benefit of his friend who was beginning to look concerned once again by Harry's quiet sighs and darkening facial expressions.
"You're right, Ron," he acknowledged with a sense of light heartedness that he definitely didn't feel. "Snape probably had things planned out all along and any moment now, McGonagall or Dumbledore will come through that door and tell us that everything's alright."
"Exactly," Ron replied with a forced sense of happiness of his own before returning his attention to the game in front of them. Neither boy wanted to think what might happen if they were wrong.
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Severus Snape stood before the Dark Lord and gazed at the scene unfolding before him with more than a touch of trepidation. He nervously fingered the Portkey in his pocket wondering if he should just grab Granger and issue the short incantation that would carry them to safety. Unfortunately, he knew that as soon as he reached for the troublesome girl that his Master would sense his intentions. In fact, Severus was surprised that the malevolent creature hadn't sensed anything yet as he was certain his emotions must be rolling off him in waves by now.
Perhaps he was an even better actor than he realized?
Casting a quick look next to him, he noted the intense look in the older Malfoy's eyes as the tall blond haired wizard looked on with what was sure to be an expression of undisguised glee on his finely chiseled features. Once again Snape found himself inordinately grateful for the loathsome masks they were forced to wear as the heavy brass served to hide their facial expressions. Allowing Lucius to witness his disdain would only serve to raise suspicion and further limit his possibilities of escape, should it become necessary, as it would draw even more unwanted attention from his long-time friend.
A strangled, though barely audible, noise emanated from Hermione and Snape quickly turned his attention to the girl with a mental hiss. It didn't take a genius to realize that the foolish young woman was trying valiantly to resist the Dark Lord's intrusion into her mind. Her chocolate eyes were tightly closed and each of her fists was tightly clenched at her sides. The corners of her usually talkative mouth were turned downward in a grimace that made the Potions Master wince though it was obvious his Master was elated by the entire situation.
"Yes, that's right, child," the Dark Lord hissed with undisguised delight as he probed even further into her mind. "Your puny efforts of defiance, amusing though they may be, will not stop me from obtaining the information I seek. Even now I feel what little control you have fought to summon, disintegrate into nothingness."
Hermione grimaced as she felt the probing tentacles of Voldemort's mind rifle through her childhood memories as if he were perusing a Muggle library index. Images of her first vacation with her parents flashed through her mind followed quickly by glimpses of her fifth and sixth birthdays. She didn't really care if the fiend standing above her knew of these images or not, though his invasion left her cold with the feeling of violation. However, she figured that if she pretended to fight then he might not realize that she was hiding behind the Mind Strengthening potion that would hopefully serve to keep him away from the more recent memories and information that the Order couldn't afford to let slip into his grasp; Memories that Professor Snape couldn't allow to become public knowledge.
She shivered as a dark, high-pitched cackle broke the air and realized that Voldemort had managed to witness her first meeting with Harry and Ron.
"Well, it's not a very good spell is it?… You're Harry Potter! I'm Hermione Granger… And you are?"
"Was I really that snooty?" she wondered with a touch of dismay as the trio's initial introduction on the Hogwart's Express played through her mind. For a brief moment she had the sensation of sitting in a dark theatre watching an odd movie. It all seemed so unreal somehow. Moments later, she wished for that feeling to return as Voldemort wormed his way even deeper into her mind.
Images of Professor Snape were crossing her mind at lightning speed and she could feel the power of the Mind Strengthening potion being tested to its limit. Biting down on the uncomfortable sensations that the Dark Lord was conjuring in his quest for information, Hermione focused on directing her thoughts to specific scenes of the Potions Master. Scenes that would leave Voldemort with little doubt that Snape's treatment of the 'Dream Team' had been less than kind.
"I see no difference…" the memory of a tall dark man muttered before a younger, crying Hermione went running toward the Infirmary at breakneck speed in the hopes that Madame Pomfrey could repair the damage that Malfoy had done to her teeth.
"Ten points from Gryffindor, Miss Granger, and detention this evening," hissed the Potions Master in her memory as he punished her in front of the class for a mistake that was obviously Malfoy's fault. Naturally, Draco had gone unpunished and Hermione allowed her feelings of frustration to pour through the memory and on to a hungry Dark Lord that seemed to delight in every bit of torment his servant had cast upon Harry Potter and his friends.
It was just as the Dark Lord reached her memories of the previous summer that she felt her control slipping and realized the Mind Strengthening potion must be wearing off.
"I'll never be able to keep him away from my memories of Grimmauld Place if he doesn't stop soon," she thought bleakly, knowing that her Professor's duplicity would be revealed, as he had been a frequent visitor to the Order's headquarters. "Not to mention the fact that he will know who several of the Order members are and waste little time in hunting them down and destroying them."
A lone tear trickled down her face as she realized that Arthur and Molly Weasley, along with Tonks and Remus Lupin would be amongst the people that would soon die at Voldemort's hand. She shook her head momentarily to try and gain some additional control over her memories but no matter how hard she tried, she could feel the protective barriers of the potion melting away. Another few seconds and all of her efforts would be for nothing.
'All of those dedicated members of the Order will soon be tortured and killed because I wasn't strong enough to fight him off,' she mentally murmured, thankful that there was still enough of the potion within her system to keep the Dark Lord from seeing her current thoughts. Another tear stormed down her cheek and she suddenly screamed as she felt the barrier created by the Mind Strengthening potion collapse into nothingness. What she had thus far perceived as uncomfortable probing on Voldemort's behalf was in actuality intense pain as the demon before her continued to forcibly ravage her mind. Only now did she realize that the potion, in addition to shielding her deepest thoughts, had also offered her resistance to the pain. As another tentacle pushed and pulled at her mind, Hermione realized that she would have gladly given all that she owned for just a few more moments of protection from the potion.
Just as her body was on the brink of collapse and her mind caving in once and for all, a darkly robed figure ran up and kneeled before the Dark Lord.
"My Lord," murmured the frantic voice of a young Death Eater. Instantly, the pain in her mind eased as Voldemort brought a halt to his current efforts and turned his attention to the newcomer with more than a hint of impatience in his voice.
"You are late, my servant," the Dark Lord hissed, turning his full attention to the darkly clad figure bowed in reverence at his feet. "You know the penalty for failing to answer my summons in a timely manner…"
"Yes, my Lord," the young man answered softly, and Hermione was sure that she detected the slightest hitch of fear in the aristocratic voice that she was now certain belonged to none other than Draco Malfoy. Although Harry and Ron had insisted the Slytherin was more than likely a member of the Dark Lord's ranks, Hermione's need to believe the best in everyone had prevailed and she had insisted that her friends were judging the young man unfairly. After all, he wasn't even out of Hogwart's yet and didn't Voldemort usually wait to draft new recruits until they were out of school? She sighed softly at her own naivety, knowing that she owed both Harry and Ron a heartfelt apology if she were lucky enough to make it out of this mess and return to Hogwarts in one piece.
"I apologize for temporarily ignoring your summons, My Lord, but there was an incident at Hogwarts that I felt would warrant your immediate attention," the young man breathed, praying that his Master would be pleased enough with the information he had obtained to forgo the usual penance of a Crucio for his tardiness.
Voldemort lowered his bony hand and looked upon his servant with obvious interest. "An incident, you say? Rise and tell me of this incident."
Draco suppressed a sly but nervous grin behind his mask at Voldemort's interest. If all went well then the dark creature would be pleased with his information and Draco would rise in esteem ever so slightly. Such a thing was necessary if he was to continue spying for Dumbledore, and it would allow him more room to maneuver within the ranks. The urge to glance over and yell at his father for placing him in such a situation once again attempted to reassert itself and yet again Draco forcefully pushed it back to the corner of his mind. With any luck, he would one day have such an opportunity to tell his father exactly what he thought of this entire foolish mess but now was not the time. Focusing his attention entirely on the Dark Lord, the young Slytherin schooled his thoughts and began speaking with a quiet confidence that few possessed when confronted with the physical presence of the reptilian being.
"My Lord, I had returned to the Slytherin dormitory to fetch my robes and Portkey so that I might immediately answer your summons when I heard Professor McGonagall enter the Common Room with two other people whose voices I didn't recognize. Moments later I heard them come up the stairs so I hid in my room with the door slightly ajar so that I might discover what had brought the Gryffindor harpy to Slytherin territory. It turns out that the people with McGonagall were Ministry Aurors that had come to arrest Blaise Zabini and Pansy Parkinson for the abduction of Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."
Hermione quickly turned her head upon hearing Draco's revelation. 'Why that… that little… witch!' she thought with a surge of vengeance. 'Just wait until I get out of here and get my hands on her disgusting pug face! I'll rip her to shreds for putting us through this!'
"Lucius, I assume this was how you managed to remove the Mudblood and her friend from Hogwarts?" The Dark Lord muttered, turning his attention directly toward the older Malfoy.
"It was the only sensible choice, my Lord, seeing as how I myself would have attracted an undue amount of attention had I made an appearance on school grounds and they were found missing shortly after I had left," he stammered, sending Draco a deadly glare.
It was all the Potions Master could do to refrain from reminding Lucius that he would not have had the chance to abduct anyone from Hogwarts as Dumbledore always made certain the conniving wizard was escorted by a trusted member of the staff upon his departure. Briefly turning his attention to the young Gryffindor as she stood quietly listening to Draco's narration of recent events, the Potions Master was pleased to note that Hermione's face was sporting the same type of malicious smirk as his own at Lucius' obvious discomfort. Now if he could only figure out what the Dark Lord had seen through his use of Legilimency, he could determine what course of action would be best. Severus couldn't imagine Granger, stubborn though she was, holding out that long against someone of Voldemort's skill, especially since she hadn't yet trained in Occlumency. Perhaps he should grab her now and Portkey out of this scenario while Draco held the bulk of Voldemort's attention? With a barely audible sigh, Snape decided to wait and see how things played out for a while before taking such drastic measures.
'Perhaps Granger was actually able to withhold certain information after all. If not and my true allegiance has been discovered then why hasn't the Dark Lord hexed me within an inch of my life, if not killed me outright, already?' the Potions Master pondered. It didn't make sense. Snape had not detected any anger toward himself emanating from Voldemort but how could she have pulled off such a feat? 'Unless she used the Mind Strengthening potion… but how when she was presumably searched upon being brought to Lucius and was then most likely watched constantly until she was brought before the Dark Lord?'
So many questions to which he desperately needed answers badgered at him. The sound of his Master's voice however brought his thoughts back to the matter at hand. Pushing his personal queries aside, Severus listened attentively, hoping that Lucius' most recent bout of arrogance and disobedience would distract Voldemort while he devised some sort of plan.
"We will see how sensible your choice was in a moment," Voldemort seethed as he returned his attention to Draco and ordered him to continue with his narration.
"Well… the Aurors burst into the room and there was a lot of shrieking and screaming, mostly on Pansy's part, as it seems they caught her and Blaise at a rather… inopportune time," Draco revealed, unable to stop the rather wide grin that broke across his face as he remembered Pansy's rather audible dismay at being caught in the act. "I heard McGonagall tell them that someone had overheard Blaise and Pansy discussing how they had dressed up as Death Eaters so they could enter the Potions classroom without compromising their identities. Evidently they bragged quite a bit about how they abducted Granger and Weasley by using Portkeys that my father sent them."
"Who was this person that overheard those idiots?" the Dark Lord demanded in a voice that was just short of an outraged scream.
"I'm sorry, My Lord, but neither McGonagall nor the Aurors revealed that information and when Blaise denied the charges, he was simply told that the source was reliable," Draco answered, nearly laughing aloud at the obvious loathing emanating from the older Malfoy. Whether or not such loathing was directed at himself or Pansy and Blaise, Draco had no idea, but it was still nice to see his father in such a state of distress.
'Consider it a small piece of payback on the chaos you've brought to my own life, Father,' Draco thought, glancing one more time at the irate older Malfoy.
"Obviously, this source went directly to Dumbledore," Voldemort spat. "I assume that these Aurors followed standard procedure and took them to the Ministry pending an investigation?"
"Yes, my Lord," Draco agreed.
"My Lord, if I may…" Severus drawled in an almost bored tone of voice, "The Ministry has no tangible proof as to the veracity of these allegations other than someone's verbal testimony. It should therefore merely be a matter of finding this source and convincing him or her to retract their statement."
"I don't think so, sir," Draco answered quietly, nearly jumping back a step when the Dark Lord sharply turned his head to stare at the younger Malfoy.
"Why would you say that?" the snake-like figure hissed.
"Because Pansy was wearing a bracelet when they found her; apparently it was a one of a kind bracelet that belonged to Granger," he replied looking nervously between the Dark Lord, Granger, Lucius and Snape.
"What bracelet?" Lucius yelped, eyeing Hermione with more than a touch of accusation.
"Yes. It would seem that Dumbledore had given the Mudblood this bracelet as part of some type of spell that would allow him to return her to safety if someone were to abduct her from Hogwarts. From what I could gather, Pansy must have seen it and taken it from Granger when she kidnapped her from the dungeons."
"What do you have to say for yourself, Lucius?" Voldemort hissed, raising his hand menacingly.
Lucius quivered ever so slightly underneath his cloak. He should never have trusted those incompetent fools but what other choice did he have? Plans had to be made quickly and a Wizard must and should always utilize the resources he has available to him at the time. Unfortunately, he realized that his desire to prove Severus Snape a traitor might have caused him serious problems if he was reading the Dark Lord's expressions correctly.
"I was unaware of the presence of a bracelet, My Lord," the aristocratic Wizard answered carefully. "Perhaps this source was incorrect?"
"And perhaps not," Voldemort replied tersely. Turning his attention to Hermione, he reached out and grabbed her chin, holding her face still and forcing her to look directly into his angry eyes.
"Well, girl, is any of this true?" the creature demanded. "Did that old meddling fool of a Headmaster give you a bracelet that would allow him to summon you at will?"
Hermione momentarily thought about defying the thug that currently held her captive but decided that denying such an allegation would prove to be of no use to anyone; especially herself. With such a thought in mind, she allowed a malicious smile to cross her delicate features as she truthfully answered the Dark Lord's question.
"It is true, actually," she replied sounding much calmer then she felt as she gazed directly into Voldemort's red eyes. "Ron and I are Harry's best friends and it didn't take a genius to figure out that you would come for us eventually in the hopes of hurting Harry."
"Odd that the meddling fool didn't mention this to you before now, isn't it?" Voldemort asked, directing his question to a silent Severus Snape.
The Potions Master merely looked back at his irate Master and calmly reiterated that he had no knowledge of such actions and that he had no idea why Dumbledore had chosen to keep such information to himself.
"This situation will have to be dealt with immediately," the Dark Lord hissed and called forth one of the masked men that stood farther back in the shadows.
Hermione didn't recognize the Death Eater that obediently stepped forth to answer his Master's summons but soon found herself gasping with a sense of mortified astonishment when she found out exactly how the Dark Lord intended to deal with the 'situation' that was Blaise and Pansy.
"You understand your orders?" the Dark Lord asked the masked man. Upon receiving a nod of the Death Eater's masked head, Voldemort continued. "Good, I expect to read about their unfortunate and accidental deaths tomorrow morning in the Daily Prophet. I cannot risk them divulging any more information, wittingly or unwittingly, than they already have. You are dismissed, but keep in mind that if you fail me you will suffer thesame fate alongside them."
Voldemort's face twisted and contorted into a mask of emotions that was something of a cross between loathing and pure hatred as he watched the Death Eater leave to carry out his assignment. Turning toward Lucius, he deliberately took a slow step toward the silent man and glared directly into the grayish eyes that stared out from behind the heavy mask.
It was with a sense of spiteful curiosity that Hermione watched the scene unfolding before her, hoping that Lucius would finally receive what he so richly deserved. As much as she disliked Pansy and her cronies, she hadn't wanted to see them killed and she laid the blame for such an atrocious outcome right where she felt it truly belonged… at Lucius Malfoy's feet.
"This is your doing, Lucius," the snake-like figure hissed as he raised his hand and ripped the ghastly mask from the wizard's face. "You were the one that insisted Severus was a spy. You were the one who defied my orders and took it upon yourself to alter my carefully laid out plans."
"But, Master," Lucius pleaded, only to be hushed by a hastily cast Silencing spell from the Dark Lord.
"SILENCE! You have dared to second guess me time and again, and your disobedience has alerted that idiotic Muggle lover of a Headmaster as to my plans. As a direct result ofthat you have cost me two of my newest Death Eaters!"
Lucius' eyes went wide with fear as a result of his Master's words and the menace that lay within the depths of Voldemort's unearthly red eyes. He knew to utter so much as the tiniest of syllables could well cost him his life if it wasn't forfeit already. Not that he could speak of course considering that the Dark Lord had yet to remove the Silencing spell.
'How could Snape have gotten out of this one?' Lucius wondered, casting a quick glance toward Hermione. He had had everything planned out… every last detail accounted for… So why hadn't the Dark Lord discovered the Potion Master's true loyalties when he delved into the Mudblood's mind? What had gone wrong? And what would the irate creature standing before him demand as payment for his errors?
Voldemort was unaware of Lucius' internal monologue but had he been so he probably would have simply laughed in delight at the confusion the blond Wizard currently found himself mired in. Stepping next to the man, their bodies scant centimeters apart from one another, the Dark Lord leaned close and whispered, "You have failed me for the last time, Lucius."
It was that quietly hissed whisper that made Lucius suddenly realize just how much trouble he was truly in. A loud and angry Dark Lord was dangerous but a quiet and calm Dark Lord could be downright deadly. Seeing no other option but to speak, Lucius decided to make one final attempt at accusing Snape of traitorous behavior. At this rate he figured the worst that could happen was that he would bring the slippery Slytherin down with him. Making a deft motion that indicated his desire to speak, he waited with trepidation as Voldemort raised his hand. Fortunately, any hexes the creature may have wished to cast were to be postponed as the Dark Lord satisfied himself for the time being by simply removing the Silencing spell.
"But, My Lord, I brought you a Ministry informant who has verified that my information is accurate," the senior Malfoy pleaded. "I have also delivered the Mudblood. Surely you were able to see Severus' acts of disloyalty against us within her memories?"
"I saw nothing to indicate that he is anything other than an overly strict instructor with a taste for annoying Gryffindors!" Voldemort snapped. "As for your Ministry informant, I warned you what would happen if such information proved to be a waste of my time."
Upon hearing the Dark Lord speak these words, the unknown figure, still shrouded within the dark cloak, seemed to take several steps backwards as if to distance herself from the almost certain retaliation that was yet to come. After all, Voldemort himself had warned her of the consequences should her allegations against Snape prove to be untrue and she silently cursed herself yet again for falling into Lucius Malfoy's trap of coercion. Her instincts had originally told her to go to Albus Dumbledore and beg protection for her loved one but instead she had caved in and allowed herself to be persuaded by Malfoy's threats. What would her friends and family think of her now that she had betrayed her good reputation, not to mention her morals, and nearly sentenced a man, and most likely Hermione Granger, to death?
"I have had enough of your petty rivalries and disobedience," the Dark Lord hissed with a small expulsion of putrid breath that nearly knocked Hermione back to her knees.
'How could any of them stand to be near this thing?' she wondered once again, as she lowered her head and tried to maintain her composure.
Seconds later, Voldemort had pulled his wand from his pocket and cast Cruciatus on a wide-eyed Lucius Malfoy. The Wizard immediately fell to his knees with a scream of pain, begging his Master to forgive him for his actions.
Unfortunately for Lucius, the Dark Lord had been intent on hexing someone that evening, although in truth he had thought that someone would turn out to be Severus Snape. And while he hadn't wanted to believe that one of his senior Death Eaters would betray him in such a manner, and for what he considered to be such a lost cause, the evidence Lucius had brought forth in the form of a Ministry official had seemed quite damning. Still, stranger things had been known to happen and Snape's innocence; though still not completely grounded in fact, seemed to be more of a surety now that he had read the Mudblood's surprisingly extensive mind. He looked toward Hermione momentarily and considered inviting her into his fold knowing that a Witch with such intelligence and, from what he had viewed through his use of Legilimency, extensive powers, would make an extremely welcome ally. Still, he was wise enough to know that her loyalty to Harry Potter and her friends would make turning such a devoted individual near impossible. It was a shame really but Voldemort had suffered through worse disappointments in his life. Obviously, he would have to stay with his original plan and allow his servants to make use of the girl before ending her life and the potential threat that she might one day pose to his plans.
Deciding to leave the writhing Malfoy under an extended duration of Crucio, he turned to Draco and ordered the young man back to his usual place amongst the Death Eaters whowere still standing silently behind the small group gathered before the Dark Lord. However, just as the younger Malfoy took one last look at his agonized father and turned to reclaim his position amongst the others, Voldemort held his hand up in a motion that indicated he was to pause a moment.
"It would seem that I have no further use for you at the moment, my little Mudblood," the Dark Lord sneered, running a finger alongside her cheek. "Such a shame that someone of your talents could not see her way to joining my forces but I know for a fact that your Gryffindor traits, genuine and altruistic as they are, would never allow you to accept such an offer. Therefore, it is time to put an end to our … conversation."
Seconds later, Voldemort roughly grabbed her arm and thrust her at Draco, ordering the young Death Eater to return to his position amongst the others and keep a careful eye on Hermione.
"After all," the loathsome creature hissed, "we would not want to spoil the evening for those that will be joining us shortly by having them miss out on such a tempting morsel. Would we?"
Saying nothing, Draco merely nodded at his Master as if honored by the serpent's instructions. Grabbing Hermione's arm in a manner that appeared rougher than it actually was, the blond haired youngster quietly led her back to stand beside him as far away from the Dark Lord as he could manage without drawing undue attention to himself.
'How do I get myself into these situations?' Draco wondered with dark amusement, eyeing the irate young woman.
Hermione, who was thankful to be away from Voldemort but worried about his plans for her, directed her anger toward Draco by glaring at him with such a murderous expression that the Slytherin was almost thankful for the presence of the other Death Eaters as he was certain Granger would have otherwise hexed him to Hell.
'And I'd bet my Firebolt that it would have been a one-way trip too!' Malfoy thought, feeling his lips turn upwards into the beginnings of a sarcastic smirk.
"This is what happens to those that would go against me and their brethren," the Dark Lord told his followers, pointing to the blond haired man writhing on the ground. "Let this be a lesson to all that I will not tolerate disobedience from any of you regardless of your position or length of service within my ranks."
Turning his attention back to the Potions Master who had been wise enough, courtesy of past experience, to remain quiet during Voldemort's proclamations, he pondered the events that had recently unfolded.
"Severus," he rasped, drawing himself to his full height as he came to a halt directly in front of Snape. "You have been accused of being a traitor to me, your brothers and our cause. Although the evidence presented this evening in support of such accusations has failed to prove the allegations to be legitimate, doubts have still been raised as to your true loyalties. What do you have to say for yourself?"
"I am now and have always been faithful to you, Master," Snape murmured immediately, bowing his head in a gesture of respectful submission. "Such allegations have been levied against me by Lucius in an attempt to raise your esteem of his own questionable services and personal desires in the hope that he may rise to take a place of honor by your side. I would humbly draw My Lord's attention to the fact that my actions whilst in your service have always been as a result of your will and that I have never disobeyed or questioned your orders."
Voldemort listened quietly to the Potion Master's words and remained silent for several minutes. Darkness was beginning to fall and the stillness brought on by the night and the lack of movement and sound from the surrounding Death Eaters was as disquieting to Snape as anything could have been.
'Surely if he believes Lucius' allegations against me to be truthful then he would be ranting and raving like the melodramatic lunatic he has proven himself to be time and time again?' Severus pondered as he tried to guess at the Dark Lord's next move. He frowned behind his mask and felt the undeniable urge to lift his gloved hand and eradicate the droplets of perspiration that had begun to form on his forehead. Knowing that the unpredictable figure in front of him would interpret the droplets as tangible proof of his supposed guilt for having been discovered a traitor, he wisely remained still.
Standing resolutely, his head bowed slightly in both mock reverence and anticipation of Voldemort's next move, Severus wished he could risk a surreptitious glance to ascertain the location of Draco and Hermione. He was not pleased that she was no longer in arm's reach as it made the possibility of immediate escape impossible.
'At least she's with Draco,' his inner voice whispered softly. It was a thought that he would have loved to be able to derive solace from but the plain and simple truth of the matter was that the younger Slytherin was not in any better of a position to rescue the captured Gryffindor. Voldemort's anti-apparition wards guaranteed that even if the boy did know how to Apparate, he would be unable to do so until the Dark Lord declared the meeting to be at an end and willingly removed them. Of course he could use the Portkey and transport both himself and Granger back to Hogwarts but that would be too obvious and Voldemort's Death Eaters would have either captured or killed them both before they could reach safety beyond the school gates.
'No,' Snape thought to himself, growing weary of the red-eyed scrutiny of his 'Master', 'I am still the girl's best hope of escape provided the Dark Lord doesn't choose to end things here and now.'
'Of course, he might decide to let you join the chit and share in the fun as part of the entertainment for the evening,' the voice inside his mind whispered with a cackle that sounded disturbingly similar to Lucius Malfoy.
He darted his eyes ever so slightly to the left to and was pleased to see that Malfoy Sr. was still lying huddled on the ground, his blue-gray eyes glazed as he stared unseeingly at the landscape in front of him. He didn't get very far in his perusal of his old nemesis as Voldemort, having been silent for far too long, finally decided to speak.
"You are fortunate, Severus, that I value your abilities to the extent that I do," Riddle hissed, elongating the first and third syllables of Snape's name so that it sounded as if the monstrous creature had begun speaking Parseltongue mid-sentence. "Had you been anyone else within my ranks I would not have hesitated to kill you outright and avoid the possibility that you may yet betray me. However, it would be foolish of me to hastily rid myself of someone as close to that deluded old Headmaster as you've managed to become. As such, I still have use of you, and so I will spare you the fate that I had originally planned."
"You are most gracious, My Lord," Snape murmured, feeling some of the tension that was suffusing his limbs lessen ever so slightly.
'Perhaps there is still a chance to salvage this mess that Lucius has brought down upon our heads after all…' he thought briefly, not daring to get his hopes up too high lest he become careless in his relief and make a critical error that could cost both himself and Hermione Granger their lives.
"So you have told me time and time again, my servant," Voldemort remarked dryly, and a small shiver ran down the Potion Master's spine when he saw the steely glint in the Dark Lord's eye. "And because I am such a gracious Master, Severus, I have decided that you will perform a small task that will serve to banish any remaining vestiges of doubt that I might still harbor towards you."
The shiver that had run down Snape's spine instantaneously transformed into full-blown dread as he cautiously awaited the details of the task that he was to perform. His heart shuddered knowing that it would most likely have something to do with Hermione.
'No… Granger,' he chastised himself yet again for his mental slip of referring to the girl by her given name, knowing that it was imperative he keep whatever thoughts and unwanted muddled concerns he had where she was concerned as distant as possible. Albus' earlier orders demanding that he protect his position at all costs echoed through his mind and he silently damned both of his 'masters' for their callous orders; Callous and calculated orders that had ruined so many innocent lives and left him with a myriad of hellish nightmares.
'Unlike the Dark Lord, Albus does not issue such orders to satisfy some internal need to watch others suffer,' the mental voice returned to softly rebuke him. And while Snape knew the words to be true, he still felt the pangs of guilt that would forever plague him no matter how great his efforts to atone.
Fearful that any hesitation the Dark Lord might sense on his behalf would cost him punishment or worse, Snape bowed his head respectively only to raise it again and look directly into the grinning face that seemed to stare right through him.
"What service might I perform for you this evening, My Lord?" the Potions Master asked, hoping it wouldn't involve raping, torturing or killing the young woman whom he had come to protect.
"You have been accused of treason against me, my servant, and therefore, seeing as these accusations have failed to prove true, I offer you the chance to avenge yourself upon your accuser," Voldemort hissed in what could almost be called a conversational tone of voice. A closer look at the serpentine figure standing before the small group quickly disabused everyone, including Snape that their Master was anything but pleased and Severus knew that nothing short of killing his accuser would satisfy the thirst for blood that shone so clearly from the hideous red eyes of the Dark Lord.
'It's not like the Wizarding World would be worse off for such an action,' Snape consoled himself, feeling the slightest twinge of remorse for the 'service' he was about to perform. Biting down hard on the part of his conscience that was forcefully reminding him that such actions were morally wrong, the Potions Master pulled his wand to the ready and, with a quick flourish of his voluminous robes, turned to confidently face the defiant, quivering form of Lucius Malfoy. It wasn't until he had uttered the first syllable of the Killing Curse that Voldemort crooked his finger and summoned Snape's wand to him, thereby stopping a now thoroughly confused Potions Master from following through with his actions and ridding the world of one more Death Eater.
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TBC
Author's Note: Yes, I realize that copious amounts of groveling for forgiveness are required at this time so I very humbly beg the pardon of those readers that are still following along with this story. It was not my intention to leave you all hanging this long however my health has not been up to par as of late and I have been in and out of hospital/ doctor's offices for various medical tests and treatments since my last posting. Between dealing with this, along with the effects of the various medications, bed rest and real life, my writing (both fanfiction and original stories) have been pushed to the sidelines. With that in mind, I hope that this chapter has lived up to your expectations. I had planned to get through the entire Hermione/Voldemort segment during this chapter but to do so would have kept you all waiting for at least another month.
Many, many thanks to my outstanding beta, OzRatbag2, for her wonderful suggestions and work in making certain this chapter is readable. She has also been under the weather lately and still managed to return this chapter at record speed.
Last but definitely not least, my thanks to all of you who have reviewed and sent emails in support of this story. Rest assured that I plan to finish the story but it may be at a slower pace than what I am accustomed to with most of my stories.
Jules
