Back at the restaurant, Bill and Severina had finished their meal and were leaving. The sky was clear, stars twinkling bright. The slowly began the trek back to Hogwarts. They walked close, talking quietly. "So, shall we do this again?"
Severina looked up at him. "I don't see why we can't." A smirk crossed her features. "Should we survive my father when he finds out."
"I'm sure by that time, Remus will have him eating out of the palm of his hand. He'll be too busy to care."
She laughed and looked to the sky. "I have the urge to go flying. Pity I don't have my broom."
"Maybe next time."
She nodded. "Why did you ask me to come to dinner with you?" She had been wondering since he had.
"I liked you…"
"Liked? Should I think that you don't now?" She smirked at him again.
"I liked you from the first time we talked, is that better?" He smiled at her.
"I have liked, is what you mean, I believe." She winked at him. "Alright, then, why have you liked me?"
"You seem honest and upfront about everything. Who you are… What you like and don't…"
"There are a lot of women like that. That waitress back there that…"
"Did I mention the beautiful thing?" He grinned broadly.
"Yes, I believe you did," she agreed.
"Okay then."
"Which part of your body are you thinking with, Mr. Weasley?" She looked at him smugly, as only a Snape could.
"Whatever part won't get me in trouble." He looked at her hopeful.
"Well, we'll investigate that later." She took his hand. "So, what is it you do for Gringotts, exactly?"
"Curse breaker."
"Not what I've heard through the very little gossip I get."
"What have you heard?'
"Oh, treasure hunter and such."
"If you say so." He shrugged.
Severina rolled her eyes, giving him a look. "Well, you look like one." She flicked his earring. "You need something a bit more trendy."
He pulled his head away from her reach. "Lay off the earring. I like it just as it is."
"Touchy, aren't you?"
"Not really."
She frowned slightly and looked away. "Right."
"Now I've gone and upset you." He thought a moment. "Let's see how to make it up to you."
"I don't know…" She bit her lip. He was just too charming to stay mad at.
"Can I kiss you?"
She raised her head quickly. "Something tells me you are fully capable," she said as she recovered. "The question is, may you."
"Okay… May I kiss you?"
Severina tilted her head to the right then the left. "I suppose so."
"Good." Bill leaned down and kissed her… on the cheek. She rolled her eyes.
"For such a smooth talker, that was a let down." She smiled up at him.
"Well, when I get to find out where that other piercing is, we'll see about a proper kiss." He smiled back, devilishly.
"Oh, so blackmail, is it?"
"No, something to look forward to."
She pouted. "Fine, but don't expect to wait too long if all works out well." They had come to the out edge of town. The atmosphere seemed to change. Severina stopped walking.
"What is it?" Bill was more alert.
"I don't know. Maybe nothing, but my father has always taught me to be alert."
"Then let's get back to the school quickly." She nodded. They picked up their pace and hurried toward Hogwarts. They had not made it very far when they were surrounded by Death Eaters. Bill reached for his wand.
"Don't, Weasley!" The one that was at the fore ordered. He stepped closer, the stark white mask hiding his face. "We want the girl, nothing more."
"You can have her over my dead body."
"That can be arranged." The leader raised his wand.
"No!" Severina stepped between them. "Don't hurt him."
"Severina, don't," Bill pleaded.
"I won't let anyone be hurt for me." She stepped toward the head man. "You have to let him go."
"He is free to leave, but you are coming with us." She nodded and looked down after glancing at Bill.
"I am not going anywhere." Bill glared at the Death Eaters.
"Bill…" Severina started, looking at him sadly.
"What do you plan to do against all of us?" The leader asked smugly.
"You're not going with them alone," Bill told Severina.
"You want to go as well? You wish to see our lord?" The man thought a minute. "One less Weasley will not hurt this world. Take him, too."
"Bill, don't…"
"Not leaving you."
"Why? Someone needs to let Dumbledore know."
"All the more reason for him to come along." The man placed a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sure your father will tell the headmaster… once Voldemort lets him go. If the lord tells him, that is." She gasped and jerked against the man's grip. She caught Bill's eye as he glanced at her necklace. She nodded, understanding.
"Harry? Harry, can you hear me?"
Harry sat upright on his bed. "Vena?" He asked out loud.
"Harry, I… we need you. They found me, Harry. They are taking me to Voldemort. They have Bill, too."
"What do you want me to do? Get Snape? Dumbledore?"
"Get someone, Harry."
"I will. Hold on. We'll come get you." Harry jumped out of bed and rushed through the halls toward Dumbledore's office. On the way there, he ran into Professor McGonagall.
"Mr. Potter, what are you racing through the halls for?"
"They have her!"
"Who have whom?" She feared she knew by the look in his eyes.
"Death Eaters! They have Vena, and Bill."
"Come." She rushed with him to Dumbledore's office, muttering the password as they arrived. They rushed up the stairs, not taking the time to let them carry them.
Dumbledore looked up, startled, as the rushed in. "What has happened?"
Minerva motioned Harry to explain. She was slightly out of breath. "Death Eaters… They have Vena and Bill Weasley."
"Oh my. This is not good. Severus left for a meeting some time ago. If Voldemort," Minerva flinched, "has both of them… Did she say where she was?"
"Um…No, just to get someone. I can try to get her." Albus nodded for him to try. Harry closed his eyes. "Vena?"
"Harry?"
"Where are you?"
"We were in Hogsmeade. The have blindfolded us. I'm not sure…"
"She doesn't know. They are blindfolded."
Albus sighed. They had little chance of catching up to the Death Eaters, or finding them. His musings were interrupted as his stairway started to move. All three of them looked toward it and watched. Severus soon came through the door, banged up and bloody. His complexion was paler than normal. Minerva quickly led Snape to a chair and made him comfortable. "He let you go?" Albus asked. "I must say I am surprised."
"He said he had bigger plans for me." Severus' voice was rough, patchy.
"He did not mention what they were?" Albus frowned. What was Voldemort up to if he was not keeping them both? Something was off, he could feel it in his old bones. Why had he not kept Severus to watch what he had planned, to share in whatever was to befall Severina?
"No, just that my treachery would be paid for."
"Severus…" How could he tell the man that his one and only child was in the hands of the man that had caused all his current injuries?
Something in Albus' tone made Severus sit up taller. "What is it?" His gut twisted as he thought about what it could be.
"Minerva would you owl the Weasleys?" Minerva handed Severus the water she had just retrieved him and nodded, leaving the room. Albus looked back to Severus. "I do not wish to have to tell you this…"
"Tell me what?" Severus demanded. He eyed both Albus and Harry, who he had just registered was in the room.
"They have take Severina and William Weasley."
Severus wobbled to his feet, dropping the cup of water. "What? Where? We have to get her… He'll kill her." Neither Harry or Albus, who had known Severus for much longer, had ever seen the look that graced the potion master's face.
Albus raised a hand. "Sit down, Severus. You are in no condition to go anywhere. We don't know where they currently are or where they are taking her."
"She is my daughter! If you won't help her, I'll go by myself."
"Severus, I know how much you care for your daughter." Albus looked over to Harry. "Harry, retrieve Remus." Harry nodded and with a 'yes, sir' ran out the door. "We will do all we can, Severus. You are not alone in this."
"We aren't doing anything right now! We need to be out there looking for her!" Severus grimaced as he disturbed his wounds.
"Where? Bill will not let anything to happen to her without dieing himself. We can't jump in blind!" Albus put a hand on Severus' arm. "You need to calm down, Severus."
"I cannot sit here and do nothing while she is out there maybe injured or worse!" He pulled his arm from Dumbledore's grasp. "I've seen first hand what they can do."
"What are you going to do?"
"I don't know. Anything to get my daughter back alive and well."
"Where will you look?" Albus tried to put logic to use against the despair Severus was feeling.
"Go to him, ask for forgiveness, tell him I was wrong, to take me instead. She has nothing to do with it."
"Do you honestly think he is where he was when you saw him?"
"No, but I will find him. I must."
Albus looked up as Harry and Severus entered. Remus immediately moved to Severus' side and took a firm grip on the man's shoulder. "What are we going to do?" He looked between Snape and Dumbledore. Severus just looked up at him, surprised he seemed to be on his side. They needed to do something, not wait. "Don't look at me like that. I'll help you however I can."
"There isn't anything we can do until she can tell me where she is," Harry reminded them. Snape's attention was drawn to him.
"There has to be something we can do?" Remus looked from Harry to Dumbledore, who shook his head sadly. "Dammit, that's not fair!"
"No shit, Sherlock," Harry drawled.
Remus frowned at him. "What… Never mind, now is not the time. We must find a way… Is there a way to do a location spell with that stone?" Remus looked to Albus in hope. Dumbledore shook his head. Remus felt like throwing something at the headmaster. What good was the old coot then? His hand was going unnoticed by both Snape and Remus where it still sat on Snape's shoulder. Remus felt awful seeing Snape sitting with a sad look of defeat on his face. He knelt down beside Severus. "We'll figure out something, Sev. We'll get her back alive and well."
"I'm going to lose the only thing worth living for." He looked Remus in the eye.
"No! We… I won't let that happen to you, Sev. I swear with my life, if no one else does, I will get her back for you." Severus just continued to stare at him, not saying anything. Remus wanted to take Severus into his arms, but was not about to. He just held onto the man's arm to give him support. Dumbledore sat, thinking. He had no idea what to do. Harry wished there was something he could do, but knew that there really was not. They had to wait until Severina could give him more clues to where she was. He felt useless, like they all did.
