I was tempted to steal J.K.Rowling's characters, but since I am well educated and know, it is forbidden, I refrained. sigh

Dear Samantha-Kathy, thank you for being my beta and always returning the chapters so quickly.

At the end of the last chapter I introduced the new spy for Voldemort. My apologies to Hestia Jones; I needed a traitor.

WARNING! THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS TORTURE.

Chapter 7

The Death Eaters were gathered before their master. Lord Voldemort was in an extremely bad mood. Not that a good mood would prevent his followers from being ridiculed or hexed, but today nobody dared even look directly at him. An hour ago, Hestia Jones had approached him, unseen by the others, and told him what she had seen. Cold fury had welled up in him. The traitor would regret the day he was born.

Eventually, the Dark Lord focused his red eyes on Lucius Malfoy. "Lucius, dear friend, you have always been one of my most faithful servants. Come near." Lucius suppressed a smirk, dropped to his knees, kissing his master's robes, and rose again. The Dark Lord had finally realised that Severus Snape was no replacement for him and would reinstall him as his right hand man. "Lucius, in the past you have been very inventive about punishments for traitors; I would like to hear some of your good ideas."

Lucius chuckled. "Of course, my Lord. I have always found that just casting Unforgivables is not that amusing. I would only cast a Cruciatus at the beginning. As much as I detest Muggles, some of their torturing methods are really...amazing. Using a bullwhip on the traitor until there is no skin left, tearing out his tongue and finally dismembering him slowly, making sure that he is conscious; that might be the right punishment. I would also suggest this to be a main event at one of our festivities."

"You are quite right, my dear Lucius, this is the right punishment for a traitor. So you won't mind my final question: Where have you been yesterday in the evening?"

Lucius opened his mouth to speak, only to be hit by a Cruciatus Curse of his master. He looked up incredulously, crouching before Voldemort and crying in pain. "My Lord, what...I would never..."

Enough of your lies!" Voldemort roared. "We have a witness; you were seen. Fortunately, I have never told anybody of the other spy in the Order besides Severus." The Dark Lord beckoned Hestia Jones. The little witch chuckled, and Voldemort continued, "I have been suspicious for a rather long time that there was a traitor among us. I am sure your memory will also show what you have done. Legilimens!"

That could not be true. His memory would show... The Dark Lord narrowed his eyes triumphantly. "I have always known that you are a bad Occlumens. Your memory is evidence of your treason. You will be the leading character of our festivities today. I am sure my faithful servants will prepare you for the final amusement later on."

"My Lord, I cannot...I have never...that must be a misunderstanding!" Lucius sobbed and cried violently while he was dragged away by the other Death Eaters.

Oneperson knew exactly where Lucius Malfoy had been that night. Snape had invited him to his house in Spinner's End. Lucius had not dared decline the invitation of Lord Voldemort's new right hand man. Behind all his arrogant behaviour, he had always been a coward. Severus had watched him sitting down carefully on the threadbare armchair, anxious not to soil his robes. Malfoy had touched the glass of wine, Severus had offered him, with two fingers, wiping it with his handkerchief when he had thought Severus would not notice. He had been fool enough to drink the wine, which contained Sleeping Draught and a mind and memory altering potion. Severus had left him unconscious in the house.

The memory of Lucius Malfoy showed that he had met with the new Headmistress of Hogwarts. Hestia Jones did not know that she had not watched the real Professor McGonagall and the real Malfoy, and that everything had been a setup. Furthermore, Severus had killed two birds with one stone. He could tell Dumbledore that the spy in the Order was indeed Hestia Jones, as he had assumed.

Malfoy had not sensed Severus' hatred. Outwardly, Severus had shown the same demeanour as ever, composed and calm. Voldemort had not been the only one who had seen Malfoy's hateful glare towards Snape some days ago. Lucius had not even noticed Severus' intrusion in his mind, and Snape was too sly to let someone know what he had seen, but at that moment he had sworn that Malfoy's death would be painful.

Severus had always been a loner, and few people even knew that he had a sister. For her protection, she wore another name. Serenita was fifteen years younger than Severus, and in many aspects the opposite to him. She had black hair and white skin like her brother, but there the resemblance ended. Serenita Snape was a beautiful and delicate person, cheerful and confiding. Since the day she had beamed at her brother for the first time, he had been unable to resist her charm. He had found himself followed by a happy toddler and a cheerful girl every time he had come home. For reasons unknown, his parents had sent her to Beauxbatons instead of Hogwarts, and so it had remained nearly unknown that Snape had a sister. She was not that brilliant a witch, but her skills at Herbology were rather good. Serenita was not yet married and lived in a small cottage Snape had rented for her. In her garden, she had planted a large number of rare herbs and was happy that she could help her brother that way. She was the only person Severus could even laugh with, the only person he felt cherished by. His little sister's trust always made him feel kind of embarrassed; for her, he was the most trustworthy and honourable man in the world. Severus had not told her anything about his role as a spy in case their kinship would be discovered. He had asked her to trust him, and she did. She had been shocked when she had heard about her brother having killed Dumbledore. He had visited her shortly after the incident with the promise to explain everything later on. She had believed him.

Knowing that Malfoy was acquainted with her brother, Serenita had not been suspicious when he had appeared at her house, and she had lifted the wards. And then it had been too late. She did not know what Malfoy had done to her, did not even remember that he had been there. When Snape had visited his sister later in the afternoon and had pulled her in a hug, he had noticed a faint smell on her clothes, something he knew. He had also noticed a certain exhaustion in her face. But she had stated that she had been alone the whole day, and Severus knew that his sister would never lie to him, and had thought it a coincidence.

What he had seen in Malfoy' s memory had made Severus furious beyond imagination. It had cost him all his self-discipline to remain calm, but he had managed. He had known that his time would come.

The bloody lump which was dumped before Voldemort could hardly be recognised as a human being. His tongue had been torn out with a red-hot pincer, and his former fellow Death Eaters had taken turns in whipping him as brutally as they could. No skin was left on his muscles. His face was a mass of sheer raw flesh, his eyes not visible. Bellatrix Lestrange filled buckets with cold water and poured them over the lump that had once been Lucius Malfoy. The traitor would be conscious for the final punishment. Voldemort looked at Snape. "My dear Severus, I think you shall have the honour." He handed a big knife to Snape, who did not hesitate. He grabbed Lucius' cock and whispered in his ear, "This is for raping my sister, Malfoy!" before he began to cut pieces of flesh from Lucius' shaft and balls.

Hermione paced in her chambers. She was restless and unable to concentrate on her work. The simple potion she had wanted to prepare today, had failed. She had tried to read, but after having read the same sentence for three times without understanding a word, she gave up.

Severus had been called to Lord Voldemort. She did not know whether the trick with the Polyjuice had worked. What if Severus had been discovered a spy for Dumbledore? He had been ill. He was the best Occlumens she knew, but what if his shields were too weak now? Eventually she heard a meow, and a scratching at her door. When she opened, a rather ruffled black cat entered. When the figure shifted; and the form of Severus Snape appeared, she saw the blood on his robes and hands, and knew what had happened. Severus sat down, closing his eyes with exhaustion. After a while, he looked straight into her eyes.

"You know what I did, I made you help, and I enjoyed killing him. Can you honestly stand that?"

"Yes, I can. We are together in this. I don't understand everything, but I trust you. I don't know how to help you to carry your burden, but I will do everything I can."

Hermione knew it was wrong, but she sat down on the floor by his chair and cupped one of his long, graceful hands with one of her small ones.

She had touched him before, but this was different. She felt as if a current passed through her body, and she nearly pulled her hand away immediately. Hermione looked in Severus' face; he had an odd, absent-minded expression on his face. Had he felt it, too? No, he could not. Hermione was embarrassed and finally withdrew her hand back carefully, afraid to give away her feelings.

Severus worked hard not to jerk. When she touched his hands, his complete body reacted. The fine hairs on his body stood up, and he groaned inwardly.You have just killed a man and admitted that you enjoyed it. And there she sits, touching your hand as if you were a good person. Doesn't she realise what she does to you? All you want to do now is stripping her naked, kissing her everywhere, touching her everywhere...At first, you would trace her jaw with your fingers, would kiss her lips tenderly, your tongue would intrude into her mouth, she would respond passionately. You would cover her breasts with your thumbs and rub, until the nipples would pucker up. She would moan your name and caress your face. You would unbutton her blouse and unclasp her bra, taking her breasts into your hands, setting your mouth on the nipples, sucking on them...

"Severus?...Severus!"

He blinked and blinked again. Reality was different. She was sitting there, smiling at him. She had no clue of what he had thought right now. She was trusting like a child. But Severus also knew that it was more than lust. He was falling in love, but he also knew he could never tell her. He would not risk to lose this friendship because of his foolish wishes which would never come true.