WARNING: VIOLENCE AND LANGUAGE

Another update so soon! Freetime is really amazing, haha. These next chapters, while SUPER IMPORTANT, just aren't that pleasant, so I'm hoping to make it through the arc faster than others, while also being sure to get all the details the story needs to move forward. I'm hoping the action in these will help ya'll not hate me for being so mean to Penny!

Alright, enjoy the ride! Next update will likely be Monday because I'm sewing some cosplays this weekend. TOODLES!

Penny's feet collided with slick, freezing cement. Her feet screamed out in agony and her knees buckled, sending them skidding into the cement as well. Fleamont unstuck himself from her chest, vanishing before he hit the ground. Yaxley had not seemed to notice him, so Penny did not bring unnecessary attention to him, but she wasn't sure she could even if she wanted to.

Her shivering causing her to choke on the tears that'd finally broken through, Penny merely stared numbly ahead at the dark London street that was speckled with orange here and there. She did not care that her knees burned in agony, seeping blood from the collision; did not care that her feet were so numb by now that she couldn't feel them. All Penny was capable of processing was the horrible sense of hopelessness that was trying to convince her that her heart had stopped beating and air no longer reached her lungs. She stared into the void, seeing again a pair of dark, tortured eyes just out of arm's reach. In them she saw exactly how close she was, which also reaffirmed just how screwed she was.

There was not the slightest hope that once she entered the Department of Mysteries that anyone could save her. Yaxley knew this because Umbridge made sure of it. The idea that the system would take care of her, that maybe this time things wouldn't be so blatant made her want to laugh. Hadn't Uncle Vernon always said that the government was full of corruption and cronies doing the bidding for a few in power? Never trust them, that was his motto and why he felt entitled to dodge taxes.

Her rumination was interrupted by Yaxley, who stepped before her, blocking the sight of the street. Cocking his head, he looked down at her, his fat tongue wetting his lips as he did so

"I must say, even I wasn't prepared for how perfectly you would play into my hand," he said with a sigh of satisfaction. "You're truly something special, Penny. The way you apologized to him. Did you see his face? I've never felt so hard in my life. I've waited a long time to see that quiet, greasy bastard lose. And it's all because of you, doll."

Penny's jaw clenched as she watched the vile man, let his sickening words reach her ears, her chest heaving and body shaking.

With an awful smile he squatted down and pressed his calloused thumb to her cheek and wiped a tear from it to pull away and consider it for a long moment. "You, my darling, gave that to me. For that I'll be sure to reward you before I send what's left of you back to him. Oh how I wish I could see him relive that failure of his every time his eyes find your hollow shell. How I'd relish seeing what he desires most, destroy him," Yaxley said, and Penny wasn't entirely sure he was speaking to her anymore, his eyes fixed on the single tear resting on the tip of his thumb. But then his ugly blue eyes found her, and with the most exaggerated motion, he moved his thumb to his mouth and sucked her tear from his flesh, a horrible grin spreading across his putrid face when he'd finished.

All the hopeless fear had long evaporated from Penny as she listened to Yaxley gloat. Never before had she felt such hatred well in her chest, such a desire to see and make someone else suffer. It consumed her, moving her hand of its own volition toward one of the bricks that lined the garden beside her.

"You're pathetic," she breathed. "You think the likes of you can break us? You don't have the slightest inclination what you've gotten in between, but you will. When you think nothing can touch you, his hands will find you, and they will drag you into depths further than you can imagine. And you know he won't let it be over be quickly, he'll make you regret ever laying a hand on me. But don't worry I'll have my say first."

"Listen to you, the angel of his dreams defiling herself with such dirty language. You better clean out that mouth of yours or you might just find me tempted to see what the rest of you tastes like," he purred, taking her chin in his hand and leaning in close, much too close; if he wanted he could lean down and kiss her, his eyes looking down at her lips and considering exactly that.

And when his blue eyes looked away from her green, Penny saw her moment. Hand clamping around the brick, she yanked it from the dirt and smashed it into the side of Yaxley's head before he even realized what had happened. A guttural yell escaped his mouth, but the hands that made to protect his marred face were not fast enough and Penny had connected a second time, sending him tumbling in a bloody mess.

Heart hammering in her chest, Penny dropped the brick and scurried to her feet and began running as fast as she could down the street. She was not very fast with her injuries and she knew that in her current attire combined with the cold she would not get very far, but she could not stay motionless, could not, under any circumstances let Yaxley catch her.

While she was certain she'd broken enough bones in his face to make him suffer, she was not convinced that would keep him down, and he had the ability to use magic while Penny was stuck in the horrible collar that prevented her from using her expression while her wand had been left behind on her bedside table at Hogwarts. If only there were some way for her to contact someone, but wizards did not use phones, and surely no muggle would allow a beaten up girl in a collar to use their phone without calling the police first.

Pausing a moment behind a sign to catch her breath, Penny remembered there was person connected to the wizarding world who had a muggle telephone, Mrs. Figg! Penny and Harry had spent all of their former years being babysat by Mrs. Figg when their aunt and uncle did not want to include them in the things they did with Dudley. Though they thought Mrs. Figg was a strange old lady with too many cats, she'd been better company than the Dursleys. However, they didn't learn until last summer that she was in fact a squib and that Dumbledore had asked her to keep an eye on her and Harry all these years. Unfortunately, and to Harry's great displeasure, they only discovered this truth after Harry had been attacked by dementors during the summer when it'd come out he'd been being followed all summer.

Now, if Penny could find a way to sneak into one of the buildings nearby. This proved much more difficult than she anticipated. Though it was dark outside, it was not very late. The sun in winter typically set at four-ish and Penny knew that the Ministry of Magic was located in London, and the amount of people milling about told her it was probably just after supper time, meaning the buildings were full of people chatting, eating and were sure to notice her and her appearance. Because of this, Penny was forced into a back alley, squatting between two rubbish bins while she wrapped her feet in old paper that was used to wrap burgers. Hugging her knees to her chest, Penny took a deep, teeth chattering breath and tried to get a handle on her emotions.

Now was not the time to fall apart, to worry about her injuries or freezing to death. Now was the time for action, and the right action needed her to be on the top of her game. She thought of Sirius breaking out of Azkaban, eating rats and living as a dog and told herself she could accomplish this task. After all, she'd already gotten through the hard part, knocking that slimy greaseball on his ass. How she would have loved to continue hitting him, but the look of shock sufficed to appease the beast within her, for now.

Voices from the opposite of the alley sent Penny's heart back into a frenzy. A long beam of wand-light cut across the ground before her, just missing her feet. Holding her breath, Penny held very still.

"She can't have gone far, this place is crawling with muggles and according to Yaxley her appearance would assuredly prompt them to call those weird pigs they have."

"Pigs?" came a second voice that was nearer than the first.

"Isn't that what they call them? They carry those weird muggle wands."

"Oh, police."

"Yeah them, apparently headquarters is listening in, and nothing so far."

They were getting close, so close there was no way they would miss Penny. But she did not know what to do. Running was a sure-fire way to get them to both aim stunning spells at her and she certainly was not in tip-top dodging shape. But remaining was not an option either, she refused be captured again cowering in an alleyway. If they were going to take her, then they would drag her kicking and screaming.

Taking a deep breath, Penny prepared herself to spring to her feet, but a loud ruckus stopped her just shy. Something from the alley that t'd out from the one she was in had just caused a commotion that sent both men yelling in that direction. Poking her head over the bins, Penny watched them as she slowly backed out of the alley. They were preoccupied but if either looked back they would have a clear vision of her and she wanted to be sure to make it out unseen.

It appeared to Penny that whatever had caught their attention was leading them in the opposite direction and they had not yet ascertained what it was yet. Penny had the suspicious feeling that Fleamont had something to do with it. She couldn't help but smile at the thought of her cat, but she also felt worried for him and hoped no one caught him.

As soon as their wand light disappeared from view, Penny released the air she had been holding, all the tension in her body easing.

"I don't know why you're sighing in relief when you just let your only hope walk away," a familiar voice said, a large hand taking up residence on Penny's shoulder.

Jumping about two feet off the ground, Penny yelled in surprise, her head shooting around to find the rugged features of Nott looking back at her, a wide grin plastered to his dumb face. As if things couldn't get any worse, two more figures shrouded in long, black cloaks made their way toward them as Nott forced her around so he could get a better hold on her arms, which were like toothpicks in his massive grasp.

"Get off me!" Penny said, kicking and wrestling with her captor, but her efforts were little more than tickles to a man his size.

"How is it you always have a sense for these things, Nott," a handsomely dark-haired man Penny knew was Alecto said. Stepping up beside Nott, he smirked down at Penny, his startling blue eyes taking in her pathetic state. "This is what gave Yaxley the slip?" he continued in disbelief.

"She's the Potter bitch, what did you expect?" came the bored tones of Amycus, his eyes trailing lazily over Penny. Penny froze when their eyes met and his widened slightly as though he suddenly recognized her. Penny had to stop herself from instinctively reaching for her gut, where she could still feel the evil man's knife, but she couldn't help but think he noticed her twitch.

"Has a pair doesn't he, though. Did this to her under Snape's nose before dragging her right out of Hogwarts. Doesn't even have any shoes," said Alecto, sounding much too pleased for Penny's liking.

"Knows what he's doing, doesn't he? Probably intends to trade her for blowing a load in Snape's mouth," said Nott.

"Why would Snape want her?" Alecto asked, incredulously, giving Penny a disgusted once over.

"Poor Alecto, it seems you'll be last in line to fuck him, does that make you jealous?" Amycus said, unkindly.

"For Merlin's sake can you all shut the fuck up, you're worse than a group of fourth-year girls," Penny blurted out, her irritation getting the better of her.

All three pairs of eyes turned to her, each holding an expression of disbelief and some mild amusement.

"What? Did you think because you carry those grotesque masks and bark any time your master says to everyone would take you seriously?"

At these words Nott let out a roar of laughter that rumbled through his huge chest and into Penny, whom he still had a firm grip on. Alecto' eyes narrowed in irritation while Amycus' expression remained cold and emotionless.

"And what masks would you be referring to? Have we met before—you seem oddly familiar, Penelope Potter," Amycus said, ever so delicately as he looked at her, seeing more than she wanted him to.

Penny immediately regretted her stupidity. Not a single one was adorned as a Death Eater, and there was no real way for her to explain how she knew they were Death Eaters if they had not met before. Thankfully, however, the other two did not seem to be as clever as Amycus.

"I don't see why we can't cut out her tongue, she doesn't need that," growled Alecto.

"My girlfriend would disagree," Penny replied darkly.

"Don't tell me the fifteen-year old hurt your feelings, dear brother,'' drawled Amycus, losing interest in Penny in favor of tormenting his brother while Nott erupted again in a bark of laughter, apparently appreciating Penny's sentiment. She couldn't help but ogle the oversized man and appreciate his good sense of humor. He was so unlike his awful son, but being his size Penny imagined he didn't feel the need to overcompensate by being an ass at all times like Theodore.

"I grow tired of your mood, Amycus. This is why we are still licking boots, because you care nothing for our reputation—"

"No, I simply have little patience for your incessant need to pretend your cock isn't the size of a breakfast sausage. This girl is a Potter , she is worth far more than you care to let your obsession with Snape admit."

The brothers looked on the verge of a fight, which Penny highly welcomed, however Nott had regained his composure and turned to them, placing his other hand on Alecto's chest. "He's just trying to get under your skin, but he has a point. Let's take this bitch back before she freezes to death, we know Yaxley is offering a very generous reward, and we want to make it there before Severus shows up," Nott said, his voice deep and authoritative.

"As it turns out, I'm quite busy tonight, so if you'd get your brutish hands off me. . ." Penny said through gritted teeth as she tried again to twist free of Nott's grip.

"We couldn't leave a precious thing like you out here on your lonesome. Not my friends here think our master would love nothing more than for us to introduce you, little dove," Alecto said, a soft finger sliding across her cheek as a cruel grin spread across his handsome mouth.

Apparently her face betrayed the fear in her chest because Amycus let out a mirthless laugh that startled all three of them.

"I have no intention of going with you," Penny said, her voice so steady she even impressed herself. She did not know where she found the confidence, because her insides felt none of it.

"Oh? And how exactly do you intend to stop us?" Alecto said, softly, leaning in close to her face as his finger swept from her cheek to brush her lips in the most delicate, threatening manner.

"Take off this collar and I'll show you," Penny breathed, hoping very much that her assumptions about his prideful nature proved true.

Amycus seemed to worry about precisely the same thing Penny was trying to prey upon, and with a wordless spell he sent cords spiraling around Penny. They twisted from her ankles to her mouth, nearly sending her collapsing to the ground, but he caught her just in time, his hazel eyes fixed on his much prettier brother.

"She'll travel with me so you don't make the same mistake as Yaxley."

Alecto watched Penny flounder in his brother's arms for a moment before looking up and giving an irritated curl of his lip, but he made no complaints and instead with a loud crack disappeared into the night air with Nott. Something large was forced over Penny's head, obscuring her vision and she again was dragged in side-along apparition, her feet this time hitting gravel.

Though she wanted very much to yell in pain, the cords in her mouth stopped her, and Amycus was not worried in the slightest about her comfort and much in the fashion of Yaxley, dragged her along behind him in silence. They traveled for sometime before Penny's toes, which had to have frostbite at this point, met the warmth of indoors. Though she knew it was welcome, she could barely contain her sobs at the searing pain the new temperatures evoked. It left her little mental space to process where exactly they were taking her, though there could be little debate about who their master was. In the span of a single night Penny would go from her warm bed at Hogwarts to London, to being thrown at the feet of Lord Voldemort. This was some serious shit luck as far as she was concerned, and she just hoped she did not end the night in the grave.

It was this reality that finally made her ponder how it was she had come to escape the Dark Lord's company a year prior when she'd come to be his prisoner. When she'd gained her memories back, the horror of what she'd witnessed had drowned out any thoughts she might have spared for exactly how she escaped. That fact alone could drastically change how the Dark Lord greeted her, which got her wondering, who had altered her memories? At this point, Penny preferred her prospects with Yaxley and sorely regretted ever running away.

"Oi, Yaxley, we found something of yours," Alecto said loudly.

A moment later Penny was thrown unkindly to the hard floor, and with no hands to catch herself, she landed hard on her face. She rolled herself over to better breathe just as the hood was torn off, and Yaxley looked down at her, the left side of his face still purple and blue, though it looked as though someone had tried to mend it. In his eyes she saw all the things he intended to do to her to make her pay for such a slight.

"It was a good effort, love, but we'll be going now, and you'll sorely be regretting it," Yaxley said in a hoarse voice, raising his wand.

Instead of some spell hitting Penny as she'd anticipated, energy from her collar began pulsing through her body as though it were electrocuting her. The pain was what she imagined a million pins and needles burning their way through her flesh might feel like, and sent her into convulsions. They kept coming with such ferocity Penny wasn't sure how long she'd manage to stay conscious for. With another way of his wand, the pain was gone and Penny became acutely aware of how the room was filled with a horrible laughter, all eyes watching her, very much enjoying her agony. She would never escape this place in one piece without a bloody miracle.

But their laughter came to an abrupt stop and Yaxley looked up when the doors to the hall they were in burst open and three people walked in. A look of annoyance replacing the vindictiveness, Yaxley got to his feet, the shiny shoes stopping just shy of Penny. She looked up to see three flesh-like Death Eater masks covering the faces of the individuals, their eye holes grossly large, betraying the fact it was a mask.

Sweeping the hoods from their heads in a graceful motion, the masks disappeared revealing the identities of the individuals. Front and center stood Snape who did not so much as spare a glance for Penny. Rather, his murderous gaze was fixed on Yaxley, who met it with a casual smirk, his right foot pressed squarely on Penny's chest. To Snape's right stood Lucius Malfoy, looking annoyed as per usual. And to the other side was a brown-haired man around Snape's age that Penny did not know the name of.

"Lucius, Avery, what a pleasant surprise," Yaxley smiled, not bothering to take his gaze from Snape.

"Honestly, Yaxley, did you have to drag the filth inside, Narcissa just bought this carpet," Lucius said, giving Penny a look of utmost disgust.

"My apologies, Lucius. Our young friend here decided to give me some trouble," Yaxley replied, inclining his head ever so slightly in Malfoy's direction.

The cold black eyes trailed lazily along Yaxley's face, stopping on the ugly bruise and smirking. "Why does it not surprise me that you can't handle a little girl," Snape's cold voice said.

"I admit, I underestimated her. But no matter, she's muzzled now," replied Yaxley, giving Penny such a hard kick to her side that made her eyes burn with pain and tears.

His dark eyes not so much as blinking, Snape's wand was on Yaxley, Alecto and Amycus' out a split second later while Nott stood looking conflicted.

"Pulling a wand on a brother? You know the master won't tolerate that," Yaxley said, not bothering to draw his own wand. "Are you really going to support such a blatant transgression?" he added, looking from Avery to Lucius.

Taking out his own wand and pointing it straight at Amycus, Avery replied, "Not a soul here would disagree that was a provocation."

Yaxley turned to Lucius with his eyebrow raised, causing Lucius to give an impatient sigh, "What do you expect from me Corban, that was blatant." However, like Nott, Lucius also did not draw his wand

"You know full-well, Severus, she is coming with me, or are you going to argue we blow my cover and reveal everything for this brat? In which case I look forward to watching the Dark Lord kill you himself."

"You always did lack imagination, Yaxley," Snape said softly, looking past the ugly man and at the door opening behind him before falling to his knees.

Every other person followed suit as two sets of steps trailed into the room.

"Wormtail tells me that lest I join you immediately, a duel is likely to break out. So, come tell me, who is bold enough to attempt such a foolhardy act of treason, hmm?" a high-pitched, cold voice said, A voice that sent a horrible tingle up Penny's spine and made her more afraid than she had been all night.

Lifting his head ever so slightly, Snape's gaze found Penny, quickly taking in every inch of her battered frame before a stealthy hand reached out and grasped hers momentarily. And then he was standing and saying "My Lord, I confess, it was I who drew my wand first."

"Severus?" Voldemort said, sounding surprised. "Why would my most useful servant be at odds with his brothers?"

"Brother, my Lord," Snape replied, bowing his head. "I have no qualms with any other than Yaxley."

"Stand, Corban," came Voldemort's voice. "Before I allow Severus to continue, did you have any inclination that you had wronged your brother?"

"I knew that he disagreed with my work with the Department of Mysteries, my Lord," Yaxley said.

"And what brought you to that conclusion?" questioned Voldemort, sounding much closer now.

"As you well know, the work I do is delicate and we recently have made some much needed progress."

"Yes, I am told that Fenrir Greyback's contributions have paid off immensely. But why would Severus oppose what he knows pleases me, when he has always served me faithfully?"

"Because of Penny Potter, my Lord."

Silence blared through the room, Snape remaining remarkably motionless. If she hadn't witnessed it, Penny would not believe the man was capable of not arguing, and yet, here he stood, allowing Yaxley to frame the entire situation without so much as a scowl.

"Penelope Potter?" Voldemort repeated, softly. "And what does she have to do with this?"

"As you are aware, the girl is known to be named among those gifted with expression. After experiments last year, it was her magical essence that became the central ingredient for the potion that allowed me—"

"I see," Voldemort cut across. "That will be all, Corban. Severus, knowing how important Corban's work is to my goals, how do you explain yourself? What interest could you have in a Potter?"

"Thank you, my Lord. What Yaxley failed to mention was how he purposefully compromised my position at Hogwarts by working with Dolores Umbridge to forcibly remove Potter from the premises last evening."

"Is that so?" the cold voice hissed.

Yaxley's lack of a response was a blaring yes that prompted Snape to continue.

"Having had no communications with Yaxley myself, I was forced to fabricate a reason when Dumbledore returned, a fabrication that could later prove untrue and compromise your goals."

"What is your response, Corban?"

"Master, the only reason—"

"A yes or no will suffice."

"But Master—"

"Did you or did you not remove Penelope Potter from Hogwarts without first speaking with Severus?" Voldemort said in his most dangerous tone.

"I-I did, at Dolores Umbridge's request," Yaxley replied quickly, sounding uneasy.

"And where is Penelope now?"

All eyes turned to look at Penny, who closed her own, wishing very much she could apparate away to safety, but instead the soft footsteps echoed through the room, getting closer until they stood right over her and she was forced to open her eyes and meet the red ones looking back at her.

She was trapped in them, her whole body shaking in fear as she watched him take her in, her heart stopping when a small smirk played at the corners of his lips. To her horror, he knelt down, an unnaturally long finger stopping just shy of her nose for a moment, and then he touched it, horrible pain erupting in her head, blinding her when he did so, making her scream like a child, uncaring how pathetic she looked or sounded, she just wanted to be free of his flesh. And then as soon as it had started, it was gone, Voldemort stepping over her to breach Snape's bubble.

Snape looked down, not meeting his master's gaze until commanded, Voldemort considering him as the snickers at Penny's pain slowly trickled away.

"You have never idly come before me, my useful servant, what is it you seek?"

"The girl, my Lord. I-I desire her."

"I do not see why you cannot have her once Corban is finished," pressed Voldemort.

"I desire to marry her," Snape said more forcefully than Penny imagined he meant to. The words elicited very vocal responses all around the room, the most notable being Lucius's "Honestly!" But none of them seemed to deter Snape, and he continued unperturbed. " If Yaxley were to lay his hands on her, we can all agree there—" but Snape could not finish the sentence.

After an agonizingly long moment of the snake-like man watching the emotions war inside of her Professor, Voldemort turned to Avery, "And you Avery, what do you think of this request?"

"My Lord, we all know what happens to the things Yaxley touches. I think Severus did right seeking your wise intercession."

"What about you Lucius, my most trusted?" Voldemort continued, stepping toward the handsome, blonde haired man.

Lucius was the only one to look up into his master's eyes. "My Lord, forgive me, but I speak as a man who can understand that Corban's work is necessary, but also what Severus seeks—I was once a man in that position until Narcissa and Draco. I do not pretend to understand his choice," Lucius said, shooting a dirty look at Penny, "But I can attest, sometimes, we do not have much of a say, and I would point out that Yaxley has already been married to Lisette for many years now."

Red eyes again turned to Penny, watching her with an unnatural need not to blink, Voldemort apparently lost in his own thoughts. Then he turned back to Snape, "A spitting image of her mother, is she not?"

A curt nod.

"You desired her as well."

Another nod.

"Do not think I have forgotten your request for the mother, to spare her so she could be yours. And yet she chose to die for her son instead," Voldemort said, turning back to Penny, Snape remaining motionless, his eyes fixed on the marble floor.

"But Penelope is very unlike her mother, wouldn't you agree?" he continued, a soft smile playing on the nonexistent lips. "She quakes before me in fear, desperate to live at any cost. An entirely different creature—I see it all in her mind. I imagine it's your doing, my useful servant."

Looking up, black eyes met red, and Snape held them, not a single emotion he may have felt being betrayed, and yet, Voldemort looked satisfied. "I should let Yaxley destroy her, she is a Potter after all. But our Penelope, she is special, is she not?" he said, turning back to the rest of the room.

The room grunted in agreement, more out of coercion than any concrete belief. "The power of Grindelwald in a young impressionable mind that is so devoted to our Severus, what arguments would you make against this?"

Silence reverberated off the walls, but Penny saw Yaxley stir ever so slightly, and apparently Voldemort did too. "Speak."

"My Lord, if I do not show up with Potter in the next hour, Dolores Umbridge will ask questions, Dumbledore will ask questions," Yaxley said, sounding like a desperate man for the first time in Penny's life.

"My conundrum. You see. the ministry has so kindly ignored my return, but kidnapping a Potter, well that will hardly go uncontested. So what am I to do?"

"My Lord, if you will it, perhaps—" Snape offered, Voldemort turning back to him.

"Go on."

"Potter must go with Yaxley, but if he would make the unbreakable vow and swear to return her to Hogwarts whole and untouched perhaps then—"

"Your brother has offered a compromise, Corban, a most reasonable compromise," whispered Voldemort.

Yaxley looked up, his ugly blue eyes finding the black ones that smirked back at him, knowing exactly the position he found himself. For a half-second they held that gaze, animosity blazing like fire between them and then Yaxley turned to Voldemort and said, "If it is what my Lord wishes, of course."

Clapping his hands together ominously, as though that settled it, Voldemort beckoned the two forward where they grasped each other's hand, Voldemort removing his wand and muttering over them.

"Do you swear, Corban Yaxley, to never lay a finger on Penelope Potter that is not necessary for the procurement of that which serves our Lord?"

"I swear it."

"And do you swear never to violate her with yourself or any other object, knowing she is destined to be the future wife of your beloved brother?"

A pause, black boring into blue.

"I swear it," Yaxley forced out.

As these words left Yaxley's mouth a thin tongue of brilliant flames issued from Voldemort's wand and wound its way around their hands like a red-hot wire. It burned brightly for a few seconds and then disappeared, the two men letting go of the other as soon as they were able.

"Now, before you take Penelope with you, Corban, I will speak to her privately. Severus, you will bring her to my chambers," said Voldemort, trailing back the way he'd come and leaving everyone in the room standing in awkward silence.

The first to move was Snape, who waved his wand over Penny releasing her of her binds.

"Don't m-make me," Penny pleaded, so terrified of being forced alone into a room with Voldemort that she clung to Snape's collar.

Everyone around them was watching them, giving Penny a look of utmost intrigue, as though what had occurred had changed everything entirely. But to Penny, none of it had penetrated her brain, except the fact she would be handed back to Yaxley and had to see Voldemort,

"You will obey your Lord," was Snape's only reply as he pried her hands from him and began mending her feet before moving to her ribs. Realizing time was short, he tended only to that which prevented her movement, conjured shoes and winter robes and forced them onto her before dragging her to her feet.

"You're a fucking idiot and I swear I'll never forgive you," Penny finally managed as they stood staring at each other, Snape's hand holding her as though he were afraid she would float away never to return were he to let go. Everyone in the room around them snickered under their breath, everyone except Yaxley and Malfoy. The former looking murderous and the latter looking as though a very foul stench lingered beneath his nose. Snape on the other hand did not even look annoyed, rather he took in all of her as though she were the last person on the planet, something that both terrified and broke her heart as she remembered how much pain she must have caused him; understood how much trouble he'd just gotten himself into for putting his neck out for her.

"I didn't believe you were capable of such stupidity, Severus—you are an old friend, always good to Draco, but I swear to Merlin, if she does not give you five sons. . ." spat Lucius.

Snape ignored him, his eyes still fixed on Penny, boring into her brain in an attempt to convey all that which could not be said because of their audience.

"Well this explains why you never wanted any of the whores. You really are a sick fuck," Alecto accused, looking oddly satisfied with himself until his eyes found Penny and an unreasonable rage replaced it.

"You've played your cards, Severus," Yaxley said, sounding more pleased than he should at such a moment. "You had a good thing going, and then you fucked it for a cunt," he cackled, moving toward the alcohol, Lucius following after him and pouring them both very large glasses of a golden liquid.

Too cowardly to turn back to Snape, and unable to hold Alecto's gaze a moment longer, Penny's eyes found Amycus looking at her, a new-found intrigue playing on his loathsome face. In place of the cold boredom was a look that pierced her very soul. And into this look, Amycus poured all his cruelty, malice, and intentions to ruin her life. He was determined to unearth one secret that would undo her and Snape both.

Unsettled and terrified, she turned back to the tall man, resisting the urge to cry and fall into his frame like the pathetic mess her insides knew she was, and instead she grabbed his hand with her shaking one, her green eyes begging to understand why he'd done it, why he'd risked himself for her. But the features looking back at her betrayed no regret nor a shred of fear. They were filled with a resolution that was emanating from him so strongly that there could be no doubt—Severus Snape, no matter the consequences believed he'd made the right choice, one he would make a million times over.

To Penny's despair, she finally understood why he had spent so much time pushing her away. Because when it came down to it, Severus Snape would not only risk his life for her, he would risk the outcome of the war, all because he could not stop himself. More than anything, since Penny had come crashing into his life that bizarre afternoon in her first year at Hogwarts, Snape wanted not only to keep her safe, but to be a part of that which brought her happiness, even if the world burned around them.

Black eyes hardening, closing off this awful, singular truth that could ruin everything, he took Penny by the upper arm and dragged her toward the door Voldemort had exited from, knowing full well he was forcing them both to confront that which could destroy everything they'd built with a single stroke of his wand.

1. It was very satisfying making Penny beat Yaxley with a brick, I won't lie.

2. On the one hand, you have to give it to Snape for tying Yaxley's hands, but he is going to get seriously chewed out by Penny for just assuming he can claim her without her say lol. Good luck there budddy. 3

Hope you all have a good weekend !