OLD MAGIC

Chapter 36: Traps within Traps

Drinking a cup of tea with his feet up, Snape stared into the flames within his fireplace. He'd just finished the onerous task of grading papers, very few had passed his rigorous standards. His mind, though, wasn't on the dismal efforts of his students. A special guest had dropped by leaving him an important message. Wine had appeared at his side with a missive in his jaws. How he'd gotten into Snape's quarters, he knew not nor cared. The warning he'd brought was far more important. After saying farewell to the kneazle who had wasted no time departing, Snape contemplated what this night would mean to him for the future.

At last. Freedom is near at hand and when the rest of his minions are arrested or dead, I can finally reveal the game I was forced to play in this ruinous war. I cannot wait to see the guilty looks on all those sanctimonious faces who thought I was working with that abomination. A brief smile teased his lips as he dreamed of the day.

I think I will quit teaching. I so hated being forced to deal with idiot children who cared not one whit about potions, though there were a few brilliant exceptions, however, not enough of them to subject myself to the rest of the dunderheads any longer. No, it's time for me to do what I've been wanting to do for years . . . bury myself in pure research with the hopes of developing some of the potions I've been thinking about these many years. Who knows what cures I could develop when it is the only task before me. I don't even care if my name fails to be vindicated. Let them think the worst of me if they are so small-minded. Just the thought of doing what I truly love is thanks enough, plus the money I'll make doing it.

Anticipation warmed a place in his heart that had been cold for a long time. But daydreams faded as he reminded himself the Dark Lord hadn't yet been defeated. And if there were a misstep in the plans tonight that evil could still kill him and those he cared about.

He sat up straight and set his cup down with a loud clatter. No! I must prevent that from happening. Perhaps I should increase our chances with a few weapons of my own. With that in mind, he rose to his feet leaving his empty cup behind as he hurriedly made for his lab.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~o~

It was an hour before moonrise when a furtive figure hurried across the starlit grounds in the direction of the Whomping Willow. Voldemort goaded his hapless slave toward the forest taking the most direct route, though he did insure Quirrell carefully avoided the willow's outstretched limbs that had a nasty habit of pounding the unwary into the ground for getting too close. Within moments, Quirrell's walking dead body vanished within the dark forest.

As they made their way toward the spot where the final end to all his plans would take place, Voldemort occupied himself with what he intended to do once this bit of tedious business had been taken care of the outcome of which would give him a body of his own. He could almost taste victory as he made his slave weave between the trees and step over logs. His evil mind was filled with dreams of taking control of the weak-minded wizarding world then the muggle one thereafter. The world would tremble beneath his terrible power. And the first step toward that goal must succeed tonight.

In preparation, he'd slipped away the evening before to search and capture the bait he required for his trap. It had taken more effort than he'd desired and longer than he'd anticipated but by midnight, he'd succeeded. Though he'd been furious at not finding a single unicorn, he had succeeded in finding a suitable alternative. Now he was ready to use it to set his devious and clever trap. Having already put about the rumor that a unicorn was injured in the forest where Potter could hear, he was certain the troublesome brat's overburdening curiosity would push the boy out here to see if it were true and right into Voldemort's hands at last.

Only a few minutes more and he finally reached the small clearing only 30 feet within the forest. Voldemort allowed Professor Quirrell to pause a moment to create a small light with his wand. Only the thinnest of moonlight managed to pierce the stygian darkness beneath the forest canopy and he didn't want his slave to make any kind of mistake setting the trap. Unwillingly, Quirrell's body walked across the clearing eventually halting at the base of a huge oak tree where an ugly creature was restrained to it by thick chains . . . a creature not normally seen in England.

The bit of soul that still remained of Professor Quirrell could only mentally shudder at the thing staring balefully at him. It sickened him to know he'd been a party to killing two unicorns and was hardily glad the creatures had decided to vacate the area. But what Voldemort had found to use for his trap instead was far worse.

The thing was known as a Bicorne. It had been spelled into silence so though it's fanged mouth was wide open to roar it's defiance no sound was uttered, which only made it more furious. The beast was said to be of demonic origins and was known to eat human flesh. After involuntarily helping to capture the thing yesterday evening, he well believed those tales. It had been a harrowing and deadly encounter that he had wished had ended in his death but he'd not been so fortunate. Voldemort's power and control over him were absolute.

Returning his attention to the Bicorne, he studied the ugly thing more closely. It was a hodge-podge of creatures with only a nodding resemblance to any of them. The first thing grabbing one's attention was the very distorted, ugly face of a human female with eyes that were solid black. Then there was the wicked set of short pointed horns that only vaguely resembled a unicorn's emerging from its forehead. Thick, tangled, gray hair covered its head and fell in dirty waves to it's massive shoulders and a pair of pointed ears with tufts of fur on the tips, pushed through the mess. It stood nearly four feet high at the shoulders and had a long, vaguely panther-like body (though chubby rather than sleek) that was covered in thick, but short, dark fur. Its four big paws sported deadly retractable claws like a cat that, at the moment, were digging into the ground in its agitation. A thick fur-covered tail that had a prehensile tip like a possum whipped behind it in agitation. The only reason anyone would even seek out one of these things was for their horns which were just as valuable as a unicorn's. One of the more important potions they were used for was making polyjuice.

Quirrell's attention was jerked back to the reason he was here when Voldemort made him turn around and remove the turban that covered the other face he hid. Once able to see, Voldemort smiled at the nasty thing snarling at him with pleasure and malice.

"You know what to do," he said coldly, sick pleasure oozing from his voice.

With no choice, Quirrell turned back around and stunned the creature with his wand, watching dispassionately as it fell to the ground, unconscious. Tucking his wand in a tree crevice to provide light over the creature, he then moved forward to unchain the Bicorne before pulling a long, sharp knife from a hidden sheath beneath his robe. With an economy of movement, he neatly sliced the creature's throat from ear to ear, carefully avoiding the vomiting black stream that shot out. Then he retrieved his wand and waited.

"Excellent! Now the trap is set. Back to the castle! The boy should be leaving very soon and I don't want to miss him." Voldemort stared at his handiwork for the length of time it took Quirrell to wrap and hide his face once more. Nothing should interfere with his plans now he thought smugly as the body he rode retrieved the chain then returned quickly to the castle.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Watching from above, hiding among the thick leaves of the oak tree, Wine hissed mentally in disgust at the smell of death. He had no love for the Bicorne but did feel sorry for the way it had suffered and died. He'd followed Quirrell when the man left the castle and observed everything while maintaining his invisibility and a safe distance so the evil thing didn't detect him. Now, as he watched Quirrell disappear from view, he decided to remain in the woods rather than follow. Climbing down, he avoided the dead body and hurried through the dark woods.

By now the moon was up and slowly rising above the horizon, it's light shining brightly on the grounds of Hogwarts. But within the forest the darkness held sway. However, it hindered Wine not at all, his eyes adapting easily to the dimness allowing him to traverse the minefield of thick undergrowth surefootedly.

As he neared his destination, his ears and nose picked up the horsy scent of Centaurs, as well as the scents of other forest denizens on the evening air. Pushing his way through a shielding thicket, he came upon the ones he sought.

A cluster of Centaurs stood in a tight group murmuring to each other in their own language. The others ... a giant, elves, and the elders of the forest, plus Hagrid who stood further away, spoke in tones low enough to merely sound like the wind sighing through the trees.

Suddenly, one of the centaurs raised his head to sniff the air, others joined him and many heads turned his way.

He'd been discovered.

"We have a visitor," the first centaur announced.

With no further reason to remain hidden, Wine allowed his body to appear.

"Ahh, it's our little spy. Good evening, Wine," Magorian, the leader of the centaurs, greeted the kneazle. "What news do ye bring?"

Sitting down between the two groups who were now eyeing him intently, Wine used the sign language designed for his kind among the forest dwellers to tell them of what he'd witnessed.

Rumbles of displeasure issued forth from the listeners when he'd finished.

"Bad business this is but at least the poor beastie served its purpose and didn't suffer long. We need to finish up and be ready for the lad to arrive as well as that foul thing. Professor Snape should be along soon as well," Hagrid warned the others.

The oldest of the elders nodded agreement and in silence, the group converged to work on the final workings of the spell they had all pinned their hopes on while Hagrid stepped away to do a final check of his own preparations.

Walking toward a section of woods, Hagrid plunged in only a few feet before halting. Wine, who had taken refuge in one of the half giant's pockets in his thick, shaggy overcoat to avoid getting stepped on, eyed the trees above warily.

He had reason for being nervous. Dangling from a cluster of nearby oaks like bits of ungainly fruit and swaying a little in the light evening breeze were hundreds of baby Acromantula. The kneazle's fur rose in tension at being so near these creatures. He didn't like the things one bit even though he knew they wouldn't attack him. They were just hungry eating machines that he was wise enough to avoid whenever he was in the forest. He was hardily glad they could be controlled by Hagrid.

When the Acromantula were in place, Hagrid smiled in grim satisfaction before returning to the group. He would be hardily glad when this night's work was done.

A sudden smirk touched his lips briefly as he stepped into place beside the other elders. Once their enemy was gone peace would be theirs but not for long. His thoughts strayed toward a certain young wizard who intended to shake up that peace. If the wizards thought things had been rough under the past dark wizards wait until they learned the harsh truths young Harry would impart to them about the true danger of what muggles represented to the world at large including themselves and what the boy planned to do about it.

He nearly laughed out loud at the thought of how the ministry incompetents would react but things were too dire at this moment for levity. With a mental sigh, he pulled his mind back to the work at hand. The clock was running and how it would all end only fate knew.

~o~o~o~o~o~o~

Nerves made Harry jumpy and tense as evening began to grow older. It was nearly time for him to pretend to be foolish enough to go out into the forest at night. But there was one more thing he needed to do right this moment.

Insuring he was alone in the boy's dorm, he reached out to Professor Snape. His mental knock was answered almost immediately.

"Yes?"

"Using Professor Quirrell, Voldemort insured I'd hear him talk about an injured unicorn just as we thought he would. I've already sent Wine ahead to warn Hagrid. You should probably be off soon, sir."

"Agreed. I'm just finishing some preparations of my own. Be careful lad. We'll do all to protect you but you must stay alert."

"I will, sir. Do not worry. See you soon." Harry closed the connection between them and began slowly counting the time until he could safely slip out of the dorm and out of the castle. He spent the time preparing himself and fervently praying that all their plans succeeded.

Meanwhile another student was making his secret way to Snape's quarters. None had seen Draco slip out of the Slytherin dorm except the entry guard painting but, thanks to Harry, it knew Draco had permission to leave any time he needed to. He had made sure he didn't abuse that privilege. Hurrying down the corridor toward the potion's lab, he encountered no one, much to his relief. At the potion's classroom door he whispered the spell that would allow him access past his Godfather's ward. It shimmered a moment then went out. Draco quickly opened the door and slipped inside resetting the ward behind him.

Racing through the classroom, he reached the private lab beyond, opened the door and was surprised to see his Godfather there rather than in his quarters at this time of night. Snape was just as surprised to see him and obviously not happy about it.

"Why are you here?" Snape demanded.

"I'm sorry Severus but it was urgent that I see you. I heard something very disturbing in the library tonight that I thought you should know about." Quickly the boy described the strange conversation he'd heard.

Snape sighed mentally. This was not good. He really didn't have time to deal with his Godson right now, time was slipping away and he needed to be off. However, if he told Draco nothing the boy might take it into his head to follow.

"I don't really have time to discuss this with you right now, Draco. I'll explain things when I get back I promise ..." he began.

"But Severus I'm certain something bad is going to happen ..."

"Yes, something is but I and others know all about it and are dealing with it tonight. Thank you for telling me about this though. However, I really must go. Get back to the dorm and say nothing about this to anyone." Snape pushed his Godson out of the lab and through the classroom until they reached the door leading out to the corridor.

"But I'm sure Harry's in danger too!" Draco objected, dragging his feet.

"Yes, he is. It's a trap for him but we already knew about it and are taking care of it. Now go!"

That only made Draco even more worried but he knew very well once his Godfather had made a decision there was no changing it. Since he didn't know what exactly was going on, he did realize interfering might make things worse so with a heavy heart he complied but still balked before opening the door to the corridor.

"Whatever you're up to tonight, Severus, please be careful and keep Harry safe too."

A warm smile he'd never show to anyone else flashed briefly across Snape's lips before disappearing. Giving Draco a quick, strong hug for comfort, he said softly into the boy's ear, "I promise I will do everything I can to come out of this alive and Harry too."

Releasing the boy, Snape opened the door, peered out to see if the coast was clear then urged Draco to leave. Giving his Godfather a last worried look, Draco turned away and slipped out, disappearing down the corridor at a soft-footed run.

Shaking his head, Snape sighed, stepped out, shut the door and set his wards again before hurrying in the opposite direction from his Godson. Time to put an end to the terror in their lives.