"Severus, if you can find the Durselys for me, you get to continue living your life." Harry heard it, most likely he'd do something about it. Either I could strike a deal, or he'd decide who dies. "One way or another, I will have them. Your life just hangs in the balance."
"NO!" Harry shoved me from Severus and stood between us. "I won't let you!"
"Respect, Harry."
"Yes, My Lord." Severus answered.
"Professor, you don't have to do this." I grabbed his chin, forcefully. How dare he try to interfere. Oh well. I expected as much from the savior of the light. I would expect nothing less from Dumbledore's Golden Boy or something would be wrong with him. Or he might have been darker than I thought.
(Harry POV)
I didn't want anyone to suffer. The tormentor was, as always, Tom himself. I ran over, shoving him, even if he only took a step back, and stood between them. Snape was agreeing anyway. Voldemort had grabbed my chin. It hurt when he grabbed me, now I couldn't turn away from him.
"Who shall it be then Harry? Snape? Or the Durselys?"
"Neither!" He smiled at me, the smile was anything but friendly.
"You must choose Harry."
"Why? Because you're a psychopathic mass murderer who likes watching people suffer?"
"The word is sadistic, Harry. You need to expand your vocabulary. Choose one. Unless you are willing to give me something to save the other. Severus, stay until this matter is attended to." What could I possibly give him? I was willing to give anything to save them all.
"Yes My Lord."
"What do you want?" I was hoping for a guideline or a base to start from.
"I want your respect."
"My respect? Are you crazy?! You killed my parents!"
"Severus and Peter both helped me in that endeavor. Did you not Severus?" I knew that already. Why was he bringing it up?
"I gave the prophecy to the Dark Lord, Potter. Something I am ashamed of, and had I known what would have happened that night…" He looked horrified he was saying that but he couldn't look me in the eye. I didn't know what to feel, what to say.
"I still want to keep them both safe." I turned back around to Voldemort. "Just because you're not getting what you want doesn't mean you can kill people because of it!"
"I suppose your choice is Severus then? Despite what he has done? The deal still stands Harry."
"Fine! You can have my respect!" There are two definitions weren't there? So he kind of had it already.
"Very well, Severus today is your lucky day. Harry, you have proven to me you still care for Muggles. Even the ones who abused you. I agree on keeping Severus alive. The Muggles, I could care less for. Severus, prove you can be useful." I looked at Snape. "Harry, hold out your left hand." I hesitated. "Now." I grudgingly obeyed and he snatched my wrist. Was he giving me the Dark Mark? "Severus come inspect this scar." Snape walked up and looked at my hand. Voldemort was talking about my scar from Umbridge. 'I must not tell lies.' I struggled to yank it away from them. As far as I knew the only ones who knew of it were only students.
"It is a scar from, I believe, his fifth year."
"Is there a way to take the scar away? A potion in your stores? Instead of cutting it off for a new hand?" At that, I struggled harder and Snape's eyes flew to Voldemort's face.
"My Lord, Essence of Dittany may be used, but the wound would have to be reopened." Reopened?! I tried ending my struggles just to pull harder. How strong was this man? He looked at me and I returned his stare with a glare. He smirked at me.
"Which would you prefer? Cut off or cut open?"
"Neither! Since when does Voldemort hand out freebies?"
"Since you have become important to Lord Voldemort. Do not worry about the freebies, there will be no more after this. Otherwise, how will you grow to be the perfect Slytherin? Or semi-perfect. I am the perfect example. If the next words you speak is not a choice proffered to you, the Dark Lord shall choose your fate."
"Why should I trust you?"
"Cut open it is. Severus, do what you will with the boy." He let go and walked out of the room. I watched him go, angry about what was happening without my consent. He didn't answer the question, so I couldn't trust him. He killed my parents, tricked Pettigrew into betraying my parents…
Snape Disapparated before coming back with a tiny blade and a vial of Essence Of Dittany. I think.
"Professor? You're not going to… let him keep me here are you?"
"You don't have a choice. If he wants to keep you, he will keep you."
"I don't have one- or you won't give me one?"
"Harry? Stop talking. I can hear you." I gasped at the pain in my hand as Snape reopened my scar. He applied the Dittany before forcing some down my throat and then let go. I watched as the wound covered over and there was no hint of the words, no hint of Umbridge.
"Good, Severus. Now go find those Muggles. A fortnight is all I shall give. Just so we are clear, if you find them you might get to live and if you do not? … Then you will die and the Muggles will be found by Bellatrix. You know how she feels about Muggles." Snape Disapparated.
"You said you wouldn't kill them!"
"Exactly, I said I would not kill them. I never said a word about not torturing either of them."
"It was implied."
"Was it really? Answer this Harry. What is worse? The Killing Curse or the Cruciatus Curse?"
"Ministry wise?"
"The Ministry cannot tell the difference."
"The Killing Curse, of course."
"Correct, you are dismissed Harry."
"What about my respect?"
"Other ways are possible." I walked up the stairs into my room, tempted to stomp and break his things but thought better of it. That would have been childish.
–
I was sneaking downstairs right now. I was going to try my luck with trying to escape. However when I reached the bottom of the stairs I heard Tom's voice and I jumped before calming myself down. I took a deep breath. He might not know what I'm doing yet. I'll just use the back door.
"What are you doing up Harry? Did I not tell you to go to bed after finishing your reading?" He'd came up and handed me another book after an hour of my 'pouting' as he called it. I was not pouting! I was just furious with that snake bastard. "Respect me Harry. I really am getting tired of your disrespect." Oh yeah. He can read my mind…
"I was just going to-" Then I remembered. He probably knew what I was really doing and I didn't really have a chance of lying to him anyway. He could tell when people were lying and he could read my mind. "-leave. I have no purpose here anyway."
/Good luck out there./ Was all he said. I stared at him surprised. Nagini lifted herself up off his lap and looked at him.
/Is Master sure about that decision?/
/Nagini you cannot eat him. If he wants to leave then let him. I will find him again later./ I walked cautiously to the front door and unlocked the front door, watching him as I did so. He wasn't even watching me. Was he really just going to let me leave that easily?! Or is he playing a trick. I opened the door and looked outside with hope.
It's only a step away, freedom is only a step away! I can't wait! I tried to run outside but something flung me backwards. I landed hard on my backside and the next second the door closed. I scratched my head and stood up. I walked back to the door and opened it again. I tried to place my foot outside but my foot was gently shoved back. I groaned.
"You put up a barrier, you snake loving bastard!"
"Did you really think that I was going to let you go that easily? I finally got my hands on you. You were foolish to continue once you heard me tell you that you could. I am Lord Voldemort and I will not let go of you Harry Potter."
"Tom Riddle, your name is Tom Riddle. You can't keep me here against my will! That's against the law!"
"Harry, I am the law. Now."
"Not the Muggle law!"
"Do you really want to have Muggles killed just because you want to try to get away from me?" I gulped. No! I didn't, was- that was exactly why he was bringing it up. I just realized he has sarcasm. I closed the door and tried hard to Apparate. Good news, I did Apparate. Bad news, I ended up next to Voldemort. I got up and stormed back to my room. There was no way to run away from him was there? "No use in trying the windows Harry!" I tried a window anyway. He was right. I was blocked out that way too. What was I going to do?