Severus quietly opened the door to his bedroom again and summoned a shirt, putting it on as fast as possible. His mind going through all possible scenarios of what Kingsley would do to Sophie. Torture her. Sell her. Abuse her. Kill her.
He looked at his mother again and blinked, trying to focus on the present.
"Do you want me to call Poppy, mom?"
"No, dear." Eileen shook her head. "No need for that. I've had worse, as you very well know."
He nodded, "And Chris?"
"I'm here." He heard the soft voice of his youngest son. "I'm sorry I didn't save Sophie, dad."
Severus' heart broke for his sweet boy. He walked to him and pulled him into a tight hug.
"No, Chris. It's not your fault. You were very brave, son." He kissed the boy's forehead. "Are you hurt?"
"No, dad, I'm fine."
Severus breathed and looked at his mother, "I'll ask Melody to bring you two some breakfast. You should rest."
Eileen nodded and went into the bedroom with Christopher, while Severus turned and ran down the corridor to Granger's room – where he knew James was.
He quickly undid all the advanced wards his son had put on the door and barged into the room.
"James!" He bellowed, "Get up! Now!"
"What the fuck, DAD?" James sat up, throwing the covers over Hermione's naked body.
"Get up!" Severus ordered. "Sophie was kidnapped!"
It took three seconds for James still-awakening brain to assimilate what he had said.
"What? WHAT?" he shouted, getting up fast and summoning his clothes. "How?"
"Shacklebolt." Severus replied, looking at the bed at the covered witch who looked at them with concerned amber eyes. "Get dressed, Granger. We might need your brain downstairs." Then he looked at James again. "Warn your brother I'm going there. I don't want to scare Fred." And he left the room.
James nodded, already dressed.
Nicholas! He sent his twin with all the mental strength he had.
What the hell, James? Nicholas replied angrily. You just scared the shit out of me! Grandfather better be in the living room to justify you giving me a heart attack!
Dad's going there to wake you up. Sophie was kidnapped!
What? How? He paused before adding: Dad's here. I heard him knocking.
Nice. You get knocks. James sounded annoyed. I got him barging into the room.
You didn't ward the door? Wait. Nevermind. He just passed through my wards here as well.
The man is able to duel against mom, Nick. Our wards are nothing for him.
Who took Sophie, James?
James growled: The auror Remus didn't let us kill.
Severus reached the living room to find a few people already in there looking angry and confused. Every one fell silent when they saw the three Snapes and Hermione walk into the room.
"How did he escape?" Severus asked, contained fury straining his voice.
Remus took a step forward. "I'm afraid I underestimated him, Severus. He spent the night working on breaking the wards I had cast on his door, it certainly took him all night to do that without a wand but... he managed to escape this morning."
Then, Bill Weasley spoke: "I was in the kitchen when I heard someone in the living room. I walked in here and heard them on the stairs."
"That I don't understand: why would he go upstairs instead of running outside?" Asked Remus, confused.
"That I can help you understand, Lupin." said Severus, his voice strained by contained fury. "He went upstairs to kidnap my daughter."
There was a collective gasp.
"Elizabeth?" Asked Remus, worried.
Severus shook his head slowly: "Sophie. He attacked Christopher and my mother and took my daughter from her arms."
"Holy shit." Murmured Arthur, horrified.
"How are grandma and Chris?" James asked, concerned.
"He's angry but unharmed. She is bruised and wallowing in guilt."
"If we had killed the auror last night." Said James bitterly, looking at Remus. "None of his would've happened!"
The man looked at him, his green eyes filled with regret: "I couldn't let you do that, James. He was my friend."
Severus looked at him and then at the other three people there. "I know you're all friends with Shacklebolt, but he's a dead man. The moment I put my hands on him, he won't live to see another day."
And they all nodded.
"I won't stop you, Severus." Remus said. "I'll even help you."
"And how is Florence taking this?" asked Molly.
Severus sighed, "She doesn't know. And I want to keep it that way for now." He looked at his sons.
The twins looked from their father to each other.
Mom will be furious when she learns he hid this from her. Said Nicholas.
James snorted: That's an understatement.
"I foresee some hexing in your future, dad." James said out loud.
Severus glared at his son, "You know she'll want to go after Sophie!"
"But she can't." Said Hermione, understanding why he wasn't telling his wife anything.
"Exactly, Miss Granger. Now we need to find out where the auror took my daughter!"
"The Tracking Spell!" Said James, looking at his brother. "The one we used to find mom and dad once."
"Yes." Agreed Nick. "It was easy to cast and we used it successfully."
"What do you need to cast it?" asked Hermione.
"Just a mirror, a crystal bowl and a silver knife." Said James.
And the three of them went looking for those objects to cast the spell.
An hour later, at the Malfoy Manor
A very tired Narcissa Malfoy was walking around her big house, checking the elves' work and the food that was being prepared for lunch.
She walked out of the kitchens and was on her way upstairs to lie down on her son's bedroom – the room she had begun occupying a couple of days before, unable to stand sharing a bed with Lucius anymore.
Her life had turned for the worse after Draco had been taken by the Order of the Phoenix a week ago. Her only solace was to know he was fine, for she knew Florence and Severus wouldn't let any harm befall him.
Narcissa was walking up the sumptuous staircase towards the second floor, when, suddenly, she heard footsteps and shouts coming from the entrance hall. But she didn't stop walking, that wasn't unusual lately; since the Snatchers – Dirty disgusting men, all of them – had begun using her house as a hotel, sleeping and eating there as if they had every right to walk those halls, loud and violent noises had become commonplace inside those walls.
Narcissa had never wished to leave her house before – but lately that was all she thought about.
But the unexpected sound of a child's cry brought her back to the present and had her walking back downstairs fast.
Why would a child be brought here? She wondered, fearfully.
She walked into the first floor living room and was shocked to see a cute brown-haired toddler screaming and fighting furiously against Lucius' hold on her left arm.
"Lucius!" Narcissa exclaimed. "Who's that?"
"Well, this is a very happy surprise, wife." He smiled maliciously, looking at the angry toddler. "The Snatchers found an auror near the Order's safe house, he was wounded and dragging her around. They took her and let the auror go."
"Why?" Narcissa asked, failing to understand the logic behind that. "How could a child be more valuable than an auror's life?"
"That's because she's not just any child; apparently, this is Snape's youngest kid." Lucius said, a smile that couldn't be called anything but evil in his face as he looked at the little girl.
Sophie bit his arm then and he let go of her, the toddler fell onto the floor and ran to hide behind the sofa, looking at them with fear.
"Stupid little chit!" Lucius growled, touching his bitten arm. "I'll call the Dark Lord here to tell him about her. Meanwhile, make yourself useful, Narcissa: take her upstairs and keep her there! Do not let her out of your sight!" he ordered.
Narcissa nodded and walked to the toddler, looking more attentively at her and easily recognizing Florence's hair and eye colours.
She kneeled beside the girl, who was still behind the sofa. "Hello, little one." She said, softly. "I'm Narcissa. I'm a friend of your mother's. Perhaps you know my son: Draco."
That had Sophie turning her teary green eyes to her: "Liz's Dray?" she asked in a small voice.
"Yes." Narcissa smiled. "I'm his mom." She reached out a hand to the girl: "Can I pick you up? I'll take you upstairs to his room, there are a lot of toys there."
Sophie looked at her silently, frowning, clearly not fully trusting the woman .
Narcissa laughed.
"You may look just like your mother, but that expression is all your father's."
Sophie seemed to want to believe her: "You really know my mommy and daddy?"
"Yes, I do. Your mom was my best friend growing up. And your dad is my son's godfather."
"Uncle Moony is my godfather." Sophie told her, in that cute toddler-way of offering unrequired information. Then she looked at Lucius Malfoy and back at the woman near her.
Narcissa realized that, as scared as the little girl was, she seemed to have inherited her father's analytical brain for it looked like she was weighing her options.
"Can we go up there and play?" she asked Narcissa.
"Yes. Of course."
Then Sophie nodded and Narcissa picked her up, turning to her husband: "I'll take her to Draco's room." She hesitated. "Why is she here, Lucius?"
"Snape will come for her and then we'll kill him." He replied as if it was obvious. "Afterwards, the little brat will probably become Nagini's snack."
An unexpected soft pop let them know someone had apparated inside the large living room.
Narcissa tightened her arms around the little girl, holding her protectively, eying the two new-arrivals, the Dark Lord and his snake, warily.
"You called me, Lucius?" asked Voldemort, irritation clear in his voice.
"My Lord." Said Lucius falling onto one knee. "I have information that I'm sure my Lord will want to know: according to ex-auror Shacklebolt, that," he pointed at the girl in Narcissa's arms. "Is Snape's youngest daughter, Sophie."
"A daughter?" Voldemort seemed surprised as he turned to look at the girl, expecting to find a newborn baby but seeing a toddler. "So they also lied about not having more kids." He approached Narcissa, touching the little girl's arm with uncharacteristic tenderness. "How old are you, sweetie?"
Sophie lifted her head from Narcissa's shoulder and looked at him; her bottom lip trembled and her green eyes – the same shade of the ophidian man's eyes in front of her – filled up with tears; still she replied, weakly: "I'm almost three, sir. My party is next week."
"And your name is Sophie?" whispered Voldemort, touching her tear-stained cheek, noticing how the girl didn't flinch.
Sophie just nodded and stared at him, not really knowing what to make of him; even though he looked hideous and scary, he didn't act as violently as the blond man that had taken her there.
Voldemort smiled, "She looks exactly like Florence when she was a kid. And her name... sweet Sophie." He said in a strange soft tone. "Florence named her daughter after her mother." he caressed Sophie's hair once more, clearly having made a decision. "Narcissa, take Sophie upstairs. It's your job to look after her from now on."
Narcissa gulped and nodded, turning around and walking upstairs.
"We'll be using her as bait," continued Voldemort. "However, we're not giving the girl back. When Severus come for her, we'll kill him and I'll keep Sophie."
Narcissa had stopped on her way upstairs to hear the Lord's plans to the toddler in her arms, as soon as they stopped talking, she walked fast to her son's bedroom. In there, she put Sophie on the floor near a beautifully carved toy chest and quickly warded the door.
"Holy shit!" she gasped, looking at Sophie who was picking up some toys to play. "Your mom must be desperate!" she thought of what she could do next.
"Mommy didn't see the bad man... he hurt my brother and my grandma..." Sophie said, finding a stuffed hippogriff in the toy chest and sitting to play with it, smiling as it began flying around her.
"The man hurt Nicholas or James?" Narcissa frowned, finding that odd, for she had heard more than enough about the twins incredible dueling skills.
Sophie shook her head. "No. Chris. The man hurt Chris."
Narcissa gaped, another brother? "So there are five of you?" She asked, counting them: "The twins, Elizabeth, Christopher and you?"
Sophie nodded. "Yes. And mom has Lily and Stephen in her belly."
Narcissa chuckled, surprised, "Your dad has certainly kept Flor busy."
The little girl looked at Narcissa, and her eyes filled with tears again: "I want my mommy, ma'am." She murmured, rubbing her eyes with one hand and hugging the old hippogriff with the other.
"I know, honey." Narcissa kissed her forehead, hearing a rumbling noise coming from the kid's stomach. "Are you hungry, dear?"
Sophie nodded, "Yes. The man didn't give me food."
"Ok, I'll ask the elves for some food for you. And I promise I'll think of a way to return you to your mom, alright?"
Sophie just nodded, looking at the stuffed hippogriff again and Narcissa called one of the elves, wondering how exactly she'd do what she had just promised.
Back at the Order's Headquarters
After eating breakfast in the room and taking a pain potion, Eileen walked downstairs with Christopher to find that the meeting to decide what they'd do to find Sophie had already ended.
"Grandma." Said James, seeing them first and getting up. "How are you?"
"Fine, dear. It was just some punches..." she looked at him and her eyes filed with tears, her bottom lip trembling. "But he took her from me, Jamie... from my arms."
"It was not your fault, grandma." He pulled her into a hug, hearing her cry on his shoulder.
Nick approached them too, touching Chris' head. "And you, bro? Are you hurt?"
The brown-haired ten-year-old boy shook his head. "No." His expression angry and sad. "But I wasn't strong enough, Nick."
"That's not what I heard, Chris." Said Nicholas, trying to cheer him up.
"He was so brave." Said Eileen, looking at Chris. "He hit that man with a strong curse."
"You did great, man." Praised James, hugging him too.
"Where's Flor?" asked Eileen, being hugged by Nicholas.
"Dad hasn't told mom yet." he commented.
Eileen grimaced. "Your father likes to make a difficult situation harder. Florence will find out somehow and she'll be furious."
"That," said James. "Is one of those things that is their problem – something I'm constantly reminded of to not meddle in."
"That," said Eileen, seeing right through him. "Is just another way of saying that you don't want to be subjected to your mother's wrath when she finds out."
James shrugged, "I have my own angry lady to appease now." He glanced at Hermione.
"What is being done regarding the auror?" Asked Eileen.
"Tonks and some others are looking for him." Explained James. "And we cast a blood tracking spell, trying to find Sophie, but it didn't work."
Nick continued: "Dad says that wherever Sophie is, it has to be a warded place."
"Fuck." Cursed Eileen, even more concerned. "Do you think your grandfather has her?"
"It's not impossible." James replied, "The auror was hurt. Nick, Draco and I did considerable damage to him last night – between that and the fact he spent the night undoing Remus' wards, he couldn't have had the energy to apparate far."
"Specially not after Chris hit him too." added Nick, trying once more to cheer his little brother.
"Yes. And we know the Snatchers are patrolling the neighbourhood so... Yes, there's a chance Sophie is with grandfather."
An hour later
Florence had woken up to an empty bed and the watchful eyes of Tiffany.
"Morning, Tiff. Where's Severus?"
"Downstairs, Mistress." Tiffany replied, approaching the bed. "Does my Mistress need help to get up to walk to the loo?"
"Yes, thanks, Tiff." Florence narrowed her eyes, noticing that her elf wasn't acting her usual self.
Once Florence had finished her morning routine in the bathroom, she walked back into the bedroom and sighed, annoyed at that situation.
"I can tell you're hiding something, Tiffany, and as my husband isn't here, I know he is the one who told you to not tell me whatever it is you're hiding. Now, I'm ordering you to tell me what is happening."
And for the first time ever, Tiffany refused a direct order from her. The elf just shook her head and sighed, saying: "Tiffany is sorry, Mistress Flor, but Master Severus has ordered Tiffany with the most important family task in a long long time," her green eyes were filled with pride. "To look after Tiffany's Mistress and the two little babies inside of Mistress: Master Stephen and Mistress Lily-Rose."
Florence frowned, "And for that reason you can't tell me why my husband isn't here? Not even when I order you to?"
Tiffany shook her head again. "Tiffany can't, Mistress. Tiffany's duty to the well-being of the family is bigger than Tiffany's duty to her Mistress alone."
Florence couldn't believe what she was hearing, "Right now, I'd rather you still hated Severus." she replied, sitting on the bed, already feeling a little dizzy.
Severus? She called through their bond. What's happening?
And for a moment Florence thought he wasn't close enough to hear her, but then he replied: Nothing, princess, don't worry. Just relax and I'll have Melody bring you some breakfast.
She chuckled, Don't play me for a fool, Severus. I know you're using Occlumency to hide something from me. And even if I didn't, my ever loyal house-elf has just denied a direct order to tell me what's going on.
She did? He sounded relieved and surprised.
Yes, some duty to the family bullshit.
Good. He replied with obvious satisfaction. Go rest, Florence.
You'd better come here to tell me what's happening, husband, or I'll come after you.
You can't walk too much, Florence! And Tiffany won't let you open the door!
Tiffany won't do shit if she's unconscious.
Severus fell silent, not doubting she'd put their elf in a coma.
Have your breakfast and I'll be there as soon as I can. He replied at last.
You have until lunchtime, Severus.
Downstairs
The twins saw their father close his eyes and sigh.
"Mom is awake?" James asked.
"Yes." Severus nodded. "And she already knows something is up. Tiffany's refused an order to tell her what's happening."
"Wow." Exclaimed Nicholas, surprised. "That's huge. I didn't know elves could do that."
Severus explained, "Apparently they can when the life of a family member is in danger. In your mother's case, three lives are."
Right then the front door was opened and three people walked in, throwing someone with a bag over their head onto the living room floor; whoever that was, considering the ripped and stained state of their clothes, it was clear they hadn't had the best of times lately.
Severus walked to the prisoner and pulled the bag off, smiling when he saw the bruised face of exactly man he wanted to see.
"Shacklebolt." He growled, putting the bag on his head again and telling the twins. "Take him to the basement."
Kingsley Shacklebolt sat on the stone floor with his back against the wall, his head on his hands as he pondered what was there left for him to do; he was wounded and wandless, he hadn't eaten anything in the past fifteen hours and if he took Snape's smile from minutes ago into consideration, he knew he wasn't getting out of there alive.
The door was opened and the man he had just thought about walked in – that would be the last person he was going to see before he died, Kingsley knew.
Severus walked in with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, his Dark Mark showing as he strutted straight to Shacklebolt and, without a word, picked him up from the floor, punching him brutally five times before letting him go.
The man fell onto the floor, wheezing, feeling three of his ribs were broken.
Severus forced him to stand up against the wall and stuck his wand on Kingsley's throat.
"I'm only asking this once." Severus' voice was soft and dangerous. "If you do not give me a satisfying answer, every thirty minutes for the next five hours someone is coming down here to beat you up."
Shacklebolt trembled.
Then Severus asked: "Where is my daughter?"
"Snatchers took her from me." Kingsley replied honestly with a shrug, knowing that his lack of concern would irritate the man in front of him more. "I took your brat and apparated to a nearby street. But the little shit wouldn't stop screaming, so the Snatchers found us. I told them she was yours and they let me go in exchange for her." He gave a malicious smile, "Scabior was very excited to be putting his hands on her."
Severus felt the cold prickle of fear run up his spine and took a few steps back, running his hands through his hair, taking a couple of deep breaths. The Snatchers had his daughter – Scabior had his daughter!
He didn't want to think what they could have already done to her.
Shacklebolt dared to laugh: "I had to save myself; I'm sure you understand."
Severus turned to look at him and attacked, punching the auror in blind rage, repeatedly; all he saw was the sweet face of his daughter and all he thought about was the pain she could be going through at that very moment.
He had no idea for how long he punched the man, but the moment James and Nicholas pulled him out of that room, Shacklebolt was long dead, his blood staining the floor, splashed on the wall and on Severus' clothes.
The twins helped him to the sofa in the living room and scourgifyied his blood-stained clothes.
"What did you find out, dad?" James asked, worried about him.
"The Snatchers have Sophie." Severus said, his voice heavy with angst, fear and anger making him shake.
"What? Shit!" Exclaimed Nick.
"Who do the Snatchers answer to?" asked Remus. "Where would they take her?"
"They answer only to Bellatrix or the Lord himself." Said Severus, still disturbed by the many possible scenarios playing in his mind. "So that means... they either took her to Little Hangleton or Wiltshire."
"Wiltshire?" asked Nicholas. "The Malfoy Manor?"
"Yes." Severus nodded slowly, struggling through his concern and anger to keep his mental barriers up to hide his thoughts from Florence. "I don't know how high Lucius has climbed inside the organization after my cover was blown. But if he has any power over the Snatchers and they told him about your sister... He'd certainly want her."
"What do you think they'll do to Sophie, dad?" James asked, fear in his voice.
Severus shook his head, "I don't want to think about that, son."
And a heavy silence filled the room.
At the Malfoy Manor
Narcissa watched over Sophie as the little girl ate, smiling at the toddler's perfect table manners.
"That used to be my son's favourite toy." Narcissa commented, pointing at the stuffed hippogriff the girl hadn't let go of since she'd found. "Your father gave Draco that for his fourth birthday."
"Dad gave Dray this?" Sophie smiled weakly, touching it and thinking of her parents. "I like it. It's so cute and fluffy."
Narcissa chuckled, "That's what Draco named it: Fluffy."
Sophie sipped some of her orange juice and finished the sandwich and the pieces of melon the elves had taken to her, then she turned her green eyes to Narcissa, pulling the stuffed hippogriff more closely. "Will I have to stay here much more, Auntie Cissy?"
"Oh, sweetie, I hope not. I'm still thinking of how to put my plan into practice. But I'll do it as soon as possible."
Sophie silently nodded and rubbed her eyes, feeling a little sleepy after eating.
Narcissa helped her get comfortable under the covers of Draco's bed and lay down beside the toddler, caressing her soft brown hair.
Then the sound of an elf apparating into the room took Narcissa by surprise.
"Ottis came to pick up the breakfast tray, Mistress Narcissa." Explained the elf.
"Yes, Ottis." She whispered. "You just surprised me, that's all."
And she sat up on the bed, looking at the elf and realizing that although she failed to see how she could send Sophie back to her mother, there was a way to send Florence a message to let her know at least that her daughter was safe.
Back at the Order's Headquarters
Florence sat on the bed, reading a book Tiffany had got her from home, but finding out it was impossible to focus on the words in front of her.
It was half past ten and Severus had yet to go there to explain to her what was going on in the Order.
She had started to fear that whatever it was, it had something to do with their kids, for none of them had showed up in the room that morning to check on her – which was very suspicious for they were caring kids, they'd want to see how she was after being attacked.
Florence picked up her wand and was about to put Tiffany in a coma when a noise on the window caught her and Tiffany's attention.
"It's an owl." Florence said, curious to know who would be sending her a letter, for all Order members used the Patronus as a message medium.
Tiffany opened the window and retrieved the letter from the owl's leg, sending the bird on its way.
Florence immediately noticed her elf wasn't going to give her the envelope, so she asked: "Who is it for, Tiff?"
"I'll take it to Master Severus." Replied Tiffany.
"Is it addressed to him, Tiffany?" Florence was beginning to get really annoyed with the elf's deference to Severus' orders of keeping her in the dark.
"No, Mistress." The elf was unable to lie, since that answer didn't put Florence at risk.
"So give the letter to me, Tiffany." Florence ordered.
But Tiffany resisted, her little body trembling violently; she wasn't sure the letter would harm her Mistress therefore not obeying her could mean disloyalty and Tiffany had never felt that before.
"Tiffany, give me that letter!" Florence stood in front of the elf, her hand open, waiting for her to obey her order.
But Tiffany just whimpered, her hand closing tightly around the letter as she still resisted.
Florence had never used magic against her before, but she decided to do it then, accioing the letter from Tiffany's hands and looking at her through narrowed eyes.
"I bet whatever I'm about to read in here is not something I will be happy to know. So you can go let my husband know I'm coming for him as soon as I finish reading this." And she opened the letter, frowning as she recognized Narcissa's handwriting.
Florence,
I can only imagine how worried you must be! I write to you to calm your heart and let you know that your Sophie is here with me and she's safe.
"WHAT?" Florence shouted, her heart beating fast as she realized that Cissy's words meant her little girl had been kidnapped while she slept!
She kept on reading:
Sophie is fine, she cried a little, and she fell asleep after eating. She calls for you and Severus in her sleep, it's heart-breaking.
I overheard the Lord saying he will use her to make Severus turn himself in, but he has no intention of returning her to you.
You must come and rescue her as soon as possible!
Narcissa.
"What the fuck?!" Florence exclaimed, transfigurating her clothes into a black dress and storming out of the room.
Note: do you guys smell that? The scent of Severus being roasted by Florence in the next chapter? Yeah. He likes living dangerously, that man.