The dark potions master walked down the dungeon corridor to Harry's cell. He hadn't wanted to return yesterday fearing the worst. He came to stop outside the quiet cell. The bed was empty.
He frowned and called out "Harry?".
A gasp sounded from the far left corner of the cell cloaked in shadow. "Over here! Is that you sir?"
Harry stepped out from shadow and the potions master felt his face pale.
Harry managed to make it to the bed and sat hunched over to cover himself.
Snape's hand took the bars an opened the cell. He stepped in and Harry looked up at him in misery, pain, humiliation and exhaustion.
Snape's mouth was ajar, eyes flowing over the boys body.
His skin was shredded in parts, making him resemble something of a tigers prey. The boys cheek bone was caved in and the bruise around it was enlarged to cover a quarter of the skin around it. Harry's eye was also swollen so bad he couldn't open it and as the potion masters continued to assess the damage he saw his arms and legs were shredded in parts too.
Harry was on the verge of tears. He shook off his emotions and raised his head to look at Snape.
"You've got to get me out here" the voice was surprisingly steady, determined but his eyes were flushed with agony and fear. Snape's eyes drifted to the spring mattress bed. Harry followed his gaze and ducked his head in embarrassment.
"They stripped my bed so I couldn't use the covers". He explained.
The potions master felt for the boy but this was better than death, anything would be better than death. He unhooked his cloak and wrapped it around the bloody shoulders, the contact making him shiver in pain. Harry gave a wry smile and his white hands clasped it and drew it around to cover himself.
The Mattress dipped as the potion master sat down beside the boy.
"Harry, you have to give it to him". He said. The boys eyes snapped to his in shock.
"No".
"You must!"
"Do you think Professor Dumbledore would have liken to see Voldemort having it?".
"Do you think Dumbledore would have liken to see you like this? He'd turn over in his grave if he knew!" the greasy haired man countered, making the boy pause.
Harry shook his head "B-But if I give it to him then he's won, he'll know the truth about everything. Besides if he gets one piece of information out of me he'll want more and I won't help him kill anyone else!" Harry spat abrasively.
The potion master stared at the boy and felt himself almost admiring him. Here the boy had resigned himself to torture and still in the eyes of such pains he was still so defiant. Normally defiance greatly irritated the potions master, but he felt almost proud. Of course that didn't change the fact that the boy was being stubborn. He frowned.
"What good will it do to anyone for you to remain here as you are right now?".
Harry sighed " No good, I have to get out of here. Have you had any luck yet?"
The potion masters eyes narrowed. "In helping you escape?" he asked.
Harry nodded. "Of course. Well have you?".
He shook his head. The lights in Harry's eyes died a little as he saw this and he let out another involuntary shudder.
"Harry, what is so bad about this prophecy, what didn't I hear that night?" he asked.
For a moment the boy said nothing, he just stared off into the shadows of the cell. Then with an effort and a shudder he drew a deep breath and spoke.
"The most important information of all. If you'd heard that information, well...I would still be alive, Horcrux free, probably still at school with parents".
"And the Dark Lord?" he asked eagerly, be damned to the boy and his parents.
" Honestly I don't know. He could have gained power by now, or been killed by Dumbledore. Maybe he'd still be alive, as would Sirius..."
The boy closed his eyes tight and the potion master saw a silent tear slip from the boy's good eye. He shook his head "How could you know that?" his voice was quiet, almost like a whisper.
Harry opened his eyes and looked up at the awed Professor. He opened his mouth to speak when the door to dungeons opened sending a spray of light down the corridor.
Harry frowned and shut his mouth. Despite the pain the boy wrenched the cloak from his shoulders whimpering as he did, and held it out to his Professor. The potions master pushed it back to his chest.
"Keep it. You'll be needing it as it can very cold down here".
Harry's eyes widened. "No, Voldemort can't know you helped me".
The potion master cocked an eyebrow at him, a glitter of amusement entered his eyes. "Don't worry about that. I'll talk to him and be back later with a potion for your wounds".
Relief entered the green eye but it quickly deserted it as Greybeck arrived to stand outside the cell. The hooked nose potion master stood up and exited.
Greybeck automatically growled. "Severus, you fool you can't give him that".
The potion master now out of sight of the cell frowned. "What?!" he hissed furious at being called a fool, forgetting why Greybeck would show him such disrespect.
Greybecks eyes widdened in comprehension. "..then again who's going to tell eh?".
"Do not hurt him further Greybeck". The potion master ordered and turned leaving and closing the metal door behind him. The dungeons fell into shadow once again.
Greybeck sneered in at Harry. Harry frowned in defiance but Greybeck snapped his jaws and he flinched, making him whimper in pain. A cruel laugh reached his ears.
"I hope he lets me feast on you when hes through with you. I'll knaw on your bones for weeks".
Harry stared at him in horror and Greybecks eyes narrowed in pleasure seeing it.
"Oh you'd better believe it, I'll tear, maim, rip your flesh!". Harry quickly pulled the cloak closer around him and returned his wide gaze to the floor.
Greybeck seemed to loose interest and exited soon afterwards.
Harry was left in peace until the dungeon door opened again and Snape appeared before him.
Snape's eyes fell him and he stared in shock. "What happened to you?" he whispered.
Harry stared in confusion. "What do you mean?". Snape's eyebrows raised in disbelief.
"You're cut to bits!". He explained irritated.
Harry stared at him "What are you talking about? You found me like this an hour ago. You gave me this cloak..." Harry said grasping it and flapping it "and told me you were going to get me potions".
Snape laughed bitterly. "Potter! What do you take me for? I have never seen you in such a state in my life".
Harry shook his head "But then...oh, oh very clear Tom" he purred.
Snape's dark beady eyes narrowed at the name.
Later on that day one of the Snapes visited Harry once more. He came to stop outside the cell and Harry spotted the potion viles in his hands. Harry stared up at him, his face set in anger.
There really was no need to test it, this was definitely Voldemort but...
"Any news from the order?" he asked.
The Snape opened his mouth to answer, when he's met eyes Harry's he closed it. A seedy grin tugged at the tight mouth. He raised his wand a waved it over himself immediately returning to the original form of the thin red eyed Dark Lord.
Voldemort sneered. "Very good Harry. Tell me, how did you know it was me?".
"The real Snape came by" Harry muttered darkly.
The Dark Lord's eyes closed for a moment while he chuckled. "I am getting forgetful in my old age".
Harry shook his head "You're not getting it Tom".
Voldemort opened the cell and stood over Harry. He dumped the viles on the bed. Harry reached for them but flinched as Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at him.
Harry braced for more pain. The thought of rolling around on the grit filled floor from crucio, with his slashes tormented him.
When nothing came Harry opened his only good eye and noticed a smirk on the Dark Lord's face.
His clothes appeared on his lap. Harry tensed.
"Get dressed" Voldemort turned away from him.
Harry stared up in shock but not giving him a chance to change his mind he didn't waste time in dressing. He took care sliding the clothes over his shredded skin letting out painful breaths through gritted teeth.Once he'd finished, Voldemort raised his wand and cast a glamour on the cell, and an elaborate one at that!
The grey stone cell around them turned into a lavish carpeted sitting room. Harry soon found himself standing in front of a large puffy leather couch. Voldemort sat down in a Huge light brown armchair in front of a fireplace and gestured to him to follow suit. Cautiously Harry followed suit.
Was this a new tactic?
Voldemort raised his wand making Harry flinch again. After a huff he apparated two cups of tea for them. Taking up his seat, he sat back and gazed at Harry over the lip of steaming liquid.
"Empty the viles into the tea. It should only take a few sips to do the job".
Confused and suspicious Harry frowned, but having nothing to loose reached for the viles and did as he was told. After a few sips the pain eased considerably. Harry moved testily and when he didn't shiver from pain he let out and auible sigh.
Voldemort chuckled "I think we need to have a talk".
Well? How'd you all like it?
I did try to keep referring to the fake Snape as anything other than Snape. I only used it when describing a Snape feature.
Did it work?