Disclaimer: The usual applies…
Summary: Snape runs into old allies and foes…
Chapter 6
Harry's mouth gaped open. His eyes darted back to Ron who was bound and gagged. The redhead's face was screwed up in a show of vehemence. Pettigrew's eyes lowered to the boy in his arm. He thrust the knife harder into the boy's skin and a small drop of blood trickled down his neck.
Harry made a move to grab Pettigrew's arm away from his friend but before he could, a strong arm wrapped itself around his waste, pulling him out of his bed. Not half a second later, a hand clapped down on his mouth. He too began to struggle furiously toward Ron but the arms that held him were too strong.
Harry was jerked back and he heard the cold voice of a man whisper in his ear, "If you wake them up, we'll kill them."
Both boys settled down instantly. Harry submitting to being bound and silenced in the same manner as Ron with the hallow noise of the wind and Neville's snores as the only sounds that could be heard in the room.
"Be careful with him, Nott," Pettigrew murmured to the man holding Harry. "The Dark Lord wants him unscathed."
Harry blanched at the mention of Voldemort. He had only narrowly escaped the man, if you could call him that, during his last encounter with him.
Once Nott seemed satisfied with Harry's binds, he crooked his head to Pettigrew. "All right, let's go."
Pettigrew lead the way, his knife still shoved against Ron's throat. Nott followed closely dragging Harry with him.
The four moved noiselessly down the stairway which led to the common area. Pettigrew shoved Ron through the portal leading out of the Gryffindor dormitory and waited as Nott made his way through with Harry. The portrait of the fat woman closed behind them and the two boys were shoved forward.
"Where are we supposed to meet them?" Nott inquired of the small man.
"At the Portkey," Pettigrew whispered back. "They should be on their way there. They've had enough time to get Snape."
Harry's eyes shot to Ron's at the mention of their professor. It was evident by the expression that the redhead wore that he was thinking the very same thing as Harry. I knew it! I knew that he couldn't be on our side.
His thoughts were suddenly interrupted as the man dragging him came to a halt. Pettigrew had also stopped, his head cocked to the side as if listening for something.
Harry looked in the direction in which Pettigrew was listening. He could hear it too. Footsteps.
"Come on," Pettigrew said, whisking Ron to the edge of the stone corridor, covering himself and the boy by shadows. Nott followed, yanking Harry with him. He shifted Harry into one arm and pulled out his wand with his free hand, holding it in front of him like a sword.
The four were hidden in the darkness of the shadows behind a statue. The only thing illuminating the hall was moonlight pouring in through the soaring windows. Ron, however, was trying to be anything but hidden. Pettigrew had his work cut out for him by simply trying to hold on to the boy. Finally, Ron freed himself of his gags.
"You ungrateful prat!" His voice echoed through the passage. "My family took you in for twelve years!" He ducked Pettigrew's hand who was trying desperately to shut him up. "We fed you food from our table! We-"
The balding man had finally succeeded in silencing Ron but the outburst had not gone unnoticed by the owner of the footsteps. The paces had quickened and were nearing the source of the disturbance.
Harry heart skipped a beat. Someone had heard them. Someone would save them. But Harry's hopes fell when he recognized two large figures rounding a bend in the hall. Crabbe and Goyle senior.
Pettigrew and Nott stepped out of the shadows, bringing their captives with them.
"Where's Snape?" Pettigrew snapped angrily.
Another surge of anger ran through Harry at that name.
Goyle shook his head, "We checked his office and his bedroom, he wasn't in either place."
Nott spoke next, "We're not going back without him. Find him!"
Crabbe glared back at the man but before he could voice a retort, the sound of another pair of footsteps floated to the ears of the group. It was too late to hide. The men flashed anxious looks to the bend that Crabbe and Goyle, moments before, had entered from.
* * * * *
Severus had stopped just short of Dumbledore's office. He was sure that he had heard voices echoing down the corridor on his left and he hadn't recognized the voices as belonging to Filch or Peeves. Tossing a fleeting look to the stone gargoyle, he pulled his wand out of his cloak and made his way down the hallway.
As he got closer to the origin of the voices he could make out three distinctive tones. His eyes narrowed as the voices stopped abruptly. There was a bend ahead. If he was right, the owners of the voices would be just beyond it. Holding his wand out in front of his chest, he turned the corner.
He didn't believe the sight spread out in front of him. Three of the men in standing there, he had known as past allies as a Death Eater. The fourth man, he almost didn't believe it, was Peter Pettigrew. And to his horror, two of the men were holding two frightened looking boys. No, not him…
A smile curled Pettigrew's lips, "Speak of the Devil."
Taking his attention off of the condition of his two students, Severus turned to Pettigrew. "Back from the grave to hide behind children, Pettigrew?" his deep voice maintained its usual silkiness making it seem as if he was only mildly annoyed by the situation.
"Lord Voldemort has requested that we collect you and the boy," Pettigrew's voice also kept its composure but his smile had faded somewhat.
Severus only cocked an eyebrow, "Oh really?" He paused for a moment and tilted his head as if he was considering an invitation to a social event. "Well, I don't think that we'll be accepting your invitation. You see, we are quite busy this time of year as you may recall from your days here."
Ron shot a bewildered look to Harry who was staring at his professor in astonishment. What was he playing at?
Pettigrew's smile widened at the man, "Well, Snape, it really was an invitation." He then shot a meaningful look to Crabbe and Goyle who raised their wands, aiming them at Severus.
Severus, remarkably, didn't seem at all put out by this. He stood, unmoved by the threat with his wand still poised. Dueling had always been one of his strong points and he knew for a fact that the four men in front of him were not on equal footing as he. As long as he could pull them into a fight, there was a chance of getting the two boys away from danger and calling the attention of other staff members.
He turned his attention to the two assailants pointing their wands at him and smiled haughtily. "Dear me, two against one? No matter, you two put together were never any match for me even in school. And," he paused, surveying the two men up and down, "by the shaking of your hands, I doubt that either of you have been practicing since then."
Both men shot nervous glances at each other. Apparently, as Severus had pointed out, they were no more confident than they looked.
"No, Snape," Pettigrew laughed. "It's not going to be like that."
"Oh?" Severus' voice was beginning to loose its calm edge. It was now beginning to exhibit some of the anger that was rising up in him. "Do you wish to fight me then?" He gave a disgusted snort. "You, who hid behind the robes of his friends?"
Harry flinched at the word 'friends.' His father had once protected this man who was now holding a knife to his best friend's throat.
Pettigrew's smile had melted into a loathing glare. His grip on the boy in his arms tightened. Flashing the knife so that Severus could see it, a manic smile appeared on his face, though the look of loathing remained.
Severus now held an expression of alarmed rage. "What is that boy to you or your lord?" he spat, losing his until now, well maintained self-control.
"Drop your wand or I'll slit his throat," Pettigrew threatened. "You won't even have disarmed me by the time that my knife makes it to the other end of his neck."
Severus' eyes flashed to Harry who had now begun to struggle ferociously against the man restraining him. His eyes lingered on the boy despondently for a moment before turning back to Pettigrew.
He sighed dejectedly and his shoulders sank as he tossed the wand to the man's feet. Pettigrew smiled triumphantly. He shoved Ron into Crabbe's arms as he stooped and retrieved the discarded wand in his silver hand. With a wicked look to the dark man, he crushed the wand in his fist.
Severus, who could only watch as his only means of defense fell into splinters at the short man's feet, now looked into Pettigrew's malevolent eyes. Narrowing his own eyes, he clenched his fists, determined not to show the anxiety trying to drive its way out of him.
With some difficulty, Pettigrew tore his eyes from the defeated looking man in front of him. He turned to the two large men who looked as if they had regained their confidence now that the cards were in their favor. "Goyle," he said, jerking his head toward Severus.
A fiendish smile rose on Goyle's lips as he moved in on the man. Severus stood stoically, now glaring at the large man affronting him. He knew that he was no match for him physically and running was out of the question. He couldn't leave those boys and even if he could, he didn't think he'd get very far without a wand.
Reaching Severus, Goyle roughing twisted the man's arms behind his back, forcing Severus to exhale painfully.
Pettigrew, no longer afraid of Severus, walked up to him with a cruel grin plastered on his face. "Not so tough without your wand, are you, Snape?"
Severus glared back. "I don't think you're one to lecture me on bravery, Pettigrew," he spat icily.
Pettigrew's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Oh?"
A think smile curved Severus' lips; he knew that he had hit a soft spot. "You're too much a coward to stand up to me on your own. You're too afraid to-"
Pettigrew's sliver fist met with Severus' stomach, forcing the man's body to curl as a few harsh coughs escaped his throat.
Pulling his head up, Severus stared defiantly into Pettigrew's eyes. His voice was dripping with a deep resentment. "You haven't changed at all. You're still a little boy, hiding behind his friends, too weak to fight his own battles."
Severus' tirade ended suddenly as Pettigrew's silver hand coiled itself tightly around his throat, cutting off his air completely.
Pettigrew, teeth clenched, an insane glint in his eye, watched as the color began to drain from Severus' face.
Severus merely glared back, making no attempt to fight back which only succeeded in infuriating the bald man even more, enticing him to tighten his grip.
It was only when Severus seemed on the brink of passing out that the man withdrew his hand, leaving Severus' neck splotched with purpling bruises.
The manic look faded from Pettigrew's eyes as Severus drew in several ragged breaths.
"Master wants you alive," he said, making on effort to hide the disappointment in his voice. "He misses having something to play with," he continued, casually running a hand down Severus' cheek.
A disgusted glare screwed itself up on Severus' face as he made a move to pull away from the man's touch but Goyle, unrelentingly held him in place.
Pettigrew gave Severus one last victorious smirk before raising his metallic colored hand above his head and bringing it crashing down into the side of Severus' head.
Severus' body fell limp in Goyle's arms, a trickle of blood streaming down the man's neck and staining his robes a shining crimson.
Goyle shifted the unconscious body in his arms and heisted it over a broad shoulder to carry it more easily.
"All right, let's go," Pettigrew said as he led the way out of the castle, across the grounds, and much to the boys' dismay, into the dark forest.
* * * * *
Author's note: Well, it rained all weekend at the lake so I had this chapter done for you guys by the time that I got back. Hope you enjoyed it and thanks to those who posted with responses about my questions :-)