Disclaimer: Ok, last disclaimer… I'm getting tired of writing these so just assume that this disclaimer applies for any future chapters as well as this one. I don't own the characters or anything else that J. K. Rowling dreamed up. I'm not making any money off of this story. I am merely posting this as a means of personal entertainment and in the hopes that those who read it will enjoy it.
Author's note: As one of my reviewers pointed out (Thank you so much, this is why I need you guys to respond), I was vague about the reasoning that, while Ron was kidnapped, a huge deal wasn't made by his escape. Basically, Voldemort gave Pettigrew orders to bring Harry unharmed. So, Pettigrew took Ron as a means of forcing Harry to come quietly, without a fight. And the fact that Ron escaped wasn't a big disappointment to Pettigrew because Voldemort only asked for Harry and Severus to be brought back to him. He assumes that Dumbledore will guess what has happened by the next morning anyway due to the absence of the two who they did successfully make off with. And the reason that he doesn't want to mention Ron's escape to Voldemort is more of a loosing face issue. Ok, hope that covers everything. Let me know if I was unclear about anything else. Thanks to the person who pointed that out!
Summary: Harry sees his loathed professor in a new light…
Chapter 8
Harry watched in horror as Voldemort stood up from his chair and strolled elegantly toward the ragtag group. His black robes billowed behind him, casting dancing shadows on the walls. The serpentine man stopped at Goyle who was still carrying Severus' body.
Goyle bent his body so that he could easily slide Severus off of his shoulder. He was now supporting the unconscious man's weight by wrapping his arms around the man's torso and arms, constraining the man's body against his own. Severus' upper body leaned forward limply and a curtain of black hair fell over his features, draping his eyes. A small pool of blood was forming on the stone floor underneath his dripping cut.
Voldemort put a hand under Severus' chin and tilted the man's head upward. With the other hand, he extended a long, slender finger to Severus' cheek and traced the blood's path back to the wound, smearing a coat of blood onto the finger. Voldemort, preoccupied with the blood, let Severus' head fall and turned his attention to Harry.
"Harry Potter," he said, finally taking his eyes off the blood. A cruel smile crept up the man's features. "Welcome to my home." His voice was inhumanly high pitched and airy.
Harry's breathing had become rather rapid and shallow and his heartbeat was reaching unnatural levels. A mixture of anger and fear coursed through his veins.
Voldemort strode toward Harry until their faces were only inches apart. The pain splitting through Harry's scar was reaching a new intensity.
"Things will be different this time, Mr. Potter. No mother to save you, no way to escape from your fate." Voldemort ran the blood stained finger down Harry's cheek, leaving a crimson trail with his finger. A wave of pain flowed through Harry's entire body at the man's touch. He wanted to scream out in agony but his mouth was still stuffed with the cloth.
Voldemort's hand withdrew, leaving Harry breathing hard through his nose. "This time, you will fight me in a fair duel and you will die," he sneered. "And then all will know that I have returned, more powerful than before. All who oppose me will die like you, like your parents died saving you."
Harry was seething. Anger was beginning to overshadow his fear.
"Leave him alone," a weak voice interrupted Voldemort's tirade.
Voldemort's eyes narrowed as he turned his back on Harry.
Severus was staring directly at the wizard, holding his head up with difficulty. The blood had begun to dry on his face and in his hair, his black locks, still fallen over his eyes. "What's the matter Voldemort? Too afraid to stand up to a full grown wizard?" At this, another wave of outrage went through the throng.
Voldemort gave a slight scoff of a laugh, a cunning smile returning to his face. "How very touching, Severus. Trying to take my attention away from the boy? I was unaware that you two were so close," his high, scratchy voice mocked Severus with every syllable.
Severus masked his fear behind a defiant front. He remained silent. He had succeeded in getting the dark wizard's attention off of the boy even if the wizard knew what he was doing.
Voldemort now stepped toward the restrained man. Cupping the man's chin with one hand, he surveyed the man's neck and blood encrusted wound. "I really must apologize for the way that Wormtail has treated you," he said in a mock-apologetic tone, "You see he was quite hurt when you did not return to the fold with the rest of my faithful Death Eaters." He raised a hand to indicate the crowd surrounding them. "And, I must admit, Severus," he voice had now taken on a more serious manner, "that I was a bit surprised to find that one of my brightest followers had not returned to me."
Severus glared back, now standing on his own feet, shifting in Goyle's constraining arms, but he still remained silent. He had seen many in his position before, the subject of Voldemort's antagonism. Talking had usually made things worse for his victims.
Voldemort continued, unaffected by Severus' silence. "I thought to myself that perhaps you had not felt my call. But then," he grasped Severus' arm, pulling his sleeve up to reveal the mark, "I didn't think that this was possible to ignore." He placed two fingers on the mark that was now glowing red.
Severus tensed in Goyle's arms. He refused to show any sign of weakness but the pain was excruciating. His arm felt like an icy fire was licking through the skin to the bone. He stopped breathing, and bit his bottom lip to keep from crying out. He would not give that man the satisfaction.
After a few moments of indulgence, Voldemort retracted his grasp on Severus. "I thought not," a hint of pleasure was evident in his voice.
Severus was now taking in slow, calculated breaths. "I wouldn't come back to you if my life depended on it," he spat angrily.
An expression of vehemence flashed on Voldemort's face.
Severus' head was knocked sideways has Voldemort's hand slapped across it.
Harry couldn't believe what was happening or what he was feeling. He was actually outraged at the treatment of his Potions professor whom he hated. He began to struggle again in Nott's arms, ignoring the pain on his forehead.
Voldemort crooked his neck toward the boy. "Don't worry, Potter, I haven't forgotten about you," he said in a malicious tone.
Over Voldemort's shoulder, Harry caught a meaningful look from Severus. He had never seen that look from his professor before. It actually looked as if the man cared about him and was genuinely worried for him.
"Take him to the dungeon, Nott. I have unfinished business with Severus," Voldemort said, turning his attention back to the man in Goyle's arms.
Nott nodded and pulled Harry away through the crowd. The mass made way for them to pass, each staring at Harry and some throwing him snide remarks as he passed but Harry didn't notice. He was busy resisting Nott and trying to look back at the dark man, now the center of attention in the room. Soon, his view was disrupted by the giant wooden door closing behind him as Nott jerked him onward.
They passed several corridors on each side of them, turned down some and disregarded others. Harry, however, had no idea which way they had gone. His thoughts were with the man now at the mercy of Voldemort. He wondered angrily if the man was dead or being tortured now.
Finally, the two came to a locked door. Nott pulled out his wand once again and waved it in front of the lock. The sound of metal unlatching reached Harry's ears and Nott pushed him forward into another room that consisted of a smaller room which was enclosed on one side by bars and the other sides by three stone walls. Nott pushed Harry through the room and threw in into the portion of the room behind the bars. Latching the bars behind him, Nott threw a spiteful sneer at Harry and left him lying on the stone floor, still bound and gagged.
Harry heard the sound of Nott's footsteps leaving the room and the sound of the lock on the door to the corridor latch once again.
* * * * *
Severus watched as Harry was forced out of the room. He was wondering why Voldemort hadn't killed the two of them already. Well, he supposed he knew why he hadn't killed the boy. He would probably want to make a show of his death to ensure that there was no doubt that he had returned. He was pulled out of his thoughts as Voldemort spoke again.
"Well Severus, I think that it is about time for your punishment to commence."
Severus cringed inwardly. He knew that this had been coming but he hadn't known when it would come. He only hoped that it was quick, but he knew the Dark Lord's style better than that.
"As you have betrayed us all, I think it fitting that your punishment should lye with us all."
Goyle instinctively dropped Severus, who landed on his hands and knees on the floor, and back away into the crowd, pulling out his wand as the others in the mass were doing.
A vindictive smile crossed Voldemort's lips as his raised his wand and uttered the horrible word.
Pain as Severus had never felt before flooded his entire body. He felt as if a fire were licking at his skin from the core of his bones that now felt as if they were melting. He screamed in agony, wishing, pleading inwardly for death.
He couldn't tell how long the curse had lasted the first time. After Voldemort had had his fill, he kicked Severus' crumpled body to the Death Eaters. One by one, he watched as they tortured Severus. Some had preferred the use of their wands while others had favored more conventional methods such as kicking and beating.
Time seemed to pass slowly as Severus was kicked back and forth between members of the society. When suddenly, the crowd went silent. A figure, dressed like the others, but with long, white-blonde hair flowing from his mask towered above the mangled body.
"Something wrong, Lucius?" a hint of disappointment hung in Voldemort's voice.
Lucius looked up from the heap before him. "No, my Lord, I only do not desire to soil myself with such filth," came the cold reply. The pale man lifted a foot and nudged Severus' body away from his own with it.
Voldemort looked across the floor to the spot where Severus lay. "Very well, Lucius. I think that's enough for one night, but I am not done with him yet." The cruel air was back in the snake-like man's voice. "Goyle, escort Severus to his room with Mr. Potter."
Goyle walked forward and lifted the body onto his shoulders once again.
Severus breathed slowly. His very bones and muscles ached from the curses and the beatings. He didn't know why he was still alive. He knew that in the past, Voldemort had kept favorite prisoners around for a time for his amusement. Perhaps that was all that he amounted to now, a demented man's toy.
The last noise that he heard before the wooden door slammed belonged to the dark wizard himself. "Lucius, a word with you."
* * * * *
Severus was taken down the same passages as Harry had been some time ago. Unlike Harry, he knew exactly where he was. He had been to this castle many times before as a Death Eater and then as a spy for Dumbledore. He knew where he was being taken.
He made no attempt to struggle. He was too weak at this point and even if he managed to escape from Goyle, where would he go? He was thousands of miles away from Hogwarts, his only refuge.
With a sickening thud, he found himself on the same stone floor where he had seen so many before him. He listened as the bars slammed shut and Goyle's footsteps died away. Finally, the latch of the iron lock.
Gingerly, he pushed himself into a sitting position. His whole body ached in protest. A muffled noise from the back of the cell caught his attention. He twisted his neck in the direction of the sound and found that it belonged to the boy who was still bound, laying, shivering on the floor. For the first time, Severus noticed that the boy was only in his thin nightclothes. He wasn't even wearing shoes.
Grasping an iron bar with one hand, he pulled himself to his feet and limped weakly over to Harry. He kneeled at the boy's side and removed the gag.
"Where's Weasley?" he asked as Harry tried to swallow for the first time in what seemed like ages.
"The Dark Forrest," came the simple reply.
Severus detected a hint of uneasiness. Well, that wasn't entirely unexpected considering. "Why did they leave him there?" he continued as he moved to the ropes binding the boy's arms.
"I…erm… stepped on Crabbe's foot right before everyone grabbed the Portkey and he let go of Ron," Harry explained, the uneasiness now apparent in his manner. It sounded rather silly when he told his professor out loud but it had been the only thing he could think of at the time.
Severus nodded. "Good. He'll tell Dumbledore."
Harry, now rubbing his freed wrists, looked at the man and took in his appearance. He seemed rather weak. His voice didn't hold its customary smoothness. Instead, it sounded hoarse. Even his face had a greenish tint to it.
Severus looked the boy over. All in all, he didn't seem in too bad a condition except for the blood on his face. "Are you hurt?" he said, indicating the crimson streak and breaking the awkward silence.
Harry looked confused for a moment, then after realizing what the man was referring to, shook his head. "It's actually blood from your head," he muttered, a bit unexplainably embarrassed by this.
Severus nodded. He stood up once again and began pulling off his cloak. "How's your scar?"
"What?"
"Your scar. Dumbledore told me that it hurt when you were close to Voldemort," he said as if making polite conversation.
"Um, yeah, a little," Harry answered meekly, taking his hand which had been clutching his forehead away.
To Harry's amazement, Severus wrapped his own cloak around the boy and picked him up, carrying him to a corner of the cell. Sensing the tenseness of the boy, he sighed. "Just try to relax. I'll do what I can for you but I haven't done this in a very long time so you'll have to bear with me."
Harry only nodded in shock as the man sat down and pulled Harry into his lap. He wasn't, to say the least, entirely comfortable with the situation.
Placing a hand over the boy's forehead, he began chanting in a low murmur. Harry listened to the chant in an awkward silence. It was in a language that he had never heard before but it was strangely relaxing. Soon, he felt the pain in his scar die away. His muscles were now beginning to relax. Minutes later, he was fast asleep in the man's arms.
Severus looked down at the boy cradled in his arms when he felt his breathing steady and his body relax. He continued to whisper his chant quietly and he slowly began rocking the boy back and fourth. He turned his eyes to stare blankly at a pot in the floor, lost in his thoughts.
* * * * *
Author's Note: Ok, hope that gets several aw's for Severus ;-) Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter. Definitely one of my favorite's to write. I know that it could've been written a lot better but it's late and I want to go to bed :-( As always, thanks to those who have reviewed so far. The reviews motivate me to get the next chapter up as quickly as possible. Sorry that this one took longer than usual but I had a bout of writer's block for a while and for some reason I was unable to post for about four days (You guys are so spoiled)… Anyway, thanks for reading and let me know what you think!