Chapter 9

Severus didn't know how long he had sat there with the boy in his arms. He had stopped chanting a while ago when his throat had gone too dry to speak any longer.

There was no window in the dungeon to indicate how much time had passed. It seemed as if ages had come and gone since he had been thrown in the stone room with the boy. He was now beginning to shiver slightly. Winter had almost come and in the mountains, where the castle sat, he could only imagine how cold it was outside.

Severus was pulled out of his thoughts when the bundle, cradled in his arms, shifted. He looked at the boy for a long time. He looked much younger than fifteen, asleep against the man's chest, rising up and down with the movements of Severus' breathing.

For a moment he glared at the boy. He looked every bit like James. Everything from the hair to the glasses made this boy a perfect replica of his father. Well, everything except for the eyes. His eyes belonged to Lilly. Those infuriating eyes that reminded him daily of her.

Severus sighed quietly, taking his eyes away from the boy. Since the boy had arrived at Hogwarts, he had constantly been at odds with himself, caught between an internal struggle to hate the boy because of James or to love him because of Lilly. Hate had won out on most occasions. It was the easier than love and it certainly didn't hurt nearly as much.

Another irritated exhale escaped through his nose. He brought his eyes back to the boy. As much as he wanted to hate him, he couldn't. He had to find a way to get this boy to safety, this boy, who was supposed to save them all and who was now sleeping helplessly in his arms.

Feeling Harry shiver slightly in his arms, Severus wrapped his arms tighter around him. Harry responded by nuzzling his head under the man's chin and mumbling something incoherent.

Harry had lodged his head in a way that prevented Severus' gaze from falling on him. The man now fixed his eyes on a spot on the stone floor. He had to get the boy out of this place, away from Voldemort. But that was much easier said than done.

* * * * *

Lucius strode across the room, through the slowly dissolving mass, and on to his lord. Voldemort had dismissed the rest of his servants, desiring privacy for his conversation with Lucius. The room was finally empty with the exception of Voldemort, Lucius, and Pettigrew.

"Wormtail," Voldemort hissed in an annoyed tone, "leave us."

Pettigrew looked quite taken aback. He was not accostomed to his master dismissing him in such a manner. He shot a suspicious look to Lucius before sulkily leaving the room, heading in the directing of the cell containing the two prisoners.

Voldemort watched as Pettigrew took his leave while Lucius' attention never wavered from the man in front of him. Finally, the serpentine man looked to the aristocrat. "I want him back, Lucius," Voldemort said in a commanding voice.

"Sir?" Lucius said, the confusion evident in his voice.

"You know who I am speaking of," Voldemort continued. "You two were friends once, were you not?"

Lucius' eyebrows furrowed in understanding. "Yes, master, Severus and I were once close."

Voldemort's lips curled into a smirk. "Then you know of his weaknesses."

Lucius merely nodded in response. He could guess where his lord was going with this.

"Then you will know how to manipulate them to bring him back into the fold." Voldemort was watching Lucius closely, studying his reactions.

Lucius has already picked up on this and was doing his best to hide any feelings behind an emotionally detached mask. "Yes, Lord, I will merely take away from him that which he values most, his control."

Voldemort's eyes gave Lucius another studious scan. "Explain."

Lucius took in a long breath. "When Severus was very young, his parents were killed by a werewolf. He was then placed in the custody of his grandmother who was very old and could not properly take care of a child. He was under her close watch constantly until he went off to Hogwarts. She died during his second year." Lucius paused for a moment.

"Go on, Lucius."

"Ever since his grandmother died, he has desired nothing more than control of his fate, his environment, everything. He hated himself for not being capable of saving his parents. And his hatred grew as time went by with his grandmother. He hated himself for being so weak. He's vulnerable when he's not in total control because it makes him feel like the weak, helpless little boy that he used to be."

Voldemort turned his attention to Severus' dried blood on his fingertip. "No one leaves me, Lucius, no one. Bring him back to me by any means necessary."

Lucius took this as his dismissal. Bowing slightly, he turned on his heel and left the room.

* * * * *

Hagrid bounded across the grounds of Hogwarts with Ron following distantly, obviously unable to keep up with the man's long strides.

The two made their way through the entrance to the castle and onward through the corridors stopping only at the gargoyle entrance to Dumbledore's office.

Hagrid quickly gave the password and the gargoyle's wings moved out of the way, revealing a stone staircase.

Hagrid was in the office in a matter of seconds, followed closely by a panting Ron.

An old man with a long beard looked up at the sudden intrusion with a concerned look in his eyes. "Hagrid? Mr. Weasley?" he greeted, eyeing the owners of the names as he spoke them. "What is all of this about?"

"It's Harry, professor," Hagrid belted out.

"Harry? What about him?" Dumbledore spoke in a calm but anxious voice.

"He's been kidnapped! They took him to You-know, to Voldemort," Ron said, finally catching his breath.

"Explain," the worry was now evident in the elder man's voice.

Ron explained everything for the headmaster. Hagrid listened intently as he had not heard the entire story until now.

When the boy was finished, Dumbledore stood up. "Send an owl to Sirius and Remus. Then, inform Professor McGonagall of the situation. Tell her to gather the staff and bring them to my office. Once you are done, please go back to your dormitory. I think that there is no more danger tonight." he said to Ron.

The redhead nodded and bolted to the owlery as quickly as he could.

Turning to Hagrid, Dumbledore sighed. "It is as we have feared. We can only hope that Harry and Severus escape."

* * * * *

Severus brought his head up when he heard the wooden door outside of his cell unlatch and open. Pettigrew was standing in the doorway, looking at the two in the corner of the cell vindictively.

Severus stood slowly, bringing a groggy Harry up with him. His muscles and bones still hurt from the previous abuse that they sustained earlier and the cold floor had done nothing to help ease the pain.

Harry was now standing on his own, looking back at the short man furiously. He started for the edge of the bars enclosing the cell but a strong grip on his shoulder stopped him.

"Don't," Severus whispered to the boy as he pushed him behind the shelter of his form.

Harry tried to pull away, but Severus backed the boy and himself into a corner, away from the bars.

Pettigrew smiled maliciously as he pulled his wand out and pointed it toward the dark man who was now protecting Harry from Pettigrew's view with his body.

* * * * *

Author's note: Hey guys, sorry that this is so short. The next few chapters might be like that because I won't have 24 hour access to a computer for about a week and I'm visiting friends and family. Also, I watched Galaxy Quest the night before last and couldn't picture Severus without the fins on his head. So, tonight I had to watch Pride and Prejudice *swoons* and get the sexy Rickman back in my head before continuing… I'm so sad for thinking that a man that is only two years younger than my grandfather is sexy… I hope my boyfriend still loves me after he reads that. Well, he is completely perfect and very forgiving of my faults so I can only assume that he will ;-)