"Lucius," Severus curtly nodded his head at the other man.
"It's nice to see you after so long, I've missed you," Lucius drew back his lips in a parody of a simpering smile.
"I did always have a way with you Malfoy," Snape chided, raising his eyebrow and wand to Lucius.
"Yes, and with so many others too," Lucius sneered cocking his head at Snape as the rest of the Death Eaters raised their wands to him.
Severus drank in the scene. The Death Eaters blocked the balcony and stood all the way around the walls. In the middle of the floor were Toni and Hermione. Toni had Hermione's arm twisted in a lock, her other hand holding a knife to her best friend's throat. Lucius stood nearest him, only about two meters with Harry lying paralysed at his feet. Harry appeared to be trying to tell him something: his eyes were twitching and looking round, first at Lucius, then himself, then whizzing up and down, twitching some more and then going back to Malfoy.
Severus averted his eyes. If he looked at Potter for too long Lucius might figure out what was going on.
Severus had a few options:
He could kill Lucius on the spot. The slight drawback with this plan was that he, Toni, Hermione and Harry would all be killed instantly afterwards by the other Death Eaters.
He could turn his wand on Harry and kill him, thereby convincing the Death Eaters he was on their side. Frizz wouldn't need to be involved, and he could probably get Toni or Hermione out, but probably not both.
He could turn his wand on any of his allies in the room and apparate them out, thereby causing the rest to be left for torture, and probably resulting in not being released either.
There was little he could do. All the plans involved someone getting hurt. His plans were limited, and so was his time.
"Why did you come back, Lucius? You could have stayed out of Azkaban if you kept your head down."
Distraction was his only option for the moment.
"Voldemort returned once, he will return again. And I don't fancy seeing the position traitors like you will be in when he does."
"What happened at the last battle?"
"Oh yes, I had forgotten you ran away, Severus."
Severus bit back his retort and almost choked. He saw the pleasure spread across Malfoy's face, even with Severus' wand pointed at his chest.
"We began, we fought and many were killed. My Lord disappeared into the trees with Potter; we all knew what was going to happen, so we were shocked when Potter came out of the trees and our Lord did not. The spineless scum in our group began to flee. Eventually there were so few of us we were forced to retreat and re-group. Now we will finish what our Lord started and keep his enemies at bay while we wait for his return."
"What happened in the forest?" Snape asked. He had been curious about this ever since Harry had almost accidentally mentioned it, but had not been able to find out the details as Harry would either burst into tears or a huge bout of whistling that lasted an hour or so, during which he ignored everything.
"The Dark Lord used Inferi, but not just the normal puppets; he used Harry's parents."
Severus quickly looked at Harry, who was staring determinedly at the floor, blinking manically.
"None of us ever found out what really happened. Maybe you should ask Potter himself as you seem to have become so close," Malfoy leered, kicking Harry's side. A trickle of blood ran out of Harry's mouth and ran down his cheek.
But, that kick hadn't been hard enough to draw blood from the lungs ... unless Harry's mouth had moved and...
Severus now knew what Harry had been trying to tell him.
Hermione let out a small whimper after having had her arm held fast for so long.
"Ah, I almost forgot about you," snarled Lucius turning his gaze towards the pair.
He flicked his wand, Toni jerked and Hermione's arm snapped. She let out an earpiercing scream, tears springing forth, glossing over her eyes.
"Whoops," Lucius laughed as he forced Toni to throw Hermione to the floor and grind her foot into her friend's broken arm.
"Stop it!" shouted one of the Death Eaters, rushing to pull the two girls apart.
"What's wrong with you?" snarled Lucius.
"I won't stand here on watch while you torture these Muggles."
"What does it matter to you?"
"They're helpless, let them go."
Malfoy opened his mouth but was cut across by Toni.
"We aren't helpless, and we certainly don't you sick people like you to help us. There is a lot more to us than meets the eye. You wizards think you know everything. Well, you don't!"
Lucius cackled at her, "And you do, I suppose."
"A lot more than you think."
"I don't suppose you know what I can do with this?"
"I have a pretty good idea after what you just made me do, you fucking bastard!"
"Did you know I could do this?"
Lucius pointed his wand at the interfering Death Eater, "Avada Kadavra."
The Death Eater went ridged and collapsed on the floor; her hood fell to reveal a shock of violet hair.
"She never did want to join the Death Eaters, but thought I could tell her where that beast Lupin was," Lucius shook his head. "I knew I should have killed her at the start. We could have used an Aura on our side too; pity Tonks was such a disappointment."
Lucius turned his gaze back to Toni, who showed him no emotion.
"Very impressive, but did you know I could do this?"
A knife shot out the kitchen draw and stuck in Lucius' back.
Lucius let out a piercing scream as Severus shouted, "Now Severus!" and complete pandemonium broke loose.
Frizz ran trough the door and grabbed the unconscious Hermione and struggled toward the door.
Harry grabbed Lucius' legs and tackled him to the ground, causing him to hit his head on the counter. Ruby blood mixed with his silver hair spread on the floor.
Many of the Death Eaters tried to help Lucius, some immediately apparated away. Those nearest Tonks and Toni, who had fallen to the ground after Lucius' spell on her had been released, tripped over them. The remaining Death Eaters were sending spells every where, but none fatal, for they feared hitting each other. Severus immobilised all he could, while battling against those who where still focused on the task they had been set – to get rid of him and Harry.
Severus took a second to glance to his side to make Harry was still hidden behind the surface and safe. He took a second too long. A Death Eater hit him with a curse and he flew backwards through the door and out of the block of apartments onto the street outside.
Harry watched as Severus took that crucial second to make sure he was still alive and his heart skipped a beat, but he had no time to ponder.
He grabbed his wand from Lucius and bound the other man.
Before the Death Eaters could get the upper hand Harry stood from behind the counter and disarmed those closest to him before they realised he was there.
The Death Eaters behind them realised what was going on and sent curses flying at him. Harry ducked as green light flashed above his head.
Suddenly there was a huge bang and the flashes of light stopped.
Harry peered over the counter top to see Death Eaters clearing a space around Toni, who was pointing a Glock 28 at the window.
"If you guys don't stop stepping on me I'll break more than just the window," Toni snarled.
Why are they so wary? Harry wondered, There's only one of her. They outnumber her, there's still at least 40 of them here.
"I'll kill you all for what you made me do to Hermione," Toni hissed.
She spun and another gun shot went off- another Death Eater fell to the floor.
Then they converged on her.
Harry couldn't see what they did, he couldn't move a muscle.
Then he saw someone come in. He swung round and saw Severus coming back, his right arm swinging uselessly at his side.
"What are you doing, you dunderhead! They're killing her!" Snape screamed through chapped lips.
Harry pulled himself together and swung around. His wand erupted, spells flew from the tip, multi coloured and deadly. Harry didn't even need to utter the spell's names, and they were there on the tip of his wand.
Only a few Death Eaters fell, some turned into various animals, others dangled from the ceiling by their noses, one even shrunk until Harry could no longer see him.
The remaining Death Eaters turned to him, anger blazing in their eyes. They had lost again, and they knew it.
But they weren't going to go quietly.
"Crucio!" one screamed hysterically.
It wasn't one he could block, and if he moved to the side it would hit Severus.
Harry stood his ground and tautened his muscles, ready for the pain.
Severus threw himself in front of Harry, the curse hitting him squarely in the chest. He fell and writhed on the floor, sweat standing out on his forehead, eyes bulging, lips twitching.
Harry looked down at him.
"Mistake," the Death Eater chuckled as Harry to dropped to the floor.
The Death Eater turned to his remaining ten companions, "Let's grab Lucius, and warn the others in England that we need to disappear for a while."
"Not yet you won't," They turned to see Hermione holding a gun similar to Toni's, "Not if I have anything to say about it," she smiled coyly and cocked her weapon.
The Death Eaters' eyes flicked between the counter where Lucius was and back to Hermione.
"I advise you not to move," Hermione said, narrowing her eyes.
Her gaze moved and saw what was laid behind the Death Eaters, her eyes went from slits to dinner plates as she realised what they had done.
She looked beyond the Death Eaters and nodded. 4 were suddenly on the floor.
The other's turned to see the image of Severus Snape holding a bloodied rock above his head.
The 6 that were left popped out of existence.
Hermione dropped her gun, ran over to Toni and shook her, "Toni! Toni! Wake up!" she screamed.
Frizz quickly called 15 (Editor: French medical number) and ran to check if the others were okay. She saw something move behind the counter. Lucius was stirring, and now Harry's spell was broken he was no longer bound. He opened his eyes.
"Don't even think about it," said Frizz and bounced her fist off his nose. Lucius sank back to the floor.
Frizz knelt beside Harry and Severus, checking they were still alive.
Their breathing was steady and they appeared to be just out cold.
They should be fine.
"Severus," she sighed, "You just had to go and sacrifice yourself for him and make it so cliché." She patted him fondly on the shoulder and his head lolled to one side.
"Frizz! Frizz! She isn't breathing! Help me!" Hermione screamed across the room.
Sorry, it took so long to update it was the end of term for two weeks which left me with no spare time then I was really ill, which was fun. Anyway, better late than never, right?
I know this chapter is a little shorter than the rest, but this was a good place to end it. I would have made it an extra long one due to my lateness but I'm going on holiday again (I'm staying in the place this is set, and I'll be staying at the right time of year too.) so I wouldn't have been able to post for even longer.
This is the penultimate chapter if things go as I plan (but then again things very rarely go as I plan) and I don't count the epilogue as a chapter – yes there will be an epilogue – so if you have any questions about the fic you want answering ask them now so I can make sure I cover them all in the next chapter. I think I have them all, but no harm in double checking.
Thanks again to my beautiful reviewers and my marvellous God like editor.
I'll write the next chapter on holiday so it should be up in two weeks.