"Get her back Severus." Albus Dumbledore's voice was low and threatening as he spoke and Severus was reminded that although Albus had a sickeningly cheery disposition he was one of the greatest and most powerful wizards alive. Even with this reminder Severus was unaffected by the tone. He was not a double spy for nothing and he would have been dead long ago if he couldn't hold his own against two powerful masters. Besides if he could handle the Dark Lord's wrath he could handle Albus.
"And what would you have me do, walk into a Death Eater meeting unannounced? A meeting that I'm not suppose to know about, and demand that she be given back?"
"We need her, Harry needs her, he will not handle this well." Albus leaned more closely over his desk and Severus mimicked the action.
"Harry needs to realize that he is fighting a war and that people will be lost. Do you really wish for me to compromise my position as a spy for one student. Does her friendship with the Boy Wonder really make her life more important than then any other student." the very air around Severus darkened as he hinted at Albus' against himself when Sirius Black had tried to kill him in their school years.
Regret flashed briefly in the old man's eyes before he backed down with a tired sigh. "No, but she is a great loss to us and our cause. A hard blow to take."
"Indeed."
"There is nothing that we can do? She was such a bright and promising child."
"They already have her Albus, there is no way that I can bring her back without getting caught," he took a deep breath as though he didn't want to say what he was about to. "But if I have a chance to ensure her safety I will take it."
"Yes but is she safe from you when you are in your Death Eater robes?"
"As safe as I can keep her."
"And you will be the one to keep her dear brother." Both men had been so focused on each other that they had not heard Evelyn come in.
She held Severus's gaze until she stood beside him, willing him to agree with what she was about to say.
"Well Evelyn?" Albus asked impatiently.
" I was just at the Malfoy manor having tea with Narcissa and Belatrix when Lucius arrived with Miss Granger." both men focused on her as she continued "Apparently Lucius acted on his own in capturing Miss Granger hoping to gain favor from the Dark Lord. The Dark Lord was pleased but curiously decided not to kill her instead he instructed Lucius to keep her."
Albus shook his head and whipped and wrinkled hand over his face.
"Relax Albus." Evelyn said before he could voice his displeasure. "Lucius was not happy. He didn't want to play babysitter to a Gryffindor mudblood. You see the Dark Lord doesn't know what he wants her for just yet so no one is allowed to seriously harm her. So with a little subtle convincing Lucius has given Miss Granger to Severus and myself."
"And where is Miss Granger now?" the Headmaster asked.
"Spinner's End. For the obvious reasons we cannot bring her here but she is safe there for now and on Friday the winter break begins and Severus and I will go there also."
"Thank you Evelyn."
"Your welcome now I'll be retiring for the evening." and with that she left just as quietly as she had entered.
"How is she Severus?"
"She's losing herself in vengeance. She is only remotely happy when she is undermining the Dark Lord and I see less and less of her every time she returns. She never was emotionally stable to be a spy and I told you that this would happen eventually." Severus didn't wait for a response, swiftly he followed his sister.
Hermione moaned softly as she woke. Her head hurt, her knees hurt, her arm hurt and she was queasy. She opened her eyes and found herself in a small room. If it could be called a room, more like a cubby perhaps. The ceiling was just high enough for her sit and reach her arms above her head, it was wide enough that she could sit with her back against the wall and her feet would touch the other side and it was just long enough for her to lay down. There was a large stone emitting an orange glow by which she could see, it was placed near the door by her feet at the end of the matt that she lay on. Next to the stone was an glass of water and a roll of parchment.
She crawled over to light stone and unrolled the parchment. Immediately she recognized Professor Black's hand writing
H-
Incase you haven't already concluded you are at Spinner's End. The home that Professor Snape and I lived in as children. There are several anti-apparition wards place on and around the house so no one should get in with the exception of the Dark Lord. Also there are wards to keep you in the house so be a good little captive and don't try to leave. The "room" that you are in now is hidden is Severus's old room pay attention to where it is when you exit for the door will disappear once it is closed, if you wish to return the password is "Hide me". The kitchen restocks it's self and is down stairs and to the left also there is a bathroom just across the hall. I'm sure you will explore the house seeing as you are a noisy Gryffindor and all so I will not tell you anymore. Professor Snape and I will arrive Friday afternoon do try to stay out of trouble until then.
-E.B.
As she finished reading the letter the parchment became hot in her hands and she dropped it hastily as it burst into flames.
"This letter will self-destructed." Hermione mimicked James Bond as she watched the letter burn. Hermione lay back down as she ran the words through her head once more. It was a strange thought indeed to think of Professor Snape and Black as children, it was strange to think that they were siblings. Neither showed any affection to each other rather they seemed to genuinely dislike each other. "with the exception of the Dark Lord." the words flowed frighteningly into her mind and quickly she squashed that line of thought before it consume her with fear. But more thoughts came to her mind each one unpleasant. She was a prisoner of war. Professor Snape's prisoner. She didn't have a wand. She couldn't leave this house. Her "prison cell" was is Snape's room.
She need to get her mind preoccupied. Sitting up once more she pushed the door opened and blinked rapidly as the grey morning light hit her eyes. She waited for her eyes o adjust and then cautiously she crawled into the room. To her left was a full size bed and to her right a desk and chair at the end of the bed was a chest. Everything was covered in dust and looked about to fall apart. A mouse darted from under the bed and into a hole in the wall across the room. Hermione wrinkled her nose is disgust.
Her knees protested as she crawled out further and stood in the room. The floor boards groaned under her feet as she crossed the room to the open door out of which she could see the door to the bathroom. She peeked out and saw two more doors down the hall and a stair case leading to the first floor.
After taking a deep breath she walked across the hall and opened the door. The bathroom was small. The toilet water was brown, the shower curtain was ripped and when she turned on the water in the sink she had to wait several minutes for the water to clear before she could wash the dried blood off her knees.
The cool water refreshed her somewhat and so she ventured out into the hall and opened the door closest to Professor Snapes bedroom. It was another bedroom almost identical to Snapes and she surmised that it would have been Professor Black's. The hair on the back of her neck stood on end as she approached the last door causing her o pause before reaching for the door knob. Upon touching the door knob however Hermione was struck with a feeling of deep fear and pain so powerful that she ran back to "her room" yelling "Hide me!" and did not venture out again until the next night.