disclaimer: No...I do not own any of the characters from Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling is a genius!
Thanks for being patient with me and for reading my fanfic! I am about to pop! My baby girl is due any day now so I wanted to get this chapter out now!! Thanks again for continuing to read and being patient for my updates! ;) Enjoy!
-boots-
The sky was still pitch black in the cool early hours of morning and though the wind had picked up pace, it carried upon it the most fragrant scents of an approaching dawn; dew drenched vines and melting snow along fresh dirt paths. But at the core of this potentially beautiful morning, the dark uncertainty of night clung to the sky.
Tom Riddle sat by a warm fireplace, twirling a fine ginger wine in a crystal goblet. The slightest smile was etched on his gaunt snake-like face and as he sipped the wine, he tapped his spindly fingers on the armrest of the chair in an almost childish manner.
"A daughter" He hissed through a wide and treacherous grin. "How perfectly…fortuitous." The dark wizard threw his head back with a laugh as he downed the rest of his drink. "Sweet, crafty Katrina" he mused, setting the goblet down, "Lucius, it would seem you have some explaining to do" He cocked his head to one side and studied the two men sitting across from him.
"My lord- you must believe me, I…I thought she was dead…I…"
"Silence." He lunged forward in his chair, his scarlet eyes flashing wildly.
Lucius Malfoy's face was pale as death and his breathing had become visibly uneven. Severus Snape, on the other hand, sat very still, his eyes following the Dark Lord's every movement. He would have to choose his words very carefully if he wanted to get through the rest of this interrogation alive. The Dark Lord suddenly leapt up from his chair and grabbed Severus roughly by the chin, "You wanted her"
Severus jerked his head away "She's a child" he snorted. "An insufferable little child... I assure you… I feel nothing for her, my Lord" Severus was unsure why, but he had found those words more difficult to say than he would have thought.
"I am disinclined to believe you, Severus" The Dark Lord was now within an inch of Snape's face, staring deeply into his expressionless eyes. "I'll tell you what Severus…perhaps when I'm done draining her filthy little body of all that…precious…blood…I'll give her to you to do with what you like" The sides of his mouth curled dangerously.
"If it pleases you to do so, my Lord" Severus remained impassive but deep beneath the dark façade, he pictured Hermione, asleep in his sitting room, a book tightly clutched against her chest. And for some inexplicable reason, he ached to know that she was still safely locked away at Hogwarts.
"Where is he Albus? Where is my son?!" Narcissa was quite frantic now as she searched the Headmaster's office for Draco.
In a flash of green light, Remus Lupin and the other Order Members stepped through the fireplace followed closely by Thomas Crowe.
"Well…where's Draco?" Tonks plopped herself down in a chair and attacked the Headmaster's candy dish.
Professor Dumbledore stroked his beard and popped a lemon drop in his mouth, scanning the room for anything out of the ordinary and that was when he noticed it; the portrait. He slowly picked it up and took a seat behind his desk.
"They've gone Professor"
"Who said that?" Remus looked over his shoulder at Moody rather inquisitively and it didn't take long for everyone to realize that the low and even voice they heard had come straight from the portrait. Narcissa moved in closer to get a better look and gasped when she saw Katrina's face.
"Auntie…she looks like your lot!" Tonks sniggered.
"Very astute of you, Tonks…this is Katrina Malfoy" Albus beamed.
"Never heard of her"
"She was Lucius Malfoy's twin sister when I was in school here" Remus quietly offered before taking a seat next to Tonks.
Narcissa looked as though she may faint from the shock. Katrina was certainly the last person on Earth she had expected to see.
"They left not an hour ago"
The Headmaster turned his attention back to the portrait. "Do you know where they've gone?"
Katrina nodded "I'm not sure exactly where they've gone…but I think-"
Just then, Neville Longbottom burst into the Headmaster's office at such a speed, they could scarcely believe they were staring at clumsy, awkward, stuttering Longbottom!
"Sir…Head…head…Headmaster…Professor Dumbledore, sir…" The poor boy was quite out of breath.
"What is it Neville?"
"It's Hermione sir…and Draco Malfoy…they've apparated to- to…" Neville noticed Narcissa standing next to the Headmaster and suddenly grew very quiet.
"Well- lad…spit it out then" Moody thumped the boy on the back rather roughly.
"Mal… They've gone to…to… Malfoy Manor, sir"
"Oh Gods, they'll be killed!" Narcissa finally met eyes with Katrina and the two exchanged a silent understanding that only a mother could have deciphered.
"Draco must think I'm at the mansion" Thomas grabbed a handful of floo powder, rushing to the fireplace.
"And just where do you think you're off to then- lad? Gonna go after them yerself- are you?"
"I'm afraid Alastor is right, Thomas…" Hestia piped in "there's no telling how many of them there might be…"
"Besides, were you planning to floo right into the living room? I'm not sure my uncle would appreciate your causal dropping by" Tonks huffed.
"I'll go"
Everyone turned to Narcissa Malfoy, who was still locked in a stare with Katrina.
"Are you mad, woman?! Do you have any idea what they'll do to you if-"
"Yes" She stared at Mad-Eye sharply and made her way to the fireplace. "I know all too well."
"Narcissa…" The Headmaster stood. "We will cover the grounds while you search for the children inside. Once they are out…" Albus suddenly felt an impending sense of dread and it surely showed on his face.
"Headmaster? Are you alright – sir?
Albus said nothing in response, but glanced one more look at Katrina's portrait.
"They'll be fine, Professor. He wouldn't allow them to harm her" He knew she was speaking of Severus, who no doubt, was at the mansion already.
"Sir…should we be alerting Arthur and Harry?"
Albus hesitated before nodding. Harry had not been told of the Dark Lord's return and he was unsure how the boy would handle such grave news. On the other hand, Harry had grown into quite a powerful young wizard and if his instincts were right, they would need all the reinforcements they could get- even if this time, Harry Potter was not the target of Tom Riddle's malicious design.
The sky had lightened ever so slightly when Hermione and Draco arrived at the grounds of Malfoy Manor. The castle-like structure was rather foreboding with its black stone walls and wrought iron gates. Hermione followed Draco closely as he led them through the gardens and finally through a back entrance near the servants quarters. Draco knew that house like the back of his own hand and Hermione mimicked his every movement as they cautiously made their way down the many dark and winding hallways. Draco's heart was beating wildly in his chest; he knew if they were caught he would have to turn on Hermione in an instant or risk the severe punishment that would inevitably follow if he stood as her companion. Draco shook the thought from his head and glanced back at the bushy haired witch trailing behind him. Why was she doing this? Why was she helping someone who had only ever tormented her at school? It was perhaps the Slytherin in Draco that caused him to think that Hermione must have some ulterior motive for helping him find Thomas. Nevertheless, he readily accepted her help and somewhere in the back of his mind he wondered if they could ever be friends.
"Where are they holding Thomas?"
"Shh! There's a hidden chamber under the drawing-room floor but there may be someone guarding it"
Draco quietly opened the door to the drawing room just enough to peek inside. It didn't appear to be occupied but one could never be too cautious and he knew that if nobody was there at present, there was a good chance they could return at any moment.
"Come on Granger"
The two students hurried into the room where Draco swiftly pulled back a heavy tapestry to reveal a small, hinged door.
"Lumos" Hermione's wand flickered to life and lit their way as they slowly descended a twisting and rather dilapidated staircase into the bitter depths of the mansion.
"Thomas!" Hermione called out softly to the darkness below. "Thomas- we're coming!"
There were three large doors in the chamber, all leading to smaller adjoining cells. At the center of the room stood an iron maiden and a table, piled high with a variety of muggle torture devices.
"I hope those are antiques" Hermione swallowed.
Draco rolled his eyes at the squeamish witch and rushed past her, pulling open each door in search of his friend.
"He's not here!"
"Is there anywhere else they would keep him?"
Draco ran his hands though his hair in frustration. "I don't know…I mean, he could be in the study-"
"With the revolver?" Hermione smiled.
Draco looked at her curiously with one eyebrow raised so high it looked like it might just fly away from his forehead.
"Sorry…bad muggle joke"
"Well, well, well... Draco, I didn't know you had yourself a little girlfriend! What will daddy think?!" The last thing either of them heard was the shrill cackle of Bellatrix LeStrange as the world around them faded to blackness.
Arthur Weasley stood for a moment outside of Ron's room; unsure of how to break the news to Harry about Voldemort's return and the possible danger Hermione might be in. Remus had only contacted him by floo moments before, alerting him to the situation and while he knew now was no time to dawdle; he was still concerned for how Harry would take it. So many believed the Dark Lord to be dead, finally vanquished by the Boy-Who-Lived. In fact, there were many Ministry officials who believed this to be the case as well and it had only been through a select few members of the Order that any intelligence on his return had been collected at all. The spell, which was said to have destroyed him, Arthur had known to be an original creation of none other than Hermione Granger though the majority of the wizarding world believed it to be Harry's superior skills and willpower which had won the final battle.
There had been so much celebration – so much joy at the great defeat and now Arthur was forced to face the reality that it was not quite over for any of them. With a heavy heart and a final sigh, he pushed the door open and set about waking Harry and Ron with the unfortunate news. He was blunt in his revelations and as his words sunk in, both boys instantaneously stood to their feet, dressed, grabbed their wands and were out of the burrow faster than a Chinese Fireball. Harry approached the task before them with all the tact and fervor of a soldier but all the time that they traveled to Malfoy Manor, his heart thumped vehemently in his chest for the safety of his dear friend. 'She would be okay', he kept repeating it like a mantra – Hermione would live, even if he and Ron died protecting her – Hermione would live.
Hermione's wrists and ankles were throbbing with pain and as she strained to open her eyes, she found that she was shackled to a chair in the center of a poorly lit room. She could taste blood in her mouth and immediately began to struggle against the iron chains. She scanned her body frantically for her wand but it had undoubtedly been removed. She breathed fiercely and began to scream into the darkness.
"You foolish little girl" a menacing voice hissed behind her. She tried to turn but the chains prevented her from much movement. Suddenly the darkness lifted and as Hermione's eyes adjusted to the onslaught of light she realized that she was surrounded. Fenrir Greyback was among them, as well as Lucius Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange.
"You disgusting mudblood" the older witch spat as she approached her.
"Now now Bella…let us not be rude to our guest" the unseen voice whispered hoarsely into Hermione's ear and in an instant she knew all too well who stood directly behind her. A shiver ran through her body and she lowered her eyes to the floor. This was her father –the very blood that propelled her forward into existence, the same blood she now carried in her veins. She held back her tears, forcing herself to swallow the sick feeling welling up in her chest.
"What should we do with this little sod?!" Fenrir threw Draco roughly to the floor.
"Rise Draco" The Dark Lord ordered the boy to his feet. "You have done well to bring me… this… very fine gift." He cocked his head to one side with all the appearance of a reptile. "Shall I… reward you for your actions?"
Hermione's head snapped up at this and she caught eyes with Draco who looked even more terrified than she did. "Draco- you don't have to do this! You can turn away from them! You can!"
"Silence- you little rat!" Bellatrix lunged at the girl "Cru-"
"Stop!" Draco held his wand pointedly at the witch; sweat running down his gaunt face.
"How dare you raise your wand to me! Incarcerous!"
Draco fell to the floor, struggling as the phantom ropes tightened around his body. Voldemort stalked over to the boy, pushing Bellatrix out of his way.
"Dear boy, I begin to wonder…whether you have the stomach for this sort of life…" He was within a foot of Draco's face as he hovered over him; the foul stench of death dripping from his tongue, "Are you loyal to me Draco?"
"Where's Thomas?!"
The Dark Lord swiftly kicked him in the ribs, a sly smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.
"I would think that should be the very least of your worries dear boy" His attention now turned back to Hermione who watched on helplessly, unable to tear her eyes away from the horror that was unfolding before her. The ropes around Draco continued to tighten and his face grew quite red.
"Stop it - can't you see?" she begged, "He's choking!"
The Dark Lord waved his hand over Draco's body, before snapping it up into a fist. The boy's eyes grew very wide and as the ropes disappeared, there was a loud crack and Hermione realized it was the sound of Draco's bones breaking. He cried out in excruciating pain and remained in a heap on the floor; both legs clearly broken and his right arm turned almost completely around. Hermione let out a cry and struggled against the chains.
"You monster! You vile horrible thing!"
"By all means, if you wish him dead…keep talking, girl" Lucius Malfoy ground out through a clenched jaw.
"You're his father! How can you just stand there watching this?!" she screamed. "Your own flesh…and blood" she bit back her sobs as best she could.
"While we're on the subject of blood…perhaps you could enlighten me on one or two points...the spell which…incapacitated me…I know it was you who created it" The Dark Lord was now dangerously close to Hermione. "I want that spell" he hissed.
Hermione stared up at him defiantly. "Figure it out for yourself"
"Come now… it doesn't have to be this way…" he snaked behind her "We could do great things together…you and I" he lowered his voice to her in the manner of a secret.
The young witch said nothing, fixing her gaze once more to the floor. Where was her professor? Why had he not come bursting through the doors to save her and Draco? One thing was certain- there was to be no teary reunion of father and daughter tonight. Voldemort gripped her chin with an icy hand and stared deeply into her honey colored eyes. Before Hermione knew what was happening, he began to penetrate her mind. She fought to put up as many walls as she could but it proved to be more difficult than she could have imagined.
The postcard book, the necklace, the letter from Gringotts, her isolation from her friends, detention, the lake snake, Draco holding his arm, Katrina's portrait, that kiss…that feeling of safety she felt with her professor…that trust…
He lingered on the memory of the kiss she shared with Snape for a moment before releasing her mind. Stalking to the center of the room, with his head a little bowed, he began to laugh.
"Severus" he beamed. "Perhaps you would be good enough to assssist me with something?"
Severus Snape stepped into the light, his eyes focusing on anything but the bloodied Gryffindor that was staring up at him expectantly.
Narcissa Malfoy flooed through the bedroom fireplace of her home and quickly threw her coat and gloves off before creeping out into the hallway. She gently pushed open the door to Draco's bedroom just to be certain he was not there. She swallowed hard and took several deep breaths before descending the stairs to the lower level of the manor, listening carefully for any signs of movement in the foyer and adjoining sitting rooms. The house was eerily silent and Narcissa suddenly felt very anxious as she passed the door to her husband's study. She lightly touched the knob and realized it was heavily warded with a variety of complicated spells. Though this was not uncommon, she found it to be a particularly bad sign considering the circumstances. She exited the house through the servant's quarters and waited for the Order members to arrive just beyond the gates.
Severus stood very still, well aware of what it was the Dark Lord expected him to do. A slight look of apprehension came over him but he fought hard to suppress it. He coldly walked over to Hermione who continued to look up at him with an almost painful look of complete trust. Her lips quivered a bit as he closed his hard black eyes against her innocent gaze.
"Crucio!"
Hermione screamed and threw her head back wildly in the chair. Her limbs writhed in extreme agony as the curse worked its way through her already beaten body. Severus opened his eyes and could have cried when he saw her looking up at him with that same expectant look of hope clinging to her big brown eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hold her against his chest; to tell her everything was alright... to kiss away all traces of pain.
"Again Severus"
Snape hesitated before he lifted his wand again, pointing it at Hermione. It was then that her eyes relented to the cruelty. She looked at him as if to say 'do what you must'.
"Crucio!"
After another round of the cruciatus curse, Hermione was barely conscious; completely slumped over in the chair.
"I grow tired of this Snape…perhaps we might try extracting the information some other way…" Voldemort gripped the young girl's hair tightly in his fist, craning her limp head upward to see her face, which still held a certain amount of defiance.
"Perhaps I could attempt legilimency on her My Lord"
"I was thinking of something a bit more…unconventional"
"It will take some considerable skill to get past the wards" Narcissa offered as she quietly led the Order members in through the servant's quarters.
"Remus…you and Hestia work on the wards – Potter, Weasley you come with me" Mad-Eye Moody barked. The boys nodded and trailed after Moody as they searched the house for other Death eaters.
"Remus…how do the wards look?" Hestia stood in a defensive stance as she watched over the werewolf's back for any signs of approaching movement from the darkened hallways.
"Just give me a min…" The tall man's eyes flew open rather erratically and he lowered his wand to his side, stepping back tentatively from the door.
"Remus" Hestia whispered, "Remus- what is it?"
Lucius Malfoy ushered the Dark Lord into an adjoining room off the study, which was rather appropriately hidden behind a rare portrait of Salazar Slytherin.
"Bring me the girl"
The room was small and lit only by a few sconces on the walls. It smelled like old death; the kind of musty scent that a tortured soul leaves behind. Lucius unceremoniously threw Hermione to the hard stone floor, Severus following closely behind him. There was a single chair in the corner of the room and a large ornate cabinet next to it, which Snape recognized immediately as a vanishing cabinet.
"Leave us!" The Dark Lord's voice was like oil of vitriol as it burned over the two men, pushing them out of the hidden room.
Lucius smiled gingerly and turned to his ruthless associates. "A drink?"
Bellatrix cackled loudly and rushed over to her brother-in-law's rather large liquor cabinet. Severus remained quite focused on the portrait. The girl was resilient but he doubted very much she could survive a private encounter with Tom Riddle. He knew now that the Dark Lord was after her blood to restore his body and it was clear he knew Hermione was the true brains behind his last encounter with the Boy-Who-Kept-Living. Somehow Severus could not imagine his life without the little know-it-all in it; something between them had changed and it weighed upon his conscience like an iron anchor. He had been so sure he would never love anyone after Lily had hurt him so terribly and yet the blasted girl with the bucked teeth and bushy hair had managed to make him feel more vulnerable than he ever had in his entire life. Severus felt his heart tighten at the thought of losing her. His eyes bore into the portrait as if he were willing it to open but Salazar's face merely sneered at him and stared back with empty pale eyes.
"Now, now Severus…I'm sure you'll get a piece of the mudblood when he's through…you needn't be jealous" The blonde wizard's lips curled into a cat-like grin as he watched Severus out of the corner of his eye. The Potions Master scanned the room. They all looked so revolting, sloshing drinks about, carrying on like mindless puppets as a mad man pulled the strings. It made him sick. He looked over to a dark corner where young Draco was slumped in a chair, quite unconscious. Though Snape could not be entirely sure of the circumstances which brought the two students here, he recalled to mind the way Hermione had defended her cousin and how Draco had taken the punishment rather than save his own skin. He thought it interesting to see the change in Draco's behavior and secretly hoped it would be permanent. After all, Draco had been a promising student and no doubt would have a fine future ahead of him if he managed to stay out the kind of trouble his father had fallen into at roughly the same age. Severus was suddenly torn from his thoughts when Fenrir Greyback arched his shoulders and stood with some trepidation. He cocked his head and turned sharply to the door.
"What is it Greyback? Bit jumpy, are we?" Bellatrix scoffed.
"Lupin" The hulking werewolf growled deeply from the back of his throat. Severus raised a single eyebrow. Where there was Lupin, there was undoubtedly the Order and where there was the Order…there would indeed be Harry Potter.
In a flurry of wands and curses, the door flew open.
Hermione felt like she was falling. Her stomach turned over and she felt quite sick. She momentarily opened her eyes only to see darkness whirling about her and undulating with a magic she didn't quite recognize. Suddenly she felt arms slither around her waist and pull her up to her feet before throwing her like a ragdoll through a door. She tried to stand to her feet but her body was so sore she could barely move. She scooted back on her hands and as her eyes adjusted to the light she took in the full sight of Lord Voldemort standing before a vanishing cabinet. He whispered something under his breath and Hermione strained to listen, catching only what sounded like a variation on a locking spell. She looked around at their new surroundings and was surprised to see they appeared to be in a makeshift lab of sorts. Along the walls, dusty jars of ingredients and specimens lined the many shelves. And there appeared to be a table in the corner piled high with cauldrons, books and various other potions utensils.
"Where are we?" Her voice was small but held so much boldness in it she might as well have spit in his face.
He hissed through yellowed teeth as he approached her slowly "I apologize for the… unconventional travel arrangements … but your miserable little friends have a way of dis…rupting my plans…" Staring down at her through narrowed red eyes, he smiled wickedly at her trembling form.
"A vanishing cabinet? You honestly think that's going to stop them from following you?!"
Voldemort began to chuckle lightly but it soon turned into a roaring fit of laughter.
"What's so funny?"
"My dear…by the time they get here you'll be little more than a shell"
Hermione tried not to show her fear but it was plainly written on her face. He turned from her and began slowly pulling some vials from a cabinet on the wall and gently placing them on the table in the corner. Hermione also noticed a large table in the center of the room with what appeared to be restraints on either end of it. The man was truly evil, she thought, chiding herself for thinking there existed some part of him that could look at her and see a daughter. The young witch looked around the room for any possible means of escape but was sorely disappointed to see no windows and only one heavily warded door. The vanishing cabinet would be her only way out but without a wand to break the locking spells it would be of no use to her. She hoped that he had been right about her "miserable friends". Her thoughts turned to her professor. She had seen so much pain in his eyes when he hit her with the cruciatus curse; so much anger at the situation, at Malfoy, and maybe even at himself. She swallowed back a round of tears and thought about his dark eyes focused on her. She had felt something pass between them in those few moments before he threw the torture curse at her; apprehension, regret, fear and something else… something profound and unbridled just beneath his cold exterior.
"I forgive you" she whispered to no one in particular and closed her eyes, attempting to retreat as far into her mind as she could. She thought about her professor's face when she had kissed his cold skin, she thought about him pulling her into his body in the most tender of embraces, she thought of the agony in his eyes when he hurt her at the Dark Lord's command. At last Hermione realized why she felt so drawn to the broken man who had reluctantly helped her piece her past back together; she loved him...truly...loved him.
Spells and curses were being thrown back and forth across Lucius Malfoy's study. Lupin and Greyback had disappeared out into the dark night, battling each other ferociously into the expansive gardens. Most of the Death Eaters had been subdued by this point or had fled the scene. Luckily there had been no causalities amongst the Order though many of them were quite injured, some even unconscious.
"Expelliarmus!"
Lucius fell to one knee as he lost his balance along with his wand, staring up at Harry Potter with a most pitiful look.
"Well boy? Do it…" he smirked.
Harry licked his lip and with every ounce of restraint he could muster lifted his wand to the kneeling wizard's brow.
"Incarcerous" Lucius struggled for a while, flailing his body about in a futile attempt to free himself from the spell but to no avail.
"Where is Hermione?" Harry bellowed.
A wide grin spread across the wizard's face "By the time you reach her she will be dead" he bit out through a hoarse chuckle.
Severus approached Harry and placing a firm hand on his shoulder, gently moved him aside, his wand pointed menacingly at Lucius.
"I always knew you weren't to be trusted…"Lucius spit. Severus gave him a swift quick to the ribs and raised one eyebrow at the pathetic man writhing on the floor. "And you…" he turned his attention to Thomas Crowe who stood by Dumbledore's side. "I knew you were a coward…just like your daddy!" Thomas lunged at the wizard, drawing his wand but was restrained by Kingsley. A very worn looking Remus stumbled back into the room, grimacing from the thick stench of blood, which now surrounded him. Tonks and Hestia immediately tended to him. But all other eyes remained on Snape and Malfoy.
"You make me sick" the Potions Master finally said with pure disgust evident on his face. "She was your responsibility… Katrina loved you…"
Harry shot a bewildered look to Remus; searching the werewolf's face for answers and then to Dumbledore, whose eyes merely held their familiar twinkle as he took in the scene before him.
"And what of your role in all of this Severus? You were also intended to protect her were you not? And now; given a second chance you've failed yet again. You think Katrina would be pleased? You couldn't save her then and you can't save her now" Lucius laughed weakly and cocked his head towards Harry – who still held a look of confusion on his face. "Oh didn't you know- Potter" he lurched forward a bit "didn't you know who your little chit friend's father was?" At this Severus kicked him yet again and Lucius choked on the blood, which spurted from between his lips.
"Enough. The password Lucius" Severus crammed his wand into the bleeding wizard's temple "give me the password for Salazar's portrait or so help me I will finish you here"
The tension in the air was so thick that no one dared to move let alone speak. Harry stared at Snape with great scrutiny. He had never seen the man so passionate or emotionally unhinged. His pupils were completely dilated, causing his naturally dark eyes to appear completely coal black and his hands shook with fury as Lucius continued to verbally taunt him. Narcissa, who had been by Draco's side, rose and pushed her way through the Order members until she was nearly a foot away from the two men.
"Lucius…please…" she stammered, fidgeting with her delicate hands.
He looked up into his wife's concerned face as if it were the first time he ever saw her. Severus backed up a bit as Narcissa bent down to place her hand on Lucius' bloodied face. "Tell him, please… remember how much she meant to you at one time…remember Katrina"
The blonde wizard suddenly bowed his head, his face draining of all color.
"The vanishing cabinet" he murmured "You'll have to use my wand to unward it" he looked up at Severus with a look of mixed emotions; horror, regret, defeat and uncertainty.
"And the password?" Snape growled in a dangerously low tone.
"Cicatrix manet"