Chapter Thirteen : Found
An anxious Remus Lupin quietly made his way to the Head Master's office as the first weak rays of the steadily rising sun struggled to penetrate the ancient stained glass of Hogwart's many windows. Most of the castle's inhabitants, both living and dead, were still slumbering..caught somewhere between dreams and consciousness... Remus himself had spent a restless night. He tossed and turned repeatedly, unable to banish disturbing thoughts and images from his mind. He couldn't help but fear the worst...especially after he had found the tiny blood droplets belonging to Severus. Albus had offered him calming draught and something to help him sleep but he had politely refused. He didn't want to be caught unaware should anything happen during the night, he wanted his wits about him.
He stood now in front of the stone gargoyle that led the way to Dumbledore's office.
"Bon-bon," he whispered once again and was slowly swept away up to a familiar dark door.
It was strange to find himself standing outside Albus' quarters so soon after his last visit, it wasn't normally a place he spent a lot of time...but sometimes things change and there's little you can do about it.
He rapped confidently on the polished oak surface, knowing full well that the Head Master would be up and awake despite the early hour.
"Come in," a tired voice muttered from behind the solid wood.
Remus gently turned the handle and pushed the door open, as he stepped across the threshold, his foot crushed something small.
He looked down only to find several small lemon drops scattered about the stone floor.
Somewhat bemused, he stole a glance at the Head Master's desk. His customary bowl of sweets was missing, then Remus noticed the delicate bowl turned upside down, resting on a rug.
Albus himself, who had yet to acknowledge his presence, was sitting by his fire staring into the flickering flames.
Remus lifted his shoe and wordlessly removed the squashed confectionery. Only when he moved towards the fire, did Dumbledore look up at him.
"Good morning my dear boy...unable to sleep I take it?" he asked softly.
"No Sir, not really," Remus replied then threw the remains of the lemon drop into the fire. "I gather there's been no word."
"No," the wizard sighed, "not yet."
Dumbledore looked tired, the bright twinkle that normally danced within his blue eyes seemed lacklustre and for the first time in a long while, the old wizard looked his age.
"Sit down Remus," Dumbledore instructed.
A matching tall backed chair appeared behind him and he joined the Head Master in front of the warming fire. The flames danced and crackled before him but they offered him little comfort.
Taking a deep breath, Lupin spoke again, it was a question he was loath to ask but knew it needed to be.
"Albus, do you think...do you think we should contact the Ministry? We may need to involve the Aurors," he asked nervously. He had never felt comfortable around Ministry officials.
The many furrows on Dumbledore's brow seemed to deepen.
"I rather hope it doesn't come to that just yet my dear boy, though it may be inevitable and those involved deserve to be punished to the full extent of the law, Lucius Malfoy will not wriggle his way out of this, in the mean time I've been hanging on to the hope that Severus would be able to safely return Neville to us...but time it seems, is growing short," Dumbledore replied in hushed tones, looking painfully dejected.
Some what confused, Remus spoke again.
"Do you honestly think that Severus will be able to send Longbottom back here? How? How is that even possible? We don't even know where they are. We don't even know if they are still...," Remus sighed and hung his head. That sort of thinking wasn't going to help anyone.
Albus reached out and held his colleague's hand.
"Don't lose hope Remus, there is a way, a way that will work, something of my own creation but...we must not speak of it again, it is too dangerous but it will only work...once...," he cautioned, then released the younger wizard's hand.
"What do you mean...only once?" Remus asked worriedly, not liking what this new revelation might mean.
Albus looked into Lupin's eyes, the depths of sadness there answered Remus' question as surely as if he had spoken.
"You mean if given the opportunity, Severus has a way of sending home Neville but that he himself must remain in what ever hell they have found themselves in."
Dumbledore simply nodded.
"Merlin," Remus swore, unease growing. His relationship with Severus Snape was not exactly a warm and friendly one, he had made terrible mistakes and omissions in the past but he had hoped to be given an opportunity to make up for his short comings while working here at Hogwarts. He did not wish this fate on the Potions Master. He did not deserve this.
"We should still have a way of tracking him down, assuming he's not too far away and assuming he's still...still alive. Once Lucius and whoever else he may be held by finds out Neville is free, they might vent their annoyance on Severus," Albus cautioned anxiously.
Remus was just about to ask for an explanation to Dumbledore's cryptic words, when a loud shout called out from one of the portraits on the wall.
"Albus! Albus! Come quickly! Neville Longbottom is here, he's in Severus Snape's quarters!" Dilys Derwent called out as loudly as she could.
"What?!" Remus shouted back as he turned in almost disbelief at the portrait containing the witch.
"Thank Merlin," Albus whispered almost simultaneously.
"Dilys, wake Poppy quickly, tell her to meet us in Severus' rooms and let Minerva know," he ordered, then reached down into a bowl of floo powder on the hearth, he threw a handful into the flames, they disappeared instantly.
"Severus Snape's quarters," he instructed, then grabbed hold of Lupin's hand. "Come on my boy, no time to lose!"
Within seconds they found themselves standing on the rug in front of Snape's fireplace. There shivering on that same worn rug, sat Neville Longbottom. Albus knelt down and pulled the young student into a tight hug.
"You are safe Neville, you are safe now," he reassured the boy.
The words of comfort broke through the boy's resolve and tears of relief flowed freely down his face.
Remus also knelt down, joining the two locked in an embrace.
"Are you hurt Neville?" he asked concerned when he noticed the faint dried blood stains on the youth's hands.
The student looked up, eyes glassy and face all blotchy.
"No," he sniffed, "I'm ok but the...the Professor, he's hurt badly, I didn't mean it!" he shouted, suddenly distraught, "I swear, I didn't mean it...I would never do something like..."
Albus looked worriedly at Remus. What did the boy mean?
Neville's demeanour changed quickly once more and he pulled away from the Head Master.
"Sir, here...you must take this," he cried as he frantically pulled a silver ring from his finger and thrust it into Dumbledore's wrinkled hand. "The Professor said I must give it to you, he said you would know what to do...do you? Please say that you do. We have to find him, he's relying on me...he's waiting for us to find him...I...I made him promise...he's waiting."
The child broke down crying once more, his anguished sobs torn at the hearts of Albus and Remus.
"Don't worry Neville, I do know what to do, you have been most brave young Gryffindor, your actions will help us find Professor Snape...I am very proud of you!" Dumbledore praised.
Just then the fireplace flashed to life and Poppy almost ran out into the room. As her eyes took in the scene before her, she silently thanked Merlin for the safe return of Longbottom. Her eyes then quickly scanned the room, the student was alone, the potions master had not returned. She looked questioningly at the Head Master. His look told her that he would answer her questions later.
Poppy joined the others on the rug. She cast a diagnostic spell over the boy. Some cuts and bruises, a slight chill in his bones but otherwise no major physical damage, however what affects this disastrous event may yet have on his psyche...well it was too early to tell. She relayed her findings to the Head Master.
"I need to get him to the infirmary Albus, a few draughts, a warm meal and plenty of rest will do him the world of good," she informed him.
"Very well," he agreed, then looked to Neville.
"Professor Lupin and I are going to go back to my office Neville and we are going to track down Professor Snape, Poppy will look after you in the mean time, I'll let you know as soon as we find out anything...agreed?"
"Yes Sir," the student replied, then wiped his running nose.
Remus reached inside his jacket pocket and pulled out his handkerchief and handed it to Neville. The boy looked at it silently for a moment before taking it, it seemed as though he was ready to cry again but after a few shuddering breaths he steadied himself. Poppy helped him to his feet and then the two left for the infirmary. The flash in the fireplace had only just died down when another appeared heralding the arrival of Minerva McGonagall.
Slightly flustered, she stepped out onto the rug.
"Good gracious Albus is it true?" she demanded.
"Yes Minerva, he's back and in one piece," he told her.
The Head of Gryffindor covered her face with her hands as a few tears of relief escaped. She silently uttered a prayer of thanks.
"And what of Severus?" she wondered, voice shaky with concern.
"We don't know much, only that he's been gravely injured, Neville seems to think that he is at fault, I shudder to think why. Remus and I will return to my office and work on a way to find him...don't worry my dear, hope is not lost," he reassured her.
"Neville's friends will be waking soon, the will be eager for news, could I ask you Minerva to go to them and let them know that he has returned safely...but warn them not to utter a word of this to the rest of the students...especially young Draco. For now we will go with the story that Neville simply injured himself while out on detention last night...and if you could arrange temporary cover for Severus' classes, I would appreciate it," he asked.
"Yes, yes of course, I shall see to it at once, then I shall check in on Longbottom and report back to you after," she said hurriedly, then turned, grabbed some floo powder and disappeared off to Gryffindor Tower.
"What now?" Remus asked.
"Follow Me," Dumbledore replied and they flooed to his office.
Once inside Dumbledore's quarters, Remus questioned the Head Master once more.
"How on earth do you plan on finding Severus Sir?"
Instead of replying, Dumbledore remove an old heavy tome from one of his many bookshelves and carefully placed it on his desk. He gently blew over the cover causing a layer of dust to rise up into the air.
He tapped the cover with his wand and uttered a short spell. The book opened then morphed into a large map. Intrigued, Remus moved towards the map. It showed a large portion of Scotland, carefully hand drawn in black ink. A tiny dot indicated the position of Hogwarts along with various other magical locations.
Then he watched mesmerised as Albus reached inside his many layers of colourful robes and pulled out a thick gold chain. He pulled it over his head, opened the tiny catch then placed the silver ring Neville gave him on the chain.
As he uttered another spell, he began to swing the chain over the area of the map. Suddenly the chain froze into position directly over one spot. Both wizards couldn't believe their luck as the silver ring hovered close to Hogwarts, somewhere in the region of the Forbidden Forest.
Smiling now, Dumbledore tapped the map again and the area around Hogwarts enlarged and became much more detailed. The ring did not move and was clearly indicating a spot deep within the dark forest.
"Does this mean he is here?" Remus asked hopefully, pointing to the area on the map.
"Yes my dear boy, it most certainly does," Albus sighed with relief, "but more importantly it means Severus is still alive!"
ooOoo
Author's Note: Well there you have it folks, the latest chapter. I have to admit that about 80 percent of this chapter was written this evening. I have internet access at the moment so I wanted to post it as soon as I could. So if it's a bit rushed in places or too short...I apologise. I have a good idea where I'll be going in the next chapter...suffice it to say "Remus to the Rescue"!! LOL!
As always I can't wait to read all your much loved feedback! Thanks also to those who have put this little story on their favs list or just have it on alert...don't be shy..drop by and say 'Hi!'.
Until next time...take care!
Lai.