Chapter 3; Chasing the seeker

Don't own Harry Potter, nope, none, just some ocs and that's it!

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Snape gathered a handful of floo and met his onyx orbs with the wise blue ones "But I will protect Lily's son." As soon as he finished his sentence, he flooed back to the Prince manor, leaving the office. Dumbledore stood paralyzed with astonishment for he saw something in Severus that he never saw before. He saw a flame, burning brightly in his dark eyes with pure determination.

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Severus dusted himself as he walked out of the manor's fireplace, murmuring inaudible curses as Drusa popped from the air with tears in her large eyes "Master! D-Drusa is so sorry…he's gone…they're all gone…"

Snape huffed "Drusa calm yourself, who's missing? Where are the Potters?"

She sniffled "Mr. Potter knocked Drusa on the head when Drusa wasn't looking, and took the child as they left. When Drusa woke up, they were gone. Drusa tried finding them but Drusa couldn't…"

"You couldn't find them?"

"D-Drusa also noticed that the Potter's cloak and your broom went missing."

"Potter took my broom and took his invisibility cloak… that explains why you couldn't see them…can that prat even ride a broom with no arm hold?

She paled "No, Drusa doesn't think so…not with his injury…he would've needed to use his remaining arm to hold the young Potter…could they have crashed?!"

Severus sighed "It is likely…no can drive a broom with no arms…with his injury; I don't think he made it too far."

With the finish of his sentence, he stormed off towards the backdoor to the backyard. Drusa scampered after him "Master, what are you doing?"

He coolly answered "He took my broom…not that it matters, I've always relied on living creatures than inanimate objects. I will need to go after him, not that I want to…but I will."

Drusa questioned with a pondering look "You're going after them?"

"Unfortunately, yes. Dumbledore placed them in my care, meaning that I now have to babysit two children."

"Two, sir?"

"One is the infant; the other is the immature and extremely childish git, Potter."

Snape stridden towards a large wooden structure, inside there was a large stable, housing a strong flock of Thestrals. A source of his pride for he raised them each on his own.

After learning about them from Hagrid who kept a large number of them, he grew attached to the meager, skeletal-like creatures. He tried raising a few for trail as they grew and grew until he had a herd of his own.

Thestrals are usually looked down upon for their dis-pleasing appearances and reputation for giving omens of evil. After his experience of riding on them whenever Dumbledore wasn't in the mood to get to his destinations by broom or apparatus, he learned that they were nothing but mere rumors. The grimy creatures were misjudged, much like he was.

Severus stalked through the stables as several heads poked from their stables to greet the hooked-nosed figure. Drusa stopped by one of them as she gazed into its milky, lifeless eyes. She glanced back to Snape "Master, which one will you be taking?"

He stopped in front of a stable, fifth to the right side with a brass plaque that read; "Cippus" He flipped the latch open and stepped inside where a sleeping figure laid onto the moist soil. It stirred as it opened its pale eyes lazily and gradually raised itself up on to its hooves. It soon noticed him as it trotted towards its master in an eager fashion.

Snape raised a hand, stopping the energetic thestral in its tracks. It started to whine with disappointment as it nudged its head against his hand, demanding affection. Severus rolled his eyes as he began to stroke the winged creature's neck. It leaned against his touch, enjoying the gesture. He stepped back and commanded while walking out, expecting it to follow "Cippus, come."

Cippus complied as it trailed him, being lead out of the stable, into the open field. Snape cautiously mounted himself onto its slick back as he placed his legs behind the joints of its grand, leathery wings. He turned to Drusa who was on his side, asking with a hint of doubt "Master, are you sure of taking Cippus and not Vaporo? You said so yourself that he was easier to ride on."

"Anything could have happened to the Potters, I need to get to them as soon as possible, and Cippus is the fastest flier in the flock. I need speed, not comfort."

She sighed with concern as he continued "While I'm gone, let the others out and let them take their daily morning flight."

Drusa nodded as she said "I wish you luck, master."

"I won't need luck, Drusa."

As soon as he finished, he thumped his heels and the shaded beast screeched and broke into a dash across the field, like a bat out of hell. The wind splayed onto them like piercing needles, making everything in sight smudged into a blinding blur. Severus clinged to its inky mane to keep balance on Cippus as he sealed his eyes shut.

"Cippus, up. Go up, boy!"

Cippus complied as he started to flap his wings, accompanied with the agile speed and raised leisurely from the ground into the morning chilled air. Once they started to slow their pace and the wind stopped nipping at them, Snape peered his lurid gaze on the lavish sea of trees beneath them that were no larger than the heads of pins.

They cascaded downwards until the woods were directly below them, just above the tips of the fresh pines. Severus darted his sight around the forest and stumbled upon rather plentiful amounts of broken branches, forming a narrow path, declining towards the ground.

Snape flown, trailing the afflicted tree limbs to an open area, cushioned with large patches of fallen leaves in forms of massive hills. "Cippus, down."

With the command, the twosome descended to the vacant encompassed field and landed with a small thump. Severus dis-mounted himself and started to frisk around the cushioned ground. A blinding light ray hit him directly in the eye. He instantly covered it and pursued the reflective ray. The mystery light source was concealed in a stack of freshly fallen leaves. He brushed them off as he uncovered the enshrouded object.

It was a broom…his broom…well, the lower half was present, and the handle was ripped clean off. He groaned "Dammit, Potter! You really did crash…"

He found a part of his dismantled broom, but where was the rider?

"ACHOOOOO!"

Snape snapped his head in the direction of the sudden voice. Nothing was in sight, completely vacant. He was about to continue his search when he heard a faint crunch of the crisp leaves and twigs.

"Who's there?"

The reply was a muffled gasp and imprinted dents into the ground…shaped much like shoe prints. Severus widened his dusky gaze "Potter…" he started to pursue the veiled figure.

"Stay away from me!"

Snape dimply uttered in his mind "Potter, Potter is there for sure…"

"Potter you can come out already. I know you're there."

The shrouded figure unveiled himself as the cloak swept to the ground, with an angry glare, cradling the slumbering toddler "What are you doing here?!"

"I think I should be the one who should be asking that question, Potter. How can you be so reckless, riding a broom with no arms? Did you honestly think you would make it that far?"

"Shut up! Why would you of all people care?!"

"I'm the only person who seems to care, Potter. No one in the order stepped in to assist you, only me."

"Bullocks! You don't care about me or my son!"

"I do care for the well-being of the child, not you, but I do about Harry."

James gaped as his face paled to ghostly hues. Snape scornfully glared "What is it?"

"You called him by his first name…"

"Don't change the subject, you could've killed him. You're even lucky to have landed and not conflict any damage let alone death."

James snarled "Shut up! You only saved me so you could see me suffer, suffer for losing Lily who you murdered. You should've let me die, you slimy git!"

He hissed "How dare you! How can you even live with yourself? Ungrateful, spoiled, good for nothing whelp! I saved your worthless hide and Lily's son. All you did was whine and complain. Apparently nothing is too good for James bloody Potter!"

He lowered his hardened gaze as he continued with a softened sigh "I never intended to tell the lord to kill Lily; I had no idea he was targeting her until recently. I have many regrets that I do hope to condemn but it will never justify you and your actions, Potter!"

Severus lashed his wand and placed it onto his chest "I won't kill you, but I will turn you into a toad and stuff you into a jar if I have to. Now cooperate, stop your point-less goading, and let's get going"

James scoffed "What's makes you think I'll listen to you?"

"Because Dumbledore placed the both of you into my care. I have the authority."

"He would never do something that!"

"Well, he did. Don't get the wrong idea; I don't exactly want this either. But I will comply with his orders, no matter how rash they are." He snatched the infant from James's frail hold and stridden towards Cippus.

James could feel the anger and old-time bitterness flowing through his veins, slowly possessing him. Was he feeling…defeat? He growled as he could feel his skull, all of his head, pulsing with infuriation. He brutishly dashed and blocked the billowing robbed individual in his tracks "You weren't indicating to ride on that vile thing were you?"

Snape spat venomously "It's a thestral. And yes we are; you don't get the luxury of choice for choosing transportation because a certain someone broke my only broom."

Severus brushed past him moodily and attentively clambered himself back onto the raw-boned yet proud and strong creature, holding Harry, securely in his steady arm hold. He moved his gaze back to the messy-haired figure "Get on; we don't have all day to wait, Potter."

"I'm not going anywhere with you. Nor am I riding on that foul monster." He coldly replied as he turned and rushed into a bound-less sprint, fleeing from the scene.

Seeing James departing was rather fast for he was a good runner. But what the poor Potter doesn't know that a thestral has inhuman speed, not only as a flier but as a hunter as well.

Snape gripped the slothful mane as he slightly leaned forwards, clutching Harry protectively to his chest. He smirked as he whispered his eager command "Cippus, fetch."

Cippus perked up as he reared up onto his hind legs and broke into gallop in the speed of a lightning bolt. Cippus was now on the spectacled prey's heels as he clamped the victim's black leather belt between his teeth and sprung into flight. James was now dangling from the thestral's mouth hold and thrashing his three remaining limbs while screeching at the top of his lungs "SNIVELLY! PUT ME DOWN. I SAID PUT ME DOWN!"

Severus started to snigger, enjoying Potter's struggles as he turned his gaze back to Harry. "Great Merlin, he's still sleeping? Even after all of this?! Interesting child indeed…I wonder why Potter tried run away. I honestly thought as long as I had Harry, he would've followed, I'll have to use the Veritaserum once we get back to see why."

He uttered in a cold monotone "Cippus take us home."

The shaded creature nodded as he drifted his direction in the direct route to the Prince manor, gliding gently along perspiring air in a steady retention.

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Why did James run away? Answers will be revealed in next chapter. Anyways, hope you enjoy reading this. Peace out!