Pretty Boy

Chapter 42

Meetings

Harry sat there a coffee going cold in his hands, he didn't know why but the death of Alastor Moody was affecting him. He'd never get his answers, was it so wrong to want answers to why they'd made his life a living hell? What had he done to deserve it? He was a child, or at least had been. They'd been planning his life since he was a baby for god sake. He hadn't done anything to deserve what they'd done to him. Squaring his shoulders, he realized the truth in it, plus there was still one man he could interrogate. The better of the two, since Dumbledore was the planner, if anything he'd have the answers. Then again Harry wasn't stupid; there might not even be a genuine reason for it all. Even if there was…what gave them the right to play god with other peoples lives?

Harry noticed smoke coming from under the door, he watched it form a doe and it began speaking in Severus' voice. "I've been called, stay in our quarters and be careful, I'll see you as soon as I can."

Harry realized Severus was going to be a while probably, with nothing better to do he decided on reading a book. He decided to finished his defence book, he'd been reading it. Wandering through to his own room, he was just about to pick up a book when he fell over in incredible agony.

The pain was all he felt, then his vision tunnelled black, wasn't in Hogwarts anymore; he was suddenly seeing black robed figures and watching one of them being cursed. He couldn't think past the pain he was experiencing. He couldn't even make out what the man was saying, as more and more pain coursed though him. His entire body bowed and jerked under the Cruciatus Curse. Harry was scratching furiously at his head; chunks of his own skin were now under his finger nails. The pain in his head seemed to get worse. He was aware of nothing other than the pain. The smell of sick invaded the air, as Harry regurgitated his food, from the pain of it all. Then everything went completely black, his mind blessedly unconscious. Despite the fact was unconscious his body still writhed as if the spell was still on him. His mouth open, as he screamed bloody murder. It continued on for ages before finally his body stilled completely.

"What happened to Lucius?" hissed Voldemort furiously. Cursing his fifth Death Eater, for not doing his bidding. He was just really doing it because he'd just lost someone very loyal, and was totally pissed off.

"We don't know My Lord," whimpered most of the Death Eaters fearful of drawing Voldemort's wrath upon them. The other five looked as if they'd be joining the Longbottom's in St. Mungo's. They'd always been eying Lucius' place within the ranks, with envy.

"You better not have killed him! You have lost me one of my best!" snarled Voldemort furiously, they all began shaking their head, and no they hadn't killed him. The Dark Lord knew this; they couldn't shield their mind from him.

"I shall find out what I can from the Ministry," said Avery.

"Do that. Bellatrix where is the young Malfoy?" hissed Voldemort furiously.

"Malfoy manor has been emptied My Lord, the house elves and all valuables have been taken." said Bellatrix looking at her lord warily, she knew what was coming and hoped she was wrong. Voldemort was nothing if not predictable and she was under the painful torture curse.

The Death Eaters didn't even look or wince when Bella was under the curse, hoping that Voldemort would forget they were there. They hated when Voldemort was in a foul mood knowing they would pay. It was happening more and more often. They couldn't help but think about following Narcissa and Draco Malfoy's lead and leaving quickly and as quietly as possible.

"Severus how is that apprentice of yours working out?" hissed Voldemort setting his sights on a new target.

"He's tolerable, considering I can actually brew more potions for you My Lord," said Severus.

"What has the Order been up to?" asked Voldemort red eyes gleaming, begging for an excuse to use the curse on Severus for any wrongdoing.

"Looking for the missing Potter brat, it's also falling to pieces because of Rita Skeeter's. Dumbledore has lost a lot of allies and his own Order is in disarray. A perfect time to strike." smirked Severus looking satisfied.

"Perhaps we should tell her a few other pieces of information," smirked Voldemort. He had been deeply amused at what Skeeter's had written. He wasn't going to have to kill Dumbledore - someone else was going to do it for him.

"No doubt Dumbledore will be furious," said Severus his amusement showing.

"Parkinson how's your mission going?" hissed Voldemort leaving Severus alone satisfied with the information he received.

"I have not had any luck My Lord," whispered Parkinson's weakly.

"Crucio!" snarled Voldemort furiously, obviously the anger was back again, Severus was just glad his turn had been and gone.

Voldemort lifted it before moving on to his next target.

"Dolohov? Any luck?" hissed Voldemort furious with his incompetent followers.

"No My Lord," said Dolohov his voice loud his posture stiff as a bow waiting for the inevitable.

"Crucio!" cursed Voldemort, and Dolohov began writhe under the curse as well.

By the time the Dark Lord got around them all, only a few had been spared his wrath.

"Get out of here!" snarled Voldemort, his red eyes flashing, his anger evidently not abated the slightest. He had lost a lot of money without Lucius, now he learned Lucius' wife had stolen his prize.

They couldn't have moved any quicker as they Apparated out of the Dark Lord's reach gratefully.

He Apparated outside Hogwarts, the relief of being near the castle was staggering. He hated teaching children, but Hogwarts had kept him safe for so many years now. He would miss it once he and Harry left. He was bone wary and tired, he just wanted a coffee and to curl up next to his lover and sleep for the next year.

After the long trek to his rooms, he smiled at the thought of Harry waiting on him. A coffee on hand and just sitting quietly with him. Yet when he got there, Harry was nowhere to be found. "Harry?" called Severus frowning; perhaps he had already gone to bed. He knew he was disappointed by Moody's death, perhaps more affected than he thought.

Walking into the bedroom, all sleepiness left him completely. Instead of a panic by the likes he had never felt before, overcame him. Stumbling and almost falling, he reached Harry, shakily feeling for a pulse. He may have well just been punched in the gut as he exhaled in relief; his heart was hammering crazy in his chest. His heart felt like it was about to burst though his ribcage. Using a diagnostic spell to see what on earth was happening. Then the results came up, multiple Cruciatus curses and nothing else…who the hell had gotten into his quarters and did this? He swiftly stood up, running to the fire and flung powder into it. Shouting for Remus and Sirius to get through now.

"Hang on Harry," whispered Severus spelling the potion from his system making him easier to carry. He placed him on their bed, his face strained with worry and fear. His mind was working overdrive to figure out what on earth had happened had Dumbledore done this? No it wasn't exactly like him to do things like that. He never got his own hands dirty; he left that for everyone else. It would have been like signing his death warrant. He was already skating on thin ice, he had a trial coming up about Harry's abuse and now the theft being uncovered - maybe they had pushed Dumbledore over the edge. Summoning potions he grabbed them in mid air, and placed them on the nightstand, opening them as he went.

"What's happening?" asked Remus, bursting into the room looking terrified.

"What the fuck happened?" asked Sirius wide eyed, at Harry's side in seconds. Looking sickened by the large crescent shaped sores on his face. Bloody was seeping steadily out them.

"I don't know," growled Severus, rubbing his lover's throat to get him to swallow the potion. It was hard to do with Harry's continued spasms. There was no denying that he had been under the Cruciatus curse. By the time he had swallowed the second Anti Cruciatus Potion the spasms had slowed down. He knew how bad it was as he had to pour two more before they seized completely.

"That was a lot of potion," whispered Remus warily.

"There may be permanent damage," choked Severus his onyx eyes held nothing but fear for Harry. The fear was greater than the time Harry had faced a werewolf at that orphanage.

Severus summoned a healing balm. Before sitting down, and began to rub it delicately over the bleeding cuts on Harry's face. Did they give Harry a dreamless sleeping potion or see if everything was alright. He decided there and then he wouldn't be sleeping until he knew; the thought of Harry being insane turned his stomach. He had seen Frank and Alice Longbottom once and he swore to himself he wouldn't see Harry reduced to that. He would either try or come up with a way to reverse the damage or kill Harry and put him out of his misery. He shook off his very dark and disturbing thoughts and focused on Harry. He needed him, not his negatively.

"Should we wake him?" asked Sirius nervously.

"I don't know Sirius; it might not be a good idea…" Remus trailed off unsure.

Severus looked extremely conflicted; clearing his throat he summoned the dreamless sleeping potion. Clutching it close, he closed his eyes and praying to whatever deity that looked over wizards.

"Enervate" whispered Severus, swallowing thickly, his black eyes wary.

Harry groaned his eyes fluttered under his closed lids.

"Harry?" asked Sirius choked up.

"Can you hear us?" asked Remus softly, not raising his voice in case Harry's head hurt.

"Harry, squeeze my hand if you understand what I'm saying," said Severus holding his breath, placing his hand in Harry's.

When nothing was forthcoming they began to fear the worst, then suddenly very sane green eyes opened up. Looking between the three relieved men confusion clear as day on his features, before recognition dawned on them and he grimaced in pain.

"Harry who did this to you?" asked Severus softly, summoning an additional pain reliever mixed with a muscle relaxant.

"Nobody," whispered Harry, after he drank the potion Severus gave him.

"You couldn't have done it to yourself!" said Severus sarcastically he couldn't help himself sometimes. Easing a hand under Harry's neck, letting him drink some water.

"I'm serious," said Harry glaring at them, this wasn't the time for puns. "Nobody did, I went to get a book, and then suddenly I feel onto the floor. Then I could see a bunch of robed people. I couldn't concentrate on anything other than the pain. Uh, I just remember wanting the pain to stop. There's one name I remember but I'm not sure if I imagined it, but I think something said Parkinson's. I'm not sure what happened but it's the first time it has. Am I some sort of seer?" asked Harry tiredly, his green eyes already flicker closed.

"It's ok, you are fine now. That's all that matters, we will speak more when you are up for it." said Severus putting another vial to Harry's lips. Harry wanted to fight Severus, he wanted answers, but he was just too exhausted. He couldn't fight Severus when he opened his mouth for him gently and poured the potion in. Harry's eyelids fluttered shut within seconds, and he fell asleep feeling Severus' hand brushing away his sweaty locks of hair.

"What the fuck…if I didn't know any better I would have said it was a…" Sirius seemed incapable of saying what he thought - the horror of it was too unimaginable to contemplate.

"Death Eater meeting?" finished Remus looking years older. He left the room and went to Severus' liquor cabinet, and poured three glasses of whiskey. Handing one of them each of them. He sat down looking years older; Harry was fine, but for how much longer? Why was he seeing Death Eater meetings? He just didn't understand it.

"Voldemort was furious tonight, he must have used the Cruciatus curse about twenty times. It's the exact amount of spells on this piece of paper." said Severus infuriated.

"This isn't possible! Why has it happened today? Why now?" demanded Sirius. Pacing as he knocked back the drink in one go.

"Harry is getting more and more powerful…and Voldemort's getting more furious. Perhaps it's a combination of both, causing some sort of delayed connection between them?" said Severus bleakly.

"I hope not!" said Remus loudly, sickened to the core at the thought.

"If it is, I'll work something out for him." said Severus adamantly.

"We know you will," said Sirius. If anyone would and could save his godson it was Snape.

"You can sleep in the spare room," said Severus under no illusion that he would be able to kick either of them from his room till Harry was better.

"Thanks," said Remus tiredly, he'd gone through hell tonight and it was still going.

Severus left for his room, undressing Harry, and got him into his night clothes. He followed suit, by the time he had gotten in and curled Harry around him he couldn't think anymore. As soon as he had his face buried in Harry's throat he had lost the fight with sleep that had been calling him for hours.

There we go :)