Chapter Seven
Sitting at a quiet table at the back of the Diagon Alley branch of the Ars Magica Public Library, Remus flipped through books on wizarding holiday destinations and communities. Wherever Mosaica was, it didn't seem to be a popular tourist haven. Not that he was surprised at that. Severus would never choose someplace to hide that was crowded with tourists.
Remus set another book aside with a sigh. Despite the fact that the postcard with its sandy beach and sparkling water looked tropical, it didn't show up in any book featuring tropical destinations. Deciding to look a bit closer to home, he picked up a book on communities around the Mediterranean and found what he wanted almost immediately.
A sense of excitement gripped him as he began to read about Mosaica. It was a good sized island that had been settled primarily by refugees from a wide variety of European communities. There were three main settlements on the island whose population was entirely magical. Most of the native English speakers lived in the second largest town, Owl's Hill, named for the large number of owls imported by the new colonists to keep in touch with the folks back home. As Remus stared at the pictures of waving foliage and colorful cottages, he knew he'd finally found the right place.
While in the library, he also looked up the source of the quotation on the postcard. Apparently Publilius Syrus had begun life as a slave, but he'd won his freedom due to wit and ingenuity and had gone on to a life of acclaim. That certainly sounded like someone Severus would appreciate. Remus sat back in his chair and pulled out a pocket watch, a gift from Severus in happier times. Popping open the cover, he reread the inscription inside. "-from a bad beginning great friendships have sprung-" -- Terence.
Remus nodded to himself. Terence was a playwright of the old Roman Republic who also began life as a slave. It seemed that Severus was drawn to the work of former slaves who were eventually freed and went on to do memorable things. Who could blame him? Hadn't he been in exactly that same position with Voldemort and…Dumbledore? Remus squirmed uncomfortably as he mentally added the former Headmaster's name to that of their former foe, but he was honest enough to admit the inclusion was correct.
Severus' parting words flitted once more through his thoughts. "Don't you understand, Remus, I'm finally free! Free from them all. Don't tell them I'm alive. Just let me go, and you'll never have to be troubled by me again." There had been such earnestness and intensity in Severus' voice and a moment of doubt suddenly assailed Remus. This was what Severus had dreamed of for so long, to be free to live his own life as he chose. Did Remus really have the right to seek him out? To intrude on his hard won freedom?
"--you'll never have to be troubled by me again." What if the man really didn't want to see him again? He thought back to the last real conversation they'd had before the final battle, when Severus had broken off their relationship. He'd been harsh, cruel. His words had been intended to hurt, and they had.
"--you never meant anything to me. You always were far too trusting and sentimental. You're nothing but a gullible fool, though one who's good in bed, I'll grant you. Why else would I have ever wasted my time on such a worthless, mangy monster? But I no longer have the time to waste. It's over, Lupin. I never want to see you again."
Severus' voice as he'd said those words had overflowed with venom and contempt. Remus knew that moment, that speech, was one he would never forget. Nothing anyone had ever said to him had hurt more, but had Severus really meant it? Looking back now, trying to see past the pain the words had given him, he realized that it was hard to judge.
Obviously, he'd believed him at the time, but Severus was a master at hiding his true feelings. And though he didn't want to defy Severus' wishes, what about his own? Quite simply, he missed Severus. He'd tried to bury his feelings for the man, had tried to go on and build a different life, but it hadn't been satisfactory, and now that it was gone, it was Severus he thought of, not Dora, he realized with a stab of guilt.
No. He needed to see Severus again. Needed to talk to him, to lay it all out on the table and know once and for all, the truth about everything. If Severus really keyed that chest containing the clues to his whereabouts to Remus, then he must have wanted him to find them and, by extension, Severus himself. It was the only thing that made sense. And if that was true, then maybe the things he said the last time they talked weren't true after all. Perhaps Severus had another reason for breaking off their relationship. With everything that was spinning out of control around them back then, it was certainly possible…maybe even probable.
Remus got to his feet and began to pile up his books. He had to find out. Even if he was wrong, what would he lose by trying? Nothing that he hadn't already lost. But if he was right, he just might regain something very precious. It was definitely worth the risk.
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"One healing potion to Mrs. Alan Bitterroot – Seaboard Cottage.
One pot of burn healing salve to Miss Alegia Runestar – 6 Ashend Lane.
One bottle, Pepperup potion to Mr. Richard Cottle – 212 B Carpenter Street."
Severus paused in making his list and glanced around for the bottle of Pepperup. Not finding it at hand, he frowned in annoyance. He thought he'd taken everything he needed from his shelves to be packed up for Thaddeus to deliver, but apparently he'd overlooked the Pepperup.
Placing the burn salve in the delivery box, he stepped away from the counter and crossed the room to pluck a bottle of Pepperup from its shelf.
As he grasped the bottle and began to head back to the counter and his list, the shop door burst opened and two men hurried inside. Severus turned toward them, intending to tell them he'd be with them in a moment, but before he could get the words from his mouth, one of them, a tall older man with a squint in one eye, blasted him off his feet and into a section of shelving.
Severus fell to the floor amidst a welter of broken glass, shattered shelving, and spilled potions. Before he could recover his wits, the man who'd shot him grabbed him by the front of his apron and slammed him back into the wall, jamming a wand tightly under his chin.
"Hello, Snape," the man sneered. "Remember us?"
Severus peered up at the two hostile figures hovering over him, wands at the ready. Unfortunately, he did remember them, though he'd certainly hoped never to actually see them again. Jake Ackland and Mortimer Greene. Two minor but nasty Death Eaters who obviously escaped the purge conducted after Voldemort was destroyed.
Couldn't the Ministry Aurors even clean up a mess properly once others had done the difficult work? And how the hell had these two tracked him here? He'd been so careful not to leave any clues, except those specifically aimed at Remus. No one else should have been able to be sure he was even alive, not to mention figure out where he'd gone. These two were apparently brighter than he'd given them credit for… or luckier.
Thinking that he had nothing to lose by trying, Snape glared up at his attackers and said, "I think you have me confused with somebody else. My name is Prince."
The Death Eater with the squint just laughed. Snatching the glasses from Severus' face, he threw them on the floor and his partner, a young, heavy-set man with a bit of stubby beard, ground them to bits beneath his heel.
The older man glanced at the younger and pointed toward the front of the shop. "Go lock the door and pull down the shade. We don't want to be interrupted." As the younger one went to do as instructed, the older one turned back to his captive and smiled nastily.
"You don't really expect to fool anyone who knows you with a pair of glasses, a haircut and a change of wardrobe, do you? We all know you're Severus Snape, so you can drop this Prince nonsense."
"What do you want, Ackland?" said Severus, deciding the man was right.
"Revenge," snarled Ackland in a low, hateful voice. Then he hauled back his fist and smashed it into Severus' nose, breaking it painfully. Severus fell sideways into the mess of broken glass and oozing potions, pressing his hand to his face as he vainly tried to contain the sudden rush of blood and gore from his damaged nose.
Filled with frustration, he stared up at the two hovering over him. With both of them aiming their wands in his face, he knew he'd never be able to get at his own before they hexed him into tomorrow. "I don't understand. Revenge for what?" he mumbled wetly, deciding to try a new tack. "You escaped. I escaped. We've obviously all gone into hiding, why…"
"Oh, cut the crap, Snape," said Greene before he could finish. A copy of the Daily Prophet was flung to the floor for him to look at. His own scowling face stared up at him from its yellowed front page under the headline: Valiant Potter Acclaims Snape as Hero, Former Headmaster of Hogwarts hailed as Heroic Spy in the Cause of Light. Severus scanned the first lines of the article with mixed feelings. How ironic to finally be granted some of the recognition he truly deserved, only to have it backfire so splendidly. And how in the world had he missed seeing this edition of the Prophet?
Noting the tattered and worn look of the paper, he glanced at the date and realized that it was a very old article, apparently printed before he began to subscribe to the Prophet again. He'd moved around for some time after leaving Britain, gathering things he needed, healing, perfecting his disguise, a colossal waste of time, it now appeared. Damnation! If he'd known that Potter was going to share credit for once, he'd have been much more careful.
"You were a spy! Right under the Master's nose and he never saw it," exclaimed Ackland in disgust. "According to that little bastard, Potter, may he rot in Hell, we have you to thank for everything blowing up as it did…the Dark Lord's downfall, the need for us to leave Britain, having to go into hiding."
Greene stepped closer, glass crunching beneath his big feet. "So we're here to thank you, Snape." Before Severus could properly brace himself, Greene kicked him savagely in the stomach and chest until he felt a rib break and fresh blood gushed from his mouth to join that already streaming from his nose.
As Severus fought for breath against waves of dizziness and pain, thin cords shot out of both Death Eaters' wands, binding him tightly. "What are you planning to do with me?" he gasped.
Ackland laughed unpleasantly. "Oh, we plan to kill you, right, Mortie?"
"Yeah," his partner agreed. "We're going to take you somewhere quiet, where we won't be interrupted and spend some time doing it right. Don't expect a quick death, Snape. We've had a rough time these last few months, and you'll have to answer for that."
"It's hardly my fault if the two of you were too stupid to make contingency plans in case the Dark Lord failed," sneered Severus weakly.
"He wouldn't have failed if it wasn't for you," screamed Greene angrily. "Crucio!"
Severus' body jerked and flailed in silent agony for what felt like an eternity until Ackland grasped Greene's arm and forced him to release the spell.
"That's enough. You'll get your chance once we've got him away from here. We don't want anyone coming along and catching us now."
"Yeah, okay," said Greene reluctantly. "There's plenty of time to make him suffer."
"Right! Now where should we take him? You're the one who knows the island," said Ackland.
Greene grinned. "Let's take him to Clyto's Cave. Tide's going to turn soon. Once we've had a bit of fun, we can all watch it come in together. Of course, some of us will be a bit closer to the water than others."
He laughed and Ackland joined in as he bent and searched his prisoner's unresisting body. Finding Severus' wand in a pocket, he tossed it carelessly on the floor. Then he straightened up and gestured toward their captive. "Bring him along. We'll go out the back so no one will see us."
With a grunt of agreement, Greene bent down, pulled Severus out of the mess on the floor and heaved his body over a shoulder like a sack of meal. Then the three of them headed through the curtain to the back storeroom and out into the small yard beyond.
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