Getting Help

Narcissa Malfoy was disgusted by her husband's behaviour. Never before had she witnessed people behaving this abominable, this horrible. She was shocked by Bella's obvious pleasure to evoke pain. Rudolphus of course hadn't surprised her. He had always been cruel and ... well, he just was a brute. He couldn't help it. But when Narcissa had seen the two prisoners, she had nearly screamed and then vomited. How could the others have done that to these women?

After the 'festivities' in the ballroom the two women had been dragged from the room. Literally. Professor McGonagall was too weak to move even a finger and Mrs. Weasley was blinded by tears. Narcissa couldn't explain to herself how Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley could still be alive.

She was really worried for them. Yes, it was right she was married to a death-eater. But did this make her one too? No, certainly not!

Lucius disgusted her more than she had thought possible. She didn't know the details or why Mrs. Weasley and Professor McGonagall had been abducted. What she did know was that her husband had taken it upon himself to torture Mrs. Weasley. Then suddenly Narcissa remembered: Molly Prewett had been supposed to marry Lucius. Narcissa was shocked. She had finally found the answer for Lucius' current behaviour. Or at least one piece of the puzzle.

She had found John MacRae in a quiet room after the 'festivities'. He had been sobbing. After an eternity of holding the young man in her arms and comforting him, he had confessed to her his shame about what he had done. All of a sudden the door had opened again and in had come Severus Snape. He was an old friend of the family and Narcissa trusted him more than her own husband at times.

"I know you two feel guilty and that you want to help the two prisoners."

"How do you know that, Severus?"

"Let's just say that I'm very observant. Narcissa, it doesn't matter. What matters is that we keep Minerva and Molly alive until Albus and the others come and rescue them."

Snape was not stupid. It was a poker game. When Narcissa and MacRae just felt guilty because they had never done anything like that before instead of really trying to help the two women, he was in trouble. Snape held his wand in hand and hid it behind the folds of his robes. But MacRae got up from the floor and nodded vigorously.

"I'll do whatever you tell me, Professor Snape. We really need to help Professor McGonagall and Mrs. Weasley. I went to school with Charlie Weasley. I could easily contact him and brush it off as keeping in touch with a schoolmate."

Snape smiled grimly. He had his first recruit.

"That won't be necessary. I'll contact them. Could you sneak into the kitchen and get them some food. Make them drink these potions. One for each. They'll take away the pain and start the healing process of the inner organs."

"Yes, sir."

And MacRae was gone in a flash. Then Snape turned to Narcissa.

"What about you?"

"I'll help you, Severus, but you owe me."

"Of course." Severus smiled. "Always the Slytherin. Fine I owe you a favour. Do you help me?"

----

After MacRae had left Molly and Minerva, they sat there in silence.

"I think he was a friend of Charlie's. Do you think we can trust him?"

"He said it comes from Snape. Even if it is poison, it will put an end to our suffering."

Molly nodded and scooted over to the potions on the floor. Picking one up, she eyed it sceptically. Then, trusting Snape for the first time in her life, she drained it in one go. Molly shuddered.

"Urgh ... this potion tastes nasty! But I guess it is really from Professor Snape and a healing potion."

Minerva tried to move but was brought short by the pain erupting all over her body. She must have gasped piteously because Molly was suddenly by her side and held the vial up to her lips.

What both women didn't know was that there was also a bit of dreamless draut in the potion. They barely managed to eat a few bites before they slipped away into a peaceful sleep while the healing potion took over.