Harry roughly remembered being thrown into the cellar by Amycus Carrow and a chuckled mutter from his sister.

"Greyback went too far." She laughed.

"Without his magic to protect him, he'll take longer to heal." Amycus scoffed, shutting the door. Harry was hardly conscious as he was engulfed by darkness. He lay on his stomach, unable to lie on his scratched back.

He could feel the eight claw marks grouped into two diagonal patterns on his back. Each marking burned painfully. He shuddered reaching to peel his shirt off, not wanting it to stick to the open wounds. He tossed the shreds to the side. His whole body hurt. The adrenaline was fading away. Every muscle he used to fight feeling heavy and painful. Rage, anger, only those filled his heart. Fear had faded after the seventh crucio. What more could they do to him?

He could feel the cold ring on the middle finger of his left hand and tried to force it off. It wouldn't budge. He hissed hatefully and punched the ground hard. He whimpered at the crack and pulled his ringed hand close to his chest, knowing he broke something. He needed to get out.

"Kreacher!" He called. Nothing. He could feel his magic reaching out when he called the other, but since it didn't get out, his magic must have not reached the house elf. He was nothing more than a muggle with this ring on and magical creatures rarely appeared to non-magic folk. He panted crawling with one hand to the nearest wall, keeping his broken hand close to his chest.

At the wall he went all round, patting the walls, trying to find a door, an exit, anything. Nothing. Only what felt like wine bottles on specially made stands. Harry shuddered going to the corner of the room. He was trapped.

He curled into himself, thinking of Severus, of his kind hold and deep voice, the great presence the other carried himself with, and how much he cared for him. Harry felt his throat tightening as he started to realise that he might never see him again and if he died before the other came for him, he would have left him alone… would the other cry for him the way he had cried for his mother? Would he take him into his arms and grieve his loss?

Harry sobbed and covered his face crying softly trying to forget those nasty thoughts. What was the point of getting upset now? He was the one stupid enough to fall for polyjuice three times in a row. He eventually passed out on the damp and filthy ground.

-o-O-o-

Snape was looking through numerous amounts of paperwork, a massive map of England was filled with crosses in most places.

"Severus, you haven't slept in days." Albus said gently.

"That's not something new for me, as you well know… not when it comes to Potter." He said looking through everything. The headmasters above looked at each other in worry but said nothing.

An owl arrived then bringing him a thick envelope. He frowned looking at it. Once making sure there was no spell on it he opened it. He pulled out the pictures held within. Unmeasurable rage filled his chest. He slammed the pictures down and growled, his magic starting to cause the room to twist and distort unpleasantly.

"That… son of a bitch…" He hissed.

"Severus! Try to calm down!" Albus said alarmed as the stones seemed to groan at the forced movement.

The door slammed open just in time. Krum rushed inside. "Headmaster, I found vhat you needed." He said showing him the book. The room returned to normal and Snape looked up, going to see the book. "Zere is also a location spell, but it vont work in a varded area." He said.

"No… this will work for now… Call Madam Pomfrey." He said putting the vile photographs in his pocket, planning on getting rid of them as soon as he was done with this.

"What's all this about Severus?" Madam Pomfrey asked as she walked into the office, and he showed her the book.

"You have to help me. I have to get to him." He whispered. She looked at the spell, reading it over, her eyes slowly widening along with her mouth.

"I can't do this Severus… it's too dangerous! Unpredictable!" She exclaimed.

"I have to try something! I can't leave it up to that useless ministry!" he exclaimed.

"But this…" She whispered, her fingers trailing over the spell as she re-read.

"I lost Lily once, I'm not going to lose Harry now." Severus said simply, looking at her emotionless but she knew, he was hurting inside.

"Alright Severus… alright…" She whispered. They went to his room and Severus lay on the bed, Krum following close behind, he could help.

"You must reach out to his magic… even if it's sealed, your souls should reach each other." She told him gently reading over the book. "Close your eyes and think of him." She whispered. Severus closed his eyes and Poppy wondered if this was the last time she would see him do so.

Severus reached out, thinking of Harry, of all the feelings that had grown between them. He thought of their past, of how he always kept an eye on him. He thought of how he hadn't told the other he loved him. He thought of how he hadn't even accepted it until the other was gone.

Suddenly he was no longer in his bed. He was floating between plains. He heard crying and turned to see Harry in the corner. He ran towards him. "Harry!"

Harry looked up shocked and in tears. "Severus…" He sobbed, even in this plane of perfection he was cut and bruised and bleeding. Severus pulled the other into his arms.

"Harry… I found you…" he whispered.

"No… I died… I died didn't I? I'm between the plains again… I left you alone…" He cried holding onto him tightly.

"No Harry… You didn't…" At least he hoped the other hadn't. "I connected through our bonds… I won't be able to stay long. Do you know where you are?" he asked pulling away to hold his face gently, making the other look at him.

Harry shook his head slightly. "No…" he whispered. "In the countryside somewhere… I don't know where exactly. It's a white mansion… but it looks worn from outside the wards…" He said with no emotion in his voice, his eyes a little empty.

"I swear to you, I will find you." Severus said making the other look up at him. "Do you understand me? I will come for you." He said. Harry felt a spark of hope fill his chest.

"I don't want to make you cry…" he whispered. Snape smiled faintly.

"Idiot…" he whispered. "Worrying about me at a time like this." He leaned in and kissed him gently, holding him close. He could feel the bond vanishing gently.

"No… Sev… don't leave me…" Harry whispered gripping onto him. Severus held onto him as hard as he could, but it seemed their strength was fading.

"I'll come for you, I swear… I'll come for you." He whispered.

-o-O-o-

Harry jumped awake, pain returning to him, as every muscle ached. Greyback hadn't been allowed in the manor during the full moon, which had allowed for the pain to settle properly into his flesh. He felt feverish and the damp cellar didn't exactly keep him warm at night. He tried to figure out what had made him so alert. It had been the lock of the cellar door.

At that point the door opened and Alecto walked down and came up to him.

"Let's get up Potter, we have more fun planned." She chuckled darkly pulling him out of there by his hair. Harry cried out but had no strength to fight her. Once up there he was tossed at Lestrange's feet. Harry glared up hatefully and the widower laughed darkly.

"Oh, you look unhappy." He said leaning forward. "If you do everything I say I'll not allow Greyback to touch you again." He purred. Harry didn't want Greyback anywhere near him but he was even more disgusted at the prospect of following this fucker's orders. He pulled back and spat in the other's face. Lestrange hissed and wiped his face, slapping Harry.

The Gryffindor shuddered as he lay crumpled on the floor. He didn't see Lestrange wave his hand at Rowle who smirked, stepping forward.

"Crucio!" He hissed. Harry screamed in pain, twisting and turning in pain on the ground. When the other was done he panted, feeling dizzy and hot. They went in turns to see who's crucio was more effective.

Amycus chuckled. "Honestly, look at his state, I thought we wanted this fun to last. He hasn't even been here a week." He said. Lestrange scoffed bending down and touching the other's forehead by holding his face in place forcefully.

"Filthy half-blood… heal him Amycus… I want him to last a very long time." Lestrange purred tugging at Harry's hair. Harry hissed growling, glaring hatefully at him. He could feel his powers fighting against the seal.

"When I get out of here… I'll make your death slow." He hissed once more, the deep growl at the back of his throat sounding more animalistic than normal.

"Heh… did you get some puppy traits from those scratches?" Lestrange said mockingly and slapped him once more, standing from his place on the chair and stepped onto Harry's chest, pressing his injured back to the ground, making him cry out in pain. "That's all you'll ever be… a dog… you're never getting out of my reach alive." He hissed and walked away to the door, leaving the room.

Alecto came over and dragged him away to the kitchen. Amycus scoffed bringing a potion. "Drink it Potter, it will stop the infection you've gotten from these scratches. Harry said nothing but took the potion. He knew he'd be forced to drink it either way. He reached the potion and drank it. Alecto scoffed and turned to leave.

Amycus came and cleaned his wounds. Harry clenched his jaw and held his hands into tight fists as the other wasn't exactly gentle.

"Mmh… those winces of pain are music to my ears." Amycus said as he put a stinging potion on his scars, cleaning the wounds. Harry tried to hold them in but it was inevitable. The other leaned in and Harry resisted the urge to punch the other away. "There is a way to remove your ring…" Amycus whispered against his ear.

Harry felt even more rage bubbling up inside him. "Why would you want to tell me that?" He scoffed.

"Only one reason… I want to trade. Your freedom, for my sister's life." He whispered still. Harry scoffed.

"A little old to be guarding your sister aren't you?" he hissed.

"You never stop protecting your family." Amycus said. "Do we have a deal?" he asked. Harry watched him from the corner of his eyes as the other pulled back to keep working on his wounds.

"We have a deal." Harry said. "And your life?"

"My life doesn't matter." Harry looked back at the front but said nothing regarding the other's response. "I know Snape, Potter… I know I'm in the losing side this time but neither you nor I want to see Snape coming for you, if he sees no other way, he will trade places with you and as for me, I won't get a chance to save my sister." He said simply. Harry heard enough. Severus would have no problem taking his place. It was the only realisation he needed to agree. He gave a short nod and turned to the other.

"How to I take the ring off?" He whispered.