Ok action this chapter, hopefully some romance in the next chapter. I'm determind to get this finished now, so all the plot should start to come together, you may need to refresh your memory on older chapters for some of the clues to the ending. Thanks again to everyone following and reviewing. Also thank you to littleblueeyes who has been really helpful and has helped beta this chapter, thanks to everyone that has helped beta this story. A special mention to inspired ideas and shadowssj for the good advice, and for the encouragement!
Please continue to reveiw. Thanks so Much.
Draco found himself sprawling on the floor in professor Snape's office. His arm caught tight in Kreacher's bony grip. He gasped and panted for a few moments, collecting himself together, feeling the adrenaline pumping through his body. Breathlessly he spoke to his rescuer,
"Err... Well... done Kreacher, I knew you would comeback for me but honestly, I thought the Dark Lord would kill me first."
"Kreacher was prepared for the possibility of his quick return, please make sure Master Malfoy, that this time he is destroyed for good. Poor Master Regulus...died to help destroy The Dark Lord. You remind Kreacher of him, avenge him please..." The elf's voice was low and raspy, but insistent nevertheless.
"I will do my best Kreacher ." Draco stood up, dusted himself down, then gave a slight bow in respect for the elderly elf's efforts.
"Did my Godfather give you any further instructions?"
"Yes Master Malfoy."
"What are they?"
Kreacher began to tremble and look around wildly.
"Kreacher cannot say."
"You can tell me, Master Snape is my godfather, are you frightened... What has he asked you to do? Can I help?"
Kreacher grabbed a book from the shelf and began hitting his head with it, punctuating his words.
"Kreacher...Can...not...say...
Kreacher ...promise."
Draco smoothly caught the book from the Elf's hands preventing further self harm.
"Is my Godfather forcing you to do something against your will?"
"Kreacher only said yes for master Regulus." he whimpered.
"Can I help you?" Draco asked gently.
"No, but Kreacher thanks you, master Snape says that Master Malfoy must look after Master Potter and his friends."
"Are the Weasley's alright?"
"Yes, Kreacher thinks so, they are at the wizard hospital."
"Good, Ok... Well if the only instruction given to me was to protect Harry, Ron and Hermione. I had better find them and get on with doing it." Draco announced resolutely.
"Kreacher must go too." The trembling elf vanished.
After telling the headmistress of the coming events Professor Snape left her somewhere between horror, panic and disbelief. She hoped the story was the product of a post traumatic episode. She knew her colleague had been through enough to put a lesser mind in an institution. However Snape's parting request was lucid and forceful, she was to clear Hogwarts of the remaining guests and keep an eye on Potter, as his cloak was apparently an object of the Death Eaters attention.
With out further thought he flew through the grounds in a whirl of Wispy smoke, almost like a small but precise tornado, swirling through the school in the travelling mode preferred by the once dark wizard.
In seconds he was in the dark grounds hidden in the shadows by his habitually black clothing.
From his hiding place, the professor could clearly see the white marble of the tomb, a beacon to those who meant no harm to the corpse within.
He could hear voices. He strained to hear them, they were far away just hints of tones and sounds carried on the Autumn breeze. Silently he cast his eavesdropping charm, the one he used in grimmauld place. As the voices became clearer Snape could see the figures to whom the voices belonged to walking towards the tomb.
It was notable that the larger figure was clearly a few steps behind the other, following her as unobtrusively as possible so the distance between them could be past off as mere etiquette, politeness even, the old adage ladies first.
Hermione hadn't noticed that Bill couldn't see the tomb, she never even questioned him. The witch trusted the Weasley family, even if Bill seemed out of sorts. It was reasonable to presume that post traumatic stress syndrome would have effected many of her acquaintances. In fact she was aware that her own personality had not remained entirely intact, she too had issues. She was aware of a change to most of her friends.
"What modifications are you going to make Bill?"
"Nothing major, just a new curse on the remains."
"Can you tell me about it?"
"Dumbledore didn't say if I could tell you or not, but maybe for your protection it would be best for me to keep it to myself, but it's up to you, what do you think?"
"I think you're right, I wasn't thinking of the security aspect."
Hermione halted her movements by the tomb. Macnair fell in step with her.
"Alright can you open the tomb and get past the first layer of protection?" Macnair sounded very confident, but in truth he was only guessing that Hermione had stopped walking due to the proximity of the tomb.
"I didn't think it would need to be opened. I don't have the spell for that. What do I need to say? Didn't you set that spell?"
"Yes it's, Aperire et revelare mortuis."
"And why does it have to be me casting the spell?"
"It needs to be the one who set the next protection."
"Oh; ok, I wasn't told that was how it worked."
Hermione pointed her wand at the tomb clearly visible to her and said,
"Aperire et revelare mortuis." clearly enunciating each word.
The top of the tomb shifted to reveal the inside, At this Macnair could see part of the content of the tomb, although wierdly not the marble of the outside, a white shroud was in plain view, presumably concealing the corpse. Hermione and Macnair were too wise to attempt removing it.
"What's the first protection?" Macnair asked.
"Why do we need to open the tomb further? Is the lid being removed not enough?"
"I need to see the contents in order to align the curse."
"Bill...can I not look? That's horrible." Hermione requested shakily.
"Yes that's fine you don't have to look. In fact it's probably best you don't" he answered with a wry smile.
Professor Snape was watching from a distance still using his eavesdropping charm. He was debating his course of action when another figure began walking towards the pair.
Hermione noticed the approaching shape too.
"Is that Fleur coming over?"
"Yes she must be feeling better."
Macnair carried on with his facade, beckoning to the disguised Antonin with a smile.
As the fake Fleur walked towards them, she sent out a sickly smile towards Hermione.
"Ett iz orrible missing so much of ze party, I thought zis fresh air would elp so I came to find you Bill."
"How nice dear, you will need to stand back as you mustn't be involved in the protection." Bill's voice was insincere.
"zat iz fine." Fleur smiled and stepped back.
Hermione put out a very unsteady hand and touched the tomb.
The voice of Dumbledore echoed out;
"What keeps you warm, is sometimes worn and can be carelessly torn?
Staring through it's veil to see all that exists as shadow.
Disguising the returning sun's rays in movements of grey. What is lost can now be returned, so what is alive now no-longer yearns.
Just as a shadow is cast like darkness, it always needs the light."
Snape listened carefully to the riddle horrified by the amount of information it gave away, Hermione will have no problem solving that, and then what? A casket of horrors about to be opened? Like the opening of Pandora's box.
"What's the answer?" Bill snapped at Hermione.
"I...I don't know." she shook her head, confusion on her face, it's not a normal riddle, I think it's personal, designed for only a few to answer."
Antonin crept back up close to the pair, only Snape saw his wand outstretched in Fleur's fingers.
"Well its obviously something you wear, come on ... your supposed to be clever, I knew it was a lie you filthy little Mud blood."
"Expelliarmus!" shouted Antonin.
Hermione gasped in horror at the harsh words from her friend and cursed herself in disbelief at the loss of her wand.
The faces of Fleur and Bill became twisted masks, portraying the evil within.
Menacingly they grabbed her, jabbing their wands in her neck hard enough to constrict her throat.
"Bill what are you doing? Your hurting me." she coughed.
"Answer the effing riddle." he spat his profanity in her face.
"I can't, I don't know. " she scrunched up her eyes in fright not wanting to see what came next.
"Lies!" Antonin screeched.
Snape realised he could wait no longer he would have to act regardless of what power they possessed. As he rose to make his assault, two more figures joined the fray. Hand in hand Rodulphus and Narcissa approached the tomb site.
"Stop struggling with her, what are you animals?" Narcissa released Rodulohus' hand leaving him stood dumbly by her side.
"Miss Granger dear, please can you get the tomb to repeat the riddle? I'm afraid I didn't quite catch it" Her words were pleasant with no hint of threat.
Hermione was pushed towards the tomb by her two captors she once again touched it with her outstretched hand. Dumbledore's voice repeated the riddle as before.
"I think I know the answer to that one. Are you sure you don't my love?"
Hermione shook her head.
"Mrs Malfoy, Draco will be so upset, what is this? And your not Bill are you?" silent tears streamed down her face as she tried to remain brave and calm.
"Thick as the mud that runs through her blood, pretty though."Macnair stuck out Bill's tongue and ran it up the track of her escaped tear.
A stunning spell hit Macnair straight in the back and he fell twitching on the floor.
Narcissa looked up sharply to see from where the spell had been cast, she smiled and whispered an incantation freezing Snape in his hiding place. Leaving him fully conscious and unable to act. Then she poked the fallen wizard with her foot, "you're disgusting!"
Antonin Dolohov fought on his own to restrain the surprisingly strong girl in his arms, finally resorting to an immobility spell that bounced straight off her and hit him. Unfortunately this hadn't helped Hermione, as he was immobilised holding her very tightly, she was now in the grasp of a statue.
"How the hell did that rebound?" groaned Macnair looking at the frozen Antonin in confusion. He slowly rose to his feet, "Who stunned me? Search the grounds."
There was silence for a second as it seemed like Narcissa was also immobile but slowly she moved again and weakly turned to look at the furious wizard.
"I stunned you." She lied.
"It did not come from your direction." he said suspiciously.
Narcissa grabbed Macnair's hand.
"Yes it did." she said firmly, stroking his Palm, She pulled away.
"oh, ok why?" he asked confused.
"Because I don't have time to watch you drool over the girl. Rape and pillage on your own time."
He snorted in exasperation. Narcissa stepped closer to Hermione.
"It's all going to be fine, just answer the riddle." she reached for Hermione's hand, the girl had watched Narcissa's performance moments ago and tried to hide her hands away, but Antonin's unyielding body made this impossible.
At Narcissa's touch she shuddered then relaxed.
"Alright sweetheart, what's the answer?"
"It's a cloak."
"Yes, good girl it's Harry's cloak isn't it?" she encouraged her gently.
Hermione nodded dreamily.
Rodulphus cast a spell to release Antonin who still retained his grip on the girl.
"Alright answer the riddle to Dumbledore's tomb girlie." he patronised.
Narcissa stroked her hand again. Hypnotically she raised it and placed her palm on the tombs edge once more.
"The cloak of invisibility." she whispered.
Nothing happened.
"Told you she's useless just kill her."
Macnair snarled again.
Narcissa closed her eyes and the ears of the death eaters became filled with a muffled buzzing sound.
"Say Khaibut." urged Narcissa.
" Khaibut" Hermione whispered. The shroud flew up into the air, Hermione closed her eyes once more. The ears of the death eaters cleared and they shook their heads as if un-clogging water out from their ears.
"It worked? Why the delay?" Rodulphus asked walking over to the half visible tomb.
"Yep that's Dumbledore, I knew the old bastard was determined not to rot." he grimaced. "Sissy we've done well, look there's the unbeatable wand."
Antonin at hearing Rodulphus pronouncement, let go of Hermione distractedly, desperate to grab the wand.
As soon as he let go she fled, running for all her might.
Rodulphus and Macnair acted immediately, sprinting across the grounds towards her, Macnair flew clumsily in the air easily faster, appearing in front of her and propelling her with force to the ground. She struggled thrashing around, managing to knee him between his legs, causing him to howl in pain, he drew back his hand and smacked her across the face, she yelled out pushing herself forward and bit him hard on the neck.
"what the...You do realise I'm a wizard... I have a wand you Stupid bitch bite this... Crucio!"
The pearl hidden at Hermione's chest glowed so brightly that it shone through her dress, Macnair flew through the air once more, crashing to the floor with a long drawn out scream. The scream echoed around the grounds until it was apparent that two people were screaming not one, Narcissa was also on the floor screaming a lot louder, Antonin was trying to restrain her. At the same time the polyjuice wore off and he morphed into his own rancid body. Panic was oozing from his every pore, and at that moment all three death eaters felt their dark marks burn.
"Hell! He'll have to wait!" Rodulphus screeched. Pointing his wand at Hermione who had started to run again, "incasarate!" he shouted.
Chains flew out, Hermione's pearl glowed once more. The chains redirected and flew towards Rodulphus pinning him down.
Narcissa stopped screaming as the Crucio died down but now she was also chained up.
Hermione continued running.
"Get the wand, take Narcissa back to Rabastan, answer the damn call, it will allow you to join him from the grounds. There is obviously some rebound charm on the mud blood princess, I will catch her by force, and dispose of her. I will meet you at the Hags head."
Macnair fired a Finite Incantatem, at his comrade and sped off after the retreating Hermione.
Rodulphus released from his bonds, jumped up and ran back towards Narcissa and Antonin. As he reached them it was clear Narcissa had passed out from the pain. He removed the bonds and swept her into his arms bridal style.
"Get the wand you blithering idiot, nice work. It will be fun watching my brother berate someone other than me."
Antonin scowled reached into the tomb and vanished.
Rodulphus let out a yell, nearly dropping Narcissa and lurched over to the tomb, there was the body of Dumbledore but the wand had gone, and so had Antonin.
Rodulphus yelled out in frustration, struggled with his burden to allow himself to touch the dark mark, and then he vanished with Narcissa.
At the same time Antonin disappeared and so did Snape.
Snape felt himself pulled from his hiding place with all the usual sensations. His body became released from Narcissa's restraints as he left her proximity. He was thrown against a hard rocky surface, it was dark, pitch black. His fall hurt, but he did not make a sound other than the dull thump of his back against the wall. It was cold and quiet, icy drips of water fell from the darkness above, dripping down his neck. As his eyes adjusted to the blackness he focused on an eerie green itself. He was stood in the inside of a cave, an underground lake shimmered infront of him, the strange green glow came from it's centre.
He heard a groan not too faraway.
With grim determination he stood, mentally focused on the noise and visualised the position of the Death eaters mind, 'legilimans !' he silently locked onto Antonin's location.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted unconcerned that his foe now knew he was there. Three wands flew through the darkness to land in his outstretched hand.
He placed them under his robes and lit his wand "lumos!"
Antonin let out a furious exclamation, Snape could hear him scrabbling around in the darkness.
"Severus Snape!" his accusing voice echoed out, full of intense hatred.
"Yes." Snape's one word answer was unconcerned, dismissive even.
The professor trained his wand in the direction of the sounds and walked forward. There was Antonin Dolohov, his pale, long, twisted face illuminated by Snape's light.
"Hello Antonin, i like the dress, it brings out the colour of your eyes." Snape sneered.
"Hello traitor, what brings you to this... delightful place? What brings me here for that matter?"
"I did, the wand is a port key, Dumbledore arranged for it to be so with Harry Potter. I'm here because a few weeks ago I upped the security, so that if anyone stole the wand they would be brought here, the wand would also send me too. So I could avenge it and replace it."
"What is here?"
"Didn't your master tell you? This was his secret play house bless him."
"Enough! you coward, I notice your wand directed at me!
Four wands against non is it? how brave you are."
His greedy eyes locked on Severus challenging him to strike.
"Well, let's make this fairer shall we?" Snape shot a spell in the air causing dim light to remain around them. He placed his wand away in his cloak with the others.
"Are you letting me go?" Antonin asked in surprise.
"Now what ever gave you that idea?" Snape stood straight swivelled slightly, twisting his back leg as he stepped forward, distributing his weight, his fist flew out with the full force of his body behind it. Antonin had no idea it was coming. Snape's fist connected with his nose, breaking it neatly. Water streamed from his eyes as he yelled out and tried to block any further assault to his face, leaving his mid section exposed, with lightning speed. Snape retracted his fist and drove in a second punch below the rib cage.
The Death Eater lay in a foetal position his knees to his chest his hands covering his face as blood splurged between his fingers. He groaned loudly coughing and gasping with the pain.
"That was for Remus Lupin. Do you need a moment?" Snape shook his reddened fist to disperse the pain, wincing slightly as he did so.
"So... you want to fight like dirty muggles? where the hell did a freak like you learn to fight like that?" Antonin growled and swore as he examined his bloodstained hands. He began to collect himself, he slowly stood up from the floor, wincing as he wiped blood from his nose on to his bare arm.
"Crappy childhood, bastard of a father who liked to use his fists, and a useless witch for a mother. But enough about me, lets talk about you, why you are doing this?"
"To bring order to the wizard world, and to bring the Dark Lord back of course."
"You stupid little ... Why, why would you want that? Why would you trust him, he tried to kill me?"
"I call that good judgement." Antonin was on his feet, hunched over, but warily squaring up to him."
"Why would his rule make things better?" Snape had to know what inspired the loyalty.
Antonin grinned painfully, showing the blood that soaked his yellowing teeth, and he spat grotesquely at Snape's feet.
"It won't, I just like the chaos, enjoy the killing, and take the plunder." His words were thickened by the damage to his nasal passage, but it just made his vile words sound worse.
The professor looked at him with utter disgust, "So it's just cruelty, perversion and greed."
"Pretty much, why? how do you like it? I think you have some perversion of your own, I watched you dancing with the Mudblood, you wanted her, unthinkable! contaminating our kind with filth."
"Well that's my Conscience appeased, this one's for Hermione."
With that he sprang forward and kicked the legs from under Antonin, having laid him prone at his feet, he lifted his leg and placed his boot on the mans neck, pushing down on his throat.
Antonin wildly scrabbled around on the hard rock floor flailing his fists And choking under the pressure.
Suddenly Snape released the preasure, removing his foot, "Get ... up!"
Antonin rose once more to his feet, gingerly feeling his neck.
"Come on, your turn, you hit me now." Snape beckoned him forward.
"Sod off." Antonin spluttered.
"No, come on, I won't react, this has been a bit too easy... I want to kill you without a stain on my character."
"You're covered in stains you dirty half blood."
"Hit me!"
Antonin stumbled forward planting his fist on Snape's jaw. Snape staggered back slightly, emboldened by his lack of defence he wildly pummelled at him, caring little for aim and landing very few punches.
Snape's mouth began to bleed he could taste the metallic bitterness drop down the back of his tongue, the sickly smells of copper and rust hazed his mind for a moment. He allowed Antonin a few more hits then he blocked him.
"My turn I think."
With a swift movement he head butted the panicked wizard, causing yet more blood to spray from his nose, he grabbed him viciously by the throat and began to squeeze.
Antonin hooked his legs around Snape's causing them to over balance. Sprawling on the damp rock floor they shoved and pushed at each other slowly edging closer to the lake. Snape jumped off Antonin releasing him momentarily, only to flip him over and grab his hair along with the back of his robes pushing him towards the water. He leaned on his back and pushed his face into the water holding it down as Antonin frantically jerked and struggled.
"I'm going to drown you in three inches of water." he said pushing him further forward as he spoke.
The disturbance in the water caused the Inferi to animate, Snape had forgotten their existence. He yelled out in horror as the grey corpses approached, their spindly arms grasping and groping at his wet robes he let go of Antonin who had stopped moving and moved away from the shore line. The hands pulled Antonin in the water, but as they did so; Antonin's foot flew out in one last defiant kick knocking Snape to the floor once again. Snape's foot splashed into the water as Antonin disappeared. Quick as a flash a slimy hand caught his foot and pulled him in the water too. Another hand grabbed his outstretched arm, furiously pulling him towards the shore and away from the demons within the lake. With his one available hand he retrieved his wand while kicking out at the inferi pulling at his legs, he then shot fire out of his wand, the Inferi retreated with hideous screams. The hand holding his arm jerked him back and he scrabbled out of the water his wet robes flapping around him as he stood breathlessly looking at his helper.
"Hello ... Kreacher, just ...in ...time. You have done very well."
"Kreacher waited in the dark just like you asked." Kreacher was trembling and glancing around with his big scared eyes.
"You have been very brave."
"Can Kreacher and master Snape leave now?"
At this moment Snape could here screaming in his head, someone was calling his name over and over put his hands to his temple trying to rub out the pain but the shouting was more insistent and more frantic.
"Hermione" he groaned, "Yes Kreacher we need to leave, please apperate us back to Hogwarts... Now!"