Chapter 2 ? To Begin Again

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Thank you to June for all of her help and suggestions.

Chapter 2 – To Begin Again

Lucius kept his place just off to the side of Voldemort's throne. The Dark Lord's face held a bored expression as he looked intently into Severus' eyes, until his serpentine features suddenly contorted into a hideous mask of anger. He shot up off his throne so fast that the few left surrounding him jumped in surprise. All but Severus, whose eyes never left Voldemort's. Even Nagini, who was usually so still she looked like a statue, lifted her head.

"I should kill you right now with my bare hands." Voldemort was holding his wand so tightly that Lucius could hear the knuckles cracking.

Severus remained calm and silent.

"Say something!" yelled Voldemort. "Have you nothing to say, no excuse? Say something, you traitor!"

"Get on with it," said Severus defiantly, knowing that he was not going to walk out of that ballroom alive.

Voldemort complied. Severus' body flew across the floor and hit the farthest wall of the ballroom.

Lucius thought he heard something crack. He hoped it was just his friend's ribs.

"My lord," hissed Bellatrix, who had been watching from her place on the floor. "Let me kill him for you. You should not soil your hands with the death of a traitor."

Voldemort laughed. "No, Bella, I wish to play with Severus for a while." He looked to Lucius. "His death will be on Lucius' hands. After all, he is the one who brought Severus into our family. It is only right that he take him out."

Lucius said nothing; he merely bowed and accepted the "honor." As he watched Voldemort produce shackles and tie Severus from a chain hanging from the ceiling, Lucius only hoped that the dark-haired wizard died quickly, before the Dark Lord had a chance to order him to kill Severus. The blond wizard knew he could never kill his friend. If the Dark Lord ordered him to, not only would Severus probably die tonight anyway, but Lucius would most likely follow.

~*~

At Hogwarts Albus sat in his office. He was deep in thought, wondering why Severus had not arrived yet. It was Voldemort's recent custom to have meetings twice a month; they never lasted more than an hour or so. Typically, Tom would talk about raids that had gone on the weeks before, and then plan more raids. Severus joked that if it wasn't for Wormtail always seeming to do something idiotic and receiving punishment, they would all die of boredom. The meetings had their uses, however. The Order had a better understanding of how the Dark Lord worked, as he had kept the same stagnant pattern now for almost nine months.

Minerva entered through the narrow hidden door beside a large bookcase.

"Any word?" she asked.

Albus shook his head. "No, and I am beginning to wonder if I should have insisted he make up some excuse this time."

"Albus, even if you had, you know how Severus is. He would have told you that you worry too much and gone anyway."

"Something is happening to him, Minerva." He stood and began walking towards the same door Minerva came through. "We need to see Poppy. I want her to be prepared if he comes back injured."

Minerva grabbed him by the arm. "What if..."

"No!" said Albus, then regained his composure. "Let's not think about what if."

Together, they walked down to the hospital wing, both hoping that the Potions master came back alive.

~*~

Back at the Riddle house, Voldemort was making quite a mess on his ballroom floor. There were puddles of blood, urine and feces all over. This was due to not only the flogging of Severus' body, but the many rounds of the Cruciatus Curse that had been cast on the exhausted man.

"I think I've had my fill of you, Severus." A quick swish of his wand, and the floor was cleaned. Voldemort then allowed Severus to drop heavily onto the newly-cleaned spot. He then turned to Lucius.

"Take him back to Hogwarts. Nail him to the gates of that wretched castle and finish him off. Then return here. I have a few things I need for you to acquire for me that involve a few galleons." He turned away and looked towards his concubines, choosing Bellatrix and Narcissa. He nodded towards the door behind them and they stood. After torturing Severus, he needed a different sort of release. Lucius would have to wait most likely hours until Voldemort finished getting his fill of the two women before he gave the blond the list of things he needed. The snake-like wizard made it a habit of having Lucius do his personal shopping for him, while rubbing the man's nose in the fact that Mrs. Malfoy was busy in his bed. Tonight would just be another list of items he would make his senior Death Eater get for him.

Lucius waited until they left before he approached Severus' body. Wormtail had already gone, taking Nagini down into the dungeons for her nightly feeding; Wormtail was smart enough to not anger the snake. He picked up Severus' robes, or what was left of them, and repaired them as best he could. Death Eater robes weren't made of normal material. They were actually made from thread spun from the shredded skin and internal organs of long dead wizards, much like their masks were made from the skulls of dark wizards. When torn, the robes were not easily repaired. But at the moment, there was nothing else available to Lucius, at least nothing he could immediately think of using. In his nervousness he hadn't thought of Transfiguring part of the rug and making it into a blanket.

"Severus," Lucius said as he bent down next to the still body of his friend. He leaned down next to his ear. "Wake up, Severus."

He looked at Severus' chest. The Potions master was still breathing, but his intake of air looked shallow and Lucius could hear wheezing. Lucius knew that he needed to get him back to Hogwarts. Covering Severus' naked body, he placed his hand on his shoulder and Apparated them both away.

They appeared several yards away from the gates of the school. Lucius levitated his friend's body and walked towards the gates. He used to be able to enter Hogwarts freely as a school governor, but Dumbledore had rightly increased school security in view of Death Eater activity. Lucius knew that he could not enter but it would be easy enough to trip the wards, as someone would surely come and investigate. Besides, Voldemort wanted Snape's body to be taken to Hogwarts and found on the gates.

He gently placed Severus on the ground and lifted him up slightly so that he was leaning against the stone wall, easily visible to anyone approaching the gates from the side.

Severus let out an anguished moan.

"Severus," Lucius said as he cupped Severus' face.

Slowly his weary bloodshot eyes opened.

"That's it, friend, wake up. Listen to me, Severus. It is my duty to finish what the Dark Lord started. He ordered me to bring you here, where I am to kill you."

Every intake of breath for Severus felt as though he was breathing in a cloud of acid. Every organ inside his body felt as though it were on fire. He only hoped at that moment that because of what friendship they had, that Lucius would take that into consideration and finish him off quickly and painlessly.

"You will not die at my hands." Lucius let go of Severus and stood. He backed up slowly. "I have helped you for three years now, you and the Order. I ask that you help me now. Help me rid my soul of this trail of death I have helped to pave."

Severus eyes now opened wider as he watched Lucius cast a Killing Curse at a lizard crawling up the side of the gate, then blast the gates. The school's wards went off and Lucius disappeared.

As much as it hurt, Severus smiled. It had been Lucius all this time.

Albus had been in the hospital wing when the wards sounded off. He immediately ran out of the castle and met Hagrid halfway down a small hill that led towards the gates. The two approached cautiously, as they neared. Hagrid could make out the form of a man slumped near the iron gates, leaning against the stone wall.

"Headmaster, it looks like Professor Snape." Hagrid rushed towards the gates and was just about to open them, when Albus yelled out.

"Hagrid, no!" Albus ran towards the half-giant, who had a puzzled look on his face. "We must be sure it is Severus, it could be a trap." Much as Albus wanted to go to Severus' aid, he knew that by the very fact that Severus had been beaten so badly, it meant something had gone very wrong.

Hagrid stood close to the gates, ready to open them as Albus neared Severus.

Albus bent down next to the injured wizard.

"Si bonus sis, venias," whispered Albus.

Severus strained to turn his head, hoping that his voice would come to him. "Si Nequam, nequaquam."

"Hagrid, hurry!"

Hagrid carried Severus through the gates, so that Albus could protect them, his wand at the ready. Once they were securely within Hogwarts' castle, Albus gently floated Severus up the small hill and towards the castle.

Hermione Granger, who'd been teaching at Hogwarts for almost two years, was on her way to Severus' rooms. She'd finished her rounds and was going to see Severus for their nightly glass of wine together. Hermione was about to turn down into the hall leading down to the dungeons when she glanced out a window and noticed Albus and Hagrid bringing something up the path. She gasped when she realized it was Severus, and she ran outside to him, fearing he was dead.

"Severus," she called as she neared. She stopped and noticed the bruises on his face and black-and-blue welts on his exposed chest. "Oh, Severus." She cried with tears falling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, Hermione. Poppy will mend him in no time. He is safe now, although I am surprised. If Voldemort did this to him I can only imagine it is because he has found out about Severus' duplicity." Albus tried to reassure Hermione, who hadn't taken her eyes off of Severus' unconscious body. "Someone must have helped him get here in some way. Voldemort would not have allowed him to live, and Severus was in no condition to Apparate by himself."

They all continued on into the school. To avoid being seen, they took hidden passages to the hospital wing, where Poppy and Minerva were waiting.

"Oh goodness, he looks terrible," said Poppy as she steered Albus towards a bed near the end of a row. It was a larger bed, usually used for the adults when they needed to spend time in the infirmary. Albus laid the Potions master on the soft bed and allowed the Medi-witch to take over.

"I'll need a few moments with him." Poppy closed the curtain around the bed and began her examination while the others stood back and waited.

Hagrid excused himself, wanting to get back to the gates to make sure there was no one walking around that should not be there. Albus and Minerva sat on one of the beds next to Severus' own. Hermione waited near the foot of their bed, hoping that the wizard would not suffer any permanent damage.

After fifteen minutes the curtains opened. Severus lay in bed, his eyes now open, but he was in visible pain.

"He suffered very little internal damage, considering what he's been through," Poppy announced soberly. "He has a slight concussion but he should be fine with a day or two of rest. I've given him some Skele-Gro to help mend his broken bones, and before he goes to sleep I'll rub some salve on his skin, for the bruises." Poppy looked at Severus who was struggling to sit up. She pointed her wand to his pillow, which then grew slightly, lifting the injured man's upper body. "I'm going to get some things ready for him. You can visit for a bit, but please, no excitement." She then walked to her office, leaving them alone.

Albus was the first to approach Severus. "What happened, my boy?" he asked.

"It was an ordinary meeting. The Dark Lord began telling us that he has a Spells Master in his employ. This master has come up with a spell that allows the caster to look into another's mind for a period of about thirty seconds. No matter if the victim is using Occlumency, or is under a Fidelius Charm, nothing can prevent the mind from being penetrated by this spell," said Severus. His voice sounded hoarse and he was very tired.

Albus eyes grew wide. "Good lord, Severus. How did you get out of there alive?"

Minerva and Hermione moved closer to the bed. Minerva stood now beside Albus, and Hermione took a place on the other side of the bed.

Before he continued his story, Severus adjusted himself so that he could also see Hermione. "It was Lucius' duty to kill me at the gates of the school."

"How did you get away from him?" asked Hermione.

Severus looked at her. "I didn't. Lucius brought me back and cast a Killing Curse at a lizard, then he tripped the wards so that someone would find me." He now looked at the Headmaster. "Albus, Lucius is the informant. He is the one who has been helping us in secret these last three years. He wants to continue helping the Order, he wants to atone for his own sins."

Albus smiled. "Then he will be welcomed to our side. I had hoped after Draco came to us that his father would soon follow. You yourself told me a long time ago there was a change in Lucius."

"We will have to protect his identity," Severus spoke as he planned. "I must go into hiding."

"And I will announce that Hogwarts' Potions master was found dead outside the school gates," Albus said. "I believe Mr. Lovegood will be willing to help us with the announcement the The Quibbler."

"Albus," Minerva said as she placed a hand on Albus' arm. "Severus needs his rest. You can talk more in the morning."

Albus nodded. "I will stop by tomorrow." He turned and walked away with Minerva at his side. Together, they would tell Poppy to move her "dead" patient, and then they'd find a safe place to hide Severus.

Severus looked to Hermione and smiled.

"It seems that our nightly glass of wine will have to be postponed for a while," he said.

Hermione chuckled and sat down on the bed. She caressed his cheek.

"I was so scared when I saw Albus levitating you coming up the entrance. I thought..." She stopped, not wanting to further think on what might have happened to him.

"Shh...I am fine, Hermione." He took hold of her wrist lightly kissed her pulse point. Until now, he had never touched her in such an intimate way. This for him was intimate; it was more than taking her hand while showing her how to chop an ingredient. From the moment Hermione returned to Hogwarts to teach, she'd hounded him mercilessly. She came to Hogwarts with a degree in History, but Albus thought it would benefit the students more if she taught Muggle Studies. It had taken her a year for Severus to finally accept her as an equal and not just a former student, and then another year to break down the walls and become his friend.

Hermione didn't pull away from him; she'd wanted this type of affection from him for so long. He was finally reaching out to her for more than just knowledge and conversation; he was taking comfort from her. She had longed for this from the moment she came back to the school. Not wanting to push him too much tonight, she decided to leave while they were both on a high note so to speak. Besides, she noticed Poppy giving her a look that said, "It's time to go."

"I think I should go. Poppy is giving me that look," said Hermione.

He snorted. "I know that look." He squeezed her hand and kissed it once more. "Stop by tomorrow and bring me my potions periodicals?"

Hermione smiled and nodded, then decided to test the waters a bit more before she left. She leaned down and kissed him on the mouth. She left before he had a chance to say anything.

When she was gone Severus placed his fingers on his lips. He could have died that evening, and never would have known her kiss. He allowed himself to lay back and wonder when her next kiss would come. Severus knew he would have never thought this way had he not been through what he did that evening. He would have to thank the Dark Lord some day for opening his eyes to what he'd been missing, for making him realize that anyone could begin again.

~*~*~*~

When Lucius left Severus, he returned to his home. He knew that he would pay dearly for not returning to Voldemort's side right away, but he needed to make some arrangements for the future, mainly the future of his son. There were times when he'd sat outside the Dark Lord's bedroom all night before he had finished with his concubines. He thought he had plenty of time. Lucius failed to kill Severus, but did cast a Killing Curse. This would buy him time, if in his anger Voldemort decided to trace his wand. Ultimately he would be punished though for not killing the Severus as he had been instructed to do. Not knowing if he might live beyond a day or two for his infractions, he decided to throw caution to the wind. In for a penny in for a pound, was the Muggle saying. Many would have been surprised that Lucius knew about Muggle sayings, but then not many knew of the changes Lucius had gone through since his son had been sent to Spain seven years earlier.

He walked into his bedroom and took off his cloak and then looked into the mirror.

"This is it, Lucius. This is where you do things right, the way they should have been done. Tonight you begin again."

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.

The quote Albus used to identify Severus was taken from here:

http://www.last-names.net/surname.asp?surname=Nequam

The entire entry is as follows:

Dishonest, lazy. Alexander Nequam, of St. Albans, wishing to devote himself to a monastic life, in the abbey of his native town, applied to the ruler of that establishment for admission. The abbot's reply was thus laconically expressed: "Si bonus sis, venias, si Nequam, nequaquam." If good, you may come; if wicked, by no means. It is said he changed his name to Neckham, and was admitted into the fraternity.