Horcrux on the Sea

Horcrux on the Sea

Draco entered their small house and Transfigured his Muggle-proof jacket back into shiny, black robes. He pulled a roll of parchment out from its folds, declaring, "My extra-curricular assignment, sir."

Severus pocketed it with a curt nod. "I will have a look at it right now, despite this being my free time," he declared. Not bothering to draw his wand, he waved at the shelf concealing the stairs, without breaking stride.

"Show-off," Draco snorted.

"You're one to talk," Ginny retorted, rising from her own work. "Just look at yourself." Her hand was reverently travelling over the Slytherin emblem on his chest. It was artfully embroidered tone in tone, the snake just a bit more silvery than anthracite. With a disapproving frown she asked, "Is this juvenile unicorn hair?"

"Hardly," Draco declared, snorting again. "It is just silk. But the latticed background contains Mooncalf hair."

"Sounds more like a creature Goyle would choose," Ginny opined.

"Severus," Draco halted the man. "Did you hear this? Do take your wife out to watch the Mooncalves dance."

"Do take her out at all," Ginny corrected with a pout on her face. "Although I will have an outing tomorrow morning."

Severus turned around sharply at her insistent tone. "Stop it right here. How about if you two hone your cutting skills while preparing paella and salad for after our training? Cut the bell pepper into even, quarter-inch stripes and the carrots to lozenges of half an inch."

"What?" Draco pronounced, but then a smirk crossed his face. "You owe me, Severus. Do check the last page, the sources. Come, Ginny, let the professor get to his favourite quill and the red ink, while we direct our wands at the knives. I haven't done housework for weeks now."

"So he doesn't take you to the local disco?" Draco prodded when they were alone.

The young woman huffed. "Disco, pah! I'm not expecting Severus to make a fool of himself. But there must be some diversion in life! All books and no snitch makes Gin a dull witch!"

"You do get to play Quidditch nowadays."

"Not recently. We've barely been on a broom the last week. We've been discussing the tactics of these new Ministry patrols. What routes they frequent, what makes them suspicious despite a Disillusionment charm, which we've also learned." She rapped her wand on the top of Draco's head, and his immaculate robes assumed the once-white colour of the kitchen, including its marks and scratches that told of the neglect and abuse the furniture has gone through over surely fifty years.

Ginny admired her work from different angles. "Damn, I missed your boots."

"Bad enough if the old Snapes used the work surface as a cutting board, but my robes!" Draco whined. He moved to the far wall and winced as he looked down his front.

Ginny swallowed hard. "They must have chased each other using the kitchen knives as darts."

A chameleonish wand hand swished around as Draco conjured a mirror to verify his looks. "Salazar's sea serpent, never thought my face could hold so many scars even before the final battle."

"According to Bill, the goblins would prefer you that way. They still sacked him."

Draco swished some more, becoming twitchy when nothing happened. At the fourth attempt Draco had cancelled the charm, although the colour of his face didn't change. He frantically consulted the mirror to verify his looks, patting his hair into shape.

"For Merlin's sake, Draco," Ginny huffed. "Are you back to being the self-conscious brat or what?"

"Huh, no! Well, maybe at times. It's hard not to during the free days when I'm supposed to check the mirror every other minute. Nothing's amiss though, apparently," he noted with relief, and some colour returned. "Be glad you learned this properly and didn't damage my good looks! What's this about Bill?"

Ginny sighed. "If we want to keep Mister Strict out there in mood we'd better focus on even lozenges. Here's a knife. Honestly, batons is all you could ever want when it comes to chopping vegetables!"

"But last week's potion cleared only with accurately shaped lozenges. I distinctly recall..."

"I know what my blob looked like. Who needs a brew that enhances their craving for sugar anyway?"

"Are you doubting your teacher?"

"Oh, shut up! I can tell you a little about Bill, but I must concentrate on the angles while cutting!"

:*:*:*:

It was such a fine, sunny morning that Severus could indeed not have left Ginevra anywhere without drawing attention to it, and the opportunity was too good to miss.

And yet, close to Land's End, he tried once again. "Ginevra, stay here, please. You can still help. I will Port-key the injured Order members here."

"No, Severus, you promised! I must see what happens. I've been away from it all far too long. Besides, you're on your inspection round only. They would wonder why you left me here."

"I cannot bear it," he tried again, his face contorted with the thought alone. "Can you even keep out if you see your family; are you strong enough?"

"Severus! Stop this instant. I'm not an idiot." Her neck and cheeks threatened to take a dangerous crimson colour, but she swallowed and struggled hard to hold herself in check.

Severus was defeated, and he knew it.

"Here, then you take a Portkey. You keep it. ALWAYS. Drop your wand before you drop the Portkey. Leave as soon as there is danger and certainly when I tell you so." He held her close, his nose brushing her cheek. "Can't lose you ... love."

The new endearment stunned Ginny for a moment. A warm sensation spread from her guts, and her heart ached for a moment. At this moment, Severus was not just protecting one of the brats that had ended up in his care! Pacified, she said, "I will, Severus. I will hide. I can watch and note their behaviour. I can help the injured. Or I can incapacitate them completely. Yes, only from my cover, Disillusioned and all. Goodness, Severus, we have been training for fights for months, I know what to do."

She gently cupped his cheek. "You take care of yourself, for I need you back in one piece."

"All right then. We do not Apparate over the sea. This rule does not depend on the person," he quickly added. He held her close once again. "Do be careful, Ginevra!"

They found a small hut of sorts on the east of the tiny cliff off Land's End. While the couple crossed the rocky ground they checked the terrain. No path. Loose stones of all sizes invited to be Transfigured or moved. Despite the sunshine they were all moist from the spray of the sea. There was hardly any vegetation except for what the sea had cast onto the rocks. In the west, Ginny found a depression to hide in. She would have a good view while her body was hidden. The depression was wide enough that she could even duck from a stone flying towards her. She picked up a shell and held it high, waving innocently.

Severus nodded nervously, to confirm that she ducked deep enough, then went over to the hut. He was ordered to do a control round to check different groups of Death Eaters. Having his wife along for 'a walk' would indeed divert any suspicion. Yet, he would have preferred knowing her to be home safe. Male protection instinct, he scolded himself. Haven't you always found this ridiculous? And besides, she isn't safe in Spinner's End alone either.

Severus looked into the hut. They knew the four Death Eaters holding watch there, Draco, Avery, Marcus Flint and Paul Nott. Furthermore, Thomas Mulciber was patrolling outside. He at least had seen them both arriving together.

Suddenly the air rustled. Severus, pretending to look around, checked that Ginny had her head down.

:*:*:*:

Severus hastily picked two very nervous members of the Order before anyone else flattened them. The gangly, young man followed the sportive duelling routine far too stiffly as if a referee were to award points for fairness. The other was a woman of fierce determination and impressive powers but mediocre aim so that Severus' agility training came in handy.

They certainly weren't fools, but one alone would present no challenge at all to a seasoned Death Eater. Even when Severus had just thrown a levitation or a blinding hex of his own he could still cancel their curses approaching him. Wordlessly. Those two were reasonable material, but they needed to train! Once again he cursed his own weak resistance when Dumbledore had cancelled the duelling club and later, when no one had encouraged Dumbledore's Army. Not to mention decent teachers for Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Alternating spells towards these two and reinforcing a shield with his second wand, he drove them to the west of the island, all the while searching for Ginevra.

As he got the measure of the woman's aim depending on her erratic elbow twitch, Severus conjured deflectors for her hexes so that a Death Eater got a hit in an arm or leg in addition to his challenges from the front. Such deflection would hide all traces from his own wand, as he hoped Draco would remember too.

Suddenly, an outcry of pain pierced the air and confused the foolish boy! With a rapid flourish, Severus threw an extra-wide shield that would cut the three of them off from all straying spells for a few seconds. The guy, whose profile sported some features of the Boot family, needed the timeout most.

Severus risked a glance to the side where Ginevra was hiding. The immobile form of Longbottom was slowly gliding over a high stone, probably right towards Ginevra, who was thankfully not visible.

Severus could not spare any time to see who else had noticed this, as his opponents fired off towards him again. For a while, he fell into a sportive routine, nicely alternating between the give and take, as a good sparring partner would do, only that Severus himself was never on the "take" side. As Boot weakened again, Severus changed tactics and quickly struck down the woman.

"Jocey!" Boot intoned, unthinkingly.

Severus groaned inwardly, Haven't they taught these youngsters even the basics? Haven't they drilled them into any discipline?

At least Boot had the presence to produce and use his Portkey for them both, freeing Severus from one burden.

Swiftly he gauged the new situation. Mrs Weasley stood her grounds with an expression that could freeze one's blood. Separated from Mad Eye, she was now fighting two full-fledged Death Eaters on her own. In minute progress they drove her to the depression where her daughter hid. A curse hit a rock already in flight, cracking and clouding one Death Eater's face with debris so that the man stumbled blindly onwards, out of their circle. They had trained exactly this curse so often, that Severus identified the signature immediately. Ginevra! Well done! But it had been sent from further towards the hut than she was supposed to be. Where does she think she is going?!

Engaged in new a fight of his own, Severus could not risk a second look. Frustrated, he deflected the sharp curse coming from his opponent at Molly's second attacker before he covered himself in his dome shield to turn around again...to look into his wife's eyes.

The expression of hatred on Ginevra's face, so similar to her mother's, let his heart skip a beat. Crouching low, she had a stone float at her command. When she deliberately turned away her gaze, it crashed on the man's neck and shoulder. She was out of sight in the next second.

Severus was hard pressed again. More Death Eaters had arrived, and he needed to concentrate. On the one hand, he tried to keep young fighters of the Order out of the thick of it, on the other hand, there were Draco and Ginevra to care for. And over there was Potter, stealthily heading to the little heap of stones that appeared to have been collected haphazardly but in reality held the Horcrux. Or so Severus hoped. A well trained redhead of stocky build was with him, shielding him from sight: Charlie Weasley.

"Over here!" Severus snarled, waving at the throng of the Order and tearing two junior Death Eaters' attention from the two. Obediently, they focussed on a group to their right. Soon one of them screamed in agony, and three more Death Eaters concentrated on this hot spot. Severus shielded Weasley from an attack and had the curse hit the other junior Death Eater's knees. He collapsed silently.

A rumble indicated that the hut had collapsed. The air was dry and dusty for an instant, but then the breeze had carried it off. Severus dared another glance, but he was too far and fighters blocked his view. When Severus turned round again, there was no sight of either Weasley or Potter any more; the stones lay differently but just as arbitrarily for an innocent observer.

Severus Apparated to the pile of logs that had been the hut. No sign of Ginevra. Could she be buried? Severus plunged aside of a cutting curse and rolled towards the east. The Death Eater who followed him stumbled on his way and fell heavily. He never stood again. Severus did not need bystanders!

An infernal sound filled the island just as another squad of Death Eaters Portkeyed in. Then there was silence. Utter silence.

The masked men and women looked around, not finding any opponents standing upright. "What was that?"

"They sounded their retreat, I should say."

:*:*:*:

Silently, Severus scanned through the scattered logs. He found a helpless Avery hiding at the edge of a wall. "Ginevra?" No answer. There was a body surrounded with blood. Too tall for her, Severus thought in relief.

"Flint," a voice next to him said. Severus nodded, uncaring. Could there be hidden rooms? Not if the building was of Muggle origin, but Severus was not sure of that.

"So many dead," someone said. "And more wounded."

Absent-mindedly Severus commanded, "Get everyone out!"

Probably it was Paul Nott who clarified this vague order. "Portkey them all to the mainland. Marten, Scott, secure a relay base. You three there, Apparate them from there to the sickward. Make it snappy! Return with the Portkeys. One key remains here at all times."

Nervously, Severus levitated fragments of the walls around until there was none that could hide a body. Or a limb.

"She would have had a Portkey?" Paul Nott asked cautiously.

Severus nodded. "I should have given her a command to leave." He stood, staring down but nowhere in particular. "Her bravery outweighs her experience."

"She is a Gryffindor, and a Prewett. Come, Severus, where did the Portkey lead to? Knowing you, not too close to this place, right?"

"Leave it to me. I will go." For the first time in a while he looked up, but he did not take in the battle scene in front of him.

:*:*:*:

Draco searched for survivors in the frightening landscape of the battlefield. Three members of the Order lay piled up, dead. Another one still twitched, and Draco Stunned him quietly in the vague hope no one would notice. If the man looked dead, the retreating Death Eaters might leave him lying there. There was a stray arm and an ear. Behind a rock, half washed into the sea, Draco saw what looked like a boot with a leg still attached. Draco lost his breakfast on the spot.

Many more dead Death Eaters were scattered over the field. Clutching his right shoulder, Mulciber swore under his breath, "Bloody Order, just look what they did. And for what, eh?"

"I don't know."

"Not even you, junior partner of the biggest Death Eater?"

With a huff and dragging his gait, Draco moved on, trying to get as much space between himself and Mulciber as possible. Assisting the injured would work best, for Mulciber was not known for caring! Draco conjured simple band aids and splints then gathered them around the next Portkey.

A woman wandered helplessly around, shielding her eyes. Her upper face showed so angry a set of boils that Draco wasn't sure of the state of her eyes. He took her elbow, and she twitched. "It's Draco. This way, let me guide you. We have enough eye balm at our master's," he tried to soothe her.

When Draco looked up again, Severus was gone. Most likely he was at the shore, some miles up, since at one point he had advised Draco to arrange his Portkey that way. It was better not to follow him.

A sharp pain in his left forearm and the hiss of the others caught Draco's attention. Their Dark Marks were burning, their master summoning them, and it was highly advisable not to stall.

:*:*:*:

"My Lord, we've lost ten fighters. Many wounded ones will make a full recovery. The Order left at least four dead."

Draco, of course, did not correct Mulciber. He kept close to the entrance where Severus must appear shortly or absolutely draw unwanted attention to himself.

Even considering their losses, Draco found the level of the Dark Lord's fury hard to understand. The others were at a loss as well. This set of rocks cannot possibly have been a hideout to speak of. Yet, with a stony face, their master had them all minutely report their actions. Draco, left thigh and foot numbed and ears still drumming from the hornets, tried his best to appear eager and active but without much success. However, everybody else did very much the same.

Their master listened and punished.

Finally Severus arrived, clothes torn, hair dishevelled, staring but unseeing. He shook his head minutely towards Nott. Draco's knees almost gave way at the look of desperation in his mentor's face.

The Dark Lord greeted his right hand in the same way as he had the rest. "CRUCIO!"

After what he considered the appropriate timespan, he asked, "What wasss that for, S... Snape?"

"My tardiness in answering your call, My Lord," Severus said, bending low to kiss the hem of his master's frock, now that he would be allowed to crawl close.

"Indeed. I do recall summoning everyone twenty minutes ago. Explain yourself!"

"My Lord, I was searching the shores..."

"Why would that be neccessssary?" the sharp, high pitched voice interrupted him.

"I beg my Lord to forgive me, but I took my wife along for today's inspection round."

Again their master's snarl came sharply, "Crucio!" and after cancelling it, he asked as he had done so often already, threateningly soft, "What was it for this time, S... Severus?" At least he does not use his family name again, was the most positive thought Draco's mind provided.

"For taking her along unauthorised?"

"What befell you to do so, Severus Snape?"

"My Lord, to make her get some fresh air under my supervision. The mission to such an abandoned place appeared safe to me."

"Crucio!"

There was no foretelling when the questioning might end. Again and again Severus was submitted to the Cruciatus curse for a few seconds, and afterwards the question always was, "What was that for, Ss... Severus?" A gruelling strategy!

As Draco had assumed, Ginny had used her Portkey, which led her to a secluded bay a few miles off. With a raspy voice, Severus ended and hung his head, more defeated than ever.

He was in a worse mental state than Draco had ever seen him: quaking in his boots, utterly defeated. Does he realise how much he loves the girl?

Said boots vanished, and the new encouragement of the Dark Lord hit Draco's mentor: a curse to slowly peel off the skin from your feet. Already after the first heel was exposed, Severus sank onto his knees, a weakness that caused mutters among the Death Eaters and seemed to surprise even their master. He cancelled the curse and hissed like a snake, "Where. iss. ssshe? SSSpeak."

Severus presented a black pebble that was sparkling as he moved his thumb over it. "She left me a message on the Portkey, announcing she would return home." Standing but not looking up, he croaked, "I have no idea how or when, and I did not find her there."

Draco dug his fingernails into his palms to suppress the shudder from the sensation of cold sweat running down his back. Ginny was missing! It would be the final blow for Severus and Draco alike. Never see her cheer any more, never hear her voice? It just could not be true.

"Can the Order have taken her to... ssafety?" their master enquired as if asking for the weather forecast.

Severus failed to conceal his desperation. "I was in the thick of the fight, I could not follow..."

"Crucio!"

The new assault homed in squarely, but Severus was prepared better this time. He stood, if only barely, and allowed for no more than a small gasp. The Dark Lord let his wand move up and down, pushed force here and there, unpredictably. Eventually, Severus sank down again, yet silently. "Will you let yourself be lured to their lair, Severus Snape? Or will you die like the hero you were back in spring?"

The horror spreading among the bystanders was palpable, and Draco could even smell it. The pheromones in cold sweat of the mortified throng penetrated even through the odour of the blood and dirt they were clouded in already. Their most celebrated hero was taunted this way, and none of them had any idea why that was.

Their master cancelled the spell and prompted, "I have asked you a question, Severus..."

Severus panted, gasping for air after every few words. "My Lord, they will not... catch me. There is nothing... and nobody... that can move me... from your side."

"Not even your young wife, devoted to you, as she seems to be?"

What strategy will work best now, Draco wondered feverishly. Shall Severus confess his love, or would this be his end? The Dark Lord wants children...

"With your permission, I will seek to find her, my Lord," Severus said. "I will admit, I got rather used to having her close. Despite all precautions I took, she might even have caught such signals."

The Dark Lord cackled fondly at that last remark, and a few of the bystanders felt encouraged or obliged...which of the two Draco could not tell...to join into his laughter.

Gradually, more people joined and others allowed themselves to breathe more freely. Their master's temper had at long last calmed down. He let the injured ones go and moved to another, clean room with the rest. Predictably, Severus was still with them and not allowed to leave.

Draco joined the men in a bathroom where they freshened up and healed one another as best as they could.

As they returned, more Death Eaters from the highest rank had been summoned and tea was served. In what sounded like idle chitchat the Dark Lord turned to the person in charge of the guards. "How could this happen, Thomas?"

"My Lord, I am at a loss," Mulciber muttered. "This island you commanded us to guard... it looked so innocent and..."

"You set your own judgement over mine, Thomas. Whatever task I set is the most important one for those in charge."

"My Lord, I see my error. It is purely my fault."

Sharp now, their master countered, "I hear a doubt in your voiccce. SSSPEAK, Thomasss Mulccciber!"

If he dared he was a braver man than many. Or just dumber. Thomas Mulciber did speak again. "My Lord, with all respect, maybe if you could explain as to why a place as remote as this... This attack did not look like a diversion. What did the Order want there?"

Draco was not the only one keen to hear the answer. To the left and right of him, the masked men and women raised their heads a little. They all tried to balance between appearing nosey and disinterested. Neither would do when facing their master.

"So you want to know? What is it to you?" the monster snarled, sounding as if he would not answer. However, to everyone's surprise, Severus made a single step towards the snakelike man. "Severus?" Disgust and surprise lay in this single word.

"My master, with your permission, Thomas has a point. If we understand why..."

"... you have an all too easy way to betray me!" Fumes escaped the Dark Lord's nostrils as he paced in front of them, robes billowing. "Do you think I do not know how many of you seek a way to secure your neck if we fail?"

Given their fatigue and pain, their protest sounded remarkably strong. Their master raised a hand in recognition. Severus retreated into the circle, but Mulciber stepped forward, encouraged. With a wave he was given permission to speak. "My Lord, if there is another place that looks equally innocent to us but bears significance to you, how exactly should we protect it better while not drawing particular attention to it? What are we to pay attention to? My master, I do not even know if the Order has succeeded in whatever it was they wanted to achieve there."

It was a brave speech. All heads were now directed towards their master in the vague hope for something substantial, that however, did not come. "I am not a fool to deliver you the weaponsss againssst me. I am prepared to lose the weakssst amongst you on our way to power. We have ssspares, remember that! Now go. Get out of my sight."

With a bow they retreated, when the Dark Lord called, "Paul!"

Nott stood rooted, then turned slowly, bowing awkwardly, visibly in pain.

"I take it that you have a personal interest in the redhead, née Weasley?"

He cast down his eyes in confirmation and was ordered to take Draco and a novice to support Severus in his search for his wife.

:*:*:*:

When the searching team left Spinner's End, Severus fell on his sofa, a self-filling goblet of water his only companion. Sleep would bring his mind no comfort, but Nott had insisted that his body required rest.

"Severus," he had said as if speaking to a stubborn child. "Be reasonable. We will need our wits sharp and our bodies fully functional. You'd be hindering us more than helping."

And, as Draco had stated correctly, if...no, when Ginevra returned home, she would need Severus' immediate support. "No one can replace you here, at home, Severus."

And so he was doomed to idle waiting.

Waiting was part of a spy's main occupations, as was dealing with fear. But this was different. Fear for a loved one was paralysing rather than alerting him, and he felt many signs of distress he had despised others for.

Severus barely managed to ward the house behind them. Too exhausted to tailor wards to not allow a stranger in, but grant her access, he had set up an alarm. Now he was to wait.

Wait idly, while his mind played its nasty tricks on him, going through horror scenarios that could unfold any time, any place on the British Isles or repeating scenes of the last months where Ginevra had not been as safe and care-free as she deserved.

:*:*:*:

:*:*:*:

My betas, Coshie and magicAlly, deserve high praise for rearranging my sentences and making this chapter readable.