The Bond

CHAPTER TWELVE


Hermione didn’t know how long she waited before falling asleep, but when she awoke, Severus was no where to be found, and from the looks of things, he hadn’t been back. She dressed quickly and checked his lab, the classroom, and his office, still with no sign of him. She ran to Dumbledore’s office.

“Mrs. Snape, how can I help you?” He asked.
“Sir, its Severus, he’s missing.” She said tearfully. Dumbledore looked up sharply.
“What do you mean Hermione? How long?”
“He left last night to do dungeon patrols, he didn’t come back home. I’ve looked everywhere, and I can’t find him.” She was desperately trying to stay calm, but she couldn’t, something was wrong, she could feel it. Dumbledore rang for Filch, and within a few moments, a search party was underway. They searched the castle, and the grounds. On the edge of the forest, they found his wand and cloak, along with several small blood stains in the snow.

Dumbledore sent Hermione back to the apartment to wait as he contacted the ministry. She was sitting on the sofa, her knees pulled to her chest as she cried, when Harry and a team of his aurors arrived.
“Harry! Oh God, I’m so glad you’re here!” She pulled him to the sofa next to her, grateful for his arms around her.
“Ok, Mione.” He said softly, rubbing her back. “We have some information, if you think you can handle it.” She pulled back; the desperate, pleading look in her eyes was enough to break his heart.
“What have you found out?” She asked.
“He was captured by Rogue Death Eaters Mione, likely the ones who beat him so badly before.” He said softly.
“Oh my god!” She gasped.
“We have a pretty good idea where they have taken him, and we are planning a rescue Mione.”
“Please Harry, please find him, bring him back to me, I beg you!” He had never seen her so unhinged, had never thought it possible to see her so broken.
“I will Hermione, I want you to stay here, please, be patient, we need to get him out as safely as possible, it may take a while. Do you understand?”
“I do, please Harry, just hurry, please, I need him.” Harry nodded and kissed her on the forehead before leading his aurors into the hall and towards the grounds. They needed to access the tunnel that led to the shrieking shack.


Hermione lay on the sofa; her sobbing had yet to end as the hours passed. Lucius had come as soon as he received word. Her head rested on his lap as she cried. She had finished the last of the elixir hours before, and now the bond was protesting sharply their separation. Dumbledore sat in the chair before the fire. He was obviously worried as he stared into the dancing flames.
“Headmaster…will she be alright?” Lucius gestured to the woman curled into a ball, sobbing against his thigh.
“I’m afraid that if Severus is not found soon, alive, that we will lose her.” Dumbledore said sadly. “Her grief will destroy her, and he feels it.”
“Do you think Potter will find him?”
“I hope so Lucius, for her sake.”

Harry Potter, head of the Auror’s division in the ministry, led a small team of aurors through a tunnel that led from the base of a whomping willow and into the shrieking shack. All intelligence indicated that Severus had been brought there, back to the place where his life had almost ended so many years before. Wands at the ready, they waited beneath the floors of the shack and listened, waiting for the right moment to launch their attack.

Hermione was exhausted, her body ached yet she could not stop crying, could not halt the trembling that wracked her body. Lucius had transfigured his robes into a blanket for her and at Dumbledore’s suggestion, retrieved one of the dress shirts Severus had worn recently. It helped somewhat, to smell his scent as it lingered in the fabric of the shirt. But it wasn’t enough, she needed him, It had been two days, and she hadn’t eaten, couldn’t drink anything, she would simply sob until she could stay awake no longer, and eventually fell into a fretful sleep. She was grateful to have Dumbledore and Lucius with her, both of them looking haggard and just as worried as she. But it wasn’t enough.

Inside the shrieking shack, Potter and his team of aurors managed to capture six, and kill three of the Death Eaters. They found Severus, shackled to a wall in a small room beneath the stairs. He was weak, had been beaten, denied food and water. He winced when they opened the door, the bright light hurting his eyes. Once he accustomed his vision to the change in surroundings, he was able to focus on Potter.
“Hang on Severus; we’ll get you out of here.” Harry said as he used his wand to release the shackles.
“Get me to her Harry; I need to get to her right away.”
“I know, lets get you cleaned up and tended to first.” Harry said, motioning for a medi-wizard to come forward. He tended to the wounds, cast a cleansing spell, and gave Severus a strengthening potion.
“Now, Harry, I can’t delay any longer, I can feel her through the bond, its tearing me apart.” Harry nodded; amazed at the devotion Severus was showing to Hermione.
“Ok, I promised her I would bring you back, I needed you to be whole, for her sake.” Harry helped him to his feet, supporting him until he was able to stand on his own, and then led him into the tunnel.
“I hate this place Potter, nothing good ever happens to me here.”



Once inside the castle, Severus practically ran to their apartments. The closer he got to her, the stronger the waves of her sorrow became. He shoved the door to their rooms hard, causing it to slam back against the wall. She was huddled on the sofa, wearing one of his white shirts and wrapped in a blanket. He barely noticed Dumbledore who had been asleep in the chair, or Lucius, who looked worse than he had ever seen him, at the end of the sofa, looking so relieved to see him. His only concern was the woman lying there on the sofa, her face streaked with tears.

Severus was at her side in an instant. She had heard the door open, and her head had lifted. She froze when she saw him, wondering if she were dreaming.
“Severus?” Her voice was so hoarse and raspy from hours upon hours of crying.
“I’m here love.” He pulled her into his arms, holding her so tight she wondered if he was going to break her ribs.
“Oh my god! I was so worried about you, so frightened! Where on earth have you been?” She was still crying, though the sorrow that had been swamping her was beginning to lift.
“Not now, sweet, just let me hold you.” He whispered into her shoulder. He felt like crying, but would not give into it. Hermione had cried enough for the both of them. He had felt her grief, even from so far a distance. The pain from the beating, from the torture was nothing in comparison. He had born it, knowing he could not give in, could not let go of this life because it would mean that she too would pass.


He lifted her from the sofa and into his arms. He stood there for a moment, cradling her against his chest.
“Dumbledore, thank you, for sending Potter.” He said.
“I am glad that this time Severus, we were able to keep your love safe.” The headmaster laid his hand on Severus’s shoulder as he passed on his way out. Severus looked at his friend, his best friend, who was standing beside him.
“Thank you Lucius, for taking care of her.”
“No thanks is needed Severus. It was no hardship, I promise.” He clutched Severus’s shoulder. “Thank Merlin you are alright.”
“I will be fine, now that I am with her.” He kissed his wife’s cheek softly.
“I’ll go then, your wand and cloak were found, and they are in your room.” He squeezed his shoulder one last time, and turned to leave.
“Lucius….be careful.” Severus said, his eyes conveying what his words could not. Lucius closed the door behind him, and left Severus alone with his wife.


**Prepare to pucker!!