Forsaken
folder
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,147
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Category:
Harry Potter › Het - Male/Female
Rating:
Adult +
Chapters:
50
Views:
2,147
Reviews:
4
Recommended:
0
Currently Reading:
0
Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.
Another Spirited Young Redhead
Disclaimer: HP belongs to JKR.
~~+~~+~~+~~
Chapter 15- Another Spirited Young Redhead
Harry apparated back to Liverpool just as Severus was racing over the bridge, his black handkerchief covering his face. His eyes widened at the sight of Harry covered in blood.
“I’m fine,” said Harry forcefully. “They’ve got Ginny.” Severus nodded curtly once.
“We’ll talk when I get home,” said Severus quickly. “The wards are down. Get inside.”
“Yes sir,” said Harry. He took off running in a dead sprint as Severus apparated to Voldemort’s side. Harry reached the house and quickly let himself in the door, shutting and locking it behind him. He dropped his knapsack in Severus’s chair as he went upstairs to wash up.
He walked into the bathroom and flicked on the light, sneering down at all of the dried blood on his hands. He carefully pulled off his ripped shirt, letting it drop to the floor. He tried to remember the spell Hermione had used on his face at the Welcoming Feast to remove the blood, but couldn’t. He turned on the water in the sink and grabbed a bar of soap. He scrubbed his hands hard, watching the water go red as it swirled down the sink drain. He got most of the blood off and sat down on the edge of the tub, clutching hard to the cool porcelain as his vision blurred. After a few minutes, the dizziness passed. He then remembered the jar of lotion Severus had used on his wrists. He walked across the hall and into Severus’s office. He scoffed softly at the sight of more bookcases, these ones filled with volumes upon volumes of The Potion-Maker’s Press and Advances in Magical Theory.
“You need a new hobby,” murmured Harry. He spotted the jar and a few bandages sitting on the desk where Severus had left them. He picked up the jar and walked to his bedroom. He stood in front of the full length mirror in the corner and slowly spread the lotion along the gash. The stinging was much worse than it had been with his wrists, winding him slightly. Breathing through the pain, he continued smearing the lotion down his torso, rubbing it gently into the delicate skin. By the time he had finished, his hands were shaking so badly he could barely screw the lid back on the small jar and set it on his nightstand. He tried to climb into bed, but his vision swirled, knocking him off balance. His fingers grasped thin air as he fell to the floor unconscious.
~~+~~+~~+~~
Severus stood rigid at the sight of the girl lying on the stone floor before the Dark Lord’s feet.
“They called in reinforcements,” Lucius was saying. “We were unable to kill any of them, but Pucey got Potter with a Slicing hex.”
“Adrian, step forward please,” said Voldemort icily. The young recruit did as asked, bowing down behind Ginny’s body. Voldemort lazily waved his wand at Adrian, casting an agonizingly strong Cruciatus curse on him. The young man’s screams echoed loudly off the walls.
“I said I did not want Potter harmed in any way,” said Voldemort, lifting the curse. “I want to watch his pathetic little face crumble as I kill his beloved Miss Weasley right in front of him and he cannot do that if he is too weak to stand up. It is my job to kill the whelp, not yours. Do you understand, Adrian?”
“Yes, master,” gasped Adrian, crawling back to his place in the circle. Voldemort sighed sternly, rubbing his red eyes with long, skeletal fingers.
“I sent you to destroy those redheaded thorns in my side,” hissed Voldemort, “and you’re telling me that you couldn’t get rid of any of them?”
“Master, they had three Aurors with them and another Order member, not to mention the Mudblood and Potter,” said Bellatrix, her voice trembling a little as she felt the waves of fury emanating from where the Dark Lord stood. He turned to her and Crucio-ed her as well. Bellatrix kept herself from screaming, writhing soundlessly on the floor until Voldemort lifted the curse.
“I don’t recall asking for any comments,” said Voldemort tersely. “Please don’t interrupt me when I am asking rhetorical questions, Bella. That is very irritating. Now, where was I? Oh, right - your inability to follow simple instructions.” He walked slowly around the circle, sneering at the sight of tattered cloaks and blood-soaked robes.
“I do hope I will not have to start doing these kinds of things myself,” said Voldemort casually. “That would make the rest of you quite unnecessary. And you don’t want me to consider you unnecessary, do you?”
Silence. Voldemort smiled.
“I didn’t think so,” he said. “Fenrir, is your team ready for Monday morning?”
“Yes, master,” growled Greyback. “We will not fail you.” Voldemort gave him an unimpressed look.
“Every time one of you miserable wretches tells me that, things always end up going badly,” said Voldemort silkily. “I do not want your empty promises. I want death and suffering. I’m sure there are those here who desire to do their lord’s will if you are not up to the challenge.” He turned back and gazed proudly at Severus, earning him jealous and hateful glares from the rest of the room.
“Severus,” commanded Voldemort, “take the girl to a holding cell. You will be in charge of making sure she stays alive until we can get Potter. I want her healthy. She will be able to withstand much more torture that way. A potion, perhaps?”
“Yes, my lord,” said Severus softly. He bent down and gently lifted Ginny off the ground. He jerked his head at Wormtail, motioning for him to move out of the way. He noted Wormtail’s haunted look at Ginny’s limp body as he passed, causing Severus to clench his jaw tightly. Damn rat of a coward.
He walked through an open door into a long, dark hallway dotted with an occasional wooden door. He walked further down the hall, choosing one of the back holding cells. He shifted Ginny in his arms and unlocked the door with his wand, pushing it open with his back. He kicked the door shut and sat Ginny against the wall. He took her wand out of her pocket and slid it into his own.
“Ennervate,” murmured Severus, touching his wand to her chest. Ginny moaned softly. Severus lit his wand, watching worriedly as she slowly opened her eyes.
“You,” she snarled weakly. Severus touched his wand to her wrists, chaining her to the wall.
“I’m so sorry, Miss Weasley,” whispered Severus. “But trust me when I say that I will do everything in my power to get you out of here as soon as I can.” Ginny’s eyes widened as Severus met her gaze.
“That’s why Harry was so worried the entire time,” whispered Ginny. “You told him they were coming.” Severus nodded quickly, glancing back over his shoulder.
“We just didn’t know when,” he whispered. “I have to go. I’ll be back soon.” He stood up and walked towards the door.
“You bastard!” shouted Ginny. “You betrayed us all!” Severus turned around and saw Ginny wink at him and grin. He winked back.
“You are correct, Miss Weasley,” said Severus loudly. “Enjoy your stay.” With that, he walked out of the cell, slamming the door and locking it behind him. He strode confidently into the receiving chamber, occluding his mind once again as he stepped back through the circle.
“I take it she’s awake,” said Voldemort easily. Severus smiled smugly.
“Indeed, my lord,” replied Severus.
“Let me out of here!” cried Ginny from down the hall. “You’re gonna regret this! Harry’s going to blow you to bits, you bastard! You just wait until -“ Voldemort groaned.
“Another spirited young redhead,” he muttered, causing Severus’s stomach to twist painfully. Voldemort waved his wand at the door leading to the hall. It slammed shut, muffling Ginny’s shouting.
“That’s better,” said Voldemort. “Severus, you may go. I need you to bring me whatever potion you can devise as soon as it’s ready. Make each dose last as long as possible. I don’t want you coming here every other day.”
“I will do my best, my lord,” said Severus. He turned on his heel and disapparated. He ran back to the house, hoping that Harry was alright. His mind was already rifling through his mental catalogue of viable potions. There were a couple he could make, but they really weren’t designed for someone of her age. He unlocked the door and burst into the entryway, shutting and warding the door behind him.
“Harry?” shouted Severus. He spotted Harry’s bag in the chair and raced into the kitchen. He wrenched open the pantry door and grabbed a flask of Blood replenisher. He quickly made his way upstairs, eyeing the blood and a torn shirt on the bathroom floor as he passed on to Harry’s room.
He nearly dropped the flask at the sight of a pale hand on the floor. He set the potion down on the nightstand next to his healing salve, and gently turned Harry over on his back.
“Harry,” said Severus, lightly tapping Harry’s cheek. “Come on, Harry. Wake up.” Harry groaned softly, swatting at Severus’s hand.
“I don’t want to cook the bacon,” mumbled Harry. “Make Dudley do it.”
“Oh, not good,” muttered Severus worriedly. He quickly levitated Harry onto the bed and inspected the long wound across his bare chest. The boy had done a fair job on it, with the healing salve doing the rest, but he was deathly pale and cold to the touch. Severus conjured a goblet and measured out a double dose of replenisher. With his free arm, he propped Harry’s head up and carefully poured the potion down his throat, pausing frequently for Harry to swallow. Eventually, Severus got the entire gobletful down him and laid him back on the bed. After a few minutes, a little color returned to Harry’s cheeks.
“Harry?” Severus tried again. “Harry, wake up.” Harry’s eyes fluttered open, blinking slowly up at Severus.
“You’re back,” whispered Harry. “Is Ginny okay?” Severus exhaled in relief and pulled a blanket over him.
“She’s fine,” said Severus. “The Dark Lord wants a potion for her while he tries to get his hands on you. However, you will need to take it easy for a while. You’re going to be very dizzy if you try and walk around.”
“Been there, done that,” mumbled Harry. He rubbed his face tiredly, noticing his glasses were missing. “Do you see my glasses somewhere? I think they fell off.”
“That would be a safe bet,” said Severus, bending down to pick up the bent frames. He tapped them with his wand to repair them and placed them on the quickly-cluttering nightstand. He sat down on the edge of the bed, watching Harry gaze blankly at the ceiling.
“What happened?” asked Severus softly. “You know how to block Slicing hexes. This one hit you at full strength.”
Harry quietly told him everything that had happened, beginning with his feelings of being watched when he first arrived. At the news that Lucius had dueled Harry for quite some time, Severus frowned. Lucius had forced Draco to duel with him for hours during the holidays, honing the boy’s technique as he got older. Severus wondered if Lucius had forgotten who he was dueling.
“And then, just like that, they all portkeyed out,” finished Harry. “Ron was bloody pissed at me. I told Kingsley to take them to Headquarters and have Moody reward it against anyone bearing the Dark Mark.” Severus nodded.
“Good,” he said. “Is Arthur going to contact the other boys and let them know what happened?”
“I told Kingsley to do it,” said Harry. “He told me you told Remus to stay at the Shrieking Shack Sunday night.”
“I did,” said Severus, searching Harry’s face. “I thought it would be better if he were close to the castle. It would give him a safe haven, should he need it.”
“Do you think we can have a few people stay at the castle Sunday night?” asked Harry. “I have my Map. I could go and be a lookout.”
“Map?” asked Severus, scowling. “What map?” Harry pointed to his Charms book. Severus reached over and picked it up.
“Inside front cover,” said Harry. Severus hesitantly opened the book and pulled out the yellowed parchment. He raised an eyebrow.
“This is blank parchment,” said Severus. Harry sighed and took it from his hands. Severus’s frown deepened as Harry reached over for his wand.
“I can’t believe I’m about to show you this,” muttered Harry. “Remus is going to kill me.” He touched the tip to the parchment. “I solemnly swear that I am up to no good.” He handed the parchment back to Severus, watching as flickers of fury and awe crossed the man’s face. Severus carefully opened the parchment, his eyes widening. His movements quickened as he stood and spread out the Map on the bed, devouring every inch of it.
“Fuck me,” he whispered. “I didn’t know it had so much detail.”
“Shows everyone and what they’re doing, every minute of every day,” said Harry proudly. “Fred and George had it before they gave it to me in third year so I could sneak into Hogsmeade -“
“-and then lie about it afterwards,” said Severus without rancor. “Brilliant. This must have taken them ages. The charmwork and spell layering is phenomenal.” He watched in amazement as the dot labeled “Peeves the Poltergeist” bounce around in an old classroom.
“But getting back to my idea,” said Harry. He yawned, the replenisher making him groggy. “Do you think it would be a good idea, or would it give you away?” Severus began refolding the Map, thinking.
“Wipe it before you fold it up,” said Harry. “Give it a tap and say, ‘mischief managed.’”
“What utterly asinine passwords,” muttered Severus snidely as he tapped the parchment. “Mischief managed.” The ink faded into the parchment, allowing Severus to continue folding it up. He replaced the Map inside Harry’s Charms book.
“Only a few should be there,” said Severus finally. “You and Minerva, with Moody there as an Auror guard. I think you three would be the only ones who could be there without raising too much suspicion on my end. You could also check on that locket while you were there, and possibly chat with Albus’s portrait about the location of the others.”
“Mmkay,” said Harry, closing his eyes. “You wanna patronus Kingsley and tell him? He wanted me to let him know.”
Severus smiled to himself as Harry fell asleep. He put his hand on Harry’s forehead, making sure he didn’t have a fever. He slid his hand up and brushed his thumb across the lightning bolt scar. He sighed and rose up from the bed, retucking the covers around Harry.
He quietly walked across the hall and wrote Kingsley a short note about Sunday, sending his fox patronus through the wall of his office. He received a rapid response, saying that Kingsley would contact Moody and Minerva. He tossed the note on top of the slim folder on his desk. He stood and scanned his bookshelves, running his fingers over the spines of his Potions journals.
He pulled out the volume for 1983 and opened it to the page that had been dog-eared, rereading the highly detailed and complicated article on a potion that had been developed for Auror use out in the field. Using a bare minimum of ingredients, all which grew naturally in the wilderness of Great Britain, a knowledgeable Auror with a good grasp on Herbology would be able to survive on the potion for as long as a two weeks per dose. The potion had been lauded as the greatest advancement in the field in twenty years, although Severus completely disagreed. The Auror’s Field Brew had only taken him six months to synthesize and research. Other Potion Masters worked for years on a single potion, which had the great potential to be a huge waste of time. Albus had been very upset when Severus turned down the Arsenius Jigger Research Grant, arguing that such an accolade would boost Severus’s reputation with certain members of the Magical community, namely those in the higher echelons of the Ministry of Magic. But Severus firmly and decisively told him that he would be declining the Grant. He didn’t wanting anyone dictating the direction of his research projects simply because they were paying him ungodly amounts of money.
He went over to a small safe in the corner of the room and spun the dial, carefully entering the combination. He pulled the handle open to reveal a set of locked drawers. He tapped the top drawer with his wand and pulled it open, running his fingers across a highly organized filing system. He pulled out a faded leather-bound journal and a few sheaves of parchment covered in tightly cramped handwriting. He closed the safe and sat at his desk, reviewing the notes he had made on the Field Brew. He opened the center drawer of his desk and pulled out a roll of clean parchment, along with a bottle of ink and a quill.
~~+~~+~~+~~
Severus stayed awake until dawn, finishing his notes on the modified version of the Brew for Ginny. He set his quill down on the desk, rubbing his sore, ink-strained fingers with his left hand. He looked up at the gentle rapping on the door. Harry pushed the door open holding a cup.
“I made some coffee,” said Harry. “Didn’t know if you wanted any or not.” Severus waved him in, taking the cup from his hands.
“Thank you,” said Severus hoarsely, leaning back in his chair as he drank the hot liquid slowly. Harry walked around and looked over his shoulder.
“What’s this?” he asked, turning one of the parchments towards him to read.
“I developed a potion for the Aurors about ten years ago,” said Severus. “With some slight adjustments, I think it is the best option I have for Miss Weasley. It isn’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination, but it will do for now.” He looked Harry over, spotting a bruise showing along his neck. “How are you feeling?”
“A little sore,” said Harry, “but otherwise I’m okay. Just tired.”
“Hm,” said Severus, stacking up his notes. He rose from his chair, stretching his arms above his head before picking up the sheet containing the modified recipe and his coffee. “Are you hungry? I can fix you something before I start brewing.”
“No,” said Harry, following him out of the room. Severus sighed, silently wondering how the boy survived on so little food.
“Did you need any help?” asked Harry. “I can chop ingredients or whatever.” They walked into the kitchen. Severus set the recipe on the counter.
“I would let you help,” said Severus, “but I might have to modify some things as I’m brewing, so it would be best if I did it. I appreciate the offer though.” Harry nodded, biting his lip nervously. Severus ruffled his hair gently.
“I know it’s hard, child,” said Severus softly. “I have an idea.” Harry looked up at him expectantly. “Why don’t you go and write Miss Weasley a short note? I’ll try and slip it to her when I go deliver this potion.” Harry’s face brightened.
“Okay,” he said excitedly, running from the room.
“A short note, Harry,” shouted Severus after him. He removed several jars from the pantry shelves and set them on the counter next to the stove.
A few hours later, Severus completed the potion, pouring some into a medium-sized vial to take with him. He stoppered it and slipped it into his pocket. He poured the rest into a large flask he had prepared, the brown liquid oozing out of the cauldron.
“That looks disgusting,” said Harry, watching him from the doorway. Severus chuckled softly, setting the empty cauldron back on the stove.
“Potions are not made with taste buds in mind,” said Severus. He topped the flask and pushed it back on the counter. “Most flavorings nullify key ingredients. I did try and make this one not taste like dirt, though.” Harry smiled, watching Severus wash and dry his hands.
“I’m sure Ginny will appreciate that,” he said. He held out a tightly rolled tube of parchment. Severus took it and put it in his pocket next to the potion.
“I should be back shortly,” said Severus wearily. He grabbed a vial of Invigoration Draught from the pantry and drained it, setting the dirty vial in the sink. Feeling the potion work through his body, he began occluding his mind and walked to the entryway.
“Lock the door behind me, please,” said Severus, opening the door and shutting it behind him.