A Twisted Web We Weave

CHAPTER 17

Severus sat awkwardly on the couch at Grimmauld Place trying not to flinch as the medi witch hastily bandaged his arm the blood having already seeped into the torn sleeve of his robes. Draco sat next to him the boy’s blonde head tucked against his lap, as the boy slept off the calming draught Poppy had given him. All around him Severus listened to the heated conversation but none of it penetrated his mind as he glared angrily at the vacant space in front of him. Distantly he heard the front door open and shut and the hush that fell over the crowd as the man of the hour stepped into the lounge room.

“Albus is there any sign of him?” Lupin appeared from behind where Snape was sitting, the werewolf anxiously wringing his hands in his oversized cardigan. Snape didn’t even need to look up to see the old wizards reply. Lupin’s face fell a mile the hopeful smile fading into darkness as he spun around and slammed his fists into the fireplace. “Fuck, where is he!” Lupin cried angrily as he began stalking the room his eyes practically livid. It as obvious that so close to the full moon Lupin was having difficulty controlling the wolf within. Snape however continued to stare at the vacant space.

“I’m sorry Remus the Auror’s have sifted through what remains of the school and there is no sign of neither him nor Professor Julius. I can only come to the conclusion that they were not in the castle at the time of the explosion.” Dumbledore sounded weary and tired but Snape didn’t bother acknowledging the man as he felt the wizards gaze fall on him. “Severus I apologies to you, considering the circumstances I should have heeded your warning at the beginning of term regarding your brother.” Slowly Seveurs drew his head up, his black eyes flashing dangerously at the elder wizard.

“Indeed I warned you my brother was not fit for service at the school but you ignored it and now Potter is lost with not a single trace to help recover him.” Snape spat nastily up at the elder wizard who reluctantly lowered his head to his chest and closed his eyes behind his half moon glasses, which sat crooked on his nose.

“Severus is there anything you can tell us to help find Julius, do you even know why he was trying to kill you?” Severus glanced across at Mr. Weasley who had obviously just finished reading Harry’s stolen potions diary, Severus had managed to save from the explosion at school.

“Like I told you before, my brother has any amount of reasons to kill me but my guess is that he is being paid to do so by someone else. My brother is a Bounty Hunter and while I’m sure he would take great delight in seeing me dying in a pool of my own blood wouldn’t do so unless there was a monetary reward involved, we are family after all.” Snape sneered sarcastically up at the red haired man who nodded quietly. For his part, Snape felt foolish that he hadn’t realized that all the so-called ‘accident’s’ around Potter all year had been directed at him and his ultimate demise. Admittedly Snape was no stranger to having death threats but this was different, with no one not even himself noticing the danger. Harry had noticed it though and while he’d wrongfully assumed it was himself that was the target he’d still picked up on the subtle attempts on Snape’s life. “As for any information I might have it would likely all be in vain. My brother has been a trained killer for far longer than I have been in the service of the dark lord; his knowledge of concealment charms and tracking spells surpasses even the most notable Auror’s. It is going to be extremely difficult if not impossible to track Potter’s whereabouts if he has indeed fallen into the hands of my brother.” Snape glared at Dumbledore again, hating him for not listening to his warning at the beginning to term.

“Do you think he’s taken Harry to give to Voldemort?” Lupin inquired quickly putting voice to what everyone else was thinking.

“No.” Snape shook his head. If there was a plot like this he’d have known about it, although considering the attempt on his life he was not quite so sure anymore. “No, this is someone else entirely. Was it Voldemort who had planned this I would likely be no longer with us, my deceit the obvious motive for the attempts of my life. However I am still bearing his mark and I still breath. No, I believe this plot is something entirely different.” Severus sighed and closed his eyes as Poppy secured the bandage around his arm and charmed the ripped sleeve of his robe to begin sewing itself together.

“Then what is to be done?” Lupin growled practically bouncing off the walls with built up frustration.

“There is nothing else to be done, we must search for Harry the old fashioned way.” Dumbledore sighed heavily and gestured to the coffee table. Almost immediately the table cleared itself and a roll of parchment unfurled. It was a map of England. “The students have been sent home for the duration while Hogwart’s is rebuilt, so we are free to begin searching. Everyone pick an area and let’s begin.” Slowly Severus watched as the order members slowly picked their regions of the country to search in. With simultaneous cracks around the room, the order began disappearing until finally it was only Mrs. Weasley, Dumbledore, Severus and Draco left in the living room.

“I’ll hold the fought here Albus.” Mrs. Weasley smiled at the elder wizard who nodded in agreement. The order would be reporting in at all hours of the night and day and Mrs. Weasley’s cooking would be in great demand.

“You can look after Draco for me then.” Severus rose from couch gently lying his charge down onto the soft cushions. The blonde instantly curled up around the warm pillow, Severus had been using to support his injured back. Draco had suffered very few injuries, with his potions master having taken the full weight of the explosion. The boy however had been practically hysterical as Auror’s had descended on Hogwarts like bees to honey. The school was still standing but only just. With the main explosion having come from the dungeons the archaic stone foundations had been shaken bear. It would take some rebuilding but the ministry had already assigned a task force of ‘Construction Gremlins from Cardiff’ to begin picking up the pieces of the castle. With the school unusable, the students had been sent home on the express leaving the misplaced professors and most of the order at Grimmauld Place.

“Severus where do you think you are going? You’re injured and as we have recently discovered there is a price on your head.” Albus glared at the potions professor but Snape merely ignored him, as he pulled on his cloak masking the wince of pain as a sneer of disgust. He was stiff from the accident still and sore, but he just couldn’t sit around doing nothing while his arsehole of brother ruined everything yet again.

“With all due respect sir, Harry Potter is MY, last hope of salvaging what’s left of my dignity after I sold my soul to Tom Riddle and I’ll be damned if I’m going to let my fuck wit of a brother screw with my life yet again. I spent six long years protecting this boy and it’s going to be over my dead body if my brother thinks he can steal another Potter from me! NOW MOVE!” Instinctively the headmaster stood aside as Severus strode past him determinedly. Molly and Albus were stunned by the man’s conviction and the anger, which flashed in his dark obsidian gaze. Like a whirlwind Severus tucked himself in his cloak and with another flash of angry eyes at Albus disappeared with an abrupt and thunderous crack.

“Did he just say, ‘steal another Potter from me?’” Molly inquired when the shuddering in the house had ceased after Snape’s departure.

“Yes. I’m afraid he did.” Albus whispered as he glanced down at where Draco was lying spread out on the couch, a small drop of drool hanging from the corner of his mouth while he slept fitfully. “May Merlin have mercy on Julius Snape if his brother finds him because I’m positive Severus won’t.”

“Will he kill him?” Molly whispered carefully as she sat herself down beside Draco, gently running her fingers across the boy’s bruised cheek.

“Undoubtedly. Severus Snape’s control balances on the thinnest of ledges, push him too far and we may all live to regret it.” With a sad smile down at Molly Albus wandered quietly into the library, locking the door behind him as he waited for news of Harry Potter.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>