The Potion Mistress and the Half-Blood Prince

Disclaimer:  I do not own any of the people (Dumbledore, Snape, Voldemort, etc), places (Hogwarts, etc), other keywords (Occlumency, etc.), and text ("") that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling.  I am writing this story to entertain myself (and hopefully others) and make no money from it.  The OC (Katherine) is entirely my own. 

Warning: This chapter is rated M.

Chapter 21: The Gathering

With a loud crack, Severus and Katherine apparated before the gates of Malfoy Manor. Several other loud cracks sounded behind them, and Severus spun around with raised wand.

"Relax Snape," Yaxley laughed, as he approached the. Three other brutish Death Eaters followed in his wake, while Avery brought up the rear.

"Tent working out?" Avery questioned Severus and Katherine, as the three of them made their way across the grounds towards the manor.

"Fine," Katherine grumbled. "But you could have at least told me that you put a charm on your furnishings."

"Forgot about that," Avery chuckled. "Bloody nephews used it once, and all I found when I got it back was a pile of rocks, and no furniture."

"Rocks?" Severus muttered, raising an eyebrow in Avery's direction.

"They were drunk Severus," Avery smirked. "I was just glad it was rocks and not something else, like Cornish pixies." Katherine chuckled as she walked between the two men. As the small group neared the house, Severus' eyes narrowed.

"Looks a bit more lit up than usual," Severus commented, as they saw the windows from the old ballroom glowing bright from within.

"Wonder why we were called?" Katherine mused as they reached the front door.

"Don't know," Avery shrugged. "But it must be something big. Those three following Yaxley are not a part of the inner circle."

Katherine and Severus glanced at one another, before following Avery through the front door. The hallway was dim as always, but the sounds of laughter could be heard coming from the door to the ballroom.

Avery threw open the French doors to reveal an almost blinding light, one that spilled out into the hall and changing the atmosphere of the old house all together. Severus let his eyes adjust to the light, only to find himself growing sick at what he saw.

"Dumbledore!" a rough voice shouted. Severus watched as Rabastan Lestrange wrapped an arm around Katherine and led her towards his brother, Rodolphus, and the rest of their former Quidditch team.

'Azkaban,' Severus thought. 'They're suppose to be in Azkaban.'

"Snape!" Rabastan shouted again. "Join us!" The dark man thrust a glass of Firewhiskey into Severus' hand and pulled him over to the group. Severus glanced around from behind his glass.

Goyle. Crabbe. The Lestrange brothers. Travers. Dolohov. Macnair. Rookwood. They were there. They were all there. And so many more. All of those who had been imprisoned after the Department of Mysteries fiasco were now standing in Malfoy's old ballroom.

They were drinking. Laughing. Boasting about their great escape from Azkaban, and raising their glasses to the Dark Lord. Severus had to fight the bile that was threatening to rise up his throat. Seeing all of these men, and so many more that had become involved made him slightly nervous. But it was seeing Katherine, who was now drinking and laughing amongst these men, made him feel like he was failing her all over again.

"Welcome my friends!" the voice of the Dark Lord, quieted the hall, and all those who were present, turned and knelt before him. "Tonight, we not only welcome back all those who were released from Azkaban, but we will be initiating four young followers into our mist. Come forward."

Four young men rose and approached the Dark Lord. Severus couldn't see their faces, but he knew the boys well enough, for all four of them had been in his house last year, all former seventh years.

"Mulciber, Macnair," the Dark Lord bellowed. "Bring forth our entertainment for this evening." The snake-like man smirked, as he watched his two followers disappear behind a door, only to return with four Muggle women dragging behind them.

"Bellatrix, Katherine and Alecto," the Dark Lord hissed. "You are dismissed for now, but all of you are expected for clean up duty afterwards." The three women rose and bowed before the Dark Lord, then slipped silently from the ballroom.

Severus watched Katherine's retreating form, and he knew she would venture out to find Narcissa until she was needed again. He turned his attention back to the four boys in front of him, and watched as the initiation ceremony began.

He had to fight the bile again, that was rising farther and farther up his throat. He watched helplessly as the boys tortured then proceeded to rape the Muggle women violently. When they were finished with them, they were ordered to kill.

The four bodies laid before the Dark Lord, bloodied, naked and lifeless. Severus forced the vomit down once again, as he watched the Dark Lord prod the corpses with his toe, inspecting each carcass.

"Come forward to receive your mark," the Dark Lord smirked, as the four young men moved forward one by one to have the Dark Mark burned forever in their left arm. "Before we return to our celebration, I have one more moment of entertain for all of you. Yaxley!" The Dark Lord motioned to the Death Eater, who then disappeared behind a different door, only to return dragging yet another body.

"Draco," the Dark Lord hissed. "Come forward." Severus had not seen Draco in the ballroom before this, but watched as the boy timidly rose and walked towards their master. "Many of you know that Draco was, in fact, branded last June, but he did not go through the proper initiation."

Yaxley dumped the body of a young woman before the feet of the Dark Lord. Severus' eyes widened, as he recognized the girl. She was a Hufflepuff in Draco's year.

"Take a good look Draco," the Dark Lord sneered. "Recognize her. As well you should. Violet Lambert. A sixth year Hufflepuff. A muggle-born." The crowd around Severus laughed as the Dark Lord circled the girl and Draco. "She will be your initiation Draco. You know what to do; and when you're done, you will kill her."

Screams of the tortured victims filled the hall, as the three women made their way towards the sitting room. Upon entering, they found Narcissa staring into the fire. She sat like a statue; never blinking.

"Cissy?" Katherine hesitated. Narcissa blinked and turned towards them, her eyes lifeless and cold. "Are you alright?"

"Why? Why must they do that in my house?" Narcissa whimpered. An earsplitting scream made all four of them turn towards the door, and caused Narcissa to fidget in her seat.

"You should be proud Cissy," Bellatrix scolded her sister. "You should be proud to be hosting the Dark Lord in your home."

"I don't understand," Alecto stated as she sat her stocky little body down in one of Narcissa's lounges. "Why must we leave the room during initiations?"

"It has always been that way," Bella hissed at her, as she took up pacing in front of the fire. Katherine remained standing; silently observing the other three.

"I still don't understand," Alecto sneered. "What difference should it make, especially since we have been ordered to clean up afterwards."

"Are you questioning the Dark Lord?" Bellatrix hissed again, as she began circling Alecto's chair.

"N-No," Alecto stammered, as she intensely watched the circling dark witch.

"Bella, please," Narcissa muttered. "Please, let it be."

"No," Bellatrix shouted. "She must learn not to question the Dark Lord." Katherine watched the two witches banter back and forth, but her ears were focused on the sounds that were suppose to be coming from the ballroom.

"WAIT!" Katherine bellowed over them. "The screams stopped."

"What?" Bellatrix hissed.

"The screams from the ballroom have stopped," Katherine glared at her. "They must be finished." Katherine turned and began heading towards the door, but only to stop short when it flew open.

"We're finished ladies," Yaxley smirked. "The Dark Lord wishes for you to dispose of them." The three women followed Yaxley back to the ballroom, where once again, the others were drinking and celebrating the Dark Lord.

Bellatrix led the others to the mangled bodies and began to dispose of the mess. Katherine glanced around looking for Severus, but couldn't find him. She turned her eyes back towards the bodies, only to note that there were not four, but five.

"Why are there five?" Katherine muttered. "There were only four when we left."

"Who cares," Bellatrix said, as she waved her wand to clear the blood from the floor. "Let's just get this mess cleaned up, so we can rejoin the celebration." Katherine looked around again; finding Lucius in a corner, barely acknowledging anyone in the room.

"Bellatrix," Katherine whirled around to face the dark witch. "When Draco was initiated last June, was he properly initiated?"

"No, why?" Bellatrix sneered as she continued to remove the bloody stains from the ballroom marble floor. Katherine's eyes widened and she looked down at the fifth body.

"I've seen her before," Katherine muttered.

"What?" Bellatrix hissed and turned to face the blonde witch, only to find her hurrying out of the ballroom. "DUMBLEDORE!"

Severus had watched Draco flee from the ballroom after having to rape and kill his fellow classmate. Quickly and quietly after the Dark Lord left, Severus left as well, heading straight towards Draco's room.

"Draco," Severus knocked on the door. "Open up." The door cracked open enough to allow Severus to enter. He found the boy standing on his veranda, that overlooked the gardens.

Draco was trembling slightly; his shoulders shook and his hands grasped the railing tightly. Severus slowly approached him. A light breeze blew through the opened French doors, as Severus stepped out onto the balcony. Draco was staring up at the stars, his face was deathly pale.

"Why?" Draco breathed, just barely loud enough for Severus to hear him. "Why did it have to be a classmate?"

"It's a test Draco," Severus started, as he joined the boy at the railing.

"No," Draco voice was becoming a little louder. "No, it was punishment for my failure. My failure to kill the Headmaster."

"I know what your going through Draco…"

"NO!" Draco bellowed, as he turned to face his godfather. "NO! You don't understand. You didn't have to rape a classmate."

"YES, I DO UNDERSTAND!" Severus snarled back. "I too had to take a classmate as well, Draco."

"What? Who?" Draco said quietly, but Severus was unable to answer as someone knocked on the door.

"Enter!" Severus yelled. The door opened, and Narcissa rushed in, followed closely by Katherine.

"Draco," Narcissa murmured as she pulled her son into her arms. "Draco, my son."

"Severus," Katherine whispered. "Come." Severus took one last look at the mother and son, before following Katherine out of the room.

"Is Draco alright?" Katherine asked, as they walked down the darkened hallway.

"No," Severus sighed. "He believes that this was his punishment for his failure to kill your uncle." Katherine sighed heavily, as they walked side by side down the grand staircase.

"Well, we might as well enjoy the rest of the celebration…"

"You're going back in there?"

"Of course. Why?"

"I just thought you would be ready to head back."

"Severus," Katherine glared at him as she stopped in front of the door to the ballroom. "I haven't seen some of them in over fifteen years. They were our dorm mates, my Quidditch team. I wouldn't mind catching up with them."

"Forget it," Severus grumbled as he turning away from her. "Stay. I'm heading back." He walked swiftly towards the front doors and out into the night.

"Severus?" Katherine yelled, as she followed him out onto the grounds. "SEV! WAIT!" But he didn't stop, and as he reached the gates, he quickly disapparated away.

"BLOODY HELL!" Katherine growled as she turned on the spot and disapparated back to camp.