Trial and Error

If I owned anything of Harry Potter, I would not be working at the pet sore that takes up so much of my time (hence the lateness in this chapter, for which I apologise profusely).

Things are going to get a bit crazy pretty soon, so be ready for it. That\'s all I\'m going to say. :)
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Hermione went to the labs to start another batch of wolfsbane potion. The letters she had read earlier kept flitting about in her mind and it increased her determination to find a cure for lycanthropy.

Once she gathered the ingredients for the wolfsbane, she set them on the table and started to prepare them the way she had prepared them that first night only a few days ago.

She didn\'t notice that Snape was already in the room working on his own batch of wolfsbane until she heard a loud curse come from the other end of the lab. She started, but quickly recovered and ran over to where her potions master stood, holding a bleeding hand tightly to his robes.

\"Professor, what happened? Are you alright?\"

\"I cut myself. I am fine,\" he lied. It was obvious he was NOT fine.

Hermione would not be swayed.

\"Give me your hand.\"

Snape glared at her. \'How dare a student order me around!\' He pulled it closer to his body.

\"I said, give me your hand...NOW!\"

Shocked by her daring, Snape slowly and grudgingly held out his left hand to Hermione\'s outstretched one.

Hermione gasped. A deep, ugly gash was smiling grotesquely from the palm of his hand. It was bleeding freely and Hermione new she could waste no time.

\"What did this, Severus?\"

He pointed with his right hand at the silver sickle on the table.

She nodded and pulled out her wand and performed a cleansing spell. Once the wound was clean, she cast a healing spell.

Snape stood utterly still as she did this. When she finished, he relaxed slightly.

\"You should see Madam Pomfrey, Severus. I don\'t have much faith in my healing spells yet.\"

\" I have no time, Miss Granger. I am already at risk of being late.\"

Hermione looked at him with confusion in her eyes. As if answering her question, Snape pulled back the sleeve of his left arm. It was burning black.

\"OH! Professor, I\'m so sorry!\" She now knew what had caused his hand to slip.

\"If I do not return....\" he closed his eyes in pain, \"...well, you know what to do.\"

Hermione nodded again and held back the tears that threatened to spill over her cheeks.

Snape looked at his hand where the wound had been. There was only a white line there that hinted of his folly. He had to admire the girl. She did a better healing spell than he could have done on his hand. He put his hand down and headed to his chambers. When he came back out with his death-eater robes and mask, Hermione was still standing where he had left her. Deciding against saying anything more to her, he went to the door but stopped when he heard her voice.

\"Why has he called you again so soon?\"

Snape sighed. He knew she was perceptive.

\"I expect he wants to attend to some unfinished....business.\"

An involuntary shudder ran up his spine.

\"I will return. The Dark Lord knows he cannot afford to lose me. Yet.\"

Without another glance at the horror-struck girl, he swept from the rooms and out of the castle and made his way to Hogsmeade.
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Severus pulled the death-eater robes over his clothes and put the mask on his face when he reached the outer limits of Hogwarts. As soon as he stepped over the anti-apparation ward, he apparated to the unknown, his dark mark guiding his travel.

He looked around him when he arrived. It was the same place as the last time. He watched as two other death-eaters walked up to the gate of the mansion before them. After taking two deep breaths, he walked confidently up the path and through the gate after the others. The door opened automatically when it recognised him. He followed the other death-eaters down the stairs to the same conference-like room they had been in before. He steeled himself before walking inside, but the site that met his eyes almost melted his facade.

Francis and Frieda Rockwell were bound and gagged on the cold stone floor. He hadn\'t been too close to either of them, but he knew they were friends of Remus. \'Fuck, where is Remus?\' Severus looked wildly around the room for any sign of the werewolf. \'He\'s either dead, or he got away, and for once, I actually hope he is alright.\'

Severus tried to calm his racing thoughts and walked over to where the other death-eaters stood, forming a circle around the couple. The door closed and the death-eaters turned to face their Master, who had a wide, reptilian smile on his horrible face.

\"Ah, my faithful followers, I\'m glad you are here,\" he hissed. \"I have called you here tonight to witness the torture and eventual death of two horrible pieces of scum.\"

All eyes turned back down to the husband and wife writhing on the floor.

\"I must give credit where it is due for the capture of these,\" he flung his hand carelessly at the Rockwells.

\"Wormtail, come forward.\"

A whimper was heard from the back of the circle and a beady-eyed man with a mouse-like nose made his way to his master.

Peter bowed low and kissed the hem of Voldemort\'s robes.

\"Master, I am not worthy of being in your presence, I am not worthy of praise, I only want to serve you, master and---\"

\"SILENCE! Wormtail, yes, you are NOT worthy of anything. You DID capture this couple, but you let the werewolf slip away...AGAIN!!\"

Peter flinched.

\"As I said, I must give credit where it is due. For capturing the Rockwells, I applaud you,\" Voldemort touched his hands together twice very lightly. Then he took out his wand, fingered it lovingly and pointed it at the squirming Peter. \"For letting the werewolf get away.....CRUCIO!\"

The room was filled with Peter\'s screams and Voldemort\'s cruel laughter.

Severus tried not to think of what would happen to the couple lying on the floor. He glanced at them and started. They had stopped writhing and were laying peacefully and showing no sign of fear. \'They don\'t fear pain and death. They know what\'s about to happen, yet they don\'t seem afraid.\' He looked at Francis and almost jumped; Francis was staring right into Severus\' eyes. They looked at each other for a moment and then Francis turned to his wife and nudged her while nodding his head in the direction of Severus. She looked too and blinked her eyes slowly at him. \'They recognise me. But how? Even if I wasn\'t in death-eater robes, it\'s been so long since they\'ve seen me.\' His mind was running. Peter\'s screams became quieter, but Severus didn\'t seem to notice.

Voldemort finally took the curse off of Peter, who had passed out cold and turned to the rest of the death-eaters. Severus spun back around to face the Dark Lord when he heard his name called.

\"Severus, my prodigal servant, come to me.\"

Severus did as he was told and braced himself for whatever Voldemort would do to him.

\"I need a truth potion.\"

Severus almost sighed with relief. That\'s why the Rockwells\' seemed calm. They knew they would die, but they also knew that Severus would make sure they did not give Voldemort the information he wanted.

He reached into his robes and pulled out a vial of a potion he always kept with him in case a matter such as this were to arise. He handed it to Voldemort and stepped back into the circle.

\"Yes, Severus. I am glad you returned to me.\" He gazed into the vial. \"You were always good at brewing potions for me when I asked. Bring them to me!\" This he said to the death-eater standing beside the Rockwells. He picked them up and threw them at Voldemort\'s feet.

\"Give them the potion!\"

The death-eater un-gagged them then grabbed Frieda and forced her mouth open. She sputtered as the potion slid down her throat. Once she had swallowed, he poured the remainder down Francis\' throat then threw the empty bottle to the ground and took his place in the circle.

Voldemort stepped over to Francis and kicked him hard in the side.

\"Where is the werewolf Remus Lupin?\" he said calmly.

Francis said nothing, but winced in pain.

\"I said, WHERE IS REMUS LUPIN? I KNOW he was with you and is planning something. You will tell me or I will kill you!\"

Francis cleared his throat and looked up into Voldemort\'s eyes.

\"He is at our home in San Francisco, California.\"

Voldemort narrowed his eyes.

\"He is not. The house was searched thouroughly and the wolf was not found. You told him we were coming and made him leave. Where is he?\"

Severus could tell that Voldemort\'s temper was rising and started praying that he would use Crucio soon.

\"If he is not in California, then he must not have left without telling my wife and me. We do not know where he is.\" He looked at his wife, and she started talking.

\"I told him to hide inside the house when we heard that death-eaters were coming. I assume he is still hiding.\"

\"And how did you know that there was to be an attack at your home?\"

Severus started. How DID they know? He hadn\'t heard about it.

\"A fortune teller told us that were should fear for our lives and told us tay way we would be in danger, along with those residing with us.\"

Voldemort sneered. \"A fortune teller cannot tell you my plans, no matter how great their inner eye is. You will tell me the truth!!\"

He raised his wand and Severus held his breath. Frieda and Francis seemed to know what was about to happen and they joined hands instinctively.

\"CRUCIO!\"

The curse hit Frieda in the heart and travelled down her arm and to her husbands\' chest. They both fell facen onn onto the floor, but did not scream in pain.

Severus let out the breath he was holding. It had worked.
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Thank you to everyone who is reviewing!


**Shem- Get some ice for your head and never do that again. I\'m glad you are happier with the story now. :)

**Deb- get your catchers mit ready! Yeah, I know. That was cheesy, but I couldn\'t resist. :)

**SlythGryff- thank you for reviewing! I can\'t tell you who will get her. :)

**Ness- I\'m glad you approve of an occasional ooc Snape. It might happen again, so people who don\'t like it can beat me over the head now and get it over with. :)

**WinterDragon- sweet and tangy lemonade coming up after next chapter....maybe. I might keep you waiting a little longer just to make you mad. ;-)

**Miss Crystal- thank you! I love spirited reviews. :) Sorry I took so long to update.

**Rilla- I know what you mean. I love them both, too, but who ever does not get her will be happy in some other way. I think. Let\'s hope, anyway. :)

**Tanya- It\'s okay. I like sappy reviews. It let\'s me know that my story can make emotions run free. :)

**animegrl- What\" No pom poms and cheers? Wow. That chapter must have been awful! ;)

**Potionsmiss- hehehe... Remus is coming into the picture soon. We\'ll see then what happens.... :-D

**Maddy- Yes, just one. I know, heart breaking isn\'t it? :)

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Hugs to all!!!!