Disregarding these, Snape quickly headed over to a mahogany desk similar to the one he had at Hogwarts. Automatically, he reached over and lifted the desk’s surface to reveal a tiny compartment. The entire section was covered in thick, black velvet and in it, securely contained, was a small piece of pale cloth with two slits cut into the material. Wordlessly, Snape dragged the mask over his head and pulled the cloak’s hood up.
As he did so, his eyes fell for a second on a small box in the corner of the room. In it was contained a small amount of a fine, bluish powder which had the power to finish everything. The Potions Master involuntary glanced back at the fire, deep in thought.
How could anyone believe that the man who pulled on the cloak now was different from the man who had pulled it on originally? After the war, would anyone believe he had changed sides or would he just end up in Azkaban; either for betrayal of the Dark Lord or for being a Death Eater?
No, he thought coldly, this war will end and whatever happens my life as a spy will be over. This time, I am not going to be on the losing side. I will honour my Master to the end and die if necessary. This time, I’ll choose the more powerful of the two…
Drawing his cloak tighter around himself, he Disapparated and arrived a moment later at Horton Tower; a desolate, abandoned folly set on the summit of a windswept hillside.
Snape, with his usual stalking, menacing stride, marched up to the rotted door and pulled to his wand.
“Ludumassium!”
A chill breeze blew through the doorway making his cloak billow out behind him. With a final glance at the Muggle village lying blissfully unaware in the shadow of the Dark Lord’s Headquarters, the Head of Slytherin House walked through the threshold of the Tower only to come face to face with the most powerful wizard alive.
Harry sprinted out of Snape’s office, heading for Gryffindor Tower. He had no wish to see the man he had been in the company of for the last hour and a half wearing a Death Eater’s mask.
“For the last time, do look where you are going Potter,” Professor McGonagall stated exasperatedly as Harry almost ran into her. “It wouldn’t hurt you to walk around the corridors you know.” Something clicked in Harry’s numbed brain.
McGonagall’s a member of the Order.
“Professor, no time to explain. Just now, in Remedial Potions, you know…” Harry deliberately rubbed his left arm and put a pointed stress on ‘Remedial Potions’.
Professor McGonagall’s widened eyes conveyed wordlessly that she understood Harry’s message. “I suggest you have an early night, Potter. Oh, and I have just needed to confiscate some Skiving Snackboxes from some third years. Please could you inform Miss Granger to come and see me immediately…”
“Yes, Professor,” Harry said quickly as his Head of House headed towards the dungeons. Harry altered his course, walking instead towards the fifth floor.
“Skiving snackbox-” said Harry quickly as he reached the stone gargoyle. He didn’t finish though as the gargoyle opened and Albus Dumbledore stepped out. He didn’t look in the least bit surprised to see Harry there.
“Harry, go to your dormitory and stay there. Do not leave Ron and Hermione for any reason and keep this to yourself, understand?”
“Yes,” Harry said, slightly annoyed that Dumbledore didn’t elaborate as he swept downstairs heading for the dungeons.
Typical, Harry thought to himself as he headed back to the Common Room. I tell everyone what’s going on and they just leave me in the dark again…
Minerva McGonagall used her wand to open the door of Snape’s office. She arrived just in time to see the green flames dying back to their usual yellow and realised as she did so that it was too late; Severus had already gone. She turned abruptly as she heard the door being shut quietly behind her.
“I assume he has gone then,” said Dumbledore softly.
“Yes,” answered Professor McGonagall regretfully. “I just didn’t get here in time. Oh Albus, what do we do now?”
“We wait,” Dumbledore muttered, staring at the glowing fire. “There is nothing we can do now except wait.”
“Severus, you are late,” a cold voice hissed.
Snape bowed low to the figure who had spoken. “I am sorry my Lord. I was at Hogwarts, as you know, so I could not Disapparate to your side instantly. Otherwise nothing could have prevented me from being here immediately after your summons came.”
Lord Voldemort inclined his head slightly. “Very well. However, I do expect better of you next time.”
Snape bowed again and Voldemort glanced over Snape’s shoulder.
“Lucius, Bellatrix, come here,” he ordered. Instantly, possibly Voldemort’s most formidable allies came out of the shadows. “You may, perhaps, be wondering why I called you three here so soon.”
Snape glanced sideways as Bellatrix and Lucius took up their places either side of him. For the first time in his life, Snape felt the smallest sensation of fear as he stood imprisoned between the other Death Eaters and he was privately unnerved by it.
It was just over nineteen years since Snape had first pulled on a Death Eater’s mask and had the Dark Mark burnt into his arm by Voldemort himself. Nineteen long, friendless years spent as a spy either for the Dark Lord or for the Order of the Phoenix. It wasn’t that Snape was afraid of the Death Eaters standing beside him “ he just found for the first time in his life that the pressures of his double agent role was beginning to wear him down. The front he had so carefully constructed was beginning to fail at last.
Snape was brutally bought back to the present as beside him, Bellatrix nodded eagerly.
“Do not look so excited, Bella,” Voldemort hissed angrily. “It has become apparent that somewhere within my Death Eater ranks there is a spy leaking information to the enemy. I need to know who they are so they can be dealt with in the appropriate manner.”
For the first time in his long service to Lord Voldemort, Snape was glad his face was hidden by a mask. Any colour that was still in his sallow cheeks had left them with Voldemort’s words. An uncomfortable weight seemed to have dropped into his stomach.
Oh Merlin; what does he mean by ‘dealt with’…? The last time the Dark Lord said that, Nott was on the receiving end of spells the Dark Lord invented himself... God, they looked even worse than the Cruciatus Curse...
Voldemort didn’t appear to notice the spy’s deceptive thoughts; his anger was clearly focused on his scores of Death Eaters.
“I want you to find this spy and bring them to me as soon as possible. Be as rough with whoever they are as you feel necessary, although I want them coherent. I want them able to understand what the consequences of betraying me really are. Incidentally, the same applies to Potter if you ever get the opportunity with him. Both of their lives will end in the most painful way I can devise. Do you all understand?”
Simultaneously, the three Death Eaters bowed.
“Yes, Master.”
“I will, Master.”
“Of course, Master.”
“Good. Severus, a word alone,” Voldemort added.
Bellatrix and Lucius withdrew from the room leaving Severus Snape alone with the Dark Lord.
“My most loyal servant,” said Voldemort quietly. “I am relying on you to discover the identity of this spy. You are deep within the ranks of the Order of the Phoenix and close to the fool who leads them, Albus Dumbledore. Inform me as soon as possible who this traitor is although take no action yourself. I will send others so your loyalty to me goes undetected.”
Snape nodded wordlessly.
“Do you have any idea who it could be?”
“As yet, I regret to say I do not,” answered Snape curtly without hesitation. “Dumbledore has mentioned nothing in the Order meetings.”
“Very well,” breathed Voldemort. “As soon as you do know, inform me immediately. You will be greatly rewarded…”
“Thank you, Master,” Snape replied, bowing low again. “I shall return to Hogwarts now and see what I can discover.”
Voldemort nodded his snake like face and turned away from Snape twirling his wand in his pale, thin fingers. Snape turned and left the room, his menacing stride losing none of its usual swagger.
“Harry?” Ginny looked over as the Portrait Hole swung open. Ron and Hermione also looked up from the couch they were sitting on.
“It’s Snape,” whispered Harry, glancing around himself to check no one was in earshot. He needn’t have bothered though “ everyone was having far too much fun watching Seamus and Dean trying to transfigure Neville’s toad into a dragon to want to pay attention to a group of sixth years and a fifth year whispering in a corner.
“It was the Dark Mark; it burnt while I was having my Occlumency lesson just now. I’ve told McGonagall and Dumbledore already knew…”
“What do we do?” breathed Ron, leaning forwards in anticipation.
“Nothing,” Harry answered stonily. “Dumbledore said stay and this time, I’m going to do as he says. I’ve got no wish to see Snape in a Death Eater’s mask…”
As Snape stalked down the stairs, he grew tense as he heard footsteps behind him.
Seconds later, Lucius Malfoy stormed into view and walked straight up to Snape, a manic gleam burning in his eyes. After a quick glance behind him to check Voldemort was well out of earshot, Lucius drew his wand like a sword and slammed Snape against the wall with his free hand. Snape just stared at Malfoy in cold disdain.
“You know something,” Lucius accused, spitting in Snape’s covered but expressionless face. “You know something about them; more than you are letting on. You shifted when the Dark Lord said there was a spy in the ranks…”
Damn…
“I don’t know what you mean, Lucius,” Snape hissed angrily. “Why would I keep anything about the enemy’s plans to myself? I tell the Dark Lord what I know; nothing more, nothing less.”
“You are lying,” Lucius snapped. “You are a traitor, and you are definitely lying.”
Snape pulled himself out of Lucius’ vice like grip and stepped away from the wall.
“Trying to get in the Dark Lord’s good books, are we? By deluding yourself you know the identity of this traitor? Ever since you lost the Prophecy to a stupid teenage boy, you have found a good deal of the Dark Lord’s trust in you has gone. You know you now have to work your way back up his ranks to return to your former level! No wonder the Dark Lord is angry with you; you couldn’t even beat your son’s classmate prop-”
He couldn’t finish his sentence as Lucius raised his wand and a jet of icy blue light shot from the end hitting Snape straight in the chest. The spell slammed Snape once again into the wall although this time the Potion’s Master felt his shoulder grate out of position and the bone give a sickening crunch as it made contact with the stone.
“You fool,” said Malfoy murderously. “You will pay for your disloyalty. I dread to think what the Dark Lord would do if he caught a trusted Death Eater double crossing him…”
Snape, whose eyes had flashed momentarily from the pain in his arm, glared coldly at Malfoy.
“Then I suggest, Lucius, that you find out who this spy is rather than making ludicrous guesses. The Dark Lord is not going to appreciate you accusing a loyal servant of such a treacherous crime. I suggest you become certain of your claims before you start reporting unsupported guesses to the Dark Lord. I am certain he will not take kindly to misinformation…”
Without another word, Snape turned around and walked out of Horton Tower, the pain in his shoulder increasing with every step he took. Before his mind became too engulfed by pain, Severus Snape Disapparated arriving almost instantly back to where he had originally departed from.
“Albus, where is he?” Professor McGonagall asked.
“I don’t know,” Dumbledore answered. “He’s been gone nearly an hour and if he doesn’t return soon I’m going to inform the rest of the Order.”
The shadows in Snape’s office grew deeper as the fire burnt down into dying embers.
Carefully, Snape pulled off his mask and placed it back into the secret compartment in his desk. He was well aware that he needed to return to his house every time the Dark Lord summoned him although it never ceased to annoy him. If a student found the mask, too many awkward questions would be raised and Snape couldn’t risk that happening.
Damn!
Snape cursed again as his arm gave another jolt of pain. That bloody Lucius Malfoy…
Carefully, Snape half dragged himself over to the fireplace and pulled a handful of Floo powder from the jar.
“Hog…warts…” he gasped as he threw the powder into the fire. He grimaced in pain as his left shoulder struck the side of the chimney. More than anything, the Potions Master sincerely hoped his office would be empty when he returned. At least he could collect his thoughts before he went to see the rest of the Order to inform them of what had just happened.
The only problem was, he was about to be bitterly disappointed.
As he stepped out of the fire, he came face to face with none other than Albus Dumbledore and Minerva McGonagall.
“Severus?” Dumbledore said sharply as Snape stepped out of the fire.
“Yes?” Snape snapped as he stared at the Headmaster, who looked slightly taken aback by the unfriendly answer.
“I am here to find out what possessed you to leave this castle, on Voldemort’s instructions none the less, and not inform anyone before hand what was happening.”
Snape just glared in response. “I wasn’t aware I had to inform you of every move I took.”
Professor McGonagall looked horror struck. “Severus!”
Snape rounded on her. “And where do you think you fit into this whole equation?” he spat nastily before wincing in pain and reaching up to tenderly touch his swollen shoulder.
“Severus,” Dumbledore repeated as he stepped between the two Heads of House. “I suggest you go up to Madam Pomfrey. Your shoulder looks as if it has been dislocated and the bone is possibly broken. You can tell her I have requested she asks no questions.”
“I’ll live,” answered Snape flatly before looking away from both people in his office, his thoughts drifting back to Voldemort’s words. “I need to know who they are so they can be dealt with in the appropriate manner…”
“Severus?” Dumbledore prompted gently.
“The Dark Lord,” Snape muttered after a few seconds silence. “He knows there is a spy in his ranks and has set Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy the task of dealing with the traitor when the spy’s identity is discovered. He has instructed me to find out who the spy is. Lucius Malfoy is suspicious of me and it will not be long before the secret is out. When it is, the Dark Lord will undoubtedly kill me.”
For the first time in his life, Albus Dumbledore appeared to be lost for words.
A/N: One of my favourite chapters “ I hope you enjoyed it!
Just in case anyone’s interested, Horton Tower is a real place and if you want to see what it’s like, go to:
www.follies.btinternet.co.uk/hortontxt.html
I do not own the site, (obviously), but it does give a couple of good pictures!
“Ludumassium” is from the Latin “ludum” meaning “to open”
As always, please let me know your opinions and thanks to everyone who has reviewed my previous chapters. ~ Stormy x