Dragon's Tears

Entracte II

Things were not going at all well. Draco had disappeared like mist with the girls, and Snape was beginning to wonder if they would ever find them. Lucius had insisted that he and Snape search Hogwarts castle entirely, top to bottom, which had turned up nothing, unfortunately. Snape had considered calling on Potter and asking to borrow that fascinating map of his, but figured that he would if they were unsuccessful in their other searches.

After the search, they had gone to see Narcissa, who had been far from helpful. Snape knew he should have gone alone. She and Lucius had not seen each other since before Lucius had been sent to Azkaban, and it had been quite an uncomfortable encounter. Narcissa had told them that she had not seen Draco in months, and those were the last civil words she said to them. Lucius had wanted Snape to use Veritas serum on her, but Snape had refused. Draco was too canny to include his mother in his plans, and while she might be enjoying Lucius's desperation, he had seen that she was quite startled to hear just what it was that Draco had done. No, there would be no help from that quarter.

As the afternoon wore on on the second day, Snape knew that it was only a matter of time before he would have to return to Adriana to let her know what was going on. None of their leads had panned out. Though they had discovered the flat Draco had rented in the town near Adriana's property, there had been little of help there. The house-elf there had cowered in the corner, but had been quite unwilling to answer any questions. Snape still had some people out there looking, but he knew it was time to call in the big guns. He didn't want this to go public any more than Lucius did, but there was no other choice. They were going to have to go to the Ministry for real help. And it would only be a matter of time before the Prophet found out, and Lucius and Adriana's family would be spread across the front page. But first he had to tell Adriana.

It was approaching forty-eight hours when Snape convinced Lucius it was time to let Adriana know what was going on before they went to the Ministry. He sent Lucius back to the property, in hopes that Draco would send a message, or leave more clues...anything.

Approaching Hogwarts from town, Snape was amazed that the school was still standing when he returned to talk to Adriana. He winced to think what his office would look like when he entered. He knew Adriana's temper would not allow it to be anything less than total destruction. Hopefully most of the headmasters' portraits would still be intact, at least.

He approached the door cautiously. Surprisingly, there were no explosions or screams. This put him more on edge rather than less, though. Had she somehow found a way out of the room? God, what if she'd already found Draco? As stupid as the boy was being, he definitely didn't want to see him dead. He cared for the idiot child. But when Adriana was angry, everyone had to watch out.

He was reaching for the door handle when he heard voices inside the room.

"What if they don't find him, Albus? Those girls...They're my life. I can't live through losing more children. It's too much." The sobs were quiet, but Snape's heart was wrung. It was true. She hadn't had much luck with her children. Her eldest daughter had turned on her, and there had been several miscarriages as well. Snape had been there when she had told Dumbledore about her pregnancy with Reni. He had seen her fear then. How scared she had been. But she had gotten through that. The girls were happy and healthy, or at least as happy and healthy as could be expected. And now this. Maybe he'd borrow Filch's chains and teach that boy a lesson once they found him.

Opening the door, he saw Adriana sitting on the floor, surrounded by the wreckage of his once-neat office. Albus's portrait was propped against the chair across from her. Albus looked up at Snape, and Adriana's head whipped around. She leapt to her feet, but Snape made sure to close the door behind himself and ward it so he only would be able to open it again.

"Let me out, Severus. I'm going to tear the little snot limb from limb. Where are my girls? Have you even found them yet?"

Snape shook his head. "Nothing yet, Adriana. And even if we had, I couldn't let you hurt the boy. He's being an idiot, but I honestly don't think he'll hurt them. He wants to hurt Lucius, not them."

Adriana went rigid. It should have been a warning to Snape, but he was so focused on trying to calm her that the realization of what she could do didn't occur to him until he felt the pain. It was like a fire had been lit under his skin. He collapsed against the door, but otherwise didn't move. "And how do you think," her voice rang in his head, her lips unmoving, "that he will hurt Lucius? Do you honestly expect me to believe that child won't think of using their pain to hurt him?" The pain disappeared, and Snape gasped. "Well, do you?" she asked out loud.

He took a deep breath. "Adriana..."

"No! The child is out of control. You and Lucius had a chance to deal with him. Now it's my turn."

"I can't let you. I realize you're scared, and angry, but he's just a boy, who is lashing out. He won't hurt them." He braced himself, sure that Adriana would strike at him again, but was saved by Albus's soft voice.

"Adriana, can't you see he's trying to help? Do you truly think lashing out at your friends will help you find Draco?"

Snape looked at her, and watched her scowl for a moment. "Adriana, if we thought there was anything you could do, we'd ask. You know that. But this is about Draco and Lucius. If anything positive is going to come out of this, it has to be the two of them, alone..."

"Positive? The only possible positive thing I'd like to see come out of this is that boy's incarceration. Or worse! He took my children! And I'll make sure he doesn't have the chance to do it to anyone else, let alone have his own." Her eyes narrowed, and if Snape could, he would have taken a step back from her.

"Adriana," Albus said. You can rant, or you can help. Which would you rather do?"

She whirled to confront the portrait. "Don't you try that on me, Albus. I won't fall for it. This isn't my fault. They thought they could control that child. Well, they couldn't, and now look what he's done! So now it's my turn."

Snape shook his head. "Adriana, I don't think that there's anything you can do at this point. We haven't seen a trace of him. We have no idea where he may have gone."

Albus looked startled. "He didn't go to the manor?"

Snape sniffed. "Why on earth would the boy go there? It's a wreck."

"It might be a wreck, Severus, but I'm sure he still sees it as his home."

Snape considered this. Why hadn't that occurred to him? "Well, I suppose it's possible. We'll check there tomorrow. Lucius has returned to the farm, just in case Draco tries to get in contact. I was going to go speak with Draco's friends, see if any of them know where he might be." He steeled himself and turned to Adriana. She wasn't going to like this, but it had to be said. "So, if we don't find him tomorrow, Lucius has agreed that we shouldn't wait any longer..."

Her eyes were slits. "To do what, Snape? Give up?"

He closed his eyes for a moment, then looked at her again. "To tell the Ministry."

It was a larger explosion that he had expected. Every window in the office shattered, and before he could duck the shards, he was thrown backwards into the door. "I can't believe you would even consider doing that to me! You've had a taste of what I can do, Severus. Do you really want me as an enemy? Do you know how that would destroy my life? I'll kill you before I let them get their hands on me."

And then he was on fire again. But this time the pain was focused around his heart. "Give me one good reason, and Hogwarts will need a new headmaster."

He stood perfectly still. "Adriana," he spoke through gritted teeth, "I have no choice. We need to find the girls. All of us want them safe..."

She broke away from him with a sob, collapsing on the floor, and the pain receded. "God, help me! What do we do? If he hurts them..."

He caught his breath, then moved forward and put his arms around her. He spoke to her quietly. He had to calm her. "Adriana, I will do everything in my power to keep those girls safe. I won't let Draco hurt them." He turned her face to meet his. "Do you trust me?"

"Trust. You know, Severus, you throw that word around quite easily for someone who didn't trust me enough to tell me what was going on without drugging me."

"I apologize for hurting you that way, but I believed I was doing what was best for everyone. Neither Lucius nor I could be sure that this was Draco's doing, and we did not want to upset you."

"Well, I'm upset now, Severus. And even if this ends happily, I would still be furious. As it is, I now face the possible loss of everything. Again. Thanks to you."

Snape pulled her closer. "We will not let that happen, Adriana. We'll find them. And the girls will be safe. You'll see." He quietly slid his arms around her, and was pleased to feel her arms wrap around his waist. A kind of unspoken acceptance of his apology. "I'm sorry that I was unable to bring myself to tell you, Adriana. The boy is almost as much my godson as Reni is my goddaughter. It pains me to realize that I failed him, and as a result, failed you."

"I know you're trying to find them, but sitting here, alone, waiting for news is so painful. Please let me help?" the pleading on her face was too much, and he looked away. Albus's portrait had one eyebrow raised at him, but there was a smile on the old man's face.

"You weren't alone, Adriana. Albus has been here the entire time. And the house elves were available for whatever you needed..."

She pulled out of his arms and stood. "How can you even suggest that that would be enough to sustain me? My children are missing, Severus. How can I just sit here and wait for news? It's driving me mad!" She began to pace through the room.

"You can help by staying here and waiting for the rest of my contacts to call in. I still have a few people who haven't gotten back in touch. And you, if anyone, would be able to contact Lucius or I almost anywhere. Please, Adriana, we need you here."

She stopped pacing and looked at him warily. "When you say here, to you mean this room, or do you mean Hogwarts, Severus? Because if I have to stay another night in this room..."

Snape sighed. "I'll let you out, Adriana, but I have to ask you to promise..."

"I won't go after him. Yet." Her arms were wrapped around her torso, but she glared at him. "But when this is all over..."

"I can't let you hurt him, Adriana. As much as the boy has been stupid and heartless in this, he is still someone who has been just as hurt as anyone else in this. And I've promised myself that he will have my protection."

Adriana glared at him for several minutes, and Snape was sure she would refuse to agree with his conditions. Then she sighed, and nodded her head. "But if he ever so much as comes near my daughters again, the deal is off, Severus."

"I will endeavor to inform him of that."

After that, things went a bit smoother. Albus was quick to convince Snape that Adriana was quite right. It was too soon to go to the Ministry. Getting them involved should only be a last resort, and as they still had some leads, there was still time. After all, neither Lucius nor Snape wanted the boy to go to Azkaban.

Severus ate, and spent the evening working on contacting Draco's friends from school. Unfortunately, none of them had heard from Draco in more than three years. Snape slept little that night, feeling as though the leads were growing slimmer by the moment. Perhaps Albus was right, and they should go to Malfoy Manor to see if the boy had decided to hide there. But there were still a few leads, and Snape wouldn't give in until he'd followed each and every one.

The next morning, he apparated to the farm and found a sleep-deprived Lucius waiting for him. He threatened to send him to Hogwarts, but Lucius just snarled at him, and stormed down the path to the car. At lunch, they arrived at Hogwarts to the news that one of Snape's contacts had reported a disturbance in the little town near Malfoy Manor.

It took only a bit of investigation to be sure. A young blonde man with three young girls had been shopping, and one of the girls had suddenly thrown a temper tantrum. They had driven off shortly after. It had to be them. Severus was furious with himself. They could have had the girls back that first night. How could he have been so stupid?

Lucius tried to insist he should go alone, but Snape refused to allow it. Draco would attack the moment he saw Lucius, and someone needed to get those girls out. It took a great deal of argument, but eventually Lucius agreed, and the two apparated to the gates of the manor.

At the front door, the two men split up. The manor was large, and they would be able to cover more ground separately than together. Lucius began to make his way through the hall, and Snape headed quickly to the stairs. Now, if only he could find the girls...

At least he knew where to start. Draco had been the kind of child who had always hidden in his room when he was upset. The hall seemed so much longer than he remembered, but finally he reached Draco's bedroom. He was about to open the door when he heard a door nearby open. A blonde head peeked out.

"Dragon?"

"Renata?" Snape's heart was in his throat. They were all right.

The girl turned huge silver eyes on him. A grin broke out on her face. "Uncle Sev!" She pushed open the door and ran to hug him. He trembled for a moment under the onslaught, then hugged her roughly to him. They were soon joined by two smaller bodies, tear-streaked faces rubbing into his robe as they cried his name.

Once he had collected himself, he turned to Reni. "Come on, we need to get you back to your mother. She's been missing you terribly." Reni looked unsure, but Kali and Teecie were quick to agree. Reni grudgingly took their bags, and Snape led Reni by the hand, eventually picking up Teecie and Kali, and following right behind Reni to keep her from getting any ideas.

Returning to Hogwarts took more time than Snape would have liked. As much as he would have preferred to floo with the girls, that would draw too much attention from the Ministry. An abandoned manor of one of the best-known Dark Wizards suddenly being used for flooing after all this time? They'd send Aurors in a second. No, the Knight Bus was the only available means to get the girls to Hogwarts easily, and despite the fact that it was a horrible contraption that Snape swore he would never use, it was the only real choice. The ride to Hogwarts was gruesome, but soon he was following Reni up the walk to the school, and before they were even halfway up the path, they were met by a tear-stained Adriana who swooped down on her daughters, laving them all with kisses. Snape helped her take them to her room and settle them down. Teecie was practically asleep the moment her head touched her pillow. Kali followed soon after, but Reni was the most stubborn of the three, and after a quick kiss on her forehead, Snape left Adriana to deal with her.

He only hoped that when he returned to Hogwarts, the girls would still have a father. He hurried to the edge of the anti-apparition wards, and was soon hurrying down the halls at the manor, desperate to find Draco and Lucius before the two killed each other.

Next chapter: Catharsis. Everything finally comes to a head.