A War of Nerves

CHAPTER 11: Up in Arms

"Harry, remember your job," Dumbledore instructed, "It isn't to face Voldemort head on, for the shield will not protect against Avada Kedevra. Just distract, that is our purpose."

Harry nodded, brining his fingers to his forehead again, feeling the tingly sensation. It wasn't from his scar, though that had been hurting a bit too, but from the Shield Potion. Dumbledore had put a drop on Severus's, Harry's, and his own head for protection. But Dumbledore had said, he had only put enough on them to protect them for a day maximum.

"And take this," Dumbledore said, giving Harry a bracelet with three beads on it, "touch the red bead to get transferred back to Hogwarts."

"What do the other two do, the blue and yellow ones?" he asked.

"The yellow one emits a sort of magical vapor that will kill you and the blue one is there because it is my favorite color," Dumbledore answered cheerily.

Harry didn't want to know why he might have to use the yellow one, he just took it without question and latched it on his wrist beneath his robes. Then Snape swept back in the room wearing his customary black on black. He looked ready to kill and the thought made Harry shudder. Snape gave him a look of disdain but said nothing.

"Alright, Severus, Harry, if you would follow me," Dumbledore said, beckoning them with a wave of his hand to a door Harry had never seen in between some book cases.

"What do you want me to do with the girl?" Morgan asked from behind them.

"Take her to Madam Pomfrey," Dumbledore said simply, opening the door with an incantation and a wave of his wand.

Morgan shrugged and Harry heard her muttering some orders to Blaise as Dumbledore pushed them out of the room and into a corridor. It was dark and Harry accidentally ran into the headmaster a couple of times. Then he began to hear voices.

"I...was...in...bathroom..."

"Amazing...tell...Lily..."

"Dumbledore...in...Islands..."

"Malfoy...trap..."

"Do you hear that Albus?" Snape asked quietly.

"Yes," Dumbledore said with a smile.

He opened a door in the side of the hallway. It was a good sized room, a little larger than his house's common room. It had marble floors and walls, but the ceiling was glass. It wasn't a particularly pretty room, but it radiated magic. Harry looked at the floor speculatively; the voices seemed stronger in this room.

"Tell the headmaster...Lily..."

"Raja...angry at us..."

And then a tile in the floor moved and two blonde heads popped up. Snape cursed in surprise and the two blonde heads turned around. Harry recognized them as the Matson twins, friends of Lily's, Katie and Gwen.

"Oh, hello then," one said, stepping on the other to get out.

She turned around to help her sister and said, "Fancy meeting you here."

"Isn't much of a room, eh G-dog," the other said. Harry didn't want to know what 'G-dog' was, but he suspected it was a nickname of some sort.

"Not really, Kate," the one she called 'G-dog' said, whom Harry now knew was Gwen.

"What are you two doing here?" Snape hissed nastily.

"Temper," Katie said.

"Funny story actually," Gwen mused.

"We were up last night-"

"-don't ask-"

"-and we found this marvelous bathroom."

"-must have been over thirty chamber pots-"

"And we of course had to flush all of them."

"Twice actually."

"Do you know what we are talking about?"

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said with a smile. "I have run into it once or twice in my midnight adventures."

"Right, well," Katie started again.

"As we were flushing-"

"We noticed a very small window sort of door-"

"It was more of a vent, Kate," Gwen said.

"-and of course we had to go through it."

"And that is when we saw the most amazing and unnatural sight-"

"Lily's head-"

"Floating by a group of Slytherin-"

"Suspected Slytherin, G-dog-"

"Talking about He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named."

"So we followed them-"

"What else would we do?"

"-and discovered that they were laying a trap for Harry Potter."

"They expect you at some place called the Ring of Brodger-"

"-Brodgar, G-dog-"

"In the Orkneys."

"Wait for it!"

"They want Harry and you I think-"

"That is if you're Snape," Katie and Gwen said, looking at Snape an frowning.

"Something about blood of a traitor-"

"They are making a Leviathan!"

"I think it is more of an invincible Juggernaut, Kate," Gwen said with a sigh.

"So be careful-"

"What does this room do?"

"-and save Lily. Shut up Gwen, you'll get us Obliviated," Katie snapped.

"Sorry! And good luck! Now where were those chamber pots..."

And then the twins headed back down the trap door in the tiles, talking excitedly to themselves.

"That was weird," Harry stated bluntly.

"Yes, I'm inclined to agree with you, Harry," Dumbledore said, a spark of laughter in his bright blue eyes. "But they provided us some vital information."

"I'm not staying behind just because Voldemort wants my blood," Snape said suddenly.

"I wasn't suggesting you should, just suggesting more caution, Severus. Now," Dumbledore continued, now very serious, "This is the only room in the school you can Apparate from. I will take Harry and Severus, you will follow. Remember that the mission can be aborted at any time and another can be planed."

Harry nodded and saw Severus gripping his wand tightly. Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder and they were gone.

Snape waited a few moments and followed. He appeared instantly on a dark and very cold island. He ran for the cover of a large rock, when he realized that it was part of the ring. He pressed his back to the stone, facing the ocean. It wasn't a pleasant place, not by far. And in these dark months, the hours of light were limited, and the sun didn't look like it was going to be making an appearance any time soon. Another chilly wind swept his robes and he shivered. Then he heard the voice of Harry, for it carried very easily in this atmosphere. He was angry, challenging Voldemort. Cautiously, he turned behind him quickly to take in the scenery of the inside of the circle. From his brief glimpse, he saw Harry, wand pointing at Voldemort. Voldemort was on a stone dais/throne sort of thing, clad in black, wand lazy in his right hand. There were about six Death Eaters with him, but they were all laughing.

Snape pressed up against the stone again. He reasoned it would be safe for a second glance, seeing as though everyone's attention was on Harry. And then he saw her. They had stripped her of her robes and was shivering in her underclothes. Voldemort was beckoning to her and she walked to him, though it was a jerky walk, like she was under Imperious and fighting it. But even Harry wouldn't be able to fight Voldemort's Imperious if he wanted to use it on him, and Harry was gifted in that way.

Jerkily, Lily kneeled before Voldemort and put her head on his lap, just like a dog wanting attention from his master. Snape was filled with a wave of new hate as he saw Voldemort run his hands through Lily's hair, smiling a cruel, emotionless smile.

He could hear the Death Eaters laughing from here and he saw Harry's face grow red with anger. Snape looked at Lily again, and though her face told him she was enjoying the attention, her eyes gave her away. They were dead, on the brink of tears, and filled with only one emotion, hate. Such extreme loathing Snape felt for Voldemort now, he had to restrain himself and wait for the right time.

"Let her go!" Harry cried, projecting his voice so that even Snape could hear it.

He wished he could hear Voldemort though. Harry's face went dead white and he said, "You lie, Voldemort!"

Voldemort smiled and spoke again. Snape swallowed and then a great flash of light shown out from behind the throne. Several Death Eaters were flung on the ground and didn't get up. Dumbledore became visible and he and Voldemort began speaking in controlled voices.

Now or never, Snape though to himself as he Apparated right behind the throne.

"Now!" Dumbledore shouted. Snape saw Harry flash out of sight and Dumbledore do the same. Then, just as he was about to Dissapparate...

"Crucio!" Voldemort shouted.

Snape crumpled to the ground in agony. As many times as he had been hit, he would never get used to this pain.

"No," he heard someone whisper.

The curse hit him again, rendering him immobile.

"Lucius," he heard Voldemort say, "Get me my blood."

He was aware of a blade slicing his skin and dark triumphant laughter.

"No," he heard again, this time louder. "Sev'rus..."

"Ah, I do believe you would be acquainted to Snape, Miss Potter," Voldemort laughed. "You both have so much in common."

Miss Potter?

"You're a monster," she whispered.

Snape managed to open an eye and he saw Lily was next to him, facing Voldemort. He was so close. His wand was in his hand, he just needed to touch her.

"I know," Voldemort said confidently. "Now, how about entertaining Crabbe some more, he has grown so fond of you."

Lily scooted away from the throne until she was practically sitting on him. She was touching him, he just needed the energy, just enough to get them off the island.

"I won't let him, keep him away from me," she growled defiantly.

Gryffindor to the end, he thought as he gathered his spent energy.

"Perhaps then," Voldemort said, raising his voice a bit, "you could tell me how this Time Turner works Miss Potter."

There it was again, Miss Potter. But he didn't have time to wonder, he grabbed Lily's hand sharply and they were gone.

Lily felt as though she were moving with out moving, then she realized, she was Apparating. I don't recall Apparating, she thought. And then she appeared on a lawn in front of a very large Victorian style house. It wasn't Hogwarts. It wasn't a place she ever remembered seeing in her life. But it was warm, well, warmer that the Orkneys. The she heard a low moan.

Jumping suddenly she saw Snape, on the ground, wand in hand and looking not too good. He groaned again and his eyes closed, he had passed out. While Lily wasn't feeling too good herself (countless hours of the Cruciatus Curse would do that to a person) she decided she had to do something. She grabbed his wand, and Snape didn't protest.

"Mobilicorpus!" she said. Snape's body began to levitate. She pulled it behind her as she came up to the door of the huge house and she saw a sign that read, Snape and a few Latin words she didn't know.

Cautiously, she knocked on the door. Nothing happened for a long while so she called out, "Hello! I've got an injured man out here! Help! It's Sev'rus Snape!"

A moment later the door opened and a grayish green house elf poked its head out. It saw Snape and the looked at Lily with wide gray eyes. "Come inside Miss."

"Um," she began, "I'm Lily. We've had a bit o' trouble ya see..."

"Nory sees that Miss Lily," the creature squeaked as she followed it up some stairs. Lily looked around in wonder. If this was indeed Snape's house, he was very wealthy and one wondered why he bothered teaching.

"Um, is Snape the master o' the house?" she asked cautiously.

"Yes, Mr. Snape inherited it," Nory answered.

"If it is possible, do ya think I could get some food, an' cloths perhaps?"

"Nory will be up with food. Mr. Snape and Miss Lily must rest, Cruciatus takes sleep to get over."

"Does this happen often then?" she asked curiously.

"Nory is not at liberty to discuss that with Miss," the house elf said with a frown. "This is Mr. Snape's room. Nory will have food soon," the elf said, closing the door behind the floating Snape as she left.

Lily landed Snape on the bed, "Finite Incantatum!"

Lily sat on the bed, resting from the power she had to expend on a simple levitating charm. A few minutes later, the solemn house elf came in with two platters of food.

"Miss must eat this," Nory insisted. "Then feed it to Mr. Snape when he is coming around."

Lily nodded and began eating the food. It was good, a soup like dish, but she had no idea what it was. But it resorted some of her strength and she came to the conclusion that it must have some magical properties. She put the bowl down and looked around a bit.

The room was tastefully done, not too dark, but definitely not a happy place. She hoped that Snape wouldn't mind if she stole some of his clothes, just for a while, she didn't fancy wearing just her black undergarments forever.

She opened a drawer and saw some black button up shirts and thought that they would do. She walked through the door adjoining his bathroom and room and her jaw dropped. It was beautiful. Large marble bath in one corner, a vanity in another, and tasteful coloring made it the most expansive bathroom she had ever been in, including the prefect's bathroom.

She peeled off her clothes and turned a faucet. Warm water filled the tub quickly, heating the room and fogging the mirrors slightly. She slipped into the water, wincing was it touched her wounds. Her feet were shredded from the rocks, large gashes and welts cris-crossed her stomach and back from multiple Cruciatus Curses, and her blood was every where. She looked around at his selection of soaps, and saw phoenix tears.

"This must happen to him often enough," she said aloud as she dropped a miniscule amount in the bathwater. Almost immediately, she felt her flesh wounds heal, lacerations and welts fading.

Then she began to scrub. She had never felt so dirty in her life, never. And even when the dirt and blood was all gone, she still scrubbed. She scrubbed until her skin was raw and, in some, places bleeding again. She sighed as she put some chamomile in the water to sooth the new skin. She was being silly again, she knew she was perfectly clean. But there was still that feeling, a feeling inside that told her she might never be clean again. She shook it off and got out, water draining behind her.

She sat at the vanity, towel wrapped around her body and combed out her hair. You're lucky he has long hair or you'd be sorry out of luck, Lil, she said to herself as she tried to tame her unruly hair. But as much as she complained about her hair, she loved it, it always fell over her eyes in a sexy way.

She sighed again and looked at herself in the mirror, green, gold streaked eyes staring back. She blew her hair out of her face and started to do a drying charm, but remembered Voldemort had taken her wand.

Probably in a thousand tiny pieces by now, she thought to herself in a weary voice.

"Why so blue?" the mirror asked, semi-startling her. "You look well to me, a little off color, but that can be expected after an ordeal."

I loath talking mirrors, she thought with a moan.

"No reason," she muttered, getting up and putting on her knickers and Snape's shirt, not bothering to button in all the way.

She walked into his room and looked at him. He was sleeping soundly enough, and he wasn't bleeding anywhere. Unlike her, Snape had only suffered the Cruciatus twice. Lily had a feeling that she must have had it administered at least twenty times before they healed her partially so she could answer. Then of course when she didn't, the cursed her more, then healed her. She always remembered the healing, it was almost as painful as the curse itself, but not quite. She had just been healed again when Harry and Dumbledore came. Harry and Dumbledore! I've got to tell them I'm safe! They are probably wondering where I am, and if I got away, she thought.

But then Lily was overcome with a great desire to sleep. But before she totally became unconscious she hear a distant squeaky voice saying, "Nory told Miss she needed to sleep..."

Snape was running. He didn't know what from, or how close it was to him, only if he stopped, all would be lost. He was running in the dark, running to something he knew wasn't too far way. He knew he had to get there, get there before the thing chasing him.

The light he was heading for came closer and closer, a forest colored green light. As he advanced, he saw that there was a figure in the green light. That was his goal, it had to be, but what was it? The footsteps of the thing chasing him became nearer, closer, louder. Snape ran as fast as he could, his goal coming closer with every step.

And then he entered the green light, and all was well. He looked closely at the figure, it was a girl with messy black hair, it fell over her eyes obscuring her face. He came closer and looked on her face, she was beautiful. Warm red lips, delicate nose, and artful eyebrows set in a deliciously tanned face.

"Lily," he said. She seemed to be barely breathing, barely alive. Her brilliant eyes were half lidded, as though she wanted to be awake, but couldn't find the energy.

"Lily," he repeated.

"Lily..."

And then he woke, not with a jump as he usually did after the Cruciatus, but slowly and fully. He inhaled deeply, he smelled chamomile and vanilla, and became aware of a warm body right next to him. His eyes snapped open, that wasn't right! It was Lily, in his house, in his bed, in his arms! She was spooned against his stomach firmly and he felt her every breath. Her black locks lifted slightly as she exhaled quietly, and up and down again. He became mesmerized. Maybe it was her hot body so close to his, maybe it was her legs tangling in his, maybe it was her soft neck exposed to him like that, maybe it was something as primal as her feminine smell, maybe it was her simply wearing his shirt, giving him the feeling she was his, but what ever the reason, reason left him. He slid his hand up her stomach from where it rested and brushed her hair from her face, running his fingers over her lips lightly. She opened them and let out a soft sigh before wriggling closer to him in her sleep. He swallowed hard, as she shifted again, moving so that her neck was right next to his face. He closed his eyes and tried to gain some control, but her scent entered his nose again. Biting his lip, he inhaled into her hair, brushing his nose against her hair line and to the back of her neck. And just as he thought he might loose total control, his door opened and in walked his house elf.

"Is Mr. Snape awake? Feeling good enough to eat?" she squeaked, a small smile gracing her gray lips quickly.

He moved off the bed and made his was towards the house elf, who, bless her soul, didn't look ashamed or even guilty. "Thank you Nory," he said calmly, looking at the house elf suspiciously, for only she would have let a visitor in the house. "Would you have any idea on how this girl came to be in my bed?"

Nory smiled widely, "Miss Lily is coming to the house with you, telling Nory you is injured. She is asking for food and rest. Nory is giving her both."

Snape nodded, "Did she ask to send message to any one?"

"No. Nory is making sure she gets to bed as soon as possible, she has been cursed Mr. Snape, by most powerful wizard, like you are sometimes. Nory is giving her food that will strengthen her, like the food Nory gives sir when he is ill," Nory answered truthfully.

Snape sighed and walked over to the fire place, intending on calling Dumbledore, he needed to know that Lily and himself had escaped.

Dumbledore's head popped into the fireplace. "Severus," he said calmly.

"We managed to escape the Orkneys, thought you might like to know. I would have told you sooner, but my house elf," he looked in Nory's direction, but she was gone, "took it upon herself to make sure I slept before I did anything else," he said blandly.

"Yes, we figured you'd escaped, but were too weak to return all the way to Hogwarts."

"We are in my house in Oxfordshire, I'll be returning in not too long," Snape said.

"No, not yet, Severus," Dumbledore said quietly. "Severus, did Voldemort get any of you blood?"

Vague memories flashed in Snape's mind, Lucius with a knife, Lily's head on Voldemort's lap. "Yes," he whispered.

Dumbledore sighed. "I need you to go into hiding for a while Severus, your summer house in Ireland should be fine."

"But-"

"Take Miss Merrins with you," Dumbledore said.

Then another memory gripped Snape, Miss Potter...

"Albus," he said shakily, "Voldemort called her Miss Potter."

"She is a relative of Harry's," Dumbledore said vaguely, peering behind Snape, his eyes landing on the sleeping Lily.

Snape shifted so that Dumbledore couldn't see her, but Dumbledore already had a spark in his eye, "Take good care of her Severus. I will contact you as soon as I feel it is safe for you two."

"How long will that be?" he asked impatiently.

"An hour, a day, a week, who knows?" Dumbledore guessed. "But leave for there as soon as you can, Voldemort must not find her. I am already protecting Harry, I need you to protect Lily."

Snape gritted his teeth, "I'll leave within the hour, have some of her things brought to the summer house...discretely."

"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore said, "I'll contact you, good-bye."

His head dissolved into flames and Snape sank into a large cushiony chair. He buried his face in his hands and sighed.

"Mr. Snape?" came the squeak of Nory, "Shall Nory be packing for the summer house now?"

"Yes," he muttered.

"Sir should be eating," Nory said sternly.

Snape nodded and got up.

After he had showered and ate, Nory came in and told him that the summer house was waiting for them and that she would be waiting for him there. He mumbled his thanks and looked over at Lily. She slept still, she probably hadn't since she had been captured. He knew the way Voldemort tortured you, Cruciatus after Cruciatus, then painful healing and sleep deprivation, then Cruciatus again.

Then he picked her up, arms under her knees and around her waist, and Apparated into his summer house.

It was warmer in his summer house, probably because Nory had taken the liberty of heating everything in advance. Snape walked up the stairs of his home and placed her in a spare bedroom, Best not have any temptation, he thought, but he would miss her warmth.

He stood there and watched her for quite a while, just watching. It was hard not to sweep the hair off her face, but he knew if he did that, he might not stop, and Nory wouldn't stop him. Nory had been going on about not having a Mrs. Snape for quite a while, nor any little Snapes running around. He knew this now to be an impossibility. He would never find anyone, and he was content. It was only the pleasures of the flesh that he craved now...or was it. He dreamed of her constantly. He thought of her almost everyday. He watched her, and the thing that made it the most hard, was that she watched him watching her. Like she was daring him to look away, daring him to denounce his feelings. What a strange woman she was, so young, yet so...so...old. Yes, old was the only word he could find. It was in her eyes, like she had seen things. It was like she knew, like she grew up in a time where Voldemort had been in power. She wasn't like the rest of the sniveling Draco's and Harry's and Hogwarts students who only had their parents to tell them of the dark days. It was like she had lived through them herself. Then it hit him, maybe she had. Dumbledore said she was a relative of Potter's. Perhaps she was a sister of James, she certainly had his look. Or even something more off the wall, that she was Harry's sister. But that couldn't be right, she still had that bit of history in her. He made up his mind that he would make her tell him, even if he had to go through six vials of his best Veritaserum, he would find her secret.

Snape walked out of the room and into his, intent on getting some much needed sleep, if he was in hiding, he may as well relax, and perhaps he would even have some time to catch up on his writing and potions.

Ginny rushed at him, eyes full of unshed tears. She damn near knocked him over when he opened the portrait around midnight. She looked as though she'd been crying a lot.

"Harry," she whispered into his chest, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," he said, "Just a bit tired, Gin."

Harry walked into the common room he saw that the Matson twins were on a couch and Brigid, Morgan, and Ron were on a couch. They all looked really worried, especially Morgan.

Brigid was the first to speak. "Is...is she...ali...alright?"

Harry swallowed hard and felt Ginny's arms go tighter against his waist. "We don't know," he said finally.

He saw Morgan pale. Brigid broke down into sobs as the twins tried to comfort her.

"Harry," Morgan said carefully, "tell us what happened."

Lilith Potter...not Merrins. Your daughter, Harry. Yours...the voice of Voldemort said in his head.

You lie, Voldemort! He had cried out.

It couldn't be possible, could it? She did sort of resemble him; dark brown, messy hair, piercing green eyes, the only difference was hers were flecked with gold.

He couldn't tell them, not now. But how would he tell Ginny, she had a right to know. He was almost 100% positive that she was Ginny's daughter too. The temper, her attitudes, all were Ginny's characteristics. He would have to talk to her later.

"Harry..." Morgan said again. Brigid, the twins, Ron, and Ginny were all looking at him expectantly.

He inhaled deeply before he started, deciding to censor the story some. "I'm sure that Morgan's already told you our plan, so I'll take off from there," he began. "We got the Orkneys and Dumbledore did an invisibility spell so no one could see him before the right time. Voldemort and I spoke for a little while, and then Dumbledore came and took out about five Death Eaters in a single spell. That got Voldemort kind of angry, but he didn't have enough time to do anything, because Dumbledore and I saw Snape, he was near enough to grab Lily and Apparate. Dumbledore told me to leave, so I did."

"And Lily?" Ron choked out.

"We don't know," Harry confessed. "Dumbledore thinks that Snape might have been injured and not able to take Lily back to Hogwarts. He thinks they Apparated to a safe spot. Dumbledore expects a message very soon," he ended confidently.

Morgan inhaled deep and stood up, "I for one think that they made it," and then she walked out of the common room shaking.

Brigid nodded her head and followed her.

"Tell us-"

"-if you hear anything," the twins said, abnormally subdued by the news.

Ron looked pale as he walked up the stairs with out a word to anyone.

"Harry," Ginny said, frowning up at him, "there is something else, I know it."

Harry nodded, "Are we going to be interrupted in your dorm room?"

Ginny blushed and said, "No, Nat has a boyfriend she's been with lately."

"Good," Harry said, taking Ginny by the hand and leading her to her dormitory.

He flopped down on her bed as soon as he entered the door and moaned in relief. He always felt better with Ginny around. She lay down next to him and snuggled close, a hand on his chest and head resting on his shoulder.

"Ginny," he started, looking down into her dark brown eyes. She licked her lips but said nothing. "I...I learned something...while I was talking to Voldemort."

Ginny flinched a bit at the name but nodded. Harry tried to find a good angle, but he couldn't seem to, "Lily is different, you know," she stiffened a bit in his arms and he wondered why, but continued anyway, "I don't know how to tell you this, but..."

"What are you saying, Harry?" Ginny asked, searching his face.

"Lily is from the future."

Ginny's facial expressions changed rapidly from relief to wonder to disbelief to another few Harry didn't recognize. "How...how do you know this? I...why...I don't understand."

Harry took a deep breath, "You know that pocket watch she wears around her neck all the time, tells us it is from her p-parents?"

Ginny nodded.

"It is a Time Turner."

Ginny's eyes grew wide but she said nothing. Harry changed his approach again. "Gin, have you ever noticed how much Lily and I look alike?"

Ginny's eyes flashed over his face before she said, "The resemblance is uncanny."

"She is my daughter, from the future."

"Who is the mother?" she asked in a dangerous voice.

"I don't know...but I think it is you," he said quickly.

She murmured something like, "She'd better be..."

"Huh?"

"I see," she said quickly, "But why is she here?"

This was something Harry hadn't considered before. Why was she here? He had experience with Time Turners and the wizards that used them. Hermione had been most adamant about not changing the future. But he also knew from experience that sometimes it was essential to save lives. To save lives...he thought, Could that be why she is here?

"I don't really know," he confessed. "But if I had to guess, I'd say she's on some sort of mission to change the past. Something horrible must happen in the future, something that could be corrected, that she could change," he mused in a distant voice.

Harry and Ginny were silent for a long time, both lost in thought.

"We'll ask her when she returns," Ginny said confidently.