Rating:
15
House:
The Dark Arts
Characters:
Harry Potter Sirius Black Severus Snape
Genres:
Alternate Universe Mystery
Era:
The Harry Potter at Hogwarts Years
Spoilers:
Prizoner of Azkaban Goblet of Fire Order of the Phoenix Half-Blood Prince Deadly Hallows (Through Ch. 36)
Stats:
Published: 06/10/2008
Updated: 04/06/2009
Words: 80,060
Chapters: 25
Hits: 25,910

Crucio

NotEvenHere

Story Summary:
When Umbridge subjects Harry to the Cruciatus, Snape intervenes, veering not only his own life off its intended course, but Harry’s and Sirius’ as well, spawning tragedy and devastation in its wake. First story in the Unforgiveables trilogy. In response to the OOTP: Crucio Challenge by royalnavigator on Potions and Snitches. Rated for violence and character deaths.

Chapter 06 - Spreading

Posted:
07/08/2008
Hits:
1,228


With an angry flick, Severus swept his outer robes off his shoulders and flung them over the end of the bed, watching as they slithered over the ridiculous green and silver patterned coverlet which Albus had chosen for him. He hated this place. Hated the memories associated with it.

He'd escaped to here many times, after nights spent in the pursuit of the Dark Lord's favorite pastime. Walking back through the gates of Hogwarts would have been too much to ask of him. He preferred to be alone. Albus had understood that. It was one of the few things the old man had allowed him.

With a muted snarl, Severus grasped one of the long poles of the four-poster bed and gripped it as hard as he could. Albus was not supposed to die. The old fool! It had been the Dark Lord's magic in that ring; he could feel it. With his free hand, Severus dipped his long fingers into his inner robe pocket and plucked the deadly ring out between his thumb and forefinger. He stared at the cracked stone briefly before plying it with a Shielding Charm and placing it in the warded box he kept in his bureau. Albus would want it back if he woke up. When, Severus corrected himself furiously. If Albus died, he'd be strapped with Potter until--

But Severus refused to allow himself to think about that either. He would be useless once Potter fulfilled the destiny that Albus had been so certain he was meant to. The Dark Lord would be no more, and Severus would cease to be valuable to anything--to anyone.

He turned a little as he heard the soft click of the door opposite his own. He withdrew his wand and tapped the small, flat crystal disk that was sitting on his desk. Red smoke swished over the round glass and then Potter came into focus.

The boy was settling himself gingerly on the identical four-poster bed. He looked as though he was afraid the gold and scarlet coverlet would leap up at the corners and swallow him whole.

Severus turned fully to study the hunched-over boy in his viewing glass. Fear... That was the emotion Potter had shown the most since Severus had taken him from his relatives' home. The cocky, fearless Gryffindor had never looked so scared, in fact. Threatened with trolls and basilisks and the Dark Lord himself, Harry Potter had sneered at danger. Welcomed it, just like his damned father, and yet Severus had seen him cower more than once since he'd brought him here.

Perhaps Potter was not as brave as he had always tried to appear. And of course he would not want others, especially his Gryffindor playmates, to recognize his cowardice. Potter had been scared in his earlier memories as well. Fear of Severus' anger had mingled with Potter's surprising regret over his trip into Severus' Pensieve. And he had been frightened of what would happen to him when Severus discovered him wandering the corridors after curfew during the whole debacle with Black.

Well, the boy did hide his fear well, Severus would admit that. Until now.

And since there were very few variables in the interactions between them, Severus would also have to admit that Potter was obviously more affected by Severus' forays into his mind than he had realized. But there was nothing to be done about it, Severus told himself forcefully.

Forcing his mind away from Potter and his problems, Severus withdrew from his pockets the satchels he'd packed in his quarters. He enlarged each of them, and without paying much attention to their organization, put his clothes and other personal items away.

He saved the largest satchel for last: his books. Most of them were full of magic dark enough to entice the Dark Lord himself. He chose the one at the top of the unzipped bag and thumbed it open to the same spot he'd read twice in his quarters. He needed to understand the dark magic which had so easily rendered Albus scarred and helpless.

He began reading the passage again, his eyes intently absorbing each word.

--

Harry's eyes flew open at the sound of a muffled scuffling, just beyond the door. Fumbling a bit incoherently for his wand, Harry stumbled his way off of the soft bed and toward the door. He leaned in close, but he couldn't hear anything more beyond. Holding his wand erect in his hand, Harry wrenched the door open and pointed his wand into the corridor. Dodgy gazed back at him.

"Harry Potter," the elf stammered, "Dodgy is being called here by Master Snape, sir."

Harry pulled his arm back down to his side and slid his wand into his pocket. "Where is Snape?" he asked.

Dodgy bowed low. "Master Snape is being called away. Dodgy is to remain with you until he returns," he answered solemnly, his eyes even wider and more sincere than Dobby's. Harry nodded; they'd had a similar conversation when Snape had left him here last night. Harry didn't even bother to ask where Snape had been called away to. Dodgy either hadn't known last night, or simply wouldn't tell him.

"How long has Snape been gone?" he asked quickly, already calculating his chances of getting out and wondering just how far Dodgy would go to assist him, since the possibility of actually being able to get through Snape's locked front door was negligible, not to mention that he had no idea where this dilapidated cabin was even located.

"Master Snape is only just leaving a few moments ago, Harry Potter, sir," Dodgy told him crisply. Harry nodded to himself, figuring he'd have enough time to at least attempt to fiddle with the door. Moving cautiously anyway, he was caught off guard when a zing of energy jolted him as soon as his foot touched the threshold.

"Ah!" he cried, jumping backwards to safety again. Dodgy began wringing his hands anxiously.

"Harry Potter must not try to leave his room," he moaned. "Dodgy is not telling Harry Potter fast enough." The little elf began banging his head furiously against the door jam. Harry leapt forward again, only just stopping in time to avoid being--whatever the wizard equivalent to electrocuted was.

"Stop Dodgy!" he ordered, dropping to his knees and then looking around helplessly as he realized he couldn't actually touch him. "Please. I'm not hurt," he said, a bit desperately as the house-elf only seemed to be smacking his head even more loudly against the wood. "Please, Dodgy. It hurts my head to watch you," he tried to tell him, not knowing what else to say.

Dodgy stopped banging. He gazed at Harry with his wide eyes.

"Master Snape has promised to kill Dodgy if Harry Potter is hurt," he said softly. Harry stared at him.

"Snape said that?" he asked incredulously, rocking a little as his legs decided they were tired of holding him in this ridiculous position.

Dodgy nodded seriously. "Master Snape's vow to protect Harry Potter is Dodgy's vow now," he explained proudly. Harry sank down to the hard floor, pushing his legs out in front of him.

"Then I don't suppose," he murmured after a long silence, "that'll you help me get out of here?"

Dodgy reared back, as though Harry had slapped him. "Dodgy cannot help Harry Potter leave!" he panted, shaking his head frantically. "Harry Potter is safe here!" he declared.

"Safe," Harry scoffed, mostly to himself. There was no way that Dodgy would understand.

"Professor Dumbledore is telling Dodgy that Master Snape is keeping Harry Potter safe here," Dodgy said quietly. Harry looked up sharply.

"You've spoken to Dumbledore today?" he demanded quickly. He sagged against the doorframe when Dodgy shook his head.

"Professor Dumbledore is asking Dodgy two days ago to share Master Snape's oath," he told Harry eagerly. Harry narrowed his eyes. Two days ago? But Dumbledore couldn't have known that he would be here. He was supposed to be safely locked away at the Dursleys with Sirius. Thinking about Sirius immediately pushed aside Harry's irritation with the Headmaster.

Snape had said he was being tortured. Harry closed his eyes as he tried to shut out the picture of Sirius screaming while laughing Death Eaters tormented him. He knew Sirius was strong and would last much longer than either Dudley or Aunt Petunia. Harry shivered as he thought of his cousin and aunt. And Uncle Vernon. How many times had he wished that something would happen so he didn't have to live with them any longer? Now his wish had finally come true. In the most horrifying way possible.

Harry leaned his back against the doorframe, and stared at his toes dejectedly. He paid no attention when Dodgy appeared next to him, and settled a tray laden with food next to his thigh. He turned away from both Dodgy and the food, staring at the peeling paint chips on the door across the hall.

--

Yaxley waved his wand. Petunia's body disappeared with absolutely no sound. "Lucius has peculiar tastes," he told Severus thoughtfully as he straightened his robes. Severus, struggling to keep the contents of his stomach in place, simply nodded. Petunia, mercifully, had already been dead when he arrived.

"What of Potter's cousin?" he inquired when he could speak again. Yaxley leered at him.

"He isn't Lucius' type," he drawled. Severus smiled thinly.

"And how is Black?" he continued.

"Ready to have a break from Bella, I should think," Yaxley returned amiably.

"Excellent," Severus approved, putting just the right amount of anticipation into his voice as he turned toward Black's new private cell. Yaxley followed. Bellatrix was sweeping out the open door. She smiled slowly at him.

"Back so soon?" she asked, her lip curling into a cruel smile. Severus lifted a corner of his lips.

"The Dark Lord asked me to prepare Black to meet Potter," he explained. Bellatrix smiled. "He wishes to see you," Severus told her.

Bella's eyes lit up with excitement. "Have fun, Severus," she cooed, putting a long-fingered hand on his arm and trailing it delicately up to his shoulder. She sidled around him, letting her fingernails caress his shoulder blades until she was out of reach. She raised her dark eyebrows suggestively before stepping into the dark stairwell to follow Yaxley up the stairs. Severus followed her progress, waiting until the door had closed above to enter Black's cell.

Black kept his eyes trained on the dirty floor, even as Severus locked the door behind them.

"They haven't killed you yet," Severus observed. Black's head came up. Then his eyes flicked to the closed door. "We are alone," Severus told him dispassionately.

"Is Harry all right?" Black asked immediately, wasting no time in asking the most important questions. His voice was barely recognizable, it was so hoarse. Severus took a flask from his robes and uncorked it. Stepping close to the bound man, Severus put the rim of the flask to Black's lips. Black pulled his head back. "Harry?" he asked again.

"Potter is undamaged. I managed to get past his shields," Severus told him impatiently. Black sighed in relief. Severus put the flask of water to his lips again. Black took a few greedy sips. Severus re-corked the water.

"Thanks," Black murmured. Severus said nothing as he tucked the water back into his robes, deciding that Black's mind must have already been affected by Bella's torture before he'd had a chance to apply his spell if that was actually gratitude that had passed his lips. "For Harry...and your spell as well," Black added softly.

"We have no time for your mindless drivel, Black," Severus snapped. Black looked suitably perturbed at his response. "The Dark Lord is determined to bring Potter to him," Severus continued. Black's back tensed against the wall.

"He's safe though, isn't he?" he demanded, his eyes dancing with worry. Severus nodded curtly.

"Yes, yes," he reiterated with a dismissive wave. "However, the Dark Lord plans to reach into Potter's mind again, intending to lure him to Privet Drive where he will be waiting with you. Though it will never happen, the Dark Lord wishes you to be ready for the occasion," Severus continued, hoping the mutt would not begin any cowardly protests.

Black flinched noticeably, but he did not protest. His eyes opened in surprise as he felt his lip splitting open, without aid of his enemy's fist. Severus didn't even pause, moving his wand to point at Black's nose. The bones cracked themselves apart. Black flinched again, likely from the sound as he could feel no pain. It seemed the spell was still working, Severus noted in satisfaction of his own skill.

Severus watched with detachment as blood spilled over the lower half of Black's face. Applying his wand carefully, he dug a few more gouges in the other man's face and one along the side of his head, where ostensibly, Black's skull would have connected with the stone behind. Black was watching him, his eyes following the movements of his wand.

"There is only so much I can do with my wand," Severus told him shortly, bringing it down abruptly to his side after applying a quick cushioning charm behind Black's head. Black nodded his understanding and pressed his teeth together. He closed his eyes and allowed Severus' fists to connect with his left eye, and his chest as well. Black groaned in protest at the pressure, slumping over as much as his restraints would allow.

Severus stepped away from him, running his wand over the other man's frame. The contusions and cracked rib would suffice. The skin around Black's eye was already beginning to darken. Black raised his head, his eyebrow raised.

"I bet you wish you had taken your spell off first," he jibed, a bit breathlessly. Severus sneered at him.

"It would have been more satisfactory, but it is enough to watch you helplessly hanging here," he returned. Black scowled at him.

"Shouldn't you be getting back to Harry...in case he needs you?" he stressed, ignoring Seveurs' barb. His head twitched a little as a few drops of blood trickled down his chin and throat.

Severus did not acknowledge the question. He spun around on his heel. Black's blood did not give him nearly as much satisfaction as it should have.

"Tell Harry that I'll be all right until someone can come for me."

Severus turned slowly around. Black was watching him, his chin slightly lifted.

"No one is coming for you, Black," Severus told him abruptly, finding less pleasure in the telling than he thought he would have. Black's lips trembled, and for one frightening moment, Severus was certain the other man would cry. But Black only nodded. "There were heavy casualties on Privet Drive," Severus found himself explaining, "and Albus has been critically wounded."

Severus did not add that he had no idea who would lead the Order, now that Albus was incapacitated. There was no one to give such an order, and no one to give the order to. His own role as a spy was too crucial to risk on a rescue attempt, and without Albus to tell him to do it anyway, he would not take the chance. It would be regrettable, especially now, to lose a member of the Order...

Black made an unintelligible noise. Severus simply gazed at him. Black swallowed several times.

Finally, speaking in a mere whisper, so softly that Severus had to lean forward to discern his words, Black pleaded, "Take care of him."

Severus could find no answer to that unimaginable plea. So he simply spun around again and stalked out.

--

Harry scrambled to his feet when he heard the front door click open. Dodgy jumped up as well, from where he'd perched himself protectively by Harry's side. He stumbled over Harry's shoes in his haste to leave the room.

"Is Master Snape well?" Dodgy was asking anxiously a moment later. If Snape answered, it wasn't loud enough for Harry to hear. "Young Master is refusing food, Master Snape."

It sounded like Snape snorted, though it seemed rather unlikely, Harry supposed.

"Harry Potter will be getting ill," Dodgy told the Potions Master in an indignant voice. The next sound Snape made sounded decidedly more like a snarl.

Harry backed away from the door a pace as he heard Snape's robes swishing down the corridor. Snape stopped in front of his door. The meager light from the room barely illuminated the professor's face, making his scowl all the more fearsome. His black eyes flicked briefly to the tray of food on the floor.

"You are fifteen, Potter. Surely you are capable of understanding that a body needs nourishment," he said, sounding like he didn't care in the least what Harry did or did not understand.

"I'm not hungry...sir," Harry told the taller man, tacking on the last bit only when Snape glared at him.

"I do not wish to nurse you back to health when you are suffering from malnutrition, Potter," Snape growled at him. "You will eat," he snapped, when Harry said nothing.

"I've learned how to survive with very little food," Harry told him with a shrug. "I'm not going to get sick," he insisted, with a pointed look for Dodgy. Dodgy was wringing his hands nervously again.

"Stop wasting my time with your childish ploys." Snape had crossed his arms over his chest and he was standing very close to the threshold of the door. Harry glared at him.

"I'm not playing games. I'm not hungry," he repeated. Snape stepped through the doorway; Harry backed up another few steps. "How come you didn't get zapped?" Harry demanded, distracted. Snape smirked at him.

"That spell was designed especially for you. I trust it worked?" he inquired nastily. Harry narrowed his eyes.

"I haven't even done anything to make you lock me in here," he objected.

"I disagree, Potter," Snape drawled. "You have demonstrated on several occasions that you are as untrustworthy as your father. Shall we go over each in detail?"

Harry, though his ears were flaming with indignation, said nothing. He didn't want to argue with Snape about his father.

"I'm not going to try to leave. I don't even know where we are." Surely Snape could see the logic in that.

"I doubt very much that stop you. Not if you thought you could get to Black," Snape returned, his voice full of mocking.

"Well, someone has to know how to find him!" Harry said heatedly, feeling all of sudden like he would explode.

"Even if you knew where to find him, you could not save him," Snape informed him, his voice frigid.

Harry's stomach lurched at Snape's callous words. "You know where he is, don't you?" he asked quietly. And then the awful truth sunk in and Harry began to hear a buzzing in his ears. "You went to Voldemort tonight, didn't you?"

"Don't say his name, Potter!" Snape barked.

"And last night as well?" Harry asked, paying no attention to Snape's rebuke.

"My activities are none of your concern," Snape said dismissively. He turned toward the door. But Harry was not about to let it go at that. Not when Sirius' life was at stake.

"Did you help torture him?" he demanded.

Snape halted just in front of the door. He rotated just enough that his eyes were locked with Harry. "Watch yourself, Potter," he warned, his voice smooth as silk. He twirled back toward the door. Harry's fingers curled into fists at the evasion.

"Did you enjoy it?" he asked, his voice trembling with his disgust. "Did it feel good to finally get revenge on your childhood enemy?" he asked, the question coming out in a gasp. He felt like someone had shoved him under water. He could barely breathe. Snape had tortured Sirius. It was too much. He could feel his hatred for Snape swimming in front of his eyes.

--

"Dumbledore should never have trusted you. You're a bastard."

Severus whirled around, intending to give the ungrateful boy a sound tongue-lashing. How dare he speak to him with such disrespect? Severus took two furious steps toward him. Potter's eyes widened in terror and before Severus had even completed the second step, Potter had thrown himself into the tiny space between the bed and the wall, covering his face with his arms. He was crying out, though it wasn't the incoherent scream that accompanied the beginning of a new Cruciatus cycle.

"Nopleaseno" Potter was saying, over and over.

He was begging, Severus realized in shock as his brain separated the string of syllables into words. He took a third, slower step. The unintelligible screams began.

And Potter was writhing in agony, his arms and legs knocking against the walls and footboard. Severus covered the short distance between them almost instantly, dropping to his knees automatically, and ending the Cruciatus. He sought Potter's barrier.

But Potter would not let him in.

And Severus could hear his shouts, pleading with him to leave...not to hurt him. Severus could detect no defiance, only desperation.

He stopped tearing against the shield. Potter's fear was making the barrier stronger. Perhaps if he adjusted his tactic, he could finish this quickly.

You are trapped here, Potter. I am only going to free you.

But the impatient explanation didn't do any good, no matter how much Severus curbed his harsh tone. Potter's shield was quaking, ringing with accusations of treachery.

And time was moving forward, with Potter still trapped inside his mind.

Severus pushed away the strange feeling of reluctance as he closed his own mind to Potter's fear, and began clawing at the barrier.

He almost couldn't break through. When he did, Potter refused to come back. Until Severus ejected him with all his strength.

And then he was aware of the room around them again.

Potter was curled into a ball on the floor.

"Please don't..." he moaned repeatedly. Violent tremors were rattling his teeth, making the words tremble.

Severus stared at him, completely speechless. Dodgy had moved hastily forward, dropping down next to Potter's rocking body.

"Harry Potter!" he cried in a terrified voice, looking to Severus for some kind of explanation. But Severus could only shake his head, having no answers.

"Potter," he finally said, breaking the tense silence. Potter continued to moan, though without meaning anymore. Adverse though he was to the motion, Severus reached out a hand to Potter's shoulder and shook it roughly. And even though he seemed oblivious to his surroundings, Potter's body jerked away from the touch. Severus brought his hand, fisted now, back to his lap.

"Get up, Potter," he commanded after a moment had passed, feeling at a loss to know what else to do, and hating the feeling of helplessness immensely. Agitated, he rose to his feet. "Put him on the bed," he ordered, gesturing to the house-elf. Dodgy complied, picking Potter up as though he weighed nothing. He settled Potter's head on the pillow and brought the covers over his still-scrunched body.

Potter had fallen silent, though he was still rocking slightly. Intermittent tremors continued to pulse through his frame. Severus and Dodgy stared down at him.

Severus drew a long breath through his nostrils. "Stay with him," he ordered Dodgy tersely. Dodgy nodded obediently, his eyes still huge with worry. Tearing his eyes from Potter, Severus turned away, crossing the hall to his own room. It was the middle of the night, and yet, even after he had completed his nightly ablutions, sleep did not come easily. The weight of failure weighed heavily on him.

After only a few hours, he rose, and simply showered and dressed for the day, foegoing the rest of his sleep. And when the sun began to color the horizon, he crossed the corridor again. Dodgy had not moved. Potter's eyes were closed now. Sleeping presumably, but it was the sleep of the disturbed. Potter's limbs twitched against invisible enemies, and an occasional moan escaped his lips. A few of the moans morphed into words. No. Please. Snape.

It seemed that sleep had helped very little.

"Harry Potter is needing help, Master Snape," Dodgy whispered, bringing his round, overly-large eyes up to meet Severus'.

And Severus could find no argument. Potter's barrier was becoming stronger with each new Cruciatus. And even Severus' reassurances had been useless against it; Potter was terrified of him. Blast Albus for being right. Potter was fragile. It seemed it wouldn't take much more for his mind to crack into tiny pieces. And Potter would be of very little use against Voldemort if that happened.