A/N: I'm sorry that this isn't a long chapter, I've got the dreaded writers block. T.T Okay, enough blahblahing. On with the summary-er-story. =:D
Chapter Summary:Sirius Black escapes Azkaban, Snape escapes after being accused of treachery, Lucius is pissed, and this chapter is very uneventful... I think... n_n'
Disclaimer: Do I have a choice? I know your very intelligent brains can figure out if I own Harry Potter or not, but for those of you who can't.............. I'll not comment. -.-'
Chapter Two: The Grim and the Potions Master
"You fools!"
To say that Lucius Malfoy was mad would be an understatement. His eyes were flashing with anger and his hair was mussed, giving him a wild appearance. Many a Death Eater quailed under the glare that the irate Malfoy was turning full force on them. Needless to say, he looked extremely frightening as he raged around the Malfoy Manor, tearing paintings off the wall, smashing glass objects, etc and Narcissa and little Draco kept away from that room.
"How hard is it to catch one stupid little boy?!" Lucius howled, spittle flying from his lips. "How could you idiots not capture a brat who doesn't even know how to cast a spell?! "
Everyone in the room who had brains knew something was odd about Malfoy. They knew that he would attempt to be their new leader, not continue what Voldemort was trying to do. They quickly forgot about it when someone spoke.
Severus Snape snorted as he stepped forward. "You do realize that Potter defeated our Lord? It should not be any trouble for him to escape our clutches," he remarked idly.
"Are you turning traitor on us, Severus?" Malfoy asked, spraying saliva all over the other man's face
"Of course not, I was merely pointing out the obvious." Snape replied, wiping spit from his face. "He may have powers we are not aware of and found out about our plan."
Malfoy grinned evilly as he stalked toward Snape, sending shivers up the other man's spine. Lucius knew he had almost forgotten something, until Snape had drawn attention to himself.
"And how have you deciphered this, my dear friend?" Malfoy asked with a slightly triumphant note in his voice. "Ever since Lord Voldemort fell, you have been decidedly.... cheerful. As if you have been relieved that he was.... vanquished. Pettigrew," Malfoy indicated a pitiful looking figure tied up in ropes in one corner who they had caught a couple weeks ago, "has spotted you with Dumbledore many times, talking about what should not be said. I do wonder about your loyalties, Severus."
Snape remained outwardly calm, but inside his mind was in turmoil. Curses! They know! I have to get out! When he tried to apparate, however, he was blocked by the anti - apparition wards placed around the room. Argh,damn you, Pettigrew!
Malfoy smirked. "Tsk, tsk. Have you forgotten the wards, Snape? Let's have some fun. I wonder if you can survive the hell we'll put you through...? Not too long, I'd wager."
Snape struggled as they surrounded him, but he was outnumbered. In seconds he was bound hand and foot, but not gagged, because the Death Eaters wanted to hear him scream. They would be disappointed, however, as Severus never made a sound.
They inflicted on him a great many Dark curses and the Cruciatus curse was more frequently put to use.
When they finally stopped, Severus let out a small sigh of relief until Macnair pulled something out of his robe.
A knife.
The lethal object glinted in the light of a few candles, horror filling Severus's brain.
The executioner tossed it up expertly and caught it by the blade, grinning maliciously. He hefted the knife, aimed for Severus's rapidly pounding heart and threw.
The potions master hissed in pain as the knife caught him in the stomach.
Macnair cursed in disappointment.
The others drew out their own knives and took aim, mainly for his heart, and, strangely, missed every time, which made them lose interest swiftly.
Bellatrix, however, was imagining the agonised face of her traitor cousin instead of Snape. She watched with sadistic glee as his face contorted in deeper pain and then sighed unhappily when Malfoy stayed her hand. "Traitors get what they rightly deserve... muttermutter..." she grumbled, angry at being barred from her 'fun'.
Malfoy spat on Snape's face. "That will teach you, traitor! And remember, the Lord doesn't approve of failures, Snape." he said, an odd bit of red tinting his eyes as he stalked moodily out of the room, the Death Eaters following behind, retrieving their weapons unmercifully as they went.
'That's it then. I shall perish here, worthless, and no one will even shed a tear for me. What an absolutely pathetic way to die... ' Severus mused darkly, wincing in agony every now and then.
As his vision darkened, he started to panic. Ohno! I forgot! The promise! I must fulfill my... promise... to.........Li...ly....... I... must....no.......
Suddenly, warm golden glow surrounded his severely mangled body, a soft, caressing light. The pain slowly evaporated as his most brutal injuries were cured, miraculously.
The poor man was terribly confused.
"It's not your time to go, Severus Snape."A heavenly, child-like voice echoed inside his head. As he spoke, a little boy with burning emerald eyes stared from a non corporeal face right in front of Severus. "Live. You have much to do, to accomplish. To live for." the child intoned as he made a swift hand moment and Severus was suddenly lying on a doorstep, barely awake.
Before blissful unconsciousness engulfed him, he whispered, "Thank... you."
-~:|S|:~-
Padfoot stumbled wearily along, lost in thought. Harry was his main worry, up 'till now he had thought his godson was living in the magical world, not at the home of Lily's horrible sister and husband. Sirius had wondered if Harry really needed him, when Fudge had given him The Daily Prophet.
~Flashback~
Sirius calmly took the offered newspaper, noting, with much satisfaction, the look of shock that covered the portly minister's face. However, it dissipated as quick as it came when he glanced at the bold letters screaming "HARRY POTTER DEAD?!"
The man stared blankly at a photo of Harry when he was born. Then realization struck him as he scanned the paper, which told of an attack by rogue Death Eaters at the Dursley's, who were found dead. A lone tear ran down his face and he had forgotten about fudge. The minister was watching Sirius for a reaction to The-Boy Who-Lived's death. Therefore he was extremely surprised when, instead of jumping for joy, the other man shed a tear.
"Aren't you supposed to be happy, Black?" he asked unwisely.
That did it.
Sirius snapped out of his stupor with a venomous " What?!"
Cornelius flinched but did not back down. "Harry Potter is most likely dead-"
He was cut off by Sirius' growl of rage. "How dare you.... how dare you!" he snarled, furiously. "You poor excuse for a minister! I will only be gleeful when I see you as a squib... or better yet... dead! My godson could be alive for all you know and you're presuming him DEAD?!" Sirius's voice rose as his anger grew "YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE FINDING HIM, YOU DAMN PIECE OF DIRT! HE'S THE ONE WHO SAVED YOUR WORTHLESS HIDES FROM VOLDEMORT AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY HIM?! GET OFF YOUR LAZY ARSE AND DO SOMETHING RIGHT FOR ONCE!! Because" Sirius whispered dangerously,"if you don't, I will. Mark my words, I will! Get. Out. Of. My. Sight. Now."
Fudge was stunned beyond belief. As he tottered out, he could hear some of the more sane prisoners snicker in amusement at the minister being told off by another, as he tried to process exactly what Black at shouted at him.
Meanwhile, Sirius was fuming at the Fudge's stupidity that night; so much, he barely noticed the dementors and their cold.
And that same night, he escaped.
~End Flashback~
Remembering this, Padfoot walked faster through the chilly night air, determined to find his godson. But he was slowing down due to hunger and weariness.
"Uhnn..."
A groan made the big, black dog forget his tiredness as his ears pricked up , searching for the owner of the voice. Sniffing the air he could detect a faint metallic scent... a scent that smelled suspiciously like...
Blood.
As he neared a house, he spotted a crumpled figure of a man lying on the doorstep. Sirius was horrified to discover a multitude of cuts, bruises, and numerous other injuries on the undistinguishable form. His keen doggy ears picked up snatches of a mumbled string of speech. "... failed... too many... couldn't fight... sorry, Albus... going... die...."
At the mention of Dumbledore's name, the illegal Animagus backed away, unconsciously. This man was a wizard... who knew what he would do if he found out about Sirius. Then he scolded himself for being so ridiculous; this man couldn't even move, for Merlin's sake! And he needed medical attention, fast.
Thinking quickly, Sirius transformed back into his human form, and pounded swiftly on the door of the house that the injured man lay in front of; knowing that his paws wouldn't create the necessary amount of noise needed to attract the occupants in time for the man to survive.
He turned back into Padfoot just in time.
A skinny boy with round, broken glasses, and black hair, threw open the door. When Harry saw Padfoot, a look of understanding crossed his thin, pale face a split-second before it vanished, making Sirius wonder if he had imagined it.
As the boy ran in to fetch help, the escaped convict couldn't help but notice that his features looked curiously familiar... except for his strange grey eyes.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Padfoot spotted a gaggle of red-heads following the little boy. Oh, Merlin! Sirius thought anxiously, The Weasley's! I'm in trouble now.... was his last coherent thought as he fainted from sheer exhaustion.
-~:|S|:~-
A/N: I know you're wondering.... Grey eyes?! No scar?! What happened to Harry?! Trust me... you'll find out next chapter.... really... I promise!
