Chapter Text
Sunday, May 10, 1998, morning
It had been 5 days. Blaise was nervous that his best friend, the one who had rescued him from the life he was supposed to lead, wasn’t going to wake up this time. He had done everything he could. The anti-venom he had used was strong - one of the only brews strong enough to combat Nagini’s particularly nasty venom. Draco had just been so weak already before the snake attacked.
The repeated crucios had caused problems for everyone in the Manor. If the Dark Lord kept this up, he wasn’t going to have anyone in his army who could hold a wand steady. Blaise himself had found his hands shaking for the first day or so after. He couldn’t imagine how much damage the extra attacks had done to his friend’s nervous system.
Then there was the beating. He hated to think it, but Draco was actually lucky. Greyback had neither raped nor bitten him - his two favorite activities with victims. Blaise had been terrified for him when Lord Voldemort handed him over to the werewolf. Still, being beaten by a gang of people was nothing to be brushed off. Draco had already been hit that morning and been out for some time, then one of the blows to his head had landed on the exact same spot. There had been so many broken bones and a rather severe concussion. Even after 5 days some of his bones were still re-growing. His head was likely still addled. Healer Blaise was glad his patient’s body was taking the time it needed to heal. Friend Blaise was losing his mind.
Narcissa wasn’t helping any. She was constantly there, wringing her hands and demanding to know why he was still out. No matter how many times Blaise explained it to her, she kept asking. He was beginning to wonder if the constant stress of playing hostess here, coupled with intermittent crucios, was starting to addle her mind. He wished she would admit that Lucius was never going to leave so that they could all run for it. Yes, he and Draco had the mark, but he thought he had come up with a salve and spell combination that would help block it. There would still be pain, but it wouldn’t be as excruciating. More important, the Dark Lord wouldn’t be able to trace the mark’s location once the salve sank in.
Suddenly, there was a blast of dark magic and screaming from downstairs. Blaise closed his eyes, wondering what horror was happening now. He patted his friend on the arm, then got up and headed for his infirmary and lab. It was best that others didn’t have reason to remember his friendship with the youngest Malfoy more than necessary. There was more screaming and he knew his services would be needed later. So he went to the lab to finish some potions and begin brewing more - they went through them so fast - and to wait on the call that the Dark Lord was done punishing for whatever reason and would allow healing now.
*****************************************
Harry wasn’t sure how he felt about the Order’s one and only prisoner. Kingsley had made him deposit Theo, wandless, in a room that was basically just a closet, spelling him in without letting Madam Pomfrey even know he was there. In better times, they would have sent him to the Ministry to be booked and processed for sentencing. They couldn’t trust the Ministry, though, and Harry wasn’t sure he would allow that to happen to Theo anyway.
For all his blustering, the young man had clearly been scared, had done his best to protect the prisoners from the other death eaters, had personally attacked those death eaters, and bargained for his life. Harry hadn’t exactly given his word, but he didn’t think Theo deserved Azkaban. He felt very conflicted about locking him away in a closet. Ron thought it was hilarious, but Harry was worried that they hadn’t given him any medical attention first. Not that Madam Pomfrey would have had the time anyway. All of her attention and resources were going to Fleur.
Making up his mind, Harry headed back to the fourth floor corridor where Theo’s closet was. No one was guarding it. It was so nondescript that he might easily have been forgotten there. Harry quickly spoke the spell to take down the wards and opened the door.
“Urrrrrgh!” came a half-sobbed sound from the man cowered in a back corner. He had his arm over his eyes, shielding from the sudden light. “Who is it?” he whimpered. His knees were pulled up close to his body and he was nearly rocking back and forth. The cocky man they had first met was completely gone, dissolved into a terrified boy, shaking and crying.
“It’s just Harry. I’ve come to see about your head.” He moved forward slowly, afraid he would spook the guy.
His eyes now adjusted, Theo stared up at Harry. “After, are you going to shut me back up here?” His voice was trembling.
“I don’t know,” Harry admitted honestly. He knew Kingsley and probably Remus, too, would skin him alive for letting Theo out, but Harry didn’t know if he was willing to close him back in there seeing what it had done to him.
Theo shuddered, but then visibly tried to pull himself back together. “So we’re going with the prisoner option, eh? I signed up for that, but I guess I was hoping your side would be a little better.” His voice had begun optimistic and back to cocky, but slithered down to bitter by the end.
Harry looked at him. He wanted the Order to do better, too. He wished he had McGonagall to appeal to. Somehow he just knew she would take care of a student, no matter the side they came from. Professor - Headmistress rather - Sprout was a Hufflepuff, she should feel the same.
“Look,” he said as he worked on the head injury. It was fortunately just a cut that bled a lot. He was pretty sure it was not a concussion or worse. “I want us to do better, too, but I have to get some others to agree with me first.”
Theo nodded, but Harry saw a flash of fear in his eyes. He wondered if he should ask what was bothering him so much, but determined as he got up and moved toward the door that it was really none of his business.
Just before his hand touched the door, Theo spoke in a strained voice, “Could you give me a light? Please. I won’t ask for anything else.”
Again Harry was curious and wanted to ask. Instead he just nodded and chanted, “Murus Lumos” and one wall began to glow. Theo practically collapsed with relief.
Harry barely heard him whisper “Thank you” as he closed and spelled the door shut.
*********************TRIGGER WARNING - MISCARRIAGE***********************
Severus found his skills in use again as Madam Pomfrey frantically ordered more blood replenishing potions. She was in the middle of trying to keep the Delacour girl alive and had used all she had. Thankfully, it seemed her blood levels had finally stabilized, but who knew when the next desperate emergency would rear its head.
The castle had originally utilized a lab next to the hospital wing with a small living space beyond. Severus was working on re-opening it. He needed new quarters that didn’t belong to the Headmaster or the Potions Professor. Perhaps he could find his niche here helping Poppy for now, until this blasted war was over. He couldn’t spy anymore. He wasn’t sure how to help keep Potter alive. It was really a miracle the boy had survived this long.
With a sigh, he made his way into the abandoned potions lab and began setting up cauldrons. Two full cauldrons should keep them in stock for a few days at least. He needed more time to get the rest of the room in decent shape. It would take many months before his ingredient stores were fully stocked, but he looked forward to acquiring them. Next he had to head down to the main potions room for the ingredients he had to have now.
Unfortunately, he was waylaid by a Weasley just outside the hospital wing. It was the oldest, a decent potions student if he recalled correctly.
“Professor Snape! Thank you for the brewing you’re doing. My wife...she wouldn’t have made it without the blood potions.”
Severus wasn’t sure what to do with that comment. “It is my job,” he finally replied. Though upon reflection, it wasn’t actually, but what else would he say?
“Madam Pomfrey says she’ll be ok. We can even try for another baby once she’s had some time to recover.” The man was babbling and Severus didn’t know how to properly show the patience he knew the situation called for. Bill, he recalled the man’s name, was still going, “I don’t know how I could have gone on without her. Losing Fred has been horrible. And Mum being out for so long. Charlie still… I just needed to thank you. I know not everyone trusts you, and you can be a right git sometimes, but I appreciate you.”
Severus slowly nodded, “You’re welcome.” After a moment of thought, he added, “And thank you,” before turning on his heel and billowing away.
***************************END TRIGGER*****************************
“I’m telling you, this will work!” Ron practically shouted. He was so tired of arguing with Kingsley.
Remus had mostly accepted that he was better at strategy than they were. If anything, he seemed grateful to have one more thing off his plate. He very much wanted to be involved in any rescue attempts to get Tonks out, but he was willing to simply consult when it came to the actual planning. Some of his suggestions were very helpful. Ron had no trouble adding some experienced advice to his plans. He just wanted some respect. He had helped multiple people escape now.
His current plan was for the rescue of Professor McGonagall. She was being kept somewhere in the Crabbe household. She was supposed to be used as a maid or something similarly humiliating, but Ron couldn’t quite imagine that actually being true. Because the Crabbes were one of the less wealthy pureblood families, their home was much smaller. It would also be poorly guarded, so they wouldn’t need to be as careful here. The team would be small - Finian, who had been in the house many times before with Rookwood, Harry, and Ron himself. They were going to go in as a delivery wagon of cakes and other baked goods. Ron’s reasoning was that it had worked with Crabbe Jr. once upon a time. His parents weren’t known to be any smarter. They would let Finian go in and look around while Ron and Harry unloaded. It was a good working plan.
Kingsley was arguing, again, that they should take in a larger force. Why did it always have to be that fight? Every time they had employed those tactics, there had been an all out battle and people had gotten hurt. Not to mention that the missions hadn’t been successful.
“You can agree to this or we can go on our own. It might not work the first time since we don’t know where she is, but at the very least we’re going to gather information and it’s just going to be the three of us!” Ron’s ears and face were red. He slammed a fist down as he said it.
When Kingsley stormed away from the planning table and threw himself down behind his desk to ignore them, Ron took it as a win.
***********************************************************
Harry found Headmistress Sprout looking stressed in her office. For a split second, he worried that this would add unnecessary stress to her load.
“Professor...er....Headmistress Sprout…”
“Yes, Harry?” she queried, clearly not interested in listening to anyone shuffle around a point.
“Um...yes. Well, there’s a student who needs your help.”
“A student?” She pushed her hat back a little further on her head and looked carefully at the boy before her in a way that made Harry quite certain she was wondering how he could possibly be the wizarding world’s savior. “The underage students have all gone home, Harry, if they have one left to go to. Those of age are reporting to Lupin. Is this about one of the orphans?”
“No. It’s...you see...he’s sort of a prisoner here…”
“We don’t take prisoners here.”
“I know we don’t!” Harry said, his internal compass flaring to life with renewed vigor. “He’s a student, not quite of age, and he bargained with me for the release of the prisoners at Nott Manor.”
“What!? Why have I heard nothing of this?” Headmistress Sprout was clearly offended.
“I’m not sure, Professor. I think Kingsley didn’t really know what to do with him since we don’t keep people locked up here. But there are so many other important things going on. And it’s not right to leave him locked in a closet.”
“They locked a student in a closet!?” Headmistress Sprout looked as angry as the time Seamus had bitten back a Venomous Tentacula that had taken a nip at him. He had ended up in the hospital for weeks and Sprout threatened to put him in there for double that time if he ever hurt her plant again. Harry was a little taken aback and uncertain again.
He rushed after her, catching up easily, on their way to Kingsley’s office. “Erm….maybe you should want to know who the student is?”
She stopped abruptly and turned toward him with her eyes squinting unhappily. “I can’t imagine why it would matter who we’ve imprisoned in a closet, but go on.”
“It’s, well, it’s Theo Nott.”
Sprout stared at him long enough for Harry to start squirming. “The Death Eater?” she finally asked.
“No, no! His son, Theo. He’s a Slytherin. He turns 17 soon, but he’s not of age quite yet. They were waiting to mark him, you see and…”
“So he’s just not old enough yet to be a real Death Eater?” Her voice was gruff and irritated. Professor Sprout had never had much patience for foolishness.
“Yes. No!” Harry was terrified he was going to bollocks this up for Theo. He took a deep breath, “What I mean is... he was with them but he didn’t want to be. He begged us to bring him here and offered to be a prisoner if he had to be. It was so that he wouldn’t have to become a Death Eater! We didn’t have to break our people out at all, Professor Sprout. He had already gotten the other Death Eater guards out of the way and gave us the keys to get everyone out. All he asked was that we let him come back with us. He wants to join the Order.”
She watched Harry for a moment before nodding and renewing her rampage toward Kingsley’s office.
As they burst through his office door, Ron and Lupin looked up from the table in the middle of the room. Kingsley was at his desk, looking already angry. Harry suddenly realized it might have been in his best interest to let the headmistress handle this on her own.
“There you are!” Sprout half shouted at Kingsley, shaking her finger and heading his way. Harry was about to quietly follow in her wake when Ron gloriously interrupted.
“Oi! Harry, I’m glad you’re here. We’re getting McGonagall out tomorrow and I’m going to need you for the team with me.” Ron motioned him over to the table.
“Will you be with us, Remus?”
“Not this time,” he said, “I believe the two of you with Finian should be enough for this. We’re not expecting major wards or even many guards. And Fin’s been there many times.”
“Finian’s the one you all found at Malfoy Manor, right?” Harry queried. He still felt guilty that he hadn’t been awake yet at the time. In general, Harry felt like he had failed since he didn’t manage to kill Voldy. Everyone thought that would be the final battle, yet, the snake and Voldemort both still lived. The other side hadn’t even lost any Death Eaters of note. Meanwhile, their side had lost Fred forever - half of the twins - and George would never be the same. Plus they had taken so many prisoners. They still didn’t have a clue where Hermione was and Harry couldn’t even think about that without feeling panic rise. It was almost impossible to believe they would get everyone back, and apparently they hadn’t. The young Slytherin, who still wouldn’t give his name to anyone, said he remembered being grabbed along with 3 others before his obliviation. There was no telling what happened to them. Meanwhile, Hermione wasn’t the only one missing. No one had heard anything about Professor Flitwick either. And though they were hoping the intel on Professor McGonagall was correct, they wouldn’t actually know until they got there.
Ron broke into Harry’s reverie. “Yeah, that’s the one. Good chap. We’ve had a pint a couple of times over at Hogs Head now. You should come with us tonight, get to know the guy a little before tomorrow.”
“Can’t. I have plans with Ginny tonight. I’ve been too busy today to spend time with her. You know what she’s like when I don’t pay enough attention.” Ron rolled his eyes. He certainly did know.
Harry was glad that, at least, he still had one of his best friends with him. And Ginny by his side as well, however stupid it was to let her make a target of herself. He turned to Ron, “So tell me about this plan of yours.”