Finding Severus (A Severus Snape Story)

Chapter 22

  At 7 o'clock Severus landed quietly just outside Little Hangleton. The sun had set so the puff of dark smoke was invisible to anyone who happened to be looking in that direction. He could see the village with the church on the other side. The graveyard was behind the church. The old Riddle estate sat abandoned, beyond the graveyard, overlooking the village. It was there he thought Daphne was being held. Street lamps flickered or didn't work at all. The few shops there were appeared to be closed. There were a few windows faintly lit but most were darkened. The town seemed asleep except for the pub. Severus lifted his black scarf over his nose, pulled his hood up and began his reconnaissance.

Severus walked cautiously around the outer perimeter of the village behind the shops and houses. He shadowed the tree line of the nearby wood, stepping lightly, hunting his prey. He reached the edge of the estate. It had long since been taken over by the authorities for non-payment of taxes. He slipped around the old caretaker's cottage. It was empty and derelict. Severus reached the side of the large Riddle House. All appeared quiet from the outside. He could see the graveyard between the house and the church. He calculated the Death-Eaters would hold up in the abandoned house rather than the village church. To his advantage, if he was correct, he would be behind them.

During his years as a spy Severus acquired another very practical skill, stealth. Severus would need the full use of that skill tonight to get he and Daphne out of there alive. Severus eased his way to the back of the house. He looked through a broken window. The space was dark and still. He lifted himself through the window. He was in the kitchen. Severus cocked his head. He heard something. Muffled voices sounded from beneath the floor. Stepping through the kitchen he saw a strip of light shining from under a door, 'the cellar'. The voices were all male. 'If they've hurt Daphne, there won't be anything left of those bastards to send to Azkaban,' Severus' mind fumed. Taking in a breath he stilled himself. The voices grew louder followed by heavy footsteps. It was 8 o'clock.

If Daphne was with them it was too confined a space to fight. He couldn't run the risk of hitting her especially if she were incapacitated. He had to get the kidnappers out into the open, away from Daphne. The door opened. Severus eased back into the shadows. 4 figures emerged. He could see Daphne's hands were bound and a gag tied across her mouth. 

"Oww, the bitch kicked me!" yelped the man holding Daphne by the arm. He slapped her. Severus gritted his teeth. 

A bigger man growled harshly, "Shut up, you fool! You'll give us away. Snape will want to see the girl is ok before he shows himself. After we kill him, do what you want with witch." 

They made their way out the front door. Severus went out the back, the same way he had entered. The men headed toward the graveyard dragging Daphne along roughly. Stalking them from behind, covered by darkness, Severus watched as they neared the first headstone. They stopped. 

"Ok, Snape, show yourself or we'll kill the girl and it won't be a pretty sight," the big one shouted into the darkness and shoved Daphne out in front of them, like a shield. 

Severus smirked. They had just made their critical mistake. Wand drawn, he silently cast his own binding spell at their backs, 'Hamatis Innecto'. 

Screaming bloody murder, the men dropped their wands as stabbing barbed wire wrapped around their bodies, ripping flesh. Daphne fell forward, out of the way of the lashing barbs. 

Pointing his wand skyward, Severus called out, "Vermillious!" sending red sparks into the night sky.

Rushing over to Daphne Severus untied her bonds and removed her gag, "Are you ok? Did they hurt you?" 

Daphne flung her arms around his neck, "Slightly unnerved but I'm fine now. I knew you would come for me." The couple embraced tightly, grateful to be together again and safe. 

Harry Potter and his team of aurors wrangled the howling Death-Eaters, "Sir, could you counter your binding spell. I think we've got them from here with the standard 'Incarcerous'. And their howling is giving me a headache." 

Severus waved his hand and the barbed wire fell away, disintegrating into the dirt. "They deserve much worse," Severus snarled holding on protectively to Daphne. 

Harry smiled, "Yes, but you're better than that, Sir," and put his hand out. Severus shook the hand of his one-time student, "It's Severus and Thank you, Harry."

The aurors prepared to disapparate with their whimpering prisoners. "Not so tough now, are ye' boys," an auror teased mocking the bad guys. Severus smirked and with Daphne still in his arms, lifted off the ground. The two disappeared in a puff of smoke. 

One of the aurors uttered, "Cor, would ye' look at that. " Another said in the same awestruck fashion, "Blimey! that was a wicked barbed wire bind he threw at these Death-Eaters. Scary. And practically risin' from the dead after that cursed snake reportedly ripped out his throat? And all those other things...what's been written about his, um, skills. What do ya' make of him, gov'?" 

Harry shook his head and smiled, "Sergeant, just be glad he's on our side."