"Where is my stepson?" Severus growled. His eyes had never left Draco's face and it was evident that he was more than furious. He moved forward. "Tell me now."
Draco swallowed hard. "I have a message from the Dark Lord. It concerns Harry."
Alaina's face drained of color. "Please tell me he doesn't have him. Please tell me Voldemort doesn't have my Harry."
"He does. I'm sorry. I tried to-"
"You lead him right to Voldemort, didn't you?" Severus accused. "How did you do it? How did you get him to trust you?"
"That wasn't my intention," Draco assured him. "I wanted to warn him, to get him away before Voldemort kidnapped him. He's going to use Harry as a bargaining chip. He wants you."
His scowl faded and a solemn expression took its place. "Voldemort wants me?"
"Yes. He said he would release Harry if you gave yourself up."
Alaina could feel herself losing control. Voldemort had Harry. He had his filthy hands on her son. She couldn't stand the thought of it. Now, he wanted her husband too. It wasn't going to work. "No."
Severus turned around to face her. "Alaina, I need to go."
"No you don't. You can't." Tears began to form in her eyes. "He'll kill you."
"He'll kill Harry if he doesn't go," Draco reported. "He made that very clear."
"How do we know he won't kill Harry anyway?" Severus pointed out.
"You don't. You have three hours to decide. Then you must meet him at Malfoy Manor."
Alaina stepped toward him. "And I guess you just expect us to let you walk out of here?"
"If I don't come back, he'll kill him," Draco told them. "You have to let me go." He sighed. "You have to believe me. I don't want him dead. The Death Eaters have been in my house since last year. I hate it. I see what kind of monster he is and I don't condone what he does or what he's done. I have seen the error of my ways. I want to help Harry get rid of him."
She stared at him. His eyes were genuinely sorrowful. "For some reason, I believe you. Was that the only reason you were here? To deliver the message?"
He nodded. "I'm truly sorry about this."
"Not as sorry as Voldemort's going to be."
Alaina stormed off, rage surging through her body. She had to get out of the wedding dress before she ripped it off. She bounded up the stairs toward her office at lightning speed.
Severus glared at him. "If anything happens to Harry-"
"I'm going to help him. I just don't know how yet."
"Why would you?"
Draco nervously twisted his hands. "Because I've seen what Voldemort is, what he really is, and I don't want him to be victorious. I want him out of our lives, out of our house. He's merciless and evil. I see him bully people and I wonder about myself. I decided I don't want to do that anymore, I don't want to be like him. It took the summer, but I've changed. I really have."
Severus took a deep breath. "If you really have changed, Draco, help us."
He gulped. "How?"
"Help Harry escape."
Draco rubbed his face. "I-I don't know if I can. I want to, but-"
"Just try. That's all I'm asking. Just don't get yourself killed."
He nodded. "Okay." He took a deep breath and then swept past Severus. His footsteps echoed through the empty corridor.
Dumbledore came out into the corridor just as left. "What's going here?"
Severus's eyes rolled in frustration. "Voldemort has Harry."
"What?"
"That was Draco posing as him inside. It was Polyjuice Potion I'd wager."
"I'm so sorry, Severus. Where is Alaina?"
"Changing," Severus muttered. "She's changing." He turned to face him. "Albus, if anything happens to Harry, it will kill her."
Dumbledore smiled sympathetically. "Not just her. You too."
"He wants me. He wants me to trade myself for Harry."
"And?"
"I have three hours to decide whether or not I'm going to do it."
"Severus, you can't do it. It will destroy Alaina and Harry. Voldemort is not going to let The Boy Who Lived go. I can almost guarantee you that. He just wants you dead and then he will kill Harry too."
He threw up his hands, anger surging through his entire body. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not today of all days. "Then tell me what I'm supposed to do!"
Dumbledore sighed. He honestly didn't know, and he told Severus as much. "I'm going to go back in there and round up the members of the Order. We need to discuss this."
"There's nothing to discuss," Severus told him. "I'm going. I have to."
He shook his head. "You're making a huge mistake, Severus."
Severus swallowed hard. It felt like he had a lump the size of snitch in his throat. "It's the only way forward."
"And what about your wife? What about Alaina?"
"She will know that I had no other choice, that I did it for her and her son." With that said, he walked off toward the Dungeons. He wanted to get out of the tux and into his old clothes as soon as possible. He had a trip to make, and no one was going to be able to change his mind.
~ * ~
Alaina felt sick. Her heart was racing and her stomach was nauseous. How could things have taken such a turn for the worst in such a short time? She knew she had to hurry. Now that she had what she needed in her hands, things would be different. She changed into her plain clothes and then headed down to the Dungeons. Severus was just finishing putting on his robes when she walked into his chambers.
"Severus."
He whirled around, startled. "You scared me, Alaina."
She said nothing, she walked up to him and put her arms around his neck. She reached up and her lips crashed on his. She kissed him passionately, like she may never see him again. When they parted, Severus looked even more startled than he was when she came in.
She smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."
"It's alright. Please, don't apologize. It was wonderful." He took a deep breath. "I've been thinking."
She knew exactly what he had been thinking about too. It was out of the question. She had just married him, and she wasn't about to lose him. "You're not going. You can't. You'd be walking right into a trap."
"I can't stay here knowing that if I don't go to him, that he will kill your son. My stepson now. I just can't believe he missed the wedding."
Alaina sighed wearily. "I know. Does anyone else know the situation?"
He nodded. "Dumbledore. He said he's going to gather the Order. They will all know within the hour."
"Do you know where they're meeting?"
Severus frowned. "I assume they would meet in Dumbledore's office. Why?"
She took his hand. "Come on. I have an idea, and it's the only way I'm going to let you walk into the lion's den."
He had no idea what she was planning, but he already didn't like it. She lead him hurriedly up the stairs to the first floor corridors, and then down to Dumbledore's office. She said the password from the summer, hoping it would still be the same. It was, and the gargoyle sprang to life. They rode up the spiral stairs and wrapped firmly on the door of his office. Dumbledore told them to come in. Just as Severus had said, all of the members of the Order were gathered there, including Hermione and Ron. Alaina smiled at them as she walked past, even though everyone in the room was looking at her and Severus like the world had crashed down around them. That's the way she felt inside, but she had to suppress that for now. There were more pressing matters at hand, like how she was going to keep her husband and save her son. She marched right up to Dumbledore, Severus still holding tightly to her.
"I have a proposition to make. I'm going to have to have five volunteers besides myself for this to work."
Severus looked up at her. "For what to work? Alaina, what are you planning?"
She turned to him briefly and smiled. "Something that's going to let me keep you." Tears threatened to fill her eyes. "I can't lose you, Severus Snape. I am your wife and I don't plan to be a widow any time soon."
He gulped. He hated to see her so emotional. He sighed deeply. "Alright. Go on."
Alaina took a deep breath and turned back toward Dumbledore. "Draco gave me an idea and I think Severus has enough Polyjuice Potion in his stores at home that we can pull it off. Like I said before, I'll need five more, at least, to join me."
Remus and Sirius both stepped forward without hesitation.
"At your service," Sirius said with a bow. "I'm up for anything."
Severus huffed. "Even if it means saving my life?"
Sirius pressed his lips together. "Yes. Because two of the people who are dearest to me would die without you. Harry and Alaina both love you too much to lose you. I do this for them."
He nodded. "Fair enough."
Remus smiled softly. "Severus, I've seen how you've changed over the years, especially since Alaina came into your life. I would gladly help you out. You can count on me as a friend."
Severus smiled. He was touched. "Thank you."
Alaina grinned at him too. "Anyone else?"
Hermione and Ron stepped forward.
"We want to do it," Hermione said. "We want to help save Harry."
Ron agreed. "And we're willing to do anything to succeed."
Alaina and Severus looked at each other, and then back at them. "Dumbledore, what do you think?"
Albus had that familiar twinkle in his eye. "I think you need one more." He stood. "I would be delighted to be the last volunteer."
Her eyes widened. "Really?"
"Yes. I, more than anyone, besides you of course, know what an honorable man Severus has become. I know he would lay down his life for me if the situation presented itself, and I am prepared to afford him the same honor."
Severus didn't know what to say. All of these people, now his friends, were prepared to do whatever it took to save him and Harry. He was beginning to tear up. They were all volunteering and they didn't even know what was happening yet. His heart swelled with emotion and he tried hard not to cry.