Chapter 21: To Manage Mischief

The Grounds, Hogwarts...

Ron Weasley had returned from The Three Broomsticks with a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. He had not seen any sign of Hermione since he had returned and he had waited for hours. After a while Ron figured Harry had better news and made his way back to Hogwarts. He had arrived in time to see Sebastian, Harry, and Draco coming out of the Slytherin dungeons. He had not even had time to make a comment about Harry being in the snake pit when he read the grim looking expressions on their faces.

"What's going on?" he asked unnerved by all the seriousness.

"We know where Hermione is." said Harry grimly.

"I-I'm guessing it's not good news." replied Ron.

"Death eaters have her." said Harry. "I'm going with Sebastian and Draco to get her back."

"Bloody hell." said Ron taking all this in.

Sebastian glared at him for a moment and continued to make his way forward across the grounds. Draco followed him without a word. Harry looked at Ron for a moment. He had gone slightly pale when he had told him of what happened to Hermione.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry.

Ron nodded.

"About as well as can be." he said.

Harry sighed.

"So you're really going with them?" asked Ron.

"Yes." replied Harry serious.

"Well then that settles it." said Ron.

"Settles what?" asked Harry confused.

"You didn't really think I'd let you go off to find Mione alone with two Slytherins did you?" asked the red headed, blue eyed young wizard. "What kind of Gryffindor would I be if I let that happen?...more importantly this is Hermione we are talking about...no way I'm going to bail when she needs me."

Harry gave his friend a grateful smile. He could not imagine not having Ron at his side for this. Although he would have understood if the red haired Weasley boy had his fill of action after the war and being attacked at Hogsmead.

"You have no idea how glad I am to hear you say that." said Harry a little at ease.

The green eyed wizard and his red headed friend caught up to Sebastian and Draco who had been standing near the gates.

"Am I to take it that Weasley has decided to join us?" asked Sebastian in an emotionless tone.

"Yes." replied Harry.

"What's the plan?" asked Ron serious.

In reply Sebastian took out his wand and waved it one in the open air.

"Inveniant nos." he said aloud.

A burst of gray light shot out of the tip of his wand and into the air. A mock skull with cross-bones appeared in the sky off in the distance. It hung as if winking in the same gray hue as the light from Sebastian's wand.

"She's where that mark is." said Sebastian emotionless. "We go in that direction."

Although his voice did not convey what flashed behind his obsidian eyes, he had been filled with utter rage. The idea that these low class bastards would have the audacity to kidnap Hermione only fueled his hatred of them. If any of them harmed a sandy brown hair on her bushy little head...there will be blood from the likes of which no one has ever seen.

All four of the wizards apparated beyond the gates of Hogwarts and started toward the symbol which appeared to wink at them from it's place in the sky.

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Abandoned Shack, Wizarding World...

Hermione Granger awoke feeling groggy as she tried to get her bearings. Where ever she had been had been freezing. She couldn't help but shiver as the cold seeped into her awareness. Her body had been sore and it appeared that she had been thrown about like a sack of potatoes. Her lips had been bleeding but she couldn't tell if it had been from brute force or the chapping cold. As she further roused she could feel something cold pressed against her wrists. She flexed a little. The sound of rattling hit her ears. Am I chained? Hermione flexed again and heard the sound a second time. She sat up finding that she had been huddled in a corner on the floor of some strange looking shack and bound by two irons on each of her slim wrists.

Panic filled her in that moment.

She had been in a strange place in the freezing cold and bound at the wrists. What had been even more alarming is that the last thing she remembered was being attacked by death eaters. Horrid and ruthless death eaters. Her amber eyes widened with terror. The first thought had been whether or not they had done anything to her up-toward to her. After some brief check she realized that this had not been the case. They seemed more occupied with simply restraining her. Hermione had hoped that Sebastian had gotten her message and that help had been on the way. With that small but much appreciated favor granted, Hermione tried to approach the reasoning behind her sudden kidnapping logically.

If this was a ploy against Harry they would not have waited until now to strike.

If this had been about Dumbledore surely they would have already killed her.

She thought back to the attack at Hogsmead.

Sebastian.

Of course it had all been about Sebastian. They wanted to punish Professor Snape and Sebastian had been an easy target because he's believed to be the professor's secret son. They must want to use him in a bid to lure Professor Snape to them.

Hermione couldn't help but cringe when the death eater McNair stepped out of the shadows.

"It appears that the little princess has awakened." he said glaring down at her.

Hermione couldn't help but wish she had been anywhere but here at the moment.

The death eater McNair continued to glare at her flashing his toothless grim in her direction. Hermione tried to keep from gagging at image. He had truly been a despicable man.

Bart Crouch Jr. arrived strolling inside the shack with a gleam in his beady eyes.

"It seems your little boy friend has figured out where we are." replied McNair. "It won't be long now."

Hermione looked at him puzzled.

"Y-Your expecting him?" she asked considering what all this meant.

McNair let an arrogant smirk pass over his hideous face.

"Of course." he replied casually. "He showed his weakness the moment he took those curses for you."

Hermione thought back to that afternoon at Hogsmead. Sebastian's words to her had come back to her.

{"Mistakes are costly." } he had said. {" Showing weakness to an enemy is equally unacceptable."}

The look of utter horror on Hermione's face had only served to amuse the cruel men she had been surrounded by. Bart Jr's glare had been particularly giddy.

"I believe she's caught on." he said happily.

"Once your little boyfriend arrives we are going to kill him." said McNair. "Then Snape will have to show himself."

"You're doing all of this because of Professor Snape?" asked Hermione as if she had not figured this all out herself.

Still there was no reason for these two fools to know. Let them underestimate her. It had been the lesson she had learned following Professor Snape's example during the wizarding wars. Battles are not often one by the strongest nor the fastest...but those with the cunning and foresight to give them the advantage. Sebastian is right I probably should have been sorted into Slytherin.

"Do try and keep up." replied McNair in a bored tone. "That half-blood traitor Snape is who we want...Malfoy is the second banana in this little game of ours."

"B-But why are you trying to hurt Sebastian?" asked Hermione. "He doesn't even know who Professor Snape is."

"Most likely a clever rouse to protect the boy." said McNair still in a bored tone. "I wouldn't put it passed Snape to have been helping the boy from behind the scenes...that seems to be his reoccurring theme these days."

She had been about to ask something else when McNair suddenly walked toward the only window in the place. It had been small but still very effective. He caught sight of Sebastian Prince approaching the shack. Another toothless grin filed across his hideous face.

"Well...well." said McNair. "It seems one of our honored guests has arrived."

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Outside The Abandoned Shack...

Sebastian Prince walked up to the door of the shack with his hands in the air. His expression had been grim and he seemed to have the air of a defeated man. Hermione had been utterly shocked to see just how much the raven haired young wizard had resembled Professor Snape in appearance. McNair signaled for Bart to hid in the shadows and flicked his wand at the door.

"Where's Hermione?" he had asked in an expressionless tone.

"Come in Snape Jr." said McNair with the same toothless grin.

Sebastian stepped inside the shack. His obsidian eyes fell on the bound Hermione. She seemed to be alright but a little worse for wear. Thank Merlin for small favors. He shifted his attention back to the death eater McNair.

"I believe this mudblood belongs to you." taunted McNair.

Sebastian kept control over his emotions. No matter how angry he had gotten, he knew reacting could cost Hermione her life if he wasn't careful. The raven haired wizard made his way in to he center of the room. McNair had become rather cocky in his own right. He had bested the young wizard before but it had been a hard fought fight.

"Little Snape has joined our little party at last." he said waving his wand making the door shut behind the young wizard. "Now all we need is your Daddy and this can be a real fun get together...but don't worry I'm sure he'll be along shortly."

Sebastian glared at him.

Of course this was all about Professor Snape.

Everything from the moment he arrived had been about the absent dour Potions Professor.

Sebastian let his eyes drift back to Hermione. He could tell that she had been afraid but it had not been for herself. Gryffindors. She was a Muggle-Born witch bound at the mercy of two of Voldemort's loyal followers and she was more worried about what would happen to him. If the situation had not been so dire he would have been greatly annoyed.

Gryffindor house's short comings not withstanding, Hermione had seemed to be physically enduring. She had been utterly careful not to show a hint of weakness in around the death eater. He had been a touch proud of the way she chose to handle this situation. No tears or ridiculous blubbering from this witch. She would defiantly make a decent Slytherin.

"Alright, Little Snape." said McNair getting his attention. "Why don't you be a good little boy and hand over your wand."

Hermione's expression had shifted to out right horror.

"No!" she shouted. "Sebastian don't do it!"

The raven haired Slytherin ignored her. He reached into his pocket and pulled the black and unimpressive looking wand from it. McNair waved his own wand and summoned Sebastian's wand to him.

"Accio wand." he said in a gruff tone.

Hermione had been filled with terror as Sebastian's wand flew into the hands of McNair. The raven haired Slytherin had been left utterly defenseless and at the mercy of the horrid man as well.

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Outside the Shack...

Draco Malfoy had been watching as Sebastian entered the shack from his vantage point. Before he made his way to the shack Sebastian had instructed Harry, Ron, and Draco to take their separate positions in a bid to give them a fighting chance. They had all been much to inexperienced to take on the death eaters all at one. The attack at Hogsmead proved that they had been out matched. The raven haired wizard had even taken Bart Jr's ability to make copies of himself into consideration. The brilliance of this plan had even included a way to speak to each other via magic without drawing attention to themselves or their respective positions. It was unanimously agreed that they needed to catch the death eaters unawares and get Hermione to safety quickly.

"What's taking the git so long?" asked Ron. His fingers ran over his wand impatiently.

"Take it easy Ron." said Harry as he made his way into position. "Remember we have to wait for the signal."

"Quiet Weasley." piped Draco from his place. "We need to focus...if we miss the signal because of you and Sebastian and Hermione are hurt I will not hesitate to wipe the floor with you."

Ron turned his attention back to the shack.

Harry could hear his own breathing as he waited quietly for Sebastian to make his move. So far everything had been going according to plan.

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Inside the Abandoned Shack...

Hermione had near tears as Bart Crouch Jr. and McNair assaulted the defenseless raven haired Slytherin boy. No sooner had McNair captured Sebastian's wand, Bart Jr. jumped out of the shadows casting a body binding hex on him. They took turns hitting him with various pain inflicting hexes. Hermione had wanted to scream but Sebastian's narrowed eyes made her keep a hold on herself. He had not made a sound as they took turns harming him for their own sadistic pleasure.

"Not so tough are you Snape Jr.?" asked McNair.

Sebastian had been breathing ragged and his raven hair had nearly covered his pale face as the men continued their assault.

"Hoping Daddy will come to save you yet boy?" taunted McNair.

Sebastian said nothing as he felt the sharp blow in the form of a boot ramming into his rib cage.

"Snape's nothing but a coward." taunted McNair. "Hiding behind Dumbledore and that pathetic school..."

Sebastian's eyes had flashed with rage. Hermione had never seen him so angry before. It was as if that word had set him off.

"Coward!" he said enraged. "This from a man that kidnaps a young girl and chains her to a wall...then disarms a student before relentlessly attacking him because he cannot defend himself."

McNair kicked him again.

"Shut up!" he growled. "For such a defenseless little prat, you seem to have a high opinion of yourself."

"Must be a Snape trait." said Bart Jr. with a grin.

They continued to attack Sebastian. Hermione looked around the shack. There had to be something she could do to help him.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes in her direction.

No! came the voice in her head.

Hermione looked back at him confused.

Do nothing.

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Outside The Abandoned Shack...

Ron had been getting antsy. He had not seen why they had to wait so long when they knew where Hermione was and all they would have to do was charge in and get her. A typical Gryffindor mind if ever there was one. Harry couldn't really blame him. He had been tired of sitting around waiting as well. Hermione being in danger had only served to make him more anxious but he understood from what Sebastian had told him outside The Headmaster's office. "Gryffindors...just because you have eyes...it doesn't mean that you always see." He steeled himself to trust in Sebastian's plan.

Draco had been poised and ready to act when the signal came. There was no way he was going to let his brother down. Still he could not deny that he too had been tired of waiting. Despite being a Slytherin he wasn't above the impulsiveness of his youth, but he knew better. Sebastian's plan was the best course of action otherwise they would all be overwhelmed.

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Inside the Abandoned Shack...

Sebastian had been bloodied pretty good by the time McNair and Bart Jr. got finished with him. They seemed so impressed with their handy work that they did not seem to notice that he had been watching them. Hermione had been having a hard time keeping her emotions. She had been forced to watch the two death eaters brutalize her boyfriend and he had been helpless to defend himself and she was helpless to assist him.

A smirk had filed across Sebastian's bloodied pale face as he finally saw what he had been waiting on. McNair and Bart Jr. had been relaxed and secure in their assured victory. It was at that moment that Sebastian Prince waved his hand and summoned his wand.

"Accio wand." he said in a low voice.

It flew from the secure place McNair placed it on a high shelf and into his hand. Hermione had only a moment to react as she screamed loudly drawing the attention of the death eaters. Sebastian's plan had been put into full swing.

"Caligo." said Sebastian.

In an instant everything was shrouded in darkness.

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Outside The Abandoned Shack...

Draco had been the first to notice what appeared to be black smoke coming from the shack. He gripped his wand ready as he descended from his vantage point and made his way into the shack. Harry had been watching him and followed suite. Ron took off after him. The three wizards approached the shack as they had planned and spread out . Draco took point spelling the door open and lead the others inside. The albino wizard had been silent moving swiftly into position.

Harry and Ron did the same.

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Inside The Abandoned Shack...

Hexes started to fly as Sebastian scrambled to his feet and made his way over to Hermione. She had been afraid at first not being able to see anything let alone the pale wizard in front of her. He used his wand and released her from her bonds and she pulled him into her grateful embrace. He hurried her toward the door as the hexes continued. The smoke screen had been quite effective as he shuffled her out of the shack. Hermione had gotten a good distance when she saw Draco, Harry, and Ron scramble out of the smoke as well.

The group had took off heading for the hill when a spell had hit Sebastian and pulled him back. Hermione stopped and turned around. Sebastian glared at her knowing what she had been intending.

"No!" he shouted. "Forget about me...run!"

Hermione grabbed his hand and attempted to pull him to his feet. Draco, Harry and Ron stopped running as well. They cast a few hexes McNair's way. This had not been the setting Sebastian wanted for them if they had to do battle. There was too much room for Bart Jr. to utilize his copy spell. Like some line in a predictable bad movie, Bart Jr. had done just that splitting himself into four copies.

Draco cut the invisible line that held Sebastian down. The raven haired wizard got to his feet and got his wand ready. They were going to have to fight until they could get a clear shot for escape. Hermione stood surrounded by the boys on all sides. She had been the clearly weaker combatant with her own wand out of play.

They group cast hex after hex battling McNair and Bart Jr.'s copies.

In the heat of battle they had separated with their focus being on their respective opponents. Sebastian found himself once again locked in a show down with McNair. Harry, Ron, and Draco had been battling Bart Jr.'s copies. Hermione was sticking close to the group as Sebastian had instructed but there was still the matter of Bart Jr.'s fourth copy and original self.

The battle had been quickly becoming one sided. With Bart Jr.'s copies making a good deal of trouble for the group. Hermione had been tired of feeling useless while her friends were in the thick of battle. She suddenly got an idea. She ran over to Ron dodging hexes as she reached the red haired wizard.

"Ron." she said.

"Kind of busy Mione." he replied not taking his eyes off Bart Jr's copy.

"I can see that Ron." she replied trying to bury her annoyance. "Listen I know how to even the odds."

Ron cast a few hexes at two Bart Jr. copies.

"I'm all ears." he said.

"It's really simple Ron, just cast the aquatic charm we all learned in Flitwick's class." said Hermione.

Ron thought about it as he continued to cast and deflect hexes.

"The one where Sebastian nearly flooded the classroom?" he asked.

"Yes." replied Hermione. "Only don't do it correctly and include Bart Jr's name in the incantation."

Ron deflected another hex.

"Aqua sphaera Bart Jr." said Ron waving his wand violently.

Just as it had in Flitwick's class water shot out of the tip of Ron's wand and swirled until it condensed and folded into a sphere. The red haired wizard watched it only for a moment turning his attention back to Hermione.

"Now what?" he asked uneasy.

"Release it." replied Hermione.

Ron flicked his wand and the water sphere flung forward growing in size and velocity. Bart Jr. had been unimpressed by the display. He tried to blast it out of the air but it only served to make it grow and it locked on to him. Ron looked at Hermione and smiled knowing what was going to happen next.

"Mione, you're bloody brilliant." he said approvingly.

"I know." she replied casually. "You'd better go help Harry."

Ron nodded and took off toward the spot where Harry was battling his own version of 's copies. Two of the Bart Jr copies had been engulfed by the large water sphere that rolled freely down a hill with them imprisoned inside screaming. Hermione smirked as the ball continued to roll out of view. Slytherin indeed.

Draco had hexed his copy of Bart Jr without hesitation driving it into the snow screaming in pain. He had been holding his own rather well. The memory of what these low level scum did to him at Hogsmead fueling his need for vengeance no doubt. They had caught him off guard then and he would not be so careless as to allow it to happen again.

Harry had appreciated the assistance from Ron as they hexed Bart Jr.'s copies into next week. Hermione had leveled the playing field with her bright idea and the tide of battle was taking another turn. Sebastian had been busy deflecting and countering hex after hex from McNair. The raven haired Slytherin had been more than a little enraged at the moment.

"You ready to admit that your father's a coward kid?" taunted McNair. "The great Severus Snape couldn't even be bothered to save his own son from the big bad death eaters...probably hiding behind Dumbledore as we speak."

"Shut your mouth." said Sebastian irate.

His obsidian eyes gleaming with hatred.

"What's the matter Little Snape, you don't like to hear the truth?" continued McNair.

"Every word out of your filthy mouth is a lie." said Sebastian.

"Severus Snape is nothing but a COWARD." said McNair. "It's times you face acts."

Sebastian bristled at the word coward and McNair took notice.

"Oh.." he said pleased at his deduction. "Does that word bother you...Little Snape?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about." replied Snape.

He cast a few hexes in McNair's direction. The death eater blocked them with ease.

"Now who's lying?" asked McNair with another toothless grin. "COWARD!"

Sebastian's anger had gotten the better of him and he had not noticed that Hermione had been making her way toward him. Enraged he cast the very hex that had been used against him. A mistake on his part. A very costly mistake. Before the words had left his lips McNair had already been planning his next course of action.

"Sectumsempra!" shouted Sebastian irate.

McNair deflected it. The hex whizzed passed him and hit Hermione who froze where she stood. Sebastian's eyes widened as the impact of his actions hit him full on.

"No!" he shouted as the agony took hold of him.

Hermione's amber eyes met his obsidian. Blood had started to fall from her dripping into the white snow below almost as if it had been in slow motion. The white ice became pink and then crimson. Sebastian had been hit with hex after hex while his attention was on the sandy brown haired Gryffindor witch.

Harry, Ron, and Draco had looked up from their various battles to see both Sebastian and Hermione fall to the ground. They had been unable to assist their friends with Bart Crouch Jr. keeping them busy making even more copies of himself. Hermione had been lying in the snow unable to speak or move. Pain had riddled her small body and the utter chill of the snow seeping into her clothes had not been helping. Her blood continued to pool around her as she slipped slowly out of consciousness hearing the pain filled screams of Sebastian Prince ring in her ears.

The tide of battle had once again shifted and the death eaters had the advantage.

Draco, Ron, and Harry had found themselves slowly being overwhelmed by Bart Jr.'s copies. They had all been brought down and unable to defend themselves. Sebastian could only look at Hermione as McNair had moved in for the kill.

"EXPELLIAMUS!" shouted a familiar baritone voice from out of nowhere.

Draco looked up to find that the original Bart Jr had been flung a vast distance into the trees. All of his copies had been dragged with him. The young albino wizard grabbed his wand and scrambled to his feet. Harry had down the same as did Ron. They could not believe their eyes when they caught a glimpse of a raven haired wizard draped in all black.

"Professor Snape!" shouted Harry pleased beyond belief to see the dour potions master.

"Uncle Severus!" shouted Draco forgetting himself in his moment of immense joy.

"The Greasy Git finally shows up." said Ron.

McNair had been only seconds from ending Sebastian Prince's life when he felt the pointed end of a wand in the back of his neck. He froze upon hearing the familiar baritone drawl of none other than Professor Severus Snape.

"McNair." said Snape in a gruff tone. "What have I told you about picking on someone your own size?"

The death eater had been quite helpless.

Sebastian looked up at the two wizards. His obsidian eyes fell on Hermione. He had to get to her. She had been bleeding out quite a bit and it wouldn't be long before she had completely lost consciousness. The younger raven haired wizard crawled over to her feeling his own body weaken from all the damage he had taken.

McNair held up his hands as Professor Snape glared at him. His obsidian eyes filled with immense hatred as he took in the sight of the death eater.

"It's so good of you to join us Severus." taunted McNair. "It's a pity Malfoy isn't here to enjoy our hospitality like his son."

"Shut your mouth McNair." replied Snape irate.

"I was just recalling a bit of your history with your secret son over there." said McNair. "He didn't seem to take it too well when I called you a... COWARD."

Professor Snape bristled at the word much like Sebastian had.

Hermione had been in a bad way by the time Sebastian reached her. He scooted her close to him and lifted her carefully into his lap taking her out of the freezing snow. She could only look at him as the regret had been clearly etched across his pale face.

"I'm so sorry, Hermione." he said softly. "I-I didn't mean for this to happen."

The bushy haired Gryffindor could only let the tears continue to fall down her rapidly paling cheeks. Sebastian stretched out his hand letting it hover over her.

"Accio wand." he said.

Harry, Ron, and Draco had snapped out of their shocked states and made their way over to Hermione and had been utterly shocked to see their friends covered in blood and looking quite ghastly.

"Sectumsempra." said Harry recognizing what had happened.

Draco drew his wand.

Harry did as well.

The two rivals took their places on opposite sides of Hermione.

They looked at each other and nodded.

"Follow my lead." instructed Draco.

Harry nodded.

Sebastian tightened his grip on both Hermione and his wand.

"Ready when you are." he said focusing.

"Vulnera Sanentur." chanted Draco while waving his wand.

"Vulnera Sanentur." repeated Harry doing the same.

"Vulnera Sanentur." chanted Sebastian following their lead.

Ron watched as the spell began to take effect. Slowly the blood seemed to collect back into Hermione's body.

"Vulnera Sanentur." chanted Draco.

"Vulnera Sanentur." chanted Harry.

"Vulnera Sanentur." chanted Sebastian.

Hermione had begun to look much better as the three wizards continued. It wasn't long before she had been fully restored. Exhausted and battle weary Harry, Draco, and Ron sat next to Sebastian while he held Hermione in his arms in the snow.

McNair and Professor Snape had started dueling. Hex after hex flew between the two older wizards.

"You should be ashamed of yourself McNair." said Snape coolly. "Attacking defenseless children...seems to me like you're the real coward."

McNair growled at this. His rising anger made him sloppy and Professor Snape was quick to capitalize on his weakness. The death eater McNair found himself overwhelmed.

"Langlock!" shouted Professor Snape.

McNair's tongue had been trapped to the roof of his mouth preventing him from saying another spell.

"Expelliamus!" shouted Professor Snape.

McNair flew through the air dropping his wand in the process. The professor followed him with his own wand trained on him intensively.

"Levicorpus!" he shouted.

The death eater McNair had been suspended in mid-air. The professor cast a body bind charm on him that held him in place and turned his attention to the battle weary students.

Everyone looked down as Professor Severus Snape made his way over to them. His face had been expressionless but the rage behind his eyes had been evident.

"Stupid children!" he growled. "Just what did you think you were doing!"

"W-We were only trying to save our friend sir." said Harry.

"The three of you are lucky you have not been killed!" said Professor Snape irate.

The students looked back down at the ground. Sebastian had not taken his eyes off Hermione. He had not cared about what happened to him as long as she had been alright.

"If there are any consequences to be paid let them fall on me." he said looking up into the eyes of the Professor for the first time.

Professor Snape looked back at the young raven haired Slytherin. Obsidian meeting obsidian. They had resembled each other a great deal. So much so that it blew Ron and Draco away to look at them both at once.

"Get back to Hogwarts all of you." growled Professor Snape.

The group made their way to their feet. Hermione clung to Sebastian. Without another word and various cracks of thunder, the students had left the abandoned shack and the death eaters behind.

Professor Snape disappeared with a final crack of thunder appearing at the ministry of magic building and dropping off a bound McNair and then he disappeared again. The students all ended up back inside the gates of Hogwarts castle. They broke off on their own and made their way to their respective rooms. They had seen enough action for one day. Some had been curious when Professor Snape had not returned with them.

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Elsewhere...

Raven hair had bubbled and rippled like molten clay. The pale lean form of Severus Snape grew in size and tanned pleasantly. The towering height shrunk a few inches and the staggered walk gave way to confidant poise. Obsidian faded into gray as the Polyjuice potion started to ware off. After a few moments of shifting and changing. Governor Lucius Malfoy stood in the center of his study unbuttoning the numerous buttons that lined Severus Snape's usual attire.

"Really Severus..." he asked out loud in frustration as he got to the last button. "How can you stand to wear this atrocious garb?"