When Harry opened his eyes, the first thing he was aware of was darkness. Utter and complete darkness. He squinted, trying to see, but to no avail. What on earth was going on here?

Suddenly, his eeys snapped open as he remembered: the invisibility cloak, sneaking into Hogsmeade, his friends...

"Ron, Hermione?" He called softly, his voice dry. "Draco?" The only answer were empty silence.

He concluded that he was alone in this room, wherever this was. Fighting down his panic, he tried to think logically.

They had been captured by Death Eaters. That was the obvious part: who else would do such a thing? Now, to escape would be more difficult. Reaching into his robes, he found that his wand was gone, just like he had expected. If only he could speak with his friends...

Of course! Harry felt like slapping himself for being so stupid. His hand grabbed the star-shaped pendant hanging around his neck as he whispered the activation code. "Rising Phoenix." The pendant glowed slightly as his fingers pressed onto the glittering emerald jewel.

A second later, a voice came through. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ

ႧDraco!Ⴇ Harry said in relief. ႧAre you alright?Ⴇ

ႧI'm fine,Ⴇ the blond said, although he sounded slightly confused. ႧEr... do you know where we are?Ⴇ

ႧI have a pretty good idea. First of all, though, tell me, what kind of room are you in?Ⴇ

ႧI'm in a large, brightly-lit room,Ⴇ came the reply. ႧIt looks pretty luxurious: there are a lot of painings hanging around on the walls."

Harry frowned slightly. ႧInteresting,Ⴇ he said. ႧI'm in a pitch black room, so I don't know what it looks like. Draco, can you open the door?Ⴇ

There was the sound of rattling, then a reply. ႧNo, sorry. It seems as if I'm locked in. So where do you think we are?Ⴇ

ႧI think we're in some kind of Death Eater hideout, where Voldemort is,Ⴇ Harry replied as calmly as he could. ႧLook, Draco, don't panic. I have to talk to the others, okay?Ⴇ With that, he turned and pressed his fingers to the ruby.

After ten minutes of talking, Harry discovered that both Ron and Hermione were safe, albeit a bit uncomfortable. Taking a deep breath, his fingers reached down and pressed onto the hard, black garnet.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*SEVERUS' POV*

I walked out of the Great Hall, sneer plastered firmly on my face. I had just come out of lunch. If Dumbledore hadn't "persuaded" me to come out, I wouldn't be eating here at all. Taking several points at unfortunate Hufflepuffs, I reached the dungeons, pulling open the door to my quarters. I was about to begin marking the latest pop quizes when I suddenly felt something on my neck glow hot. My fingers reached down to clasp onto the glowing garnet as I whispered the activation code. ႧHello?Ⴇ

ႧSeverus?Ⴇ A familiar voice said. I recognized it immediately.

ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I called. ႧWhat's wrong?Ⴇ

ႧEr... I don't know how to tell you this, but...Ⴇ the voice hesitated slightly.

ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I asked, worry tinging my voice. I can't help but feel concerned. I admit, I've been rather... overprotective of the boy. ႧJust tell me what's wrong.Ⴇ

ႧYou see... we're not at Hogwarts right now.Ⴇ

It took a few moments for the implications of the words to sink in. When it did, I inwardly groaned. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I commanded firmly. ႧTell me where you are.Ⴇ

ႧI'm not exactly sure where we are.Ⴇ

ႧWe? Who's we?Ⴇ

ႧMe, Draco, Ron, and Hermione.Ⴇ

Severus groaned out loud this time. ႧOkay. Do you have ANY idea where you are?Ⴇ

ႧI... er... I think we were captured by Death Eaters.Ⴇ

I froze. ႧSebastien?Ⴇ I asked. ႧAre-- Are you hurt in any way?Ⴇ

ႧNot yet. Just a few bruises right now.Ⴇ We both heard the undertone in his statement. I knew what happened to the prisoner of Death Eaters: ninety-five percent of them ended up dead.

I'd bearly finished my thought when my left arm suddenly began to burn. ႧHe's call--Ⴇ I began, before remembering that Sebastien didn't know about the mark. ႧI mean, I'll tell Dumbledore immediately. Just hang on, alright?Ⴇ

ႧI'll try my best,Ⴇ came the grim reply as we both cut off our conversation. Cursing, I raced towards Dumbledore's office, throughly worried. I barked out the password as I swept inside.

"ALBUS!" I called loudly. The next second, the older wizard appeared from nowhere. "Severus?" he said, noticing my disheveled appearance. "What's wrong?"

I quickly explained about the situation. "I have to go," I said. "Voldemort's calling."

Albus just nodded. "Good luck, Severus," he said, handing me four feathers. "There are all portkeys to the Hogwarts Infirmiary. The activation passwords are 'Order', 'Light', 'Phoenix', and 'Serpent'. If you see the students, try your best to bring them back. If you can't manage, we'll try something else.

I nodded as I tucked the feathers into my robes. I hurried to the outside of the Hogwarts wards, standing by the clearing. Taking a deep breath, I clutched my left forearm and Apparated.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Harry had just broken off the connection with Severus when he saw a faint light coming towards him. Quickly stuffing the necklace under his shirt and casting a wandless invisibility charm on it, he waited.

A second later, a man dressed in Death Eaters attire approached him. Harry could tell by the white-blond hair that it was Lucius Malfoy.

"Malfoy," he stated calmly. Inside, he was both anxious and scared, but he was determined not to show it.

"Frostpine," came the sneer. The name was spat out like a curse. "How nice of you to join us.:'

"What are you planning to do to me?" There was no fear or anger in the phrase, just a simple sentence.

Lucius sneered once again. "Much as I would like to chat right now, the Dark Lord is waiting. Come." The older man waved his wand and Harry found himself bounded. The blond grabbed his arm and began dragging him down the corridor.

They ended up in an empty, large hall. There were only twenty or so members gathered around in a circle. The Inner Circle. His eyes searched the group of Death Eaters, finally landing on a tall, slim figure. Long, black hair could be seen behind the mask. Severus.

And standing in the middle, between all of the robed figures, was Voldemort.

"Ah, young Frostpine, not too keen on dying, are you?"

Harry smirked. "I'ld rather die than serve you, Tom." To show his contempt, he spat at the man's feet.

Gasps rang through the room. Voldemort looked up, eyes glittering cruelly. "I would punish you, Mudblood, but that will not hurt you. However, I know something that will." He turned to a robed figure. "Bring them in."

A second later, two other figures were brought in, bound by ropes. Harry's heart clenched painfully as he saw Ron and Hermione.

A blond figure followed after them in a more dignified way. Draco. The Slytherin's seemed to stumble as he looked up and saw his father and Voldemort, both looking at him.

"I will torture your friends here, Frostpine," The Dark Lord said to Harry. "You will hear them scream and know that it is you whom have caused the pain."

Harry felt a flash of rage run through him. "What do you want, Tom Riddle?" He asked harshly. "Stop playing games with me."

"I want you to serve me," the man said, laughing chillingly. "And your friends shall force you." Turning, he looked at Lucius. "Lucius, it's time for your son to prove himself."

"Draco!" Lucius said. "Come here."

Draco Malfoy looked utterly horrified, but obediantly went to his father. Harry could see that his legs were shaking.

"Ah, my young Dragon," the Dark Lord said, sneering. "You father is one of my most loyal servants. He has been with me since the ripe age of sixteen. Now, it is your turn. Here is your challenge: torturing your enemy. This is a chance to prove yourself, Draco. Make them scream. Use the Cruciatus."

The Slytherin shook with fear as he took the offered wand and walked over to Ron and Hermione. He opened his mouth to say the spell. "Cru--" He stopped as he froze. No, he couldn't do this. Couldn't... He slowly lowered his wand.

á‚“Draco! What the hell are you are doing?á‚” Lucius hissed. á‚“Hurt them! You hate them!á‚”

The blond just shook his head and stepped away from Ron and Hermione. "I-I can't," he whispered, stammering. "Please, I just c-can't."

"YOU CAN'T?" the elder Malfoy yelled. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, YOU CAN'T! This is your chance, Draco. Do it, and you'll be able to join the Dark Lord."

"I---Then I don't be a Death Eater," the blond stammered nervously, although a determined look was on his face. "I won't do this."

"Lucius. What is the meaning of this?" Voldemort growled.

"My apologies, my Lord," Lucius said before turning back to his son. "YOU! DO IT NOW! YOU WILL CURSE THEM AND BECOME A DEATH EATER!"

á‚“I WONá‚’T!á‚” Draco shouted defiantly.

á‚“CRUCIO!á‚”

The silver beam of light shot from Lucius' wand towards Draco. The younger boy stiffened, ready to be hit any second, but Harry would have none of it. Quickly muttering a shield, he wandlessly shot it at Draco.

The Cruciatus Curse bounced off of the shield and headed back towards Malfoy senior. Lucius, seeing it coming, dodged to the side. The curse bounced off of the wall and faded.

Lucius was about to speak again when Voldemort raised a hand. "No need, Lucius," the man said. "We'll deal with your son later. For now..." he smirked cruelly as he turned to Harry. "Since you have stopped Draco from doing this, I will do it myself." The Dark Lord stepped up towards his friends, raising his wand. "You're friends shall suffer for what you have one, Frostpine."

Harry bit his lips as he closed his eyes, not bothering to retort. He knew one way he could keep his friends safe. To be truthful, it was the only way.

Concentrating on his elemental magic, Harry send a wind shield, wrapping it around Hermione, Ron, and Draco. This was one of the strongest shield the Founders had taught him, able to repel even the Killing Curse itself.

"CRUCIO! CULTER! SCINDERE!" The three Dark Spells shot towards Harry's friends. Closer and closer... Harry prayed the shield had worked. Otherwise, this was going to be painful.

The curses hit the shield and evaporated into the air. Gasps rang through the room as Harry sighed in relief. It had worked.

"YOU!" Voldemort said, turning to him. "How DARE you...." There was a moment of silence before Voldemort suddenly smirked. Turning to his Death Eaters, he said, "As you have seen, young Mr. Frostpine here has been so... protective as to sacrifice himself for his friends. Well, let's allow him to finish what he has started, shall we? Since we can not play with his friends, we shall play with him instead. You have two rounds to have fun with him in anyway you like. I will be watching. Begin!"

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*SEVERUS' POV*

Damn it!

Why?

HOW?

Dear Merlin, why on earth did this have to happen?

Maybe this was just another part of my punishment for all the wrong I've done before. Maybe.

I watched as Voldemort made his 'speech' to his followers, my mind freezing. Two rounds. That would last at least three hours. I didn't know how Sebastien would be able to survive all this. He was only a child, only sixteen, for heaven's sake!

I looked down at the boy again. He was bound tightly by ropes, the strings entwining around his arms, over and over again. As I watched, the Dark Lord snapped his finger and the ropes dropped to the ground.

Lucius stepped up, wand in hand. "You shall pay," the man hissed. "For taking my son away from me. Crucio."

I watched in horror as the beam shot forward. It wavered slightly before shooting in, hitting Sebastien squarely in the chest. The boy writhed around, but he didn't scream.

Damn it, why didn't the boy use a shield, or his healing powers? I watched, almost as if in a trance, as Death Eater after Death Eater went up, shouting in latin: Frangere, Crucio, Peccatum, Angere... Each time, the curses wavered slightly before hitting Sebastien. I felt nauseous as I suddenly realized why the boy wasn't using his powers: he had tired himself out forming the shield for Weasley, Granger, and Draco. The child was now too weak to do anything but form half-shields.

My turn drew nearer and nearer. Finally, I stepped up, my legs feeling as though they would collapse. I pulled out a potion from my robes as I met those icy blue eyes. I hesitated. I couldn't do this, no I couldn't.... I could never forgive myself for doing this. I couldn't. But I desperately needed time.

Those blue eyes continued to stare at me, unwavering. For an instance, I thought the boy recognized me. But it couldn't be. Sebastien didn't know I was a spy, did he? Loosing myself for a second in those orbs, I was surprised to see no fear or anger. Just serenity. Acceptance. I shuddered. How could I do this? I was about to turn away when the boy looked at me and slowly nodded.

Slowly, I stepped forward and kneeled down, opening Sebastien's mouth. The boy didn't struggle at all. I poured the potion down his throat as I stood back up.

There was as moment of silence. Suddenly, the boy began to scream. I squeezed my eyes shut behind my mask, silent tears falling down my cheeks. At that moment, I loathed myself more than any other time in my life. How could I do this? To an innocent child, no less.

My hands clenched into fists as Sebastien continued screaming. I had used the Ossis-Scissura potion. In other words, the Bone-Tearing Potion. It caused the victim's bone to shatter into tiny pieces before growing back, due to the Skele-Grow ingrediants. And believe me, it was painful. Very painful.

The boy continued to scream endlessly as I closed my eyes. I wanted to die in shame. I deserved to die. I knew that for sure now. I could hear Voldemort's cruel laughter ringing through the air, mingling with the screaming.

The screams slowly faded as the potion wore off. Looking down, he saw that the boy's eyes were on him again. As he watched, the icy orbs flashed fiery emerald for a second before returning to their normal blue. The child wasná‚’t pleading for mercy or pity. He eyes seemed to pierce through mine, just like Albus' had done...

I closed my eyes, praying the boy would last. Would live. Stepping back, I watched numbly as the next Death Eater stepped up.