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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, all rights go to J. K. Rowling.

ABANDONED

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Snape jerked the strand of hair from his face irritably. He scanned the desolate clearing one more time and sighed. Would he ever find the boy?

He sighed and apparated. There were a million more places he still had to search...

It was hours and nighttime before Severus stopped to rest. He collapsed on a large rock and sat on it. He buried his head into his hands and it looked like he was about to weep bitterly, sitting on a rock in the middle of nowhere.

Where was Potter?

Severus just sat, his head buried in his hands, and thought of places to search. A sudden thought hit him as if he had been punched.

The warehouse!

The place he and his friends had Death Eater meetings sometimes...

Severus had a very strong feeling that Harry was indeed in the warehouse. He didn't know why but he just knew.

Well? It wouldn't hurt to try.

XXX

"Have you found him, Severus?"

"I have a hunch as to where he is, Dumbledore. But I'll need some back-up. Can you and Minerva apparate here?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"We'll be here. But we should go in the morning, Severus. It is late now. We may be at a disadvantage."

Snape flushed. "What if something happens to-"

"Severus, calm down. This is for our own safety. If we go now, no one will be at a disadvantage but us."

Morning could not come slower. Severus hardly slept. After the fire-call with Dumbledore, he just felt more and more restless. At times he would comb his fingers through his hair until they were tangled and greasy. He repeatedly contemplated going alone, but then realised that he may be outnumbered. It would be good to have Albus Dumbledore on your side too.

Finally, the first sunbeams of morning arrived. Severus washed and changed (he was in a hotel) and waited for Dumbledore and Minerva.

The two of them arrived a while later, looking tense.

"Where?" Minerva began.

"Follow me." Severus said, determinedly. "I know where he is."

XXX

Harry screamed and kicked as the strange man picked him up. He hadn't shaved and he looked angry. "Why aren't they here yet? They said they'd be here!"

Harry punched the man's face and got a painful slap in return. He was thrown on the bed while the man went to the window to inspect the surroundings.

"They better hurry," the man muttered.

Harry didn't know what he was going to do. He screamed some more as the man began to tie him up.

XXX

Severus, Minerva and Dumbledore arrived at the spot some while later. It had taken a while for Snape to locate it. He could see the abandoned warehouse now. It was as dirty and secretive as ever.

The last time he had come here had been to join his mates for a drink. Now it would be to search for the son of Lily and James Potter.

He burst in through the door, wand raised. The house was silent. Was anyone even here? Had he been wrong? Severus stared around the broken-down room.

"Where? Here?" Minerva panted. "Severus, are you sure this is the place?"

"We need to search," Snape said desperately, trying to ignore his partner's looks of disappointment and disbelief.

Severus searched two rooms and found nothing. He didn't give up though. He kept going. Finally, he heard some noise from a shut door. Opening it gingerly, he suddenly ducked as a hex came flying at him.

Looking up, he saw a demented-looking man shooting hex after hex at him. He didn't have time to draw his wand. A hex hit him right in the stomach. Severus doubled up. But then Dumbledore and Minerva came running. A cleverly aimed spell later, the man had fallen to the ground.

Severus looked around the room and found Harry-tied up and crying, bloody and dirty.

"Potter," he breathed. Minerva rushed to untie him. He was in an awful state. The baby kept crying out his name.

Snape felt such a rage that Harry had been hurt in such a way that he didn't know what he was doing.

He had walked up to the man lying on the floor. Seeing his cold, blue eyes, he recognised him at once-it was Avery.

He slapped Avery before the man could curse him.

"Get away! YOU'RE A TRAITOR!" Avery screamed. "The boy should be dead-"

"How dare you treat him like that," Snape's voice was cold and trembling with fury. "Crucio," he said, his days as a Death Eater influencing his decision. 

Dumbledore and Minerva gasped as Avery suddenly began screaming. 

"Severus, stop it! Stop it now!" Minerva shrieked, but Snape was too far gone to notice. He was going to punish Avery for hurting Harry, for daring to tie him up.

Dumbledore reached forward but still Snape did not stop. Finally, Minerva pulled him away and shook him. "Stop it! Stop it now!"

Snape looked at her as if in a daze. "He deserves it-he hurt him-"

"You shouldn't use an Unforgivable! You're not a Death Eater anymore!" Minerva looked close to tears but she didn't let them spill. "Severus, I know you're angry, but please don't do this."

Snape coloured. "But-"

"We need to question him." Dumbledore said, calmly. "Everybody please step aside."

Snape shot Avery a hideous look and went to tend to Harry. Harry hugged him tightly and wept into his shoulder.

Dumbledore raised his wand and said, in a calm voice, "Who are you?"

"As if I'd tell you!" Avery hollered, jabbing his wand.

Dumbledore blocked the hex and sighed. "This is going to get us nowhere,"

"I have some Veritaserum in my coat pocket." Snape remembered. "Do you want me to use it?"

Dumbledore's face lit up. "Yes, that might help-"

"Never!" Avery shouted. He stood up. "You have no authority to touch that brat! He's the reason the Dark Lord is gone! Us Death Eaters were at the peaks of-"

"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted. Avery's wand flew out of his hand and he fell to the floor with a thud. He was unconscious.

"How dare he!" Snape began, face flushing in anger.

"Severus, please hand me the Veritaserum." Dumbledore looked pitying as he looked at the fallen man.

Snape did so, the clear liquid glimmering faintly.

Dumbledore tilted Avery's head and emptied the small bottle into his mouth. Then he stepped back and muttered, "Enervate,"

Avery awoke slowly.

"Okay, let's begin...Were you a Death Eater?" Dumbledore asked.

"Yes." Avery mumbled.

"Why and how did you kidnap Harry Potter?" Minerva spoke suddenly.

"I thought killing him would reawaken the Dark Lord. I've been spying on him ever since I spotted him in a grocery store one day. I saw the scar. I lurked around Snape's house, near windows, trying to get a good opportunity to get the boy. I sent that dizzying spell so he could be distracted-I then tried to get Potter, but he began to cry so Snape got him...I was trying once again, yesterday, but Potter managed to yell for help. But then Snape had a little tantrum and stormed out of the room-I kidnapped the boy. I was about to kill him-"

Snape made an angry sound.

"But I wanted to show my fellow Death Eaters what I had caught," Avery muttered. "They never came. I'm not sure why,"

Dumbledore sighed. "You will be going to Azkaban, of course...even though I don't approve of that place..."

Severus cut through. "He deserves it. He tried to hurt Potter. He's a madman." Harry, who was still crying, felt Snape smoothen his dirty hair.

Avery didn't say anything. But he suddenly made a move for his wand, pointed it to himself, and called: "Avada Kedavra!"

Everyone was frozen still. 

Avery's lifeless body dropped to the floor, the wand rolling out of his hand.

"Why did-" Snape burbled.

"I don't think he was in his right mind." Minerva said, grimly.

"It's good he died, anyhow. You would have been in trouble, Severus, if he told anyone about you." Dumbledore said. "About your loyalties."

"Evrus..." Harry croaked, crying.

"Let's go home." Snape held Harry close, guilt making him shut his eyes. "Potter is in a state."

Minerva and Dumbldore looked at the pair of them.

"I'll dismiss the Aurors." Dumbledore said. "Will you come with me, Minerva?"

Minerva smiled tightly and nodded.

Snape bid the two of them farewell and apparated with Harry back to their house. Harry stared up at him with sleepy, hurt and...mistrustful eyes.

Snape's heart seemed like it was wilting. He suddenly did something that he would never have done if all of this hadn't happened.

He hugged Potter, kissed the top of his head, and said, "I'm sorry."