10 minutes, 57 seconds...

Harry was quite uncomfortable with his new appearance. Grinny had tried his very best to alter Harry's looks. Unfortunately Grinny was not the most experienced house-elf in human Transfiguration.

"Bloody hell." Harry muttered under his breath. He really should not have looked in the mirror. His normally unkempt black hair was now a vulgar shade of maroon. Instead of his mother's bright green eyes, he had cold grey ones that were set a bit too far apart. Grinny has also managed to spread his thin frame into a rather large bulk. In all, Harry now resembled a demonic version of Dudley. As if the regular Dudley wasn't unappealing enough...

"Did Grinny do a good job, sir?"

Harry could hear the hope in Grinny's voice, and withheld his honest opinion. After all, Harry would have had no chance without the elf.

"Why, yes Grinny!" Harry beamed, hoping he looked as convinced as he sounded. "Now, what about you?"

A loud 'POP!' answered Harry's question. Where the house-elf had once stood now sat a rather ugly grey kitten. It meowed at Harry expectantly. After a moment, he bent down and scooped up the mangy animal. With a few strokes of the kitten's coarse fur to keep it calm Harry deposited it into his pocket.

There really is no other way, is there?

When no answer came, Harry and his newfound "pet" headed out the back door.

7 Minutes, 12 Seconds...

It was almost like the Professor was back at Hogwarts. The exception in this case was that now he had to deal with two full grown men bickering like spoiled brats. Over, of all the ridiculous things, who looks the least like a Muggle in their current attire. True to Severus' word, they had Apparated to a small and filthy alley with nary a soul in sight. How long that would last would depend on how quickly the Potions master could get Malfoy and McNair to cease their incessant squabbling.

"My robe! How dare you blame my robe, Walden! Do you know how many Galleons unicorn hair costs! I doubt you could even count that high!"

"I was merely observing, Lucius, that it certainly does not look like any Muggle material that I've ever seen."

"Oh, I see...You are the Muggle Authority, are you now? That is quite a shock, Walden. I was under the impression you were a mighty rodent slayer for the Ministry...

"Silence!" Snape commanded.

Both turned to shoot murderous glares in his direction. At least they were blissfully silent. Snape considered it an even trade.

"What? You do not even stop to consider that arguing rather loudly about robes, unicorns, and Muggles will attract more attention then your appearances?"

Severus was pleased with the dawning looks of comprehension on his companions' faces. He consulted the map and beckoned his 'comrades' forward. Snape could feel the puzzled looks and stares of the Muggle passerby as the three made their way down the tree lined street. He surveyed the current surroundings and came to an interesting conclusion. The dwellings all seemed nearly identical. It seemed quite odd to Severus. He distinctly recalled that Muggles have a great need for individuality. He glanced behind him to ensure those two fools were not drawing anymore attention. To the contrary, they both had quite an ill look upon their faces and were completely subdued. Severus had an inkling as to what may have caused their sudden change in demeanor.

They probably had never seen so many Muggles in one area before.

He had many times, in fact. His father liked to take him to Muggle dominated areas when he was a child. 'Know Thine Enemy' was one of his father's oft-repeated phrases. The elder Snape also enjoyed telling Severus that Muggles were like ants-tiny and insignificant in the grand scheme of things. Truly a saint of a man, telling a four year old that the life of another human being was unimportant.

Severus was so engrossed in thought that he did not even see the Muggle child rounding the corner at a rapid speed until they collided. The impact sent Severus straight into the sidewalk. As he rose to his feet, the Muggle began to stammer out an apology.

"So...sorry, sir! I didn't even see you until it was too late."

Severus cringed at the high, nasal voice. He found himself glaring at a rather large and unsightly Muggle boy. Something began to issue sick sounding mews from the boy's pocket.

"That's just my kitten, Snuffles." The Muggle's intense look surprised Severus. He was staring directly in Snape's eyes. He did seem familiar...

"Snuffles is just angry because he let a rat get away." The boy stressed.

With one last searching glance at Severus' face the boy resumed his near run down the street.

Strange, Snape thought. It was like that beast of a child was waiting for something from me.

"The great Head of Syltherin House knocked flat on his back by a digusting Muggle child?" Malfoy looked as if he had been named the Minister of Magic.

"The others will have to hear about this, won't they, Walden?

McNair nervously cleared his throat. "Well...you....I..

Deciding to spare the Ministry executioner from trying to discern whose wrath he would most like to avoid, Severus reminded them that the clock was ticking away.

"Do you think that your little tale will amuse the Dark Lord if we do not return in time with our charge, Lucius?" Snape whispered. "The exercise of this mission is to bring Potter back to the Dark Lord in one hour. If you wish to fail, please keep up your conversation. If not, follow me."

They were now only four houses away from the address on the parchment. Severus could just imagine the look on Potter's face when three Death Eaters landed on his doorstep. Hopefully the foolish boy could restrain himself from making any comments that would give Snape away to the others.

As the three crouched down into the camouflage of the shrubbery of 4 Privet Drive, thoughts of the strange Muggle boy floated in the back of Severus mind.

"We cannot just barge in through the front door, Severus." McNair stated. "We do not want to arouse any more suspicion."

"I agree, Walden." Lucius interjected.

As Malfoy and McNair began to discuss possible ways of entry, Snape was struck with a wild though.

The house is empty.

Impossible. Albus always said that the boy never went anywhere.

Ah, but he did, didn't he? You saw him.

Where in Merlin's name did I see the Boy-Who-Lived-to-get-me-killed?

My gods, the Muggle boy...

No wonder the child was so odd. He must have changed his appearance, somehow. That poor excuse for a cat may have been some sort of magical creature that aided Potter's escape.

Severus sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time since this whole wretched day had began.

I usually do not indulge in such whims of fantasy. I must be getting too soft headed for this. My life would be far too simple right now if Potter had somehow been forewarned of our visit and left the house of his own accord. Much less disguised as a massive Muggle boy with a cat named...

Snuffles.

A cat named Snuffles who was mad because he could not catch a rat.

3 Minutes, 3 Seconds

The 'cat' in Harry's pocket was now howling with enough fervor to wake the dead.

"I don't know if Professor Snape recognised me, all right? I couldn't exactly announce myself, now could I?"

Grinny mewed as if he was asking a question.

Harry didn't know for sure what the house elf wanted to know, but he had a fairly good idea. He responded in a rather weary tone.

"This area is heavily warded by Dumbledore, and Mrs. Figg's out buying cat food. Knowing her, she could be gone for hours. Your magic may be strong, Grinny, but I don't think we could Apparate safefully. I am guessing the only Apparation point around here is the small alley down the street that the dementors appeared to come from last summer. That is where we are headed now. I think Professor Snape arrived there, and that is where he'll have to return. I still don't know where to Apparate to, anyways. I don't want to put anyone else in danger."

This seemed to satisfy Grinny for the moment. He began a horrid purr in Harry's pocket.

As the unlikely pair turned down the narrow alleyway Harry could feel the poor house-elf begin to tremble.

"Don't worry, we'll be safe here for now. Voldemort has sent his little search party already."

Harry reached into his pocket and began to stroke the kitten's mangy fur. He spotted a large dumpster and figured it was good enough to conceal them. He still was unsure of what he was waiting for. A small voice in the back of his head reminded him.

Professor Snape, the greasy git of Hogwarts who loathes you. He's your only chance.

The thought gave him little comfort.

2 Minutes, Ten Seconds....

As far as planning goes, Severus Snape considered himself to a master of the art. His current concoction, however, was certainly not a masterpiece. It simply would have to do. McNair and Malfoy had resorted to peering into every window on the lower level of the house when Severus had reminded them that excessive magic would attract unwanted attention. He also warned them that although he had got them through most of the wards, he could not guarantee that he had bypassed them all. What he failed to mention is that he purposely triggered a low level ward the he felt would not be detected by the Dark Lord. It would also not be noticed in enough time by the Order to be of much assistance. He had no choice in the matter at hand. He could not risk disrupting a stronger ward because he feared the Dark Lord would feel the shift in magic and arrive with an army of his followers. The boy would stand no chance against an onslaught of armed Death Eaters swarming the area. Severus believed that Potter was more than likely still nearby.

"I cannot see a thing!" complained Malfoy. "We will just have to go through the back door."

When they entered the kitchen, the grim silence told them that the downstairs was empty. Not surprising, since they had all seen the shattered front window. Severus volunteered to venture upstairs first, explaining that Potter was more likely to trust him alone. Once Severus was on the second level he entered a small bedroom on his right.

Retrieving his wand from his billowing robes he proceeded to put his plan into action and aimed at a small nightstand.

"Confringo Fractum!"

The nightstand exploded into pieces. The fragments narrowly missed embedding themselves into Snape's face. He crept behind the solid oak door and waited.

"Severus?" a voice hissed from down below.

Receiving no reply, Lucius groaned. "We have to go up there, Walden. If we return without Potter and Snape we are as good as dead."

Severus strained to listen for McNair's response. After what seemed like an eternity, he heard light footsteps slowly heading in his direction. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. There would be no going back now.

If this fails, I am doomed. We all very well might be.

His hand tensed on his wand with the heavy knowledge of what he was about to do. A light curse would not work, and he was fully aware that he could not take both down at once. He had to attack one at a time and would have precious few seconds before the other realised what had transpired. He needed to shock the one left with his wits intact as much as possible. It really would be his final day as a spy. He did not find it to be as liberating as he had envisioned.

The pair he had been waiting for slowly came into the room with wands drawn. They focused their immediate attention on the shattered remnants of the table as he had anticipated. Their backs now exposed to him, he could waste no more time. He slowly raised his wand and took aim, steadying his shaking hand as he went.

Merlin, have mercy on me. I am as damned as the words on my lips.

"AVADA KEDAVRA!"

Sorry, Time is Up.....

"You know, Nagini, I really do not suffer those who fail to be on time well. I suffer traitors even less."

The massive snake slithered around her master's chair and hissed her complete agreement.