Minerva paced back and forth. She didn’t know how long she would be in this room. She was still puzzled by what Aberforth said. How was she insurance?

The only thing that comes to mind thinking that she was being used as insurance was her son. Someone is making Severus do something he wouldn’t ordinarily do. The question is, what.

Minerva continued to pace a few more times when the reason revealed itself to her. Harry. They think that Severus has something to do with Harry. Maybe why Harry was missing, if they believe that Severus has Harry, then holding her hostage would be the incentive to have her son do what they want.

She needed to find a way out of this place. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard the lock click on the door. Minerva stepped back from the door but didn’t sit down. She watched as someone walked in. She was surprised by who walked in.

“Good afternoon, Professor.”

“Why are you here?” Minerva asked. She stared up at the blond aristocrat in front of her.

“Professor McGonagall,” Lucius tsked. “There’s no need for hysterics. I would never get my hands dirty.”

“I’m not hysterical,” Minerva said, smoothly. “You were always a pompous fool even when you were in school. Thinking that everyone was supposed to bow to you.”

“Now, why would you say those harsh words to the person who is going to release you?” Lucius asked smoothly.

“You’re releasing me?” Minerva asked. Her brow quirked upward.

“The jobs finished,” Malfoy said, walking further into the room. “Your involvement is finished. Stupefy.”

Minerva’s body flew back against the far wall and slid down to the ground.

___000___000___000

Draco was sitting in his room. He wanted to stay invisible to everyone in the house. He didn’t like that the Dark Lord was in the house along with his aunt. His aunt scared him all his life. Having Voldemort in the Manor now was a nightmare.

An elf popped in Draco’s room.

“Master Draco,” Tippy said. “the Dark Lord be wanting you.”

All the color drained from Draco’s face. He didn’t want to go, but if he didn’t, Draco knew he would be punished. What he would give to have his Uncle Sev and Aunt Minnie with him now.

Draco walked into the library. Again, Voldemort was sitting in the chair close to the fireplace.

“Come in, Draco,” Voldemort said.

Draco walked over to the chair. Standing next to Voldemort gave Draco a shiver up and down his spine. Voldemort held out a pale white bony hand to the chair opposite him. Draco took it as an invitation to sit. Doing so, Draco kept his gaze to the floor with his hands clasped together.

“There is still a month and a half before you go back to school,” Voldemort said.

Even though it sounded like a question, Draco knew it was a statement, so he kept his mouth shut.

“Your task I want you to do is…”

Draco walked back to his room in a daze. It can’t be. He couldn’t. It was impossible. Why her? Anyone else but her.

Tears blurred his eyes; he was going to die. He just knew it. There was no way he could do this and be successful. Draco knew he needed help. It was just there was no one alive that would or could help him.

___000___000___000

Severus landed in Grimmauld Place with Poppy in his arms.

“What happened?”

Severus looked up and saw Remus coming towards him.

“We were attacked in the Infirmary,” Severus said. Remus helped Severus hold Poppy. “We need to go to St. Mungo’s. I don’t know what spell that went through my protection charm.”

Seconds later, Severus and Remus side-along apparated with Poppy in their arms to St. Mungo’s.

“A little help here,” Remus called out.

A few medi-witches and healers rush towards them, taking Poppy from their hands.

“What happened?” one of the healers asked.

“We were attacked,” Severus said, “She was hit with an unknown curse.”

Severus and Remus followed until they couldn’t go any further. They stood and watched the door that Poppy was taken down. Remus turned and put his hand on Severus’ shoulder, urging him to walk away.

They were attacking his family, Severus thought. What is going on?

Remus and Severus went to the waiting area. They sat in silence for a while before Severus started talking.

“How did it go with Harry’s relatives?”

“Yeah,” Remus sighed. “Don’t ever have me do that again.”

“What happened?” Severus asked.

“Do you know how hard it was to keep Moony at bay?” Remus said. “It was a good thing that the full moon was last week.”

“Did you check on Harry before you left?” Severus asked.

Remus smirked, looking at Severus. This was the same man that complained about Harry the entire year he worked at Hogwarts.

“What’s so funny?” Severus growled.

“I didn’t know you cared about Harry,” Remus said, smiling.

Severus harrumphed as he got up from his chair.

“I’m going to stretch my legs,” Severus said.

Severus walked out of the room, hearing Remus snicker behind him.

Severus sighed as he walked down the corridor. He didn’t understand these new feelings he had for the child. Severus no longer saw him as a spoiled brat flaunting his fame around everyone. He was a vulnerable child, just wanting to be loved and cared for. Severus can still remember how he felt when he saw Harry’s bruised, broken body on the ground of that tunnel. Or when he held the child when he and Poppy had to pop his arm back in its socket. He could still hear the sound in his head.

Severus was brought out of his musing when he heard rushed movement at the end of the corridor. When he walked towards the chaos, he saw who the Healers were fussing over.

“Mother,” Severus whispered.

“What happened?” Severus asked, his voice louder. “What happened to her?”

“Sir,” one of the medi-witches said, walking over to Severus. “You need to stay back.”

“That’s my mother,” Severus growled. “Now, what happened?”

The poor medi-witch got firsthand why Severus Snape incited fear in his students: being referred to as the evil bat of the dungeon. The blood ran cold in her veins.

“What happened?” Severus said again.

“We’re trying to find out,” the medi-witch said. “I will come and get you when we know more.”

Severus watched as they rolled his mother in the same double doors Poppy went through. Severus turned back down the corridor. Remus came out of the waiting room and saw Severus storming towards him.

“What happened?” Remus asked.

“Mother’s here,” Severus said. “She was taken to the back.”

___000___000___000

Bellatrix and Fenrir stumbled into Hog’s Head Tavern.

“That blasted Half-blood,” Bellatrix cursed.

She was cradling her arm against her chest. She walked over to the far end table. A trail of blood followed.

Fenrir stumbled to the other side of the table where Bellatrix was sitting.

“Are you going to live?” Fenrir asked though his tone didn’t register if he cared or not.

“I’ll be fine,” Bellatrix sneered.

“What happened to you two?”

Bellatrix and Fenrir looked to see the hooded man that gave them assignments walking towards them.

“Nothing you should worry about?” Bellatrix said.

“Oh, really,” the man said, walking over to Fenrir was sitting. “Move,” he ordered.

Fenrir just looked at him, defiance in his eyes. He was the alfa wolf; he didn’t take orders from anybody.

The hooded man stood in his spot for a second before waving his hand. Fenrir was tossed out of the chair across the room, slamming into the wall. Bellatrix had a look of surprise on her face. The hooded man sat down as if nothing happened.

“Now,” he said. “You say there is nothing to worry about.”

“Yes,” Bellatrix said.

“Well, then tell me why Poppy Pomfrey is now being taken care of at St. Mungo’s?” he yelled, slamming his fist on the table. “She is supposed to be dead.”

He looked down and saw that Bellatrix was bleeding. Gripping her arm tightly, Bellatrix gritted her teeth to keep from yelling out. When he let go of her, her arm was healed.

“Since you two are incompetent to take out Poppy Pomfrey. There is no reason to have you try again. As long as she is in St. Mungo’s, she is protected.”

“We can finish the job,” Bellatrix said. “She just had help the last time. If we had her alone, she would be dead.”

“Help? What kind of help?”

“Severus Snape,” Bellatrix said.

The hooded man cursed under his breath. “You can’t kill either one of them now.”

“Yes, I can,” Bellatrix said adamantly.

“Now, that Snape knows Poppy is targeted,” he said. “He will not leave either her or Minerva unprotected. You really screwed up.”

He sighed. He looked over to where the werewolf landed. He waved his hand, waking Fenrir.

“Get over here,” the hooded man ordered. “I have one more place I need you to go.”

Fenrir sat down next to Bellatrix. The wolf said nothing.

“Where are we going this time?” Bellatrix asked.

“No. 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging,” he responded.

“Who’s there?” Fenrir growled.

“You’ll see when you get there,” he said. “You will go tomorrow night.”

___000___000___000

 “What? Where has she been?” Remus asked.

Remus was happy to know that she now safe, but the question now is: who would take her?

“She was unconscious,” Severus said, shaking his head. “I have to wait. They took her back to where Poppy is.”

Severus started pacing in the room. There was silence between the two wizards. Remus broke the silence.

“Did she look okay?” Remus asked.

“She looked asleep, but…” Severus said, shrugging.

He didn’t finish his thought because a medi-witch came into the room.

“Mr. Snape,” she said. “I’m Sarah.”

Severus and Remus walked over to her.

“How are they?” Severus asked.

“Matron Pomfrey suffered some internal injuries,” Sarah said. “But, she’s stable.”

“My mother?”

“She was stunned,” Sarah said. “She’s awake and resting comfortably.”

“Where are they?” Remus asked.

“I’ll take you to them now.”

Sarah turned back out of the room with two wizards following. It didn’t take long to get to Minerva’s room.

Before they went in, Remus asked, “Where Poppy?”

“She’s a couple of rooms down,” Sarah said.

“I want them in the same room,” Severus’ ordered.

“I don’t think that will be possible,” Sarah said. “It’s against the hospital—”

Severus turned around, facing the small woman. He started advancing on her. Remus put his hand on Severus’ chest to keep him from moving more.

“I don’t care what your policies are,” Severus growled. “They are going to be in the same room.”

“You can’t scare the staff,” Remus whispered in Severus’ ear. “I’ll talk to whoever is in charge and see about getting Poppy in Minerva’s room.”

When Remus stopped feeling resistance from Severus, he turned his attention to Sarah.

“Take me to your Administrator,” Remus said.

The fear in Sarah’s eyes expressed that she was ready to get away from the imposing man in black.

“Uh, this way,” Sarah said.

Remus clapped his hand on Severus’ shoulder and followed Sarah down the corridor. Severus took a few deep breaths. He didn’t mean to jump down the poor girl’s throat. It’s just been a stressful day. He had no idea how his mother was going to react to him when she saw him. Did she still feel disappointed in him?

Severus opened the door. Minerva was lying on the bed resting. Severus never felt as nervous as he does right now. He has faced the Dark Lord, and Dumbledore and his palms didn’t sweat like this. A part of him wanted to turn and leave the room before his mother opened her eyes.

His plan of leaving evaporated when his mother opened her eyes.

“Severus,” Minerva said.

The last person Minerva thought she would see was her son. She hadn’t seen her son since Harry went missing from the Infirmary. She was so worried about what was going on.

“Oh, Severus,” Minerva said, holding out her arms, beckoning her son to come to her. “I was so worried about you.”

Severus was confused. But he slowly walked towards Minerva. When he got close enough for her to reach him, she pulled him into her arms, hugging her adopted son tightly.

“I’m so happy to see you,” Minerva whispered in Severus’ ear. She kissed his temple. She pushed Severus arm’s length so she could get a good look at her son.

Severus was confused. She was the same person that didn’t want to see him again. Part of him was shocked that she was holding him. Another part felt like trash because he was clinging to her. He tried to push down both feelings. His mother was here, in his arms, safe and sound.

“Where were you?” Minerva asked again.

“I thought you were angry with me,” Severus said.

“What? Why?” Minerva asked.

“You said I disgusted you,” Severus said. “I told you I had to take Potter back, and you got angry.”

“So, you did have Harry?” Minerva asked.

“Of course, I had Harry,” Severus said, moving away from Minerva. “You knew I had Harry. You told me in my lab that you were disgusted with me because I took Harry back.”

Minerva had never seen Severus act like this. He never backed away from her. She looked at his face, and she could see the fear in his eyes.

“Severus,” Minerva said. “When did I ever say I was disgusted with you?”

Severus looked at Minerva as if she had two heads. Why was she acting like she didn’t remember? She was the one who said it.

“In my lab,” Severus said.

Minerva looked at her son. Something is not right.

“Severus,” Minerva said. “The last time I saw you was when you, Poppy, and I had tea in my chambers.”

“That’s impossible,” Severus said, his brow furrowed. Then as if a light lit the darkest part of a cave, Severus realized what happened. He closed his eyes and lowered his head.

Albus, Severus thought, angrily. He is determined to drive a wedge between us.

Just as fast as the anger flowed through Severus’ veins, relief flooded just as fast. His mother wasn’t disgusted with him. He didn’t have to doubt if his mother still loved him, cared for him.

Without saying a word, Severus walked back to Minerva and fell into her embrace again. For the first time since he got out of school, he buried his head in her shoulder. Out of everything Severus has been through, knowing that his mother still loved him, lifted a huge weight off his heart. For the first time in a long time, tears streamed down his cheeks.

TBC