Antiquity's Corollary by gonnabefamous
Past Featured StorySummary: At Lily's request, Albus Dumbledore has kept a secret from Severus Snape for 17 years. When Dumbledore learns that this secret plays a vital role in the war, however, it is Snape who is left to deal with the consequences. As Harry's true parentage is revealed, both his and Snape's futures become uncertain. The two must learn to work together in order to survive. PreHBP.
Categories: Parental Snape > Biological Father Snape Main Characters: .Snape and Harry (required), Draco, Dumbledore, Ginny, Hermione, Ron
Snape Flavour: Canon Snape
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Family
Media Type: None
Tags: None
Takes Place: 6th summer
Warnings: Alcohol Use, Torture, Violence
Challenges: None
Series: None
Chapters: 58 Completed: No Word count: 401010 Read: 379382 Published: 28 Jun 2005 Updated: 11 Oct 2015
The Weight of the World by gonnabefamous

Chapter 8

The Weight of the World

xxx

A closer look at Harry proved grotesque. One eye was purpled and swollen shut over his eye, and one of his earlobes was slit right up to the center. Blood was seeping from underneath his bangs, and cuts lined his jaw where he had clearly been hit too many times. His nose was surrounded by dark, dry blood, but luckily, it had not been broken. All down his bony chest were black and blue bruises, and his arm was bent at a sickening angle. Blood soaked his left pant leg, and the foot on the same leg was too swollen to properly fit into a shoe.

Grimacing, Severus carefully slid his arms underneath the boy's broken body, lifting him from the ground. He kept one arm carefully positioned underneath Harry's neck, and the other under his knees. He took care to hold Harry's bent arm to his body to prevent further damage. Once satisfied that he would not harm the boy by carrying him, Severus set off towards the potions lab, rapidly searching his mind for a plan.

He would never be able to get out and make it very far with the boy in this condition, and his magic was not enough to help the child. Voldemort would surely notice their absence, and they would be caught. What Severus needed was a diversion, though he couldn't think how to create one. Furthermore, he couldn't leave the boy's side; he was in a most unstable condition.

Pushing this thought aside, he hurried into the potions lab that had been created deep within the mountain. It contained nearly every potions ingredient known to man, and a few that most people didn't even know existed. However, as a rule, no actual potions were kept in this room. Over the years, the Dark Lord had learned that when he "punished" Severus and then sent him to work on a potion, he had easily been able to treat his afflictions with one of the wide variety of potions he'd created. As a result, the Dark Lord had ordered any actual potions to be kept in a separate room, to which only he could give access. All potions ingredients were kept stock of, so that no one could use them without the Dark Lord's knowledge.

Severus gently laid Harry onto the cool, tile counter, and pulled out his wand. He performed what small healing spells he could do without being detected, hoping to stop the bleeding and some of the pain. It helped; after a moment, Harry groaned and moved his head, but gave no other sign of response.

"Potter?"

Harry mumbled something inscrutable, not opening his eyes.

"Potter," Severus said, not sure if the boy could hear him. "Whatever happens, I need you to struggle if another Death Eater shows up." He paused, ready to explain the plan he'd only just thought of. Before he could say anything else, however, Lucius Malfoy had arrived.

To Severus' relief, Harry immediately did as he'd been asked to do, even though he was only on the brink of consciousness. He used all of his strength to try and push himself off of the table, and Severus immediately sprang forward to stop him. Though Harry was weak, he still tried with all his might to do a good job of faking an attempted escape. Within moments, however, Severus had feigned slamming him back onto the table, and Harry took this as his cue to go unconscious again.

Severus held Harry down for a moment, secretly checking to see if he'd hurt the boy. Once convinced that he'd not caused further injury, he released Harry and straightened back up, turning to face Lucius.

"What are you doing down here, Lucius?" snarled Severus, begrudged by his appearance.

"The Dark Lord wishes for someone to assist you," Lucius said, raising an eyebrow dubiously and glancing behind Severus to the now truly unconscious child on the lab counter. "So I volunteered. I know how you hate strange people in your labs."

"How courteous of you," Severus grumbled, sweeping over to the shelves containing cauldrons. He selected a large brass cauldron with a flat bottom and set it upon the counter. Lucius watched in interest as he then began to select the ingredients he would need to start the potion.

Severus skimmed the shelves, book in hand, for the Ebil leaves. He had shortly found them next to the Essence of Moonwade, when he had a stroke of genius. Looking up, he saw Lucius watching him, and said, "So, Lucius, has Draco been studying hard this summer?"

He knew how much Lucius loved to brag about his son, and was right in guessing it was the perfect topic to distract him.

"Oh, yes." Lucius responded, looking quite smug. "It's been quite a productive summer. He's finished learning volume six of our Dark Arts books, and is moving on to seven. Also, he wrote an extra essay for potions… which I'm sure you'll be happy to count as extra credit."

As he knew Lucius would expect, Severus gave him a pleased smirk.

"Of course," Severus said, hiding his annoyance. "You know I'm always pleased to help, he is my favorite student after all. Besides," He paused, and changed his tone to a more disparaging one. "I'm hoping he'll be given head boy next year, and that dunderhead Dumbledore places so much emphasis on grades. I'll be damned if I see another Weasley as head of the school."

Lucius nodded contemptuously. "Yes," He said. "We've already got one in the ministry, and look how that's going. I've been trying to convince Fudge to get rid of that sad excuse for a wizard years now, and still he won't budge."

Severus took this opportunity to discreetly slip the bottle of Ebil leaves into his robe pockets. He looked up quickly to check that Lucius hadn't seen him, and saw that he hadn't. Severus looked back down, frowning. "It seems we have a problem," he said. "Wasn't there supposed to be one bottle of Ebil leaves left?"

Lucius looked at the inventory list he'd brought with him. "Yes," he said charily. He walked over to the shelf. "Why, isn't it there?"

"No," said Severus, looking perplexed. He then turned to Lucius. "Well, I haven't got to add the leaves for half an hour; have the leaves to me by then."

Lucius' eyebrows slowly rose. "Since when did I start taking orders from you?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "I don't think the Dark Lord will especially welcome my presence when he asked me to come down here and make this potion. Besides," He paused and glanced at Harry with a sneer. "I have to make sure he" he jerked his head irritably in Harry's direction, "doesn't escape. You know what a nasty habit of his that is."

"You're sure they're not there?" Lucius asked suspiciously, peering at the shelf.

"And just what are you accusing me of, Lucius?" Severus said softly.

"Nothing at all," Lucius said, not entirely convincing. "Just a curious disappearance."

"Quite understandable actually," Severus said nonchalantly. "They are used in a number of healing potions. I wouldn't be surprised if someone thought they were being clever, sneaking in here and stealing them."

"Well, we'll see about clever." Lucius said, before turning and heading out the door.

Once he was gone, Severus rushed back to Harry. He was still breathing; Severus could see the slow rise and fall of his chest, but he had really fallen back into a state of unconsciousness. Thinking fast, Severus reached into his pocket, and pulled out a small coin. It had the same effect as the coins Hermione had charmed the previous year; Dumbledore had thought it a rather clever idea and modified them for use of the order. Severus flipped over the coin and engraved it with the letters K.S.

The coin could be used as something of a portkey; one order member could call another, and the receiving order member could use the coin reach the place where the other was undetected by any wards that had been raised to guard against outsiders.

Within moments, Kingsley Shackelbolt had appeared, and once he saw where he was, his expression showed that of deep concern.

"What is it Severus?" Kingsley whispered, his back turned to Harry. "The key started burning a hole in my pocket, I figured it meant you needed me right now…"

Severus nodded curtly, and indicated for Kingsley to turn around. He did, and barely withheld a gasp, only stepping back in shock. He slowly turned back around and looked at Severus in question.

Severus explained. "From what I gather, they captured him somewhere near the school. The thickheaded boy was probably wandering somewhere he shouldn't have been."

"That doesn't explain-"

"As is the nature of the Death Eaters," Severus continued, a dangerous edge in his voice that warned Kingsley not to interrupt. "Once captured, he was most likely tortured with the instructions only not to kill him or damage his heart; this his condition plainly implies. I haven't much time to explain everything, but the momentary problem is the Asterisus Potion- you know what that is?"

Kingsley nodded.

"I thought so." Severus said gravely. "The Asterisus Potion is what they need him for."

Kingsley froze, eyes wide. "What do you need me to do?" He said after a short moment.

Severus looked around to ensure they were alone, and then launched into a rushed overview of the plan. "I sent Lucius Malfoy up to collect a supply of Ebil leaves, which are currently in my pocket. I am the only one who knows how to get out of here unnoticed. I am going to take Potter and get him to Hogwarts; you need to stay here and pose as me. You've done so before, and you're the only person I trust not to blow my cover. If Voldemort demands that I make the potion with another of his enemies, it will be ineffective with your blood, and it will be a year before he realizes."

Shackelbolt nodded solemnly, looking at Harry. "What shall I say happened?"

"When we first arrived down here, I instructed Potter to struggle against me, and so when Malfoy arrived, it seemed I was having a difficult time controlling him. You would be best off saying that he somehow activated a portkey he and Dumbledore must have set up." Severus finished quickly, with slight satisfaction at how quickly he'd managed to think up such an elaborate plan.

"You've been at this too long, Severus." Kingsley said, shaking his head. "You have the identity potion?" asked Kingsley, motioning for the vile he knew Severus was about to pull from his robes.

Severus nodded and retrieved it from the bundles of black.

"I've made a few upgrades," he said, handing him the potion, "so it should last about thirty six hours per dose. You've built up immunity, so you should be alright to drink the whole thing."

Kingsley looked at the vial in apprehension for a moment, then downed the potion in one gulp. "You had better be going." He said. "It may take you a while to get out of here with him."

Severus nodded darkly, unable to restrain the nerves jumping around in his stomach at the thought of the impending task. Delicately lifting Harry from the counter, Severus turned to Kingsley. "Be careful." He said.

"And the same to you, my friend." Kingsley said, appearance slowly starting to change. "You carry with you the weight of the Wizarding world."

And so he did.

xxx End Chapter xxx


To be continued...
End Notes:
Thank you very much to everyone who is reading!


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