Potions and Snitches
Snape and Harry Gen Fanfiction Archive

Chapter 8 - Visions

Sirius placed a handful of Galleons on the counter.

“Hope my godson likes this,” Sirius said to the overly eager store clerk. He ran a hand across his face to make sure his glamour charm was still in place. To all the Wizarding world he looked like a non descript man with a moustache and brown eyes. He reached out and took up the crisply wrapped gift.

He ran a hand over the package before shrinking it and putting it in his pocket. He was glad that the store had been able to obtain and sell him the very last Nimbus 3000 available in all of the Wizarding world. At least he would be able to offer something to his godson to make him feel better. He wished he could relieve Harry’s intense pain like Snape was able to do.

He tried not to let the thought of Snape bother him but he knew it would continue to eat at him. It hurt to think of Lily putting so much trust in Snape and not in him. He’d known for some time that Lily had never fully trusted him, thinking he was irresponsible and somewhat adolescent.

He thought about the past four days and how he had been forced to stay at home to nurse Harry. Frankly, he had been going stir crazy! He was just passing the Leaky Cauldron when he thought maybe a little drink, before going back to that mausoleum of a house, was just what he needed.

The bar was almost vacant when he sat down at an empty table. He ordered a fire whiskey straight up. The drink went down so smoothly, taking the edge off his anxiety. It hadn’t been easy tending to Harry, twenty four hours a day without so much as a break. He took his time over the second drink, contemplating how his life had turned into such a wicked mess.

The overwhelming responsibility of raising a teenager was hard to comprehend, especially being responsible for raising the savior of the Wizarding world! It wasn’t that he didn’t want to take over raising his godson, it was just that he didn’t know if he would be able to stand the scrutiny he’d be under from so many concerned people. Merlin help him if Molly Weasley ever found him falling short of the job! Not to even mention having Albus Dumbledore watching over him now!

The third drink was finished before the barkeep had even stepped away, so the fourth drink was ordered promptly. Maybe Lily had been right in giving Snape the job of sheltering the teen?

In his inebriated state he was unaware of his glamour slipping, exposing the face that continued to be plastered around the village as an “escaped convict“. He was also unaware that two men in black robes had taken a seat at the nearby bar.

Sirius placed the empty glass down on the table before standing up on unsteady legs. He checked his pocket for the wrapped broom before leaving a few galleons on the table. It took a few tries to get the brick wall leading into Diagon Alley to open up.

He crossed the busy street, sloshing through a large puddle in the road. He took the short cut on his way to the joke shop, weaving his way through the crowds to go down a back alley.

He didn’t see the three wizards blocking the other end of the alley way until he was almost upon them. It took him a moment to realize the men were not about to move for him. He felt the anti-apparation spell pushing down on him and knew he was in trouble. He immediately grabbed his wand as he turned to escape. The other end of the alley was now blocked by two Death Eaters along with a tall cloaked figure with blazing red eyes!

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Snape stirred the new healing potion, the blue smoke rose gently in the air filling the kitchen at Grimmauld Place with the smoky smell of burning wood. This potion was twice as strong as the previous healing potion, sufficiently strong enough to knock out the infection running through Potter’s burned back. He looked at the clock hanging on the wall over the stove and wondered again where in Merlin’s name Black had gone off to. The stupid man should have been back hours ago. Obviously Black had little regard for Severus’ own schedule.

He was continually astonished at the immaturity Black displayed. It was just so typical of the obtuse man to forget to give Potter his potions these past four days, causing the unfortunate teen to acquire an infection. He was hard pressed to leave the ailing boy in the hands of one so irresponsible.

He huffed in frustration as he thought of the blood bond gaining in potency. He could feel something akin to concern for the teen and he didn’t like it. He had fought against focusing on his growing unease for the boy’s wellbeing these past four days. No matter how he had tried to convince himself that Potter was not his worry, but his treacherous thoughts continually refocused back on the wretched boy. What the bloody hell had Lily been thinking when she had cast the blood bond?

He cooled down the potion with a flick of his wand before picking up the small cauldron and heading up to check on Potter. The boy’s fever had risen slightly over the past few hours but not enough to be overly concerned about.

He pushed the bedroom door open, thinking he’d find the teen still asleep but was shocked to find Potter kneeling on his bed with his hands clutching his forehead, moaning in pain.

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The images filling Harry’s head were frightening. He could see Sirius being tortured by a group of Death Eaters. The Death Eaters were taking turns casting Crucio on Sirius as Voldemort stood by watching. Harry could feel Voldemort’s satisfaction with each Crucio cast.

He could feel the pressure on his scar lessen and the vision began to fade when Snape entered the bedroom.

Harry didn’t want to lose the vision and lose sight of Sirius! He focused on taking in every last detail surrounding the area Sirius was being tortured in.

He could hear Snape calling his name but squinted his eyes shut tighter as he tried not to lose sight of the vision. The first recognizable place he spied in the vision was the backdoor to Borgin and Berks. The sign on the door was fading and chipped but he could still make out the words.

He was suddenly pulled out of the vision when Snape reached out and shook his arm. He collapsed on the bed, panting to regain his breath again.

“Potter!” Snape pulled the boy up to look at his face, gripping his arms, “Potter, what has happened?”

Harry reached out and gripped the potion master’s robes, “It’s Sirius! They’re - Voldemort and a bunch of Death Eaters are torturing him behind Borgin and Burks!! We’ve got to go help him!”

“What did you see? How many did you see?!”

“I dunno, maybe five or maybe more! Hurry, Snape! We’ve got to hurry before they kill him!” Harry pushed away from Snape, stumbling as he made his way to the bedroom door. He was caught from behind by a strong hand gripping his arm and pulling him back.

“Potter!” Severus pushed the sick boy back onto the bed. He gripped the teen’s shoulders, pushing the boy against the pillows, “Potter, for once in your wretched life, stay put and let someone else deal with this! I will contact the Order!”

Severus called forth the defiant house elf, “Watch this boy, make certain he does not leave this bed or it will be your head!”

Kreacher begrudgingly nodded, grumbling as soon as the dark wizard left the room.

Severus sent a patronus to contact the Order members, directing the members to meet at the Leaky Cauldron.

One minute after he left Grimmauld Place, Harry came stumbling down the staircase with his wand clutched tightly in his shaky hand.

Kreacher chuckled quietly as he watched the boy-hero escape through the kitchen floo. The last thing he heard was the blood traitor boy calling out, “Borgin and Burkes!”

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The moment Harry Potter shoved open the back door of Borgin and Burkes, he was swiftly grabbed up and port keyed away. The last thing Sirius Black was aware of was Voldemort’s eerie laughter ringing throughout the alley.

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By the time the Order members arrived to the alley, they found it to be completely empty.

Chapter End Notes:
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