Last time: After Albus invited the person in, the door opened to show a proud witch who was quite tall. Her hair, which cascaded far down her back to stop at her knees, was a curious mix of black and white. Her face was slim, with high cheekbones. Instead of being dressed in the usual wizard's garb however, she was dressed in a tunic and pants.

Albus smiled, and began speaking "Ah, I was expecting you yesterday. Severus, I would like you to meet...."

"..Kayala. She is a Ingredior(Walker)." Kayala glared briefly at Albus, before bowing to Severus. He, in turn, returned the bow. He said in his silky baritone "Isn't an Ingredior something like a cross between a mercenary and the muggle's Interpol?" Albus chuckled lightly as the witch drew herself up with indignation. Severus was in for a tongue lashing.

"You, sir, have some nerve. We may be similar to Interpol, but we are not mercenaries! Whatever quest we perform, it's of our own free will, and we don't charge a knut!" Kayala said in a surprisingly low voice. One might almost call it a chocolaty voice except for the fact that it was icy. Severus looked slightly stunned before his mask re-applied itself. He responded "If I have offended you, I apologize. That wasn't my intent."

Kayala nodded slightly, accepting his apology. She sat down in the seat that Albus had conjured while they were bickering. Albus smiled, and began talking "Kayala here has been doing some free-lance spying. Now don't get your knickers in a twist, Severus. She can ask questions you can't because of your position." Severus still grumbled a bit, but looked mollified. The witch then proceeded to tell them what she had found out. Her news was grim indeed.

"You're sure of this, Kayala?" asked Albus. When she nodded, he began to pace. It was to this scene that Snuffles ran in. His barking was urgent, but it was apparent that none of them understood. Looking to Albus, he transformed into his human form when he received the elder wizard's nod. Ignoring the shocked look on Kayala's face (and the disgusted look on Severus') he began to talk as fast as he could without the words bunching together "Lucius Malfoy is in the Courtyard. The children are down there!"

It was this more then anything else that got the adults to move. No one asked how Sirius had gotten up there so fast. It didn't matter since Harry and Draco were in danger. Taking the Floo down to the Great Hall, they ran outside. They got there as Lucius was fleeing the scene. Moving with surprising speed and agility, Kayala soon had the wizard pinned. Severus, Albus and Sirius ran over to see how the children were.

***

(Shortly after Lucius cast the spell and before the adults arrived)

Draco quickly checked Harry, finding that his friend was merely unconscious. The spell had worked as it was suppose to. Not that that was a good thing, but it was better then if Harry had ended up dead. He thought to himself Hold on Harry. Just hold on. He then looked up at his sire, and growled "Get out of here now!" He truly looked like a feral ermine just then. Lucius backed up, realizing who he had just hexed. If he didn't get out of there before Albus came out...

He began to run for the gate, intent on getting off Hogwart's grounds. Then, he would Apparate to wherever the Death Eaters went to hide. He wasn't prepared to feel himself getting tackled from behind, or pinned for that matter. Looking over his shoulder as best he could, he was surprised to see it was a witch who had pinned him. If he struggled just right, maybe he could over-power her. But he found that he could barely move at all, so strong was the witch's grasp.

Draco looked up, glad to see that the adults had come at last. He gasped slightly, at seeing Sirius Black. Shaking his head slightly, he scolded himself for being foolish. Harry's memories stated easily that Sirius was innocent of the crimes he was accused of. Instead of making any issue about the Animagus, he called out "Uncle Sev! Harry was hit by a spell!" In his urgency he forgot decorum completely.

"Which spell?" Severus asked in a calm, if rushed, voice. Oddly enough he had been the one to make it to Draco and Harry first. As such, he'd knelt down to check over Harry's condition before Sirius could arrive or protest. Siri glared at Severus, but didn't say a word. His godson's life was more important then his pride; even he knew that. "Firmus vestri monumentum" Draco stated to the Potion Master's question. Sirius and Severus exchanged a glance, both appearing baffled(odd look for Sev.) Dumbledore also had heard the spell, and blanched. It seemed as if he had lost his tongue for the moment hearing the spell.

"What spell was that, youngling?" asked Kayala, who was walking up behind a bound Lucius. When Draco repeated the spell, she cursed softly. She mutters "So we have evidence at last to put this one away. Terrible though that it had to be a child who provided the evidence." Both of the men who were hovering over the children were still confused. Sirius spoke up "Excuse me, but what does the spell do exactly? You and Albus seem to know, but unless I'm mistaken in my guess you're both older then me and Snape here."

Kayala seemed to be about to gather herself to tell them when Draco spoke up, of all people. "Firmus vestri monumentum means 'Relive your memories'. If the spell hits and works properly it does just that to the person under the spell. In effect you go through each and every significant memory, reliving each sensation associated with that memory. For someone like Harry, it means feeling pain as well. One could go mad if unsupported during the week long remembering period." As Draco finished speaking, all the adults(except Lucius) had turned pasty white. It was an all too accurate description of what would happen to Harry.

The witch murmured "As such it is illegal to cast on children that haven't come of age. A single cast is twenty-five years worth in prison. And not Azkaban either. Because this is such a major crime, it involves the Ingrediors. Youngling, would you consent to providing your memories of all the times this one" here she jerked Lucius cruelly "has cast the spell on you as well as this time that he cast it on your friend there?" Severus and Sirius both were glaring at Lucius, the former because he realized what Kayala meant by her words, the latter because the spell had been cast on his godson.

Draco nodded, and Kayala proceeded to put the given memories into vials and stoppering them. She grinned grimly at Lucius, stating "This time, Malfoy, you won't be able to pull strings. Come along." With that she pushed Lucius to the gate. He was going to be leaving the grounds, but not as he had planned it. The Death Eater knew that his time as a free man were numbered, and just hoped he could clear up some things before it all came crashing down around his wife's ears.

The three remaining conscious wizards proceeded to take Harry to the Infirmary. There he was put on a drip to a Nutrient Potion, and left with Draco guarding him. The adults went into the corridor to argue for a bit. It was finally decided that Severus (much to the disagreement of both Sev and Siri) would enter Draco's mind, and then follow it down the connection to Harry's. It was risky, as they were not sure that it could be achieved that way. But neither were they sure if Severus could enter Harry's mind directly, and none were willing to let the matter go without adult supervision. That's how those two always got into trouble in the first place. Sirius was blaming himself for Harry's condition because he hadn't been there, despite being told not to be foolish by the Potion's Master.

Severus rolled his eyes at the Animagus, and stalked back into the Infirmary. He stopped briefly to watch the sight before him. Draco had taken Harry's hand, and was worriedly watching his bond-mate. His eyes seemed slightly unfocused, as if he was trying to connect with the panther's inner mind. Severus reflected that those two were as different as day and night, and yet had found a common past in each other. Shaking himself out of his reflection, the Potion Master approached the two on silent feet.

"Draco" Severus said softly, earning a startled stare from his student and godson. Looking slightly disapproving that Draco had been caught off guard, he let it slide. He continued speaking "It's been decided that the best way to help Potter is to try and follow your bond to him. Which means I'll have to enter your mind." Draco looked slightly surprised that it would be Severus doing the task, but nodded in acceptance. Without further ado they both made themselves comfortable. It was going to be a long week, and it was best if neither of them came out of the trance they were going into with a crick in the neck.

Severus spoke softly "Legilimens!" The spell allowed him to enter Draco's open mind. Gently, with much care, he made the connection he would need if this were to succeed. Once the connection was formed, the ermine led his godfather to where the bond was. It formed itself as a golden/green cable that exited Draco's mind. Draco followed along this, and Severus kept pace with him. They were on their way to helping Harry. Hopefully their help would be enough to keep the Gryffindor safe. Severus' last thought before they entered the panther's mind was Lily, let me be able to help your son.

***

They came upon a memory that was already in progress:

~ A small raven haired child who looked to be no more then four ran into what appeared to be a kitchen. The muggle clock on the wall stated that it was 7:00 a.m. Green eyes looked up briefly towards them, as if sensing their presence. They then turned to the stove, and the child proceeded to make breakfast. At precisely 7:10 a horsey looking woman came into the kitchen. She said in a hoarse whisper "Vernon didn't get in till late last night. He is going to be in a bad mood, so keep your head down." The child nodded, while concentrating on the eggs. Five minutes later a whale of a man came in, followed by what looked to be a pig standing on it's hind legs.

"Boy, my breakfast better be ready or you'll regret it!" snapped the man. The child, who was now barely recognizable as a young Harry replied "Yes, Uncle Vernon." Well that said who the whale was. Which meant the pig must be Dudley. Harry finished making breakfast, and had it out on three plates before the clock turned 7:17. He had also gotten down two mugs and a glass. When he was finished serving breakfast he poured hot coffee into the mugs, and Orange Juice into the glass. He served Vernon first, then Dudley then the woman, who was obviously Petunia. It was a mistake to try and serve Petunia last, however, for the pig stuck out his leg tripping Harry. The child barely managed to avoid spilling the hot coffee on his Aunt, but ended up spilling it all over himself and the floor.

"You clumsy oaf!" roared Vernon, grabbing the stunned child by the scruff of the neck. Harry whimpered slightly, only to be silenced by a rough shake. He was carried into the hallway, and shoved into a cupboard under the stairs. Vernon's voice could be heard "Petunia will let you out when I'm gone. Your chores had better be done before I return!" As Harry tried to take off his shirt so that he could get into a dry one, it wouldn't come off. The scene faded on Harry's look of pain as he continually tried to remove the painful material from his burnt skin.~