If asked what a terrible torture would be, Hermione Granger would have said it was to be locked in a room alone without reading material.  Half of her awful fate had come true, for here she was, locked in a room with nothing to read, though she was not alone.  Three of her fellow students accompanied her in what might be her final prison, if her facile brain did not find a way out. 

Their new accommodations were smaller than their last ones, because they were no longer in Malfoy Manor, but a stone room with two lumpy stuffed straw pallets, rough woolen blankets, and four pewters cups and bowls.  Their captors fed them three times a day, breakfast was usually thick oatmeal with a bit of butter and sugar, lunch was some kind of stew with meat and vegetables, and dinner was a sandwich of some kind, with each meal being accompanied by water or coffee. The food was not plentiful, but it was filling and at least they were fed.

As near as Hermione could figure it, they had probably been in the cell for a day or two, though time was impossible to tell down here.  None of them had any idea where they were or how they had gotten there, all they knew was they had fallen asleep in the room in Malfoy Manor and woken up here.

Occasionally, Bella or Wormtail would come by to bring them to the loo, training their wand on them steadily, so there was no hope of trying to escape before they were hexed by some nasty curse.  All four of them were not stupid enough to try and get away when one of the Death Eaters was there, for one, and for another, they had no idea where they were or where to go.

Hermione wished she had worn warmer pajamas to bed, for she was always cold in the room and kept herself from shivering continuously by wrapping one of the woolen blankets about her shoulders. 

"Why are they being nice to us?" Marietta asked after they were fed for the second time.

"They're not, trust me," Vince said after finishing his portion of the stew.  The bowls and spoons disappeared once they were finished.  "They're feeding us so we stay healthy for whatever dark ritual they've got planned.  My guess is they're going to try and bring back the Dark One."

All three of them shuddered, not needing to ask how they planned to do it, as they could guess. 

"That's why they haven't hurt us," Vince went on grimly.  "Because a good sacrifice has to be sound of body.  Which means we're going to have to get out of here soon."

"Brilliant deduction there, Crabbe," Susan snapped.  "And just how do you suggest we do that? Fly through the ceiling? Walk through the wall?"

Crabbe looked unfazed by her waspish attitude, though Marietta glared at the other witch and would have said something until Hermione touched her arm and shook her head.  The last thing they needed was to quarrel.

"Don't I wish," Crabbe replied with a snort.   "But since we're not able to perform miracles, I have something else that might help."

"Like what? You palm a wand off LeStrange when she wasn't looking?"

"Nope." He made a soft hissing noise and from out of his sleeve slithered a bright green slender snake.  "Hey there, my beauty." Vince crooned to his familiar.  "This is Vera, she's a viridian rain forest boa, my familiar, and very intelligent."

Vera coiled up about his wrist, eyeing the others interestedly, her forked tongue flickering in and out as she smelled everyone and tested the air.

Susan stared at the snake.  "How did she manage to get by the Death Eaters? Has she been with you all along?"

"Yes, she was curled up in my pocket, I think, when I was taken, and she's remained there ever since, except when she needed to hunt." He gently caressed her scales, and Vera made a sort of purr.

"Does she bite?" asked Hermione.

"No, she never has.  And no, she's not poisonous. She's a constrictor not a viper."

"She's beautiful.  Such a lovly green color," Hermione said admiringly.  "Was she in on that prank you and Harry and Marietta pulled on Malfoy?"

"She sure was.  Put the fear of God into that sneaky ferret," said Crabbe.

Susan looked skeptical.  "But what can she do to help us?"

"She can go and fetch help for us," Vince said.  "She'll be our messenger."

"How?" asked Hermione.

"Because as her wizard, I can speak with her in Parseltongue.  I want her to leave and go find another wizard to break us out of here."

To his disappointment, none of the girls looked delighted at his idea. 

"Vince, even if Vera can get out of here-"Marietta began.

"Who will she find that can speak Parseltongue?" finished Hermione.

"Oh, that," Vince didn't look at all worried. He turned to his snake and hissed, "Go find Harry and bring him down here, please Vera."

His familiar looked pleased, hissing an affirmative.  It s-s-shall be done, my wizard!

"I've told her to go and find Harry," he explained to the others.

Hermione gaped at him.  "But we don't even know where we are, Vince! How can you expect her to find Harry?"

"First off, she's a magical snake, she can track anyone she's smelled before and she can move quicker than greased lighting.  I trust her to find him, Hermione.  But before she leaves, I think we need to find out what's going on and where we are."

"Good idea, Vince," Marietta said.  "I hate being lost."

Then he hissed a few times to his familiar, who quickly slid down his arm and across the floor, up the side of the door and through the metal bars at the top like a green blur.

The other three youngsters exchanged smiles and probably would have cheered if it weren't for the fact that they didn't want the Death Eaters to suspect anything.  As for Vince, he grinned proudly like a parent whose child has just done something incredible. 

* * * * * * *

Half-an-hour later the green serpent returned, slithered directly over to Vince and hissed in his ear.  The dark two-legs-s-s are making plans to do away with you and another one, hiss-sss!

"Another one?" Vince gulped, then he hissed back in Parseltongue, "Did you hear who he was, Vera?"

The boa bobbed her head affirmatively.  They called this-s-s one the old fox and Dumbledore.

Vince went deathly pale. "Dumbledore? They've got Dumbledore?" he cried aloud.

"But how?" Hermione whispered in horror.

"If they've got Dumbledore . . .then we're all doomed . . ." Marietta whispered, her eyes filling with tears.

"No, we're not!" Susan snapped, giving the other girl a shake.  "Stop crying and pull yourself together, Marietta."

The others stared at her.  None of them had ever thought a Hufflepuff had backbone, but then they recalled Cedric, and the fact that Susan was the neice of the Head of the Aurors.  "If you want to lie down and die, do it on your watch," the other girl continued, her head held high.  "We can't give up, or we're finished.  Isn't that right, Vince? Hermione?"

The other two nodded. 

Then Hermione gasped. "Oh, dear sweet Merlin! I . . .I've figured it out."

"What?" asked Marietta, wiping her eyes with her sleeve.

"Why we're in here.  It's not just because they want to use us for some dark magic ritual, it's because we're bait."

Susan leaned forward. "How did you figure that, Granger?"

But before Hermione could speak, Vince did.  "You're right. We're bait to keep the Headmaster from blowing the hell out of them, I'll bet.  They've probably told him they'll kill us if he tries anything."

"That means we really have to get out of here," Hermione said.  "So . . .where are we?"

"Vera?"

Beneath the castle . . .near the lair of the Great Serpent . . .where the bones of my brother-in-scales-s-s lies-s-s.

"We're underneath Hogwarts?" gasped Susan.

"Somewhere near the Chamber of Secrets," Hermione whispered.

"But how did the Death Eaters know about this place?" wondered Marietta. "And does anyone else know? Like one of the teachers?"

"I doubt that, love," Vince said, hugging her.  "I mean, none of us Slytherins knew where the Chamber of Secrets was till Potter opened it.  Not even Professor Snape knew.  My guess is His Darkness must have told the Death Eaters how to find  stuff down here. Vera says there are lots of tunnels and rooms."

"A castle beneath a castle," Hermione murmured in awe.  "And no one ever knew it."

"How could Dumbledore not know?" Susan asked.  "I mean, he's the Headmaster!"

Crabbe snorted, half-mockingly.  "Aww, come on, Bones! You don't really buy all that omniscient trash everyone says about him, do you? I mean, he's powerful all right, but he ain't God.  And this castle is old, the only ones who would ever know all its secrets are the ones who built it, and they've been dead for centuries."

"I suppose," she sighed.  "But he's old too, over a hundred, you'd think he would have known something about it."

"Hey, he can't be everywhere, and he was busy trying to organize the Ministry and fight off Moldy Heart," Marietta reminded her.

"The important thing is that now that we know where we are, we can start planning how to get away," Hermione stated.  "Just in case Vera can't find Harry and Professor Snape in time."

"What's Harry doing with Professor Snape?" asked Susan.

"Professor Snape's letting him live with him for the summer," Hermione explained. "He's Harry's guardian now as well as his mentor. So where Harry is, so is Professor Snape."

"Thank Merlin!" Vince exhaled softly. "Because there's nobody I'd trust more to get me out of a tight spot than him.  Nobody."

"You trust him that much?" Susan raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. And it's not just ‘cause he's my House Head.  It's because he can kick a bad guy's arse without even breaking a sweat.  And Bones, when Snape stomps your arse, you stay stomped into the dirt." Satisfaction tinged Vince's voice when he spoke of the Head of Slytherin.

"That why all you snakes behave around him?" the Hufflepuff queried. "Because he can stomp your arse?"

"Nah. Well, that's not the only reason.  We respect him, see, he's never played us false, and even though he can be a strict pain-in-the-arse, he'll also be there if you need to talk or .  . .whatever. No matter what.  He helped me a lot, and I'd follow him to hell if he asked me to."

"So would Harry, I think," Hermione interjected.

He spoke to Vera again, and the viridian boa slipped away and back through the top of the door without a sound. 

"Okay. There goes our messenger. May Merlin favor her," Vince said, and crossed his fingers.  "Now, Granger, let's talk about Plan B."

Hermione sat crosslegged in front of them and said, in a faint lecturing tone, "Well, it'd be much simpler if we all had our wands but . . .we'll just have to make do. How many of you know how to do wandless magic?"

"I can do a little," Marietta said. "My mum taught me how to do a Shield Charm. But I haven't practiced in awhile." She flushed and looked ashamed.

"I can do some," Susan answered. "But just a Summoning Charm and a Sleep Charm. Aunt Amelia was supposed to teach me more over the summer, but . . ." she trailed off, biting her lip to hold back tears.

"How about you, Vince?"

Crabbe shook his head. "I've never tried it.  But I may have something here that'll help us." He drew forth a silver chain upon which was hung an astonishingly detailed silver crossbow pendant. Then he lowered his voice until he was whispering.  "See this? My da made it for me when he left Old Voldy's service.  It's an enchanted amulet. He's a magesmith and he can make just about anything with metal."

"What does it do?" Marietta asked, examining it.

"When I speak the command word, it'll become a real crossbow-a magical crossbow of speed and accuracy. Which means it'll make me an expert archer for a bit, able to get off three shots in a minute."

"Why didn't you use it before?" Hermione wanted to know.

"For the same reason none of you used wandless magic," Vince said evenly. "I wasn't sure if it would work and I was afraid that if it didn't I'd be worse off than before.  And because it doesn't do any good to get out of the cell unless we know where to run to. Otherwise we're like fish in a barrel and easy pickings."

"That's true," Marietta agreed. "So, what's the plan?"

"Umm . . .it's not all that complicated." Hermione said. "I can do a Repel Magic Spell without a wand, which might not help much when we're trying to get out, but it could help us later on.  Anyway, I figured we could use the element of surprise, if Vera doesn't come back with Harry in a day or something, we could wait for someone to open the door and bring us supper and then use wandless magic on them."

"Or I could shoot them," Vince declared.

Hermione looked sick. "I . . .suppose so."

"Don't go all squeamish now, girl," Crabbe scolded.  "These aren't kids, these are cold hard dark wizards that would kill you as soon as look at you. They'd tie you to a stake and watch your burn for the fun of it.  Don't feel sorry for them.  They've killed women and children and innocent people. Putting a bolt in them would be doing us all a favor."

"I know, but . . .they're people."

"Yeah, bad people. Remember that, Hermione, and dust off that Gryffindor courage you're always bragging about and be ready to do what needs doing. Like Snape always says, if a Death Eater points a wand at you, you've got two options-fight back or die. Me, I'm gonna fight."

The other girls agreed and Hermione sighed.  "You're right, Vince. I don't like it . . .but you're right. And when the time comes, I'll be ready. Meantime, let's practice some of our spells."

"All right. Least it'll give us something to do," Marietta agreed, and then she rolled up her sleeves and flexed her fingers.

She was terrified of what might happen, to Vince more than herself, she knew all the stories of what Death Eaters did to captives, and all of them ended up dead, but she also knew she could not give in to fear, or else she'd be a basket case. But it was easier to not think about it if she had something else to focus on, and Hermione's suggestion was the perfect solution.  Together we can do what each of us alone can't.  I hope.

It was a slender hope, but it was better than none at all.

* * * * * *

While the children plotted and Albus meditated to master his fear, a large gray rat prowled down the corridor towards the room where the four captives were kept.  Wormtail had observed them before, but enjoyed watching them grow agitated and lose hope as they realized there was no one coming to rescue them. He detested this group of students, one student in particular, the bushy-haired Gryffindor girl, who had almost gotten him killed a few years ago when her bloody cat had attacked him. She was also Harry Potter's best friend. Her in particular, he wished to see shaking and weeping.

He slunk from shadow to shadow, his small feet making barely any sound over the stone.  His beady red eyes glittered in delight, for skulking about and learning secrets was one of his favorite pastimes.  His nose twitched as he drew nearer the room where the children were held and he felt his blood tingle in anticipation.

Then the smell hit him.  The dry musty smell of old scales warmed upon sunlit rocks and anticipation changed to fear. Snake! I smell a snake! Trembling he back up, eyes darting every which way.  Where was it?

Before he could move, there was a blur of movement from the side and then something green and scaly was wrapped about him and the slit-pupiled eyes of a snake was glaring into his own, hissing ferociously. Tress-s-s-pas-s-s-er! This-s-s- is MY lair!

The forked tongue brushed over him and the coils tightened about him until he squeaked in protest.

Please, please, let me go. I did not know, O Queen of Serpents! He begged, for he knew that to trespass upon a snake's territory often meant death.

She bared her fangs at him.  Her tongue told her, as did her otherworldly senses, that here was no ordinary rat, he reeked of darkness and was obviously up to no good. Foolis-s-shh rat, now you s-s-shall become dinner!

NO! Wormtail shrieked and went to bite the viridian boa, but Vera was expecting that and weaved out of the way of the rat's teeth and tightened her coils, slowly squeezing the breath out of the rodent.

Wormtail felt the world begin to spin, he could not draw in enough air, could not focus in order to shift back, spots were dancing in front of his eyes as the serpent hissed in his ear. 

Master, save me! he squeaked helplessly, but his last request went unanswered.

Then he felt sharp fangs seize the back of his neck and bite down hard.

After that, everything went dark.

Vera gave a quick shake, and kept her coils wrapped tightly until the rat had stopped moving and she was sure it was dead.

Then and only then did she unwrap herself from it and slither off.  She would not bring herself to eat the tainted flesh of a dark creature, even though she was starving.  Outside there were plenty of mice and voles to satisfy her hunger, and once she had eaten, she could concentrate on the task her wizard had given her-find the Snake Speaker called Harry Potter.

Vera glided forward swiftly, using all of her agility to cross the corridor and seek a way upwards, leaving behind her one very dead rat, who smelled worse dead than alive.

An hour later, Lucius stumbled over the limp form on his way to bring the children their evening meal, and swore angrily and kicked it away.  He then waved his wand and placed the tray of food inside the room using magic, watching from the window at the way the children ate the meager food they were given.

It was only later, when he had returned to the set of rooms nearest the Chamber of Secrets, to find Bellatrix in a fury because Pettigrew was nowhere to be found, that the lord of Malfoy Manor remembered the dead rat he had thrust aside with his shoe.  Swearing profusely, Lucius returned to the spot and looked at the rat with his glass eye and saw within the animal the shadow of a human body.

Examining the rat in distaste, his lip curled, he discovered the tell tale punctures of a snake upon Wormtail and shook his head. "You stupid fool! You thought you were so clever, sneaking around in your Animagus form-pah! See where your cleverness got you now? Killed by whatever snake dwells down here."

He took the body back to show Bellatrix, who spat on it and heaped many curses upon the lowly rat's head. "This is why I hate Animagi! Because they are so bloody stupid! Arghh!" She glared at Lucius.  "Now what do we do?"

Her companion smiled coldly, his glass eye glinting.  "We prepare for the dark of the moon.  Cissy can stand in for him at the ceremony.  And I will contact Greyback once again and tell him he has no choice but to find where Snape and that blasted boy are hiding or else I shall skin him and dance on his pelt."

Bellatrix threw back her head and laughed. "Shall you now, Luc? Mmm . . .now that would be a sight to see, yes, it would! Oh, it would indeed!" She licked her lips and smiled, her perfect white teeth like tiny pearls in her bloodred lips.

Lucius turned away to hide a shiver, for her insane grin made his blood run cold.