As soon as they appeared at their destination, Scrimgeour threw her towards the wall. Aurora, luckily, caught herself and whirled around with every intention of fighting back. She hadn't noticed his fist swinging towards her, though, until it slammed against her face. She tried to stay upright, but he roughly pushed her down to the floor. He then grabbed a hold of her thick dark curly hair and yanked her head back so she looked up at him. His other hand held her hands back. She could see the hatred in his eyes, but she could bide her time. She knew he wouldn't kill her outright. He'd want to teach her a lesson first, but she had one too.

"Did you see the look on his face?"

"Yes," she grounded out. "And I can't wait until he finds us and slaughters you like the pig you are."

"Funny that you should mention pigs," he whispered. His eyes trailed down her body before he chuckled in a low growl. "Oh, this is going to be so much fun. You're much better looking than my last fiancée." His hand then latched around her throat before he jerked her into standing.

"Your last fiancée?" she sneered. "Let me guess. You killed her."

"Not the way you think," he replied back, tightening his grip on her throat and wrists.

"Well, don't keep me waiting," she snarled sarcastically. Her eyes then quickly darted around the room, trying to find something that would give a hint to where he was holding her. However, she didn't recognize the design at all. It looked somewhat like Azkaban, but she didn't feel the usual cold fear of dread with the Dementors. She then noticed the pool of blood in the far corner of the wall. She closed her eyes when she saw the bloody scratches in the cement wall as if someone was trying to escape in his or her final moments.

"It's funny what you can get away with when you join Him." Her stomach lurched instantly. She had to have heard him wrong. "I'm sure your sweet dear Severus knows all about that." He then chuckled in her ear. "All I had to do was turn the other way, and I wouldn't ever have to worry about Him killing me."

Deciding that she was not going to spend another moment listening to that lunatic, Aurora glanced down at her boots. She then closed her eyes in efforts to brace herself for the horrific pain that she knew she'd feel in a few moments. In one swift motion, she picked her left foot up and kicked as hard as she could behind her. She heard the simultaneous crack from behind her when her foot connected with his knee. Biting her bottom lip to keep from screaming, her shoulder wrenched out of its socket as he fell backwards towards the floor, bringing her down with him. His grip loosened for a split second, which truthfully was all she needed. She quickly rolled onto her side, reaching into her robes and pulling her long silver wand out concurrently. When she caught him trying to leap towards her, she pointed her wand at him.

"SECTUMSEMPRA!" she screamed as loud as she could.

She truly didn't know why she had casted Severus's spell against Scrimgeour. She had dozens of other spells she could have casted that would have incapacitated Scrimgeour like Incarcerous or Petrificus Totalus. However, for some reason or another, she casted Severus's trademark spell. She wouldn't be naïve and think that Severus didn't know that she had learned the majority of his spell creations when they were in school together. After all, she didn't hide the fact that she had stolen his Advanced Potions book from him. It was rather stupid at the time, but she had stolen it for the sheer pleasure that it irked him greatly that she had it.

She wasn't ever worried that he'd attack her physically. Over their years in school, she had noticed that when she upset him to the point of him wanting to throttle her, he always made sure that he never touched her and stayed at least a few steps away. She took his verbal hatred spewed at her, but she wasn't at all like Lily Evans. She knew that his words were just his way to vent his frustration. And unlike Lily, who had always cried and ran to her common room whenever he said something spiteful, Aurora dished it right back at him. In fact, the first time she ever retorted back, she nearly laughed when his mouth instantly snapped shut. It was odd, but she guessed that it was part of the attraction. Their constant spewing of creative insults towards each other was much like how normal and cute couples would whisper amorous words in one another's ears.

Getting back to her situation, though, after casting that spell, she felt the warm sticky blood spatter against her face. Her stomach lurched at the sight of the limp body slamming into the ground. She had killed before, but never someone she had known. Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on something else, anything else, other than Scrimgeour's body. Her mind started to play tricks on her. It tried to convince her he wasn't really dead. It tried to convince her he was only biding his time before he killed her. She shook her head at the thoughts and tried to calm herself down. However, the air was toxic and made that task next to impossible. It was her forcing herself to remember her kiss with Severus that finally broke her panic ridden mind.

A few moments later, Aurora whirled around, making sure not to look back or down at herself towards the blood so she didn't lose her temporary control. She trembled slightly, though, as she tried to open the door to escape. However, the handle refused to turn. She tried to unlock it magically, but nothing happened. She even sent a blasting curse at the door, but still it refused her. Soon, she started to pound her hands against the door. She knew that she was acting emotional yet again. It was only a dead body that was behind her. She had seen plenty of those as a member of the Order unfortunately. However, she had always been an oddball in her House.

Much of the typical Slytherin characteristics were just frankly lost on her. Aurora couldn't brew a potion to save her life. She could barely control her emotions on a good day let alone on this day. When Severus briefly taught her Occlumency last year, she hadn't ever figured out how to create a mental barrier much to his extreme displeasure. Legilimency with him went even worse. In his own words, he had said that whenever she tried to use Legilimency on him, it felt like she was trying to claw her way into his mind. They had parted amicably after those failed attempts. While she had self-preservation skills usually, it typically went out the window when anything concerned Severus, which caused many of their fights. The only Slytherin traits she had were being a pureblood, ambitious, cunning, and a fierce determination.

The door suddenly burst open, knocking her flat on her back onto the ground instantly. Her silver wand flew out of her hand at the unexpected collision and rolled into the shadows. She quickly casted a nonverbal spell towards the black robed silver masked person walking into the room, but something slammed against the side of her head. She tried to focus on something, anything, rather than the pain. However, the darkness quickly settled into her mind. The last thing she heard before being unconscious was loud maniacal laughter.

"Severus!" McGonagall yelled, two hours later, in Snape's office. "Sit down!" Bailing Severus out of Azkaban once was more than enough times for Albus Dumbledore. So Albus had put her in charge of watching Severus because Albus had been frankly concerned what the younger wizard would have done if Severus had caught up with Scrimgeour. Of course, she should have known that Severus wouldn't be thrilled about this idea. However, Severus's frantic pacing around the room as if a madman was starting to drive her insane. She understood that he was upset. Hell, she was upset. They had all been so naïve to think that Scrimgeour could barely walk after receiving so many stunners to the chest that no one thought to tie him to the bed. And then to find out that he could still walk properly and kidnap Aurora easily from the castle . . . oh, she wanted desperately to release Severus so he could find Aurora for that. However, Albus had locked them both in Severus's office.

"Don't you DARE tell me to calm down, Minerva!" Snape snarled, drawing his ebony wand. His dark eyes glistened with rage as he glared at her. Barely even registering the brief gasp from her, a package suddenly appeared in front of him. His eyes narrowed on it for a split second before he tore it open and spilt its contents on his desk. His stomach dropped instantly. There were numerous articles of ripped clothing soaked in blood. However, a leather-corded necklace that had been spattered crimson got his attention the most. His fingers gently traced the black onyx bat and silver shooting star pendants, smearing the blood onto his fingertips.

"Oh," McGonagall whispered next to him as she caught the bloody mess. She then gently rested a hand on his arm, which he violently shook off. "We need to get out of here, Severus," she said with a growl in her voice that she definitely did not direct at him.

"And go where, Minerva?" he sneered. "It's not as if any of this crap tells us where he's holding her."

"No, but he's toying with you as if he knew Albus would lock you in here."

Snape's hands gently curled around the pendants, ignoring McGonagall, though. He remembered clearly the night that he presented Aurora with the necklace. Well, it didn't have shooting stars on it when he gave it to her, which he knew was an addition she must have made sometime later. He was a sixth-year at the time, and she was in her fifth year. They had been arguing over something, but he couldn't remember it anymore. However, he remembered the reason why he gave that necklace to her. She had seen his Mark, and an argument ensued over that. Their argument hadn't lasted long, and she had won.

It had been a warm day out, so he hadn't felt the need to wear a long sleeve shirt underneath his robes. However, he knew better than to run around without covering up his Mark. There were too many students and professors who would stick their noses in things they shouldn't. When he walked into his dormitory, though, he knew most of his fellow dorm mates weren't around so he threw his robes against his bed in a fit of frustration. Then again, Aurora always did frustrate the hell of out him in a way that no one else could replicate.

"YOU BASTARD!" she suddenly screamed behind him, gaining his attention instantly.

He whirled around, just as she sent a hex at him. He quickly casted a shield, but had underestimated the sheer force and anger she had put behind her casting. Her hex slammed against him with such strength that he flew back against the wall. He instantly yelled out as he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his left shoulder. The pain was simply the thing he could feel the most. His right hand then slammed against his shoulder, only to connect with something protruding from him. He slowly turned his head towards his wound before his eyes widened at the knife sticking out of his shoulder.

"You don't deserve this kindness," she snarled before ending the spell, which made the knife vanish.

He slammed hard onto the floor and groaned softly as he pressed a hand to his wound. However, soon, her pale slender fingers shoved his hand away. If she was going to kill him, he'd let her. After all, if it got back to the Dark Lord or the others that he lost to a witch, well, he'd rather take death than that option. His eyes narrowed then when she silently whispered a spell that closed his wound. However, he knew just by looking at it that she hadn't healed him.

"How could you?" she snapped, glaring at him. "How could you join that . . . evil?"

"You wouldn't understand, Sinistra," he responded with a slight growl. He didn't need to explain his actions to anyone, especially not her. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he belonged somewhere and felt accepted by his fellow brothers. She should be happy for him, not angry and definitely not bloody emotional as she was as tears streaked her cheeks.

"You're right, Severus," she said, standing up and wiping his blood into her robes. "I wouldn't understand. I wouldn't understand why you of all people would want to become a murderer and a rapist."

"I gave this to her the night after she saw my Mark," Snape quietly spoke, staring at the pendants in his hand. He didn't know why he was planning to recite the complete sordid thing with the Head of Gryffindor of all people. However, the vivid memory that had just replayed in his head a few moments ago made him feel like he needed to tell someone if only for his sanity's sake.

"Severus, we'll—"

"Let me finish, Minerva," he interrupted gently. When he saw her incline her head slightly, he inhaled deeply. "Later that night after she had seen my Mark, the Dark Lord had requested my presence. I obviously couldn't Apparate directly to him, so one of the older boys had to take me there with him." If Snape had been watching McGonagall, he would have seen her shudder at his words. "I had thought that he had somehow learned about my fight with Aurora, but it wasn't anything like that. I was still very loyal to him at this point, so on the Dark Lord's orders I killed a six-year-old girl that night in West Sussex. He was very pleased with me for doing such a good job. I can still remember the girl's room. These glow-in-the-dark stars littered her entire bedroom. Her bedding even was full of stars. To this day, I can even remember the look on her face when she saw me standing above her. It wasn't fear. It was utter curiosity and pure innocence. She didn't even fight me as I smothered her with a pillow." He then hung his head and drew in a steadying breath. "Minerva, don't take my words as proof that I was proud of what I did because I wasn't."

"You made a terrible, terrible mistake, Severus, but you're trying to make up for it now." He scoffed.

"I made 234 mistakes during my years as a Death Eater, Minerva, and no matter how hard I try to atone for those mistakes, it won't bring back the dead I killed, the innocence I took, and the evil I left in my wake."

"But you are still trying, Severus," she argued.

"I could barely walk down those steps and out of that house that night, Minerva," he said, ignoring her last statement. "Lucius noticed how the girl's death had affected me, and he informed the others that he'd bring me back to the Dark Lord as soon as possible. He took us directly to a flat in London, so that I could clean myself up. For five hours, I vomited everything I had and dry heaved when I ran out. Towards the end, in fact, I started to vomit up my own blood before I passed out on the floor. In the meantime, Lucius had informed the Dark Lord while I was unconscious that I was not yet accustomed to murdering children yet. The Dark Lord did not see this as weakness on my part as he would if it were anyone else. Do you know why?" She shook her head. "I was His favorite, Minerva. He called me His son and treated me as such."

"Severus—"

"So, when I woke up the next morning, Lucius took me to get anything I wanted at the Apothecary free of charge before I returned to Hogwarts as a gesture of the Dark Lord's gratitude," he quickly said. "I felt so drained at this point that I didn't really care about anything. I did glance into the little shops that we passed, however, in hopes of escaping my living nightmares. I saw this necklace hanging in one of the shops. It only had a bat pendant on it at the time, though. I remember the look Lucius gave me, but he didn't say anything. I, however, told him that I didn't need him to buy it that I'd pay for it out of my own pocket. He wanted to raise a ruckus over it until I told him he could keep the money for himself. He liked that idea." He then gently rubbed his thumb against the pendant. "I paid five galleons for this necklace. I gave it to her later that night in the Astronomy Tower. I lied to her and told her that I regretted ever joining. I lied again and told her that as long as she wore it that I wouldn't ever be his loyal servant. Do you know what she said to me?"

"No. I don't, Severus."

"Then I'll never take it off," he recited. "She wasn't stupid, though. She knew I went to His side when he called me. I never told her what I did during any of the meetings. I doubt I ever had to tell her. I'd walk into the common room after returning, and she'd stand up from the couch she had been sitting on waiting for me to return. We'd sit down there until early dawn just watching the fire, and then she'd leave."

"Severus, we'll get her back."

"In how many pieces, Minerva?" he responded darkly. "Tobias murdered my mother. The Dark Lord killed Lily. Rufus Scrimgeour kidnapped Aurora and possibly might kill her too. Three women I love, Minerva, have had something terrible happen to them because of me."

"Aurora is a strong witch, Severus. We'll get her back."

A loud boom against his door turned their attention to it. Another boom followed that one, followed by more before his door burst open. His eyes instantly narrowed on the Weasley Twins, the Gryffindor Trio, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy, and Blaise, and Luna who all had their wands drawn.

"Did someone—" George said with a large grin on his face.

"Order a rescue?" Fred finished with a similar grin.

"There's been a change in plans, sir," Draco said, walking in with Harry walking beside him. The two young wizards looked to be close comrades now instead of enemies. However, the most shocking thing of all besides them walking in together amicably was the fact that the Gryffindor patch was now green and silver rather than crimson and gold. Taking in Luna's Ravenclaw badge, the usual blue and bronze wasn't there, only green and silver.

"Dumbledore might think it's good for you to be locked up in here, but we don't, Snape," Harry spoke. "Now, according to Flitwick, Fudge and Umbridge have sealed off the Floo."

"Why?" McGonagall asked.

"They're still convinced that Scrimgeour was right about Snape being a loyal Death Eater."

"So since Dumbledore locked you two down here, they figured that they'd run the entire school into the ground because they're convinced that Dumbledore's after Fudge's job. That's why we're here. Now, the entrance to the North Tower is blocked by a few Aurors and they've locked the doors in the Entrance Hall, so the secret passage to the Astronomy Tower is our best bet," Draco coolly said.

"Unless you wish me to die, Mr. Malfoy, I fail to see the brilliance in this plan," Snape drawled.

"Ever thought about using a broom to fly, Snape?" Harry replied with a wide grin on his face.

"It's like a forty foot drop with hardly any clearance, Mr. Potter!" McGonagall screeched.

"My dad didn't ever try to pull this off," Harry said, smirking. "According to Hermione, it's going to take a hell of a damn good wizard and flier not to hit anything."

"Mr. Potter, are you trying to manipulate me?"

"Depends, if this works, do I still have detention every night for the next four months?"

"Yes," Snape drawled.

"Then no," Harry replied before holding out his Firebolt broomstick. "You're going to need a fast broom, Snape. Nothing's faster than my Firebolt."

Snape opened his mouth to respond when he felt a familiar searing pain in his left forearm. His right hand clenched painfully around it. He then glanced towards the elderly Gryffindor witch who was kneeling beside him. He hadn't even noticed that he fell to his knees. Then again, he hardly ever did notice anything when the Dark Lord called him. He could see the concern and sadness in her eyes.

"He's calling you, isn't he?" she asked. He only nodded, not trusting himself to keep from screaming. However, that didn't stop the screams that he heard, though. He turned his head slightly and saw Harry clutching his scar much as he clutched his forearm. The pain then stopped, which was the same time Harry stopped screaming. Both wizards panted heavily as they slowly recovered.

"He's . . . he's happy . . . happy about something," Harry panted, kneeling and still clutching his scar. Draco, Granger, and Weasley knelt beside Harry much like Minerva had done for him earlier.

Snape didn't want to hear anymore, though. He rose to his feet and stared at the Gryffindor. Maybe when he returned, he'd teach Harry proper Occlumency. He hadn't realized Harry felt the same pain he felt. He wouldn't wish that pain on anyone, not even James Potter. He slowly inclined his head towards Harry before quietly brushing past the young Gryffindor with the Firebolt in hand. However, Harry suddenly grabbed his leg, which almost caused Snape to fall face first into the floor.

"Snape, I think . . . I think he . . . he has her."

No, no . . . please . . . no, Snape thought as he stared at Harry. He had to force his mask to remain in place so he didn't breakdown at the moment. This was just the thing that filled his nightmares lately. He then drew in a breath. At least Harry gave him some warning, but there was still a chance Harry meant someone else . . . like Umbridge for example.

"I think Voldemort has Sinistra," the young man whispered, which made everyone gasp, except Snape and Harry. His green eyes locked with Snape's black.

Snape could see fear and regret in the boy's green eyes. His hand automatically clenched painfully around the necklace in his hand. In fact, he clenched it so tightly that the pendants dug into his palms drawing blood. He wouldn't lose yet another woman he loved. He just wouldn't. He drew in a calm steadying breath.

"Then perhaps it's high time that He learns He has a traitor in His midst," Snape drawled with silent rage behind his dark eyes.

"But, Professor Snape, He'll kill you," Hermione cried.

"As if I'd ever die before Potter took his O.W.Ls, Miss Granger," Snape replied with a slight smirk, glancing at the young green-eyed man. "After all, not even I would miss an opportunity to see the Golden Boy cry when he fails all his subjects and has to repeat. Then again, there might be some hope yet for you, Potter, but I sincerely doubt it." He then mounted the broom and zoomed off towards the Grand Staircases.