Draco felt his throat constrict with the turmoil of emotions. He felt guilty, not because of what had just happened, but rather because his first thought was relief.

What kind of a son was he, when his first thought at seeing his father's dead body was relief? Not horror, not grief. He almost felt inclined to thank Moody, if such a thing were possible. Maybe he really was a monster.

The situation was quickly becoming something Draco couldn't handle. The fear, the pain, the relief, the guilt. It was all building up to more than Draco could deal with, and he sank to the floor and shamelessly wept. Severus understood his actions for what they were - being overwhelmed - rather than grief for his father. While not one for empty promises, Severus still felt compelled to say something to the crying boy.

"Everything will be alright," he said softly, though his voice lacked conviction.

Harry couldn't keep the shocked look off his face. Lucius was dead. He was really dead. He didn't have to... He could hear his friend crying but didn't know what he could do for him. He never liked Lucius, but during his time he didn't like what he and Moody made him do when he came for his 'lessons'. He could faintly hear his teacher talking but it wasn't coming in clear.

Draco sobbed once, twice more, and then shook his head despondently.

"Let me die now, please," Draco murmured through hitching breaths. "Don't make me suffer anymore, Professor."

Harry slowly walked over to the lifeless body and looked down at it. It was almost over. He always told himself that what they wanted him to do, it would only be two times he would cast those curses. Now, one down, even though he didn't really do it. One to go.

"So why don't you just cast the curse on abysmal choice of friends, Potter?" Moody growled. "Apparently he sees the benefits of ending his pathetic life."

Harry looked over at Moody.

"He wants to die," Moody sneered out. "Kill him."

"No."

"Kill HIM!"

"No." Harry looked back at Lucius' body.

Moody walked over to Harry and gripped his upper arm. Harry hissed in pain.

"You know I grow tired of this," Moody growled in Harry's ear. Moody roughly grabbed Severus by the arm and shoved him next to Draco. They walked the few steps over to the two of them. "You will kill them both." Severus defiantly straightened his robes and stepped in front of Draco.

"Potter," Severus said. "Do what you must." Then, fixing his gaze on Moody, he asked, "Does Albus know about this?"

"It was Albus' idea," Moody growled out.

Harry closed his eyes and put his head down. The people who claimed to love him always wanted to hurt him. Severus huffed and glared at Moody.

"Clearly the man has gone senile," he drawled. "Though I highly doubt Albus would appreciate the deaths of one of his students and his faculty, compounded with his spy. I'm a very difficult person to replace, Alistair, and for your own sake, I recommend you proceed with extreme caution."

"Do not presume to know why Albus Dumbledore really keeps you around, Snivillus."

Severus eyes darkened at the name.

"Oh yes," Moody taunted him. "I know all about your school yard name. You are nothing special. It was no accident that you were called to that Death Eaters Meeting. Albus knew all the time. And now it's time that Harry learns that he can not escape it. He knew that Draco was getting close to Harry. And he knew that you gave him that potion."

"Wait."

Moody turned and looked at Harry.

"You are making me kill Draco and Professor Snape, because they helped me?"

"Yes."

Harry's face fell.

"This whole situation is ludicrous," Severus huffed. "There's no motive for any of this. If Albus wants Potter to be a viable weapon for the war, he needs to make sure his weapon doesn't break. The much more probable explanation is that you're simply lying. Now, if you are lying, my warning still stands, and it is extremely foolish to actually kill anyone here. If, somehow, you are not lying, then that would mean that there's very little reason to actually want to take part in any sort of confrontation between the Dark Lord and Dumbledore. You certainly are not instilling any reason to believe you're better than the Death Eaters. If you break Potter, the Dark Lord can, and will, use him against you."

Harry looked at his Professor with a whole new level of respect. Snape was defending him, Harry thought.

Very slowly he tried to move closer to his current Defense teacher, but he almost forgot Moody still had a tight hold on him.

"Where do you think you're going?" Moody growled, jerking Harry back towards himself. Harry yelped slightly at the unexpected force. Before Severus could stop him, Draco darted out from where he was protected. Without even hesitating, Draco approached the ever-vigilant Moody.

"Let me make a deal with you," Draco began. "Name your price to leave Harry alone. Just leave him out of this. Why do you need a child to win the war, anyway? You would think a fully trained, grown Auror would be much more effective than a student who hasn't even taken his NEWTs! So name your price, Moody."

"What are you thinking, you fool?" Severus hissed in the background, but no one paid attention.

Moody tossed Harry to the side, unknowingly towards Severus, and walked towards Draco, backhand slapping him across the face.

"Do you think I am in the business of making deals with children?" Moody growled out. "Especially Death Eaters' children? I see you didn't really learn anything from Daddy. You have nothing that I want!" With the same force, Moody pushed Draco towards Severus and Harry. Draco gasped, but didn't cry out.

"I see now that you think you don't have to do anything, Harry. Well, since you feel like that, I guess you're not ready for the next stage. We'll just have to start back from the beginning."

Harry's face turned deathly pale. He was shaking from head to toe and unconsciously moving closer behind Severus.

"Now, wouldn't you like to fill your Professor and young Malfoy on how your first lessons went?"

Tears were streaming down Harry's face. Severus and Draco turned and looked at Harry. He was on the verge of a panic attack. Severus reached out and grabbed Harry's arm, pulling him to a close, protective proximity.

"Potter," Severus said.

"I'm going to get the collar," Moody said and walked out of the room.

Harry's breathing started to become shallow. He couldn't do it. Not again. It hurt too much. He tried to clear his head by shaking it.

Severus gripped both of Harry's arms and tried to calm him down.

"Potter!" Severus said. "Harry. I need you to breathe. Breathe!"

"I...I can't…please," Harry gasped. He reached out and grabbed hold of Severus' robe. "Kill me. I know you...you really hate me. Please kill... me. Kill me now. I c-can't go thr-through that... again. Not again. Please P-professor, I know you've... hated me since my f-first year. If you... ever had feelings of anything about me, kill me. KILL ME!"

Harry couldn't take it anymore. He broke down crying and placed his head on Severus' chest. Severus and Draco looked at each other. Severus sighed, and Draco thought he saw an expression of sympathy cross Severus' face.

"What is it with adolescent boys begging me to kill them, or let them die lately?" he asked softly, snorting a bit at his morbid humor. Then Severus wrapped his arms around Harry, hesitating. Draco smiled a bit. Harry simply cried all the harder. "You had better fill us in on the details, Mr. Potter, before Moody gets back, or once again, I believe we will find ourselves at a distinct disadvantage. I don't know about the two of you, but I certainly would like to see sunrise tomorrow morning, or I will be sorely disappointed that I won't be able to see the look on Miss Bones' face when I hand her back her essay which earned a Troll grade."

Harry felt himself get pulled into the embrace. This couldn't be happening. Snape hated him.

Severus felt the grip on his robes get tighter. Draco walked over towards them.

"Harry," Draco pleaded. "Please, you have to calm down and tell us what is he doing."

"Potter," Severus said. "You need to calm yourself."

The more that they spoke to Harry, the tighter his grip was on Severus' robes. It was like he was trying to hide in them.

"Potter," Severus said pulling Harry away from him, but only arms length.

"Harry, please," Draco begged, getting frantic.

Footsteps approached from the hallway. Severus and Draco looked at each other. Severus brought Harry back into a quick embrace. They both new whatever they were about to face was not going to be good.

Moody walked in holding three metal collars in his right hand. His wand was in his left, pointing behind him, levitating a tub basin filled with water. Draco was shaking. Severus, holding Harry, looked at Draco and then back at Moody holding the metal collars, and for the first time, the distinct helplessness of their situation washed over Severus. He fought the panic clawing at the corners of his mind.

This is not going to be good, Severus thought.