Whatever It Takes by SanctuaryAngel

That surely could not have gotten any worse. He didn't understand. WHY didn't he understand?

After his heated altercation with Potter, Severus Snape left Grimmauld Place as quickly as he could. The moment he felt the environment turned on hostile ground, he fled not wanting to stick around for any further outbursts from the insufferably unruly teenage Gryffindor. He had enough of that from being Head of Slytherin house and dealing with moody pubescent teenagers on a daily basis.

Once he left the group on the upper floors of the newly reclaimed headquarters, he made his way downstairs and bound the two incapacitated and still unconscious Death Eaters with a magically binding rope he so aggressively conjured. His argument with Potter left him in such a sour mood, that he conjured a few extra bindings, giving himself the humorous satisfaction of seeing his former colleagues bound together like characters on one of the old child's cartoon shows he used to watch in his youth before Hogwarts. Usually, the kind of silly cartoons which often helped to distract him from his miserable home life, as his deranged Muggle father often yelled at his witch mother in the background.

Once Severus had teleported the pair directly to the Ministry's doorstep – and he meant this quite literally – He spent some time replacing the now fractured old wards, into stronger ones. New and improved, with added security. Potter could be mad with him all he wanted, but Severus was still determined to make sure the boy didn't get himself into further unnecessary danger.

Well, he obviously knew that was impossible, considering the boy's reputation, but he could at least try. Regardless, he still felt responsible for the child's life.

Eventually, he Apparated back to Malfoy Manor late that evening, to check in on the family he had grown accustomed to. In his own way, he was rather relieved he didn't have to deal with Lucius, especially since he may have still been unaware of Severus' betrayal of the Dark Lord. That was a can of worms that should never be opened, for Lucius and his friends were a big part of influencing Severus toward the Dark Arts in their school years. He will never forgive him for that.

He had been using the Manor as a temporary safe house since his departure from Hogwarts grounds, but he didn't want to stay there longer than necessary. Severus was more of a target, so he didn't want to further complicate matters on the occasion if he was to be captured. Furthermore, Draco did request to help Severus in their pursuit of rounding up the rest of the Death Eaters, so he could definitely commend him for rising up to the occasion. Finally. Actually, if Severus were to admit it, he was quite proud of the boy.

Severus entered Malfoy Manor usually in the same rituals he had been doing for the past few days since he took shelter there. Often checking the vicinity of the house of grandeur, and the large surrounding area of the grounds, for any falter in defenses. He made it a habit of changing up the wards often enough, as so to keep them well-secured in case of determined Death Eaters attempted to break through. He was confident that it was going to hold.

Once he finally entered through the front doors, he made an immediate turn to the kitchen, which meant he had to pass through the smaller dining room at ground floor. It was not to be confused with the larger one upstairs – Which was usually reserved for meetings with the Dark Lord, which now remained abandoned and empty. However, being here in this house, harbored just a few of the man's most sensitive memories, especially as they were quite recent. Nothing good ever came out of those meetings and reminiscing about those ill-fated gatherings made Severus' heart beat just that little bit faster. He glanced his obsidian eyes upwards, almost imagining poor Charity Burbage once again suspended powerlessly above his ex-colleagues. He blinked as he tried to bury that moment in the back of his mind using Occlumency, but he suddenly lost to will to do even that. He paused to steady himself against the dining room chair, leaning forward, trying to push that memory away.

'Severus, please! …We're friends!'

Severus' breath became a little more irregular, as he shut his eyes in his desperate attempt to focus. Another woman he could not save. Another woman he had to watch die. Severus's face twisted in anguish, as he could almost see the flash of green light again which ended poor Charity's life as he looked into her eyes. His shoulders tensed when images of the snake entered his mind, with Nagini's hissing reverberating an echo behind him, but he knew that was all in his mind. He couldn't shut them out quickly enough. The reptile instilled fresh fear within the man, as the terror from the day of his attempted murder flashed so vividly back into his mind. He could practically feel the force of the bites again, and again, and again…His heart pounded with each vicious lunge.

Severus drew in a deep breath and tried once again to clear his mind. It was the only thing keeping him from wanting to fling the chair across the room. In all his years of mastering this skill, he never thought he'd finally lose control like this. The terrible memories flooded his mind, and to him, it felt like a self-inflicted Crucio. Why have the Dark Lord do it when he could perform that himself by allowing those emotional shields to slowly crumble with the depth of this pain.

Being here at the Manor, or even Hogwarts…Gave Severus Snape too much to remember.

Pushing through the irritating sting of pain that now shot through his neck wound due to the muscles tensing in his neck and shoulders, he gritted his teeth as he gingerly made his way into the kitchen. He immediately got to work brewing a large pot of herbal tea in an attempt to settle his nerves.

"Ah, Severus. You returned. Wonderful, " Narcissa sprung up beside him, though Severus could hear the clinking of her heels from all the way upstairs. She arrived at the elegantly-decored kitchen sporting an ash-grey formal blazer, and black corporate dress pants. Her dark brown and blonde hair was half pinned up and held neatly in place by a very ornate golden clip adorned with tiny emeralds.

Severus bowed his head lightly in acknowledgment, instinctively re-applying his blank facade yet again, "Everything alright?"

"Oh, of course. Draco was looking for you earlier – " The woman suddenly noticed the pain in the man's face, and narrowed her eyes, arching her head subtly to the side in genuine curiosity. Much like Draco made a habit of doing in school; It was clearly a common Malfoy trait. Once Severus had finished brewing the tea, he poured them both a generous mugful and watched as the woman leaned back against the kitchen counter, holding the ornate mug securely with both hands. "That's becoming quite the problem, hasn't it?"

Severus gave a hmpf, as he immediately took a sip of the herbal remedy, "It is…unfortunate. However manageable for the time being."

"A potions prodigy, and yet you can't cure a simple snake bite?"

"It's not just a simple snake bite, Narcissa. You know as well as I that Nagini was ingrained with the Dark Lords' power. Her venom is no simple fix, " Severus looked at the woman dully, and continued after a short, awkward pause, "Not to mention having the Dark Lord slice my throat prior to that. Yes, I have seen better days. That venom will not allow my wounds to heal."

"Whatever it is, you best have it dealt with soon. Especially when my son is within your watchful eye, when you both choose to gallivant into dangerous territory again, " Narcissa took another sip of her tea, and frowned, "Besides, I don't want to be finding you dead in my guest room one morning. I don't fancy the clean-up."

Severus snorted lightly at the comment, but eventually composed his expression on the subject of his Godson, "Speaking of Draco, how is he handling things?"

Narcissa locked her gaze on Severus for a brief moment, and looked away, struggling to draw in breath. Severus could tell she was trying her best to keep up appearances and remain calm, but he watched as her eyes blinked a little more frequently and kept her gaze away from his. He watched her take a shaky sip of her tea and clutched the mug securely to her chest. "As well as he could be, considering his father is back in Azkaban, and the Dark Mark serving him as a painful reminder of the decisions he made prior to the Dark Lord's fall. Not to mention he has a target on his head now. I worry about him, Severus."

Severus listened to the woman's plea as calmly as he could. He understood the predicament the boy was in, and he adopted a vast amount of sympathy for Narcissa in wanting to protect her son. The only thing Severus could offer the boy was his protection and guidance. He was useless at everything else – What support could he possibly give him? He himself never made the right choices growing up, especially when he was Draco's age, and look where that landed him – Conspiring with the Death Eaters leading up to the eventual demise of Lily. He knew the heavy repercussions of that, and even still to this day, remained severely devastated by the events that followed. Because of his adolescent stupidity and ignorance.

He truly understood Draco – Surrounding himself with the Dark Arts so much, that to him, it seemed like the only option. It was the only thing that made him feel like he belonged. And refusing such a path, was likely a death sentence. Draco's childhood echoed his own so painfully, and a part of Severus wished he had done more for him.

Severus Snape felt utterly useless. He should have done more. Intervened more, instead of allowing his actions to continue. Perhaps if he stepped in front of Draco's consistent bullying of students - not just of Potter – He would have turned out a little differently. Made better choices. Severus allowed the typical dark Slytherin reputation and influence to take over the boy. He had a chance to do the right thing as a mentor, and he chose to allow history to repeat itself. That alone wounded the man more than he cared to admit.

It was probably for the best that Severus had no children of his own. What kind of father would he be, if he allowed a child to make the same horrible irreversible mistakes he did? Being a Godfather to this teenager posed enough of an inner conflict with the man than he ever had anticipated. Surely Mrs. Malfoy would have found another suitable candidate, who was at least capable of showing the boy the love and care that he needed to get himself through this. He was not the type of person the boy really needed.

Severus didn't know how to love or show love, and that was his greatest personal flaw.

After a quiet delay, Severus finally mustered up a response, allowing his impassive demeanor to slightly falter on the subject of his Godson, "Draco will remain under my protection." The man's voice remained deep and resonate, but there was always an unwavering softness to his voice that seemed to put the woman at ease. "I cannot promise you anything, but I will do my best. I cannot offer any more than that."

The woman nodded sadly, "Of course. However, he is your Godson after all, and Lucius is no longer here. I know Draco is not a child anymore, but Severus…He is all that I have left. I can't lose him too."

"I will go see him, " Severus downed the remaining tea, and gently placed the cup on the counter. Straightening up his sleeves, he looked back at the woman once more, "Everything will be alright, Narcissa. You are safe within these walls, and the additional shields I have placed around the property. Draco and I shouldn't be long."

Severus left Narcissa in the kitchen as he proceeded to the next floor to approach Draco regarding their upcoming excursion. Draco was eager to scope out Knockturn Alley in search of further Death Eater activity, so the pair of them had planned the trip early that morning in the hope to be a step ahead in their pursuit. Initially, Severus had dismissed the idea, but once Draco began to discuss options with the man, they were able to lay down some ground rules regarding their infiltration mission. Severus wished he still had Potter's Invisibility Cloak, but he didn't have that luxury, so he suggested they use a complicated disillusionment spell.

Severus reached Draco's bedroom and stopped at the door. Raising his arm, he gave the door three short knocks. "Draco?"

Within seconds, the door swung open to reveal Draco adorned in his favorite black dress suit, clutching his wand beside him at the ready. Severus was slightly concerned about how far too eager this boy was. "I'm ready. Let's get this over with."

Severus raised his eyebrow ever so subtly, "You don't have to do this you know. Remember, this is your choice."

"Yeah, I know it is. I am choosing to do this. Why, is that a problem?"

"It isn't. I just want you well aware, am I making myself clear? " Severus clasped his hands behind him, "Now. Have you practiced the disillusionment incantation I taught you?"

Draco nodded, "I haven't stopped practicing."

"Good. Now tell me, why is it imperative that this spell, in particular, can only be cast on oneself, and not another?"

Without missing a beat, Draco answered, "Because a self-intended disillusionment incantation acts as a personal shield, or barrier, which cannot extend to another living thing."

"Precisely. And so, answer me this – What is the difference between said disillusionment and shielding?"

"Disillusion is tricking the mind of another. And a shield is more literal and physical. Both are essentially barriers in their own specific way," Draco looked incredibly smug with himself.

Severus couldn't help but return the proud smirk, "Excellent, Draco. Final question – What is the duration of a disillusionment charm, and at what factors render it void?"

"The charm only remains active for an average of twenty minutes, but it is difficult to keep it active for that long," Draco paused for a few moments, thinking on that answer, "Direct eye contact with a passer-by with this specific spell is the main reason why they fail before its maximum duration, as that immediately ends the charm. Bumping into solid objects, like walls or even other people, cause the illusion to shimmer. Water, or anything liquid, can also render the charm useless. But goblins and elves can sense you immediately, and any other spell we cast will lift the enchantment."

"Well done, Draco. Most impressive," Severus eyed the boy, "Now do you understand the delicate nature of this mission? We cannot afford any errors. We are both at incredible risk."

The young Slytherin nodded, "I'm ready. Let's go see what we can find out."

Severus ran through the mission again with Draco, as they made their way downstairs to the main front doors of the Manor. Once it was all clarified, and there were no other questions, they exited the house without another word. Once they reached the end of the magical wards, both Disapparated immediately and reappeared in the small office at the back of Borgin and Burkes in Knockturn Alley.

Draco Malfoy had briefly scouted this area quickly, in the previous day. From what the boy discussed with Severus; Mr. Borgin had fled the shopfront after Death Eaters had utilised the Vanishing Cabinet and failed to return. No one knows if he was captured, or killed, or if he simply abandoned the shop in fear for his life. Either way, from what the pair could tell now, no one else had stepped foot in here since its collapse, and that was evident by the destruction within the shop. What once housed dark artifacts, ancient tomes, and instruments of Dark magic, was now mostly clear of all its usual items. Some of their remains lay destroyed on the charred wooden floors, but it did spark a flicker of worry within Severus that the remnants may be possessed by dangerous wizards. When Knockturn and Diagon Alley became deserted during the war, many of the shopfronts were either destroyed or ransacked by magical locals, clearly taking this opportunity as it stood. If they weren't participating in the war, they were actively stealing.

Keeping his voice barely at a whisper, Severus turned to Draco, "Back here in fifteen minutes, understood? We are here only for information, nothing more."

As Draco nodded, Severus raised his wand and began to chant the intricate incantation, while the young Slytherin followed in unison. As the pair chanted, two wisps of red and white bands of energy dispersed from the wand and melted together to cover every inch of their form separately. The spell gives a chameleon-like illusion, which causes passers-by to avert their gaze. Much like seeing something moving from the corner of your peripheral, the disillusionment chart essentially hides the caster for a short period of time. But it was avoiding detection that was tricky – It was a complex spell, and highly effective, but has many inhibiting factors which meant it was not always a reliable spell to use. Severus has performed this several times before, way back from when the Dark Lord was first coming into power during the First Wizarding War. Since then, Severus avoided using it again, for fear that the Dark Lord could see through it, and that was a risk he did not want to take. He felt safe enough to use it again, now that his old master had finally fallen.

Once the pair was ready, they both dispersed in different directions as discussed. This was the only way they could scout the location undetected, and luckily for them, it was mostly deserted. From Severus' observation, there were a few people wandering around, but there was nothing that seemed out of the ordinary as far as he could tell.

The Alley was dark, with the crescent moon overhead casting a pale glow enough to see the shadows of scurrying rats across the cobblestone pathways. Severus despised being here. Draco had been so adamant to scout the notoriously shady part of the wizarding world, that Severus could not convince him to let it go. In the end, the Potions Master had no choice but to accompany him and ensure his safety that they do this properly.

He seemed to be doing that a lot lately. Keeping two stubborn danger magnets away from trouble was a task Severus had no idea he'd have to maintain well after his time at Hogwarts.

Taking careful steps and keeping towards the old stone walls, he made his way to the far end slowly to remain undetected. But as he edged further down the notorious Alley, he began to hear a chorus of angry voices emanating from one of the derelict shopfronts. Kneeling down gently, he positioned himself underneath the window's ledge and noticed a dull glow radiating from inside. Although Severus' view was skewed, he could hear the conversation very clearly as he sat idly by. He recognised a few of the voices, but he could hear several others speaking in hushed tones. This was an impromptu meeting.

"- of course I am aware! You think l don't know that?"

"We need a better course of action. Start again."

"That's the least of our problems, Macnair. We need to cover our tracks."

"A base was lost – Including our little project. We wasted our damn time! Two of us were unable to escape. We were swamped by the traitor and his Potter entourage."

"You messed up the wards, Selwyn!"

"The Dark Lord would never have allowed this to happen."

"We'll start again. This time, we must be careful. We can't allow them to disrupt us again."

"Calm down, you lot. The Aurors cannot find us – That means we still have the upper hand. So we lost Grimmauld Place and the Forest camp. Big deal. Minor losses."

"What about the filthy little traitor? Severus Snape? He disappears after the battle for two weeks and shows up to overthrow us at Grimmauld. He is highly problematic."

"I have sent men to find him. He must be eliminated quickly."

"Any other news?"

"The Diggory's have been eliminated at Ottery St Catchpole. Tortured them both for a good while before they finally begged for death."

"Good. Well done. That should strike a chord -"

Severus' face fell as he heard the familiar name. Amos and Miranda Diggory. Cedric's parents – The talented Hufflepuff student senselessly murdered by Wormtail during the Dark Lords' resurrection at the rigged Third Task of the Triwizard Tournament a few years prior. Taking that opportunity to leave, he quietly made his way back to the meeting point to regroup with his Godson. Draco was already waiting for him, disillusionment removed, and together they hastily Disapparated away from Knockturn Alley.

They reappeared back at Malfoy Manor, and once they were on safe ground again, they began to discuss what they had uncovered. Severus relayed to Draco what he had overheard, and Draco had managed to follow an old shopkeeper at Mr. Mulpepper's Apothecary preparing a box of ingredients for an obscured cloak figure that he was unable to identify.

Severus remained passive at what they had uncovered, and he was careful not to alarm Draco of the true severity of their discoveries. He was extremely concerned, and not only was he now certain of the target over his head, but they were planning something big. But with every discovery uncovered a tiny piece of the puzzle. But first, he needed to send word about the cruel fate of the Diggorys.

Draco turned to leave Severus standing in one of the gardens of the Manor while he made his way back home. Severus turned back to leave and send an anonymous message to the Auror office, but before he could perform that dreaded task, a silvery white Patronus came into view. The glow of the new Patronus entering the secured area, startled Severus slightly as he could not immediately identify the creature. But as the Patronus dashed closer to view, he was able to distinguish the shape of a small otter. Raising an eyebrow in confusion, he waited with bated breath at the message he was about to receive, as he could not immediately identify the caster.

'Professor Snape. It's Hermione Granger. Meet us at the Shrieking Shack…We have news.'

The Patronus disappeared once the message was projected. Feeling slightly alarmed at the urgency of the message, he turned on his heel and left the wards as quickly as he arrived. It was unusual to be contacted by the likes of Miss Granger, which had him worried that something may have happened to Potter. But he wasted absolutely no time and immediately Apparated directly into the living room of the Shrieking Shack. Once he did, he was hit with an immediate wave of dizziness as soon as he arrived. He gave himself a few moments to steady himself, and as soon as it passed, he was able to make out the forms of Hermione Granger and Ronald Weasley in the room.

He looked at Hermione's concerned gaze and crossed his arms neatly in front of him. "Granger. Weasley." Noticing the awkward glances at each of the Gryffindors respectively, he watched as they seemed to fumble with their words. "…Everything alright?"

Hermione clearly looked nervous, "Sir, well yes…Perhaps. Likely not."

"Yes or no, Miss Granger."

"We found something in the basement at Grimmauld Place. Most likely left behind by the Death Eaters," Ron continued.

Concerned, Severus unclasped his hands and glanced at each of them, "What did you discover?"

"Well," Hermione glanced back at Ron again, and then stared at her hands as she explained, "We found some incomplete potions in a makeshift lab. I was only able to identify remnants of Polyjuice Potion, but something else in there was…Well, emitting fumes. Like leaving potions brewing for too long. I sealed it off so it didn't flood the house. We have no idea what it is."

Severus frowned, not liking where this conversation was going, "What kind of odor did it emit?"

Hermione crinkled her nose, "It smelled like a mixture of sulfur and bitter almond. It didn't smell like anything I've brewed before…"

"That's because it's not a Potion," Severus' pale face contorted in dread. He knew very well what those concoctions were.

"What is it?" Hermione asked as Ron looked alarmed.

"Highly dangerous, if it is what I presume it to be," He turned sharply to Granger and Weasley, "I will go there immediately and investigate further. However, I must ask a request of you in the meantime."

Ron nodded, "What can we do?"

"I must ask one of you to send an anonymous message to the Auror office," Severus spoke softly, but the worry in his voice was evident, "There have been two more victims."

He saw Weasley frown, "…Who?"

Severus' tried desperately to keep it together, but remained calm, "The Diggorys. They live at a residence at Ottery St Catchpole."

Hermione let out a gasp, and her eyes began to well up with tears, "Oh no…Amos and Miranda Diggory. I-I can't believe it. Oh, that poor family."

"How on earth do you know that?" Ron frowned as he pulled an arm around an upset Hermione, as he challenged the man.

"Never mind how I know. Now is not the time to mistrust my word, Weasley," Severus' languid tone was reminiscent of his teaching days. "Go send that message, and I will go directly to Grimmauld Place and deal with the mess immediately. Where is Potter?"

Hermione hastily brushed a tear away, clearly uncomfortable letting the waterworks flow in front of their ex-Professor, "He's with Ginny at Grimmauld Place. Neville and Luna are also there."

Severus nodded, content with the answer, "I commend you for your quick thinking, Miss Granger. Now go, quickly."

He watched as Granger and Weasley Apparated away from the Shrieking Shack, leaving Severus standing alone. He didn't want to allow his solemn façade to crumble in front of the pair, but the moment they disappeared he let out a frustrated growl under his breath as he gave a swift kick to the coffee table in front of him, sending it toppling over. Giving himself a few moments to re-compose himself, he could not help but think of how truly screwed they all were.

His ex-colleagues were definitely planning something big. They truly wanted to leave a final mark on the wizarding world, and that was exactly what they were planning to do. Instilling mass terror was their specialty - Severus knew that all too well. He felt sick to his stomach at the sheer thought of what they were capable of.

Time was ticking, and they had to find them before it was too late. Everyone was running out of time.

Including Severus.