Time Travel

Chapter 26

"Severus!" James rushed to him before Lucius can even react. Draco was just behind him and was shocked to see Severus in such state. "Are you fine? Did he hurt you too much? Did you take any potions? Do you need something?" 

"Shut up, Potter!" Severus snapped and James shut his mouth immediately and looked at him concerned. Severus sighed and leaned on James for support. "Sorry."

"No, no. I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking and I was asking you questions without letting you speak- Sorry." James stopped before he continues to ramble again that he is doing quite more than often around this man. "Are you ok?" 

"It hurts like hell. I don't want to be under that fucking curse again ever." Severus shuddered and James wrapped his hand around Severus' shoulder. "Merlin! That bitch is going to die in my hands when this is all over. What does she think of herself? It's only matter of time before I get my hands on her and she is going to regret even thinking of torturing me." 

"Yes, yes. You can do whatever you want to anyone you want. But we need to leave now. It's not safe." James said and looked around the room as if Voldemort can appear from thin air. "Can you stand?" 

"I don't know." Severus groaned. 

"I'll help." Lucius moved at last and went to Severus' other side and helped him stand. They went to the floo and James flooed with Severus. The other two followed him. Draco who was silent all this while sighed as he looked at the weak appearance of his beloved godfather. He knows how it much it's hurting Severus as he was also under Bellatrix's crucio when he was newly marked by the dark lord. She used to have fun surprising him with random crucios at random times. Narcissa had to stop Lucius from killing her for torturing his son in front of him in his own house. 

"He wants to know about your whereabouts by tonight." Severus rasped out. James called an elf and asked for some water. Severus gulped it down quickly and James wiped the water that spilled down his chin. If not for Voldemort's demands, they would've noticed how James was acting with Severus. 

"It's been a while that I went to him. He must be feeling that I'm betraying him or won't support him anymore." Lucius said looking pale. "What do we do?" 

"What if tortures you too?" Draco asked afraid. He sat beside Lucius and held his hand tightly. "Mum and others would be back, they were looking quite happy when they left. If they knew about what happened-" 

"No, they can't know. No." James interrupted him. "I don't want Holly to start worrying about this bloody war again. She already went through much more than she has to. We will think of something." 

"But what?" Draco asked him. "Mum has to know about what happened in our manor. She needs be prepared if such thing happens again. Bellatrix might come again just to surprise mum and what if she tries to curse mum when she wasn't expecting it? No, it's not safe for mum to stay there. Not that Dad is any safer there. You can't go back to our manor. It's not-" 

"Draco, calm down." Lucius said wrapping his arm around his shoulder. "We will think of something and we don't have to tell Cissa about everything that happened. We will just tell her that the dark lord visited our manor and it would be best if she stays somewhere else instead of there. It won't do any good if we tell her what Bellatrix did to Severus. She will start panicking and I don't want something to happen to her."

"You should just stay here for the time being, Lucius." James said to him. "No one would suspect that Malfoys are staying at Potter Manor. We just have to wait for today's party to be over before we start planning about how to take down Riddle. Dumbledore can wait."

"We need to get those horcruxes-" Severus was about to say when James interrupted him. "I already got them all. They are all in my room. I-" 

"Are you mad?" Severus exploded even in his weak state. "You went alone to get those horrid things? How can you be so reckless? What if something happened to you? You know what happened to Dumbledore when he wore that ring in his greed. You are an idiot, Potter."