The Half-Blood Princess (A Snape and Astoria Fanfic)

Chapter 7

This picture is how I thought the house would look like and where the 3 death eaters have been hiding out. :) 

Harry looks at McGonagall with determination on his face, "So which village is Professor Snape being kept in?" Professor McGonagall looks at Harry with a grim look on her face, "Little Hangleton." Harry looks horrified, " We have to go there?" McGonagall nods grimly, "I'm afraid so, Harry." Harry sighs and takes a deep breath, "Alright Professor McGonagall. Let's do this." McGonagall asks, "The question is, which cottage is he in?" Hermione spoke up, "What about the cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House?" Harry looks at Hermione impressed, "Brilliant Hermione!" Harry then looks at McGonagall, "Where else would they hide, but at the very place where they were reunited with Voldemort, when he came back." McGonagall looks at Harry and Hermione, "Of course! No one would think to look there. Well done you two." Harry and Hermione replies back with a smile, "Thanks, Professor." McGonagall looks around at everyone, "You all know where Little Hangleton is located, correct?" They all nodded in reply. Since most, if not all have read the Daily Prophet of what happened to Frank Bryce. McGonagall said, "Good. Go rescue Severus. Bring him back alive. Good luck to you all." With that the Order left through the floo network, Remus going with them. (Hagrid being half giant, went through the front gates and disapparated.) Astoria looks at Harry and the others, that were a part of Dumbledore's Army, and said, "All of you, come with me. We will go by Portkey." Astoria looks at Harry, who had a worried expression on his face, and said, "Don't worry, Harry, we will be with you the entire time, ok? We will rescue Professor Snape, alive." Harry nods still looking worried. Astoria sighs and said, "Alright, let's go to my office. I'll set up a portkey there." Astoria gave a nod to McGonagall, who in turn nods back in response, left the headmistress' office and headed to her own office. Harry and the others followed her. After walking through many corridors they reached her office. Astoria unlocks the door non-verbally and stands back to let them enter. They enter her office and look around as Astoria enters and closes the door, locking it in the process. Astoria looks around her office until she finds an old potion bottle. She pulls out her wand and points to the bottle and mutters, "Portus." The bottle glows blue for a moment, then the glow fades. Astoria pockets her wand and looks at them, "There, this bottle is now a Portkey. It will take us just a few feet away from the cottage." Harry and the others understood. Astoria holds out the portkey and the others surround it, making a circle from where Astoria stood. Astoria said, "For those who don't know how to use one, all you need to do, is to put one finger on it, and hold on." Astoria explains as she looks at them. They nod in understanding. One by one, they each put a finger on it. Astoria begins to count backwards from 5, "5...4...3...2...1..." They all feel a pull from their navel, as the portkey activates, and whisks them away to their destination. All but Astoria hit the ground. Astoria lands lightly on her feet and chuckles, "Everyone alright?" Harry and the others nod as they detangle themselves and stand up. Astoria pockets the portkey and looks around. She spots the cottage and sees that The Order of the Phoenix were already there. Astoria's face becomes serious as she says, "Let's go. We have a Potions Master that needs saving." They nod and head towards the cottage. Once there, they can hear from inside curses and spells being cast. Everyone pulls their wands out and held them at the ready. Astoria lowers her voice and said, "Let's put this plan into action." Kingsley, Remus, Tonks, Molly and Arthur nod as they get in position, while the others surround the cottage and kept a look out. Astoria stays by the door. Remus says, "On the count of 3. 1...2...3!" Remus points his wand at the door and shouts, "Bombarda Maxima!" The door blasts open and all 5 charge in. Selwyn, Crabbe, and Goyle stop what they were doing and whip around to face them, their wands pointing at them now. Kingsley says in his deep voice, "Give us Severus and no one will get hurt." Selwyn spat at them, "You'll have to go through me to get him!" Kingsley replies, "Very well, you have been warned." Both raise their wands at the same time and fire spells at each other. Tonks and Molly Engaged Crabbe in a duel, while Arthur and Remus dueled Goyle. In almost no time at all Arthur and Remus managed to subdue Goyle. Goyle laid there unconscious but alive. Arthur bound Goyle, panting slightly. He had a few cuts but was otherwise ok. Remus patted him on the back, "Impressive Arthur." Aruthur replied, " Thank you Remus." Molly and Tonks have finally managed to subude Crabbe. Crabbe looked the worse for wear, but like Goyle, he too was unconscious but alive. Tonks bound Crabbe, then floated Crabbe outside and dropped him unceremoniously onto the ground outside. Arthur did the same with Goyle. Kingsley was still dueling Selwyn. Both dancing around, firing spells and dodging any that came their way. Finally Kingsley saw the opportunity he needed and fires a Full Body Bind Curse at Selwyn. Selwyn could't block it in time and was hit full on the chest. His wand falls to the floor as his arms snap to his side. Selwyn loses his balance and falls on his face. Kingsley picks up Selwyn's wand and pockets it, then levitates Selwyn outside and put him with the other two. He stands over Selwyn and says, "You and your two friends are under arrest for kidnapping and torture of Severus Snape. I look forward to taking you three to the Ministry." Arthur and Tonks hand over Crabbe and Goyle's wands to Kingsley, who pockets them. Kingsley searches Selwyn's pockets and removes Snape's wand. He hands the wand to Astoria, who pockets it. Harry looks inside and a look of shock comes over his face, " Oh no.... Professor Snape..." Astoria says softly, "Move aside Harry so I can get to him." Harry moves aside and allows Astoria to enter. Astoria stops dead in the doorway when her eyes fall on Snape. The look of shock now on her face as she takes in, what was done to Snape. Snape was on the floor still bound. He looked very pale and covered in blood. Barely conscious, but alive and yet barely breathing. Astoria shakes off the shock and runs to Snape, pulling her wand out as she does so. Her training as a mediwitch kicks into high gear. She waves her wand over Snape to get the diagnosis. A very grim look appears on her face as she says, "Professor Snape has many fractures and some organ damage. He has also lost a great deal of blood..." Astoria looks into Snapes face as she grabs his hand and asks, " Can you hear me, Professor, squeeze my hand if you can." Snape looks back at her and squeezes her hand. Astoria sighs in relief, "Good. Listen carefully, I am going to get you to the hospital wing and get you treated immediately. You are severely injured and are losing a lot of blood, ok? The sooner we get you there, the better. I will need to stabilize you first, understood?" Snape squeezes her hand again. Astoria replies, "Good. Remain still." She let's go, then points her wand at his wrists and ankles and removes the ropes, unbinding him. She stands up and waves her wand over Snape's body, making a kind of spinal board appear underneath him. Snape groans in pain as he feels the spinal board underneath him. Astoria waves her wand again and the straps start to strap him in, securing him in place. With that done, she waves her wand one final time. Levitating a secured Snape and bringing him to her side. Astoria notices the entire time, that Snape eyes followed her every movement as she was unbinding him, securing him and levitating him. Astoria takes ahold of Snape's hand and says, "Hold on Professor Snape." Snape's hand squeezes slightly in response, as he held on the best he could. Astoria looks at the others in the room. "I will see you all at Hogwarts." Astoria then disapparates and appears at the gates of Hogwarts with Snape. She let's go of his hand to pull out her wand. Then quickly sends her patronus to McGonagall letting her know that she was here with Snape. Astoria unlocked the gates and walked onto the grounds. She turns around and locks the gate, then walks up to the castle. She walks into the school and up the stairs, carefully guiding Snape. Once in the Hospital Wing, she calls out for Madam Pomfrey, who comes running and helps Astoria get Snape settled in a bed, removing the spinal board in the process. Astoria gave her diagnosis to Madam Pomfrey who goes pale. Madam Pomfrey look at Snape with tears in her eyes, " Oh Severus, what have they done to you?" Madam Pomfrey looks at Astoria, "Let's get to work. It's going to be a long night, for the both of us." Astoria nods and moves to one side of the bed as Madam Pomfrey moves to the other. With a wave of her wand, Madam Pomfrey heals every fracture in his body. Snape groaned in pain as each fracture is healed. Madam Pomfrey looks at Astoria, "Astoria will you please bring me a couple of bottles of Blood-Replenishing Potion?" Astoria nods and goes to get them. Madam Pomfrey looks at Snape and takes his hand, "You will need those potions, Severus. Astoria will syphon each dose in by magic, as I repair each organ, alright? Snape squeezes her hand in response. Madam Pomfrey sighs, "Good," as Astoria returned with the potions. Madam Pomfrey let's go of Snape's hand and looks at Astoria,"We'll have to put him under so that he doesn't feel anything, while I repair his damaged organs. I will need you to monitor his vitals as well, while he is under. So that he won't lose anymore blood." She sighs, "He can't afford to lose anymore blood as it is." Astoria nods with a sigh, "Understood Madam Pomfrey." Madam Pomfrey takes Snape's hand one last time, "Severus you will be put under for the entire time that we heal your organs, alright?" Severus squeezes back in response. Madam Pomfrey sighs and let's go of Snape's hand. She waves her wand at Snape and puts him under. His eyes closing in the process. Madam Pomfrey looks at Astoria. "Let's begin." Astoria waves her wand and begins to monitor his vitals as Madam Pomfrey got to work repairing any organs that were damaged. Astoria syphoning each dose of the potion as required. Astoria suddenly recognizes the one spell that was used on him and begins to mutter the counter curse, "Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur..." After several hours, they were finished. Madam Pomfrey looking exhausted but pleased, said, "I did the best I could to repair his organs. All we can do now is wait until he wakes up. Keep the monitors going so that we can continue to monitor his vitals." Astoria just as exhausted, nods, "Ok, Madam Pomfrey. I will." Madam Pomfrey leaves the Hospital Wing for the night, leaving Astoria alone with Snape. Astoria takes out Snape's wand and places it on the table next to him. Astoria takes, the now empty bottles, to get them refilled. She will be up for most of the night refilling the bottles. She looks at Snape's sleeping form and says, "May you recover well, Professor." She leaves the Hospital Wing to refill the bottles and to get some rest. She knew the monitors that she put on him will alert her if something happens.