The Serpent and the Lioness

Chapter 31

Severus gritted his teeth, staring down the maw of a giant silver lion. He pulled against the chain around his neck, trying not to let the beast out of his sight. His arms stretched out to his sides, held in place my manacles at his wrists, leaving him arching off his knees. Baring his uncovered chest to the lion's attack. The tunic skirt that covered his waist pulled taunt as he struggled to free himself from his bonds. Though the chains would not relent.

His eyes had turned to his captors, running down the chains to the heavy pillars that anchored him. Albus Dumbledore to his right, standing beside the column with the chain made of silver. Voldemort to his left, beside a crumbled stone that held a chain of black iron. The chain at his neck stole nearly all the breath from his body and he could hear his father's deep chuckle from behind.

He would not give in, there was someone waiting for him, just beyond the darkness, just beyond the pain. Even as those who held him in place, pulled tighter, threatening to tear him to pieces; he would not surrender.

oOOo

Minerva stood tight-lipped at the assortment of young men and women who stood in her office at the late hour demanding answers to questions for which she had none. Sleepy children rested their heads down on their respective parents' shoulders completely oblivious to any sort of problem. Minerva's only concern was how quickly the power vanished and had sent a few of the portraits out seeking answers while she had tried to look through the single book they had found on the subject. The one portrait that may have been of use hung suspiciously empty on its own volition.

To say it was a mess or that the emotionally charged young people with something to prove was an understatement.

"We have to go to them."

"I really don't think we should."

"Why not? We're never going to get any answers standing here! And all of you have surely proven just how knowledgeable you are on the subject with the lack of information you all can provide!"

Harry's glare had turned to Minerva toward the end of his tirade, a deep hurt filling his face.

"I'm just saying we should be cautious, we all can't just go storming up to the house. I mean, what if the bond couldn't finish and that's why it disappeared so quickly? What if we all go in and spill the magical beans and we end up making a worse mess than before." Draco was surprisingly keeping his calm as he swayed back and forth with his daughter.

He had been shocked when she told him what she had felt and immediately had taken her to Minerva to see if there was any more information to be found in the book. Harry and Ginny arrived shortly after before he could even attempt to ask.

"One of us should check...but we must be careful, Malfoy is right, we can't expose our presence until we're absolutely-"

"And if they're dead or dying right now as we quibble over it?"

Harry turned on Ginny and she gave him a glare that would have sent a polar bear running from the cold.

Minerva pursed her lips as a new round of arguments was starting to brew, something did indeed need to be done.

"Enough."

All heads turned towards the dangerously low voice, "Mrs. Potter, you shall accompany Mrs. Malfoy and I to the farm. If there is any need of spell work I'm sure Mrs. Malfoy and I will be more than capable of handling it. You two shall stay here with your children. You are not to leave the confines of this office until we have returned, is that understood?"