Severus sat in his rooms thinking, he knew what he had to do and he knew that Dumbledore would not allow it. He should not have been listening in, but this time, unlike the last time would not end in tragedy for the innocent. He picked up the tumbler of Firewhisky on the coffee table before him and downed it and put the empty glass to his head closing his eyes as he realized what he must do. He felt for Ron, the poor boy had put himself willingly into a horrible situation and now he had no way out. Severus was not going to let him get hurt or killed in the war, not another innocent, he reflected back on what he had heard just a few hours prior.
He had been at Black castle visiting with Harry, helping in his training and he was impressed with how far the boy was coming along. Harry was smart, there was no doubt about that and he was very strong. He had decided to allow Shadow to play a bit outside chasing a few squirrels and the like before he headed back to Hogwarts. He heard raised voices and ducked under a hedge next to an open window and realized Ron was raising his voice to the headmaster! He stayed still and listened to what was said and dread filled his heart.
"Sir I cannot do this, I cannot turn professor Snape over to that monster!" Ron said.
"I know my boy, I will do all I can to make sure you do not have to." Dumbledore said, "you will have to go into hiding for a time."
"No, he will still come after Severus sir, send him to hiding, please." Ron pleaded with the headmaster.
"He will not go." Dumbledore said, "I know him, I cannot force him as he would just come back."
"Then lock him up for his safety, it's my fault he is in danger as it is!" Ron said, "I never should have gone to such a private place for the meeting."
"No it is not your fault, Voldemort would have gone after Severus with another, I will speak to Severus, try to reason with him."
"Thank you sir." Ron said.
"You are a brave young man Ron, I am proud of you." Dumbledore said, "you never had to do all you are doing."
"Yes I did sir, it's my duty to stop Riddle."
Shadow had backed away and snuck far from the castle before he came loping back as if nothing were wrong and turned human. He was cordial everyone and acted as if nothing were wrong before he wrote out a letter for Ron to find and managed to steal the portkey. It was now sitting before him out of the protective bubble he had cast over it and he knew once he took it into his hands he would end up before Voldemort. He had no choice and so, steadying himself he got up and reached for the portkey. Once it touched his hands he was gone in a flash to face his fate with the evil dark lord Voldemort.
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Ron sat down on the sofa in the Burrow the letter falling from his fingers to the floor. He was pale and shaking and when Molly came into the sitting room and came over to him at once. To her surprise her normally very strong youngest son clung to her and started to sob on her shoulder. She wondered what could have caused such a reaction and dread filled her, she looked at the clock of the family and did not see any in mortal peril but she knew something had happened. Arthur was home and he came into the room and saw the state of his son and the letter on the floor. He picked it up and saw Severus's neat scrawl on the paper and he read the letter and paled at what it meant.
Dear Ron,
Do not blame yourself for what I have done. By the time you get this letter I will have given up myself to the dark lord with the portkey he gave you. What I do will bring the end of the monster and keep you alive, I will not allow you to sacrifice yourself when you have a full life to live. Remember that you are extremely brave and you have a full life before you, do not waste any of it.
Tell Albus he could not have stopped me if he tried. I had to do this, take care Mr. Rusty, we shall meet again if not in this life than the next.
Severus T. Snape
Arthur put the letter down, stunned at what had been required of both his youngest son and what Severus had just done. He cared for Severus, the man was extremely brave and noble and to give up himself like this to save his own son made him break down and cry as well. He tried to remain strong but just was not able to and he cried with his son and wife as they mourned the loss of such a good brave man, for there was no way that he would come back to them alive or well if he did.
"I am sorry." Ron sobbed, "I thought I was helping when I came up with the plan."
"Hush, you did all you could." Molly said, "you are not to blame."
"He overheard you speaking to Albus and he would not leave you in danger if he could help it." Arthur said. "We will need to let Dumbledore know."
"I already do." Dumbledore said stepping into the sitting room, "he sent me a letter too, I am afraid we have lost him."
"No!" Molly said, "don't you say that! Until I see him take his last breath he is not dead to me you hear me? I will not give up on him I cannot!"
"Nor will I." Ron said.
"I have to get the order together." Dumbledore said, "I fear this is going to be a long night."
He was right, it would be a long night, not just for him but for everyone in the order. A certain spy of theirs would have to play his part before the night was out and it would nearly leave him broken because of what he was forced to do. The order met at Black castle and the grim news was soon out, Severus was in the hands of Voldemort and all they could do was watch and wait.
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As soon as the portkey deposited Severus in a dark room he was hit with several spells, one to disarm, another to cause him pain. He was forced to his feet and stripped bare quickly, for a reason, before he could react he was drug out by his hair and into another room where he was strung up by his wrists from chains in the ceiling and left dangling knowing he was about to be torn to pieces. He watched as Voldemort came in, his face hard and filled with rage as he took in his former death eater. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw the crest of Slytherin tattooed on Severus's left forearm and he snarled in rage.
"So you dare state you are the heir of Slytherin do you boy?" Voldemort snarled, "I am, not you!"
"Not true," Severus said, "your body was destroyed, that was what made you the heir and what is more the blood you used to come back had none of your mother's blood."
"I see, so now you lay claim, but you will suffer and die and then…"
"You kill me there goes the last heir to the house of Slytherin." Severus taunted him, "but do go ahead and do your worst."
"You will pay for your insolence, Lucius come here!" Voldemort said.
"Yes my lord?" Lucius said walking up.
"Give him a taste of the lash, as many as you wish." Voldemort said.
"Yes master." Lucius said bowing to him.
He threw aside his robes and shirt and tied back his long silver blond hair and took up a whip and started to use it on Severus. Severus refused to cry out or to show how much this hurt him as he was beaten by Lucius. Lucius hated what he was forced to do but he had no choice, to refuse would get him killed along with his family. Still, he was very vicious in that regard and left very little skin on Severus's back. Severus was no fool, he knew that this was only the beginning of his suffering and he was going to suffer far worse things before this was all over.