Snape tuned him out and focused his attention back on the Dark Lord. "My Lord," he began smoothly, "I am sure we can reach some kind of тАУ"
Voldemort strode forward and kicked him in the face. "I am sso SSICK of sscheming Sslytherins," he snarled, storming back to his throne. "At least the Gryffindors just sspit defiance and die." He turned to Harry. "And you, my little nemesssis? Will you too try to convince me to sspare your miserable life? Will you too sseek to grovel before me and kiss my robe?"
"I think you're a тАУ a тАУ a sick fuck!" Harry yelled, using the worst insult he could think of. "Don't you hurt my da, you stupid wanker!"
Snape struggled to clear his head, ignoring the blood that was dripping into his eye from a gash on his temple. He was dimly aware of Harry shouting something at the Dark Lord and the Death Eaters' loud cries of outrage, but his mind was still spinning from the kick to his head.
"My Lord!" Somehow he managed to outshout the Death Eaters. "The boy is a foolish child, beneath the notice of one so great as yourself. Surely you see that to attack the boy now, while he is still so young, will not enhance your stature. He is unworthy of your attention. Let him go and тАУ"
"Oh, no, Sseverus. I have promised my faithful sservants a night of great excitement. They shall assist me in the punishment of two traitors, and then they will witnesss my rebirth."
"Your тАУ " Snape choked.
"Yess, my naughty Potion Master," Bellatrix's vague features twisted into a kind of awful simper. "Even without your help, I have found the way to live again, whole and complete with all my powers ressstored, not merely inhabiting a willing sslave. We are here to use the bone of my late unlamented father, and for the blood of an enemy, well, well, we are ssspoiled for choice, aren't we?"
"Please," Snape began desperately.
"But you know, Sseverus, the ritual makes no sstipulation as to whether the blood must be from a foe that is living or dead, and I am rather taken with the imagery of tying my enemy upside down above the cauldron and ssslitting his throat ssso that his blood drains into my potion. Would that be a fitting end for a traitor, Ssseverus? Drained like a butchered hog?" Voldemort watched him closely, and Snape fought down his panic. "But I can ssee that you value the boy's life even above your own. Ah, how far you have fallen, my ssad little Sslytherin. Where has all your rage and hatred gone? You have become weak and sssoft like Dumbledore himsself."
Snape struggled against his bonds, but it was useless. "No! You can't!"
Voldemort's eyes narrowed. "You of all people ssshould know better than to sssay that to me, Sseverus." The Dark Lord's wand flicked over to the wide eyed Harry with all the speed of a striking snake. "Avada Kedavra!"
"NO!" Snape screamed, but it was already too late. Lifeless, Harry fell backwards, his open eyes staring sightlessly at the night sky.
Utterly devastated, Snape was barely aware of Lucius beginning to curse in a low, hopeless monotone or the Death Eaters' cheers of celebration. He curled in upon himself, his body wracked with heart-rending sobs.
##
"Now, Minerva, you know I can't go on another horcrux hunt without my fuzzy blue socks," Dumbledore chided as he entered his Hogwarts quarters. "It won't take me very long to find them. The house elves know how I feel about them."
"Albus, I am beginning to realize why you never married," Minerva said with a long-suffering sigh as she leaned against the door frame.
"Tut tut, my dear, we all have our little eccentricities," he twinkled at her.
"Some more eccentric than others," she retorted.
"HEADMASTER! MINERVA! IS SOMEONE THERE?" Molly Weasley's panicked face appeared in the hearth.
"What is it, Molly?" Dumbledore and McGonagall rushed over to the floo, socks forgotten.
"Look out, we're coming through!" And in another second, both Molly and Arthur tumbled out of the fireplace.
"It's Harry and Severus!" Arthur explained, trying hard to sound calm. "On our family clock, they're both showing in mortal peril."
"We tried flooing them, but they're not answering," Molly sobbed, wringing her hands. "What could be wrong?"
Dumbledore held up a hand. "Let me see if the castle knows where they are." He closed his eyes, but a moment later reopened them, his expression grim. "They're nowhere in the castle nor on school grounds. Minerva, summon the others. We must try to learn where they may have gone."
As the others were assembling, Amelia Bones called through. "Headmaster! Where is Harry Potter? Is he all right?"
"We are trying to determine exactly that, Madame Bones. Why do you ask?" Dumbledore replied.
"Stand back." A moment later, first Bones, then Moody and Shacklebolt entered the Headmaster's office. "Snape gave me this amulet shortly after my election," Bones explained, holding out a blinking disk. "It works on the same principle as a family clock, and he said it would blink if Harry was in danger. He wanted someone away from Hogwarts to be able to keep an eye out for the boy."
Albus' face grew even more drawn. "I wish I could reassure you, but it would seem that both Severus and Harry are missing."
The faculty тАУ Remus, Sirius, Filius, Pomona, and Poppy тАУ rapidly arrived in response to Minerva's summons, and Arthur summoned Bill and Charlie from their respective homes as well. With the help of the castle's portraits and ghosts, they were quickly able to ascertain that no one had seen either Snape or Harry since the two had entered their quarters.
"Well, they're not there now," Moody confirmed, stumping back into Albus' office. "I found the boy's bookbag in the room, and some soot that indicated that someone flooed in recently. The pattern of smudges suggested that no one had flooed out, though, and I think there was a faint trace of portkey magic. Couldn't swear to it, though."
Sirius paled. "They were portkeyed away? Then they could be anywhere!"
Dumbledore and Bones exchanged carefully expressionless glances. "Well," Albus began to speak, choosing his words with care.
A pop interrupted him, and suddenly an elf stood on the table before them. "Thank you, but we don't require refreshments just now," Dumbledore said, forcing a kind tone.
"I is not here to feed yous, Master Dumblydore Sir," the house elf said reproachfully. "I is here to find out if what the ghostses is saying is right. Is Master Potion Master Sir and Master Harry Potter Sir missing?"
Now the Headmaster recognized the little elf as the one that was bound to Harry. He sighed. "Yes, I'm afraid it is, and we are very busy trying to find him, so if you would excuse us тАУ"
"Dobby is helping to find Master Potion Master Sir and Master Harry Potter Sir," the elf told him stoutly. "Dobby is using house elf magic to find his masters."
"If they have been abducted, they will be behind powerful shielding wards," Moody grumbled. "You think you can find them through all that?"
"House elf magic is very, very powerful, Master Scary One Eye Sir," Dobby scolded. "You is not wanting to think our magics is little because we is little."
"If you can find them, Dobby, then please do so," Albus broke in before the old Auror could take exception to his new title.
Dobby nodded once and popped away.
"Albus, if the elves can't find Harry, then what options do we have?" Molly begged.
Shacklebolt cleared his throat. "I've already put all Aurors on high alert, Molly. We'll see about bringing in the Unspeakables as well." Bones nodded her permission. "They may have some ideas."