Fic: ~The Wizard's Tale, A Continuation: Part 7~ NC-17
Title: The Wizard’s Tale: A Continuation
Part 7 contains chapters 30-32


Chapter 30: Snape Needs a Favor

Snape had asked Tonks to meet with him and Lillith in their quarters at Hogwarts. It was a week since he had returned from one of the now bi-monthly Death Eater meetings and he had been unusually distant with Lillith and ferociously bad-tempered with everyone else. Generally, he shared select experiences with Lillith, finding it drained some of the tension and horror from his system. This time, he had not and she could do nothing but wait.

Tonks and Lillith sat on the couch facing the fire. Lillith had a mug of tea and Tonks was enjoying a butterbeer. Snape stood looking out at the darkness and the falling snow, a large whiskey in his hand.

“There was a meeting of the Death Eaters a week ago.” He started speaking, his voice low and forced. “As was usual for these meetings, ‘entertainment’ was provided.” He took a swallow of whiskey. Lillith and Tonks exchanged a look but neither spoke.

“This ‘entertainment’ is provided by a different Death Eater, each in turn.” He took a deep breath. “A woman or,” his voice caught, “a child, Muggle or magical; any but a pureblood. They are snatched up by one of the members and thrown to the group before and after the meeting.” He spoke slowly as though the very words caused him pain. “They are raped. Repeatedly. Usually beaten, frequently tortured, sometimes killed. Sometimes they just have their memories modified and are tossed back near where they were found. Some recover, some die of their injuries or shock, some go mad. I have always found an excuse not to ‘contribute’ and usually can get out of participating, however,” he paused to take a sip of whiskey and Tonks and Lillith saw that his hand was shaking. Tonks glanced at Lillith and she saw fear in her niece’s eyes. “The Dark Lord himself has insisted that I provide the entertainment for the next meeting, one week from tonight.” He continued to stare out the window.

Tonks set her butterbeer carefully on the table. “What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know.” His voice was desolate. “I have always found a way out in the past but there will be four new members at the meeting whose names I have not been able to learn and the Dark Lord warned me I had better be there this time and that I had better not come empty-handed.” Snape turned and sat on the window sill, closing his eyes. “I cannot take an innocent. I simply cannot.”

The tall case clock in the corner of the room ticked slowly. A log settled in the fireplace and no one spoke. When he opened his eyes, they locked with Tonks’.

“All right.” Her voice was a whisper.

“What?” Lillith looked from one to the other. “What? What are you talking about? Dori? Severus? You can’t be suggesting that Dori go as your … your sacrifice! They’ll kill her! At the least, they’ll kill her!” She was on her feet, the mug having fallen unnoticed to the floor. “No!” She started to cry. “I can’t! I can’t give you both up to that monster! Severus, no!” She was shaking and crying and Snape folded her in his arms.

“If you don’t bring someone, he’ll kill you, won’t he?” Tonks’ voice was shaking.

“He indicated as much, yes.”

“Then I’ll go.” Lillith pushed away from Snape. “I’ll go. I won’t let you go, Dori.”

“Aunt Lilly, they’d recognize you. At least, some of them would. And your hand. If -- if they hurt you, they’ll hurt Snape. They’d see the connection. It would make it worse for both of you.” Tonks was shivering uncontrollably. “Wouldn’t it?” She appealed to Snape.

He nodded. “No doubt.”

Lillith let out a wail of animal agony and crumpled in Snape’s arms.

“Hush, love.” Snape whispered in her hair and rocked her gently.

He lowered her back to the couch and with a wave of his hand cleaned up the broken mug and fetched a new one of steaming tea.

“Here.” He pried her hands away from her face and wrapped them around the mug. “Tonks and I have to talk. Do you want to stay?”

Lillith shook her head dumbly and gripped the hot mug as though it were a lifeline. Snape lifted her and carried her to the bedroom. Setting her on the edge of the bed he held her close for a moment, then rose and left the room. Lillith shuddered and lay back in the darkness.

~~

Snape went to the sideboard and refilled his glass.

“Tonks?”

“Yeah, sure.” She rose from the couch and came over to him her hands in the back pockets of her jeans. “I think something stronger may be called for.”

He handed her a glass. She took a big swallow and made a face. “God, this stuff is awful!”

He laughed bleakly. “Would you like something else?”

“No. It suits my mood.”

They returned to the couch and sat side by side.

“I’m not asking you to do this.”

“I know.” She took another gulp of whiskey. “What are the chances I’ll die?”

“Slim to none. I wouldn’t let you go otherwise.”

“That’s what I thought. Why do you think they won’t kill me?”

“Well, as ‘provider’ and the one responsible for ‘disposal,’ I have some say in what happens to you. Also, I plan on telling them you’re an Auror. Even the Dark Lord is not so arrogant, or so foolish, as to think he can get away with disposing of an Auror without creating an uproar.”

“Won’t it make it worse for me if they know?” Her voice shook a bit.

“I don’t think so. I think they’ll be thrilled with the idea of having an Auror.” His face twisted. “It may be worse in some ways, but I think it will pretty much guarantee they won’t kill you. Or do you lasting harm.”

“Well, that puts my mind at ease.” Tonks put the glass between her thighs and wiped her sweaty palms on her jeans.

“Tonks, I can put a charm on you that will disassociate your mind from what’s happening and dull a lot of the pain. They have to see some pain, or,” his voice faltered a bit. “Or they’ll keep trying until they do. I can dull the pain entirely for you, if you can act the part.”

“Shit,” she whispered. “Can we maybe play that part by ear? I don’t have a lot of background in this.”

He nodded.

“You said there were four new Death Eaters whose names you didn’t know?”

“That’s right.”

“If you disassociate my mind, will I be able to gather and remember information?”

“No.”

“Then we’d better skip that part.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes watching the fire.

“I’ll have to participate.” His voice was quiet.

“I figured.” She didn’t look at him.

“Tonks,” he watched her closely. “This isn’t just about physical pain. You’re going to be gang raped. More than once. Beaten, tortured and humiliated. I will do what I can to make it easier for you, but it won’t be much.”

Tonks tried a chuckle. “Sounds like a Muggle frat party.”

Snape rose abruptly and stalked to the window.

“I can’t do this.” His voice was angry. “Forget it. I’ll find another way or deal with the consequences. I can’t let you do this.”

“I would appreciate it if you kept looking for a plan B, but let’s not discard plan A until we find one.” Tonks emptied the whiskey glass. “Got any more of this shit?”

Snape turned to her and shook his head. When he spoke, his voice was soft. “Why are you doing this?”

Tonks tucked her long purple hair behind her ears and headed for the sideboard and the decanter. “I don’t want you to die, Snape. Besides,” she took a gulp of whiskey. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Snape looked at her in wonder. “You keep this up and I may be forced to say something nice about Gryffindors.”

“That would just make it all worthwhile.” She smiled but he saw white lines around her mouth.

Coming close to her, he lifted her chin and looked into her eyes. They looked frightened and old beyond her years, but he saw no doubt.

“Tonks,” he started but she held up a hand and cut him off.

“Don’t go getting sentimental on me, Snape. A compliment to Gryffindor would be enough of a shock, but sentimentality from you -- that, I couldn’t handle.”

He stepped back. “I was merely going to say,” his voice was haughty, “that I think you’d better stay here tonight as you appear to have had a bit too much to drink.”

“I’ve certainly had quite a bit but I’m not sure it’s enough. And I already asked about a room, so that’s all set.” She went back to the couch and sat heavily, then propped her feet on the coffee table. “How about giving me the gory details so I know what to expect?”

Snape sighed and sat next to her.

“At five after 9, one week from tonight, I Apparate to a house in Surrey that belongs to one of the Death Eaters. I’m to have you with me. At six after 9, the Dark Lord will bring us to the meeting site. He always pulls us in so we don’t know where we’re going and it’s always to a different place. You will be blindfolded and we will be the last to arrive. I will then dispense with the blindfold. I will push you into the crowd and they will tear off your clothes.” He kept his voice even and detached, as though he was reading a report. “I will then reclaim you and present you to the Dark Lord. We will both bow. He will then decide whether or not he will be the first to violate you. He’s very pleased to have a body again, so he probably will. He prefers anal rape. The upside, if there is one, is that he’s not very well endowed.”

Tonks choked on a sip of whiskey.

“You’d think he’d have thought of that when he got his new body.”

Snape gave a wry shrug. “You’d think.” He took a slow drink and continued with his narrative. “Then it’s my turn, and I’m afraid I can’t get out of it. Then, I toss you to the wolves.”

A deep shudder went through Tonks.

“There will be nine of them and some will take you twice. After that, you will be left in a body bind until after the meeting. Then I once again offer you to the Dark Lord – an offer he has always declined -- and I take my turn again.”

Tonks flinched.

“I will not penetrate you that time, Tonks. If we fake it well enough, no one need be the wiser. Then....” Snape’s voice gave out.

“Then the fun starts again.” Tonks spoke in a whisper.

Snape tipped his head back against the couch and closed his eyes. “I’m sorry. This is pure selfishness on my part. You can’t do this.”

“Will you please stop telling me what I can and can’t do? I’m not exactly looking forward to this but I am capable of making my own decisions!” She was shaking a bit and folded her arms to try and hide it.

“Malfoy raises Irish wolfhounds.”

“Wolfhounds?” Tonks was bewildered.

“He brings them, sometimes. It seems Narcissa enjoys them so he brings them along sometimes for training.”

Tonks sank lower on the sofa. “Shit.”

“Malfoy also likes to use that cane of his, but since you are not to be killed or maimed, he’ll have to go easy.”

Tonks bit her lip remembering her aunt’s injuries.

“They usually get bored after an hour or two.”

A single tear escaped Tonks’ eye and she wiped it away quickly even though Snape still had his eyes closed.

“I’ll do what I can to protect you but it won’t be much. I’ll watch you. If it looks as though you can’t handle any more, or if you give me any sign, I’ll disassociate you. Just don’t turn to me for help.” He swallowed. “We’d both die.”

Tonks sat up, pulled her feet off the table and set her empty glass there instead. She ran her hands through her hair, leaned back and closed her eyes. They sat side by side in the same position.

“Sounds like a hell of a party, Snape. I can hardly wait.”

“There’s one more thing.”

“You’re kidding?”

“When they’re all done,” his face wrinkled in distaste. “They finish up by urinating and defecating on their victim.”

Tonks laughed, though a bit hysterically. “Hell, that washes off! That’ll be the least of my worries!”

“When it’s over, the Dark Lord with send us back to the house in Surrey and I will bring you here. I’ll have to tell Dumbledore and Poppy, but you’ll be better off here than at St Mungo's.”

“Dumbledore’s not gonna like this.”

“Dumbledore will probably kill me. In which case, the problem will be solved.”

Tonks moved her hand slightly and it bumped Snape’s on the couch. He closed his long fingers over hers and they sat a long while in silence until Tonks started to doze.

“I’d better go,” she struggled to her feet.

Snape was on his feet in one graceful motion and pulled her up.

“Would you like a dreamless sleeping potion?”

Tonks sighed. “Can you mix it with hangover preventative?”

He smiled. “I can do that.”

“Will you come to see me tomorrow before you leave? There are one or two things I’d like to go over.”

“There’s more? Can’t we do it all tonight and get it over with?”

“You’re too tired now. I have first period free. Will you come to my office?”

“Sure. Right after breakfast.” Tonks sighed.

He brought two bottles from the bathroom and poured some of the contents into a glass. He swirled them together and handed it to her. She tossed it back and made a face. “Worse than the whiskey.”

She turned toward the door and stumbled on the edge of the rug. Snape caught her up in his arms. “Where’s your room?”

“The guest room west of Gryffindor tower,” her voice was muffled against his chest.

He took her to her room, removed her trainers and pulled a quilt over her. Smoothing the disgusting purple hair out of her face he leaned over and kissed her forehead.

Extinguishing the light, he returned to his rooms.

~~

He banked up the fire, tidied the room and put out the lights. Sliding into bed beside Lillith he stroked her back.

“She’s going to do it, isn’t she?”

“Yes.”

“She doesn’t know what she’s getting into.”

“I told her what I could.”

Lillith lay still, her back to Snape.

“Don’t turn away from me, Lillith.” His voice was soft but not pleading.

She rolled over and wrapped her arms around him.

“I will never do that.” She gulped. “I’m just so afraid. Now I have the two of you to fear for.”

“We’ll get through it. Together, we’ll get through it.”

***********************************


Chapter 31: For Family

The next morning after a noisy breakfast in the Great Hall, Tonks made her way down to Snape’s dungeon office. A brief knock received the well remembered “Enter,” uttered in a tone that sounded like the voice of doom. Flopping sideways into the chair opposite Snape’s desk, she draped one leg over the arm. Tonks looked around the room as Snape sealed the door with his wand.

“Just like the old days.” Her gaze swept over shelf after shelf of bottles and jars. Many contained mysterious and grotesque looking things floating in murky liquids.

“Do you use this stuff for anything or is it just there to scare kids?” She waved a hand around the room.

“You know better than to ask a question like that.” The low growl of the reply was so familiar it made her relax.

“Tea?” His voice was pleasant.

Lost in her reflections of the past, Tonks was caught off guard. “Huh?”

Snape scowled at her. “How did you ever get into the Auror program?”

Tonks grinned. “I had outstanding teachers.”

“No doubt.” He handed her a mug of tea and settled back behind his desk.

“Have you changed your mind?”

“You know better than to ask a question like that.” Tonks threw his earlier reply back at him.

He studied her with an unreadable look. “It will be hell for you.” His voice was soft.

“Are you trying to talk me out of this?” Tonks ran her fingernail along a scratch in the arm of the chair.

“Maybe I am,” Snape ran a hand over his face.

Tonks was not comfortable with this Snape.

“So what did you want to discuss?”

His expression sharpened. “There are one or two things we can do to make this more tolerable for you. First, there is something I can give you when we leave that will dull the pain. It will leave your mind clear, as you requested, but will take the edge off a lot of the pain. Second, there is a potion I’ve been experimenting with that seems to make the body more resistant to injury. By itself, it doesn’t reduce pain, but it seems to make the body more resilient. I’ve been trying it out on myself and it seems to work well with no side effects. It is just experimental, however. If you want to try it, I’d suggest a daily dose from now until next week.”

“Sounds good so far. I’ll try your potion, no problem.” She looked at him calmly.

He watched her for a moment then shook his head. “You’re too trusting.”

“If I’m not willing to trust you at this point, I may as well not go,” Tonks was feeling a bit irritated.

He gave a short laugh. “Perhaps you have a point.”

He fetched a bottle and glass from a shelf with a wave of his hand. Pouring out a few ounces, he gave it to Tonks. She put the rest of the bottle in her jacket pocket as he pulled a small plastic bottle from the middle drawer of his desk.

“More magic?” She tried to hide her nervousness.

“Muggle magic.” He tossed it to her. “Antibiotics; one of their better inventions. While we can cure almost anything, this will prevent a rather large number of nasty things.”

Tonks looked puzzled.

“Infections. From all kinds of sources.”

“Oh.” Tonks read the label. “Twice a day until gone. When do I start?”

“Two days from now should be about right.”

She nodded.

“Why do I have the feeling there is a number three?” Tonks was watching Snape closely.

Snape rested his elbows on the desk, steepled his fingers and tapped them against his chin. “Most of the Death Eaters seem to prefer anal rape. We can do something to try and make that a little less painful for you.”

Tonks shifted in her chair. “Kinky lot, eh?”

“Rape is not about sex, Tonks, it’s about power. It’s demoralizing and dehumanizing and one of the most despicable of acts.” He was angry and the force of his statement took her aback a bit.

“Have you ever.....” It was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

“Have I ever been raped? Or have I ever raped anyone?” He was staring at her through narrowed eyes.

Tonks gulped. “It.... I’m sorry. That was out of line.”

“Reasonable enough questions under the circumstances, I think.” He opened a drawer and withdrew a small ebony box that he set in front of him.

Tonks looked at the box and something stirred in the back of her mind. Not a memory but a feeling of unease.

Snape was watching her closely. “What is it?” The forgetfulness potion he had given her a year ago should never wear off, but clearly something triggered the wary look that was now in her eyes.

She shook her head. “Nothing. I think I may have seen a box like that somewhere before.”

“Perhaps,” his voice was smooth. “Tonks, do you engage regularly in anal sex?”

“’Scuse me?” Tonks eyes popped open.

“If you do, there is less of a chance you will be injured and the pain will probably be less as well.”

Tonks blushed and looked down. “No, actually, I have very little experience.” She gave Snape a pointed look.

He tapped a long finger on the lid of the box. “I think we may be able to catch up as it were. It may help you.”

“What?” Tonks squirmed uncomfortably in her chair. “Are you going to fuck me in the arse every day until the meeting?”

Snape closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Charming as your offer is, Tonks, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline. I had something a little less athletic in mind.” He removed something from the box and held it out to her. “Do you know what this is?”

It was a cone shaped object about 4” long attached by a short stem to a flat disk. The widest part of the cone was about 2” across and the stem was about an inch and a half. It appeared to be a stiffish rubber. Tonks turned it curiously in her hand. “No.”

Snape couldn’t suppress a small smile. “It’s a Muggle artifact, classified as an adult toy. It’s called a ‘butt plug.’”

Tonks frowned. “A ...... Oh.” She looked puzzled. “You mean they....?”

She looked up and saw the grin on Snape’s face. Rather hastily, she set the object back on his desk. “Oh. Um.....” She looked desperately at Snape.

“If you were to wear one of these, in increasingly large sizes, for several hours every day until the meeting, you should be able to train your muscles to relax – to stretch them out so the events of the night will be less painful. You will be less likely to sustain injury as well.”

He removed another plug from the box and set it next to the first one. To Tonks’ frightened gaze it looked huge.

“You gotta be kidding me!”

“Not at all,” his tone was matter of fact. “In fact, I wish I had a larger one to train you on.”

Tonks gulped. “You’re going to .....” Words seem to fail her.

“You can certainly do it yourself. Or I will if you wish.”

“Jeez, Snape.” Tonks got up and paced the room swinging her arms nervously.
“Ah, could you tell me a little more about how this works?”

Snape came around the desk, hooked one leg up on it and sat.

“Sit,” he gestured to the chair in front of him.

Tonks sat, flopping down with her usual lack of grace. She looked up at Snape just a few feet in front of her. He was wearing his school uniform of black frock coat and trousers. The cloak was hanging on the coat rack in the corner. She was reminded strongly of the schoolgirl crush she’d had on the man. The schoolgirl crush on the man who had gotten her into Auror school, fucked her senseless, saved her life, allowed her to save his, was her adored aunt’s lover and was now suggesting shoving something up her behind for her own good.

“You got any whiskey in here?”

His eyebrows shot up. “At 9:30 in the morning?”

She wiped her palms on her jeans. “Yeah.”

Snape snapped his fingers and a cabinet opened, a decanter poured a glass of whiskey and the glass flew to his outstretched hand. He handed it to Tonks.

“How do you do all the stuff you do without your wand?” She took a gulp of the alcohol and coughed. It was not the quality of the liquor in his room.

He gave a small smile. “You had questions about my...... idea?”

She took another gulp of the whiskey and set the glass aside. “Yeah. How do I go about this?”

“I suggest that you start with it inserted for a few hours at a time. Few in, few out. It you can sleep with it, so much the better. If it becomes painful, by all means remove it for awhile. The longer you can leave it in, the better. Day after tomorrow, I suggest you try the larger size. I will pick up the next size larger in London for you for two days after that.” He went back around the desk and withdrew a small jar and a hand towel from a drawer. “I also suggest that you learn, at least temporarily, to sit a bit more like a lady. Your usual method of dropping onto the furniture like a sack of grain might prove a bit...... uncomfortable.”

Tonks blushed. “Add insult to injury, why don’t you?”

“On the contrary, Tonks, I’m trying to prevent injury.”

Tonks pushed her green hair out of her face.

“Come.” His command startled her and she looked up. He was standing beside the desk.

She hesitated a fraction but his scowl had her on her feet in an instant. He pointed to her jeans then at the floor.

“Ahhhh, Snape.......” There was a note of pleading in her voice.

“You are dithering. If I leave it to you, you’ll put it off at least a day and it will be that much time lost. Now are you going to drop your jeans or do I have to do it?”

Pictures of the night at Grimmauld Place flashed through her mind and she trembled as she undid her jeans and shoved them down around her knees. Snape moved her forward and bent her over the desk. She was rigid with nerves. He opened the jar and smeared a large amount of the gel it contained onto the plug. Then dipping his fingers into the lubricant again, he brought his hands to her behind. One hand spread her cheeks and the other rubbed the gel around her anus. She stiffened still more when his finger slipped inside her, spreading the lubricant gently.

“Always use plenty of gel. The jar won’t go empty.”

He wiped his hands on the towel and picked up the plug. It slid in easily to a point, then her muscles refused to open any more. He pressed gently, waiting for her to relax. She was holding her breath.

“The answer to both your questions, Tonks, is ‘yes’.”

Surprise stunned her and her muscles went slack. The plug slipped in easily before she knew it. He wiped up the excess gel with the towel and stepped back.

“All right.” He nodded to her jeans.

She yanked them back up. Try though she could, she could not detect a flicker of emotion on his face. He held out the jar to her.

“Do you want to take the other plug with you, or come back for it?” His voice was businesslike but she blushed anyway.

“Um, I’ll take it with me, I guess.” She shoved it in her pocket. “You said you were going to get another.....?” She made a vague gesture with her hand.

“That’s right. You should be ready for it in 3 or 4 days. Do you want me to bring it to you or will you come here for it?”

Tonks’ face was burning. “Can I get back to you on that?” She squirmed . The plug was uncomfortable but not painful.

“Tonks,” his tone made her look him in the eye. “I’m not doing this to humiliate you.”

“I know,” she raised her hand in a helpless gesture then let it fall. “It’s just so....”

“You can back out at any time. I will certainly not think the less of you. And your aunt will be enormously relieved.”

“But what will happen to you if I do?” Her question was whispered.

He shrugged and put the ebony box back in the desk drawer. “That’s not your concern.”

The remark jarred Tonks. “What are you talking about? Of course it’s my concern! You think no one cares what happens to you? Are you stupid?” Her anger made her say things she normally wouldn’t have dreamt of saying.

Snape raised an eyebrow to new heights. “I will not be spoken to like that. Not by anyone.”

The stress of the last day overcame Tonks and she started to cry; a situation that made her furious. She flopped down in the chair and a sharp pain in her rear sent her instantly back to her feet. Kicking out at the chair she hurt her foot. Sobbing uncontrollably, she was headed for the door when Snape caught her. He folded her in his long arms and held her tightly while she cried herself out against his chest.

“I’m sorry. I’m just so afraid. I’m afraid of what’s going to happen to me if I go and I’m afraid of what will happen to you if I don’t.”

He rested his chin on the top of her head. “I should never have brought you into this.”

“You were right to.” She sniffed against him. “We’re family.”

A deep shudder went through him at her simple statement. Setting her away form him, he handed her the snowy white handkerchief from his breast pocket. She took it gratefully and wiped her face. When she held it out to him, he shook his head and she stuffed it in the pocket of her jeans.

“Are you going to be all right now?” His hands rested on her shoulders.

“Yeah,” she wiped a last tear from her cheek with the heel of her hand. “I’m fine.”

He dropped his hands and smirked at her. “A Gryffindor to the core. Your world can be falling down about your ears, but you’re fine.”

“For which you should be grateful. Takes a Gryffindor to save your miserable Slytherin hide!” She tossed back at him rebelliously.

He allowed himself a small smile. “We’ll see about that.”

They walked to the door. “Come back three days from tonight.” It was not a request.

“All right.”

“Or sooner, if you need to.”

Tonks shifted uncomfortably. “You weren’t going to tell Aunt Lilly about this, were you?”

“I certainly hadn’t planned on it.”

Tonks sighed. “I’ve never seen her so upset. She’s always been the strong one.”

“Like you, she is a Gryffindor.”

Tonks gave Snape a sharp look, searching for criticism or sarcasm. She saw neither, but he caught her look and gave a ghost of a smile.

“The heart of a lioness. She will brave anything, give anything, fight anyone for the ones she cares for, but don’t ask her to sit back and wait while they go into battle without her.”

Tonks eyebrows rose. “A Gryffindor? Like me?”

Snape held her eyes without expression. “A Gryffindor; like you.”

She studied his face for a moment then gave a short nod of acknowledgement.

He opened the door for her. “I don’t think that it would be wise for either one of us to come back without the other.”

Tonks laughed weakly. “Well we won’t then, will we?”

A flame burned briefly behind his eyes. “No, Tonks, we won’t.”

She left his office and he went back to his desk. For a long while he stared into space and saw nothing.

*****************************


Chapter 32: The Death Eater Meeting

The week passed as a dream for Tonks and Lillith. Try as he might, Snape could not think of a way out of the situation. He was so nasty with his students that Dumbledore asked him what was wrong. He put the Headmaster off but knew that Dumbledore suspected it was something to do with the upcoming meeting. Tonks had insisted they not tell the Headmaster; she wanted Lillith to tell him only after she and Snape had gone for the meeting.

Twenty minutes before they were to leave, Tonks knocked lightly and entered their rooms. Snape and Lillith were sitting on the couch, Lillith in Snape’s lap, her head on his shoulder. She looked up when Tonks entered and Tonks could see she’d been crying. She slid off Snape’s lap and ran to Tonks, wrapping her in a hug.

“Come on, Aunt Lilly.” Tonks coaxed. “Don’t do this. You’re always the strong one.”

Lillith nodded and tried to smile. Snape joined them.

“You know Phyllis Little of course?”

“The Auror? Sure. She died of SARS last month while on vacation in Laos.”

“I’m going to use her name for you if I’m asked. They won’t know. Can you resemble her?”

“Sure.” Tonks closed her eyes and concentrated. Her face became more oval, her nose longer and straighter, her hair grew straight and long and when she opened her eyes, they were brown.

Snape couldn’t help shaking his head. “Amazing.”

Tonks pulled out her wand and with a shimmer, the ragged jeans and the Grateful Dead T-shirt disappeared and a neat pantsuit of dark brown took its place.

Snape held out his hand. Tonks looked at her wand for a long moment, then handed it to Snape. He tucked it in his trouser pocket and handed her a small beaker. She looked at it a moment then downed it without a word.

“I guess I’m ready as I’ll ever be.” She gave her aunt a big hug. “I’ll be back, Aunt Lilly.”

She went to the door and Snape wrapped Lillith in a long, strong hug. Leaning over to kiss her cheek he whispered, “We will both be back. I promise you.”

Lillith nodded and stood dumbly as they both left. When the door closed behind them, she sank down on the couch and folded her arms around herself. She would give them twenty minutes and then go to Dumbledore. She couldn’t stand to be alone any longer than that.

~~

She lasted ten. She ran through the school and fell into Dumbledore’s office in tears. Sobbing, she poured out the story. He sat her on the sofa, conjured a mug of tea and added a large dollop of brandy. Then, adding a pinch of floo powder to the fire he leaned into it for a few seconds. Minutes later, Madam Pomfrey arrived on the run demanding to know what the emergency was. Dumbledore seated her next to Lillith, gave her tea and told her the story. She poured out a stream of invective against Snape that silenced Lillith and left her wide eyed.

“Albus, Lilly, I’m sorry but he had no right to ask that of her,” the woman was shaking.

“He didn’t ask, Madam Pomfrey. He told us the situation and Dori volunteered.”

“Even worse. That way he doesn’t have to take responsibility for what happens to her.”

Lillith gasped.

“Now Poppy,” Dumbledore held up a hand. “You know Severus isn’t like that.”

Madam Pomfrey sniffed loudly. “I’m sorry. You know how much I love that boy, Albus, and how I suffer when he has to go to those meetings.” She wiped her eyes. “And now he’s taken that child into hell with him.”

“She’s not a child, Poppy. Though I have trouble remembering that myself.” Dumbledore sighed and added a hefty shot of brandy to Poppy’s tea.

She took a large swallow. “Odd,” she wrinkled her brow in thought. “Strange enough for any Slytherin to accept help from someone, from a Gryffindor no less, but Severus?” She looked at Dumbledore. “I’ve never known him to do that.”

“Nor I,” Dumbledore sighed. “If there is anything positive about this, I think that is it.”

“What do you mean?” Poppy asked for both women.

“I mean that in the past, Severus would never have accepted help from anyone, no matter how desperate his situation, partly because of his Slytherin nature but also because he didn’t care whether he lived or died. Now, it would seem, he does care.” He gave Lillith a long look.

Poppy stood and set her mug on Dumbledore’s desk. “I’ll be getting back to the hospital wing and get ready what I can. They’ll be back in a few hours.”

“If they come back,” Lillith’s voice was barely above a whisper.

“He’ll bring her back, Lillith,” Dumbledore walked Madam Pomfrey to the door.

“Or die in the attempt,” Poppy muttered under her breath so Lillith couldn’t hear.

Dumbledore cast her a look of warning. “We’ll be along shortly to wait with you.”

“Will you send Hagrid?” Poppy asked one last question.

“Of course.”

“Hagrid?” Lillith looked confused.

“Hagrid always waits for Severus.” Dumbledore looked sad. “In case he needs help.”

Dumbledore contacted Hagrid by floo then returned to his desk and sipped his tea. They sat in silence for awhile and gradually the tranquility of the room soaked into Lillith’s soul and calmed some of her fears.

She sat up and sighed. “Perhaps we should be going alone to the hospital wing.”

Dumbledore nodded. “Lillith, when they return, let Severus help Poppy tend to Tonks.”

“What?” Her eyes grew wide. “You mean stand back? You don’t want me to help her?”

Dumbledore laid a hand on her arm as they walked to the door.

“Even though he has accepted her help, Severus will not be able to forgive himself for what will happen tonight. He needs to be able to make some small amends to Tonks.”

Lillith blinked back tears as she and Dumbledore walked the corridors to the hospital wing.

~~

Snape and Tonks walked side by side across the grounds to the front gates. The inch of snow from the last weeks storm crunched underfoot and their breath made frosty plumes in the moonlight.

“They are looking for fear, pain and debasement. Give them what they want.”

Tonks raised an eyebrow.

“This is not about pride, Tonks, this is about survival. Give them whatever they want. Don’t fight them. Don’t be brave, and don’t bite anyone or they will knock your teeth out. If you hurt them, they will hurt you tenfold. Remember, if you want me to disassociate you, call out for your mother; that’s the signal." They walked a few steps in silence. "I have lubricant with me. When I -- well, after it is my turn, I will put a large amount in your backside and also in your vagina. I can’t do it before or the Dark Lord will notice. I’m hoping the others will just think… that they won’t notice. It probably won’t last as long as you’ll need it,” he had to clear his throat, “but it should help.”

They entered the clearing used for Apparation and Snape turned to her.

“You can still back out, Tonks. I will deal with it. You don’t have to do this.”

She straightened up. “I know. I’m going.”

Snape pulled a long black, silk scarf out of his pocket and tied it snuggly around her head covering her eyes. He held her face between his hands for a moment.

“I’ll be with you,” his voice was barely a whisper in her ear.

He wrapped her long hair around his hand and taking a firm grip they Apparated.

They arrived indoors but more than that Tonks couldn’t tell. They stood in silence for about 30 seconds, then she heard his voice at her ear again. “This is it,” and next she knew, they were standing outside somewhere.

The air was warmer and smelled of evergreen trees and trampled dried bracken. A cheer went up around her and she screamed and struggled. The blindfold was torn off and she got her first look at her surroundings. They seemed to be at the edge of a field. Trees stood all around and the night sky was crystal clear and crowded with stars. She was then yanked around to face a bonfire and her night vision faded. The fire burned high with eerie green flames. Silhouetted in front of it was a tall thin form in a long cloak. The hood was pulled up obscuring his features, but her blood ran cold at the sight of him. She froze for a second, then Snape shoved her sideways. Many hands reached out for her and she panicked. Hooded figures were everywhere, their hands groping and tearing at her clothing. It took only seconds and she was shivering naked in the flickering light of the flames. Snape was suddenly at her side. Gripping a handful of hair he pulled her forward. In front of the tall figure he dropped to one knee forcing Tonks down beside him. He pushed her forehead to the ground and dropped his own to his raised knee.

“Rise.” The rasping voice chilled Tonks to the bone.

Snape stood and Tonks straightened up but he held her on her knees.

“I have brought you an Auror, my Lord.” His voice carried to the men behind and Tonks could hear them gasp.

“An Auror? Do you think that wise?”

“I thought you might find it... amusing. I do think, if you agree my Lord, that it would be best to return her alive, however.”

Tonks held her breath while Voldemort considered.

“I think you are correct about returning her alive, Snape. Do you hear?” He raised his voice to the crowd. “Snape has brought an Auror for our entertainment. But we need to return her alive, so restrain yourselves a bit!” His chuckle made the hair on Tonks’ arms stand on end.

A roar went up from the men and Tonks didn’t have to feign the fear that coursed through her body.

Snape pulled her to her feet. His grip in her hair was firm but not brutal and she gave a fake cry of pain. He pushed her forward a step and tilted her head back exposing her throat to Voldemort.

“Will you take her first, my Lord?”

Voldemort ran a long finger down Tonks’ cheek, over her jaw and down her throat to her breast. He flicked the nipple with his nail a few times then grasped it and twisted viscously.

Tonks screamed and the men laughed and catcalled.

“I think so, yes. Hold her for me, Snape.”

Snape pulled Tonks around and toward a horizontal rail. It was hip high and resembled the hitching rails outside of saloons in the old Muggle western movies. Snape pushed her hips against it and kicked her ankles apart. At least it looked that way. He pulled the kick short so his foot just tapped her but she yanked her foot aside as though he had struck her. Still holding her hair he moved around the other side of the rail and bent her forward. She placed her palms on the ground to support herself and Snape dropped to one knee in front of her. He pulled her head against the inside of his thigh and held it there with his other hand. Buried in her hair, no one could see the gentle stroking motion of his thumb against her temple.

Voldemort moved behind Tonks and spread her cheeks roughly with his hands. She heard him laugh and felt the head of his cock against her anus a split second before he drove forward into her.

She muffled her scream against Snape’s thigh.

He was not, as Snape had promised, very well endowed and he didn’t last long either. He was, however, punishing in his strokes and Tonks whimpered with relief when he finished.

The men cheered when Voldemort stepped back and adjusted his robes.

“Your turn, Snape!” It was an order.

Snape touched Tonks with his wand and she knew she would not be able to rise until he released her. He bent over her head.

“I’ll be as quick as I can.”

She felt his hands gentle on her backside. His cock stroked her slit then slipped inside. He thrust forward forcefully, but as with the kicks he had given her earlier, he stopped short of impacting with her body. She cried out as if in pain and a cheer went up. Knowing he wanted to be done as soon as possible, she tightened her internal muscles around him. She heard him grunt approval and in a few more strokes, he was done.

When he stepped back, Voldemort came up to him and smiled. Tonks felt his cold hand on her and shivered as he slipped two fingers into her. Withdrawing them, he rubbed his thumb over them, spreading Snape’s cum between his fingers. Slowly, he brought his hand to his mouth and tasted the cum.

Tonks closed her eyes and gulped as her stomach churned.

“So nice of you to join us at last, Severus.” Voldemort’s voice was a low hiss.

Snape bowed from the waist, then leaning over Tonks from behind slowly wound his hand in her hair. She felt the lubricant quickly fill her in both places before Snape moved away from her. In a moments’ time, he was yanking her upright and without a word he shoved her forward into the waiting group of men. Tonks’ nightmare then began in earnest.

The men received her with grasping hands and fell on her like hounds on a fresh kill. She was groped, grabbed, pinched, punched and slapped. They took it in turns to hold her while the others raped her. The only positive note was that the excitement meant that none of them lasted very long. Tonks didn’t fight and neither did she scream. She was remarkably quiet through the ordeal and Snape couldn’t help but worry about this unexpected turn of events.

When Voldemort finally called them to the meeting Snape stifled a sigh of relief. Moving to where Tonks lay on the ground he looked down at her and tried to read her face. She opened her eyes and gave him a ghost of a smile and the briefest of nods. It was all he could do not to show any sign in his expression. He cast the body bind and walked away without a word. Just before he turned, Tonks felt a warmth encompasses her, blocking out the chill night air. Snape had cast a warming spell around her along with the body bind.

~~

The night was turning chilly as the stars wheeled across the heavens in their timeless dance. The enchanted flames burned brightly but gave little heat and Tonks was grateful for the warming spell Snape has cast upon her. She listened but the voices were only a low murmur not unlike the wind in the treetops. Somewhere in the distance she heard the ghostly call of an owl.

The meeting had ended and the men were returning, shadows emerging out of shadows. Snape pointed his wand at Tonks releasing her from the body bind. Grabbing her arm he hoisted her to her feet and hauled her in front of Voldemort once more. Snape pushed her roughly to her knees and bowed.

“My Lord?”

Voldemort smiled. “I think not, thank you, but do feel free to indulge yourself.”

Snape pulled Tonks to the rail and bent her over it again. She concentrated on reading his movements and together they put in a credible performance. Tonks received another double dose of the lubricating gel and also had the benefit of a few seconds of Snape’s gentle, healing touch. When he shoved her forward into the punishing hands of the other wizards, she turned and searched the edge of the group for his tall still figure, but all she saw was flickering firelight and shadow.

Again she was handed from one to the other of the men as they laughed and abused her. Again she was silent. Snape fretted in complete stillness. He knew the men wouldn’t give up until they heard her scream and beg for mercy. Why was she so silent? One of the men grabbed her nipples and twisted viscously, yanking her forward almost off her feet. She screamed and Snape almost sighed in relief. As though that scream were the first stone out of a crumbling dam, Tonks let her cries flow. For a time, this seemed to incite the men further and they renewed their efforts to totally debase and defile the young woman. Snape bit the inside of his cheek until it bled. The Dark Lord, he knew, was watching him closely without appearing to do so.

Tonks’ cries died to a low, steady, keening wail. From what Snape could see of her eyes, they seemed to be losing focus and her body was getting less responsive to individual strikes. The men were shoving her ‘round and across a circle, rather like the child’s game of tossing a ball and she could barely stay on her feet. Stepping into the circle, Snape was greeted with a cheer from the others. They shoved Tonks roughly to him and she impacted with her back against his chest. She showed no sign of recognition. His right hand came up and covered her left breast with his long fingers. His left hand he splayed across her stomach and stroked very slowly and sensuously down her abdomen and between her legs until his fingers cupped her sex. He lowered his face as though to nuzzle her neck while the men hooted and whistled.

Tonks felt her back slam into the hard wall of a chest and leaned against the man for support not caring who he was or what he did. Her mind was starting to glaze over just as her vision was. She was barely registering the fact that these hands were not hurting her; were, in fact, bringing soothing relief when, soft as a whisper, she heard a trusted voice in her ear.

“I’m here, Tonks. You’re not alone.”

Snape felt her shudder and saw her eyes close. She drew a deep breath and when her eyes opened he saw they were bright and focused again. He held her as long as he dared, stroking his hands over her in sinuous swirls and circles, relieving as much pain as he could. All too soon, his hands slid to her shoulder blades and he shoved her forward again.

Malfoy, as usual, was standing on the sidelines. Like Snape, he rarely participated though he always joined in when the victim was a child. If the life of the victim was forfeit, frequently it was Malfoy who dealt the death blows with his silver-headed walking stick. Snape avoided looking at him, afraid his hatred might become noticeable.

“Hey, Malfoy!” One of the men called out. “Did you bring your dogs?”

A highly unpleasant smile spread over Malfoy’s face, but before he could answer, a curse sizzled through the air and the man who had called out screamed and fell to the ground. Voldemort held his wand on the screaming man for several seconds before releasing the curse. The man lay whimpering in the dirt.

“No names.” Voldemort pocketed his wand and turned back toward the fire. “Try to remember.”

There was an uneasy shuffling of feet as the man struggled upright.

Malfoy took a deep breath and smiled again.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I brought two of them. The older one and the pup.”

He left the circle. One man pushed Tonks forward and another tripped her. She fell heavily to her hands and knees and someone put a spell on her, locking her in that position.

Malfoy returned with his two wolfhounds, the big shaggy creatures loping gracefully into the group. Almost immediately, the older one spotted Tonks and headed for her. He was almost to her when he yelped and jumped back.

“What the....” Malfoy came forward. “Go!” He motioned the dog forward. “Show the pup what to do.”

Again the big dog approached Tonks, although considerably more cautiously. He reached out his nose to her and again yelped as though stung and backed away. Furious, Malfoy grabbed the dog’s collar and tried to drag him forward but the dog fought and slipped his collar. Turning tail, he ran from the firelight. Malfoy kicked the dirt and cursed.

Snape, standing with his hands clasped in front of him, smiled to himself. The pup approached Tonks’ head and Snape tensed. The young dog, however, simply reached out and licked the tears from Tonks cheek. The friendly act from the gentle animal seemed to undo Tonks and Snape saw her head droop and her shoulders quiver with sobs. He needed to get her out of there.

Calling to the young dog, Malfoy disappeared into the night after his other hound.

Two men grabbed Tonks’ arms and hauled her to her feet. A third drew his wand and placing it lightly against her back, started drawing a large wavy line. Blood welled instantly from the trail of the wand as with the precision of a scalpel it cut into her back. It was so sharp it did not hurt much at first but as the blood started running down she let out a long wail.

Snape’s hand came out of nowhere, fastened on the wrist of the man with the wand and yanked him back.

“No scarring!” He hissed at him.

The man glared at him for a few seconds then dropped his hand. When Snape released him, he transferred his wand to the other hand and drove his fist into Tonks’ kidney. She grunted in pain and her knees sagged.

Snape’s hex lifted the man off his feet and flung him fifteen feet backwards.

“Snape!” The word cracked like a whip and Voldemort stepped into the group.

“My Lord,” Snape bowed stiffly from the hips.

Voldemort approached and stopped on the other side of Tonks, whom the men had dropped at Snape’s interference. Looking down, he carefully placed his heels on Tonks’ hand and stepped down. She cried out and tried to roll away but came up against Snape’s legs and lay still, whimpering.

“I realize how important it is to return our visitor without permanent damage, but aren’t you being a bit over-protective?”

“My Lord, while my ability to modify the memory is excellent, my healing skills are, as are those of the rest of the group, quite limited. I do not wish to have to engage the services of someone outside the group to assist. If I have been overzealous, I apologize.”

Voldemort studied Snape for several seconds. “Be careful, Snape. You are treading awfully close to the line.” Grinding his heel into Tonks’ hand, he turned to the group. “If you can’t fix it, don’t break it! Understand?”

There were murmurs of assent from the darkness.

Snape stepped over Tonks’ body and back into the shadows leaving her alone in the dirt.

For a moment, the men seemed at a loss for ideas. Then one man stepped forward and kicked Tonks in the belly. This seemed to be a signal to the others and they crowded around kicking and striking her as she lay curled on the ground. Blood flooded Snape’s mouth from where he bit his cheek, but it was the Dark Lord himself who growled a warning, causing the men to back off.

One of the Death Eaters then pointed his wand at Tonks where she lay sobbing on the ground. “Crucio!”

She screamed and convulsed. Snape’s body jerked but before he could move, the man lifted his wand. The others laughed and a second man pointed his wand at her as well. Again the curse rang out, almost drowned by Tonks’ screams.

“Stop!” Snape strode into the group and stood straddling Tonks’ body, his hands on his hips.

“Use of the Cruciatus curse scrambles the brain synapses and renders sophisticated memory modification impossible,” he lied smoothly and with authority.

The men looked from Snape to Voldemort. The Dark Lord approached Snape and looked him in the eye. “Is this true, Snape?”

“Yes, my Lord.” Snape held his look unflinchingly as Voldemort tried to probe the depths of his mind. After several long seconds, Voldemort turned away.

“I think we’re about done for the night.” His voice rang out like stone striking cold steel. “Why don’t you all finish up,” he turned with a grin at Snape, “and we’ll go home.”

Snape stepped away from Tonks and the men crowded around. He swallowed the bile rising in the back of his throat as the men took it in turns to relieve themselves on her unresponsive body. He dared not look away as he knew the Dark Lord’s eyes were upon him.

When the men finished and were laughing and saying their farewells, Voldemort pointed his wand at them one by one and sent the back whence they came. Soon, all were gone but Snape and Tonks. Voldemort turned to the bonfire and raised his hands over his head. Instantly the fire went out as though it had never been. Snape had used the time to conduct a quick cleansing spell on Tonks – it couldn’t be very efficient as they weren’t meant to be used on open wounds – and had rolled her into his Death Eater cloak and into his arms.

The night was utterly silent, the wind still at last. Voldemort approached as Snape tried to will his eyes to adjust to the moonlight.

“Well done, Severus.” Voldemort looked at Tonks’ passive face. “You’ll have to join us more often.”

Snape inclined his head but didn’t speak.

“How is the monk’s potion coming along?” Snape had waited all night for that question. He waited a few seconds longer before answering.

“Not well, my Lord.”

Voldemort stood looking him in the eyes for several minutes. Snape barely breathed. Then Voldemort took a deep breath.

“You know how I hate to be disappointed?”

Snape bowed slightly. “I am doing my best, my Lord.”

“See that you are!” Voldemort raised his wand and Snape and Tonks found themselves in the house in Surrey. There was barely time for a breath before the cold winter air of Hogwarts enveloped them.

He headed immediately for the gates.

“Pr’fessor!” It was Hagrid coming at a run.

“It’s alright, Hagrid, she’s alive.” Snape called over his shoulder, never slowing his pace.

“Worthington, Simms, White and Bellows,” Tonks murmured against his chest.

“What?” Snape was startled to hear her speak. She raised her head weakly.

“The new men.” Her head sank back onto his chest.

He pursed his lips tightly as he carried her to the school.

*************************

To be continued in Part 8