Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 31: The Blackest Day (Best Enemies)

12 Grimmauld Place
Master Bedroom
5:30 p.m.

"COLLOPORTUS TRIMENDIUM!" Harry yelled from outside the bedroom door, and before either Sirius or Snape could react, chains magically appeared to seal them in with what Snape knew to be one of the strongest locking charms he'd ever encountered. Behind them, there was another rattling sound that indicated that the ward extended to the room's windows as well.

"Harry!" Sirius bellowed. He strode towards the door with the intent of pounding on it with his fists, but he immediately jerked his hand back when the ward shocked him harmlessly but still painfully. Undeterred, he tried yelling louder. "Harry! Open this door at once!"

Snape snorted contemptuously. "Cease your bellowing, you cretin! That charm muffles sound among its other properties - not that the boy is likely to free us anyway if he thinks you're furious at his actions. And in addition to electrifying the door and windows, it also protects them against physical damage. Without a wand, it is impossible to break through."

"You!" Sirius said furiously as he turned from the door towards his old rival. "You're responsible for this! Somehow you turned Harry against me! Just like you did with Reg!"

"If only that were true," Snape scoffed. "Alas, Harry has ignored all my warnings about what a wretched swine you are. As for your brother, given his own personal history, it was inevitable that he would be disgusted with you once he inevitably learned what you did to me."

He smirked cruelly. "Honestly, I think I did him a favor."

With a strangled roar, Sirius launched himself at Snape, leading to a brief physical struggle between them. It was not an impressive battle. Both men were recuperating from serious physical traumas, and Snape, while deadly with a wand, had little experience with fisticuffs. As for Sirius, unarmed combat had not been a part of his Auror training, and after over a decade in Azkaban, his skills had not progressed far beyond the level of schoolyard brawls. A Muggle onlooker might have described it as more of a "slap fight" than real combat.

After less than a minute of ineffectual efforts to hurt one another, Snape finally shoved Sirius hard enough for him to collapse onto the bed before falling himself into an easy chair.

"Enough!" he gasped. "This ... hooliganism is ridiculous! We are wizards! We should act like it!" He took a few seconds to catch his breath. "For now, Black, let us agree to concentrate on getting out of here and recovering our wands. And then, I will be only too happy to duel you properly."

Sirius wrinkled his nose in disgust. "Agreed," he muttered reluctantly. "So how do we do that? Can you Apparate out of here?"

"Not without a wand, obviously," Severus sneered. "And before you ask, the same holds true for portkeys."

"I know that," Sirius said through gritted teeth. "What about runes? We took NEWT-level Ancient Runes together, didn't we?"

"Yes," Snape said hesitantly. "I received an O, but that was fifteen years ago. I ... have spent little time studying runes since then. You? It was a prerequisite for the Auror Academy, yes?"

"Yeah, but you may recall something about me spending twelve years in Azkaban, where I didn't have much chance to practice. Getting caught doing rune work was presumed to be an escape attempt and punished with an automatic Kiss."

Snape shrugged as if unconcerned with Black's suffering.

"And also, I only got an EE," Sirius muttered under his breath.

"Then our way is regrettably clear – we must wait here until your godson comes to his senses and frees us or until your brother calms down and does the same. Unless there is someone else who might come to our rescue?"