Suffering: Part 5

The Alfie Incident

"Can I visit Alastair today? Just for a bit. I will come right back. I just want to see how he is doing," Y/N asked softly as the two ate breakfast. "I would prefer you not do that but if you must," Severus grumbled.

"I want to tell him I went diving and horseback riding. I think he will be happy for me. I also want to see how Mina is doing. Perhaps, he's heard from her," Y/N replied. "Very well," Severus rolled his eyes.

"Would you like to pick me out something or shall I go in my pajamas?" she teased him. "I'll pick you out something after you eat your breakfast," he informed her.

After breakfast, just as promised, Severus laid her out a simple pale-yellow summer dress for her. She threw it on along with her sandals and grabbed her bag. "I love you. Thank you, I'll be back in a bit," she whispered before leaning down to kiss him.

"You look beautiful," Severus smiled at her softly from the floor as he sat on the carpet with the girls. They were both working on their crawling and getting into everything. "Thank you, handsome husband," she grinned before apparating away to Alastair's cottage.

Once the door was in sight, she knocked on it and waited. A voice from behind the door was heard saying, "Who's there?" they asked. "Mina is that you? It's me, Professor Snape. I came to see Alastair. Is he around?" Y/N asked through the door.

The flew open and Mina grabbed Y/N pulling her inside. "He was attacked. The man Travers tracked him down and I found him unconscious yesterday morning," Mina exclaimed as she led Y/N to the bedroom. Alastair was in the bed looking like he had been brutally beaten.

"Alastair, can you hear me? I don't know what's going on. I am going to get Severus. He needs to know about this. I am going to get some potions for you as well. I will be back in 5 minutes," she told the man as he was barely awake.

"Mina, I will be right back, I promise," Y/N told her before pulling her into a hug. "He will be ok. I'll bring back some healing potions," she whispered to Mina. She turned to the young man from school, "Mr Hargreaves. I assume you know how to brew some tea. I'll be bringing a couple people with me most likely," Y/N told him. "Yes, of course, Professor," Mr. Hargreaves replied softly.

Y/N apparated quickly back to their home where Severus was reading to the girls. "He wasn't home?" Severus asked curiously as she appeared.

"He was attacked. That man Travers tortured him, I believe. Mina was there, she found him unconscious on the floor yesterday morning. I told her I would bring him back to potions and some help," Y/N exclaimed.

"Ok, let's drop the girls off at your grandmothers. Then, you're going to take me to his house and leave to get Lucius at the Ministry. You two can go get the potions he needs from school and meet me back at Alastairs," Severus sighed.

"He looked almost dead," Y/N admitted with tears welling up in her eyes. "Pain, Healing, Dreamless Sleep. Bring several of each," Severus told her as he got up from the sofa. Y/N grabbed the girls bag and they apparated to grandmother's house.

"Alastair Van Doren was attacked. Can you watch the girls for a bit? I just fed them 20 or so minutes ago," Y/N told her grandmother frantically.

"Of course. Is he ok?" grandmother asked as she walked over to take the girls into her arms. "Not yet. Thank you. I love you," Y/N replied before she grabbed Severus. She apparated them to Van Dorens cottage in the woods.

Y/N knocked on the door as they appeared again, "It's me," she said. Mina quickly opened the door and waved the two in. "Go get Lucius and the potions. I'm going to look through his memories while you're gone," Severus told her.

"Ok," Y/N replied before apparating to the Ministry of Magic. She had no clue where Lucius worked in this building but she walked inside. There was a big information desk as soon as you walked into the huge gray stone building.

"Hello, where does Mr. Lucius Malfoy work?" Y/N asked calmly not to draw attention to herself. "4th floor. His office at the end of the hallway straight ahead from the elevator," the man replied with a little grin.

At that moment, Y/N couldn't tell why the man was grinning at her. She figured it was either how she looked at that moment or her inquiry about Lucius. It briefly crossed her mind that he had female visitors come to his work, but that seemed unlikely.

Y/N got on the rickety old elevator and hit the button for the 4th floor. She walked to the end of the hallway and knocked on the door. "Come in," the man grumbled. "Hi, it's me," Y/N said as she walked in. A huge smile spread across his face.

"What do I owe the," Lucius started cheekily. "I need help," she interrupted him and closed the door behind her. He walked around his desk towards her, "What's the matter, little bird?" he asked curiously.

"Van Doren was attacked. I think it was that Travers man. I went to visit Alastair and his sister opened the door. She said she had found him unconscious yesterday morning. I just dropped Severus off at his cottage. I'm supposed to be retrieving you and some potions for him," Y/N told him quickly.

"Just a moment," Lucius turned back to his desk, closing the ledger book he was writing in and pulling his cane into his hand with his wandless magic. He locked his office door and reached for Y/N's hand. She quickly grabbed his hand and apparated them to her store closet in the dungeon of Hogwarts castle.

Y/N grabbed a small wood box as she walked around, grabbing various potion bottles. "You're very upset, aren't you?" Lucius asked her as he watched her procure the supplies. "I'm extremely worried about him," Y/N admitted as she walked back over to him.

She grabbed Lucius' hand once again and apparted them to Van Doren's cottage. For the final time, she knocked on the door as she appeared. Again, Mina opened the door for them. "Did he say anything?" Y/N asked as she walked in with Lucius.

Lucius instantly looked around the cottage, judging it for being so small and quaint. Y/N looked back at him, making sure he wasn't going to say anything rude. He just gave her a little grin as he walked behind her to the bedroom.

"No, he's still not awake," Mina replied as she walked in front of Y/N. Severus was sitting on the edge of the bed next to Van Doren processing what he had seen in his memories.

"He was followed here, then ambushed by Travers and his men. They tortured him, trying to find information on our new residence but he had none to give," Severus remarked blankly.

Severus held an unconscious Alastair up so Mina could administer the potions to him. "We are going to give him a few minutes for these to take hold. He's extremely weak and we need to move him to Spinners End. It's not safe for you, three to stay here any longer," Severus announced.

"Travers definitely knows about Spinners End. Perhaps we should move him to my cabin. A secret location," Lucius offered. Y/N looked back to Lucius mouthing the words thank you at him. He gave her the slightest head nod.

"Mina, why don't you start packing you and Alastair's things? He might not be able to come back here for a bit. I believe the three of us are going to go outside to discuss what should be done," Y/N told her softly.

Mina started frantically packing as the three adults went outside to talk. "I know you saw things in his memories you don't want to tell me. But you are going to do it anyway," Y/N told Severus.

"They tortured him until he went unconscious. They were questioning him about you and the girls. He didn't say anything except for a few pleads," Severus remarked blankly. The man looked as if he had a storm brewing in his eyes at that moment.

Y/N had been holding her hands behind her back, digging her nails into her own palms as she attempted to stay calm. "We need to find Pansy," Y/N announced.