Beyond the Darkness

47. Into the Veil

"You're trapped," Cyrus told her with an evil grin. "You orb out, they'll kill you and if you blast one of them, they'll kill you. Looks like you're staying. Not to mention that my new friends," he pointed to the Death Eaters who encircled the quartet of Darklighters, "will kill Harry and his friends if you screw this up."

Sasha couldn't breathe, at least that's what it felt like. She knew Cyrus wasn't bluffing. She had been so focused on causing him pain because of what he'd done to Severus that she hadn't even been thinking about the consequences of letting him get away. She could have blown him up and then none of this would be happening. Her fists were clenched at her sides and her blood began to boil. This whole situation made her extremely angry. Umbridge hadn't been behind it at all. At least not this part. And she was the one she had believed to be responsible, the one she was most worried about when all along it had been Voldemort pulling the strings.

"You don't look so smug now," came a cold, hard voice from behind one of the Death Eater masks. He walked up beside one of the Darklighters and removed his mask. "Sasha, look what you have gotten yourself into."

"Lucius," she spat.

He smiled. "Dolores and I are old friends, you know. She came to me for answers, but my knowledge was best used for the purposes of the Dark Lord. I decided to give Johnson a little bread crumb though. She did find out how to lower the protection and then her problem would take care of itself." He looked around at the Darklighters. "Hence your welcoming committee."

"You will pay for this," she vowed. "Even if I die here tonight-"

"Oh you won't die, Sasha. Not yet. You're just the bait. If Harry sees you in danger, he will come, and then the Dark Lord will acquire what he needs. And I will take it to him. And then you will die."

Sasha moved toward him and the Darklighters all moved as well. There was no way out. She bit her lower lip nervously. She could call for help, but if Cassius came down he could be killed. And she wasn't having the death of an Elder on her conscience.

"What's the matter?" Lucius taunted her. "Is this not what you expected?" He sneered. "This is what happens when you meddle in other people's affairs." He stepped back and put his Death Eater mask back on, a smug smile on his face.

"I don't care what happens to me," Sasha declared. "Kill me if you want. But I won't bring Harry here for you to manipulate."

"You don't have a choice. If you move, you die. And if you die, Harry will have no protection."

Sasha set her jaw hard. That wasn't true. He would have Severus, but of course, Lucius didn't know that. But there was no way she was checking out. Not like this. As much as she despised to have to admit it, Lucius was right. She didn't have a choice. Her hands were tied.

~ * ~

Severus had been grading exams for what seemed like ages. It had been an hour and the lines on the paper were starting to run together. He had to stop and take a break. He had just leaned back in his chair when his office door burst open. He sat up in a hurry, startled. Harry rushed in, Ron and Hermione right behind him. He frowned at them. They all had worried expressions on their faces, and worse, it was way after hours. Not one of them should have even been out of bed, little long down in the Dungeons.

"Why did you burst in here like a herd of elephants?" he demanded getting to his feet. "And what if Umbridge catches you up?"

"I don't care," Harry said breathlessly. "This is an emergency and with Dumbledore gone, you were the only one I could think of to go to. I think Voldemort got into my head again. I saw the Department of Mysteries. Just like I did with Sirius."