Chapter 68: Best Laid Plans...

Governor Of Hogwarts Office, Wizarding World...

Lucius Malfoy had just left his office in good spirits. He had been pleased with the prospect of having a quiet family dinner at Malfoy Manor with his wife Narcissa, their son, and his young family. Being a grandfather never bothered Lucius much. He had come so close to ever being one at all with Voldemort targeting his family during the war. If not for Severus being the boy's godfather surely the despot would have found an excuse to kill Draco, if only to spite him. There was no love loss between the dark lord and Lucius once the despot had Severus in his clutches. The Senior Malfoy was clearly the envy of even his own peers.

Well all with the exception of Severus himself. The younger wizard had not been interested in how far fetched his antics when it came to serving the dark lord. Snape had been recruited by Lucius and knew him fairly well since the senior Malfoy had been a Prefect and Severus a first year when they met.

It amazed the older wizard to see the younger man grow over the years.

No one knew how much their friendship had been based from instinct alone. In truth Lucius Malfoy, the last son of a prestigious Pureblood family that only produced one male heir per marriage was nothing like he pretended to be in front of the masses. He had been protective of young Severus from the moment he arrived at Hogwarts. No one knew, not even Severus just how many times Lucius hexed the so-called Marauders for harming his "little brother."

Smiling at the pleasant memory of himself and Severus gallivanting about he had not taken the time to note his surroundings. For as Lucius moved to make his way toward the apparation point, three other figures moved in the shadows focused intently upon him. Before Lucius could mount a defense he was hit with a quick hex and found himself dropping the newly obtained bottle of red wine that was to be for dinner.

"Stupefy!" came the spell that faded everything to darkness.

Lucius had not known it at the time but he was in serious trouble as three escaped death eaters hovered over his downed form.

"Not so tough now are you, Malfoy?" asked the smug voice of McNair.

Lucius was in no position to answer even if he had wanted to.

"What do you think, Thelonious?" asked McNair.

The death eater known as Thelonious snarled viciously as he looked down at Lucius with dark hate filled eyes.

"I believe my old friend isn't so tough at all." replied the deep gruff voice of the other death eater.

The three death eaters took off into the night with an unconscious Lucius Malfoy in tow.

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Malfoy Manor, Wizarding World...

Draco had been the first to note Lucius' lack of punctuality. The junior Malfoy had never known his father to show up to an engagement no more than fashionably late. Likewise he had never known his father to be late to dinner with his family either. He made it a point to gather on time or early if need be. The senior Malfoy had loved spending time with his family and ever since the war ended, he had been more than grateful to have had them all survive. Narcissa had been pacing the floors wracked with worry. She had known about McNair's escape and feared the dreaded death eaters would want retribution.

She hoped she had been wrong as she tried to get her mind to focus on the preparations for dinner. Draco had found himself becoming just as worried as his mother had been and decided that he couldn't sit by and idly wait for his father to show up. He did the only sensible thing he could think of in a bid to keep his sanity.

He decided he would go and visit his uncle Severus. If anyone could help Lucius if he was indeed in peril, than it was him. The sleek young blond bid his family farewell and made his way toward the floo. He had hoped the school would allow him through this way time was of the essence.

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Snape's Quarters, Slytherin Dungeons, Hogwarts...

Severus Snape spent the better part of the afternoon grading parchments and before that he had been teaching dunderheads. He had Hermione had not really had much of a chance to talk and given what happened that day his brooding mood had been quite the barrier when it came to striking up a conversation. The bushy haired Charms Mistress had spent much of the week in her own quarters allowing Snape to have some time to himself in a bid to keep him from running off to drink again. Not that she agreed with his choice of outlet, it was safer to have a drunken Severus Snape within the confines of Hogwarts Castle than Merlin-knows-where with a chip on his shoulder.

Austin had noticed the mood Snape had been in as well and kept his distance as Hermione had. He didn't know what his horrid uncle had done to upset Snape so much that day in London but he was sure it was best to steer clear of the dour wizard for a while.

At the moment Snape had been much too preoccupied with his work to worry about age old feelings. He had been going over stack after stack of parchments that had been piled high on his desk. After slashing a series of red marks through half of them he decided to take a small break and ventured over toward the fire whiskey.

He thought about Hermione. It had been nearly a week since they had a decent moment together. The more he thought about it the more it seemed their busy schedules were always getting in the way at one time or another. He thought to rectify that little detail just as soon as he had finished his grading, he had no doubt that she was doing some grading of her own.

With a sigh the dour man turned his attention the the roaring fire in his fireplace. It came out emerald and the shiny black dress shoes accompanied by the wizard wearing them. He knew automatically who it had been.

"Good evening Draco." said Snape in an expressionless tone raising his glass and taking a sip of the contents. "Am I to presume that you are bothering me for a valid reason?"

Draco had no time for casual Slytherin social educate. He believed that his father's life was at stake.

"Uncle Severus...you have to help us." said a frantic Draco Malfoy. "Father's missing...mother suspects that he's been kidnapped by McNair."

"Louis couldn't best Lucius even on his worst day." said Snape with a dismissive chuckle.

"McNair is not the only death eater that escaped." said Draco. "Take a look for yourself."

Snape arched an eyebrow as the young albino blond pulled a copy of The Daily Prophet from his jacket.

His obsidian eyes swept over it quickly. His face grew dark as he continued to read on.

All around the wizarding community people are shocked to hear of the recent prison break in Azkaban that left several high ranking officers brutally slain. While none of the other saddled criminals are missing in the wake of this gruesome discovery, the missing prisoners are said to be know former death eaters: Louis McNair, Thelonious Karkovsky, and son of former notorious death eater Bart Crouch Sr, Bart Crough Jr.

There seems to be no witnesses at this time or information on their current whereabouts. The public is advised to be on the look out for these dangerous individuals who are currently at large if you have any information pertaining to said individuals we urge you to contact your local Aurors office immediately.

Snape closed the paper balling it in his fists in the process.

"No." he said visibly shaken. "It can't be."

Draco had been unnerved by the look of worry that filed across his godfather's face.

"Uncle Severus?" he said feeling the panic set in all over again.

Snape snapped into action.

"Draco, I need you to take Miss Granger and Mr. Embers back with you to the manor." he said coolly. "All of you say inside and do not let anyone through the floo unless you hear from me."

"Where are you going?" asked Draco watching Snape make his way toward the front door.

"To find your father." he replied in an emotionless tone. "And bring him home."

Afterwards he left in a swirling billow of black. Draco nodded absently now more worried about his father than when he first believed him missing.

If something could unnerve his godfather then that meant that it definitely could not be good.

With a sigh Draco composed himself and set to work on the task Snape had given him.

He was to round up both Austin and Hermione Granger and take them back to Malfoy Manor.

Whatever was going to happen the sleek young blond knew that it couldn't be good with Severus Snape of all people taking precautions like this.