Chapter 2

Meanwhile, Snape was shrugging on the oversized black cloak and tying it around his waist.

"Well, there goes the view," Harry muttered.

Severus just turned to look at Potter and frowned. Harry looked unapologetic and even smirked as he watched Snape come closer.

"You know, this is the first time you haven't berated me for being a dunderhead," Potter remarked. "For a hallucination, you are awfully not chatty."

"Potter, when have I ever been chatty with you?" Snape stated as he came closer to inspect the manacles that were holding his former student to the stone.

"This is interesting," Severus muttered. "The stone is a magic conductor, but it is the runes on the manacles that are draining your magic. Where is the magic even going to?"

"The Ministry wards," Harry answered. "Hermione was pretty smug when she explained her setup. Called me a living Wardstone."

"Granger?!"

"It's Granger-Weasley now, or at least it was in 2018," Harry shrugged. "I don't even know what year it is anymore."

"I... AAH!" Harry gasped as his body contorted against the polished boulder. His mouth opened in a silent scream while his body tried to arc. Snape yanked his hand back suddenly as the magical discharge shocked him. It took a full five minutes for Harry to stop convulsing.

"This is barbaric!" Severus exclaimed. "How are you even alive with it draining so much of your magic?!"

"Beats me," Harry tried to shrug, but his movements were limited. "Apparently, immortality comes with rapid magic regeneration. Not even the Unspeakables could understand why,"

"What, why are you looking at me like that?" Harry then asked as he noticed the strange look his Snape 'hallucination' was giving him.

Severus shook his head slightly, trying to get his thoughts of utter horror out of his head. Potter seemed to be... not all there... so to speak, though given what the wizard had revealed, he might have become this way through systematic torture. At least, that is what Snape gleaned from Potter. And somehow, his best friends and his wife had actively contributed to that.

"I can... break the connection," Snape said as he took one of the manacles in his hand. Potter's emancipated arm was worrisome. "If what you alluded to is correct, then we will have about a forty to forty-minute window to get out of here before the next siphoning."

"That's a nice thought," Harry muttered, clearly not believing any of this was real.

Severus acted quickly then. He felt his magic coursing through his new body far better than his old one. Death must have somehow been responsible for that, and Severus reached out to the runes etched in the manacles to overload them. It was a bit tricky if you didn't know the right runes to overload with magic. Luckily, Severus had taken his NEWTS in Ancient Runes and was proficient in the subject. It took him roughly ten minutes to cause all four manacles to crumble, and Harry sagged down to the floor looking quite bewildered.

"Huh?" Potter uttered as he looked at his bony hands and brought them closer to his chest. Severus wasted no time and picked his former student up, princess style, earning a squeak from the wizard in question. They only had so much time left to get out of here. Potter clung to Snape in his tattered clothing that was once probably an expensive robe, while Severus was dressed in an oversized black robe. Oh, what a sight they made, especially once Severus reached the ground floor and they hurried to the public floo system.

The Potion Master pushed several witches and wizards out of the way who were just staring. He could feel their eyes on them, and he didn't like it one bit. Reaching the floo, he hoped the address was still connected to the network. Grabbing a handful of powder with Potter in his arms was a challenge, but he managed to maneuver them into the floo before saying "Exochikó spíti eliás." In a whirlwind of green flames, they were gone.

The duo landed on a dusty wooden floor with a thud. Nothing graceful about the landing except that Snape cushioned Potter's fall. Snape took in his surroundings and noted that the cottage was bare, dusty, and probably abandoned. Harry leaned against the Potion master and looked around as well before sneezing.

"Are we really out of the Ministry?" Harry asked, as if not believing what he was experiencing. He'd looked out of it ever since the manacles came off.

"Yes, Potter," Severus stated. "Though you are far from optimal shape. This place doesn't seem to have any provisions we could use."

"This is real? I'm really free?" Harry asked incredulously before poking Severus in the cheek. "You... aren't a hallucination, are you?"

"Very astute observation, Potter," Snape grumbled, not liking to be poked. "I should be more panicked because I seemed to have been dead for a while, but for some reason, I can keep a cool head. Must be your self-proclaimed minion's work,"

"I am no one's minion!" A very naked and bony Death appeared suddenly, startling Harry and Snape. The entity held out his hand. "My robe."

"I have nothing to wear," Severus retorted.

"I will conjure you something,"

"Why didn't you do that the first time?" Snape shot back.

"Shut up," Death hissed.

"You forgot, didn't you?" Harry happily supplied.

"I..." Death hesitated.

"Yes," He finally admitted through gritted teeth. "Curse this clause that I cannot lie to you!"

Severus hesitantly untied the robe and handed it to the skeletal being. The next thing he knew, he was wearing what felt like tailored pants and a black poet's shirt. Death looked rather smug while his master seemed to be pouting. 'Did his master have feelings for this wizard?' Death mused.

"We need food and potions ingredients," Severus stated. "Anything canned that can last a while, and mainly Blue Spotted Toadstools and Lily of the Valley, along with some Murtlap essence."

Death stared at Severus for a moment before nodding. The Potion master supposed the entity was scrutinizing his choices before agreeing.

"Hmmm, what?" Harry murmured.

"You need to get to bed," Snape stated upon turning back to Potter.

"I'm fine,"

"You are malnourished to the point of death, magically incapable of anything, and not fit to even move around!" Severus snapped. "Did they forget to feed you or something?!"

"Well, yeah," Harry muttered. "I haven't eaten in years,"

"Bed now," Severus ordered as Death started conjuring supplies on the nearby dining table. The Potion Master helped Potter to the bed in the cottage and sighed. He had no clue what was going on and was just going through the motions. He knew he had been dead, but then he wasn't, then Potter needed help again, and now here they were. When he turned back towards he kitchen area, he saw that the entity was gone, though sufficient supplies had been left on the table, including an iron cauldron and several ingredients Severus never asked for. He knew what the ingredients were for though admittedly, he would never have asked for them as they were considered controlled substances.

Severus took some of the Lily of the Valley he had requested, along with the toadstools, and started to steep them in the hot water he was boiling. While not widely known, the mixture had a calming effect along with several health benefits. The reason why it wasn't widely known was that the Lily of the Valley was considered an addictive substance through official channels.

"Drink this for now," Severus offered to Potter once the medicinal tea was done. "It will help you organize your mind," he added as Potter took the proffered cup without hesitation and downed it.

"HOT, HOT!" Harry exclaimed as he stuck his tongue out and fanned. The Potion Master just rolled his eyes and went back to examining the provisions that had been left for them. He supposed he could cook some soup for now. Potter probably wouldn't be able to keep down a hefty meal.

Unbeknownst to either of the cottage's occupants, a silent alarm had sounded in a shop back in London. Said proprietor of the shop looked confused before deciding to check out the ward breach.