I really should stop making promises about updates. But I can promise at least, that this story isn't abandoned!

Chapter 20 "Out from Under the Bus"

There were two sides to this problem. On the one side, there was Alecto Carrow who she had to appear as and on the other was Tracey Davis and as much as her mind raced, Tracey could not come up with a solution where it would not be immediately clear that something was going on. She was entirely sure that no matter how much she stalled and claimed not to find Tracey Davis, Snape was quite comfortable with letting the school stand lined up in the Great Hall and wait it out. She could not get any other of the conspirators to change places with her and there was no one else she could use to continue the masquerade.

Tracey dodged into an empty classroom and collapsed against the wall, breathing heavily. She clawed at her throat to loosen the collar. There was cold sweat running down her spine and she felt like vomiting. This was a corner and she had well and truly painted herself into it.

There was one solution. She could go and throw herself at Snape's mercy and pray to whatever deity that was listening that the man would find it in his heart to help her out of the mess.

Only could she really? Snape's actions indicated he was establishing his control over the school. And he had to give his boss an explanation too. Even if he himself wouldn't murder her, once the story reached Voldemort, Tracey was as good as dead anyway.

Her nails dug into skin and left red marks as she tried to force her shoulders from shaking. There had to be a way out. There just had. This could not be the end.

"Trace?"

The voice made Tracey jump and go for her wand but when she looked up, it was only Millicent looking down at her. She stood up quickly and tried to appear nochalant as she wiped her eyes with her sleeve. "Yes, Millie? What is it?"

"We're in trouble, aren't we?"

"Yes, we are." Tracey confirmed, realizing she hadn't even considered the others. It would be a hard sell to convince Snape that this was all her plan and execution. As much as she wanted to be brave and believe that she wouldn't give her friends up, she knew realistically that there were ways to make her talk she could never resist.

Millicent nodded slowly. "I feared as much." She folded her arms and bit her lip. "So how are we going to fix it?"

Tracey glanced up. "Fix it? There's no way to fix this mess, Millie. I can't be in two places at once."

Millicent bit her lip again, this time more thoughtfully then smiled. "Then don't be!"

"Millie, he is not going to let us switch with anyone."

"Yes, he is." Millicent replied slowly. She rolled her lower lip between her teeth before nodding. "He is going to, because he won't know about it."

"How can he not know about it? What will you do, spell someone out from the Great Hall? He'll have a head count again and if someone else is missing, there'll be hell to pay!"

Millicent merely smiled and Tracey realized she had never really seen her friend look so…cunning. "Trace, I have a plan. If it fails, the consequences will be no worse than you marching in there right now and revealing yourself as an imposter."

Tracey shook her head. This didn't sound encouraging at all. In fact, she was quite worried by how proud of herself Millicent sounded. No one that had wore such a cunning expression ever offered her a half-decent plan. But there was no other way that she could see so she nodded. "What do you need me to?"

"First, you're going to need to go get your hairbrush!"

About forty-five minutes later Tracey Davis stumbled back into the Great Hall, panting and cursing Alecto's dreadfully uncomfortable boots. Immediately as she entered, Snape's eyes locked on to her. "Well?" he demanded.

"Sir, I have managed to locate miss Davis!" she replied, grimacing at the stitch in her side. She really had to excersise more if she was going to be this much running.

Snape's scowl stayed firmly in place. "So why isn't she here? Were my instructions too hard to follow for you?"

"There was…ah…a problem with that. She's…" she glanced down at her shoes trying to figure out how Alecto would phrase it. "She is unconscious in the fifth floor corridor on the stairs up to the Astronomy tower. I…I thought you might want to see it for yourself!"

The look in Snape's eyes said that he decidedly didn't want to see anything for himself unless it was a public hanging but nevertheless he gave a nod. "Amycus, everyone else is to remain here. No one leaves the Great Hall until I return!"

Amycus replied with a nasty smile that indicated he'd give his left hand for someone to try and leave and Tracey felt a chill run down her spine. She wished with every fiber of her being that no one would be stupid enough to actually do it. As she turned to lead Snape out, her eyes met Draco's.

What's the plan?

Trust me, you do not want to know!

But we'll be alright?

Only if we are the luckiest bastards since that wizard who confronted Voldemort armed with a stick of asparagus and lived to tell the tale.

The corner of Malfoy's mouth twitched every so lightly before he could control himself. So it's hopeless then. My parents were happily married by the time I came along.

Sod off, Malfoy! Tracey turned her eyes away before she would do something foolish and rash that would betray them. Snape was already impatiently waiting for her.

"Today, Alecto, if at all possible!" he snapped.

They walked through the hallways in complete silence. On the one hand, that was good. It didn't give Tracey any chances to stuff the whole thing up by letting something slip. On the other hand, it gave her ample time to ponder on just what the hell she was doing. Her heart already beat so hard in her chest, it was a wonder one could not see its outline popping out and back. She stumbled twice and the only mercy she got was that since she was leading the way, Snape could not see her face.

The walk to the astronomy tower seemed to last an eternity and Tracey wondered if that was how it felt to walk up to the gallows.

She was being over dramatic of course, Voldemort would never have done something as muggle as a hanging. She'd get the killing curse like so many others before her. Maybe some of them could be spared. Those, who's parents were involved with Death Eaters…could their mothers and fathers plead for them? Or would they be made an example out of for just that reason?

"Headmaster, over here! She needs help!" exclaimed Millicent.

Hearing her voice, Snape pushed past Tracey and came to a halt in front of the body lying at the bottom of the stairs.

It belonged unmistakably to Tracey Davis. She had the same hair and build, though her face was obscured by the robes that had shifted to cover her. On the floor near…her…body, she saw a bit of blood.

"I have been trying to revive her," babbled Millicent, "But I think she needs madam Pomfrey."

Tracey strolled forward, getting a hold of herself and struck the body in the side with the tip of her shoe. "And I told you, insolent girl, that she is fine. She just doesn't want to get up and face the consequences of running off and getting drunk!" She gestured at the broken bottle of firewhiskey lying some inches from the unconscious figure's left hand.

Snape glanced at the shards and then sneered at Alecto. "And is that your opinion as a medical professional?"

Tracey took a step back quickly. She still wasn't sure, where Snape drew the line—before or after using curses on Carrows. "I…I only meant, headmaster, that you wanted to know immediately where she was!"

"I did. And she needs medical help."

"She's just drunk."

Snape glared at her. "She has a head wound. She has obviously fallen down the stairs." he turned towards Millicent, "Go get madame Pomfrey. Only she can tell us if it's safe to move her!"

Millicent nodded and took off running.

Tracey fought back the urge to bite her lip. "I thought you wanted to question her about last night?"

"Are you doubting my orders?" Snape asked, taking a single step closer to Tracey.

She swallowed hard as she wondered how far she could push the situation. All she needed was a little more defensiveness from Snape. "I…no of course not, sir. I just thought you'd want information as soon as possible! After all, she is just a half-blood."

"Good." Snape gestured at the girl, "Does she look in the condition to be questioned? Once madame Pomfrey has her stitched up, I assure you, miss Davis and I will be having a very long conversation about the events of last night! But for that to happen, half-blood or not, she has to at least be conscious."

Tracey nodded. "I...of course."

Snape looked liked he was going to say something else but then someone rounded the corner. Millicent led Madame Pomfrey who looked quite nervous. Snape gave them a single glance. "Miss Davis has been in an accident. Fix her up and let me know immediately when she can be questioned!"

Without waiting for a response, he turned on his heels and walked off, Tracey hesitantly walking after him but sneaking glances over her shoulder as the unconscious body was loaded on a stretcher and floated away, Millicent walking next to it and Madame Pomfrey in the front, a distinct expression on her face that if Snape ever needed any medical attention, all he would get from the matron would be intentionally infected with sepsis.

Snape headed back the Great Hall without a second glance and there finished confirming the locations of all students. After he'd made sure no one else was missing, he finally dismissed everyone back to their classes. Getting no other instructions from Snape, Tracey quickly slipped out of the Great Hall and headed back towards the hospital wing.

On her way, she was suddenly yanked behind a tapestry and as she whipped out her wand, she came face to face with Draco.

"What the hell happened? Is it resolved?" the boy demanded.

"No," Tracey replied, tucking her wand away again. "Now comes the hard part."

"What's that?"

"Switching the drugged up Alecto Carrow who is polyjuiced to look like me for the real article, before madame Pomfrey manages to wake her and she comes to slit all of our throats!" Tracey replied, wondering how she had managed to say it with such a calm tone of voice.

Draco just stared at her. "Tracey, what the hell?" he managed to blurt out after a few seconds.

Tracey shrugged her shoulders. "Millie had a plan."