"You intend to do WHAT?"

"We intend to make Ron a partner in the business."

"An apprentice, really, for starters."

"You mean a test rat! Well, I won't have you abusing your brother that way! I won't allow it!"

"Mum, Ron cam to us about it."

"But what about school?"

"He's seventeen Mum, you know he can choose whether or not to go back."

"Can I say something here?"

"No!"

"But it's my decision! It's my life!"

"So, you're just going to breeze out of here like-"

"I'm not Percy!"

"This is absolutely different, Mum."

"I know. It's just…"

"I'm not going to disappear."

"But who's going to watch out for Ginny?"

"Mum, she hardly needs watching out for."

"And if we could recruit her too…"

"Fred!"

"Kidding! I was kidding!"

"So, Ron, you're set on this?"

"Completely."

"You're leaving Hogwarts. Harry's leaving too. They're driving us out. It feels like they've already won."

"So, it's for sure?"

"Yes, but I think Mum's still coming to terms with it. She says it feels like we're all giving up."

"I can see that."

"But, wait, I thought-"

"I know. I understand, and I see the big picture. We all have our parts in the plan. But why do we have to all be apart?"

"Hermione…"

"Ginny and me at school, you in London, Harry off Merlin-knows-where!"

"Hermione…"

"Why do you two get to run around on the hunt while Ginny and I have to sit waiting by home and hearth!"

"Hogwarts will be in an uproar! No Harry, no Draco, no Snape, and most of all-"

"No Dumbledore."

"Exactly. And between you and Ginny, you can at least hold Gryffindor together. I hardly think you two will be doing much waiting."

"It still isn't fair! I might be just as good at thinking of and looking for horcruxes as Harry. Libraries and research aren't all I'm good for you know!"

"You know it would look to unusual for you to leave school! This can't look planned. It needs to seem like a natural procession. Harry leave because Dumbledore is gone. I leave because Harry is gone and I can go work with my brothers. People won't be expecting you to leave school. It would draw too much attention. You're the most logical choice to keep an eye on Hogwarts."

"But I want to fight! And since when are you the logical one around here anyway? Who put you in charge?"

"Well, I guess six years in your company have rubbed off on me. Aren't you proud? And I'm not in charge. I just happened to think up the plan wee all agreed on."

"Ok then, Mr. Plan-man, why are we doing this by ourselves? I mean, I know your mum would try to stop it right away. She thinks we're too young and all. But why don't we contact someone less… parental? Tonks? Or Remus?"

"Sirius would have supported us."

"So would have Dumbledore. Practically the only two people who saw us as more than just kids… but still, what if something goes wrong? If something happens, shouldn't someone know what's going on?"

"But the more people who know…"

"Look, Ron, we need a back-up! If we don't agree on someone, we'll pick for ourselves. Ginny and I both agree that this is important-"

"Ginny? I want her involved in this as little as possible, and you've been plotting with her?!"

"We agree that this is important! There are still Death Eaters out there! Voldemort will be as bold as ever with Dumbledore out of the way, and he will certainly figure out what Harry is up to before long! How many people have to die before you boys realize that this isn't a game?"

"We know it isn't a game!"

"Well you two treat it like this is just another jaunt through the castle with your map and cloak! There is no magic map for you out there! Maybe you don't care about your own lives. I feel the same for the cause, but imagine for a minute, Ginny and me having to read on the front page of the Daily Prophet about Harry's or your dead, limp bodies being found who knows where! Or think about you reading about mine!"

"I didn't… I never want to read that, Hermione."

"Then we need a fail-safe. We need someone with links to a wider network, so we can get help if the situation arrives. Ginny and I vote Remus."

"I agree."

"And a system of regular contact. Every week, like clockwork. If we don't hear from each other, we know something's wrong. You can write to Ginny and me, that'll seem normal. And Harry will keep in contact with you, mail coming into Hogwarts is likely to be searched now, I don't want to know the details of you and Harry's contact because-"

"It's safer for the plan if none of us know all of it. That way they can't crack it by catching just one of us. And the others will be warned if one disappears."

"Exactly… Look, I'm sorry I seem like such a prat, but-"

"You care. You're worried. I know. We all are. Like you said, we have no Marauders' map on this. We do need to be careful. We need to think of everything."

"You'll never figure it out! We've thought of everything. Haha, heh heh heh, hahahaha!"

"Even this?"

"Yes. Even this, As I speak, and established system of fail-safes is falling into place. And even if you do break me, which I doubt you'll manage, it won't help you."

"You all only know part of the plan, just in case of this. Well, Miss Granger, your being an insufferable know-it-all is as annoying as ever."

"I do it just for you, Severus."

"I'm touched. Bella, leave us."

"But Severus-"

"The Dark Lord put me in charge of this task, Bella, and I say you're scaring the girl."

"Isn't that the point?"

"Of course, but if she's too scared, she won't be able to speak at all and, no offense, but your methods are typically less than subtle. Now, don't look at the poor child like that. I'm sure you'll get your turn later. Now, out!"

"Oh, Severus, I thought we'd never be alone."

"Your sarcasm stings, Miss Granger."

"What? So now you'll scare me in ways only a man can scare a girl?"

"Don't be so vulgar Miss Granger. That's not what I intend to do at all."

'Now, shut up girl, and pay attention!' She could hear him inside her head. Damn. Legilimency. 'Escape is impossible, so just put it out of your head right now. Your only hope is to hold out until the cavalry arrives. I know they're on their way, and I'll try to hip the best I can.'

"You think I'm going to believe that mess? That I'm supposed to trust you? After what your did?"

"Now, miss Granger, you know it is a simple matter for me to glean the facts from you myself. However, it will be clearer, not to mention more satisfying if you tell me yourself. So, first things first, who else is in on this? I automatically assume Potter and Weasley, but doubtless there are others. Who's on their way to rescue you, my dear?"

"I wouldn't tell you if you were the last person on Earth."

'Stupid girl! Tell me! If it's Remus, I'll take Fenrir off guard. He'll smell Remus coming!'

"Go to hell, Severus."

"Stupid girl You think your foolhardy arrogance will save you when the Dark Lord himself comes to see what he can find out? He will raid your precious mind, leaving it a wasteland. Then, he'll kill you."

"I'd rather die than be a traitor, but it's so obvious which you chose."

'I can't help you if all you're going to do is take cheap shots at me, Hermione.' "Tell me who the others are!"

"Take a guess, Severus. I'm sure your astute mind can figure it out."

"Potter and Weasley."

"You astound me."

"And the youngest Weasley brat. Your attempted evasion at Hogsmeade seemed rather well coordinated."

"I thought you'd never figure it out."

"But in terms of adults, who would you have…"

"Ha! None! The only two who would've let us do anything are dead, thanks to your bunch!"

"So, what? A platoon of students is on their way to find this place? Dumbledore's Army? You're doomed. They'll never even get close!"

"You don't think we hadn't thought of that, too?"

"What?"

"How to find each other if we get captured. Tracking spells. Good ones. Hidden ones."

"You think that-"

"You didn't deactivate any tracking spells on me? You tried anyway. And it's more of a charm, really. See?"

"A ring?"

"Don't even try. It can only be taken off by the person who put it on. And it can only be deactivated by the person, or in this case, people, who activated it."

"Neither of which are you naturally. Who made it? You said there were no adults involved."

"You wouldn't consider them adults. Merlin knows I don't. But they're brilliant. Rather unappreciated in their time at Hogwarts, really. But they thought of it."

"The Weasley twins? Impossible!"

"I take it you've never been to their shop. And they aren't there anymore. They're already on their way here. Their rings will have alerted them the instant mine was activated. I can't imagine it'll be much longer."

"You've said too much, now, Miss Granger."

"Oh, no, Severus. I'm just getting started. You haven't heard the best part yet."

"I think I've heard plenty."

"Severus! Severus, open up!"

"I'm still working with the girl."

"Forget the girl! We're under attack!"

"How?"

"Come on, Severus. You don't think I'd really be so stupid to just aimlessly wander off Hogwarts' grounds, do you?"

"You mean…"

"Yes. I let myself get caught."

"Severus!"

"Just a moment! We're safe in here for now, Miss Granger, except for…"

"Finally Severus! What are you up to in here? We need to go and-"

"Aveda kadavra." A green light lit up the room. "Now, as I said, we're safe in here until the cavalry finds us. Let me get those ropes. And here's your wand, Miss Granger. You don't have to be so grabby."

"They'll be here soon. "

"Hermione! Hermione!"

"Ron! Ron! I'm in here! In here!"

"Thank Merlin, you're okay!… Severus?"

"Were you scared?"

"Of course! I was afraid they'd kill me without asking any questions, just out of spite, because I'm a muggle-born. Did they chase you all the way back to Hogwarts?"

"Not all the way. I think they were satisfied just to get one of us. And I'm sorry I waited so long to say the activation words. I was scared. I totally forgot at first."

"It's ok, Ginny. It all worked out, didn't it?"

"Hermione?"

"Yes Ron?"

"We're deciding what to do with Severus. He came with us willingly, do you thin he might really have been acting under Dumbledore's own orders when he…?"

"I don't know, but the least we can do is show him the same courtesy he showed me."

"What?"

"A nice little interrogation. And I'd like to be there."