11/7/2018 UPDATE Please Read:
Hello! I'm so glad you've decided to read my story. To keep it short and sweet, I have been on hiatus from writing for a while and have started to get back into it. As I was writing the next two chapters of this stories and I may have caused some plot holes (very large ones in fact) and I am currently in the process of fixing them. I'm going to be updating all of the chapters within the next week, so some things about the story might change. General maintenance and tweaking is going to be going on. Don't hesitate to check back in though! Other than that, I hope you enjoy my story!
A/N:
This fic is totally unrelated to any existing timeline. So, Snape's a spy for Dumbledore, Remus is here, Poppy… y'know, the crew. There's gonna be a lot of Snape!whump… so prepare yourself. Dumbledore/Snape friendship and some father/son NO SLASH, although, if you squint and look really hard you can make out the vague figure of some Snape/Remus… Fair warning, you probably won't see much of the trio in this, and also I made some stuff up about some House elves and a spell… don't go looking on the HP wiki for them.
Also I apologize for the extremely short first chapter, the rest are nearly 3 times the length of this one.
Some time ago, during Severus Snape's first months as a spy for Dumbledore, Albus had proposed an idea. A safety measure for the young man who, in Albus' eyes, was as dear to him as his own son. Albus had summoned a crow to him, it had flown through the open window in his office. Severus could remember the memory as clear as day.
"A crow? Why have you summoned a crow, Albus?" Snape's youthful voice questioned.
"For your safety, Severus. I wish to bind this crow to you, as a safety measure." The crow landed on his wrist. "If you are in such a way that you need my help, the bird will depart you on its own accord and come to me." The Crow's beady eyes stared at Severus blankly.
"How will you know where to find me?" Severus asked.
Then Dumbledore was reaching to his desk where a small leather, cylindrical case sat. It was meant to hold small notes, to be transported by winged animals. Albus buckled the leather belt around The Crow's leg, then reached for a small piece of fresh parchment.
"This parchment is enchanted to hold your location on it at all times. But only I am able to read it, so that no tainted hands should be able to come across your whereabouts accidently." He pulled out his wand. "Now, hold out your hand, palm up."
Albus then spoke the incantation, a round, blue mist rose from the center of The Crow's chest, coming to press itself into Severus' open palm. The light grew brighter for a few seconds then diminished into nothingness.
A good man, Albus was. And now, feeling the ever growing searing pain in his left forearm, Snape wondered if The Crow would be departing him tonight. It most likely would not be returning to float high above him in the open sky, it's watchful beady eyes always trained on him. With a deep breath, he disapparated away, to the grave of Tom Riddle.
