AN: This little plot bunny has been hopping around my head since I wrote my first HP fanficition (you can see the tip of the plot bunny iceberg in Chapter 22 of Harry Potter and his Fifth Year). Now it may finally be free. I hope to answer the question: Just why does Dumbledore trust Snape?

Catalyst

Severus Snape felt on the top of the world. He breezed down the dimly lit corridor, his head held high. He couldn't wait to get home tonight. A figure joined him down his path.

"Lucius, my friend, I haven't seen you in a few weeks."

"Severus. We have been busy, haven't we? War's turning in our direction; the pathetic Ministry is pressed for agents to come after us." Lucius paused, turning back to the younger Death Eater, "And I haven't had the chance to say congratulations. The information you gave the Dark Lord has made him very pleased these past few weeks," Lucius Malfoy said, giving the man a pat on the shoulder.

"Well, thank you. I'm sure I'll be saying the same thing in a few months times Lucius. Does Narcissa know when she's due?"

"She has a feeling it'll be June," Lucius replied, a slight twinkle in his eye. "She also believes it's going to be a boy." He turned toward Severus, a different gleam in his eye. In a lone tone, Lucius murmured, "I heard you'll be receiving a sort of a gift from the Dark Lord today, but you didn't hear it from me."

Severus allowed a thin smile to play on his lips but wasn't able to reply as they pulled on their masks and entered the large chamber. They both approached the throne, kneeling on the ground.

"Rise," a cruel voice hissed. They both took their specific places and waited for a few more to arrive.

At last the meeting began, Severus listened intently to everything Voldemort had to say about recent activities and how only yesterday, a few more of Dumbledore's beloved Order of the Phoenix had met their fate. Severus shifted slightly; he had only read this morning that Aurors had gotten a few of their men too. 'Damn that Mad-Eye,' Severus cursed. He glanced around at the other men and women. There were a few gaps here and there. Severus furrowed his brow as he noticed the mysterious cloaked lump, as Lucius and he had come to call the Death Eater. He always stood close to the Dark Lord but never said anything and never lowered his darkened hood. 'He must be someone important,' Snape thought.

His musings were cut off when a voice cut through them, "Severus would you step forward?"

Severus saw Lucius smirk and he stood before the large ornate chair. "Yes, m'lord?" He tried not to stare too deeply into the waxen figure before him, and deftly avoided the bloodshot eyes.

"You will lead a legion of Death Eaters tonight to Lancashire to rid me or two meddlesome Aurors."

Severus tried to contain his glee; this would be his first mission as a leader. He then replayed it all in his head, and paused, "Tonight sir?"

The red eyes narrowed, "Does that not please you Snape? I can easily find a substitute." The Dark Lord's wand twirled around his fingers.

Snape quickly bowed down, "No my lord, it is perfect. Thank you for this opportunity, you are a gracious lord."

Thin pale lips contracted into a smile, "Leave then, Lucius will fill you in on the details."

Severus bowed again before turning, his hand resting slightly over his pocket, his brows furrowed, before he followed Lucius into another smaller chamber.

Severus panted as he dashed behind the garden wall as three stunning spells flew past him.

"Where'd you go, you Death Eater sum?"

Whipping his wand around the wall, Severus hit the Auror with a bludgeoning curse. He sprinted over to where he saw other Death Eaters banding together to overtake the wizards throwing spells at them.

'Where did everything go wrong?' Severus questioned, narrowly avoiding another curse. 'There were only supposed to be the two Aurors here, unless they were…' Severus flung another curse at the wizards, who he had thought were Aurors until he noticed the small patch on their robes. 'Order members. Bloody hell.' "Retreat!" he yelled, erecting a shield charm, as he dashed to the other side of the street. "Retreat!" He yanked up the sleeve on his left arm and prodded the Dark Mark tattoo, signaling to the other Death Eaters, it was time to leave, before the casualty list grew. They had already lost a few. He didn't know how many had been captured.

Severus quickly Disapparated, returning to headquarters.

The key slid in the lock as Severus pushed open the door. With the Death Eater mask balled up in his hand, he tapped it with his wand, making it disappear. He placed his cloak on the lounge chair, looking up into the kitchen. The table was still set, though the candles were almost burnt down to the stub. Severus sighed, calling out, "Catherine? I'm really sorry; they kept me late at work again." He started up the stairs to the second story. The only light on was in the bedroom. He saw her sitting on the bed, her back to him. "Really, I'm sorry, dinner is fixable." He stepped into the room and was hit with a disarming spell that sent him flying into the wall. His wand flew out of his hand and into another with long pale fingers.

"Snape, I knew it was too soon to promote you."

Trying to clear his head, Severus got down on his knees, "My lord…"

"Crucio!"

Severus jerked his head, as Catherine's screams echoed off the walls. He tried to get to her but another two Death Eaters restrained him "Please my lord, have mercy, she does not deserve your wrath. I do my lord, please…"

The wand twitched, the screaming stopped. Two other Death Eaters pulled her off the floor and bounded her to the bed. She was crying.

Severus couldn't look at her. He was trying to focus his own emotions. "I am sorry my lord."

"Perhaps you're not too clear on these types of matters Snape: you mess up, I lose several loyal followers, and I make my own retributions for it." He walked over to the bed, analyzing the woman on it. "Well, Snape, I didn't know you had a taste for Mudblood whores; I thought the other men had showed you where we kept them after raids."

Severus bit back his tongue. He had to save her. "They did, my lord, but I found them too weepy – "

"Don't lie to the Dark Lord, for he always knows. Crucio!" The two Death Eaters dropped him as he began twitching on the floor. The Dark Lord sat beside Catherine, who was starting to shake. "Did he tell you he is one of my own? Indeed, Severus Snape has been a Death Eater since he left that school and has been murdering the likes of you." Catherine began sobbing harder, as Severus continued to writhe. "Are you sure he did not mention it, over dinner perhaps?" Getting no response, he canceled the spell. "Pick him up!" he roared at the two Death Eaters, who quickly pulled up the trembling Severus. Gripping Severus' face in his hands, the Dark Lord forced him to look into his cruel eyes. "Are you beginning to see how these matters go Severus? I do grow quickly tired of these personal meetings; you had better hope if this happens again, I send some of my lackeys to do my job for me. Is this understood?"

"Yessh, my lord."

"I had half a mind to kill you tonight, but to my great surprise, I found this Mudblood here instead."

"Sev- "

Severus looked beyond the pale face, to see Catherine looking at him. Her face was unreadable, but in her eyes blazed the fires of distrust.

"I think the world could use one less Mudblood, wouldn't you say men?" The Death Eaters all grunted their approvals. All but one.

"No!" Severus pulled out of the Dark Lord's grasp. "My lord, please, punish me, I deserve it, I failed in my duty to you to. Please, have mercy…"

"Mercy on a pathetic Mudblood? I heard you gave no mercy to that Muggle man as you tortured his children, his little Mudblood children. Why should I do any different?" He raised his wand, suspending Severus in the air. Severus was slammed against the wall and the plaster dripped down over his wrists, leaving him immobile to watch the events that were about to unfold.

"All right men, you know the drill: follow the leader." The Dark Lord raised his wand; the lights flickered in the room, and he cried out, "Crucio!"

A chorus of four other voices joined his. Catherine's screams vaulted through the room. Severus' pleas were left unheard. It seemed a life time before, the spell ended. Her screams still ringing in his ears, Severus continued to stare at Catherine's twitching body.

The Dark Lord turned to him, "I hope you have learned a lesson Snape." He approached the young wizard, "It was your valuable information that kept me from killing you this time." He placed Severus' wand inside Severus' pocket. "Sorry about your flat, she'll have to stay here though." He Disapparated from the room.

The four other Death Eaters ignored Severus, who was trying to free himself from the wall, and all casted the fire charm around the room, setting it ablaze. Then they, too, left the room.

"Catherine!" Severus called out, struggling against the plaster. The fire roared to life, clinging to the walls, furniture, everything. "Cat?" Finally the plaster cracked, and Severus fell to the floor. He bounded to his feet and made his way over to the bed. He cradled Catherine in his arms, "Cat?"

Her eyes were unfocused. The twitching was evident. "I hate you – you lied to me…"

"No Cat, I – I can't get out, I wanted to tell you but – Cat, are you with me?" He started to violently cough, as the smoke filled the room. Severus got off the bed and scooped her up in his arms and attempted to pick her off the bed. She was stuck. "No – no, please." He pulled harder but she wouldn't budge.

"I hate you – lied – filth," she coughed, blood dripping from her mouth. "Dum – hate you – ore…"

Severus knelt beside the bed, picking out Catherine's hand. "Cat – I…" He stopped as it slid from his hand, lifeless. He stood up, kissing her forehead. "I'm sorry."

He turned from her, and never looking back, ran down the stairs, his eyes stinging from the smoke along with the grief in his heart. He grabbed his cloak and swung the door open as he finally made it out to fresh air. He fell to his knees, sucking in the cool air. In the distance, he heard the fire brigade's engine. Some of his neighbors were out on the street, murmuring to each other about the strangeness of how the fire was leaving the surrounding buildings untouched.

"Is there anyone else in there?" one neighbor questioned, approaching Severus, "Are you alright? I've called the fire department."

Severus tried to get his breathing back to normal to tell the Muggle to sod off. His hands were gripped tightly around the cloak, when he felt the box. His hands shaking, he reached inside his pocket and pulled out the tiny black box. Opening it slightly, the fire behind him was reflected in the tiny diamond. He gazed at the ring; the tears finally began to fall. He snapped it shut and shoved it in his cloak. Then putting the cloak on, he began walking away from the inquiring neighbors, Disapparating a few feet away.

The school halls were empty as Severus walked through them. The students were tucked away their classes. Severus walked up to the stone gargoyle and paused. He had no idea what the password was. "Lemon drops?" he tried, that was the password back in his fifth year, when Slughorn dragged him up here after he cursed Potter and Black.

To his surprise, the gargoyle moved aside and Severus stepped onto the moving staircase. At the top, he knocked on the door and went inside.

"Severus, what brings you here?" Dumbledore questioned from behind his desk. "I unfortunately don't have any more prophecies for you to overhear, but you're more than welcome to take a seat. I'm sure you've told Voldemort what it said then?"

Severus flinched at the name, but nodded. Ignoring the offered chair, he approached the side of the desk and went to one knee. "I want to become a spy for you. I will pass on information from the Dark Lord to you and the Order of the Phoenix."

"I have spies already Severus, spies who I know their loyalties lie with me."

"Then I pledge the Unbreakable Vow to you that I will not stray from you." He held up his arm, "Phoenixes can consecrate the Vow, we won't need a third person."

Dumbledore got down on his knees as well, and stared deep into Severus' black orbs. "Very well. Fawkes." He clasped the former student's hand into his own and began, "You will become a spy for the Order of the Phoenix."

"I will." A flash of fire twirled around their hands.

"You will not tell Voldemort, you, instead, will tell him that you will become a spy for him. You will pass any information that I allow."

"I will." Another flash.

"You will follow my orders no matter I tell you."

"I will." Another flash.

"Are you prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice? Even if it includes losing the trust of your colleagues? Even if it includes killing me?"

"Kill you? Sir I couldn't – "

"You were prepared to vow to follow my orders, is this not just another one?"

"I am prepared then." Another flash wound around their hands, linking together. Then the link melted into their skin.

Dumbledore stood up and returned to his chair. "Sit."

Severus stood up, and went to the chair in front of the Headmaster. "Sir?"

"Professor Slughorn is retiring this year, and from what I remember, you were one of his best potions students."

"Potions sir? Couldn't I be the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? I'm sure that class with need a new professor next term."

"Potions is the only opening I currently have for next year. Talk it over with Voldemort; introduce the thought of him having another spy in my Order. I'm sure he has others. We will also need to improve your Occumlency a bit." He paused, "Well, come back to see me, and we'll get your application through."

"Thank you Headmaster." Severus got up to leave.

When he was at the door, Dumbledore called out, "Why the change of heart Severus?"

"Because my heart was taken from me."

Fin.

-Anaticulapraecantrix

Mar. 2007