The letter arrived, not with the owl post, but with a puff of purple smoke. The owner of the desk upon which the letter now sat, rocked back in his chair. The man drew an ebony wand and gestured at the rolled up parchment. The letter rolled slightly, until it hit the desk blotter, and innocently came to a halt. The man continued gesturing at the letter, casting spell after spell until he was satisfied it carried no curses, hexes or jinxes.
Severus Snape ran a hand over his stubbled cheeks. Magical letters were almost certain to contain ill tidings. Nevertheless, he broke the plain wax seal and began to read.
I have enchanted this letter to find a sorcerer who specializes in potions. I am in need of a potion that can make a person utter only the truth. IF you can produce such an item, he reward will be great.
Severus snorted. How idiotic was a wizard who never heard of veritaserum? It was a tedious, if rather simple potion to make. For him, that was.
Further negotiations on this matter will be conducted in person, at my estate.
What?
Deep purple smoke erupted from the parchment, engulfing Snape, even as he rocketed back from his desk, sending his chair across the now empty room.
His wand was out when the smoke cleared
"Well, well, well." Severus spun around. Nothing behind him except an old spinning wheel. Everything else in the room was in pieces. A great display cabinet was splintered, with mounds of glass in front of it. Shattered remains of a tea service at the base of a pillar. Everywhere stood the evidence of either a break in, or a major tantrum.
"Show yourself!" Snape growled.
"As you wish, dearie." A tittering giggle followed, and purple smoke billowed from nowhere to reveal—"Rumplestiltskin, at your service!"
"Return me at once!" Snape demanded, gripping his wand firmly. "What is the meaning of this?"
The goblin-man said, "Didn't you read my letter? You must have, otherwise you wouldn't be here. What realm did you come from for that matter? My spell was rather unclear on that part." He snapped his fingers and Snape's wand appeared in his hand.
Snape merely tilted his head to the side. The wand leaped from the goblin's hand, and flew back to its owner.
"Oh, very good dearie! I could take it back of course, or turn you into a snail, but that might be unpleasant. Allow me to offer a deal. A truce while we discuss why I brought you here, the actual deal I wish to make. And dearie? I am a man of my word." The goblin sat down at the long table and conjured another chair. "I would offer you tea but I only have one cup left."
Snape followed the goblin's gaze to the chipped teacup that remained. "I don't believe I would ingest anything you have to offer." He paused a moment, then took the proffered seat. "I accept your terms."
"Excellent, excellent. In essence, I need a truth potion. One under which it is impossible to lie—"
"That is the definition, is it not?" Snape sneered.
"Careful dearie, I do have a temper, and it has been somewhat of a bad day today." The goblin smiled coldly, showing all his teeth.
"So I see," Snape said, glancing meaningfully at the carnage of this monster's hall. "Continue."
The goblin seemed to hesitate. "There is a woman." He stared across the table at the teacup. "She told me something. She must be lying to me, because the alternative is impossible."
Well. This was interesting. Snape found himself leaning forward. "Really?" he drawled. "Whatever could she have said? A declaration of…love perhaps?"
The goblin slowly turned his head to meet Snape's eyes. A chill began to emanate from the strange sorcerer and Snape remembered in sudden exquisite detail the moments right before Voldemort cruico'd someone. "As…I…said…it's impossible. I need her to tell me the truth, and I must be able to trust her words either way."
"I see." The potion's master steepled his hands in front of him. "And what is her fate should her words be false? I have no wish to be responsible for murder."
For the first time, the goblin looked truly furious. "I wouldn't hurt her!" Eyes narrowed, he pointed at Snape. "You're good. You're very good, Magician."
"And if her words are true? What then?"
"I don't…" The goblin seemed to shrink in on himself for a moment. "That would be up to her," he said softly.
Snape considered. Although this creature looked like a goblin, he spoke like a man. Apparently, he loved like a man. And Snape could unfortunately identify with being unable to believe anyone could love him. Severus had the sudden feeling that this-Rumplestiltskin- was not as dark as he wanted people to think. 'What will you give me for this potion?" Severus asked. "Transportation back to my realm is included but not limited to my payment."
Rumplestiltskin appeared pleased. "Finally, someone who appreciates the art of deal making. Yes, dearie, I'll return you to your land. As for payment, do you take gold?"
"Gold?"
The goblin rolled his eyes dramatically. "I make gold, and have plenty to spare. If you are a rich man with no need of gold, then I can give you anything magic can grant. But remember! Magic always comes with a price." He tapped the table with his fingers. "But! There are some things even I cannot do. Can't make someone love you, can't bring back the dead, and can't turn back time. What do you say?"
Severus took a deep breath. "Can you fake my death?"
Rumplestiltskin blinked. "What?"
"Fake. My. Death. At a certain time and place, I will most likely be killed by a madman or a teenager with a savior complex."
The goblin snorted. "Yes, those are tedious aren't they?"
Severus continued. "What I want…is the opportunity to be my own man. To have a chance at finding some sort of happiness. To finally, finally be free. And as long as I am Severus Snape, murderous Headmaster of Hogwarts, I never will be."
"You don't want much, do you dearie?" Rumplestiltskin giggled. "The deal is struck. Now…my potion please."
"You know," Snape remarked, "you're very much in luck that I carry all manner of potions with me. This particular one takes a full month to brew." He withdrew a small phial from an inside pocket of his robes. "Tasteless, colorless, and odorless. Veritaserum. Three drops on the tongue will ensure the truth and nothing but the truth is spoken." He placed the phial on the table and slid it over to Rumplestiltskin. "Be warned, mind your questions. Unless you ask the right questions, you may not get the answers you seek."
Rumplestiltskin said, "You will remain here while I test out your little potion." He disappeared in a puff of smoke.
Snape became magically bound to the chair. He sighed deeply.
He stood outside the door to Belle's cell, and leaned his forehead against the wood. He took some deep breaths then opened the door.
She sat in the corner, looking despondent. "What do you want?"
Rumplestiltskin merely looked at her. Her entire being seemed filled with sadness. How he wanted to believe in her words of love! But Regina had probably convinced Belle to try to kiss his powers away. She hadn't kissed him because she actually wanted to.
"You said…that you love me," he began, keeping his voice cold. She raised her eyes to him. "Which is almost certainly, a lie." He had to pause a moment to avoid flying into a rage again, the whole thing made him so furious. "I give you two options. The first: admit the truth, that you are playing the Queen's game."
"I told you before, you stupid man—" He gestured and her mouth stopped making noise. She glared in response.
"Option number two. You take this truth potion which I have procured and answer a few questions for me. But be warned—if you take the potion and try to lie, the consequences for you will be…unpleasant." He restored her speech. "What'll it be?"
"Rumplestiltskin, I am so angry with you! Yes, I will take your potion." She stood up and faced him, hands jammed into her hips. "But ask yourself this; how are you going to feel when you find out that your response to a declaration of love was to throw me in the dungeon!" If her eyes could have caused him to burst into flames, he was sure they would have.
He produced the phial in a puff of smoke. He unscrewed the cap; it was a dropper. "Open your mouth." Rumplestiltskin placed three drops of the potion on her tongue. The response was immediate. Her eyes glazed over and all expression fell from her face. She looked like a zombie.
"How do you feel about me, Belle?"
"I am furious with you, Rumple." She said flatly.
He rolled his eyes. He knew what Snape was talking about now. "Do you love me?"
"Yes. But I am still angry with you."
"Why did you kiss me?"
"Because I had to."
Fury rose in his chest and his clawed nails dug into his hands. "And why did you have to?"
"Because I love you, and the way you were looking at me."
"How was I looking at you, Belle?"
"Like you were so happy that I came back to you. Like you couldn't believe I was real."
"And that made you…want to kiss me?"
"Yes," she breathed.
"Was there any other reason you might have kissed me?" He didn't want to ask this, he really didn't.
"Because I thought it might break your curse if you loved me too." Blood roared in his ears, and he felt dark cold magic gathering around him. But Belle was still talking. "And then we could be together."
"What?!" erupted from his mouth without thought.
"If you were an ordinary man, then we could get married, and have a family."
What? Belle wanted to marry him?
"How long have you been working for the Queen?"
"I'm not working for the Queen," Belle said simply.
"Who did you meet on the road?"
"A woman with a black carriage, and black horses, dressed in a black gown. She talked to me of love, and helped me see that you might love me. I hadn't realized you might, before that."
"Belle…Belle…why did you come back to me?"
"Because if you loved me as I love you, then we should be together."
Rumplestiltskin's knees gave way and he fell to the floor. She loved him. She had told him the truth. "Belle," he whispered. "I am so sorry."
She didn't answer, as he had not asked her a direct question. "Would you sit with me, Belle?"
"Yes." She remained standing.
"Will you please come sit with me?"
This time, she joined him on the dungeon floor, their backs pressed against the stone walls. Rumple cautiously put an arm around her shoulder. She leaned into him. "Is it all right if we stay like this until the potion wears off?"
It took awhile for Belle to become aware of her surroundings. She felt like she was awakening from a fog, everything was muddled. She shook her head to clear it, but her cheek brushed against something. She opened her eyes, but everything was blurry. She used her hand to feel what she was laying on and jumped in surprise when she felt skin underneath her fingers. She was laying on someone!
Frightened, she jumped backwards, or tried to, but hit the walls instead. Her feet scrabbled for purchase and her hands clawed out around her.
"Belle, it's me," Rumplestiltskin said. "Are you all right?"
"Am I all right?" she shrieked. "NO I am not all right, Rumplestiltskin, you threw me in a dungeon after I told you I loved you. I only wanted…I just wanted…" Her throat was so tight and her chest was hurting.
She felt his hand on hers. Felt something soft against her knuckles. She reached out—his head was bent over, practically in her lap, pressing her hand against his cheek and his hair was tickling her. He turned his face into her palm and kissed it. "Belle…" She shivered at the sound of her name against her palm. Something was dripping on her hand. Tears, she realized. He was crying.
"Rumple…" Her eyes were starting to clear, and she blinked rapidly. "Rumple, look at me."
He stilled, his shoulders visibly tensing. Cautiously he raised his head. "I…I love you," he said, looking strangely vulnerable.
"I know you do," Belle replied. "True Love's Kiss wouldn't have worked otherwise." She crawled into his arms. "I told you, that you were an idiotic man." She stroked her thumb across his lips. "Why do you think I am so angry with you?" Her words were at odds with the mild tone of voice.