1Chapter One:
Harry and Hermione walked down to the dungeons dreading the double potions class that was ahead of them. The day before Neville had managed to blow up three cauldrons somehow and now the entire Gryffindor and Slytherin N.E.W.T. level class had to come back after dinner to make up the assignment. It was a surprise that Neville had made it into the 7th year potions class, but Hermione insisted that he just studied really hard and deserved his grade; most people just thought that he had discovered a spell that would allow him to cheat, even with the anti-cheating protection.
Harry's mind was racing on the walk from the Great Hall down to the dungeons classroom. It was the middle of 7th year, just before Christmas holiday, and the Order still had no lead on Voldemort and the Death Eaters. In the last month more and more muggle towns had been attacked and more and more people were dying, and Harry felt helpless not being able to do anything. This is what he was supposed to prevent; he was supposed to be the savior of the wizarding and muggle world alike, and here he was treaking down to the dungeons to make up a potions class that had ended badly the day before. It was nerve racking.
As they entered the potions classroom it seemed a lot brighter than it had ever been, yet nothing appeared to be different. The same old grime covered tables were set up in the same rows they had been in for centuries now, the same potions supply closet with its dirt covered door that was only unlocked during class hours, and the same desk that Snape always sat at at the beginning of class periods while waiting for the students to file in. Then Harry's eyes fell on the girl. She was still young, no older than twenty-five, with pale skin that was made even paler by her long black hair that fell in loose curls around her shoulders. She had an odd feel about her and Harry figured he wasn't the only one caught off guard by the women's presence and appearance. She was beautiful.
"Leah," said Professor Snape as he entered the classroom behind Blaise Zabini, Draco Malfoy, and Pansy Parkinson. The women sitting at the desk looked up and Harry made note of her sparkling sapphire blue eyes. "How many times have I told you not to sit at my desk?"
Leah raised her eyes to the left and looked thoughtful for a moment as if she were really trying to figure out the times he'd told her that. When she answered Harry was surprised at how quiet her voice was, and hoarse as if she hadn't used it in a while. "Do you mean in my life, or since I've been here? I would say hundreds in my life time, but about eleven since I came back here."
The class, which had settled down by now, was awestruck at the way she spoke to the professor and Harry felt Hermione tense up next to him. The next moment is what caught everyone by surprise and actually made a few Slytherins gasp; Snape mearly shook his head and turned his attention back to his class of students. His eyes widened as if he just realized they were there.
"Well, you all know what to do. If you have any questions you may ask Leah. I have some business to attend to," he said, before looking back at Leah, "And you, I hope you can manage a class of eleven seventeen year olds."
Leah smiled and nodded before responding, "I think so, Sev, I was seventeen only five years ago, people can't have changed in behavior too much since then." Another gasp rang through-out the classroom at the use of Sev for Professor Snape.
"I am quite aware of your age, Leah, and if I remember correctly you are the one who caused the problems in this classroom," he said, before leaving the classroom once more.
Harry just stared at the girl sitting in the front of the room and raised his hand with a sudden inspiration to find out who she was. Leah looked up. "Yes, Mr. Potter? Can I help you?" she asked in a voice slighty louder than the one she'd used with Snape.
Harry simply nodded before asking his question. "I was wondering if you could tell you about yourself. I mean it's not often Snape has a substitute."
Leah smiled once more, which Harry noticed was a beautiful smile, and stood up from her chair. She walked around to the front of Snape's desk and cleared a spot for her to sit upon its surface. "Of course, Harry, you don't mind if I call you all by your first names do you? I always hated sounding formal." Everyone shook their head, implying they didnt mind before she continued, "Well, my name is Leah Lestrange, daughter of Bellatrix Black and Rodolphus Lestrange, and before you ask no I am not a Death Eater, nor have I ever wanted to be one."
This time Draco Malfoy raised his hand, "Are you saying being a death eater is a bad thing?" Leah looked at him as if it was the stupidest question she'd ever heard, but with all things considered it most likely was.
"Well, Draco," Leah started, her voice had grown colder in the few moments she'd paused, "Yes, I would say being a Death Eater is a bad thing if you have a conscience, and I was born with one much to my parents misfortune. Now, I believe Professor Snape would like you to finish your potions before midnight, so please, work." And just like that the conversation was over.
Harry could barely keep his eyes off the substitute teacher and what having her teaching their class meant. Well, she wasn't really teaching, he reasoned with himself, but still, she was here and Snape wasn't and that is what mattered. He was brought out of his questioning thoughts by a loud bang and the feel of a potion splattering on the back of his robes. He turned around to face Neville who had managed, yet again, to explode a cauldron.
"Neville, dear, what in heaven's name did you do?" asked Hermione, rushing to Neville's side to help him out. Neville and Hermione were a weird set of friends, most people were convinced they were romantically involved, but they both insisted they were merely friends. Harry had always hoped it was the latter.
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I didn't mean to. I just cannot get this!" said Neville in a frustrated tone, slamming down into his chair. Hermione put a consoling arm around Neville's shoulder and pulled out her wand to clean up the mess, but was cut short by the Potion's classroom door slamming open. Snape barged in already in a fowl mood and as his eyes fell upon the mess that decorated the dungeon classroom his face paled.
"What in the hell happened here? Mr. Longbottom did you mess up again? Honestly, aren't you competent enough to make a simple truth potion?" started Snape, his voice growing louder with anger with every word. Just as he was about to continue, Leah stepped in front of him, hands on hips and eyebrows raised in question, daring him to proceed with his little speech. His mouth closed instantly.
"Honestly, Sev, do you even have the courtesy to ask what happened?" she snapped, tapping her right foot lightly against the ground. Harry figured it was to seem intimidating, but then again she didn't seem the type of woman who would need to seem intimidating. If this was Leah Lestrange angry, she was pretty intimidating. Her face was calm, but her voice had an icy edge to it; she was the type of person who could hide anger and that made it worse because you never knew when they would explode themselves.
"Alright," Snape said, "Tell me what happened Ms. Lestrange."
"Well, since you are so kind to ask, it was my fault," said Leah, not faltering once in her lie.
Snape coughed back a laugh, and his eyes glittered, "You, Ms. Lestrange? If I remember correctly you excelled with Potions, and it is your current area of expertise. Pray tell how this is your fault."
"Well, Professor Snape, if you must know, the students were asking about my past and I was answering them. I fear that I was distracting to the entire class and did not allow them to focus completely on their Truth Potions, thus Mr. Longbottom's exploded. Not because of his incompetence, but at my distraction." said Leah, very matter of factly, maintaing eye contact with her old Professor the entire time.
Snape's smile froze as he realized that he would not get the truth out of Leah the easy way and would have to resort to childish mind games with her. However, the smile quickly returned.
"Ms. Lestrange, may I check the solidarity of your story?" he asked.
Leah moved away from him maneuvered her way back to his desk and sat in the spot she had cleared for herself earlier. Once settled she looked back at Snape, who had turned around to watch her move about the classroom, and answered him. "Of course, knock yourself out, Sev. Do what ever you need to in order to trust me. Sad that you haven't learned, in the twenty-two years you've known me, to trust. Pity, really."
The class looked at Snape to see how he would respond to this and were surprised to find the smile that had been on his face replaced by a frown and a look of guilt. Severus was suddenly overtaken by a whirlpool of images being pushed forward into his mind; times of Leah sitting at a picnic bench at her family's mansion reading, her in his study placing chess, her blowing cauldrons up in potions class just to piss him off, and the final picture that caught him off guard; Leah lying face down on a cement floor surrounded by cackling Death Eaters, and blood pooling about her small figure. Instantly, Severus was taken back to that fateful day when he had happened upon Leah Lestrange, the one girl who'd ever since influenced his life.
The lights were low and the cylinder room seemed to be closing in around them. It was his next mission, a mission that would serve the Dark Lord in his fight to kill the infamous Harry Potter, and a mission that would help the order by giving them access to pivotal information. The vault for this next mission held information that would help both sides, and which side used their newly acquired information may very well come out on top in the war. Severus Snape stood against a wall only watching and listening for information that he would later relay to Dumbledore. He had no idea where they had found this girl, but apparently she was vital to their cause. He could not make out her face or her features, but there was something about her voice that nagged at his memory.
She was sat down in a chair and bounded by muggle ropes and a muggle gag, as well as spells to prevent her from moving much. Bellatrix Black walked over and removed the gag from the girl's mouth and discarded it by the chair, while the girl opened and closed her mouth to re-salivate it.
"Well, girl, talk," Bellatrix stated simply, never once looking at the girl in the chair. Snape thought this was odd because during most interrogations Death Eaters enjoyed watching their victims suffer and squirm.
"No," said the girl.
"No? Are you sure? You do know what we are talking about, correct," asked Bellatrix, her back still turned.
"Unless you came up with another reason to kidnap me, then yes, I have a good idea why I am here," said the girl with a mocking tone. Severus stood up straight, off the wall he was leaning on, frightened by this girl's gal. No one mocked a Death Eater and didn't suffer. He was right; a Death Eater from somewhere in the small crowd cast a Cruciatus curse at the girl. However, her screams never met his ear drums, and for a moment he was worried that she had died instantly from the pain.
"Ouch. I would prefer you not do that. It is rather uncomfortable," came her voice, as steady as before. Severus' eyes widened and he pushed forward towards the front of the crowd to get a better look at this very brave or very stupid girl. His eyes came upon a young girl, not girl, woman, of about twenty or so who had long black hair that fell in curls around her shoulders and sapphire eyes that were locked on the back of Bellatrix.
Bellatrix instantly turned around to face the young woman in the chair, eyes flashing with anger and face growing redder by the moment. "You stupid girl. Do you know who we are?" she asked.
The woman's eyes never left those of Bellatrix, and her next stunt surprised Severus even more. He was beginning to grow fond of the young woman in the chair, and instantly hit himself mentally for thinking that.
"Yes, you are Bellatrix Black, the man behind you is your husband, Rodolphus Lestrange. The man next to him is Graham Nott, and behind him is the entire Nott family who is apart of the Death Eaters. The man to my right is Lucius Malfoy, the best assasin you've got. The man to my left is Severus Snape, excellent at potions and at being discreet. He would be good spy for that reason," she said, briefly glancing in Severus' direction. His mouth opened as her eyes met his and he wondered how she knew who they were, and more importantly how she knew he was a spy. "Now, do you know who I am?"
Bellatrix laughed at what seemed a stupid question, and answered with a light tone, "Of course we know who you are. You are the idiot girl that will give us the potion that makes people invincible."
"No, my name, do you know my name?" she asked, her eyes still holding Bellatrix's back.
"Why is that important, all we need is the potion that will prevent us from dying," responded Bellatrix.
"It doesn't prevent you from dying. It makes it so you can transfer your pain to someone else who is willing to take it. Though, it is a rather stupid plan, pain is the body's sensor to stop something, so on a technicality it makes it easier to die," the woman answered. Severus was amazed at her calm voice and ability to answer coherently while surrounded by at least a dozen Death Eaters in a small dark room.
"No pain sounds wonderful. Is that why you didn't scream earlier when hit with an Unforgivable curse?" asked Bellatrix, who now seemed interested in what the girl had to say. She thought she was making progress.
"No, I just have enough will power not to scream. It takes about seven or eight Cruciatus' before I will open my mouth and show my pain," the woman replied.
"Oh," said Bellatrix, taking a few steps back, "well, are you going to tell us how to make this potion, or not?"
"No, I am not. I would never help you," she replied. Bellatrix hissed at her and pulled out her wand, but before she could yell another curse, she added, "Oh, and my name is Leah, Leah Lestrange."
Bellatrix snapped after that and threw curse after curse at Leah, every curse she could think of. Other Death Eaters joined in, reeling in their chance to torture an innocent soul, most not picking up on the name. Severus remembered who she was; the young girl who sat in the back of his potions classroom, causing problems just to get on his nerves, and still passing all assignments with flying colors. The next thing he knew, he was jumping in to protect the young woman who had tormented his teaching days, and managed to fend off a few curses and unbound her. When she was free, she had put a hand on his shoulder and muttered a quick 'no' before being hit with a spell from behind. She fell, a smile still on her face, forwards and blood began to pool around her cold body on the cement floor of the vault. Death Eaters apparated away and left him to take care of the girl. In that one night he'd blown his cover, and almost watched a young woman die.
Suddenly, the memory stopped and Severus found himself on the floor of his own dungeon classroom back at Hogwarts, with his entire seventh year class staring down at him with questioning looks masking their faces. He put a hand on his head to stop the pounding headache that was threatening to over take him. He sat up slowly to see that Leah was no longer in his classroom and the door to the dungeon was open. He groaned.
"Where did the little brat run off to," he asked, looking around at his students. His eyes locked with Harry Potter's, and he asked his question again. "Mr. Potter, where did Leah go?"
Harry just looked down on his Potions Master in shock. One minute Leah and him had been arguing, then their eyes locked, and Snape suddenly fell over and had some sort of fit. Leah jumped off the desk, clutching to her right wrist, saying their Professor would be fine and that she had something to take care of before rushing out the door. Snape cleared his throat, clearly awaiting an answer from his most hated student.
"I don't know, sir, she ran out of here in a rush," Harry answered, still running the previous hour and a half through his mind.
Snape sighed before answering, "Anything strange about her, Mr. Potter?"
Harry thought about her exit once more. She was sitting on the desk, and watched as Snape fell to the floor in a fit, shaking and yelling, and then after about a minute of watching him she squealed out in her own pain. He had looked at her, her eyes clouded with fear, but her face calm as always. She was holding onto her right wrist for dear life, then ran out...her right wrist.
"Well, sir, she did squeal in pain, and clutch her right wrist, that seemed odd," said Harry.
Severus' face paled considerably and he stood up a little to fast. His mind was racing at what her wrist burning could mean and rushed about his classroom gathering different supplies. The one time he needed his cloak and wand he could not find them.
"Sir," came Hermione's voice, bringing Snape out of his panic, "What is going on?"
Severus stopped and looked at his class, all of whom were looking back at them with fear, worry, and confusion written across their faces. Hermione Granger was out in front her head down, and her eyes peering up at him as if he might snap back at her, which is what part of him wished to do. He sighed and turned completely around, thinking about how to approach the answer to this question.
"Ms. Granger, I haven't the time to answer that right now, and I fear it is not my place to even if I did. Leah will be teaching my classes Tuesday's and Thursday's and any information you wish to ask her, you may. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a young woman to track down before she finds herself in a mess," he said, and with that fled from the classroom, leaving behind several bewildered students.