The Toxicroak Cordenture
Chapter One
A House-elf popped into Spinner's End. Not that the Dark Lord was out in the open, controlling the Ministry, Snape didn't have to worry about being assaulted in his home. He was ery taken aback by the site of the House-elf, however.
"What do you want?"
"I should be asking you that question, sir," said the House-elf, in a high-pitched squak.
"That is no business of yours. "
"I should say it is," said the House-elf. "Since that is why I'm here."
It snapped its fingers, and showed Snape a picture of Lily Evans.
"Where did you get this?"
"I am one of the wishing-elves. My great-grandmother had wishing-elf blood in her, and she passed it down through the generations. And when we wishing elves reach the age of fifty, we must seek one person to grant a wish for before we die. And you, sir, seem the the most needful of a wish being granted."
"The one thing I wish for…can't come true."
"Ah, but it can," the House-elf assured him.
"You can bring Lily Evvans back from the dead?"
"Of course."
"Even elf magic isn't that strong."
"But, sir, I am a wishing-elf, and our magic can do all sorts of things that ordinary elves can only dream of. Including revive the dead for someone who loved them so dearly."
"I doubt you can make it happen."
"Doubt all you want, but when you see Lily Evans again,, you'll be happy I helped you."
"You are a persistent elf, are you? What's your condition for me—if I beliee you?"
"Condition?"
"My original question, about what you want."
"I…it is not a question of what I want,s ir. But Cheron, the gaudrain of the dead, requires a sacrifice for death-reival wishes."
"Sacrifice of what?"
"Someone related to the person being revived. They must carry the same blood. Usually a descendant or other blood relative."
"Lily has a son, but I can't turn against him. She's hate me. She also has a sister."
"Cheron wants the son," said the House-elf.
"You want me to offer the Boy Who Lived for the love of my life?"
"It is what must be done, if yo want to see Lily Evans again."
"But…that would be going against Dumbledore. That is to say, the way I undersdtood it, Voldermot must kill him, not Cheron, or me, or…"
"Dumbledore said the boy must die. He neer said how he was to die."
"I suppose…"
The House-elf leaped on the armchair and put his hand on Snape's neck. "Think about it. You could save the world, and have Lily back in your arms. All for the price of a single boy."
"Is that really all?"
"Er, no, actually," the House-elf said, jumping down again. "I wasn't supposed to mention this on my first visit, but…" He went and banged his head an the candelabra stick.
Snape grabbed him and held him back. "If you're going to punish yourself, you'd best not say it."
"You have to trade a girl aobut a year younger than Potter for him!" the House-elf blurted out. It was trying to punish itself, but Snape held its fists fast.
"What?"
"You cannot capture Potter yourself," the House-elf said. "It would displease Cheron very much. He won't allow the spell to work, in that case. You have to convince someone else to do it."
"Someone else has to be involved? I knew this was a faulty sales-pitch for something that isn't going to happen."
"A woman must capture the boy, and you must capture a girl. That is how Cheron has established it, and that it how it must be."
"And what woman is going to attempt to capture Harry Potter?"
"There are two probable candidates. Either Bellatrix Lestrange could do it—"
"She'll kill him and he'll reach Cheron before the exchange can be made," Snape muttered.
"Or you can concince Nymphadora Tonks."
"Hold on, I have to be the one to do the convincing?"
"Yes. It is your wish, after all. Other than you and Cheron,, I can speak to no one about this. A wishing-elf can only choose one person outside the one the wish is being granted for to discuss it with, and that person must not be living, or an angel, or something of that sort."
"So I have to convince Nymphadora Tonks, who is fighting on the opposing side of the one I am publicly fighting for, and who despises me because she thinks I killed Dumbledore out of malice?"
"Either her or Bellatrix."
"I'm not saying it's impossible, but it will take a plethora of maneuvering. "
"That's for you to handle. Well, I'll be off!"
"Wait! Is there a time limit for all this?"
"If you don't manage it by the time the Dark Lord returns from his quest for the Elder Wand, everything will be lost."
"But what about the fact that Potter's whereabouts are unknown?"
"If you're going to Nymphadora Tonks, I'm sure she'll find a way to get at him. He always liked her quirkiness. But I mustn't remain. I've got to go stop a horder of children from wreaking havoc in Grosvenor Square. Cheerio."
Snape stared at the space where the House-elf had been before it Apparted for a moment. For one thing, he had never heard a House-elf say "Cheerio" prior to that day. He didn't believe it could really bring back Lily. For Potter…and he'd have to capture a teenage girl first…everything was wrong here. There were so many ways he could get caught for things he was against in the first place. Nymphadora Tonks might kill him when he approached her, to avenge Dumbledorae. But she was safer for going after Potter than Bellatrix.
He sighed, and saw the picture of Lily on his coffee table. He hoped that if this did all work, she'd still care for him, despite all the equivocado things the would be doing to get her back.