Two blue eyes starred out of a carriage window up at the castle. "Bigger
than I remember", she said quietly to herself. It had been 7 long years
since she had last set foot in Hogwarts, last seen her uncle Dumbledore.
Surely he would take her in and help her, especially when she was in a
position to help him as well.
She stepped down from the carriage, and, without a backwards glance,
flicked her wand in its direction, leaving only a swirling of dust where it
had just been.
She started up towards the front doorway.
__________________________________________________
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, idly toying with a small silver pen-like device. "Severus," he said, slowing drawing his attention away from the silver device and glancing upwards with his left eyebrow raised, "this is a critical time, as I am sure you are fully aware, and we must not take action before the time is absolutely right."
Standing on the opposite side of the desk, Severus Snape, dressed in his normal all black attire and a billowing black cloak, began to open his mouth in protest when Dumbledore suddenly rose out of his chair. The door to Dumbledore's office sung open and a tall woman in dark green robes stepped inside.
"Uncle Albus!" she cried, running to her uncle
"Brin, my dear, how good to see you," Dumbledore smiled and hugged her.
"Oh I am sorry if I am interrupting you," said Brin quickly, her blue eyes darting around the waving paintings of past headmasters on the walls and finally coming to rest directly on the man in black. She did not smile but tilted her head ever so slightly to one side.
"Ah," replied Dumbledore, his bright eyes flicking back and forth between the two others, "No, I think we are quite finished here. Let me introduce you to our Potion's Master, Severus Snape. Severus, this is my dear niece Brin."
"Very nice to meet you," said Severus, raising his chin slightly so that several loose stands of long, black hair fell off of his face.
Brin, her eyes still locked with Severus's, smiled, "Indeed. Potions Master? I hope you will stay for a moment." She paused, "Uncle, there are urgent matters I must discuss with you, I am afraid that I may not have much time here."
"Yes, yes," said Dumbledore after a moment. He had begun tapping his chin with his fingers, apparently deep in thought.
"I believe you have heard of my situation," said Brin, Dumbledore nodding in response, "but I do not think that you, or the Order...or anyone can guess at the extent of my research. Somehow though, I believe that the Death Eaters have caught wind of what I am trying to accomplish, as I have been contacted twice by representatives of the Dark Lord. The first time was in France several months ago and the second time was in muggle-London last month, and I both times I managed to evade them," Brin took a deep breath, "But I do not think that I can do it again, Lucius Malfoy is more cunning than I had assumed."
At mention of this name Severus took a step towards the others, an almost amused look on his face.
"So," Brin continued, now business-like, "I have come to you to offer you my potion once it is completed, and it is near so. In return, I ask only for the safety of this castle until everything is in order."
Smiling again, Dumbledore glanced at Severus and back to Brin, "It has been much too long, my dear. As always, anything you need is yours, and I am sure Severus would be of great help to you if you need it. But I do hope that next time you will visit me under friendlier circumstances."
"Thank you Uncle Albus, and I think I may take Professor Snape up on that offer," Brin responded, relived. Why had she been nervous, Uncle Albus had always been there for her when she had needed it most.
"There will be time for more details later, now, let us go down and eat before there is nothing left at all!" Dumbledore chuckled at his joke. He put his hand on Brin's shoulder and led her out of the room, Severus trailing behind.
Dumbledore sat behind his desk, idly toying with a small silver pen-like device. "Severus," he said, slowing drawing his attention away from the silver device and glancing upwards with his left eyebrow raised, "this is a critical time, as I am sure you are fully aware, and we must not take action before the time is absolutely right."
Standing on the opposite side of the desk, Severus Snape, dressed in his normal all black attire and a billowing black cloak, began to open his mouth in protest when Dumbledore suddenly rose out of his chair. The door to Dumbledore's office sung open and a tall woman in dark green robes stepped inside.
"Uncle Albus!" she cried, running to her uncle
"Brin, my dear, how good to see you," Dumbledore smiled and hugged her.
"Oh I am sorry if I am interrupting you," said Brin quickly, her blue eyes darting around the waving paintings of past headmasters on the walls and finally coming to rest directly on the man in black. She did not smile but tilted her head ever so slightly to one side.
"Ah," replied Dumbledore, his bright eyes flicking back and forth between the two others, "No, I think we are quite finished here. Let me introduce you to our Potion's Master, Severus Snape. Severus, this is my dear niece Brin."
"Very nice to meet you," said Severus, raising his chin slightly so that several loose stands of long, black hair fell off of his face.
Brin, her eyes still locked with Severus's, smiled, "Indeed. Potions Master? I hope you will stay for a moment." She paused, "Uncle, there are urgent matters I must discuss with you, I am afraid that I may not have much time here."
"Yes, yes," said Dumbledore after a moment. He had begun tapping his chin with his fingers, apparently deep in thought.
"I believe you have heard of my situation," said Brin, Dumbledore nodding in response, "but I do not think that you, or the Order...or anyone can guess at the extent of my research. Somehow though, I believe that the Death Eaters have caught wind of what I am trying to accomplish, as I have been contacted twice by representatives of the Dark Lord. The first time was in France several months ago and the second time was in muggle-London last month, and I both times I managed to evade them," Brin took a deep breath, "But I do not think that I can do it again, Lucius Malfoy is more cunning than I had assumed."
At mention of this name Severus took a step towards the others, an almost amused look on his face.
"So," Brin continued, now business-like, "I have come to you to offer you my potion once it is completed, and it is near so. In return, I ask only for the safety of this castle until everything is in order."
Smiling again, Dumbledore glanced at Severus and back to Brin, "It has been much too long, my dear. As always, anything you need is yours, and I am sure Severus would be of great help to you if you need it. But I do hope that next time you will visit me under friendlier circumstances."
"Thank you Uncle Albus, and I think I may take Professor Snape up on that offer," Brin responded, relived. Why had she been nervous, Uncle Albus had always been there for her when she had needed it most.
"There will be time for more details later, now, let us go down and eat before there is nothing left at all!" Dumbledore chuckled at his joke. He put his hand on Brin's shoulder and led her out of the room, Severus trailing behind.