Spinner's End. Why would she come here? Why would he follow her here? Oh right. Dumbledore sent him. Meddling, manipulative, Dumbledore.
Severus would much rather leave her right where she was but Dumbledore saw her miserable, pathetic moment of weakness as another way to obtain a spy for the Order. How is it that the last two Snapes would both become double spies?
His boots were silent on the hardwood floor as he walked down the hall, even if he had walked heavier the lay of dust would have muffled the noise any way. His steps weren't even and every so often he would step off to the side. After all the years away from this place and he still knew what boards creaked and where to step. He stopped in the doorway of his old room, it was the same as he had left when he had ran from it and joined the Death Eaters. His bed was still unmade; various school equipment lay on his desk, his lamp still lay smashed on the floor where he had thrown it at his father. It all fit his memory perfectly but for the foot prints in the dust that seemed to walk strait through the wall next to the bed.
He stood there for a moment staring at the last foot print not yet willing to see her, not yet willing to throw her deeper into this war, not yet willing to admit that he didn't have a choice.
Taking a deep breath and pushing aside all the memories he walked without hesitation to the secret door beside his bed where the foot prints had stopped.
"Hide me" The silencing spell broke as the door opened in command of the password. He could hear her crying softly in the darkness of the hidden room.
"What are you doing here?" came the hoarse voice from within the dark. Gone was the light voice of his childhood memories that had always seemed to be laughing. It was replaced by a voice heavy with regret and despair.
"I thought that you might need some comforting." his voice flat and unattached.
She let out a bitter laugh. "You abandoned me long ago. Why would you come to me now? What comfort could you offer me?"
"How would you like a chance to see to the destruction of the Dark Lord?"
"He's already dead Severus what vengeance for my son could I find in a dead man?"
Severus unbuttoned the cuff of his sleeve and pulled it back to reveal his dark mark that burned dark against his pale skin, "He isn't dead though, not completely."
Evelyn crawled out into light, her rugged appearance drawing a sharp breath from her brother. Her skin was dull and smeared with dirt and blood, her clothes were burnt from curses, bits of debris and grass was in her hair, but her eyes that were once as black as his own were glossed over and grey.
"Why are you really here Severus." she snarled in warning.
"The Dark Lord wanted me to come and offer you a place at his side," he watched her muscles tense, ready to fight, her wand clutched firmly in her hand, "but actually I'm here by Dumbledore's request."
A rather evil grin hardened her features but she relaxed over all, "The Dark Lord lost you misguided loyalty when he killed Lily didn't he?" If she was looking for a reaction she didn't receive one.
"And he earned your wrath when he killed your son." Fresh tears began to fall down her cheeks and he almost regretted his harsh words. Almost, but not really.
"The Dark Lord is truly insane if he thinks that I would go to him after he killed by baby. I would rather kiss a dementor than kiss his feet." She spat at him.
Severus's lip curled in a mock smile, "I knew as much, but the Dark Lord thought that you would be grateful to be freed from Sirius. With him in Azkaban and your son dead he believed that you would finally be able to join his cause." He backed away from her and sat in his old chair by the desk. She followed him on her knees until she sat beside him on the floor.
"So Severus did the Dark Lord send you to make me his new Death Eater?" she grabbed a fistful of his trouser leg and caught his eyes in a steely gaze.
"No, Dumbledore sent me to make you a Death Eater." Her shock was apparent in her eyes if not her face, it was the way that they had ever so slightly opened wider. "The Dark Lord did lose my loyalty; I am now working as a double agent between the Dark Lord and Dumbledore. The Dark Lord isn't dead Evey and if he is to be stopped for good then we need to step our defenses and set traps early."
"Dumbledore wants me to be a spy like you?" her chin came to rest on his knee and the hand holding his pants wrapped around his calf. How many times had they sat like this as children? In the two years before she would attend Hogwarts he would come home and tell her all about school her eyes focused on him waiting patiently for more information. Much as they were now.
"You haven't spoken to me since I became pregnant Severus why are you really here now? Why wouldn't Dumbledore come himself?"
Without any effort his eye brow raised and his lip curled into a snarl that would have sent even a fifth year running, "I did not come here to discuss the past, I was sent here to ensure the future. Can you or can you not infiltrate the Death Eaters, join Lord Voldemort when he rises once again and make yourself useful rather than grieve pathetically for the rest of you wasted life?"
Evelyn rose gracefully standing tall and defiant, "Just tell me what to do."
