Severus Snape was sitting in his private library in number forty-nine spinner's end. His quill was hovering above a piece of parchment that was filled with tiny cramped handwriting. Snape divided his attention between a book he was reading called The Seventh Compendium of the Seventh Compendium of Dark Arts. Wearily Snape leaned back and pinched the bridge of his hooked nose, and then hunched over his work again. Wormtail slipped into the room with a drink for Snape.
"What do you want?" Snape said lazily not even bothering to look up from his work.
"I I-it's just don't you t-think that you might be overworking yourself a bit on this?" Wormtail asked.
"No," Snape snapped, "it was at the Dark Lord's request that I take on this task, so there fore it is my duty to the Dark Lord to uphold his request." Snape shot back quickly, "Now be a good servant and keep a eye out for Lucius or Bellatrix."
"Are you expecting them?" Wormtail asked eagerly.
"Not at all I merely wish to speak with one of them."
"Oh," said Wormtail in clear disappointment. He retreated from the room and went somewhere else.
"imbecile," Snape muttered darkly. On the far side of the room Snape's fire place turned green.
"Is it safe for me to enter, Severus?" Dumbledore's voice called through the green flames.
"Yes," Snape said even though he hardly dared to say no to Dumbledore, who thought that he could come and go as he pleased at Snape's house.
"Excellent." Dumbledore said appearing in the room.
"Headmaster I have not yet received a summons to the Dark Lord's side within the past month, and if I had you would have been notified by me immediately." Snape said setting things straight and hoping to cut Dumbledore's visit short.
"Ah, then I have not missed an owl from you," Dumbledore said smiling brightly. What an idiot. Snape thought. "I have come to check up on you Severus, it has been a long while since you stopped by head quarters."
"I am fully aware of that Headmaster, and as for that I have already explained to you my reason for not being at headquarters nor sending you an owl." Snape said stiffly.
"Yes I do believe you have made those matters clear already. My visit today is not my being concerned with not hearing from you or your not dropping by headquarters." Dumbledore said, he paused as if to see if Snape had anything to say. But Snape merely stared back at him in boredom. "Mostly my visit is due to the fact that I am starting to get concerned about your well being. I am sure that you have put many of the normal protections on your home but I would like to offer you a chance to stay at Hogwarts for the remainder of the summer, for your own protection Severus."
"I appreciate the gesture headmaster but I must decline, many of the books that I have purchased this year I saved for summer reading. And I am sure that you would not approve of these books being taken into the castle." Snape said.
"Oh Severus many students bring the most atrocious reading material to Hogwarts you should see the things that I have had to confiscate." Dumbledore said with a chuckle. "Many seventh years sneak in those muggle Play Boys or Play Girls for the females. Your collection of books would not be banned nor taken away from you beings as you are a staff member I only ask that you do not hand them out to the students." The back of Snape's neck began to heat up with embarrassment.
"Sir these books do not promote pornographic images they are magic books," Snape said.
"Well as I have said as long as you do not hand them out to students then you are welcome to bring them." Dumbledore said
"I shall consider your offer headmaster," Snape said.
"Excellent, I shall expect your reply within a few days." Dumbledore turned to go but though better of it, "Severus I have only just remembered."
About time you remembered something old man. Snape thought to himself.
"I am, as I am sure you are well aware, again short of a staff member." Of course, Snape thought doubtfully, and now you are going to tell me you have appointed Potter as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. "I was wanting to know if you would still be interested in teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts?"
"Excuse me headmaster but what did you say?" Snape asked in sheer amazement.
"I asked if you would still be interested in the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?"
"Yes headmaster I would be very much interested." Snape said with a controlled voice.
"Wonderful," Dumbledore said turning to leave.
"If I may ask headmaster," Snape said.
"Yes Severus?"
"Who will be filling in for potions?"
"Your old head of house, and your old potions teacher." Dumbledore said brightly.
"Horace Slughorn?" Snape asked with amazement, "Sir I highly doubt that Horace would ever come back to teach again. If I recall his words correctly after my seventh year he said that he would never return to Hogwarts ever again after he retired."
"True but Severus you are forgetting that I have many ways of convincing people to do something for me." Dumbledore said. "And I believe I have invaded upon your hospitality long enough so it is far past time for me to say adieu." Dumbledore walked back over to the fire place threw some floo power in and was transported back to where ever it was he had come from. Snape's unemotional faced changed into one that was rarely seen a look of shear joy that was instantly covered up when Bellatrix walked into the room.
"Hello Severus."
"Bella," he said with curtness. Bellatrix walked across the room and stopped just in front of Snape. "To what do I owe your visit?" Snape asked mockingly.
"The Dark Lord requested I check up on you," Bella said wriggling closer to Severus. Snape raised an eyebrow questioningly yet his face remained emotionless. Bellatrix grabbed him quickly as a snake she sprang forward. Her arms threw themselves around Severus's neck and she kissed him deeply each kiss becoming more urgent. Snape did nothing, "Severus," Bella whispered softly in his ear, "why do you deny yourself from me? Why do you not want to be with me? Is it because of my husband? You don't have to worry about him."
"Bella, I do not see anything happening between us. There is no spark, and I find you appalling actually." Bella slapped him.
"How dare you." Snape neither moved nor flinched.
"Bella I do not care for you; go back to your husband. I am sure he will give you the attention that I will not." Bella turned on her heel and stormed out of Snape's house slamming the door behind her.
Severus sat down behind his desk and pulled out seven large file folders each one filled with pieces of parchment that were covered with small cramped handwriting. He flipped through each file with a smirk. After awhile he put the files away and continued with reading his book and writing notes. Snape started to get drowsy so he decided it was time to finish his book another day and after gingerly closing his book he went to bed.
He woke up the next day and spent the better part of the day finishing his book. Around nooon he went to start packing for his early return to Hogwarts. Severus preferred to arrive early so he could explore the Hogwarts library and enjoy the silence of the school. It was close to midnight when Snape had finished packing. There was a knock at his front door and sighing Snape went to open it. He looked through the peephole and saw two figures on his doorstep he opened the door slightly and peered out into the darkness. Upon opening the door he saw Bellatrix and her sister Narcissa.
"Narcissa," Snape said opening the door wider, "what a pleasant surprise."
"Severus." Narcissa whispered, "may I speak to you? It's urgent."
"But of course," Snape said moving back into the house to let them in. Bellatrix followed her sister without an invitation.
"Snape," She said coolly as she passed him.
"Bellatrix," Snape replied his mouth curled into a mocking smile. The door behind them and directed the women to a tiny sitting room, which had the feeling of a dark, padded cell. The walls were completely covered in books most bound in brown or black leather. A sofa, armchair and a rickety table stood grouped together in a pool of dim light cast by a chandelier of candles that hung from the ceiling. Snape gestured to Narcissa to the sofa, she sat down slowly, and Bellatrix went to stand behind her.
"What can I do for you?" Snape asked settling himself into the armchair opposite the sisters.
"We…we are alone, aren't we?" Narcissa asked quietly.
"Yes, of course. Well Wormtail's here, but we're not counting vermin, are we?" He pointed his wand revealing a secret passageway in which stood a small man frozen with fear. "As you have clearly realized, Wormtail, we have guests. Wormtail will get us drinks if you'd like them," said Snape, "and then he will leave and return to his bedroom." Wormtail disappeared briefly and returned with a tray of drinks. Snape raised his glass in a toast. "The Dark Lord," he said
"Severus, I'm sorry to come here like this, but I had to see you. I think you are the only one who can help me—" Snape held up a hand and pointed his wand again at the secret passageway there was a loud bang followed by the sounds of someone scurrying back up the stairs.
"My apologies," said Snape, "he has taken to listening at doors, I don't know what he means by it…you were saying Narcissa?"
"Severus, I know I ought not to be here, I have been told to say nothing to anyone, but—"
"Then hold your tongue," Bellatrix snapped, "particularly in present company."
" 'Present company'? What am I to understand by that Bellatrix?" Snape asked sardonically.
"That I don't trust you Snape, as you full well know."
"Well, continue Bellatrix," Snape said, "Why is it that you do not trust me?"
"A hundred reasons. Where were you when the Dark Lord was defeated? Why weren't you at his rebirthing? Why didn't you attempt to find him when he vanished? What have you been dong all these years that you've lived in Dumbledore's pocket? Where were you a few weeks ago when we battled to retrieve the prophecy for the Dark Lord? And why, Snape, is Harry Potter still alive, when you have had him at your mercy for five years?"
"Before I answer you, Bellatrix, you can carry my word back to the others who whisper behind my back, and carry false tales of my treachery to the Dark Lord! Before I answer you, I say, let me ask a question in turn. Do you really think that the Dark Lord has not asked me each and every one of those questions? And do you really think that, had I not been able to give satisfactory answers, I would be sitting here talking to you?"
Bella hesitated, "I know he believes you but…"
"You think he is mistaken? Or that I have somehow hoodwinked him? Fooled the Dark Lord, the greatest wizard, the most accomplished Legilimens the world has ever seen?" Bellatrix remained silent. "You ask where I was then the Dark Lord fell. I was where he had ordered me to be, at Hogwarts School of witchcraft and Wizardry, because he wished me to spy upon Albus Dumbledore. You know, I presume, that it was on the Dark Lord's orders that I took up the post?" Bella nodded. "You ask why I didn't attempt to find him when he vanished. For the same reason that Avery, Yaxley, the Carrows, Greyback, Lucius, and many others did not attempt to find him. I believed him finished. I am not proud of it, I was wrong, but there it is…if he had not forgive we who lost faith at that time, he would have very few followers left."
"He'd have me!" Said Bellatrix passionately, "I who spent many years in Azkaban for him!"
"Yes, indeed, most admirable of you." Snape said in a bored tone, "Of course you weren't a lot of help in Azkaban but it was a nice –"
"GUESTURE!" she shrieked, "While I had to endure Dementors you got to sit most comfortably at Hogwarts playing Dumbledore's pet."
"Not quite," Snape said with a grimace, "he wouldn't give me the Defense Against the Dark Arts job, thought it might tempt me back to my old ways."
"This was your sacrifice to the Dark Lord, being unable to teach your favorite subject?" Bella spat, "Tell me why have you stayed there all these years still spying on Dumbledore?"
"Hardly," Snape said, "although the Dark Lord was pleased that I never deserted my post and I was able t give him fifteen years of information on Dumbledore upon his return rather then reminiscing on how unpleasant Azkaban was."
"But regardless you stayed—"
"Yes I stayed, I had a comfortable job, they were rounding up Death Eaters you know. Dumbledore's protection helped keep me out of Azkaban. It was most opportune that I was able to use his protection. The Dark Lord does not complain so I do not see why it is you do." Snape said shortly, "Furthermore I think you also wanted to know why I did not return immediately to the Dark Lord's side when he returned. It was merely on Dumbledore's orders that I did not return right away. Had I not waited four hours Dumbledore would have been suspicious."
A/N: please review and let me know what you think thus far. if you have any ideas for me i'd love to hear 'em.
until next chapter update ta
