The Cryptic Delphian

By Hippy Gypsy

Disclaimer: I do not own anything by JK Rowling, but the plot is mine. This story takes place a few years after the last war with Voldemort. He died in the final battle, but so did a couple other characters. Just don't get too teary eyed when you find out who. Anyways, this is my first fic in a long time, so be kind. I guess that's it. On with the show!

Chapter 1: The Midnight Summons of the Grand Delphian

Severus Snape was seen as the greatest spy in all of wizarding England when the great war against Lord Voldemort had ended. Many had fought the Dark Forces, some losing their lives in the end. Those who survived mourned the lost and cherished the living. Satisfied that his place in life in general had been fulfilled with the fall of the Dark Lord, Snape faded back into society, retiring early from Potions Master of Hogwarts, and spent his days doing research in the privacy of his own manor just outside of London.

But as much as he desired to never be bothered again from the outside world, he could not deny the call of his mentor and true master: The Grand Delphian.

Few knew of his status as one of the mystical and cryptic Delphian. But unlike his role as a Death Eater, he would never be able to shake his loyalty to the line, or to the Grand Delphian, the eldest of the heirs in the line. If he was summoned, he would have to answer. Thus was always his life as a spy. So when an owl appeared to him late one evening, requesting his presence with the Headmistress of Hogwarts, Severus could hardly claim that he could take his leave for the night.

The Grand Delphian requests an audience with Severus Snape, heir of the Cryptic Delphian, immediately, was exactly what the letter had said. So at midnight, Snape found himself outside of the office of Minerva McGonagall, Headmistress of Hogwarts, escorting himself inside, only to find her sitting back in her chair at her desk, wide awake and quite serious.

"Severus," she said pointedly, as was her fashion. "Thank you for joining me on such short notice."

"I really had no choice, Minerva," he replied openly.

"Sit, please."

Taking his seat, he folded his cloak and placed it off to the side, noticing the portrait of Albus Dumbledore, former Headmaster of the school, now deceased, smiled knowingly down at him. Even in a memorial portrait, Snape felt that those blue eyes were once again trying to penetrate his soul. He suppressed a shiver.

"Now Minerva, would you please explain your summons?" Severus asked her without a bit of sarcasm in his voice.

She smiled and replied straight out. "It's time for your apprentice to be chosen."

"Good Lord, no." A mission he had expected from his predecessor, but not this.

"Why not?"

"Because a new generation has not yet come of age."

"Severus, you're getting old," Minerva replied bluntly and curtly, "and if you think you feel hurt, remember the fact that I was once your Transfiguration instructor." She folded her cloak closer around her and glared back at her apprentice. "For Christ's sakes! I'm the walking dead by your standard."

Snape snorted softly and rubbed his eyes. He quietly replied truthfully, "I meant no offense Minerva. What I mean is I don't think there's anyone of the new generation who could take this on and possibly survive the dangers we've encountered." He thought of a long moment and went on, "Voldemort was one thing, but we're in a class by ourselves you do realize."

"You haven't thought of anyone to be your heir?"

"No."

Minerva's eyes narrowed in concentration. "What about your nephew?" she suggested lightly.

"Tulio is merely an apprentice of Potions. Of having the Cryptic Delphians' abilities, he is not." Taking a deep breath, Snape looked at her and said, "Minerva, there is no one in my mind I can think of who would be worthy of this position."

She gave a smug smile at his troubled face. "You're lucky then. I think I know somebody who is worthy enough to join our line."

"Who, pray tell?"

She reached out for her quill that was standing on end in an ink pot. She began scribbling notes down onto a scrap piece of parchment. "She is currently an Auror in the Ministry of Magic."

"She?" Snape asked, caught off-guard and thoroughly shocked.

"Yes, she," Minerva replied, without taking notice at his slight irritation. "She is well versed in understanding both the Muggle world and our own. She's young, and quite the athletic warrior from what I have seen. After the Great War ended Cornelius Fudge held her honor high in the Ministry of Magic. She's a master of disguise."

"Anybody could learn that. All it takes is the right amount and type of magic." More and more, Snape was beginning to have his doubts.

"But it comes so naturally to her," Minerva sang, ever so reminiscent of Delores Umbridge. She looked up from the parchment she was scribbling on, and the quill went off writing on it's own while she focused her entire attention on Severus. "She's a metamorphmagus."

At that word, Severus knew exactly who she meant, and in the back of his mind, a face suddenly popped out of his memories. She was younger then, by a few years. She had been in the Order of the Phoenix, and a relative of Sirius Black. He knew her right enough, and his heart began to sink as his hopes for the most renowned apprentice disappeared. "Seeing as they are rare and that there are less than twenty in England, I could only assume that you mean Nymphadora Tonks?" he asked smoothly.

"I do."

"Why her Minerva? She's clumsier than Neville Longbottom ever proved to be. What is so wondrous about her that we would invite her to join our blood line?"

Minerva smiled, knowing rightly well that the fight he was going to give her was only around the corner. She looked down at her quill and muttered, "Quill, stop!" And it instantly fell flat to her desk. She picked up her piece of parchment, and began to read from her list. "She already has Auror skills, and is trained for both worlds. From what I understand, she's athletically trained in some of the more ancient self-defense techniques, and to top it off more personally to us, she attended Hogwarts and was loyal to the Order of the Phoenix from beginning to end, meaning she would rightly be loyal to us as members of the Cryptic Delphian."

"Loyalty. You damned Gryffindors," he muttered under his breath. "You said she was held high in the Ministry though. Cornelius is as stubborn as they come. Why would he give up one of his best agents to us?"

She smiled again, in her best cat like grin. "Cornelius loves a bribe. All you would have to do is pay him off."

"I pay him off?"

"Yes."

His eyebrows furrowed dangerously. "And once he has his money, what will he do to ensure that we get Nymphadora to join our ranks?"

"We'll have him sack her from the Ministry," she replied matter-of-factly. "The rest is up to you in order to get her to be an heir."

"What if she refuses to join?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we get there. But I highly doubt without a job she'll pass up the chance." Minerva couldn't stop grinning to herself. She had him right where she wanted him. He was stuck, and the only thing he could do was give up and admit that she was right.

"I still don't know if I like the idea of her becoming bonded to the Cryptic Blood though," Severus said evenly, though his face was set in grim lines. Something about this girl being his heir killed him on the inside, and all he could feel was misgiving.
"You said yourself you didn't have any other ideas for your apprentice."

"I do not."

"Then I'd say get to work." Minerva rose from her seat and looked down at her own apprentice. "Severus, trust me. Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

"There was that time when we were pursuing the gargoyles in France."

She glared at him and changed the subject dramatically. "Forget I said anything. I want your heir and apprentice trained and presented by the end of the next month."

Severus rose from his seat and he took his cloak, pulling it around him. "Fine, but you're the one who's paying off Fudge." With that, he made his way towards the study door.

"Don't shrug and sulk like it could be worse Severus. It very well could've been for you."

"How so?" he asked turning to her with a raised eyebrow.

"If Harry Potter had survived the end of the Great War, I would've chosen him as your apprentice." She grinned as a quite disgusted look came across Severus's face, and she looked to Albus Dumbledore's portrait. His blue eyes winked at her.

"Minerva, just tell me where I can find Nymphadora Tonks nowadays…"

Coming Soon...Chapter 2! Thanks for reading and reviewing! :D