The Cost

Albus watched the door close behind Severus; the dark man's orders to go to bed still ringing in his ears. The Potions Master had explained to him that one of the concoctions had a sedative in it. Potion bottles lined the edge of his desk, standing in mute testimony of the cost of his decision.

Flickering his eyes across the portraits, he knew that he couldn't stay here. There were too many eyes in this room, and there were too many in the castle itself. Making sure that his wand was securely in his robe, Albus went to the one location that as always free of spying eyes.

Stepping into the small clearing deep in the heart of the Forbidden Forest, he shed the mask he habitually wore and started to pace.

'You didn't pay the price. You know that one of the prices of commanding is to send people out to handle things for you. Not to get out there yourself.' He looked at his blackened hand. 'And this is the cost of doing what you wish instead of what you should.'

Letting his robe's sleeve drop over the evidence of his mistake, Albus stared sightlessly into the undergrowth. He went to find the horcruxes on his own because he didn't want to endanger anyone else. He did it too much. Everyday here recently it seemed like he was sending someone to an almost certain death. There was no one he could picture sending after the soul fragments. 'But now you are going to have to find someone. Maybe Lupin?'

Pushing all those thoughts aside to worry about later, he considered how he could save the situation as it now stood. With the newest information from Severus, he knew that Draco Malfoy was supposed to attempt to kill him this year. 'That will be happening anyway. All he has to do is wait.'

He shoved the thought out of his mind. 'And Severus said that he had to swear to help the boy out.'

The idea of Narcissa and Bellatrix forcing Severus into doing something irked him. Yes, he knew that he directed the Potions Master about, but Severus knew and accepted that a long time ago. And he made it up to the man as much as he could. 'If we work it right, then Severus can kill me and put him in the perfect spot to take over the school next year. Of course, that will destroy any chance of him escaping the Dementor's Kiss.'

Albus didn't hear the fallen tree explode into splinters. 'That is the cost... I have to loose one of my best and dearest. Severus will just give me that look when I ask if it is okay. We've both put so much into this war.'

Dragging his mind back to planning, he fingered the Elder wand. If they worked it just right, then Harry would get the wand. He would have to have Severus kill him somewhere where Harry would witness it. That would make the boy mad enough to attack Severus and overpower him. Then the wand would belong to Harry.

'And Harry can use it then when he is finding the rest of the horcruxes. It will have to be him since there is no way the boy can be at Hogwarts next year when Voldemort is in charge. I have this school year to gather all the information that I can and make sure that Harry knows it. ' Another cost. He had wanted to let Harry finish his schooling before stepping into the battlefield.

Another dead tree became splinters.

Sighing, Albus raked his hand through his hair. Slughorn was the key to the information on the horcruxes. He had been trying to work around asking the retired professor. If he had more time, he could find the information he needed, but time was the limiting factor now. 'I'll let Severus teach Defense and give Slughorn Potions again. That way, Severus will have a better chance of teaching those three the basic skills that they are going to need to know to survive out there.'

He rubbed his face with his good hand. He didn't want to imagine three seventeen year olds out hunting for objects that he didn't want to send any member of the Order after.

A couple more trees went up in a cloud of sawdust.

Sighing, he thought about all that Severus could teach those three. Then he remembered that Severus could not be seen as teaching them too well, or it would get back to Voldemort.

His shoulders dropped slightly. Harry was going to need to understand potions better than Slughorn could teach him. But Slughorn would be almost better than Severus. For once again, Severus couldn't be seen helping too much. 'I wonder if there is someway that Severus could help anyway? I'll have to ask. He is devious enough to be able to come up with something.'

Rubbing his eyes, Albus realized that the sedative was starting to work. 'I better get back before I have to face Severus' wrath.'

He never noticed the number of exploded trees as he headed back.

It was on the way back to the castle that he realized that he was going to have to have every contingency planned so that his portrait would be able to continue commanding. He had just learned the cost of ignoring the price of commanding, and he refused to make that mistake again. He would do everything in his power to let them keep their innocence for as long as possible.