There was a voice, coming from a shadowy figure in front of a roaring fireplace. A blonde man knelt at the figure's feet.

"Your son failed in his mission, Lucius," the figure hissed. "I do not tolerate failure among my soldiers."

"Please, My Lord," the man Elizabeth only then recognized as Lucius Malfoy pleaded. He was gaunt, and all arrogance had left his bowing form. "Dumbledore is dead."

"My thanks to Severus for that," Voldemort said airily. "I would have killed the boy tonight, but I had other things to attend to. And now you come for what? To beg me to forgive such gross incompetence? I would think that you would be as disgusted by his weakness as I am."

"It's Snape," Lucius pleaded. "He taught Draco to be weak-willed—

"You blame another man for your son's faults?" Voldemort sneered. "It appears that weakness runs in the family."

"Please, My Lord. Spare him. Give him another chance."

"I don't have time for second chances." Voldemort tapped a long finger against what would have been his lips. "However, I am busy. And I desire proof of your continued allegiance."

"Anything, My Lord."

"Kill your son."

*S*S*

Elizabeth opened her eyes and looked at the clock. Five in the morning. She'd been asleep barely more than an hour. She lay in bed for a moment, listening to the sounds of the house. There were the general creaks, and then the unmistakable sound of her father's study door. The hinges creaked, but Severus had never righted the problem. He said it was a good security device with a nosy child in the house.

Not that she was ever barred from his study. The top row of books, yes, but not the study itself. When she was younger, she liked to sit in his desk chair and pretend that she was doing important work. He'd never been cross, finding her there. He merely locked the drawer that he used for documents he didn't want her to handle.

Elizabeth slipped on her slippers and went down the stairs. As she expected, the door to the study was open. Severus was sitting at his desk, his elbows on the writing surface, his head in his hands. She leaned against the doorframe and knocked softly. "Did you sleep at all?"

"I could ask you the same question," Severus looked up and dropped his arms to the desk. "What happened?"

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth stepped into the room.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "You are awake at," he looked at his watch, "quarter past five on holiday. And you have that look about you."

"What look?"

"You've seen something," Severus said decidedly. "Out with it, then."

"Voldemort wants Lucius to kill Draco. To prove his allegiance."

"Interesting."

"What's interesting about it?" Elizabeth looked at him incredulously.

"You want me to save him?"

"No," Elizabeth shook her head. "He led Death Eaters into Hogwarts. You nearly died—

"But you used his first name," Severus said, examining her face. "You don't do that often. In fact, you used both of their first names."

"Because the sentence was clearer that way, that's all. I couldn't very well say 'Voldemort wants Malfoy to kill Malfoy', could I?"

"If you insist."

"You don't seem as concerned about this as I thought you'd be," Elizabeth looked at him.

Severus rubbed a hand over his face. "I have only the energy needed to assure that you survive this war, Elizabeth. It is during times like these that I am glad that I only have one child."

"I'm taking your energy then?" Elizabeth asked sourly.

Severus sighed and pushed his chair back from the desk, opening his arms. "Come here."

"Dad, I'm nearly of age."

"I'm aware of how old you are. I was there were you were negative nine months."

"Gross." Elizabeth made a gagging noise.

"Indeed," Severus smirked. "Come here, please."

Elizabeth resignedly went around the desk and sat on the arm of his large leather chair.

Severus rolled his eyes. "Honestly. It's like you think you'll break me." He pulled her into his lap and wrapped his arms tightly around her. "You do take my energy, Hatchling. Because I love you. Because we are both in a perilous position. We're holding off dragons with a chair, Rosie. I can only balance you and me right now. I don't have the power to worry about Draco, no matter how much it breaks my heart."

Elizabeth put one arm around his shoulders. "You haven't called me Rosie in a long time."

"I haven't had a wave of such ridiculous sentimentality in a long time," Severus chuckled. "I think your impending birthday has made me soft."

"You're always soft," Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "At least with me. Wouldn't kill you to be that way with other people, you know."

"I think it might," Severus disagreed.

Elizabeth sobered. "Meetings might kill you."

"I told Albus that, but he'd never listen. Staff meetings every week, whether we had anything to talk about or not. Something that won't happen next year, I assure you."

"Dad." Elizabeth looked at him meaningfully. "You know what I'm talking about."

"I'm keeping us alive," Severus said firmly. "It may not be ideal, but it is what we have. It will keep Hogwarts open another year, though our… handling of Muggleborns will have to be different this year. I'd like to speak to Miss Granger about it, actually."

"Dad," Elizabeth sighed. "I need you to listen to me. Really listen to me."

Severus met her eyes and nodded once. "Go ahead."

"Hermione, Ron, and I are not going to be at school this year. We're going out to destroy the Horcruxes that are left. I know that scares you. I know you're upset. And it's okay. But you have to know that I'm leaving. I need you to acknowledge the fact that I'm leaving. You can yell and throw things, but you can't ignore it." Elizabeth paused a moment. "I need you to acknowledge it, because I'm starting to think you're going nuts."

Severus was quiet for a long time. Elizabeth was still and silent, staring at the stitches in the shoulder of his robe. It was odd, seeing him dressed in robes this early in the morning, on school holidays. He always dressed like a Muggle at home if they weren't planning on going out. But he'd obviously not changed from his meeting.

"Never, in my life, have I thrown something," Severus said finally, breaking the silence.

"Okay, well, you slammed your hand into a wall when my name came out of the Goblet," Elizabeth said lightly.

"I don't remember that." Severus asserted.

"Well, Remus said so. You yelled at me and almost broke your hand. And that was better than ignoring it."

Severus was quiet again for a while, his hand tapping absently against her leg. "I've been told, by our werewolf-shaped translator, that I spent a bit of that period in denial as well."

"The last task," Elizabeth said quietly. "I needed you, and you were pretending like it wasn't happening."

"Who taught you to be this verbal, hmm?" Severus scowled.

"You," Elizabeth smiled. "So… are you going to yell? Or punch a wall?"

"I do not yell. I may raise my voice." Severus shook his head. "But I will not be doing either today."

"Dad, you have to admit—

"I'm not denying that you've made a choice," Severus interrupted. "I understand that you've been given a tremendous burden, as well as a cocktail of DNA that gives you a strong feeling of purpose in your life." He brushed the hair out of her face. "But you can't expect me to be happy. You are my daughter. I love you, and I always will. But this plan terrifies me, even more so because I can't go with you. So you shouldn't expect me to chat about it positively. Or throw you a going away party." He cleared his throat. "Anyway, it's still early. You should try to go back to bed. Have a bit of a lie-in."

"I'll make breakfast," Elizabeth said, kissing his cheek and sliding off her perch on his lap.

"After you wake up," Severus attempted, but was met with the sound of Elizabeth opening the refrigerator. "Elizabeth Rose, I'm speaking to you."

"Are you hungry?"

Severus rolled his eyes and stood, waving the lights out with his wand on the way out of the study. "Yes."

*S*S*

"Why can't we just floo to the Burrow?" Elizabeth accepted the cup of coffee that Remus handed her. "You know… during the day."

"There are going to be at least fifty people heading to the Weasley's over the next few days," Severus said, inspecting her Firebolt. "I'm relatively sure that the Dark Lord isn't actively seeking to kill you right now, although that might change if your future plans become public. However, a gathering full of blood-traitors is bound to be a target. We want to downplay the movement as much as possible."

"Okay, then let's apparate. In the morning."

Severus looked up. "You love to fly."

"During the day," Elizabeth agreed.

"We can't apparate with you," Remus said. "You still have the Trace for a few more days. If we side-along apparate, the Ministry will know you're moving."

"Who cares?" Elizabeth sat at the kitchen table.

"We have reason to believe that the Death Eaters have infiltrated the Ministry."

"Meaning you know they have," Elizabeth looked at Severus. "Alright. So we're flying to the Burrow? It's that far?"

"We're flying to Tonks' parents' house," Remus said. "Then we'll take a Portkey to the Burrow."

"Why can't we take a Portkey from here?"

"Because I'm terribly inept at my magical travel," Severus said dryly.

"Tonks' parents have a cloaking ward that will allow us to use the Portkey without tracking," Remus explained. "We can't put a similar ward over this house because it's too close to the Muggle houses on this street."

"Which is why he's been pestering me to go there for the last two weeks," Tonks appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. She grinned at Elizabeth, "Ready to fly?"

"The last time we flew in the middle of the night, I almost froze to death."

"Take a cloak this time," Remus said, putting an arm around Tonks and kissing her. "And I don't know that several calm requests qualifies as 'pestering'."

Tonks laughed. "You've begged, cajoled, bribed, and, in a strange moment of insanity, ordered me to go." She looked at Elizabeth. "He's so cute when he thinks I'll do what he says."

"They all are," Elizabeth smiled. "Just the other day, Fred—

"Alright, as much as I love a degrading show of feminism," Severus interrupted, "especially when it makes Remus extremely uncomfortable, we need to be off." He reached into a bag. "The three adults in the room are wearing deep blue hooded cloaks. You," he handed Elizabeth a bundle of fabric, "are wearing this."

"My cloak!" Elizabeth shook out the magical fabric. "Brilliant."

"I was going to give it to you on your birthday," Severus said, throwing his night-colored cloak around his shoulders. "However, you need it tonight."

"Thanks," Elizabeth tossed the cloak over her head and disappeared.

"Stop that," Severus groaned. "Wait until we get outside to give me a heart attack. Here," he handed Tonks a vial of potion. "Drink it, and then we'll decide if you need new clothes." He pointed his wand at Elizabeth's broom and murmured an incantation.

"If I do, I want to borrow that blue shirt you were wearing the other day," Tonks said to Elizabeth. "The one with the flittery sleeves."

"I don't think 'flittery' is a word," Remus said, putting his own cloak around his neck.

"She knows which one I'm talking about," Tonks downed the vial of liquid.

"You can borrow it," Elizabeth shrugged. "But, why…" A look of realization crossed her face as she stared at the empty vial. A golden pulp still settled in the bottom. "No."

"I told you she'd take it like this," Remus said as they watched Tonks' hair grow.

"You took my hair?" Elizabeth glared at Severus.

"Robbed, from your hairbrush," Severus rolled his eyes. "I created that hair, by the way."

"You're making me invisible so that, if we're attacked, they'll aim for Tonks!"

"Meanwhile, your broom will take you directly to our destination," Severus said evenly, taking the Firebolt from the table. "The charm is already set."

"No way."

"Hey," Tonks said, her voice still hers, but her body was a mirror of Elizabeth now. "You have really long legs."

"That's from me as well," Severus said lightly. "Let's everyone get outside. We don't have much more night."

"This is mad," Elizabeth argued. "You said that Voldemort—

"I said that he seemed to be unlikely to pursue you right now. However, I am equally as unlikely to trust that a madman will follow any idea for more than two minutes."

Elizabeth glared, but snatched her broom from Severus' hand. "I'm sorry, Tonks."

Tonks laughed, "It has to be me. Snape has to be there, in all his imposing glory, and the potion won't work correctly on Remus."

"Why?"

Severus groaned. "Elizabeth, you had six years of Potions."

"Because Polyjuice Potion only works to change humans to humans." Elizabeth remembered.

"Exactly," Remus gave a little mock bow. "Not that I wouldn't do it if I could."

"Why does Tonks need the potion at all?" Elizabeth asked as they went toward the back door. "She's brilliant at changing."

"My hair color, maybe. Facial features. But I can't make myself taller, or thinner, or any of the things I'd need to be convincingly you. Plus, it's hard to maintain under stress." She ran into a chair. "Elizabeth, your eyesight really is awful."

"Glasses," Remus said, pulling a pair from his pocket. "We almost forgot."

"Firebolt," Severus handed a broom identical to Elizabeth's to Tonks.

"Who's is that?" Elizabeth asked.

"Sirius'," Remus answered. "He's already at the Tonks' house. Setting up the Portkey."

"No more questions," Severus led them out the door. "Let's go."

"Hagrid wanted to come. Fly you there in the sidecar of Sirius' bike." Remus said conversationally.

"He still has that?"

"Sirius bought a new one when he got out," Remus said. "You two go easy, okay? I'm riding a Nimbus here."

"Cast offs from the Slytherin Quidditch team," Severus explained. "I'd have taken the current ones, but Merlin only knows what a broom purchased by Lucius Malfoy has on it."

"Where's yours?" Elizabeth looked at Severus.

"I don't need one," Severus said dismissively.

"You're not coming?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I thought I'd just 'hang out' here while you wander across the country."

"Dad," Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

"I do not need a broom to fly." Severus said. "Mount up, everyone. It's time to go."

Remus and the two Elizabeths rose into the air, and Severus slipped his hood over his head before rising as well, completely unaided.

"Show-off," Remus accused. "You don't think that you being awesome will draw attention?"

"I think riding on a broom is not for men of my stature," Severus rose higher. "Off we go."

Hedwig swooped around Elizabeth's head and landed on her shoulder.

"Go to the Burrow," Elizabeth told the snowy owl. "But go the long way, okay? And fly high."

The owl hooted and flew off. Elizabeth pulled the invisibility cloak all the way over her head, and they were flying, higher and higher into the sky.

The journey started out easy. Quiet, and easy. But it couldn't last.

"Good evening, Snape." A voice came out of the dark, and a figure appeared.

"Greyback," Snape said calmly.

"Out for a family fly-around?" Greyback circled around. "Hello, Lupin."

"Good evening," Lupin said tightly.

Elizabeth dropped lower, to fly below the little knot.

"The girl who lived," Greyback flew behind Tonks, his broom handle brushing close to the bristles of her Firebolt. "You smell a bit different than I would have imagined. Less magic in your blood."

"Did you need something?" Severus asked.

"Just checking on our assets," Greyback moved to be beside Remus. "I can always use another member of the pack."

"This isn't really the place to do business," Severus said. "Interesting, that our Lord sent such a low-level lackey. In fact," he circled close to the werewolf, "I'm not sure I believe that you are here on His orders."

"He shouldn't trust you, Snape. Everyone knows that this… half-blood," Greyback looked at Tonks, "wants to bring down our Lord. You've raised a traitor. One of these days, the Dark Lord will get tired of playing this game, and I will be ready to get rid of her for him. Or perhaps make her a member of my pack."

"Stupefy!"

Greyback took a dive off the broom, falling like a stone.

Severus swore loudly, and looked at Remus. "All of you go now, and go fast. I'll… clean this up."

Elizabeth felt a tug on her broom and realized that Remus had the handle in his hand. They flew off and Severus lowered himself after the fallen Death Eater.

They touched down in the Tonks' backyard a half-hour later, and Remus barely let Elizabeth's feet touch the ground before he grabbed her arm and pulled her into the house. Tonks followed, taking all three brooms.

"What were you thinking?" Remus growled, shaking his goddaughter roughly. "You had better hope that he was really alone!"

"Remus," Tonks said, putting her hand on his arm. "Go easy."

Remus glared at her. "Stay out of it, Nymphadora."

"She's just a kid."

"She really isn't," Remus firmly removed her hand and turned back to Elizabeth. "Well? Speak!"

It was then, that he realized how tight his hand was on her arm. And how she was pulling away. And that she looked… afraid of him. She'd never looked afraid of him. He'd scolded her before. He'd even raised his voice louder than he should have. Hell, she'd seen him in werewolf form. She'd never looked afraid of him.

"Merlin's teeth," he said quietly, his breath hissing out in an irritated sigh. He released her, and turned back to Tonks, who was started to phase back into herself. She had one eyebrow raised, and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Are you through?" the metamorphmagus asked.

Remus was quiet, closing his eyes and resting on hand on his mouth, like he thought he might be sick.

"I was afraid that even if he went away… he'd follow us," Elizabeth said softly.

Remus turned toward the back window, gripping the windowsill.

"You're right," Tonks said, moving past her husband to Elizabeth. "You ended it fast. Greyback wasn't going to go away." She glanced at Remus. "He knows that."

Elizabeth glanced out the window. "What if he isn't dead?"

"He is," Remus said suddenly. "He fell a thousand feet. He's dead."

"Remus—

Lupin shook his head. "Adrenaline. I'm sorry." He turned away from the window and took her arm, much more gently. He pushed the sleeve of her robe up and saw the red finger marks he'd left there.

He dropped her arm like it was on fire and headed out the back door into the yard.

"Why don't you go upstairs and wake Sirius?" Tonks said reassuringly. "Tell him what happened, and I'll go talk to our brooder."

"He didn't really hurt me," Elizabeth said, looking at the man who was standing behind the house. "I bruise easily. He knows that."

"It'll be okay," Tonks pointed into the hallway. "The guest room is at the end of the hall." She watched the younger witch go up the stairs and then sighed, going out into the backyard.

Remus was standing and staring up at the sky, hands on his hips. Tonks stepped up behind him and slid her arms around his waist, resting her cheek between his shoulder blades. "It's good that I've shrunk again," Tonks said softly. "I fit perfectly right here."

"Do you see how dangerous I can be?" Remus' voice rumbled through his back and into her ear.

"Yes, you're pretty scary," Tonks teased. "Love, she doesn't hold it against you. You were afraid. Never for a second did I believe you were going to hurt her."

"I did hurt her."

"She killed for you," Tonks said, taking another tactic. "You know that, right? She was afraid that Greyback will kill us." She held him tighter. "You have an amazing relationship with that girl, Rem. She loves you, and you love her, and just because she scared the hell out of you tonight and you lost your temper, that's not going to change."

"It's not that," Remus sighed. "I mean, you're right that I lost my temper. It wasn't the first time. But we were up there tonight, and that…man…was inches from you and Elizabeth, and I let a sixteen-year-old girl do what I didn't have the stomach to do. Half of my anger earlier was that I didn't do it myself. Merlin, Dora…"

"Remus John Lupin," Tonks moved around him so she was standing in front of him, arms still clasped around his midsection. "Of all the nonsense you've ever said, and there's been quite a bit, that's the most ridiculous. We never could have pulled a wand on him. She saw the opportunity and took it. I might attribute that to the man who has been training her in Defense for years."

"Severus or Sirius?" Remus raised an eyebrow.

"Stop it," Tonks scowled.

"Speaking of Severus," Remus looked over her head. "Where is he?"