DISCLAIMER: the usual story

Note: It's going to be a few chaptered story, I see you seem confused as to whether it was a one-shot. Well, no not really. Not excessively long unless I get some kind of brainstorm... But anyways. Here's Dumbledore POV of the first chapter. Hope you're enjoying it. Read and review!-Thanks

Dumbledore raised his head as the soft sound of tingling bells filled his office. Abandoning the pile of letters he had been perusing on his desk he walked to the window and inspected the Hogwarts grounds calmly. The sky was a deep dark blue, although reddish tinges of dawn were bordering the mountain crowns. It was snowing lightly, small pieces of white frost landing gently on the tree's naked branches, on the dry grass or drowning silently in the profound waters of the lake. His eyes strayed to the gates, where the pale moonlight shone lightly on the metal bars. He noticed the dark figure standing before the gates, his robes billowing around him. Sighing he waved his wand to allow the doors to open and the bells quieted slowly until the final echoes ceased. He watched as the man stumbled foward and proceeded up the hill before he lost sight of him as he entered the castle. Turning away he sat back down and put the papers in a drawer before leaning foward and resting his chin on his entwined fingers. He wondered who was approaching him and what surprises he would bring; he had a feeling they would be singularly unpleasant.

Time elapsed quickly when he heard the gargoyle guardian struggling with the mysterious someone, he commanded it to let him in and leaned back in an attempt to appear calm and comfortable. Though a nervous tingling was running through his fingers, he rubbed the tips together trying to rid himself of the sensation.

The door was silently pushed open and the man entered. Dumbledore jaw's trembling as he fought to avoid it falling open in shock though his eyes widened imperceptibly. He recognized the young man though he hadn't seen him in two years, the boy had always had some very distinguishing features. Although he had changed dramatically to the worst. Severus Snape looked as though he hadn't eaten or slept in days; his skin was a waxy white and dark smudges crowned his protruding cheekbones. His hair and robes were sprinkled with snow and he was shivering though he seemed oblivious to the fact. The man took another step foward until he standing right in front of him.

'Headmaster Dumbledore.'

It brought a small stab remembering the child's silky voice and he hoped it was nothing more than a cold which made his voice so distorted compared to the usual. Then he recalled that incident, if it could be denominated in such a trifling way, in which the Slytherin had been victim to a mind-less prank and very nearly attacked by Remus Lupin in his werewolf state. His voice had been as dry then, cracked like a piece of damp mud left to dry in the sun. But his eyes, his black orbs had been full of hatred and betrayal, now they seemed empty.

'Severus Snape what brings you here at these late- or should I say early, hours?'

He asked politely, successfully keeping the shudder from his voice. He watched with a worried air as Snape jumped and shook his hands out of his robe's pockets, they were extremely bony, though long and graceful. Before he had realized what had happened Snape had pushed the sleeve of his left arm up and shoved his arm in his face. He backed away at the sudden assault in spite of himself but quickly leaned in as he noticed the dark brand that marred the otherwise pearly white skin. It was the Dark Mark, burned into the skin- he thought with some dread as he inspected it closely. It was only natural of Voldemort to brand his servants as though they were cattle. He felt the muscles stiffen under his touch and held it rather more forcefully than he usually would have done before finally releasing it. The young man pulled it back quickly.

'I am a servant of the Dark Lord.'

Albus closed his eyes for a moment at the blow and swallowed, his mouth dry. Why had a Death Eater come here? He knew many Slytherins of the last years had turned to Voldemort and was not surprised to discover Snape had been one of them- and yet why had he come to confess? Perhaps it was a trap and he had actually come at Voldemort's orders to attempt to harm him. Somehow he found it implausible. And the school would have warned him of the dark intentions. His objectives, whichever they were, were pure.

'Why have you come here Mr. Snape?'

He asked, his face impassive.

'I have come to give myself in.'

'You should have gone to the Ministry.'

He replied coldly. His heart twinged with anguish and he wondered if Snape had come here on purpose, his form of vengeance to make him suffer instead of quietly handing himself to the law. For he was suffering, in spite of himself it hurt him to see an old student destroyed thus. Ruined. 'You are the true leader of Light.' He heard the words though it took a moment his brain to interpret them. He heard the young man's ragged breathing and was moved, but he remembered this man had probably murdered, tortured and who knew what other atrocities. He blew his words away like feathers in the window though the despair that had been unconsciously engraved in those words had edged a deep cut in his heart.

'I see. But it will amount to the same for I will simply call the Ministry for them to take you over.'

Dumbledore frowned as the young man nodded, shook his head and nodded quickly. He wondered if his sanity was intact for his attitude was peculiar, though he had always been strange.

'I wanted to give you some information before that, sir. You may find it useful.'

Distrust rose in him, as swiftly as a snake dropping from a tree to coil on the neck of an unwary wood-traveler. The man was then a coward who in a pathetic (yet cunning) attempt to reduce his inevitable imprisonment upon leaving Voldemort had come to denounce some other Death Eaters as though a few names would alleviate the death sentence that perhaps awaited him. He was sadly disappointed. He was of course, no Gryffindor. Confusion overtook him as he watched Snape's thin lip curl upwards and the known smirk form in the pallid face.

'I acknowledge myself completely guilty and plead for no mercy or pity, even should they choose the kiss. I shall not struggle.'

His eyebrows raised even as he struggled to maintain a cold facade but this had truly surprised him, and yet the whole meeting was an unexpected occurrence which he never would have imagined should take place.

'Indeed... How can I know you have not come to harm me in some way?'

He asked though he knew those were not his intentions. Snape's reactions did not cease to surprise him as the young man irritably presented his wand. Dumbledore took it and analyzed it quietly. Cherry wood, a signal of intelligence and power, of a comfortably long size. He pocketed it just in case.

'How can I trust what you are going to tell me?'

After a long searching gaze in which he discovered nothing but Snape's uneasiness which was visible without close inspection.

'I have brought Veritaserum. It has been brewed by myself though if you do not trust it you may get it from your own stores.'

Dumbledore extended his hand and took the potion in his hand. He had known the boy was a promising potions brewer, most twenty year olds would not be able to brew such a complex potion. And if he was not mistaken the man had been made a Potions Master a year before, though it had been a quiet affair and hardly an inch-long paragraph had been dedicated to announce the youngest ever to be awarded the title. In normal circumstances if would have deserved a long winding interview, but with the present war those things were given scarce notice.

He held the vial carefully and opened it somewhat cautiously then smelled the contents with special awareness. He recognized most smells and none seemed to combine to make a deadly poison. He took a drop and asked the man to question him in order to try the veracity of the truthfulness potion. Cunning was a trait very common among Slytherins, Dumbledore had to agree as he heard the young man's question. He struggled to avoid responding but the potion won and the reply was forced from his lips. Another well placed question which he responded truthfully.

'Take the Veritaserum and I will question you.'

He ordered after a few seconds in which he pondered and weighted every possibility. He had nothing to lose in hearing Snape's information. He watched carefully as the man took the usual three drops and settled his gaze on the parchment which he had taken out at the moment to record their conversation.

'State your name.'

'Severus Ignatius Snape.'

'Age.'

'Twenty.'

'You are a Death Eater.'

'Yes.'

'Yet you are no longer loyal to Voldemort?'

Snape as most people flinched at the sound, though Albus wondered if it was for perhaps different reasons than most.

'No.'

'When did you join Him?'

'After graduation.'

'That very night?'

Dumbledore asked somewhat incredulously, a strange sense of failure dropping like a heavy stone into his stomach.

'Yes.'

'Could you tell me why?'

'I-I thought it w-was the opportunity to a-avenge myself.'

Things were taking a dreadful turn and he sensation of somehow having failed to notice a crucial information doubled.

'Avenge yourself for what? And of whom?'

'Of everyone for having t-treated me how they had...-' Snape paused and Albus had no time to grab hold of the fragile wrist before he drowned another drop in a seemingly panicked and frantique movement.

'More than three drops is dangerous.'

'I don't want there to be any doubts of the truth of my words. Vengeance seemed within my reach. I wanted to humiliate instead of being humiliated, I wanted to cause pain instead of suffering it, I wanted to be respected, even if it was through fear.'

Dumbledore noted how the voice shook with what he assumed was anger and the weight in his stomach seemed to be boring a hole through him, in a brutal attempt at escape. Severus' black eyes glittered strangely and Dumbledore decided to continue.

He listened with horror at the tale. Sorrow shredding his heart slowly to bloody ripped pieces. 'Innocence.' he interrupted, for he could not bear the misconception. Yet unvoluntaringly pity roused in his chest as he gazed upon the young man for he had a feeling that error had dark roots of which he had no fault. Severus continued with his explanation, though the story could have been inconspicuously related at a Halloween festival to traumatize the younger children and leave the adults shocked. The last sentence especially made a deep impression on him. That he should consider himself unworthy for death, it was a posture most people were very far from taking. The fear in their eyes when they spoke of the long-dreaded death while this boy, sat down calmly and said he was not afraid of death, but even longed for it, for he saw it as an outlet of his misery.

'And you decided to come to me.'

'Yes. You were the only one would listen and the information would be better in your hands than in those of the Ministry.'

He remained silent as he stared at the young man. A solution planted firmly in his mind already as he watched a hint of a shade of color rise to Snape's cheeks as their eyes met before he lowered them in shame. The other questions were too painful for him to dwell on them more than necessary. Ten people and who knew how many more through his expert poisons. He could not suppress a small sigh but forced himself to continue. He was especially interested in learning the names of more Death Eaters, though he wasn't surprised to discover most of his suspicions were true. By the time he had worn himself out of questions the effects of the potion were gone it appeared, with no ill effects, although Snape seemed somewhat feverish.

'What do you propose I do with you Severus?'

He asked, although he was questioning himself more than the young man, who nonetheless raised a fine eyebrow and answered in a way which left it very clear to Dumbledore that he was relinquishing himself to his mercy, or lack thereof.

The time had come to present his idea. Snape watched him calmly and answered his questions coldly. He took care to explain exactly what he had in mind, and for a moment he wondered if he deserved such harsh punishment. Yes, he had murdered and tortured innocent people!

'To be a spy.'

At this Snape's cold demeanor melted and he showed the only true and intense emotion since he had entered the room. His thin lips parted to reveal his yellowish-crooked teeth and his eyes widened considerably. Dumbledore could almost hear the thoughts in the young man's head before the doors closed once more and a frown creased his forehead.

'You trust me enough?'

Dumbledore nodded and announced his intentions of submitting him to the Legilimancy charm in order to get a good background information. It pained him slightly for it was an unpleasant experience, but he not could simply hand the safety of the Order of the Phoenix's members without true and utter conviction of the man's loyalty; he could not hand the lives of Light's warriors to a man he hardly knew nothing about. A vein ticked rapidly in his pale face and Albus noted how his breathing once more grew shallow, his body's response to agitation it seemed.

'If you do not concede then I am afraid I will be forced to call the Ministry.'

He pronounced, a weak threat though he knew Snape would not refuse.

'I-I...I will do it.'

Snape affirmed haltingly, though determination made his eyes hard as black pieces of onyx. Dumbledore leaned back a bit more easily and gave a small sigh. This would be a very long day he thought as the first subtle rays of dawn shone through the windows, sparkling on the frost.