Shatter Me

by Slytherin99

*NOTE* Updated 10/04/17. A jealous student slips a potion to her rival, but it has some unforeseen side effects, which only add to the problems of a certain Potions Master. Things are finally starting to come together, with plenty of material. My apologies for the chaos.

2. Chapter 2

April 29, 1995~

By the time Severus' wounds had healed enough that Poppy grudgingly allowed him out of his bed, Marie was able to stay awake for more than a few hours at a time. It frightened him, how pitifully weak she was. When he was finally able to get out of bed and limp around the room, she was still bedridden, so exhausted that he had to feed her meals to her.

He tried to read, but often found himself just watching her as she slept. Whenever her face would tighten with pain, he would reach over to take her hand, and instantly she would relax with a quiet sigh of relief. Days passed, with Severus' frustration growing by the minute, until he finally confronted Poppy about it.

"I don't know what to do for her, other than let her rest, Severus." The medi-witch had snapped irritably when he'd asked about it. "I've done everything that I can for her, the poor dear. Her magic was nearly drained. The restorative potions work only so fast, and rest is what she needs most of all."

After another week, she was able to get up and move about some, leaning heavily on Severus' arm as he walked slowly and carefully, though it exhausted her quickly. Her other professors had sent her schoolwork to the Hospital Wing, and she worked till exhaustion, trying to keep up with her classes. Horace Slughorn had been called in to teach Potions while Severus was recovering, so his classes weren't a problem, at least.

"I'm sorry that I'm so sick, Sir." She said one evening, after supper, her voice nearly inaudible.

"It's alright." He sighed, rubbing his eyes wearily. "You can't help it. We need to be more careful in the future, whenever I am injured."

He said 'we', she thought, warmth suffusing her cheeks. 'We.'

"I don't like the sound of that." She said, trembling a bit. "I'm afraid for you, whenever…you go to meet with him. I wish you didn't have to do it."

"But it is what I must do."

"I still don't like it."

"I will be more careful." Severus said, frowning slightly. "I don't want you to fall ill again, as you did this time."

He took her hand in his own, hoping that the bond might help her, transferring some of his magical strength to her.

"It's not your fault, you know." Marie said, giving his hand a gentle squeeze. "You can't help what the bond does with our magic."

"I know." He replied. "Marie…there is something we need to talk about."

"What is it?"

"The Dark Lord…is aware of you." Severus said softly, unable to meet her eyes.

"Oh, I know." She said calmly, startling him. He looked up, his mouth open in surprise, his eyes wide.

"I heard you and the Headmaster talking about it." Marie said, blushing. "So…we are to put on 'a show' for the Dark Lord?"

"Yes." He replied, frowning. "I…told them that I had…seduced you."

"Not entirely true." She smirked, then sobered up when he frowned at her. "Sorry about that. I guess it really isn't funny."

"No. We must perform flawlessly." He sighed. "We need to get our story straight. I told him, as you heard while eavesdropping-"

"I was lying in the bed with you," Marie pointed out, "while you discussed it with the Headmaster. That's not exactly eavesdropping. You could have cast muffaliato so I didn't hear anything, but you didn't."

"I didn't think I needed to."

"Of course you didn't, because it concerns me." She said, taking a deep breath. "Here goes, then. I caught your eye in Potions class when I transferred here. Because I was willful and a shameless flirt with everyone but you, you decided to seduce me. You cast imperius on me sometime last year, using dark magic to bind me to you like a slave. In classes, you took great pains to humiliate me in front of my friends, goading me until I lashed out at you, and then taking advantage of my temper to give me detention.

"You rigged your floo so you had access to my room, and you commanded me to visit you in your chambers at night. Despite my protests, you progressively became more and more demanding of me, though you did not take my virginity until January. Instead, you used me in other ways, like the time you spanked me, then grabbed my hair and forced me to suck your cock-"

Abruptly, she halted, alarmed at the horrified expression on his face.

"Severus!" She said gently, reaching out to take his hand. "It…it's just a suggestion. We're going to create memories for the Dark Lord, right?"

"Yes." He said in an unsteady voice, his eyes on his knees. "I…could not…"

"Look at me." Marie said gently, squeezing his hand. "I do not think for a single moment that you could ever really be cruel to me. But as you said, we have to make this something believable, something that he will like. Because then, he's more likely to believe it."

"I know." He replied, his voice thin and hollow as he sat there, still unwilling to meet her eyes.

"Come here." She said softly. With an effort, she sat up and pulled him toward her into a hug.

"I know what you are really like, Severus." She whispered, one hand sliding up to his face in a tender caress. "I know that this is just an act we have to put on…for him. I will act out my role, you act out yours."

"Marie," He whispered, pulling back slightly to look at her, "I…I probably will not survive the war that is coming."

For a long moment, her blue eyes held his dark ones, and then she smiled gently at him.

"Then we will enjoy what time we have, won't we."

"Next year…you will graduate." He said in a halting voice. "You must go…somewhere safe. To university, somewhere far from here."

"But what about…my affliction?" She frowned. "I still need you."

"Hopefully, by then, we will have a cure."

ooOoo

May 1, 1995~

"Miss Delacour, I would like to see you after class."

She stopped short of the door, turning to glare sullenly at him as he stood behind his desk, his arms crossed. Luna gave her a curious look, and then stopped next to her. The other students walked around them, several of them, especially the girls, gawking at Marie and whispering to each other. A few of them even cast fearful, even contemptuous glances at Professor Snape.

"Marie." Her fellow Ravenclaw whispered softly, placing a hand on her arm. "You don't have to stay. You don't have to do anything he tells you to do. You can go to the Headmaster-"

"No, Luna." Marie sighed, a note of disgust in her voice. "I'd better see what the old dungeon bat wants now."

"Go to your head of house," Hermione urged her, flicking a nervous glance behind her at Snape. "Go to Poppy. Marie, if he put marks like that on you, that's abuse and it needs to stop—"

"I'll be fine, Hermione. Thanks for watching out for me." Marie smiled bravely. "I'll see you at dinner."

Reluctantly, Hermione left, after glancing once more at the livid bruises on the sides of Marie's neck.

Marie closed the door once her friends had walked away down the hallway, casting silenceo and warding the heavy oaken door. With a sigh, she turned away from the door, setting her book bag on the floor, and walked toward the front of the classroom. Severus had sat down in his chair, burying his face in his hands. The sight pained her enormously.

"Well, that should be in the Quibbler by the next issue." She said, with a forced cheerfulness. "Next weekend, I'll wear it to Hogsmeade so Rita Skeeter can see it."

He raised his head, the misery etched in his eyes tugging cruelly at her heart.

"Severus." Marie said softly, reaching down to touch his hair. "It's just a glamour. It's not real."

"Take…take it off…for now." He whispered hoarsely, eyeing the ugly bruises on her throat. "Please."

"Finite incantaeum." She sighed, making a quick motion with her wand, and the bruises vanished. "Is that better?"

"Yes." He nodded, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Come here." Marie said gently.

Silently, she gathered him to her, sliding her arms around him to hug him to her bosom. With a sigh, she lowered her head, pressing a gentle kiss to the top of his head.

"I'm sorry we have to do this." She said softly, after holding him for several minutes. "I don't like it any more than you do."

"It's not your fault."

"Can I come see you tonight?"

"Not tonight. I…" Severus frowned, his eyes darkening. "I…have a meeting tonight. I won't be back until very late."

Marie gently took his face in her hands, kissing him, and then looked deep in his eyes.

"Be careful." She whispered.

He nodded, and then silently watched as she collected her books and left the classroom. When the door closed, he slumped in his chair behind his desk.

"Who is sustaining who here?" He muttered, half to himself.

ooOoo

May 4, 1995~

"Severus! Are you there?" Poppy's voice called from the sitting room.

With an irritated sigh, he cast a stasis charm on the Limbering Solution that was bubbling merrily in the cauldron. Wincing in pain from the burning in his hand-that dammed rune again-he walked rapidly from the potions lab to the fireplace in his sitting room. Poppy's face hovered impatiently in the greenish flames.

"What is it, Poppy?" Severus sighed, crossing his arms. "I have things I need to be doing today. You know that I spend much of my time during the summer break brewing the potions for the Hospital Wing."

Never mind that, Severus!" The Medi-witch snapped, glaring at him. "You need to get up here right away. They just brought Marie to me, from Hogsmeade. She's had one of her episodes, a bad one."

"But that shouldn't be," He gasped, grabbing his robes from the hall tree by the door and donning them. "She was just here with me last night-"

"Severus, just get up here now!" Poppy said, and then closed the connection.

Grabbing a handful of floo powder, he tossed it into the flames.

"Hospital Wing." He said, stepping into the floo.

Poppy's office was empty, as he expected, so he rushed out into the hallway, nearly knocking down an assistant healer. Catching her by the arm to keep her from falling, he pulled her toward him to ask where Marie was, only to be rocked by a teeth rattling slap to his face.

"Get your hands off of me, you filthy pervert!" The young healer screeched, struggling to free herself from his grasp. It wasn't that difficult, as Snape had let go shortly after she had slapped him, shocked and surprised at the viciousness of her attack.

"Ellen!" Poppy shouted from a doorway down the hall. "That's enough! Go take a break, and leave Professor Snape be!"

With a huff, Ellen shot him another glare, and then walked away.

"Down here, Severus." Poppy said, beckoning to him. "She needs you."

Rubbing his face, he quickly walked to the room and entered, to find Marie lying in a hospital bed. She was shivering violently, her jaw clenched in pain, eyes tightly shut. He went to the bed, taking her hand, and just like that, her pain was relieved. With a sigh, she relaxed, gasping for breath as her blue eyes locked to his and she gripped his hand tightly.

"Severus." Marie whispered weakly, shivering and closing her eyes. "Oh, thank Merlin."

Gradually, she relaxed, her grip even loosening as she lapsed into unconsciousness. When he was satisfied that she was resting comfortably, Severus looked over at Poppy, who had conjured a chair and sat down near the foot of the hospital bed.

"What happened?" He asked the Medi-witch.

Poppy sighed deeply.

"She was in Hogsmeade with some of the other students from Ravenclaw. When they went to the Three Broomsticks for some butterbeers, Marie got cornered by Rita Skeeter."

Severus closed his eyes, dreading the rest of the story, but he motioned with his free hand for Poppy to continue.

"Anyway, Rita 'interviewed' Marie," Poppy said, "…she asked if there was any truth to the rumor that you were carrying on with her. Marie denied it, but admitted that she was…having intimate relations with a Hogwarts professor. This, to Rita's mind, was just as good as admitting she was sleeping with you.

"So, some girls from Slytherin overheard this, and ambushed her when she and her friends left the Three Broomsticks. They threw eggs and rotten vegetables at her, and I believe that there were a few minor hexes exchanged between the Ravenclaws and Slytherins. But that wasn't the worst of it."

"What, pray tell," Severus sighed, "was the worst of it?"

"Jonathan Perkins grabbed Marie," Poppy said softly, leaning against the wall, "after proclaiming loudly that any tart good enough to shag his head of house was good enough for him, he kissed her. Evidently, that was what triggered a full blown seizure. The good thing, if you can call it that, was that it frightened her attackers so badly that those who didn't flee went for help. Minerva brought her back as soon as she got to her."

"A seizure?" He gasped, "That…that's never happened before, has it?"

"No." Poppy sighed, rubbing her eyes wearily. "Nothing this serious, at least. So, you'd better keep close to her for a few days."

"Everyone thinks I'm a monster." Severus said in a hollow whisper.

"You're doing it for the greater good." The Medi-witch said gently. "Try to keep that in mind."

"It's not much comfort." He muttered, glancing over at Marie.

ooOoo

May 7, 1995~

She was propped up in her bed, trying to read, when her mother walked in. Helene Delacour smiled warmly at the all too familiar sight of her daughter completely engrossed in a thick book.

"Good morning, ma bichette." She said softly, approaching the bed with her bag.

"Mama!" Marie said, her face breaking into a brilliant smile.

Helene put her bag down and leaned down to give Marie a warm hug.

"How are you, darling?" She asked her daughter, giving her a stern look tempered with a smile. "I heard that you were sick again."

"Oh, it's nothing, Mama." Marie blurted out, blushing deeply. "I just overdid it, helping Poppy."

"Don't fib to me, Marie." Her mother said sternly, arching an eyebrow at her cringing daughter.

"I…"

"Oh, never mind. I brought you something." Helene said gently, reaching into her bag and retrieving a small box, which she handed to Marie.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

Marie undid a catch, flipping open the lid. The box held twelve small vials of a reddish-purple colored potion, shimmering slightly in the bottles.

"You should probably take one right now, Marie." Her mother said, looking down at her hands.

"But what is it, Mama?" Her daughter asked, uncorking one of the vials and sniffing the contents.

I know this smell, though it is a bit off, she thought, abruptly blushing scarlet as realization dawned on her.

"This is…contraceptive potion, isn't it?" Marie asked in a hushed whisper.

"Yes, it is." Helene said just as softly. "Professor Snape, he has taught you well."

"I smell…Cuando root…and jonquil oil."

"Yes. I followed a formula in your Grandfather's potions notes. It is the standard once monthly contraceptive potion, with the formula adjusted for someone with Veela blood. I feared that the regular formula…might not be effective."

By this point in the conversation, Marie had turned deathly pale.

"You have been…with him, yes?" Helene sighed, frowning. "You used the regular contraceptive potion, did you not?"

Marie nodded silently, tears welling up in her eyes. Helene closed her eyes tightly, pinching the bridge of her nose, and let out a sigh.

"Well, all we can do is hope for the best." Helene said finally, giving Marie a smile of encouragement.

ooOoo

June 6, 1995~

"Now, what did I tell you?"

"To be polite to him." Marcel Delacour sighed, eyeing his wife as she put the final touches on the sitting room.

"And?"

"If you give me 'the look', that I am to retire to my study."

"That is not what I told you." Helene said, anger creeping into her voice. "Marcel, I told you that you are going to treat them both well, and we will enjoy our visit with them. Now, I am warning you—"

"Helene—"

"Don't you 'Helene' me." She snapped irritably. "They'll be here any minute now. They are spending the weekend with us, and we're lucky they can visit that long. And I will have a good visit with them, understood?"

"Yes, dear." Marcel sighed, rubbing his forehead.

"Remember, first and foremost, this is not their fault." Helene said, picking a nearly invisible speck of lint off of his robes. "Second, according to Veela custom, they're as good as married since it's comparable to a wizarding bonding. Now, they will be sleeping in Marie's room—"

"I cannot believe this-"

"—and you will not give either of them a hard time about it. Understood?"

The doorbell chimed, causing both of them to jump slightly.

"That's them." Helene said, patting her hair into place, and then shooting a glare at her husband. "Remember what I told you. You treat them as if they are married, or else."

Marcel began to say something, and then thought better of it.

"He is good to her, Marcel." She said softly, almost to herself. "She is happy. Keep that in mind."

Opening the door, she waved Marie and Severus in.

"The closet is right there, you can hang your traveling cloaks up." Helene said, hugging Marie tightly. "Welcome to our home, Professor Snape."

"I…thank you." Severus said, looking rather uncomfortable as he helped Marie take her cloak off.

"Professor Snape." Marcel nodded politely, taking a hanger from the closet and extending it to him.

"Monsieur Delacour."

"Oh, you two!" Helene sighed, taking Marie's cloak and hanging it in the closet. "Stop being so formal."

Dinner was a tense affair, with most of the conversation being conducted by Helene, with the other three scarcely participating. With an exasperated sigh, she finally got up.

"I need to check on something in the kitchen." She said, looking hard at Marie. "Would you come help me, Marie?"

"Of course, Mama." Her daughter said, glancing back nervously at her father and Severus as she followed her mother out of the room. Once the door closed behind them, her mother turned on her, wandlessly casting silenceo on herself and her daughter.

"Severus needs to talk more." Helene whispered sharply. "He has hardly said a thing all evening! You need to encourage him to be more social!"

"Mama, he isn't used to things like this." Marie replied, glancing behind her at the door. "He's used to keeping to himself. Besides, Daddy hasn't exactly been that friendly with him."

ooOoo

Meanwhile, in the dining room, the two wizards quietly regarded each other, as if before a duel, probing for weaknesses. After several tense minutes had passed, the older of the two finally spoke.

"You are treating my daughter poorly." Marcel said in a soft, dangerous voice, idly tapping a finger on the table beside his plate.

"You've been reading the papers, I take it." Snape said calmly. "Rita Skeeter never has been one for accuracy when a story is at stake."

"There were photographs of my daughter with bruises on her neck. Explain that, Professor."

"Monsieur Delacour," Severus said, carefully placing his hands on either side of his plate, "As Headmaster Dumbledore has told you, I am involved in some rather…clandestine work for him, which could be quite dangerous for your daughter. To protect her, we…have to give the appearance of things going on that are rather…unsavory."

For a moment, Marcel simply glared at Snape, fairly trembling with anger. Then, he slumped in his seat, leaning forward and rubbing his eyes.

"So, what about the bruises?" He said, his glare slightly softer now. "I will not allow this to happen, you abusing my daughter. I don't like you being with her, though I understand that neither of you can help that. All the same, I will not stand idly by and allow you to hurt her."

"The bruises are merely a glamour, nothing more." Severus said softly. "It was…completely your daughter's idea, sir. Ms. Skeeter, eager to write something to diminish my reputation, never bothered to check for any magic. Marie has gotten quite good…at making herself look as if I abuse her viciously, in order to provide us with a good cover story. If I fail, I want her to be safe, and destroying what reputation I have remaining seems a fair price to ensure it. There are dark times ahead, Monsieur."

"All of this…just to protect her?" Marcel gasped, his eyes widening as he realized what Snape was hinting at. "What you are doing…must be risky to do this, to destroy your reputation."

"Yes. It will be easier this way." Snape sighed, toying with his wine glass. "No matter what happens, I want her to be safe. I have arranged for her to pursue her further education at Lores University."

"A good choice…prestigious, unplottable." Marcel nodded, his expression grave now. "But rather expensive, Monsieur. How am I going to pay for her tuition on my Ministry salary?"

"I will pay for it." The younger wizard said softly. "After all…she is bonded to me. It is something…that I can do for her."

Marcel Delacour eyed him for a long moment.

"You do not expect to survive, do you?" He asked softly, his expression somber.

"No."

"What will happen to Marie, then?"

"I have arranged for her to be cared for." Snape replied. "It's the best I can do, if I don't survive."

"You understand, what this woman has written about you." He said, refilling their glasses with wine. "People have spoken to me, urged me to take action against you. To challenge you to a duel. They know nothing of…the bond…or any of what you have told me tonight."

"I understand, Monsieur." Snape nodded. "However, it would not be wise. To do so might risk everything that the Headmaster and I are risking so much for. To keep her safe, it is best if you denounce me as a monster publicly, as if our relationship was a complete surprise to you and your wife, when the time comes."

"And how will I know when it is time to do that?"

"Believe me, Sir…" Severus said softly, a sad smile coming to his face, "You will know when it is time."

ooOoo

"You know, the house elves could bring in the dessert." Marie said, nervously pacing the kitchen floor as the elves put the final touches on the crêpes suzettes. "We didn't have to come in here, Mama."

"I know." Her mother said, taking a sip from her cup of espresso.

"It's awfully quiet in there."

"I know."

"I don't like this, Mama."

Helene smiled indulgently at her daughter, and then carefully took another sip from her cup.

"Mama, I don't think we should leave them alone together for so long. It's far too quiet in there."

"Marie," Helene sighed, "please, calm down. Did you ever consider that they might actually be getting along well? Your father is much more reasonable than you think, and I believe they are capable of working out their differences."

"Is finished." The house elf announced, giving them a look that was a mixture of pride and disappointment.

"Thank you, Martin." Helene said graciously. "Just for this once, I need to carry it in."

"Marvin understands." The house elf sighed, his ears drooping.

"It is magnificent, Marvin." Helene said gently, picking up the tray with the crêpes suzettes. "You truly have outdone yourself tonight."

Swallowing nervously, Marie pushed the door open to the dining room, holding it open for her mother.

ooOoo

September 30, 1995~

Severus looked up from his desk as the door opened, scowling at Professor Flitwick. His students were right in the middle of making their first ever batch of Pepper-Up potion, and he'd already just narrowly warded off one near catastrophe. Geoffrey Phelan would be spending the next two nights in detention with Filch after he attempted to put Leaping Toadstool dust in a fellow student's potion as a prank; the combination would have been sure to make most of the class deathly nauseous from the fumes.

"Professor Flitwick, is there some reason," He hissed irritably, "that you could not wait until after my second period Potions class was finished to come in? Or, I don't know, perhaps knock before barging in?"

"We've done it, Severus." Flitwick panted, struggling to catch his breath. "We have something, not a cure for her, but at least, something that will help. At least, for now."

His class forgotten for the moment, Snape advanced on the short wizard, kneeling to be on eye level with him.

"The trial was successful?" He asked softly. "The powdered Yimbe root, did it help?"

"Yes, it did." Flitwick said, leaning on a desk. "That was brilliant of you to suggest it. The trial was very successful. Granted, we need you to tweak the formula a bit, make it a bit easier to make, but it works wonderfully. She was able to go thirty-one hours between doses."

"Thirty-one…hours." Snape said softly, standing up.

"Yes, thirty-one." The shorter wizard said, nodding his head. "Of course, Poppy is recommending that she take it once every twenty-four, just to give herself a longer serum time with the potion. She tolerates the ingredients well, though. No side effects so far."

At that point, Fiona Mercer's cauldron began to boil over, causing Snape to whirl on her angrily. The petite blond first-year turned deathly pale, her blue eyes widening as her Potions instructor descended upon her like a thundercloud. He began to speak, but could not.

Blue eyes, almost as blue as…hers, came unbidden to his mind. He drew his wand, the anger dissipating from his face. One corner of his mouth twitched slightly as he struggled to regain his composure.

"Start over again, Miss Mercer." He said gently, vanishing the mess. "Mind the heat next time. Bloodroot seeds are rather volatile."

For a long moment, Fiona sat there frozen in place, blinking, unable to believe her good luck. After the student next to her poked her in the ribs, she came out of her trance, rapidly assembling her ingredients to begin making her potion.

"Come by my office later, Severus." Flitwick said, watching his colleague carefully the whole time. "We'll…we can discuss the potion for Miss Delacour."

"Yes, of course, Professor Flitwick." Snape said softly, walking toward his desk at the front of the classroom. "I'll see you…after classes."

The remainder of the class passed without incident, mainly due to Professor Snape's uncharacteristic behavior. He was polite, reserved, and distant, which was completely unnerving to the first-years. However, there were few mistakes made, and in all, half the class made a passable potion. When they had cleaned up and the last student had shuffled out the door, he closed the door behind them with a negligent wave of his hand.

With a sigh, he dropped his head, cradling it in his hands as he sat behind his desk.

I've made a terrible mistake, he thought uneasily, closing his eyes tightly. I'm such a fool.

I allowed her to get close to me, to get under my skin. I allowed her to open my heart, to give me hope.

With this potion, she could be free of me.

Free of this…sickness that brings her so much suffering.

Safe from what is to come, perhaps.

And now I am unwilling to let her go. I'm being selfish.

I must let her go. It is the only way she might survive what is coming. I must…distance myself from her; tell the Dark Lord I have grown weary of her…that I discarded her.

Hopefully, I will be able to distract him enough, that he will forget about her.

Will she hate me when she finds out what I am?

When she finds out what I must do?

Why do I care?

I have no right to her.

I don't deserve her, no more than I deserved Lily.

Let her go, he told himself, the very thought causing his heart to constrict painfully.

You are beyond redemption now; there is no hope for you.

Let her live. Hopefully, the Dark Lord will forget about her, believe my story that I grew bored with her. I can't let him know that I care for her, lest he use her against me.

I must protect her, somehow.

If I do one single thing right in my wretched life, let it be for her.

ooOoo

November 21, 1995~

"Good morning, Marie." Poppy said, opening the curtains. "How do you feel this morning?"

"I…feel fine." She said, blinking in the morning sunlight. "The new potion…it works."

"No cramping, no pain?" The medi-witch asked, taking out a thermometer and putting it in Marie's mouth. "I'd say you slept pretty well; I don't think you moved all night."

"No…I slept really well. No dreams at all…I guess I was exhausted."

Poppy took out her wand and began running over Marie, murmuring a diagnostic charm. Satisfied, she put her wand away, smiling at Marie.

"It appears that the potion," Poppy said, "That Professor Snape brewed is working just as we hoped it would. You've been able to go nearly thirty-four hours with no physical contact with him, and no pain. Isn't that marvelous?"

Marie gave Poppy an uncertain smile, and then sat up on the bed.

"I can be normal again." Marie said softly, glancing out the window. "I…I could go spend Christmas holiday with my parents."

"I don't see why not." Poppy said, then took a vial out of her pocket, handing it to Marie. "But you'd better not forget to take your potion every morning. There's today's dose. You take that, and I'll go let Headmaster Dumbledore and the others know that it worked. They'll be delighted."

Marie took the stopper out of the vial and drank the contents, making a face at the taste of it.

"Ugh." She groaned, shuddering. "Did Professor Snape intend for it to taste this bad?"

"I can't say as he did for sure." The medi-witch smirked, taking the empty vial and vanishing it. "I know that the contraceptive potion that he teaches the students to make has a little extra ingredient to make sure that it tastes awful, though. But you didn't hear that from me, mind you."

Marie giggled at that, covering her mouth politely.

"Now, you get dressed," Poppy smiled, patting the young witch on the shoulder, "and come out to the front of the Hospital Wing. I'm sure that Headmaster Dumbledore and the other would like to see you before you go back to your dorm."

"Um…Poppy?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Has Professor Snape returned yet?" Marie asked, a note of anxiety creeping into her voice.

"No, dear." The Medi-witch said gently, folding a blanket. "He didn't go to see you-know-who, though. He went to Paris, and then to Diagon Alley, to pick up some items for the Headmaster."

ooOoo

January 18, 1996~

"Professor Snape's quarters." She said again, anxiety creeping into her voice as she tossed the floo powder into the flames once more. They turned green for a moment, then back to their normal orange and yellow.

"Fils de pute!" Marie snapped angrily, throwing the bowl on the floor, the floo powder going everywhere in a greenish cloud, sparkling as it contacted the flames in her fireplace. With a frustrated sigh, she sat down on the rug in her dormitory room, close to tears.

"Greasy git." She snarled, conjuring a water glass just so she could hurl it at the fireplace, where it shattered into bits. "Bastard."

For several repetitions, she used reparo to mend it, and then threw it again. Over and over, until someone knocked on her door.

"What?" Marie snapped irritably, jerking her door open after vanishing the sparkling shards of glass on her floor.

Her housemate Luna Lovegood stood there in the doorway, with a bemused smile on her face.

"Are you alright?" She said, looking around Marie as if she expected to find something. "I heard so much noise; I thought that perhaps a Nargle was loose in your room. They're attracted to loud noises, you know."

"What?" Marie said, momentarily thrown off. "There's no Nargles in here, Luna."

"Oh." The younger witch said, frowning slightly. With a disappointed sigh, she simply walked away, leaving Marie looking on in bewilderment.

Marie closed the door, and then walked over to her armchair by the fireplace, sitting down.

It's been three weeks now, she fumed, hugging her knees to her chest. Three weeks, and he's done nothing but ignore me. As if the potion gives me everything I need.

How dare he treat me this way.

Eyeing the mess on her floor, she retrieved her wand and used it to clean the floo powder up, transferring it back to the bowl. When she finished, she sent the bowl floating back to its usual place on the fireplace mantel.

He's closed his floo to me, she thought angrily, tapping her wand against her palm. That bastard thinks he can just shut me out.

I'll show him.

ooOoo

She was taking her time, paying little mind to her classmates that rushed past her to the last class of the day. Before reaching the stairs that led down to the dungeons, she walked over to the window to gaze out on the garden, closing her eyes and breathing in the cool crisp air outside. Hermione Granger stopped, giving her a puzzled look as Ron Weasley and Harry Potter continued down the hallway on their way to class.

"Marie, don't you have Advanced Potions with us?" Granger asked her, concerned. "If you don't come on, you'll be late."

"Yes." Marie smiled. "But I'm not really worried about it that much. So far, I have an Exceeds Expectations."

"Well, you'd better hurry up." The younger student said. "Professor Snape doesn't tolerate tardiness, even if you are a seventh year."

"Oh, I'll be fine, Hermione." Marie said cheerfully. "Save me a seat, would you?"

Granger gave her a look of disbelief, shook her head, and rapidly walked down the hallway.

By the time Marie reached the Potions classroom, she was exactly twenty minutes late for class. Drawing in a deep breath and blowing it out slowly, she opened the heavy wooden door and stepped inside.

"…tifuro bark, tiger lily seeds, and leaping toadstool extract. You will also need-" Snape looked up, scowling at the interruption. When he saw who it was, his expression softened slightly, though he still glared at her as she made her way into the classroom.

Marie gave him a big wave and a cheerful smile, and then walked to the front of the classroom to sit down in the one remaining seat, next to Luna Lovegood.

"Sorry, Professor." She smirked, setting her textbooks down and making a big show of waving her nails at him. "My nail polish wasn't quite dry yet. I didn't want to ruin a perfect finish. This new color is gorgeous, but it dries so slowly, such a pain. You don't happen to know any charms for speeding up the drying, do you?"

A few of the girls in the classroom giggled. She could just about hear him grinding his teeth together as he glared down at her, and he opened his mouth to sneer something, and then stopped, his fist clenching so hard that the chalk in his right hand crumbled to dust.

She had closed her eyes, smiling up at him serenely.

Written on her eyelids, where it could not be seen unless her eyes were closed, were two words that nearly undid him.

Love you

For a moment, he went deathly white, swaying slightly on his feet as he clutched at his desk to remain upright. Trembling with rage, he glared down at her, drawing himself to his full height. Marie merely smiled up at him, batting her eyelashes.

"Ten, no, twenty points from Ravenclaw." He sputtered, his face red as a beet. "And…and you will have two night's detention. With Filch."

"Not with you, Sir?" She said petulantly, smiling at him again. "May I ask why, Professor?"

In the hushed classroom, someone giggled, stifling it quickly as Snape glared in their direction. When he could not determine who laughed, he turned his wrath back to Marie.

"Another…twenty points from Ravenclaw." Snape choked out, his face reddening. "You will spend a week's detention with—"

The classroom broke into a noisy pandemonium of voices, once the students recovered from their collective surprise.

"Silence." He hissed, glaring around the room. "I will be most generous with detentions today, as well as the deduction of house points. The ingredients for the potion are on the board. I suggest you begin."

The nerve of her! He thought angrily, turning in a swirl of black robes and stalking back to the blackboard. With a sigh of disgust, Marie slumped on her stool, propping up her chin on her hand as she glared at his back.

"I don't think it worked very well." Luna said quietly, startling Marie half out of her wits.

It was the most lucid thing that the younger witch had ever said to her.

ooOoo

January 20, 1996, sometime after midnight ~

"Miss Delacour."

She froze in her tracks, holding her breath and quietly hoping her disillusionment charm would hold up to scrutiny. After nothing further was said, and nothing happened, she carefully began to creep toward an alcove to conceal herself further, hoping perhaps that the Headmaster hadn't really seen her.

"Finite incanteum." He sighed behind her, ending the charm with a negligent wave of his hand as he approached her, his slippers whispering on the stone floor of the dungeons.

Now she stood before him, trembling in her nightgown, barefoot on the cold stone floor.

"I rather doubt that you are sleepwalking." Dumbledore said gently. "Where are you going at this time of night, my dear?"

"I…I…he…he…" Marie began to speak, but simply hung her head miserably, tears suddenly flowing freely down her cheeks.

"What is the problem, dear?"

"He…he closed…his floo to me." She finally managed to choke out between sobs. "We finished constructing the memories to protect him when he has to go to…to him, and…we…he won't let me come see him. He hardy speaks to me anymore. He-"

"I know, my dear." Dumbledore said gently, producing a hanky and handing it to her. "I disagreed with him, but he insists it is necessary to protect you."

"Protect me?" Marie said, anger creeping into her voice as she dabbed at her eyes.

"From Tom." He said, then, seeing the blank look on her face, said. "The Dark Lord, my dear. Tom Riddle."

"I don't care about any of that." She snapped angrily. "I need to see him. I have a right to see him. Dammit, he's mine, and I have the right—"

Her hands flew to her mouth, dropping the hanky, her eyes horrified as she realized what she had just said aloud.

The Headmaster merely smiled, his eyes twinkling.

"Come with me, my dear." He said, shuffling back down the hallway.

ooOoo

As he took a sip of his firewhiskey, Severus heard his floo activate. Frowning, he looked up to see the flames in his fireplace turn green, and set his glass down, hoping it would only be a short conversation tonight with the Headmaster.

"What is it now, Albus?" He sighed irritably. "I'd like to get some reading in tonight, if you don't mind."

Then Marie stepped out of the green flames, brushing the soot off of her nightgown. Snape rose from his chair to ward her off, nearly stumbling over his footstool.

"Miss Delacour, I-" He began, but his voice seemed to leave him as she gave him a withering look, her blue eyes dark with anger as she held up a finger to his lips.

"You closed your floo to me." She said softly, walking toward him as he backed away from her. "So I borrowed Headmaster Dumbledore's floo."

"I…" Severus said, starting slightly as he felt the stone wall at his back. Now, she was only inches away, her blue eyes frosty as she glared up at him.

"Did you really think you could just shut me out?"

"Miss Delacour, I want you to go back-"

"No." She said, glaring up at him as she put her hand on his chest. Taking a firm grip on his shirt, she pulled him away from the wall. Leading him over to the couch, she then pushed on his chest till he reluctantly sat down.

Hiking up her nightgown, she straddled his lap and sat down, effectively trapping him.

"Miss…Delacour…" He breathed as she began to undo the buttons on his white shirt, "…this is…highly…improper…"

"Oh, my dear Severus," She smiled thinly, "I think we passed 'improper' a long time ago."

"Miss-"

"My name is Marie. Say it."

"M-miss Delacour, I must insist…"

"Marie." She said in a soft, dangerous voice, her blue eyes boring into his. "Say it, Severus. Marie."

"You need to go…back…"

"My name. Say it, Severus."

By now, her nose was nearly touching his, her eyes twinkling as she sensed that victory was close at hand.

"M-Marie." He breathed, his lower lip trembling.

"Good boy." She smirked, lowering her lips to his to kiss him hungrily.

"Marie…please…" he gasped, when she finally let him up for air.

"Severus." Marie hissed softly, nipping his earlobe with her teeth. "You…are…mine."

Slowly, she came to the realization that he was weeping, tears flowing freely down his cheeks.

"Marie…please…don't." Severus sobbed. "Please…this is madness…leave me."

"No." she said softly, shaking her head. "I'll never leave you. Ever."

"You must. The time…is coming soon that I will not be able to…protect you."

"I don't care. I want you. If you die, I don't want to-"

He kissed her fiercely, shutting off the rest of her words. Cradling her head gently in his hands, he looked hard at her, his gaze so intense that she could barely hold it.

"No. You…must live." He whispered, swiping his tears away. "No matter what happens to me, you must live."

ooOoo

June 19, 1996~

"Why, Miss Delacour, this is quite a surprise." Dumbledore said, picking up his candy dish and holding it toward her. "Peppermint?"

"No, thank you, Sir." Marie said, smoothing her robes after she sat down on the couch.

"How can I help you today? Is everything in order with your school transcript for your application to Lores University? We owled it to them two weeks ago, but haven't heard anything. Not that unusual, seeing as they are one of the top rated universities of magic in Europe. I've heard that they turn away half of student applications, they get so many at a time—"

"I'm not here about the university, sir." She said bluntly. "I need to talk to you about Severus."

The Headmaster leaned back in his chair, giving the young witch a wary look.

"Well, say what you need to, then."

Marie took a deep breath to calm herself.

"Headmaster, you understand that I do know most of what it going on, correct?"

"Yes."

"I know that Severus must continue with what he is doing, whether I like it or not."

Dumbledore nodded silently, his eyes grave.

"Just promise me that you'll take care of him for me, Sir."

"I will do my best, Miss Delacour." He sighed. "The situation is unpredictable at best."

"I have agreed to leave Hogwarts and go off to university," Marie said softly, "I expect you to protect my bond-mate. I don't like leaving him, but he insists that I must leave to be safe."

"As I have told you, Miss Delacour," Dumbledore replied, adjusting his glasses, "He will be protected to the best of my ability. We are all in grave danger, though some still do not believe that Tom has returned."

ooOoo

June 23, 1996~

It was only a matter of time before she made a mistake. Marie slipped away from Lores University campus to meet some of her friends from Hogwarts who were on summer break, figuring they were safe among the crowds of busy shoppers.

She was looking for some new robes in Diagon Alley with Luna and Hermione when it happened; one wrong turn and they were face to face with a group of rather unsavory looking wizards and witches. They both drew their wands, but before they could cast anything, someone in the crowd disarmed them.

Now a witch came forward, proudly clutching their wands in her hand. Four of the Death Eaters grabbed Luna and Hermione to restrain them, while a huge man with cruel eyes moved behind Marie to cut off any hope of escape.

"Well, well…Luna Lovegood." Bellatrix Lestrange smirked. "Granger. I know you, but who is your friend here? Can't say as we've met."

"Marie Delacour." Marie said coldly. "Madam, I demand that you give us our wands back."

"Oh…I don't think I'll do that just yet." The older witch grinned nastily, walking up to Marie. "No, not just yet, missy. A Delacour, eh? Now, that's a very prestigious, respectable family of purebloods. Isn't it?"

"I suppose so."

"So why are you hanging around…" Bellatrix sneered, glancing over at Hermione, "with a filthy Muggle?"

Marie slapped her, hard enough that the older witch nearly dropped their wands as she fumbled to regain her balance. With the reflexes of an experienced duelist, Bellatrix recovered quickly, dealing the younger witch a vicious backhand that flung her hard against the alley wall. Blood began to run from a gash on Marie's cheek, caused by one of Bellatrix's rings.

"You insolent little bitch!" The older witch snarled, advancing on her. "You'll pay for that!"

Grabbing a handful of Marie's hair, Bellatrix roughly dragged her to her feet, wringing a cry of pain from her. When Marie tried to kick her, the older witch cast body-bind, effectively stopping any such thing, then savagely jerked her upright.

"Spunky, aren't you?" Bellatrix hissed into Marie's face as she raised her wand. "I'll fix you, missy! Some bleeding boils, right on your pretty little face! Hemo—"

"Wait." The big man said, taking hold of Bellatrix's hand to halt her wand motion.

"What is it now, Grayback?" The witch hissed irritably, yanking her hand free. "You can't eat any of them just yet."

Marie shrank back in terror, her eyes widening as the werewolf knelt by her, leaning down closer. She could smell his fetid breath, and nearly gagged. Carefully, he sniffed her hair, then her neck, his breath tickling her neck. Closing her eyes, she laid there helpless as she awaited the bite that would doom her to be a werewolf.

It didn't come.

Abruptly, Grayback stood up, smirking down at her.

"Today…is your lucky day, lass." He grinned nastily. "Or perhaps, your unlucky day."

Turning back to Bellatrix, he nodded.

"It's her." He said. "She is protected. I can smell him on her."

Abruptly, the older witch frowned, then knelt and leaned forward, carefully sniffing Marie's hair. When she pulled back, her expression was no longer one of anger, but rather craftiness and sheer malice, focused solely on Marie.

"Well…well…" She smirked, giving Marie a malevolent smile. "If it isn't Severus'…little…pet."

Please don't! Marie thought, her blue eyes widening in horror as she realized what Bellatrix was about to do.

Standing up, the older witch glanced at her fellow Death Eaters, who had been holding Hermione and Luna this whole time.

"What to do, what to do…" Bellatrix frowned, her arms crossed, tapping her wand absently on her chin. "Such an opportunity, this is. Does your…master know you're roaming free? Perhaps Severus is wondering where you might be, eh? Wondering where his little lost…kitten might be."

Marie glared up at her, trying to convey the contempt she felt for the older witch through her cold blue eyes, her lower lip trembling as she kept silent.

"Oh, yes." Bellatrix smirked at her. "You're a real tigress, aren't you? I'd just love to take you home with me…but the Dark Lord has commanded that you are strictly…off…limits. Something about you being the property of his favored servant. So, Bella can't play with you, too."

Glancing at the other two girls, she smiled sadly.

"A pity, indeed." The older witch sighed, frowning dramatically. "We could have so much fun together. I heard you like it rough…ah, yes…a little pain makes the pleasure so much sweeter, doesn't it?"

Hermione gasped audibly at this last, giving Marie a look that was one of horror mixed with disgust. Bellatrix grinned at her, giving the younger witch a lecherous wink for good measure.

"We could take her back with us." Thorfinn Rowle suggested, leering hopefully at Marie. "Her and the Muggle. Maybe do Snape a favor, returning lost property."

Bellatrix pursed her lips, half-frowning, half-smirking. Then, having come to some sort of decision, she tossed their wands on the pavement.

"No. We're done here. Let them go." She said, and then smiled malevolently at Marie, reaching down to pinch her cheek. "Just so adorable, aren't you? We'll meet again…pet."

Cackling, she ran down the alley, followed closely by her companions. Hermione knelt, picking up their wands, and handed them back after releasing Marie.

"You alright?" She asked Marie, who had taken out her hanky and pressed it to her cheek to staunch the bleeding. "Let me heal that."

Marie nodded mutely as she sat on the cobblestones, still a bit in shock from her rough treatment. Luna gently took the bloody hanky from her unresisting hand, tucking it away in her pocket. Then she ran her wand over the cut, murmuring softly in Latin as the skin knitted back together, leaving a faint pink scar high on Marie's left cheek.

"So…" The younger witch said softly as she finished, "What was all that 'Severus' pet' business about, Marie?"

ooOoo

They were sitting in The Leaky Cauldron, at a table in the back, well away from prying eyes. Hermione shook her head, taking another sip of her butterbeer.

"I can't believe it." She said finally, glancing over at Marie. "I just can't believe it. You and Snape, together? How could you, Marie? I mean, I heard the rumors, but paid them no mind. I figured it was just jealous gossip."

"It's not like I wanted to, you know." Marie protested weakly. "It happened because of the potion that Eugenia slipped me. You saw what happened."

"But you slept with Snape!" Hermione said, crossing her arms and leaning back in her chair. "How could you? He was our professor! That…that's just…revolting!"

Luna sipped her butterbeer, eyes wide as she watched the discussion.

"I…yes, I did." Marie admitted, her cheeks reddening. "It was…oh, Merlin, Hermione, I don't understand why, but he's not as bad as you think he is…"

"Does that mean he's good…in bed?" Luna said softly, almost to herself. "I've always been a bit curious about that kind of thing."

Marie blushed crimson, covering her face with her hands and shutting her eyes tightly with a strangled groan of despair. This was going all wrong, in all kinds of ways.

"Marie, he's a Death Eater, in case you forgot." Hermione said bluntly, ignoring Luna's comment. "You heard what Madam Lestrange said, he's the favored servant—"

"Former Death Eater." Marie replied hotly. "It's not like you think. He's…"

She bit her lip sharply, realizing what she'd almost said in her rush to defend Severus.

He's helping the headmaster.

He's sacrificing so much just to protect us all.

He might not survive through the next year…

She closed her eyes, driving the thought of such things from her mind.

That was close. I mustn't give him away, Marie thought, I have to play my part. Merlin, I can't tell them…the truth. It would endanger both of us. All of us.

I'm sorry, Hermione, Luna. I hate to lie to you, to deceive you. I can't tell you the truth. I have to keep up the charade that Severus and I made up.

I have to keep pretending the man that I love is a monster.

But I will not speak ill…of him. I can't.

"Hermione, Severus is a former Death Eater." She said. "Bellatrix was trying to get you to believe he's still with them. Do you believe someone that we know is working with the Dark Lord? Severus was pardoned by the Wizengamot, Headmaster Dumbledore vouched for him…"

"How can you defend him?" Hermione snapped. "Marie, he's abused you. Both of us, and others, saw the bruises and scratches he marked you with, witnessed him mistreating you in class. He's terrified and mocked all of us. It's almost as if you have Stockholm syndrome. Are you in love with him or something?"

"No! Severus and I…" Marie blushed.

"Stockholm syndrome?" Luna frowned, confusion on her face.

"Listen to yourself, Marie!" Hermione said angrily. "'Severus'? So, you're on a first name basis now? What's the truth? Did he seduce you, or did you go willingly to him?"

"I…" Marie said weakly, her face reddening. "Hermione, I don't…"

Hermione glared at her frostily for a moment, then got up.

"I think I've heard quite enough." She said, glancing at Luna. "I don't want to discuss this anymore. Are you coming?"

"Not just yet." Luna said, toying with the label on her bottle of butterbeer. "I'll see you later, Hermione. I still need to go by Flourish and Blott's to get a few things."

With a curt nod, Hermione left. Marie was looking down at her hands, wishing that Luna had gone with her.

They sat in silence for a long time, with Luna quietly enjoying her butterbeer and Marie fidgeting in her chair. Finally, Marie could take no more of it.

"So…how is school going?" she asked hesitantly. "Did you get good marks?"

"Really good." Luna said softly. "I have Exceeds Expectations in everything but…Potions. I always have trouble in that subject. Since you graduated, I don't really have anyone to help me with it."

"Oh." Marie murmured, blushing again. "Sorry."

"You know, I don't dislike Professor Snape."

"You…you don't?"

"No. He's very strict, but he really isn't a bad man. He cares about us; he doesn't want any of us to be harmed. Potions class can be dangerous if you're not careful."

Marie swallowed nervously, picking at a loose thread on her robes. Luna was humming softly, not looking at her, but Marie felt like she was being watched all the same.

"I…you don't believe that nonsense, do you?" Marie asked, blushing again.

"What nonsense?" Luna asked, raising her eyebrows.

"About…you know…about Professor Snape and me."

For a moment, Marie thought the other witch didn't hear any of the previous conversation. Luna just looked at her blankly, frowning, as if she were in deep thought. Then she giggled, her eyes lighting up with mirth.

"Oh!" Luna exclaimed, laughing. "That bit about you being in love with Snape! Oh, that's just too silly to even entertain the notion. Hermione, she's just been under a lot of stress lately. You know how hard she pushes herself when finals are coming up, she's probably still out of sorts over that. Don't mind her."

Marie smiled weakly, as Luna signaled to the waiter for a few more butterbeers.

"Some cheese, Stilton or Gruyere, and some crackers, too." She said, smiling at the waiter. "I'm a bit peckish, been shopping most of the day. How about you, Marie? Are you hungry?"

Marie shook her head.

Once the waiter had gone, Luna turned back to Marie, her expression turning more serious, her blue eyes sharp and penetrating.

"Unless, of course, what Hermione said is true." She said softly. "Judging by how deeply you're blushing, I'm willing to bet every Galleon I have that it is."

By now, Marie was in full blown panic, desperately looking for some way to escape, though she forced herself to sit perfectly still and be calm. She tried to defend herself, but every time she began to speak, she could not. All she could seem to do was sit there in her chair, blushing even more.

"So it is true." Luna said quietly, her voice neutral. "I suspected as much."

The waiter came up to the table with their butterbeers and a plate laden with cheese and crackers. Marie sat quietly, biting her lip, as he placed the items before them on the table, then left.

"Oh, come on, Marie." Luna sighed, picking up a cracker and forking a bit of cheese onto it. "You look rather pale. Eat something before you faint, will you?"

Obediently, Marie accepted the cracker with cheese, though it tasted like cardboard to her at the moment. Picking up the fresh bottle of butterbeer, she took a drink to wash it down. Luna prepared a cracker for herself and ate it with relish.

"Now," Luna said calmly, glancing over at her, "I'm your friend, okay? That means I'm on your side. If you are in love with someone, then, I'm happy for you, so long as they treat you well."

"What if it's…Snape?" Marie asked hesitantly.

"What if it is?" Luna replied, taking a sip of butterbeer. "You're both of age. No big deal. You're no longer his student, so that's no longer a problem. If you're happy, and he's happy, it's nobody's business except for yours and his."

"Luna, you do realize what's going on, right? The Dark Lord has returned. We just had a run-in with a bunch of Death Eaters, for Merlin's sake!"

"So? Lucky for us that you know Snape, then." Luna said, leaning closer. "This sure explains a lot about how you've behaving the past few years. You miss him now that you've gone off to university, don't you?"

ooOoo

June 24, 1996, shortly after midnight ~

Her parents were off to Brussels this weekend, but would be home Sunday morning, so she'd parted ways with Luna Saturday evening, unwilling to chance another confrontation with Hermione or the others. Letting herself into her parents' townhouse, she had fixed a light supper and went to bed in the guest bedroom early, wishing that she wasn't spending the night alone in an empty flat. She was nearly asleep when there was a loud crash downstairs.

Her eyes flew open, one hand instinctively reaching for her wand as she realized what had awakened her. The floo in the sitting room of her parent's house had activated, and she could hear someone coming up the stairs. Nervously, Marie slid out of the bed, her wand ready, and her feet coming to rest on the floor just as the door of her bedroom swung open. Before she could begin a wand motion, her hand was batted away by a shadowy figure that grabbed her, crushing her to itself in a tight embrace.

"Foolish girl!" Severus choked out, holding her tightly to him. "You foolish, naive girl!"

"Severus…" Marie sobbed, her hands coming up to pull herself closer to him. She closed her eyes with a sigh as relief and warmth surged through her from the close contact.

"Lumos!" He snapped, running his hands over her as the candles in the room blazed into life. "Are you injured? Are you hurt? I swear, if she's harmed a single hair on your head, I'll hex her into oblivion…"

"I'm fine, Severus." Marie whispered. "Really I am. She roughed me up a little, but I'm okay."

By now, he had spotted the thin pink scar high on her cheekbone. His face twisted in pain, his thumb coming up to gently touch it.

"Hermione healed it." She said, reaching up to catch his hand. "I'm fine, really I am."

"I suppose I owe her for that." He sighed, leaning down to kiss her gently on the forehead. "Insufferable Gryffindors. Just don't tell her I'm grateful, I don't think I could bear it."

Remembering the confrontation with Hermione the day before, she drew back from him.

"Severus, I've made a mess of things." She sighed. "Hermione Granger and Luna Lovegood, they both know we were sleeping together."

"What else do they know?"

"Not much, really. I didn't give details. Hermione still thinks I was the victim, that you seduced me, so our story is still holding up with her alright. Luna…well, I don't know what Luna thinks, but I also don't think she'd tell tales on a fellow housemate. At least, I hope so."

"We'll just have to see how things go." He said softly, kissing her forehead. "I'm just glad that you're alright. When I heard what had happened, I came as soon as I could."

"My parents are gone." Marie said, fiddling with the buttons on his shirt nervously. "Can you stay with me tonight? Please?"

"Given the circumstances, yes." Severus nodded. "I don't want you to be alone."

"Good."

"Listen to me, Marie." He said soberly, his dark eyes full of concern. "You must be more careful. You can't…Hogwarts, Diagon Alley, and Hogsmeade…all of those places aren't safe for you, now that Bellatrix knows your identity. She'll be watching for you now. This townhouse is unplottable, so it is safe, as is Lores University…but you mustn't go to Hogwarts, or anywhere near it."

"Okay." She nodded contritely, tears sparkling in her eyes now. "I'm sorry, Severus. I didn't think we might run into Death Eaters so close to the school."

ooOoo

What seemed to be only a few hours later, there was a soft knock at the door.

"Marie?"

"Oui, Papa?" Marie called out, clutching the duvet to her chin.

"It is almost ten. Your mother has fixed breakfast for you."

"Merci, Papa. I'll be down in a moment."

After a long pause, her father spoke again.

"Severus, he is welcome, also." He said. "Your mother made….a breakfast anglais for him. You…well, just come down as soon as you can."

After her father's footsteps faded away, Severus reached over, pulling the covers from over Marie's head.

"You can stop hiding now." He smirked.

"It's embarrassing!" She whispered, blushing. "How did he know you were here?"

"My traveling cloak is probably somewhere on the floor of the living room" He replied. "I was in a bit of a rush to see if you were alright this morning. It's nothing to fret about, we've slept together here before."

"Well, my papa never came to wake us up, either."

"I surrender." Severus sighed, running his hand down her bare back, smirking as she shivered.

"Stop that." Marie huffed, swatting at his hand. "We need to get up, much as I'd rather stay in bed with you."

They dressed and he helped her make the bed, Marie growing more despondent by the minute.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Nothing." She said, carefully plumping a pillow and putting it at the head of the bed.

"Nonsense. You've plumped that pillow three times now. I don't think it can be fluffed up any more."

"I'm just worried." Marie sighed, then looked up at him. "When will I be able to see you again?"

"I'm not sure." Severus said gently. "I'll come see you when I can, but we can't be found out. I…I don't want the Dark Lord to know where you are. Please, promise me, no more adventures."

"No more adventures." She nodded. "Cross my heart. I'll stay at Lores…if you promise to come see me when you can."

"I…I'll try. I can't promise anything." He frowned. "I'll come see you when I can slip away, though. Just bear in mind that…things are getting busy for me."

"We'd best be getting downstairs." Marie sighed, reluctantly opening the door.

ooOoo

May 18, 1997~

She was bent over her advanced Arithmancy textbook, trying to prepare for her fall classes, when the knock came at her door. With a sigh of disgust, Marie marked her place and went to the door.

I wonder who it might be, she thought gloomily. I'm pretty sure it isn't Severus, though. He can't risk coming here.

Drawing her wand and holding it ready behind her back, she cautiously stood to one side of the door.

"Who is it?" She asked, preparing a hex just in case.

"Your cousin Fleur, you silly goose!" A familiar voice laughed. "Let me in!"

She did a quick spell to check, and then opened the door to find her cousin standing there with a look of bemusement.

"Why the spell?" Fleur smirked, trying to peer around her. "Are you hiding a boy in there?"

"Um, no. No, I was just studying." Marie said quickly. "Come on in."

"I brought your invite to the wedding!" Fleur said, pulling an envelope from her robe pocket and handing it to her. "I want you to be one of the bridesmaids. You'll need a dress, and some shoes, too."

"Where is it again?"

"The Burrow." Fleur said, a frown flitting across her face. "I'm just glad we won't be living there. Chaos, all the time. Honestly, I adore Mr. Weasley, but he does go on about Muggle things, all the time. I'm not sure if Mrs. Weasley likes me that much, and I'm pretty sure the girl doesn't. I overheard her calling me 'Phlegm'. Honestly, so rude!"

"Ginny?" Marie laughed, relaxing a bit after she shut the door and warded it. "She'll come around, eventually. All that matters is that you and Bill are happy together, right?"

"What about you?" Asked her cousin, eyeing her appraisingly. "How is your love life these days?"

"I…I really don't have time to see anyone." Marie said hastily. "I have so much studying to do, and my classes to study for…"

"Really." Fleur said cooly, sitting down on the couch. "I've been reading the papers, Marie. I dismissed it as just gossip, lies spread by that hack, Rita Skeeter…but then I saw it in The Quibbler, too. Then at the Burrow the other day, Hermione said some interesting things about you seeing someone…"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Marie bluffed, certain that her blushing was giving her away.

For a long moment, her cousin just looked at her. Marie felt her blush deepening, and glanced away from her cousin's scrutiny.

"Anyway," Fleur said, as if she hadn't even mentioned the papers, "I came by to show you the dress I picked out for the bridesmaids."

Reaching into her bag, she removed several magical pictures, and passed them to Marie.

"What do you think? The lilac or the peach?" Fleur asked.

"They're both lovely." Marie said, nervously glancing at them. "The light green is pretty, too."

"Marie."

She glanced up, straight into Fleur's blue eyes, which were serious for a change.

"Be careful." Fleur said, her expression grave as she took hold of one of Marie's hands, squeezing it tightly. "I don't know what you've gotten mixed up in, but it can't be good. I hope you have good judgement, and that things turn out alright."

"I'll be fine." Marie said, giving what she hoped was a reassuring squeeze to her cousin's hands. "Really, I will."

Fleur watched her for a moment, and then nodded.

"I hope so." She said quietly.

ooOoo

July 1, 1997~

She woke up late, yawning as she pulled on her house coat. It was summer break, but the nights had been late for her. Barefoot, Marie padded down stairs to the kitchen, murmuring a greeting to the house elves in the kitchen as they prepared breakfast. They smoothly flowed around her, carrying trays and pots, heading to the dining room.

"Miss Marie need to wake up before come downstairs." Frowned Ella, the head house elf, as she floated a tray with some croissants and bagels, along with a cup of coffee, toward the table. "Miss will hurt herself coming down the stairs when not awake. Miss needs to keep her mind on what she is doing, not worry so much. And wear slippers on cold floor."

"Sorry, Ella." The young witch yawned as she followed Ella into the dining room. "I've just been studying a lot. There's not much else I can do."

With a flick of her wrist, the house elf summoned a plate and silverware for her young mistress.

"Are Papa and Mama up?" Marie asked.

"Madame is in the sitting room." Ella said briskly, neatly folding a napkin to place the silverware on. "Master Marcel did not come home last night. Should Ella tell her Miss is awake?"

Marie sat down, stifling another yawn and rubbing her eyes, and then nodded.

"Miss Marie studies too much." The house elf sniffed, setting a bowl of fruit next to her plate. "Perhaps the young miss needs to take fewer classes."

"Oh, Ella," Marie sighed, "I have to take them. Keeping busy is the only thing that helps. Besides, I have to prepare for the fall term, as well, so there's a lot of reading to do. I want to do well at Lores, finish my classes quickly and with good marks."

Ella frowned in disapproval, but walked away without saying anything.

"Marie?" Her mother said as Marie came into the dining room. "I wondered when you might be up. Merlin's sake, dear, you were up half the night!"

"I know, Mama, I know." She sighed. "Ella's already been lecturing me about it."

He mother sat down, picking up the post and the newspaper, which lay on the table between them. She frowned for a moment at the front page, and then quickly tucked the day's issue of The Daily Prophet under a stack of magazines and letters, setting it aside.

"Mum, do you mind if I read the paper?" Marie asked, finishing her toast and jam.

"Um…how about we talk instead?" Helene said, just a bit too quickly. "You are so busy; we never get to talk lately."

"I…well, okay…" Marie said, dropping a few cubes of sugar into her coffee and stirring it. "What would you like to talk about?"

"Oh, I was just wondering how your summer classes are going." Her mother said. "I was worried that your studying for your fall term might be hurting you during this one."

"Don't worry, Mama." Marie smiled. "I'm doing fine in my classes. It's just that I can hardly wait to take Transfiguration this fall. Professor LeClerc is teaching, you've heard of her, right?"

"Well, not really. I don't keep up with transfiguration, working in Arithmancy as I do…"

"Well, I…" Marie frowned, turning toward the doorway as a commotion erupted down the hall.

"Get out of my way! I know she's here!" Someone shouted in the hallway. "Move or I'll hex you!"

"What on earth!" Helene frowned, rising from her seat and her wand sliding from her sleeve into her hand.

The door to the dining room slammed open, and there stood Harry Potter, dirty and disheveled, with Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley behind him. Ella and two other house elves were clinging to his coat, as was Ron, trying to slow Harry down.

"Young man," Helene snapped, pointing her wand at him, "I demand to know why you are barging into my house like this!"

"Harry, calm down!" Hermione said, putting herself between Harry and Marie. "You're being completely unreasonable! Get a hold of yourself before they call the Aurors on you! Please!"

"Harry, what on earth is going on?" Marie said, getting up from her seat.

He pointed a trembling finger at her face, his mouth working for a moment, green eyes filled with anger.

"You know where he is!" Harry shouted, shaking one of the house elves off. "Where is he?"

"It's alright, Ella." Helene said, motioning to the elves to let go.

"Who, Harry?" Marie asked nervously, her blue eyes wide.

"Snape!" The young wizard snapped viciously. "The bastard murdered Headmaster Dumbledore! Where is he?"

ooOoo

July 4, 1997~

The next few days had gone by in a whirlwind of activity.

There had been a major attack at Hogwarts by the Death Eaters, with Headmaster Dumbledore being one of the dead. The Ministry was investigating, but details were few; the wizarding world was buzzing with speculation as to what had happened.

Marie sat on her bed at her parent's house, feeling numb and weak. It was nearly midnight, and she had just returned with her parents from the hospital, where Fleur's fiancé, Bill Weasley, was recuperating after being attacked by the werewolf, Grayback.

She shuddered at the thought of how close he had been to her when they had been confronted by the death eaters in Diagon Alley.

Fleur had flatly refused to speak to her; glaring coldly at her when she came in to visit Bill with her parents. Aunt Apolline had apologized profusely when her cousin had stormed out of the room to wait in the hallway, though she had also asked what had happened between Marie and her daughter. Marie had simply shrugged, playing it off as if it were just a minor disagreement about the wedding plans. Her aunt nodded and changed the subject, but Marie suspected that she knew there was more to it.

Footsteps, then a soft knock at her door.

"Come in." Marie said.

The door opened, and her mother stepped into the room. Crossing the floor to the bed, she sat down next to her daughter, sliding an arm around her shoulders.

"Are you alright, ma chérie?" Helene asked, hugging her gently.

"Oui, Mama." She said softly.

"Why was Fleur so angry?"

Marie drew in a breath, and then let it out slowly, collecting her thoughts.

"In May, she came to Lores." She replied, worrying at a loose thread on her robes. "She asked me if there was any truth to what the papers said, about my being in a relationship with one of my professors."

"Do you think she suspects?"

"I'm pretty sure she does, Mama." Marie sighed. "She all but accused me of it. I denied it, and she brushed it off, changing the subject, but I'm pretty sure she knows."

Helene sat quietly for a moment, and then spoke again.

"Have you heard from him?" She asked.

"No. Not a word." Marie said, with a despondent sigh. "I'm worried about him, Mama."

ooOoo

July 7, 1997~

He entered the old house, empty as it was save for the old furniture and mostly painful memories. At least it was somewhere unplottable and thus relatively safe; somewhere he would not have to think about what had just recently come to pass, and the events leading up to it…and what was to come. Closing the door gently behind him, he hung up his traveling cloak on the hall tree and walked into the sitting room.

Marie was on the old couch, fast asleep, bundled up in her traveling cloak. Only a tuft of her unruly blond hair showed from under the fine black wool garment, a gift from him this past Christmas.

Severus closed his eyes tightly, leaning against the door frame with a weary sigh.

Somehow, this does not surprise me, he thought. Not one bit.

He quietly walked over to her, kneeling next to the couch. Her face was red and puffy, as were her closed eyelids—she'd been crying.

Because of me, he thought with a twinge of guilt. All of this because of me…and this is only the beginning of her suffering.

In the next few months, things will be getting much, much worse.

I should just go now, just leave.

Better to end this now, and not prolong the agony for her.

Don't wake her up.

He closed his eyes again, fearing what she might say. When he opened his eyes, her eyes were open, light blue orbs peering up at him, full of anguish, fear, and…what?

"I knew you'd come here." She whispered hoarsely, sniffing back tears as she sat up. "At least, I hoped you would."

"Yes." He said softly, hanging his head, his long hair hiding his face from her.

"Harry Potter…came to my parent's house." Marie said gently, a tear rolling down her cheek. "He…he told me what happened…what you did."

"I see." Severus sighed, closing his eyes tightly.

"Why?" She asked, sitting up on the couch.

So much in one little word, he thought, closing his eyes for a moment. Grief, despair, uncertainty, a childish wish that the unspeakable not had happened.

Because of me.

With an effort, he raised his eyes to look at her, sniffling a bit as tears began to roll down his cheeks also. He drew in a long, shuddering breath, buying time to think as much as anything else.

"Because…I made an unbreakable vow." Severus whispered. "Because I had to save my godson…but mostly…because…Albus asked me to do it."

"He asked you to kill him?"

Swallowing with some difficulty, he nodded.

"Yes. He…had donned a cursed ring, a clever trap laid for him by the Dark Lord. It was slowly killing him. He knew he had only a few more months left, and the pain would be excruciating. Thus…he asked me to do him…a kindness, of sorts."

"But why you?" She asked, tears streaming down her cheeks. "Why did it have to be you that did it? Why not someone else?"

"Albus felt this was the best way…to protect me, to cement my place of trust within the ranks of the Dark Lord. Now, I am above suspicion…"

"No!" She shrieked, causing Severus to jump back slightly. "No! That hateful old man, always with his scheming and manipulating! Did he ever think of how you might feel? How much it would hurt you? It's not right!"

"Marie, please." He said, hesitantly raising a hand to her face, stopping just short of touching her. He wasn't sure how she might react.

She stood up, easily slipping past his outstretched hand, took her wand out, and went over to build a small fire in the hearth. Muttering angrily under her breath, she built the fire with some tinder and small logs then lit it with her wand.

"Severus, he's abused you for years." Marie said, blowing out the flame she'd conjured at the tip of her wand. "And now…now he's dead. He's dead, and you have to live with the consequences of his scheming and plotting. It's not fair."

"Marie, life is…"

"…not fair, I know, I know." She sighed, walking over to where he still knelt on the floor. "You told me, remember?"

Lowering herself to kneel before him, she slid her arms around him to hug him.

"I love you." She whispered, her breath tickling his ear. "Just remember that."

"I…love you, too." He replied, his voice so faint she could barely hear it.

She smiled, tucking her head into his neck, closing her eyes with a satisfied sigh.

"We have to be very careful." Severus said softly, drawing her closer in his embrace. "I fear this house may not be safe for us to meet in much longer. Several of the Death Eaters know its location. I may not even be able to meet you at all, at times."

"Does Bellatrix know where it is?"

"No."

"Good." Marie sighed in satisfaction. "Just keep yourself safe. I'll stay close to Lores or my parents' house, I promise."

"Thank you. Bellatrix is going mad trying to find you. I fear she's a bit obsessed with the idea of dragging you to a revel just to spite me."

"Not likely." She smirked. "I'm not going to be caught unawares again. Besides, Papa has been working with me on my wandless magic. I'm getting pretty good at dueling, so I tried out for the Lores team."

"That's good." He nodded. "I hope you are accepted. It would be a very useful skill to practice, especially the wandless magic."

"Well, it's not like I can play Quiddich anymore." Marie said sadly.

"I'm sorry." He said, hugging her. "It's not because of the seizures, is it? You haven't had one since when you were attending Hogwarts."

"No, no seizures." She sighed, idly toying with the buttons of his shirt. "My balance is still off, just enough that they won't let me fly. It's infuriating."

ooOoo

July 13, 1997~

She almost missed hearing the knock at her door, it was so soft. She finished folding the jumper in her hands, then put in her small suitcase that she was packing for the trip back to Lores. Walking to the door, she did a quick spell to detect who was at the door, then opened it.

Fleur stood there, biting her lip and shifting from one foot to another uncomfortably.

"May I come in?" She asked softly.

Marie nodded, and then stepped away from the door, walking over to the couch and sitting down. Fleur did likewise, at the opposite end. The silence in the room rapidly grew heavier, as Fleur seemed to be struggling to find the proper words.

"Before you say anything," Marie said gently, "I'm not angry with you. I understand why you were angry with me."

"I didn't know." Fleur said, blushing. "I'm sorry. I…Aunt Helene told me what happened. That you were slipped a potion, that somehow you became…bonded to Snape."

"Yes."

"I don't understand." Her cousin said, shaking her head in disbelief. "How could you bond with him? Only pure-blooded Veela can bond, you know that as well as I do. Mama and Aunt Helene, they did not bond with their husbands. How could this happen to you, with only one-quarter Veela blood, like me?"

"I don't know." Marie said, shrugging her shoulders. "One of the other girls at Hogwarts slipped me a potion in my pumpkin juice, trying to make me ugly so the boys—including her boyfriend—would stop paying me so much attention. Something was wrong with the potion, and I ended up bonded to Snape."

"Really?" Fleur said, shaking her head. "I hope they expelled the girl, that is dangerous. You could have been seriously injured, or died."

"Why are you here, Fleur?"

For a moment, the older witch was surprised, her eyes widening as she suddenly found herself feeling defensive. Her younger cousin was looking at her with a calm, confident gaze, which she found rather unsettling. After all, she'd always been the more confident of the two of them.

"I came to apologize to you." Fleur confessed, feeling a bit uneasy. "I can't say that I approve, but I understand that your situation is not your fault. At least you're free of him."

"Why would I want that?" Marie asked, a bitter, hard edge to her voice. Her blue eyes glinted dangerously. "He's my bond-mate. He's also a Death Eater."

"Marie, I—"

"Fleur, I can't help it that he's on the wrong side." Marie said, standing now with her fists clenched tightly at her sides. "I can't help it that I can't choose to be on that side, to be with him. He made the choice long before we met, and I know he regrets it now. Do you have any idea how I feel about it? Do you?"

By now, Marie was nearly shouting, and fairly shaking with rage as she glared down at her cousin. Fleur sat on the couch stunned, her eyes wide with shock as her cousin stood over her.

"I'll tell you how I feel, Fleur." Marie said gently, her lower lip trembling as tears began to flow. "It hurts. It hurts so badly, I feel like my heart is breaking in two, as if it is being torn from my chest, it hurts so bad. I feel as if I'll never see the man I love—yes, I said love—ever again. You still have Bill. Treasure him as long as you have him, even when he makes you so angry that you can't stand to be around him. I may never see Severus again, ever."

For a long moment, Fleur sat on the couch, still unable to speak as she watched Marie weep before her.

Then she rose to her feet, sliding her arms around her cousin to embrace her as Marie began to shudder convulsively as she cried.

"I'm sorry, Marie." Fleur whispered. "I didn't know."

Finally, after she could weep no more, Marie sat up shakily. As Fleur helped steady her, she accio'd a hanky to wipe her eyes.

"Listen, Fleur." She said, sniffling a bit. "I don't think it's a good idea for me to be your bridesmaid. It's your special day, and I don't want to attract any attention. I'll just sit in the back, with my parents. I'll probably use a Notice-Me-Not charm, just in case."

"But Marie, I want you to be in the wedding!"

"I can't, Fleur." Marie said, shaking her head. "I just can't. Not now that the rumor mill is in full swing about Severus and me. I don't want to ruin it for you."

Fleur looked at her for a long moment, frowning.

"What are you not telling me, Marie?" She said softly, a small smirk coming to her lips.

"Nothing." Marie said quickly, blushing. "I told you everything."

"Nonsense, I've known you forever." Her cousin said. "You've got a secret, don't you?"

Marie shook her head, glancing away.

"You're telling me the truth, I can tell that." Sighed Fleur. "But I can also tell there's something that you haven't—or can't tell me. Is that it? You can't tell me everything?'

"No." Marie answered, her voice so faint it could hardly be heard. "I…I can't tell you everything, Fleur. But things aren't as they seem."

Slowly, a smile formed on her cousin's face, a gentle, warm smile.

"I'll keep your secrets, Marie." Fleur said, reaching over to squeeze her hand affectionately. "I promise. But once we've beaten the Dark Lord, promise me that you'll tell me everything. Okay?"

"I promise." Marie nodded, biting her lip.

If we survive this, she thought gloomily.

ooOoo

August 1, 1997~

She laid on the ground, dazed, her ears ringing from the concussion of the Bombarda spell. Shadowy figures flitted past her, pursued by members of the wedding party. With an effort, she pushed herself up to a sitting position, scanning the ground for her wand.

Footsteps, coming closer, crunching in the ashes and dried grass. She prepared her spell, pointing her wand with an unsteady hand in the general direction of the approaching shadow. Blinking her eyes, she swiped her sleeve across her face to clear them, and ended up falling backward.

"Stop." Severus said gently, leaning down over her. "Stop fighting me."

"Severus!" Marie whispered, glaring up at him. "You were—"

"I am supposedly away on other business." He said sharply, taking out his wand.

"Get away from me!" She hissed, scooting backward.

Where the hell is my wand? Marie thought, feeling around herself. It was just in my hand a moment ago!

"Hold still, damn it!" Severus growled, taking her chin firmly in his hand. "You've got a huge gash in your forehead."

Biting her lip at the stinging as he healed the cut, she obeyed, though she fumed a bit at being manhandled so. After healing the cut, he carefully examined her, showing quite a bit of interest in her left ear.

"This may sting a bit." He said gently, running his wand over the left side of her head.

It was rather the understatement. Marie felt herself go faint, blackness swimming in front of her eyes as the pain took her breath for a moment. She clutched at his hand, her nails biting into his flesh as she struggled not to scream.

Then, it was over with, with her panting with relief as she leaned weakly against him.

"Hopefully, you won't lose all of your hearing on that side." He said, his lips moving against her hair. "Best that you go see a healer, and soon. I did what I could."

Marie nodded, closing her eyes for a moment. After several minutes, she was able to speak again.

"How…bad is it?" She asked, dreading the answer.

"Not bad." Severus said, holding her a bit closer. "I was able to…reattach your ear. The damage to your eardrum was…well, I wouldn't be surprised if you were deaf on that side. Go see a healer as soon as you can, perhaps they can do something to restore some of it."

"Severus…if you're not supposed to be here, then…why are you here?"

"I knew you would be here. I had a bad feeling about this, and figured it would be best if I was nearby. I didn't participate in the attack, I assure you."

"That's a relief." She sighed. "How soon do you have to leave?"

"Now, probably." He replied, gently lifting her chin to kiss her gently. "I will be missed if I am not present. Take care, and go see a healer."

"This is what you meant," Marie said, biting her lip, "that we wouldn't get to see each other. Isn't it?"

"Yes." Severus nodded. "I'm sorry. The potion will have to do for now, until…this is over, whatever the outcome is."

"Be careful." She whispered.

He nodded, and then walked away, vanishing with a crack in a swirl of black smoke.

ooOoo

October 6, 1997~

The months had passed since that August night with little incident, but no contact from Severus. Marie marked her place in her textbook—Moore's Potions, Advanced Concepts, 114th edition—then closed the book and set it aside on the couch.

I can't seem to study today anyway, she thought. Certainly not potions, that's for sure. It reminds me more than anything…of him.

Fleur still wasn't speaking to her, though she had sent an owl with a thank-you note for the silver service that Marie had given her and Bill as a wedding gift. Publicly, her cousin had denounced Severus when he was appointed Headmaster at Hogwarts by the Death Eater controlled Ministry of Magic. Privately, she received an owl from Fleur nearly every week, checking on her welfare.

Marie, I'm sorry that I said what I did in the interview with Rita Skeeter, the first note the little screech owl had brought her had said. I just did as you suggested. Please don't take it too personally. I know how protective you are of him.

She sighed, rising from the couch to go make some tea. Filling the kettle and setting it on the burner after lighting it with her wand. Opening the cabinet to get the tea down, ladling the loose tea into the tea ball. Little movements, practiced motions that served to calm her frayed nerves, stretched thin over the months of waiting. As she waited on the kettle to boil, she caught herself idly toying with her left ear, her fingers absentmindedly tracing the thin irregular scar that marked where it had been nearly torn from her head in the explosion at the Burrow.

Does he ever think of me? She wondered, frowning a bit.

The kettle had begun to whistle. She turned off the burner, picking it up to pour the steaming water into her cup, watching it darken as the tea leaves gave it their color and flavor.

Darjeeling. One of his favorites…I remember that.

With a sigh of disgust, she set the kettle back on the unlit burner.

Does everything have to remind me of him? She thought, giving in to despair for a moment, blinking back tears.

ooOoo

November passed, then December. Still nothing.

Her grades had slipped a bit, nothing serious, but she had only earned an 'Acceptable Work' in Advanced Potions, earning her a stern lecture from the Headmistress.

"If you are planning to ever teach Potions," She had said, "you will have to do better than this, Mademoiselle Delacour. You haven't been seeing a boy on the weekends, have you?"

No, Madame, she thought despondently. No boy. Not even my man.

She was lounging in her nightgown on her bed late one evening in late December, revising her Transfiguration notes when she heard the floo activate in the sitting room. Frowning, she got up, picking up her wand as she went, and went to see who was calling at this late hour.

Then Severus stepped out of the green fire, brushing ash off his cloak.

In an instant, she was on him.

"You bastard!" She shrieked, dropping her wand to pound him with her fists. "Fils de pute! How dare you come here like this, after leaving me alone all this time!"

"Stop it." He said, easily catching her hands, shifting his hips when she tried to knee him in the groin.

By now, she was weeping, falling weakly against him. His arms wrapped around her, pulling her closer to him. She pushed against him ineffectively, her strength seemingly drained from her, until she slid her arms around him, sagging against him as she cried.

"I'm sorry." Severus said softly, his breath warm on her neck as he held her close. "I…haven't been able to get away until now. I just recently managed to connect our floos."

"The floo in the Headmaster's office." She whispered, sniffling.

"Yes."

"How long can you stay?"

"I'll need to be back before five in the morning." He sighed, and then made a sour face. "Amycus Carrow takes great delight in trying to wake me in the mornings, though he seldom gets up himself before six."

Looking up at him, she stood on her tiptoes to kiss him.

"Come on, then." Marie whispered, leading him to her bedroom.

ooOoo

January 11, 1998~

"You seem a bit more cheerful lately." Fleur said, after taking a sip of tea.

"Yes." Marie nodded.

Her cousin had surprised her with a visit, knocking on her door one Saturday morning as she was having her breakfast. After finishing up, she'd left the cleaning up to the house elves to take tea with Fleur and visit.

"So I take it you've had a…visitor that cheered you up?"

Blushing slightly, Marie nodded again.

"Oh, please, Marie." Fleur laughed, lightly touching her on the arm. "Don't be embarrassed. If he makes you happy, then I'm satisfied with it."

"He can't come see me very often, and we have to be careful." She sighed in frustration, frowning. "The Carrows keep a close eye on him. He nearly got caught coming back last weekend, so he can't come this weekend, probably for a few months even."

"You be careful, Marie." Her cousin said softly. "Tell Sev…him to be careful, too. I've heard enough to know; those Carrows are a rotten bunch. The whole family is depraved, completely loyal…to the Dark Lord. He needs to watch his back with them around."

Marie nodded soberly.

ooOoo

April 27, 1998~

She anxiously paced the floor, her shoes kicking up tiny puffs of dust from the floor, shivering in spite of the fire she'd built in the fireplace. Back and forth, glancing nervously every so often at the door, then the fireplace. She couldn't recall if he could floo directly here; indeed, it had been so long that she suspected that it may have been disconnected, or perhaps that was too risky. After all, they could not afford to raise any suspicion at this point. The stakes were just too high.

At last, the flames changed to green, and he stepped through, brushing the floo ash off of his traveling cloak. He barely turned toward her before she launched herself at him, grabbing him around the waist and hugging him tightly as she broke down in tears.

Tears of joy? He mused, wrapping his arms around her as she shuddered against him, letting her cry herself out, as was her wont lately during these rare moments they could steal.

Perhaps relief…or fear.

Finally she subsided, pulling back slightly to produce her hanky and dab at her eyes.

"I'm sorry." Marie sniffled. "You didn't take such a risk to come here to hear me bawl like a baby."

"It's alright." Severus said, raising his hand to gently stroke her cheek. Marie caught his hand, pressing her lips to it, and then looked up at him, her eyes filled with concern.

"You've lost weight." She scolded lightly. "You're not taking care of yourself."

"I have…much on my mind these days."

"What news is there…" she asked, tucking away her hanky, "…at least, what news that you can safely share with me?"

"Our time grows short."

"I know. I feel it…" she placed her hand over her heart, "…I feel it here. I'm afraid, Severus. I know that the Dark Lord will move soon."

He closed his eyes, and then nodded slowly.

"Will you be alright?" He said softly, opening his eyes.

"I'll have to be, won't I?" She smiled bravely. "I…I have my potion. Poppy says that she'll make sure that I always have enough until…it doesn't help anymore. I'll have to decide then…what will happen. If I'm able to, that is."

"How long…will it work?"

"Hard to say." She shrugged, biting her lip and toying with one of his shirt buttons. "Six months…a year? Mama said that Grandmother lasted about…fourteen months, total."

He closed his eyes again, willing the terrible truth of her doom away, wishing it were not so. Knowing in his heart that decisions made long ago by two impetuous teenagers, one longing for power and respect, and one motivated by jealousy, had led to this end.

I wish I'd never sworn allegiance, he thought, sighing deeply. That I'd never taken the mark. Now, I am doomed…and so is she, because of that jealous girl and that horribly botched potion. If that would not have happened, she would live…

"Severus." She said, tugging on his cloak. "Take this off."

"What?" He asked, blinking in surprise.

"Your cloak. Spread it out on the floor." Marie said, taking out her wand and casting a charm to repel dirt on his traveling cloak.

He undid the clasps, and she took the cloak from him, spreading it in front of the fireplace.

"I don't think we have time—"

"We won't if you keep talking." She said, her nimble fingers undoing his shirt buttons. "This might be our last time together."

"But…Marie, we…"

"Severus." She hissed, "Please, for the love of Merlin, would you just hush!"

Kissing him hungrily, she pulled him to the floor.

ooOoo

May 2, 1998, late evening~

He stood in the window, high above the courtyard, watching the orderly procession of the students to the Great Hall. He had called them there to gather them in one place, the safest place that he could think of for them to stay until help arrived. His expression was somber and gloomy, reflecting the turmoil within his mind.

All too soon, some of these children will be dead, Snape thought morosely as he watched them pass his vantage point. Even now, the Death Eaters assemble in the forest surrounding Hogwarts.

Potter and the Aurors will be here soon. Then, I will be driven away, the disgraced former Headmaster, to rejoin the Death Eaters. To take my place at the right hand of the Dark Lord, his ever loyal servant, so I may deliver the Elder Wand into his hands.

For the hundredth time tonight, he ran his hand over the concealed wand in his pocket, safely tucked away in a concealed pocket that masked its magical signature.

"You are to help Harry, one last time, Severus." Dumbledore had said to him, only a few days before he had taken the Headmaster's life. "If he fails, perhaps Tom will be weakened enough, that if you are in the right spot at the right time, you can finish him."

Risky, even perhaps impossible, Snape thought gloomily. Surely my luck has nearly run out by now.

Harry should be strong enough now.

I hope so, at least.

Minerva will get Harry out of the way when he tries to confront me, he thought, closing his eyes as he went over their plan in his mind. Once he is safely behind her, we will duel.

Three times, she will cast, three times, I will block it.

She will pause for a heartbeat, as if she is unsure of herself, marking with her eyes for me the exact location of Amycus and his sister, and then cast the last spell. Timing is critical, to split the force of it without blunting its power, to aim it at the two Carrows precisely.

So many variables, so many ways this can go wrong.

Our timing must be perfect.

If not, this is all for naught.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily.

At least she is safe, for now.

Touching another hidden pocket, near his heart, the slight crackle of parchment and reassuring weight of a keyring, he began to walk toward the staircase. Toward what would be the last few hours of his life.

ooOoo

May 3, 1998, approximately 2:30 a.m. ~

She was walking in one of the upper hallways of the Lores University women's dormitory, her golden prefect's badge glittering on her student robes. It had been fairly quiet tonight; she'd only caught three fellow students trying to sneak out around midnight to go to town. Delivering a scolding, she took points and sent them back to their rooms.

Rubbing her eyes wearily, she sighed. Each of the prefects had to patrol their dorm at night, mainly to keep students safe with the recent increase in Death Eater activity. The young women at the school chafed under the restrictions, but after several attacks in the villages nearby, the decision was made to not allow anyone to leave the campus. Lores was unplottable, with multiple layers of magical and natural defenses, and hidden away in an enchanted forest, but Headmistress Gardiner still demanded that everyone be vigilant.

She's almost as paranoid as Moody, Marie thought sourly, walking down the stairs to the second floor, where her fellow prefect's room was. Another thirty minutes, and Amelie would have to take over, until six. This would be their routine until next month, when Marie would take the early morning shift.

Marie was only three steps from the bottom of the stairs when it hit her; a massive onslaught of cramping pain that took her breath and turned her legs to jelly. When it subsided, she found herself at the bottom of the stairs, sobbing in agony.

Oh, Merlin, this hurts, she thought, gritting her teeth to choke back the scream that threatened to escape her.

Gradually, it abated somewhat, though she was breathing in shallow, short gasps. Slipping her hand into the pocket of her robes, her hand closed on a vial. She uncorked it, putting it to her mouth and swallowing the contents, shuddering at the taste of it.

Ugh. He had to make it taste horrible, didn't he? I'll have to remember to ask Poppy about doing something about the taste; perhaps add something neutral like peppermint leaves…

With a sigh, she got up carefully, going over to the wall and leaning weakly against it as she waited for the potion to take effect. Finally, after a few minutes, the pain subsided to a tolerable level. She struggled to her feet, leaning weakly against the wall as she caught her breath.

Whew, that was not fun at all, she thought, walking carefully down the hallway. I'd better go knock on Amelie's door, make sure she didn't oversleep again. I know she had a date with Michael last night.

As she reached Amelie's room, she raised her hand to knock on the door.

At the third rap of her knuckles on the wood, her legs went out from under her as she blacked out, crumpling into a heap on the floor.

ooOoo

May 7, 1998, 2 p.m. ~

With an effort, her eyes fluttered open, struggling to focus on the ornate pattern in the ceiling.

Where am I? She wondered, completely disoriented.

"Marcel! Come in! She's awake."

Mama…Papa…

Her parents appeared at one side of the bed, her mother's eyes red and puffy from crying as she reached down and clutched Marie's hand tightly.

"Ma bichette…I was so worried, ma chérie." Helene sobbed, smoothing Marie's hair with her hand.

A wand moved over her, seeming to have come out of nowhere. Gradually she realized that Madam Courtland, the Head Medi-Witch at the school infirmary, was examining her.

"How are you feeling, Marie?" Madam Courtland asked, putting her wand away.

"I hurt." She whispered, shocked at how faint her voice was. "What…what happened? I remember knocking on Amelie's door…"

"You fainted, apparently." Madam Courtland said gently. "Miss Bertaut brought you to me."

The Medi-Witch went to a closet, retrieving a blanket and casting a warming charm on it. Walking back over to the bed, she carefully spread it over her shivering patient.

Slowly, their voices dimmed, until her eyes fluttered shut and she drifted back to unconsciousness.

ooOoo

May 9, 1998~

It was late evening, and Marcel Delacour found his wife still sitting by the fireplace, her book forgotten as she stared into the flames.

"Helene." He sighed, hanging up his coat on the hall tree. "You should have gone on to bed, ma chérie."

"I wanted to know what you found out." She said, setting her book aside. "You have been at the Ministry all day, Marcel. Is it really over?"

"It is. There are some scattered pockets of resistance, but the Aurors are rapidly cleaning those up. Most of the Death Eaters are dead now."

She sat for a moment quietly worrying her bottom lip with her teeth as he poured a glass of red wine, then came over to sit down on the couch with a sigh.

"What about…Professor Snape? Is there any word of him?"

"Nothing, other than he was attacked by Nagini." He said hesitantly, taking a sip of wine.

Helene's eyes widened.

"Marcel, this is why Marie fell ill, I know it." She said, trembling as she leaned forward in her chair. "She felt the attack on him through the bond. We must find out where he is, and if he is injured. Surely, someone has seen some sign of him."

"Impossible, Helene." He said, shaking his head. "There is no information on where he is. The Aurors could not find him anywhere after the battle at Hogwarts. Everything is a shambles; there has been much damage, with many casualties."

"But they have not found him?"

"Not a trace, I fear."

ooOoo

August 18, 1998~

They followed the Medi-witch down the hallway, both of them fairly panting as the younger witch kept a brisk pace.

"Slow down!" Helene demanded, catching the girl by her sleeve. "You mean to tell us that she's going to be discharged from the hospital wing already? Last week, she could hardly sit up, she was so weak!"

"Oui, Madame." The young Medi-witch said, slowing her pace a fraction. "Madam Courtland has released her from the wing, she may leave today. But the Headmistress wishes to speak with both of you, and Marie, before she leaves."

"I'm a bit confused." Marcel snapped. "This seems rather sudden."

By now, they had reached the door of Marie's hospital room. The Medi-witch opened it and waved them inside. Within the room, Headmistress Leclerc was engaged in a quiet discussion with Madame Courtland. Marie was fully dressed, sitting in a chair glaring defiantly at the two older witches. Seeing them, she stood up, a mixture of joy and indignation in her eyes.

"Mama! Papa!" Marie exclaimed, crossing the room to her surprised parents and hugging them tightly. "They want to expel me from school! For no good reason at all!"

"Actually Mademoiselle Delacour," said the Headmistress, "We have good reason to expel you. This is a respectable witches' school, and we forbid relations with men for good reason; it tends to be a considerable distraction to one's studies."

"But I haven't had relations—" Marie began to protest, then her eyes widened, her face slowly turning red.

"Mademoiselle, we had our suspicions when your nausea persisted after your fainting spells subsided." The Headmistress said dryly. "As part of normal intake, Madam Courtland performs a battery of blood tests, non-invasive of course. It was a simple matter to detect what was wrong with you. You are pregnant, and since we cannot allow such a thing to happen at this school, you will be expelled."

By now, Marie's face was pale, her defiance having drained away completely as she felt blindly behind her for her chair. Her legs seemed to have no strength in them at all. Her mother, seeing her distress, moved to stand beside her, taking hold of her arm and carefully guiding her back to her seat.

"This is an outrage." Marcel hissed, drawing himself up to his full height to glare down at the two witches.

"It is in the handbook, Monsieur." Madam LeClerc said crisply, meeting his glare with her own. "Page 32, section three—"

"Marcel!" Helene said, stepping between them, and then turning to look at her husband. "We can't keep the secret any longer. You have to tell them, or I will."

"Helene—"

"Alright, we lied." His wife said, turning back to the Headmistress. "We…falsified her application. She is bonded, in the Veela tradition. I'm sure you realize that this is recognized under wizarding law as being fully equivalent to magical bonding or marriage, of course."

"Then she will be expelled," the Headmistress replied, her voice cold and unfriendly, "for falsifying her application. Madame Delacour, your Veela charms are lost on me. I suggest you take your daughter and leave, at once."

"Wait."

Everyone in the room turned to look at Marcel.

"I'll tell you everything." He sighed heavily. "I…I must ask that everyone leave, except for the Headmistress and Madame Courtland. Helene, take Marie into the hallway. Wait for me in the lobby."

Helene gave her husband a worried glance, to which he responded by nodding sharply toward the door. With the assistance of the young Medi-witch, she helped Marie out of the room.

ooOoo

"I suppose you are going to beg us to reconsider." Sniffed the Headmistress.

"On the contrary." Marcel said, taking out his wand to cast muffliato on the door. "But before we discuss this any further, I require a vow, as this involves official Ministry business."

"You are a desperate man." The Headmistress said softly, but took out her wand, nodding to Madame Courtland to follow suit.

"So, what is this about…and tell us the truth." She said, once the vow had taken affect. "No more deceptions, Monsieur."

"As my wife told you, our daughter is bonded, to one of our agents." Marcel said smoothly, hoping he could skip the details of exactly who the agent was. "The young man was working against the Dark Lord, and had managed to infiltrate his inner circle. They were bonded in a small private ceremony at our home, last year, rather than an official wedding. It was necessary to protect his cover, and our family."

At the mention of the Dark Lord, the two witches glanced nervously at each other.

"It was his wish that Marie attend your school, for the express reason of keeping her safe from harm. Examine your books, and you will find that the transfer of funds to pay her tuition, her room and board, and for her books…all of it came not from our accounts, but from another."

"We will need to check this." Said the Headmistress.

"Gringott's probably will not cooperate with you." Marcel sighed, running a hand through his thinning hair. "Our agent was lost during the Battle of Hogwarts. Not a trace of him has been found, though we are searching for him. Do you understand why I sent my daughter out of the room? She still does not know that we consider him lost at this point, and I would not like her to know just yet."

The Headmistress hesitated a moment, then nodded.

"You fear he…is dead?" She asked quietly.

"Please, say nothing to Marie of it…" He sighed, "…but yes, I do not believe we will find him at this point. He was in the thick of the fighting, and faced the Dark Lord by himself shortly before Harry Potter killed Voldemort."

The two witches shuddered at Marcel's casual use of the Dark Lord's name, despite his demise.

"Monsieur Delacour." The Headmistress said, leaning forward in her chair, "You understand, we cannot have a…pregnant student here on campus. It would be most…inappropriate. Perhaps, we could defer her studies to a later date. After the child is born, she could resume her studies if she were to agree to live off campus. We could provide housing as agreed upon, but in an unplottable cottage nearby. Would that be an acceptable compromise?"

Marcel hesitated a moment, just to put on a good show, then nodded vigorously.

"That seems quite fair, Madame Headmistress." He said. "To expel her might attract too much attention to the school; stir too much curiosity in her classmates. Perhaps we can make some sort of arrangements to explain her sudden absence?"

"She could be assigned a special projects course, perhaps a research project."

"Of course." Interjected Madame Courtland. "I have a few things she could assist me with. I could owl the materials to her, she could complete the research and owl it back to me. It could be for extra credit on her transcripts."

"Indeed." Marcel nodded. "I implore you, though…no word to her about her…bond-mate until we find out what has happened to him. I am still hopeful that he might be found, and I do not want her to be upset unnecessarily. You understand, of course. She…loves him dearly."

"We will not speak a word of this to her, Monsieur." Replied the Headmistress, with the Medi-witch nodding in silent agreement. "Depending on how well she fares with her pregnancy, we will gladly accept her back in regular classes, though she will still have to live off campus. You understand our position on this, of course. We would much rather not have it known."

"But of course."

ooOoo

When he walked into the lobby of the hospital wing, Marie was fast asleep in a chair, her mother's traveling cloak draped over her as she slept. Helene pounced on him immediately.

"Marcel!" She hissed softly, grabbing a fistful of his robes. "What happened? What took you so long?"

"I made a deal with them." He whispered back, grasping her hand affectionately. "She will have to live off campus, but she will be assigned a "special project" to explain her absence, and will be allowed to attend classes on campus once the baby is born. Thank Merlin that this has happened between terms, or it might be a bit more difficult to explain to her fellow students."

"We have to find him," Helene said, glancing over at their sleeping daughter, "or she may not last long enough to have the baby."

ooOoo

September 20, 1998~

She looked up when the door opened, surprised that a visitor would come this late.

"You're working late these days." Lucius Malfoy said quietly, looking over the parchments and books spread across the desk.

"I have a lot to do lately." Narcissa sighed, wiping her quill off. "Our investments have been in sore need of attention, and I can at least do my correspondence while I sit with him."

"I can handle the investments." He asked, sitting down in a chair across the desk from her. "How is he doing?"

"The same. No change."

"Not even a little bit? It's been over four months."

She just shook her head, and then put aside her quill, capping the inkwell.

"Lucius, it is a thousand wonders that he's alive at all. His wounds were horrible."

"Do you think it's safe to move him yet?" Lucius asked. "The Aurors coming around makes me a bit nervous; seems like the get closer every day."

"They haven't given up yet? I thought they would have, after Harry's testimony in the Wizengamot."

"Evidently not." He frowned. "There are still some in the Ministry that aren't very forgiving, it seems."

Narcissa looked over at the tall, slender man on the bed, his neck swathed in bandages. He barely seemed to breathe as he lay there, unmoving. She took her time, mentally assessing his injuries and present state of healing.

"I think we could move him, if we were careful." She finally said. "Though it would be better to use a portkey, just to be safe. I'm afraid he might not survive the shock of side-along apparating."

"I agree." Lucius nodded, leaning on his cane. "I found the perfect place, up in the north. Wasn't even that expensive to purchase it, and already unplottable."

"What about how to get there?"

"Here is the only portkey." He said, handing her a small beaded bracelet. "If you're the only one who has it, he should be completely safe. The activating words are 'Isabella Drake'; 'Portus', even with a wand, won't activate it. No magical signature on it, it only becomes active when you touch your wand to it and speak the phrase."

"Alright." She said, sliding the bracelet onto her wrist.

"There's one more thing." He said softly, kneeling before her.

"What is it?" Narcissa asked, puzzled.

"I want you to use Legilimency on me." Lucius said, his eyes steady on hers. "We have to protect him. If you use a memory charm on the part of my memory where I purchased the cottage, they can't find it. Only you must know, as the secret keeper, and you won't tell them."

ooOoo

She'd dreaded coming back all summer, putting off her return as long as possible. Now she stood in the bedroom that she shared with three other girls, looking at the heavy steamer trunk at the foot of her bed. Though it hadn't come home with her, it had haunted her dreams for the past three months, to the point where she was nearly exhausted from her guilty conscience gnawing at her.

Eugenia carefully knelt on the floor in front of it, touched her wand to the front in an intricate pattern, and was rewarded with a faint click. Rising slightly on her knees, she took hold of the lid with trembling hands, and eased the lid open.

They were still there, curled up like a serpent.

She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, biting her lip as she stared down at the fine black robes, marred by the rusty looking stains. They had begun to smell again, and making a face of disgust, she took her wand out to freshen up the charm to contain their odor.

What should I do with them? She thought. Should I throw them away?

The pounding of feet coming up the stairs alerted her to the return of her roommates, and she quickly closed the lid of the trunk. She had barely tapped out the code to relock the trunk when Luna Lovegood came in, followed by three other girls.

"Hello, Eugenia!" Luna said cheerfully, giving her a brilliant smile. "I was afraid you weren't coming back this year!"

"Hi…Luna." She said hesitantly, turning her back on the trunk. "I was held up…um, had to go to a family…thing. You know how that is, well, I missed the train, and so mum brought me back."

"But we're all here now!" Grinned Maria Glossop. "We were going to meet some of the boys to play Exploding Snap later, after dinner! You up for it?"

"Um…sure." Eugenia said, feeling a bit queasy.

ooOoo

September 28, 1998~

Carefully slipping off her cloak, she hung it on the hall tree after shaking some of the rain off of it. It had been a long day at the library, working on her research project, and she was looking forward to a nice hot bath. Her back was hurting something fierce today, the growing baby seeming to be taking up what little room there was in her abdomen, crowding everything out of its way. She felt completely exhausted.

"Good evening, Miss Marie." Ella said primly from the kitchen doorway. "Miss has a package."

"A package?" Marie frowned, absently rubbing her swollen abdomen. "I wasn't expecting anything."

"Miss does not need to touch it." The house elf said, waving a spoon at her. "Ella examined it, no magic. Just magic residue. Was powerful magic, but not now. Ella can throw it away if Miss wants, nasty smelly old thing."

"Throw it away? Well, what is it?"

"Robes. But robes stink."

"Robes?" Marie said, her eyes widening. "What, did someone send me their dirty laundry?"

"Robes smell like death." Ella said with a sniff of disapproval. "Need to be burned."

She fairly ran to the sitting room to rip the brown paper off the package sitting on the coffee table.

ooOoo

She sat on the floor of the sitting room in front of the fireplace, broken china around her, her back against the couch. It seemed like she'd been crying forever; she felt completely drained. For some reason, her ears were ringing, drowning out nearly all sound. She heard voices dimly, as if from miles away, and she stirred, sitting up a bit amid the wreckage of what had once been a rather nice couch and coffee table. The wind was blowing through the window, fluttering the drapes a bit.

Shivering slightly, she watched the drapes flutter for what seemed hours.

"Where is she?"

"In sitting room. Threw plates, broke dishes. Very angry. Screaming. Wild magic broke window, not safe to go in yet, Madame. Too dangerous."

"Thank you, Ella. I'll be alright. Wait out here for me."

The door creaked open, and her mother cautiously poked her head in.

"Marie?" She said gently, eying the mess. "Are you alright, darling?"

There was a long silence in the room, then finally, a response.

"No." She whispered faintly, her voice raw from screaming with rage and despair when she'd opened the package.

"Can I come in?"

She nodded mutely, fresh tears dribbling down her cheeks. She numbly wondered where they'd come from, surely she didn't have any to spare by now.

I feel like I'll never stop crying, she thought miserably. I'm going to cry forever.

I'm just going to shrivel up and die.

Cautiously, Helene Delacour picked her way through the broken dishes to kneel beside her daughter, brushing aside a few sharp shards from the tea service. Marie was sitting up with her back against what remained of the couch, wrapped up in black wool robes that were well made, but tattered and frayed in spots. As Helene slid her arms around Marie in a gentle embrace, the smell reached her nose.

She recognized it right away; it was the smell of dried blood. She tried as best as she could to hide her grimace at the stench.

Marie's hand came out from under the robes, holding an envelope in a trembling hand.

"This…was in it." She sniffed, swiping at her eyes with her sleeve. "It was sealed inside a concealed inside pocket, along with a set of keys. Must have been magical, it revealed itself when I touched the robes."

Helene took the envelope carefully, glancing warily at her daughter.

"Open it up." Marie said. "Read it."

She opened the envelope, took the letter out, and began to read.

Dearest Marie,

This was, perhaps, the most difficult letter of my life to write.

The battle draws near. It is highly unlikely that I will survive it, and if you are reading this, odds are that I did not.

Enclosed are the keys to my little house in Spinners End, such as it is, and the key to my vault at Gringott's. Go to my vault as soon as you can, for there is a small package there for you. I wish with all of my heart that I could have given you more than this.

The short few years we spent together were the closest I have been to happiness in my life, made all the more bittersweet by the certainty that it would come to an end all too soon.

I pray that somehow you will continue to live for many more years, but if you do not, I await you in the afterlife.

With all my love,

Severus.

Helene looked up at her daughter, her eyes wide with surprise.

"He's dead, Mama." Marie sobbed, leaning against her weakly. "He's really gone."

ooOoo

September 29, 1998~

On legs that felt like they were made of jelly, she walked alongside her mother into the imposing building, through the massive doors, across the tiled lobby of Gringott's. Marie glanced nervously around her as they made their way over to the end of the line for the clerks at their high counters. The goblins working at the bank had always made her rather uneasy, and today was no exception. The key for Severus' vault felt heavy in her hand, and she kept a firm grasp on it in the pocket of her robes.

Helene stood quietly beside her daughter, her arm held up so she could lean on it. Following the shock that Marie had received on opening the package that held Severus' cloak, she had been reluctant to let Marie go to the bank so soon, but her daughter had insisted that she was well enough to go. Putting up a brave front until they reached their destination, Marie had almost turned back at the last moment, but forced herself to go ahead with it.

Two large men, in the distinctive long coats of Aurors, emerged from an office down the hallway nearby, arguing with three goblins. Helene frowned at the impoliteness of the shorter Auror, as he angrily gestured at what appeared to be the senior goblin, his face beet red as he made his point. His companion put a calming hand on his arm, but he yanked it away, pointing his finger at the goblin, who was standing with his arms crossed in calm defiance.

"—warning you, Griphook!" They could faintly hear the Auror shouting as they shuffled closer to the counter in their line, "I'll come back with a warrant, and you'll open that dammed vault for me! You are interfering with an official investigation!"

"Duly noted, Auror McCall." Griphook said in a frosty, yet polite voice. "You might want to study up on Wizarding law regarding banks, however. We pride ourselves in maintaining strict confidentiality, as is required by that same law. I will tell you, once again, as a matter of professional courtesy, that there is no vault for Severus Snape here. You are wasting your time."

"You're lying!" McCall shouted, his face turning nearly purple with rage. "Severus Snape has a vault here, and as a person of interest in several capital crimes cases, it is subject to search!"

"Come on, William." The other Auror said, grabbing a handful of his partner's coat. "Let's get some air. Come on, now."

"You haven't heard the last of this, Griphook!" The florid-faced Auror shouted as his counterpart ushered him out the door. "I'll be back, with a warrant from the Wizengamot!"

"I look forward to our next chat." Griphook said quietly, turning away from the doorway to head to his office.

Helene glanced as Marie, who was trembling and quite pale.

"Are you alright, ma chérie?" She asked, conjuring a stool for her daughter to sit on. "Do you need some water?"

"I…I'm fine, Mama." Marie said, swallowing nervously. "What will happen…when I ask them to open…his vault?"

"I'm not sure, dear."

Time passed, and finally Marie timidly approached the counter when her turn came. A stern-looking goblin, bent over his ledger at his high counter, did not even deign to look at her.

"State your business." He said in a cold, somewhat bored voice.

"I would like to open my vault."

Peering at her over his reading glasses, he frowned.

"Your name, please."

"Marie Delacour."

"And do you have your key?"

"Yes, sir." She said, fumbling in the pocket of her robes. "Right here, sir."

She handed it up to him. Scaly, clawed fingers took the key from her shaky hand, and the goblin quietly examined the key. His eyebrows raised a fraction of an inch; a major change of expression for a goblin, then he slid off his stool and walked around the counter.

"Follow me, please." He said officiously, walking away. Marie and her mother followed, with Marie suppressing a fleeting smile at how short the goblin was.

I've finally found someone I tower over, she thought.

After the ride through the tunnels to the vault, she found herself standing in front of vault 621, clutching the key to herself.

"Lamp, please." The goblin said, holding his hand out. Her mother passed the lamp to the goblin, who hung it on a hook protruding from the stone wall.

"Key, please."

With a start, Marie came back to herself, holding the key out for the goblin to take. He turned and unlocked the door, swinging it open, then took the lamp and set it inside.

Marie gasped audibly, and her mother caught her as her knees began to give way.

It was more Galleons than she'd ever seen in one place, gleaming in the light of the lamp. The goblin walked to one of the piles, retrieving an envelope and a small emerald green box, bringing them to Marie and holding them out to her.

"My instructions are to give you these two items first." The goblin said.

"I…thank you, sir." Marie said softly, accepting the envelope and the box.

There was a minute twitch of the muscles near the goblin's mouth, and he nodded briskly.

"You…have our condolences." He said, stepping to one side so Marie could enter the vault.

ooOoo

Now she sat on her bed, alone after her mother had shooed Jenny out of the bedroom, insisting that she needed some privacy. The emerald green box and the envelope lay before her on the duvet. Closing her eyes for a moment, she took a deep breath and blew it out slowly, struggling to calm herself down. After several minutes, she picked up the envelope and opened it with unsteady hands, biting her lip. Unfolding the fine parchment, she read it slowly.

All of this is yours, everything in this vault, everything in my house in Spinner's End. I put it all in your name the day after I was appointed Headmaster, for I knew that the end was near, and I wanted you to be taken care of. It was all I could do for you, and yet it seems utterly inadequate as I write this.

I know this is not what you wanted, nor is it what I wanted.

Gringott's brokerage will be contacting you soon after you access the vault with a portfolio of my investments, now yours. I entrust them to you with full confidence that you will manage them wisely.

One last thing. In the box is my mother's engagement ring. We never had the chance to have a proper courtship, nor a proper wedding. I would be honored if you might choose to wear it.

I must close now, and leave this here in the vault. I will not be returning here.

All of my love,

Severus

Swiping her sleeve across her eyes to blot away her tears, she set the letter aside and picked up the emerald green box. Carefully opening it, she found a simple silver ring, with an emerald framed between two smaller diamonds. With trembling fingers, she removed it from the box and slid it onto her left ring finger.

A perfect fit, she thought, fresh tears welling in her eyes. He prepared for this day.

He did all of this for me…and he never knew we were going to have a baby.

Oh, Merlin…why does life have to be so unfair? Why do I have to bear this burden all alone?

"Oh, Severus." She sobbed, collapsing onto the bed in grief. "Why did it have to end like this?"

Pulling his old robes over her, she cried for a long time, finally falling asleep. When her mother checked on her, Marie was curled up on the bed, her eyes puffy and red from crying, with one arm protectively cradling the unborn child that she carried within her.

Conjuring a chair to sit on next to the bed, Helene sat with her daughter through the night, one hand lightly touching Marie's hand as she slept.

ooOoo

January 2, 1999~

"Look at her, Marcel." Helene said softly, clutching her husband's arm. "She is perfect."

"Oui." Marcel said, patting her hand affectionately. "How is Marie? Is she awake yet?"

"No. The Medi-witch said the labor, it was difficult for her. She is exhausted."

"Will she be alright?" He asked, his eyes dark with concern.

"Oh, of course. She is just tired, it took a long time."

He nodded, looking down into the crib at his newborn granddaughter.

"She has black hair, and so curly." He said, smiling and holding a finger out for her to grasp in her tiny hand. "But her eyes, they are blue."

"Many babies, they have blue eyes."

"She will have blue eyes, like a Delacour. Not brown, like a Snape."

"Oh, never mind that! She is perfect," Helene beamed, reaching down to stroke the pink cheek. "Look, Marcel, dimples already! She is beautiful, no matter what color her eyes are, Marcel. Blue or brown eyes, she is lovely."

"Oui, she is beautiful."

ooOoo

Blinding white light.

He blinked, uncomfortable with the glare as his eyes gradually adjusted to the room.

Not blinding, perhaps, but still far too bright.

With an effort that taxed him severely, he raised his head slightly to look around him. The venture rewarded him with excruciating pain in his neck, causing him to grunt softly in discomfort.

I'm…alive, he thought woozily. How?

Footsteps, faint at first, then drawing closer to the bed. A woman leaning over him. He struggled to focus his eyes on her, and she gradually became more familiar. He blinked his eyes a few times to try to clear the haze.

Narcissa Malfoy.

"Hello, Severus." She said, smiling. "Glad to see you're still with us. How do you feel today?"

Like shit, he thought. His mouth seemed stuffed with cotton wool, unable to form words. He coughed, and pain lanced through his throat, bringing tears to his eyes and wringing another moan from him.

"Hold on." She said, conjuring a water glass and straw, and then filling it with water from her wand. Carefully, she held the straw to his lips so he could drink.

"Little sips. Not too much, you might choke."

Marie. He thought, his lips barely able to form her name, struggling to keep his eyes open as the darkness of unconsciousness pulled him under once again.

ooOoo

"Hey, sleepyhead."

Marie opened her eyes sleepily, looking over at the speaker.

Luna Lovegood sat there next to her bed, a warm smile on her face.

"Luna." Marie said gently, her voice so soft it could barely be heard.

"How are you feeling?" Luna said, leaning closer to the bed.

"Tired."

"I bet." Her friend said, stroking her cheek. "I went by the nursery and saw her. She's beautiful."

"Ten fingers, ten toes…and always hungry." Marie smiled, closing her eyes. Luna laughed softly.

They sat there for a moment, and then Luna spoke again.

"Hermione and Harry are out in the hallway." Luna said gently, "I think they want to talk to you, but they don't want to upset you. They sent me in to ask if it's okay."

"It's fine." Marie said, smiling lazily through the haze of painkilling potions. "Tell them to come in."

Luna walked over to the door, leaned outside for a moment, and then came back, Harry and Hermione behind her.

Harry remained behind Luna, looking very uncomfortable, while Hermione went around to the other side of the bed and carefully took her hand.

"Marie, I'm sorry I was so ugly to you last year." Hermione said, biting her lip nervously.

"It's alright."

"No, it isn't. I was wrong about Snape, and I was absolutely hateful-"

"'mione, there's no way you could have known." Marie said, her voice a bit stronger now. "I…I lied to you and Luna, because I had to protect Severus at the time. I don't hold it against you, because you didn't know."

"Marie…" Harry began, swallowing nervously. "I'm sorry about what happened to…to Severus. I told everyone who would listen, about what he sacrificed—"

"It's…it's okay, Harry." Marie smiled bravely, fighting back the tears. "I understand…that you were with him. At the end."

"Yes." Harry nodded.

"I have to know…did he suffer?" Marie asked, a note of despair creeping into her voice.

"No…I don't think so." Harry replied, pushing his glasses up. "He…gave me some memories. And that was it. He slipped away shortly after…Marie, I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's okay." She said softly, blinking back tears. "I'm glad he didn't die alone. Thank you."

ooOoo

"Here you go." She said, handing him the envelope. "Plucked, not cut, just as you requested. But I don't understand why this is necessary. I don't see why I should have to cause him any more pain, given what he's already been through."

"Some sort of potion, she said." Lucius replied, tucking the envelope away. "Wasn't willing to elaborate on it. You know Poppy, she works on all kinds of things. Perhaps she's figured out a way to cure the paralysis somehow."

"She's not going to give us away, is she?" Narcissa asked, a touch of anxiety in her voice.

"No, of course not." He said. "She helped us with him when we first found him; do you think she would betray us now? Patient-healer privilege, and all that, you know. Besides, we need her help, since we need potions that only she can get for us."

"I suppose so."

"How is he doing?"

"Better. Still unable to speak. He gets tired easily, can't stay awake long at all. He sleeps for several days at a time."

"What about the paralysis? Can he move at all?"

"Only a little, his fingers and toes." Narcissa said. "But it's a huge improvement over how he was three months ago. I think it might eventually wear off, given enough time."

Lucius nodded approvingly.

"I got you some new books." He said, holding up a satchel that he'd already shrunk down for travel. "I hope you like them."

"Thank you. It gets pretty boring, just sitting around that tiny cottage. If you stayed there too long, you could go mad if you had nothing to occupy your mind."

"I trust the house elf helps, though."

"Quite a bit." She smiled. "I barely have to do anything for him these days."

"Do you think he could be left with the house elf alone?"

"No." Narcissa said, shaking her head. "He's too much for one house elf to handle, and we can't afford to spare two. You could do it, if you want to."

"Perhaps." He said, and then shook his head. "Then again, I'm still being watched."

"The Aurors never give up, do they?"

"No." Lucius spat in contempt. "Even after the Potter boy testified, they still want his head on a spike outside the gates of the Ministry. He deserves the Order of Merlin for what he did."

"I'm glad you're not angry at him for betraying…our former leader."

"I had to come to my senses at some point, Cissy." He sighed, shoulders drooping in dejection. "I was in the wrong to support him as long as I did, and it was only the intervention of Severus that got us out of the mess I created. I was a fool, a blind fool, and I nearly ruined our family."

"We owe him our lives." She said soberly, sliding an arm around his waist as they stood by the crackling fire.

ooOoo