Disclaimer; I am obviously not JKR, therefore I will not be making any money from this. Unfortunately.
Chapter 2
Albus Dumbledore was sitting at the huge desk in his circular office, catching up with what he deemed, "inconvenient" paperwork for the Ministry of Magic. His numerous, curious instruments hummed and tinkled gently upon various spindly-legged tables in the background, while his quill scratched against the parchment spread over the desk. Finally, he signed his name at the end of the parchment with a flourish and sat back in his large chair, stretching for a moment before he made his way to the owlery to send his work to London.
As his eyes wandered to the dark window, something made him sit bolt upright. A shimmering, silver light was speeding across the grounds towards his window, becoming brighter as it got closer. Dumbledore rose from his chair and bustled over to the window, throwing it open, just as the light reached it. A shimmering silver doe landed lightly in his office and spoke with the voice of Severus Snape.
"Headmaster, I require your assistance with a potentially troublesome problem. I request your presence in my quarters urgently. We have an unexpected visitor."
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Dumbledore knocked sharply upon the closed door to Severus Snape's living quarters. It opened silently and the Headmaster stepped inside. He found Severus pacing the floor thoughtfully, his wand in his hand at his side, while a young, dark haired, petite woman lay unconscious on a low black leather couch.
"So, who is our guest, Severus?" Dumbledore asked, walking over to the sofa in order to inspect the lifeless woman more closely.
Severus stopped pacing and held his arm out toward the figure on his couch. "Allow me to introduce you to my sister, Lyssa Lavigne."
Dumbledore crouched beside the lifeless witch and brushed a few stray strands of damp hair away from her face, taking in the pallid skin, dark circles around the eyes and frail figure. "Merlin's beard," he murmured. "Is this really young Lyssa Snape?"
Severus cast a look of derision towards his sister. "She was. Before she met her husband."
Dumbledore's face darkened momentarily. "Ah yes. Leval Lavigne. Am I correct in my assumption that he did not accompany his wife on her journey here?"
Severus' cold dark eyes glinted malevolently. "Indeed you are. I have been led to believe that Lavigne was killed by the Dark Lord himself."
"I see," Dumbledore said. He straightened up and sat down in the only available armchair, pressed his fingertips together and studied the young woman pensively. He wondered why Voldemort would kill Leval, yet spare his wife? He had heard from Severus, that Leval had betrayed Voldemort, giving details of Death Eaters and their involvement in Dark Magic to the Ministry, in return for financial rewards. What Leval had not counted on, was that the wizards to whom he was giving the information were as corrupt as he, and it had been brought to Voldemort's attention that he had a traitor among his followers. Leval had been forced to flee and he had taken his wife with him.
As Dumbledore continued his contemplation, a faint moan escaped Lyssa's parched lips and her eyes flickered open. Before she could focus on where she was, images flooded her mind: the sprawling Spanish villa in the mountains, where she had been forced into hiding by Leval. She was curled up on the cool terracotta-tiled floor of the entrance hall, pain racking through her body, making her scream. She looked up to see her husband towering over her, his face contorted in fury.
"Where have you been?" he yelled. "You are not to leave this villa! I have told you again and again, yet still you disobey! Perhaps I should kill you now; should the Dark Lord ever find us here, we will be dead anyway! You have been in contact with your brother haven't you? He knows where we are, doesn't he? You traitorous bitch! CRUCIO!"
Lyssa let out another agonised scream. "I haven't spoken to anybody!" she shrieked. "I swear! Please stop!"
Just as she was hoping Leval would just let her die, he lifted the curse. She remained upon the floor, trembling and crying. Fearfully, she raised her eyes. The sight that met her made her recoil in terror; amidst a swirl of black smoke beside her, formed the menacing figure of Lord Voldemort.
Leval dropped to his knees. "M-my Lord," he stammered. "P-please f-forgive me. I have been foolish…"
Voldemort stepped forward and placed a hand on Leval's head. "Indeed you have." He grabbed a handful of Leval's thick, black hair and wrenched his head up to face him.
"I am s-so s-sorry, my Lord," Leval spluttered, his eyes pleading for mercy.
Voldemort raised his wand, his red eyes glinting malevolently. "Avada Kedavra!"
Lyssa screamed as her husband slumped to the floor, the flash of green light hitting him directly between the eyes. "Leval!"
She scrambled toward the prone body of her husband, only to be stopped by Voldemort. She cowered at the naked feet standing between her and Leval, bracing herself for what she thought might come. Perhaps, if she was lucky, he would kill her as quickly as he did Leval. She wouldn't be able take any more torture. She felt that she might go mad.
She flinched as Voldemort stepped closer. "You have no need to worry, Lyssa," he said, in a dangerously soft voice. He crouched down to where she trembled and extended a long, pale hand. "Your brother asked me to spare you. He has been a loyal servant. Much as you have been a loyal, if not misled, wife. It was your husband who betrayed me, Lyssa, not you. I value loyalty, which is why I am willing to give you a second chance. Return to my fold and I will reward your loyalty much better than your husband ever did. Find Severus. He will bring you back."
Lyssa took his hand, which was as cold as his voice. "But, I have not seen Severus in many years."
Voldemort gave her a reproachful look. "Severus is still the Potions Master at Hogwarts, Lyssa. I trust you can make your way there?"
Lyssa nodded. "Of course my Lord," she whispered hoarsely. "Thank you for being so merciful."
"I shall expect to see you soon Lyssa," Voldemort hissed. "If I don't, you may well wish you had met the same fate as your traitor husband."
With that, Voldemort vanished in another cloud of black smoke.
Lyssa leaned against the cool wall, shaking, staring at Leval's dead body. Only one thing was swimming around her head - Severus. She must find Severus.
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She gasped and opened her eyes wide. Where was she? She was on her hands and knees looking down at a black and green rug.
"I think that will do, Severus," a gentle voice to her right said.
She looked up and found herself staring at Severus, his fathomless black eyes gleaming as he stared back.
"I suggest you improve your Occlumency skills between now and your next meeting with the Dark Lord, Lyssa," he said coldly. "You will have us either killed, or tortured into insanity if you do not."
Lyssa clutched the hem of his robes, her stormy grey eyes swimming with hope. "Does that mean you will help me?"
Severus shook his robes free of her grasp and pulled her to her feet. "It would appear I have little choice."
Lyssa threw herself at him, her arms wrapped around his waist. "Oh, Severus! Thank you! Thank you so much!"
Severus took a step back and disentangled himself from her embrace.
"Don't thank me, dear sister," he spat. "My primary concern is that of the Order and those that the Dark Lord seeks to destroy. I will need to make sure that you do not find your way into his pocket and jeopardise all we have worked towards for so long."
Lyssa glared. "Do you think I actually want to return to the Dark Lord?" She turned to Dumbledore imploringly. "Professor Dumbledore - sir, that is why I am here; I do not want to go back to him and his followers, and their horrific ways, but he has left me with little choice."
"You made your choice when you chose Leval Lavigne as your husband," Severus snarled.
"Now, now, Severus," Dumbledore said softly. "I'm sure we are all guilty of making bad choices at some time in our lives."
Severus's eyes flashed dangerously, but he remained silent.
"I'm thinking that we may be able to use your involvement with the Dark Lord to our advantage, Lyssa," Dumbledore mused. "He obviously thinks you would be an asset to his side; he spared your life, yet not Leval's. Perhaps you could be an asset to ours."
Lyssa and Severus exchanged a look.
"The only reason he spared me," Lyssa began, quietly and slowly, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on her brother's face; "was because Severus asked him to."
Severus stared back, his lip curling.
"Then, I think you certainly could be beneficial to the Order," Dumbledore stated. He turned to Severus. "Perhaps you could tell me the results of your Legilimency upon your sister, while she takes some time to enjoy the facilities we have here? I'm sure after all that time spent outside in the cold and rain, she would be appreciative of a warm bath."
Severus slid a cold look towards his sister, which indicated that the last thing he wanted to do was offer her any form of hospitality, let alone the use of his bathroom. But he gave a curt nod, all the same and jerked his head towards a black door at the far side of the room.
"You will find everything you require in there," he stated curtly.
"Thank you," Lyssa said, more to Dumbledore than Severus and with a swish of her gown, she crossed the room to the specified door. As it closed behind her, Dumbledore turned to Severus.
"Perhaps we should discuss this situation in my office, Severus. Allow your sister some privacy."
Severus followed Dumbledore out, locking the door behind them with a deft flick of his wand.
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A/N: Many thanks to my beta evenstar101 for ironing out the kinks! Also thanks to those who read my previous chapter. I hope you enjoyed this one.