Chapter Two: And He Became a Knight

Severus stared at the large mirror. He had grown up with it there and now at the age of seven his mother had finally let him look into the glass. But he didn't see anything. He was almost disappointed; he knew his father saw something there. He would stand and stare at it for hours, ignoring his son, ignoring his wife. He was addicted to it and that simple fact caused disgust to flood through the small boy.

The mirrors surface was black and glimmering like a twisting void, the frame was elaborately gilded and engraved with words he could not read. And it was enormous. He stared up to the top with childish wonder. He almost could not believe that it had to be leaned back to fit in the room. He was starting to learn about it and where it came from. That was something else he could hardly believe. It was like a fairy tale from one of the books his mother used to read him before he proclaimed himself to be too old for bed time stories.

There was supposed to be a lady that lived in the mirror, but his mother had not told him much about her. She had said that he had to get to know her on his own.

Bravely the young boy took a step closer to the enchanted mirror and quickly tapped on it than ripped his hand away. After being told just how dangerous this mirror was on many occasions, and seeing it first hand with his waste of space muggleborn father, he wasn't about to let it do anything to him.

"Hello? Are you there lady?" Feminine chuckling answered his steady query. Then the void changed.

First to appear was a natural spring, simple and pure in its beauty. Severus had only ever seen pictures of places like this, but to see one that was almost real was breath taking. Then she appeared. And she was as enchanting to the boy as the mirror was to those not of his blood line. Her hair was fire red, her skin like snow and her lips like blood. She looked to him with watery blue eyes as she sat on the stone lip of the spring, dressed in light but old fashioned finery, like a princess from a fairy tale.

"Hello little one," she said smoothly, the embodiment of a mother. "What's your name?"

"Severus, but all my friends call me Sev," he answered politely, not mentioning that he only had one friend. "What's yours?" She smiled at him softly, not seeming dangerous at all, but he knew that appearances were deceiving.

"I am Erised, but you can call me Eri if you let me call you Sev." Was she offering to be his friend? Well, whether she was or not Severus nodded at her causing her smile to widen a little and she swept back a wisp of her fiery hair. "Put your hand against the glass Sev."

"Why?" he asked warily. His mother had not told him anything about this.

"Because I need you to. I can feel My Lady Raven is to return soon and you need to be able to recognise her."

"How soon?" He asked, not sure if he could trust this lady in the mirror.

"She will be born in ten to twelve years." Severus frowned.

"That's ages away! Not soon." She smiled at him, a caring motherly smile.

"True, it is not soon to one so young as yourself. But I'm ancient, thousands of years old. So to me ten years is not so long, and I need you to be ready for her." She tilted her head to the side and an imploring hint entered her eyes. "So, will you lay your hand against the mirror for me? Please?"

Severus frowned and looked to the floor in indecision. The mirror was dangerous. That was what he had been told for as long as he could remember. But this lady, Eri, seemed really nice. And she definitely seemed like she wasn't lying about needing his help. This was hard. She only wanted him to put his hand on the mirror. That could not be too bad. Could it?

He took a deep breath, almost not believing what he was doing. This disregarded every lesson he had ever received about this mirror.

His hand was on the cool, smooth glass.

Heat rushed through him. His limbs tingled. Images flashed through his mind. People, places, creatures. Savage beasts and beautiful sirens. Kings and peasants. Queens and hags. Then, finally.

Lady Raven.

Dark. Enchanting. Her eyes gleaming with power and intelligence as she rapidly changed. Grew from a girl that looked about ten into a woman of twenty five.

Loyalty found its place in his heart and he knew, without even meeting her, that he would die for his Queen. For his Lady Raven.


At age seventeen and in his last year of Hogwarts Severus furiously paced the office of Albus Dumbledore. Where was the old fool! So much for his invitation of "my office is open to anyone who needs to unburden their heart". Though to be honest his heart was quite free of burden. He just needed to protect Eri.

With a sigh he looked out of the window, absently scratching at the burning mark on his left forearm. Had he not been so gifted at oclumency Voldemort would have taken his only friend from him and that would not bode well for anyone. The mirror was a potent source of power, but only Lady Raven was worthy of it. Though Eri had lent him a small part of her strength a couple of times, but those times had been of dire need. Not to mention that if anyone tried to tap into, or use that power without her permission it caused her pain far beyond that of Crucio. And he should know, he had suffered that particular curse and he was linked to the mirror in such a way that her pain became his.

He heard the door open behind him and felt the headmaster approach him. With his Legimency he had gotten to know the presence of most people by the subtle change of magic in the air that they invoked. "I have a proposition for you," Severus said proudly without turning around to look at the old man.

"Severus, what have you done?" Smirking the young man turned around, rolling up his sleeve.

"I have quite the talent for guarding my mind against intruders, along with a considerable lack of conscience. Both of which are very useful for betraying certain irritating alliances." Finally a black skull with a snake spewing from its mouth was fully visible, writhing on his forearm. The old man clenched his fists so hard that they were shaking. "Now I'm in a position where my only loyalty is to my family duty, and the best way to serve that duty is to become a spy for your side, not to mention having the full cooperation of the youngest potions Master in the world would obviously be quite beneficial. All I ask in return is that you help me to hide and protect a certain artefact of great magical potency."

For the first time in his life Severus had the honour, no the privilege, of seeing Dumbledore truly furious. Magic crackled angrily about his form. The room seemed to darken and the simple livid expression he wore was very impressive. However . . . "My mother was far more intimidating when she lost her temper."

"Foolish boy!" he snapped harshly. "Do you have any idea what you have done!" Severus rolled his eyes.

"First of all I am anything but foolish. I never enter into anything without knowing exactly where it will get me, so yes. I do know what I've done. And secondly," he said with a raised eyebrow. "I haven't been a boy for quite some time. My rather wonderful family situation forced me to grow up quite quickly.

"So do you accept my offer? Or do I need to flee the country quite rapidly? Which I will if I've no reason to stay and pay attention to the hot air that He Who Is A Pillock vastly enjoys inflicting upon his pathetic followers." His voice was heavily laden with bitter sarcasm and vastly lacking in any form of respect. Mainly because he only had respect for his dearly departed mother, Eri, and the soon to be conceived Lady Raven.

Dumbledore stared at the defiant youth before him, spasmodically changing between fury, indignation and something mildly more positive yet indefinable. At last his shoulders slumped, a sign he was ready to at least listen.

"And what is that artefact?" The smirk on Severus' lips widened slightly.

"The mirror of Erised."


He could not believe it. He had to be dreaming. Hallucinating. There among the first years, on their way to be sorted. He should have known she would be here soon, but with not being able to see Eri for so long it had slipped deeper into his mind, hidden. Now at the age of twenty nine Severus was watching the girl he had been waiting for since he was seven years old.

"Granger, Hermione," called out McGonagall.

The girl he had been watching stepped forward, her image changing every time he blinked. Her normal image was that of a fairly pretty girl with uncontrollable bushy brown hair, large front teeth and hazel doe eyes that were full of nerves. She stood proudly, her chin up. But that of the young Lady Raven was slightly shorter, much paler, with long ebony hair and dazzlingly innocent emerald green eyes. Her lips were a darker red that most,nearly the colour of blood. She almost looked boyish and had it not been for her long, curved eyelashes and the grace she was developing in her movements she could have easily been mistaken as such. Her pace was fast, making it look as though she was almost running, but he could tell from subtle signs in her body language that the pace she choose was actually the one she was most comfortable with.

She took a seat upon the stool, her back straight and so proud she was almost arrogant. The hat was placed on her head. Please Slytherin. Please. Or at least not Gryffindor, was his silent plea. Unfortunately, like all silent prayers, it was whole heartedly ignored.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Oh bollocks," he muttered under his breath as the Gryffindor table cheered and clapped, not quite as enthusiastically as he would have liked though. But who could blame them. They could not exactly know that they had just gained a reincarnated Queen for their house. Nor could they know that she was once the most powerful sorceress the world had ever seen, and that she would most likely achieve that goal again in this life.


Pain screamed through his flesh. His very senses were torn asunder. A woman screamed in his mind. "Eri," escaped his lips. Fire flashed within his veins. knives ripped his skin to shreds. Oh Merlin, give him the Cruciatious over this.

Then it was gone.

He found he was lying on the floor of his office, his limbs still twitching slightly. But his thoughts were not of his own well fare. Erised was the only thing in his mind.

Shakily he forced himself to his feet as her heard her sobbing as a faint whisper in his mind. With his pride the only thing keeping him steady, he rushed towards where he felt the mirror was. He knew it was in the castle. It had been brought here to keep it safe from a new threat, but it seemed that threat had followed it.

Finally he reached the unused classroom he knew it would be in. Drawing his wand he threw open the door, only to see the only person he had trusted around the mirror with his own wand drawn.

"You fool! Do you have any idea what you could have done to her! How much pain you've caused her!" It was rare that he truly lost his temper, but if anything was guaranteed to evoke rage it was endangering Erised.

"What are you talking about? It's just a mirror."

"Just a mirror!" snapped Severus. "Can it be that the all knowing Albus Dumbledore requires a history lesson?" His voice had never been so silkily derisive, he even impressed himself. "The Mirror of Erised is what you see now. You see a reflection of your hearts greatest desire. I however, am a descendant of the night who was charged with its protection, so I see a dark viod or Erised."

"More than a simple descendant of a knight," came the voice of Erised from the mirror as she allowed herself to be seen by both men. "You are a knight." Her watery eyes turned to the pair, her body slumped in the fatigue that came after enduring unbelievable pain and her pale cheeks tear stained.

Dumbledore's eyes widened in shock at her appearance.

"Are you alright Eri?" She gave a brief nod before turning to the old man.

"Thousands of years ago I was trapped in this mirror for my crimes using a particular magical talent I had. The talent to see what desire truly lay at a person's heart. I would manipulate or drive them mad with such knowledge. Not for any real gain, simply for fun. I came to love my mistress as a pet may love their owner and now I await her return.

"Though I may be heartless I know what your war will do should it be reignited, I saw what it did to Severus and I do not want to see him have to go through that again. Had you simply asked, I would have agreed to guard your stone for you."


Dumbledore sat at his desk, sallow and looking queasy. He opened his mouth to speak several times, only to close it again. When he eventually found his voice, his speech was halting and shaky. "I don't believe you."

"Well, you should. I did tell you that the second I thought you were putting Erised in danger or trying to tap her strength I would look for an opportunity to dispose of you. This unbreakable vow was simply convenient. I really must remember to thank that insane wench before I kill her, when I get around to it."

"That mirror has poisoned your mind," he replied numbly.

"Well, that is what she does best. Though to be honest I'm not doing it for her. It's more personal satisfaction to be honest. You've tested my loyalty time and time again, using harsher and harsher methods. Where as He Who Is the Bane of My Life, has yet to test me at all. Isn't that a surprise? I think he actually understands that my loyalties do not lie within this bloody war," Severus said calmly. "To be honest I'm only still working for either of you because I have a reincarnated sorceress to protect, for all the good it does me."

"What have I done to deserve the promise of death?"

"What haven't you done? Do you realise how often I've had to move Eri because of you? And how venomous she's become because of your continued perusal of her power? No, you've done more than enough for me to warrant making that vow. Not to mention I know that Draco won't be able to do it and I know that if he fails without the saving grace of someone else killing you he will be killed. Strangely enough I actually care about the boy." He gave a satisfied smirk as he looked towards Dumbledore. "I assure you that I will remain loyal to the Order until I have fulfilled my vow. Good day Albus."

And with that he walked out of the office.


"Where is the mirror Severus?" hissed Voldemort close to his ear as he was restrained with the use of magic in the centre of the inner circle of Death Eaters.

"To coin a favourite muggle phrase of mine, go to hell," his voice was still sturdy and proud despite the severe beating he had received. He turned his head away and spat out the copery blood which had gathered in his mouth.

"How are you able to defeat your own vertirisium I wonder?" Severus raised an eyebrow.

"You really are quite an incompetent conqueror." Voldemorts lip curled at the comment, but surprisingly enough he ignored it.

"Where have you hidden Erised?"

"I haven't hidden her anywhere," he stated plainly. Oh dodging these questions was child's play. Had he not known what would be coming soon he would have taken some satisfaction in the fact that he was most likely grating on Voldemorts nerves more than Black had grated on his own (which was quite an impressive feat).

"Shall we help to loosen his tongue My Lord?" came the eager voice of Bellatrix, from the circle. Severus simply rolled his eyes. "It would be fun to make him think that he is in that Hell he so fond of."

"At least I can take some comfort in the fact that I won't be in the deepest circle, which is reserved solely for betrayers," he answered, turning his head to look at her with a sardonic expression. An expression which Voldemort took great notice of. His red serpant eyes blazed at the not to subtle insinuation. And he whipped his wand towards the woman, pronouncing those wonderfully fatal words.

"AVADA KEDAVERA!"

With a shrill scream and a garish flash of green Bellatrix fell back, dead.

"Thank you for that, you've saved me quite some effort later on in life. Though I admit it was surprisingly easy to manipulate you into killing your most faithful follower, absolutely insane, but utterly faithful."

As expected, torture beyond the limits of description followed his blatant insubordination. The only thing that kept him loyal, that kept him alive, was the image of the beautiful woman his Lady had grown to be.


With a gasp she fell from his mind. Many more of his memories still whirling through her mind and exhaustion flooding her body. She was so tired. She could hardly move. In her drained state, she collapsed to the potion Masters side,one leg and an arm still draped over him and she fell deeply asleep within seconds.


A/N Thank you to Lady Entity, reitashnehelena and KDarkMaiden for your reviews. They were most . . . entertaining.