Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Traitors

Part Three: Prophecy

"Enjoying your drink, sir?"

"Oh, enough with the sir business. I may be your elder, but that doesn't mean you've got to keep reminding me of it." Elphias Doge took a long drink from his Troll Tonic, then gave a froggy smile. "Very much, thank you."

Severus smiled. It had taken weeks to find a suitable target, but finally his plan was going to pay off. The Three Broomsticks was mostly empty during the Hogwarts Winter Holidays. Apart from Severus and Doge, only a group of seven in the opposite corner was present to keep Madame Rosmerta busy.

"So, you had questions for me, Mr. Snape?" Doge still had that smile on his face. It might have soured Severus's mood under different circumstances.

"Yes, about Professor Dumbledore, and yourself of course." Doge was here under the pretense that Severus was working on a biography of Dumbledore. It had been far easier than Severus expected to capture Doge's interest. He seemed more than willing to share.

"Dumbledore, of course." If it was possible, Doge's smile widened further. The floppy hat he was wearing dropped around his head on all sides. It gave him the appearance of a wrinkled mushroom. "Well, go on." Doge took another sip of his tonic—another sip of the veritaserum Severus had slipped into the drink.

"I thought we'd start with something simple," Severus said. "What is your relationship with Dumbledore currently?"

"Oh, Albus and I have been friends for about as long as I can remember. Since Hogwarts at least. I had just got over the contagious stage of Dragon Pox, so I was able to attend, but I still carried some of the symptoms. Most of the other boys thought it best to keep their distance, but not Albus. He came right up to me and introduced himself on day one, and let me tell you…"

Severus forced himself to pay attention and act interested as Doge prattled on about his school days. None of this was relevant to what Severus wanted, but if he was too forward, Doge might catch on and become tight-lipped, even under the effects of veritaserum.

When Doge had finished, Severus patiently probed him again. "That sounds wonderful, Mr. Doge, but I was wondering how you would currently classify your relationship with Dumbledore?"

"Yes, yes, of course," Doge said. "Well, obviously we're still great friends. He's still the Chief Warlock and I advise him on many matters. He's also the head of the Order of the Phoenix.."

Perfect. Now Severus just needed to dig deeper.

"You certainly seem very important to Dumbledore." Stroking Doge's ego was making Severus nauseous, but it was a good way to get someone to trust you. "A lot of people must depend on the two of you."

"Oh yes. The Wizengamot wouldn't function without us, and of course, the Order wouldn't even exist. We were the founding members, you know." Doge drank again, happily oblivious that he was betraying his great friend Albus Dumbledore.

"You were the two founders, but who else followed?" Severus asked. It was as direct as he thought he could be without surpassing the limits of the veritaserum.

"Hmmm, let me see. There are so many now. So many who would fight against You-Know-Who…"

Severus smirked as Doge began listing off names. He didn't bother to write them down. The Dark Lord would see this memory in perfect detail later, and then Severus would be rewarded again… There was just the matter of learning more about Dumbledore's activities. Severus's lack of progress on that front made him less and less favored by the day.

"And of course, the Potters."

Severus was jolted back to the Three Broomsticks. "Pardon?"

"The Potters. James and Lily."

Doge continued talking, but Severus wasn't listening. He knew that James was a member of the Order, and he had suspected Lily would join as well, but he had no idea they had married. The thought made him sick to his stomach, but Severus forced himself to remain at the table as Doge betrayed the last of his companions.

"That's all of us, I suppose." Doge smiled again, as though fondly imagining his friends carry on the fight.

Severus stood abruptly. "Thank you, Mr. Doge. You've been most illuminating."

"Wait, is that all? I thought you'd surely want to know about—"

"Obliviate."

Severus's body shielded the pub's few other occupants from seeing the light of his spell. He carefully crafted the memory charm to remove the last thirty minutes or so that he and Doge had spent in the Three Broomsticks. With any luck, the old man would just think that he'd had a few too many.

Severus exited the Three Broomsticks quickly and noted the time. He wrapped his cloak more tightly around himself to ward off the cold and set off. Fresh snow had conspired to make the path to Hogwarts impassible, so Severus began using his wand to melt a path in front of him. He would have liked to return to the Dark Lord immediately with what he had found, but that would have held him up. The identities of Dumbledore's vigilantes were safe in his memories for the time being, and Severus had an appointment to keep.


Following Dumbledore around had proven to be fruitless. After three weeks, Severus had learned nothing. The few times that he had been able to eavesdrop on the headmaster, Dumbledore had held only mundane conversations, often referring to the weather and expressing excitement about the holidays. The one time that Severus had caught anything related to the Dark Lord, it had only been Dumbledore affirming that the Wizengamot supported the Minister's policies. All of that was only when he was on Dumbledore's trail. That trail was proving difficult to follow.

Severus wasn't surprised that so many of the Dark Lord's servants had failed in this task. Dumbledore spent the majority of his time in places that were inaccessible to all but a few privileged individuals. Dumbledore's working life alternated taking him between the headmaster's office at Hogwarts and the Chief Warlock's chambers at the Ministry for Magic. Neither of those were places that Severus could just walk into. In fact he wouldn't even be able to get onto the Hogwarts grounds without an invitation, unless he wanted to trek through the Forbidden Forest.

Severus had briefly entertained the idea of breaking into the Shrieking Shack and using the secret passageway onto the grounds, but what would that accomplish? Once he was there, how was he supposed to sneak his way into the headmaster's office? On top of that, there was little chance that he wouldn't be discovered almost immediately.

Instead, Severus had been reduced to renting a room out in Hogsmeade, and wandering around the village while he waited for Dumbledore's occasional trips away from the school. Severus was surprised to find that the headmaster favored the Hog's Head over the Three Broomsticks, but he wasn't complaining. A hooded figure nursing his drink in the corner wasn't out of place in the run down pub at the edge of town. In the Three Broomsticks, hiding your face would be akin to hanging a sign around your neck which read "SUSPICIOUS PERSON!"

While his time away from the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters had been refreshing in some ways, the weight of each day Severus failed to produce results was mounting. On the third week, as December gave way to January, Severus decided that it was time to take bolder action. His rendezvous with Doge earlier that day successful, there was one other element of his plan to put into action.

That was how he had ended up in Dumbledore's office, staring across the headmaster's desk.

"Jelly Baby?" Dumbledore asked, offering a bowl of the sweets.

"No, thank you," Severus replied.

Dumbledore placed the bowl down and sneaked one of the sweets into his mouth.

"I was surprised by your request for a meeting, Severus. Of course, I always try to make time for former students, regardless of their current activities." Something in Dumbledore's eyes told Severus he knew exactly what activities his former student had been up to. "So, to what do I owe this great pleasure?"

Albus Dumbledore, to the unsuspecting eye, would appear a careless and doddering old man. The majority of his social interactions involved making polite small talk before delving into his bag of pithy philosophical advice, which he handed out just as fondly as he did muggle sweets. You could be forgiven for thinking that Dumbledore wasn't the same man he had been when he defeated Grindelwald three decades ago, but Severus wasn't fooled. He could see the keen intellect behind Dumbledore's piercing blue eyes, and he reckoned that the headmaster hadn't even lost half a step in all those years.

Severus wondered exactly how much Dumbledore knew about his involvement with the Dark Lord. There was a clear air of contempt hiding behind Dumbledore's placid smile, but he had accepted the offer to meet with Severus regardless. Severus couldn't help but wonder what Dumbledore would think if he knew that Severus was responsible for Merriweather's death, and that the Order of the Phoenix had lost its spy because of him.

All of that had to be pushed aside for now. Severus needed to act precisely if he wanted to pull off his plan.

"Well, headmaster, I heard an interesting rumor," Severus said, choosing his words carefully.

"Rumors abound in times such as these. Which one has caught your ear, Severus?"

The Dark Lord was as much Dumbledore's opposite as a man could possibly be, and yet… Severus found that he felt much the same now as he did in the Dark Lord's presence, like he was having a conversation with a dragon that could decide to discard him at any time.

"I heard that Professor Slughorn is considering retirement. Is that true?" Severus asked.

Dumbledore inclined his head and examined Severus over his spectacles. "Horace has spoken of the possibility… I must ask why this rumor is of such interest to you, Severus."

Severus stood, as if to emphasize what he was saying, but in reality to begin executing his plan. "If Professor Slughorn is retiring, I would like to put my name forward as a candidate for his replacement."

Dumbledore raised an eyebrow. "Hogwarts does not ordinarily hire professors so young, Severus. What are your qualifications?"

I brewed a perfect batch of Veritaserum to root out your spies and crafted a new untraceable poison specifically at the request of the Dark Lord.

"I think that my record as a student speaks for itself," Severus said. "Professor Slughorn himself spoke highly of my work many times, and I received the highest marks on my Potions N.E.W.T."

"Yes, I remember Horace speaking fondly of you, however unless I am mistaken, you have no professional experience as a potions master. That's not to mention the rumors that I have heard, Severus." The instruments around the room whirred as though breaking into mocking laughter.

Severus kept his face impassive, as though he had missed the implication of Dumbledore's words. "You are correct…" Severus turned his back to Dumbledore and took two long strides to the headmaster's fireplace. With his right hand, he slowly reached into his pocket. "But, Professor Dumbledore—"

"Albus, if you'd prefer," Dumbledore said merrily from behind.

"Albus," Severus corrected. The name felt foreign after years as a student. "I believe if you were to discuss this with Professor Slughorn, he would be very pleased to hear my interest."

As he spoke, Severus removed a dark black stone from his pocket and dropped it into the fireplace. Its fall was cushioned by the ashes of countless floo journeys, and a quick wave of Severus's wand inside of his other pocket moved some of the ash onto the stone until it was undetectable.

"Perhaps. But Horace's opinion alone is not enough to sway me, Severus. I am curious why you are here, when you know that you do not meet most of the requirements of a traditional Hogwarts hire."

Dumbledore was definitely suspicious, but there was no way he could have guessed what Severus was after. Now he just needed to mask his intent and get out of there.

Severus turned back to face Dumbledore. "Prof—Albus… You are familiar with the… circumstances of my youth?"

A shadow of what looked like genuine sympathy passed over Dumbledore's face. "I am."

"Then you will understand what Hogwarts has meant to me."

Dumbledore was slow to respond. "I believe I do. However, that does not change—"

"Hogwarts is the only place I've ever felt at home," Severus cut in. It was a lie of course. Severus had never felt at home anywhere. "I wish to give something back to the school that has given me so much." Severus resisted the urge to cringe. He was laying it on way too thick, but Dumbledore seemed to be eating it up anyway.

"Severus, it pleases me that you think so highly of Hogwarts. However, the facts remain the same. You do not meet the qualifications the school looks for in its professors, as talented as you may be. On top of that, Horace has not formally decided upon retirement. I believe I might be able to convince him to stay yet, with the world outside these walls being what it is…" Again, Dumbledore gave him an intense look over his glasses.

Severus didn't return the headmaster's gaze. Instead, he looked out the window across the room. Dumbledore's office had an incredible view of the lake. It was frozen over, and the banks were covered with snow, but Severus could see the spot where Lily and he had spent so many spring afternoons. Thinking of Lily made him start to feel sick again. He couldn't keep James Potter from interrupting his thoughts and invading his memories. How could she—

"Severus?" Dumbledore prodded.

"Dark Arts," Severus replied suddenly.

"I'm sorry?"

Severus returned to his chair across from Dumbledore, but didn't sit. Instead he rested his hands on the back.

"If not Potions, then Defense Against the Dark Arts. I'd like to apply for that position."

Dumbledore's face darkened. "That position is not open."

"Not yet, but none of my defense professors lasted more than a year. From what I've heard, no one has lasted longer than a year in quite some time." Severus hoped that bringing up the Defense position might throw Dumbledore for a loop.

"I have confidence that Professor Cross will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts next year as admirably as she has this year. Currently, the only opening on staff is for Divination, and unless I'm mistaken, you do not intend to seek that position. Now, if there is nothing else, Severus, I would ask that you not take up any more of my time." Dumbledore covered his dark look with a polite smile.

Severus's strategy hadn't exactly played out as planned. On the bright side, it had given him a perfect opportunity to slip out.

"Thank you, headmaster."

Severus walked to the door and turned the handle, but Dumbledore's voice stopped him.

"Hold on a moment, Severus."

Severus turned back around. Dumbledore had already returned to reading a piece of parchment on his desk, however he was pointing his wand in Severus's direction.

"I believe you dropped this."

Hovering in front of Severus was the floo stone he had dropped in the fireplace. It was covered in white ash, and spun mockingly as it inched closer to his face. Heat filled Severus as he felt shame and fury colliding. How in Merlin's name had Dumbledore seen him planting the stone? If he had noticed at the time, why had he gone along with the rest of the interview as though nothing were amiss. Severus felt like he was being toyed with, and it tinged his failure with fear. He thought that he had shown appropriate respect for Dumbledore's power. Clearly, Severus had underestimated him.

"Thanks," Severus spat. What use was there in keeping up appearances now? He snatched the stone and pocketed it. As he made to leave, Dumbledore spoke again.

"You disappoint me, Severus. I hoped that Miss Evans could put you on the right path, but I was wrong. Instead you have forsaken friendship in favor of power… You could have been a good man."

Severus pushed through the door and took the revolving staircase down two steps at a time. He didn't have to listen to an old man's lectures. Severus knew he was capable of casting the killing curse, and half of him wanted nothing more than to return to Dumbledore's office and strike him down, but that would have been a mistake. Regardless of Dumbledore's intolerable condescension, the headmaster was still far more than a match for Severus. Fighting him could only end poorly.

Severus was still fuming as he pushed through the front doors and set off across the snow-covered grounds. Who was Dumbledore to lecture him, and what did he know of Severus's life?

A deep breath served to calm him, and by the time he was at the edge of the castle grounds, Severus was under control once more. Severus knew where he stood. When the Dark Lord had swept his opposition aside, it would be Severus that survived, not Dumbledore or his rebellion. Then it would be his turn to sit in judgment.


When Severus returned to his room in Hogsmeade, he was greeted by even more bad news. The rudimentary security measures he had placed on his door were disturbed. Someone was waiting for him inside.

Severus pushed the door open slowly, his wand ready.

"There you are, Snape." Bellatrix gave one of her carnivorous smiles.

"Yes, here I am," Severus responded. Bellatrix was perhaps the last person he wanted to see right now.

"It's been so long since you reported your progress. We were beginning to worry…" Bellatrix had her own wand in hand, and her tone made it clear that it wasn't Severus's health she was worried about.

"You assume that the Dark Lord has been informing you of all my reports," Severus said.

Bellatrix's eyes narrowed, and the small room seemed to bulge as her anger permeated the atmosphere. "The Dark Lord shares everything with me. I am his most devoted servant."

"Then I offer you my congratulations." Severus let his sarcasm come across loud and clear. It always got under her skin. "As a matter of fact, I was going to make a report to the Dark Lord this evening. Perhaps you should learn to exercise patience, Bella."

Bellatrix's smile returned. "I can be as patient as I have to, Snape. I'm not the one that becomes less useful by the minute."

Severus ground his teeth. This was not what he needed right now. "No, but you are a wanted criminal, whereas I am not. Now, would you be so kind as to leave before somebody sees you and calls the aurors?"

Bellatrix stuck her tongue out at him, but Severus ignored her completely. He was far more interested in the tall figure coming down the Hogwarts path in the window over Bellatrix's shoulder. It was unmistakably Dumbledore. Nobody else would wear a cloak that garish.

"What's got you so interested?" Bellatrix asked, turning around to look.

"That's not your concern," Severus responded. He quickly checked around the room to make sure that he wasn't leaving anything important behind. Out the window, Dumbledore entered the heart of the village and disappeared around a corner.

"It's my concern if—" Bellatrix began, but she never got to finish. Severus disapparated in the middle of her sentence, getting a small sense of satisfaction in the process. He apparated near the corner Dumbledore had just rounded, making sure that he wasn't too close for the headmaster to see him. A quick disillusionment charm made Severus all but invisible amongst the lazily falling snow.

Severus peeked around the corner. As he suspected, Dumbledore was just popping into the Hog's Head. It was doubtful that Severus would learn anything of interest by following him, but he couldn't afford to be lax when carrying out the Dark Lord's orders. Besides, it had given him the perfect excuse to antagonize Bellatrix.

Dumbledore entered the Hog's Head, and Severus hurried after him as daylight began to fade over Hogsmeade. He dropped the disillusionment charm in favor of a more conventional hooded disguise before slipping into the pub. As Severus entered the Hog's Head, he was struck, as always, by the grime that clung to every surface. Severus had seen his share of dirty brewing rooms in the dungeons of Hogwarts and beyond, but nothing compared to the Hog's Head. It was the kind of place where you felt more like you were tracking dirt out than in, and the characters that frequented the place didn't help the atmosphere. Severus had seen fellow Death Eaters in the establishment more than once, and all sorts of witches and wizards that would have looked at home on Nocturn Alley seemed to find their way to the pub as well.

It was strange that Dumbledore frequented the place. Or, at least, visited far more than he did the Three Broomsticks. Severus had followed him in here twice already. Perhaps the headmaster got a kick out of going unrecognized. After all, it was more unusual to see someone with their hood down than up in the Hog's Head. Or maybe he came to keep an eye on the other visitors. Either way, Dumbledore came often enough that the bartender recognized him, although he showed Dumbledore no more affection than he did any other patron.

Severus surveyed the bar quickly. There were only two patrons at the moment, sitting quietly in a corner staring over the table at each other. Neither of them was tall enough to be Dumbledore. The bartender was scrubbing a cloudy glass, but having no luck making it any clearer. To Severus's right, heavy footfalls banged on the rotting wooden staircase. Whatever Dumbledore was here for, it wasn't in the bar, but in the rooms above.

Severus ducked his head and ascended after Dumbledore as quietly as possible. It wasn't difficult to mask his, since the headmaster was making no effort to dampen his own gait. Dumbledore's steps stopped on the third floor, and as Severus peeked around the corner he saw the headmaster just slipping into a brightly-lit room.

A quick glance around confirmed that no one was watching, so Severus reapplied a disillusionment charm. It wouldn't do for someone to see him eavesdropping. He scrambled up the few remaining steps and positioned himself in front of the door. He could hear through the other side clearly enough. Dumbledore was greeting someone—a woman from the sound of it, and making pleasant small talk.

"Thank you for meeting me on short notice," the headmaster said warmly.

"Of course, headmaster. I admit that I foresaw your invitation and had been prepared for some time." Severus didn't recognize the woman's voice, but she spoke dreamily.

Obviously Dumbledore didn't consider this meeting to be very important since he had neglected to put up any sort of privacy wards, but the fact that he had chosen to meet at the Hog's Head was enough to keep Severus interested.

"I am pleased to hear it. Now, should we discuss the position?"

Severus nearly choked as he realized that he was about to hear Dumbledore go through yet another interview for an open teaching position. This one, he gathered quickly, was to fill the vacant Divination post.

If it was possible, the woman in the room with Dumbledore seemed to be an even less suitable candidate for the Divination position than Severus was for Defense Against the Dark Arts. She had the vernacular of a seer, but even from outside the room Severus could tell that she didn't have much of a gift for foresight. She was unable to guess any of the numbers that Dumbledore thought of, and twice she was startled by her own teacup striking the saucer.

Severus was on the verge of giving up and heading back to his room across the village when something in the air shifted. The hair on the back of Severus's neck stood on end, and he felt something akin to accidental magic flowing out of the room.

Dumbledore must have felt it to, because he immediately stopped talking mid-sentence.

"My dear, are you—"

"The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches..."

Severus drew a sharp breath. He had never heard a prophecy given, but this was unmistakable. He could feel the prophecy as much as he heard it.

"Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies..."

"What're you doing?"

Severus whipped his head around. The bartender was at the top of the stairs, his glass and dirty rag abandoned in favor of a wand, and he was staring straight at Severus. There was no way he could have seen straight through his disillusionment charm.

"Yeah, I'm talking to you!" the bartender said.

Severus cursed as the next line of prophecy was swallowed by the bartender's exclamation. Ignoring the man wouldn't work, and Severus had already missed something.

Stupefy!

Severus flicked his wand toward the bartender and unleashed a silent stunning spell. The bartender stepped aside with surprisingly alacrity and sent a stunner of his own toward Severus. A shield dispelled the attack easily enough, but Severus couldn't hear anything from the other room anymore. He lashed out with a Sectumsempra, but it was deflected. The bartender flicked his wand and conjured a flash of light that left Severus stunned. He regained his senses just in time to see the bartender slam into him, sending both of them through the door into the room where Dumbledore was conducting his interview.

Severus looked around wildly. Dumbledore was on his feet, wand already coming upward. Across the table from him was a woman with unkempt hair and bulbous eyes, who seemed entirely confused. The bartender had landed sprawled atop Severus, who was trapped on his back. There was only one thing Severus could think of that might get him out of his predicament. Severus disapparated.

Instantly, he was back outside of the Inn where he had rented a room, but it seemed that he had jumped out of the cauldron and into the fire. Bellatrix had evidently taken her time leaving, and was standing next to where Severus had apparated by the door. Across street from her stood two all-too-familiar figures.

"Well, look who it is, Prongs!" Sirius Black exclaimed as Severus scrambled to his feet.

"Snivelly!" James answered excitedly. "We were just having a chat with your friend here. Not very well-mannered, that one."

At the sound of James's voice, Severus snapped. His wand was raised in an instant.

"Avada Kedavra!"

The attack caught James by surprise, but he was saved by his quick reflexes. He dropped into the snow and let the attack pass overhead, while Sirius immediately stepped forward to cover him. Bellatrix cackled as she intercepted the first spell of her cousin's counterattack and began to return fire.

"Crucio!"

Sirius deflected the spell as Bellatrix cursed him for besmirching the family name. Sirius responded with a stunner and a quip about crazy bitches.

James was on his feet again, and Severus could see his own fury reflected on James's face. They traded spells, both men aiming to inflict a mortal wound. Lights were going off around the village as the violence of the duel frightened people away from their windows, and soon only the flashes of spell-light illuminated the scene.

Severus slipped as James transfigured the snow beneath him into solid ice, then cursed as the ice began to raise up and around his body, entombing him. A blast of fire from Severus's wand melted his constraints, as well as most of the snow around him. James caught Severus with a Levicorpus, but Severus had the countercurse out before he had been raised a foot off the ground. James's follow-up slashing hex flew over Severus's head, and Severus sent a succession of bone-breaking curses at James while he regained his footing.

There was a rewarding Crack and scream of pain as one of Severus's curses connected, but James didn't stop moving, making the rest of Severus's attack fly past uselessly. James was holding his left arm to his side awkwardly, but his right held his wand firmly. Severus made to re-engage, but stopped short when a pop of apparition alerted him to a new arrival behind James. It was a middle-aged man dressed in Auror's robes, and he wasted no time jumping in to assist James and Sirius.

Severus threw up a shield and maneuvered himself towards Bellatrix. She was cackling madly as she unleashed a barrage of curses on Sirius, who was beginning to look overwhelmed. Severus would have liked nothing more than to assist her, but the odds had shifted against them, and where one Auror went, more were sure to follow.

Without waiting to ask for permission, Severus grabbed Bellatrix by the arm and side-along apparated to the Dark Lord's headquarters. The instant they had landed on solid ground, Bellatrix whirled on him.

"Crucio!"

Severus had seen the spell coming, and his shield sent it flying away into the night sky. Bellatrix was practically snarling at him, but Severus hadn't expected anything different. It wasn't really in her nature to be grateful. Only the Dark Lord had truly earned her affection.

"Come," Severus commanded, grabbing her arm again and moving toward the mansion. "You'll want to be there when I see the Dark Lord," he added when she refused to budge. It was true, but Severus hoped it wouldn't be because the Dark Lord was enraged with his failure to hear the entirety of the prophecy.

Bellatrix dropped her rage in favor of a defined pout that made Severus roll his eyes. She followed him into the mansion all the same. A group of younger recruits drew away from the pair as they moved through the foyer and ascended the stairs toward the waiting black doors. They opened at their approach, before either had even bothered to knock.

"What have you brought me?" The Dark Lord asked. He was standing at the far end of the room, which forced Severus to walk the length of the room in order to address him properly.

"My lord, there has been a prophecy," Severus said without preamble.

If this news surprised the Dark Lord, he didn't show it. "A prophecy concerning me," he said.

"Yes," Severus confirmed. He recited from memory. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

The dark mark began burning, and the Dark Lord's eyes narrowed. "Is that all, Severus?"

Severus felt an overwhelming urge to lie, but he knew that if the Dark Lord discovered his deception, about something so important, he would suffer a prolonged and painful death.

"No, my lord," Severus said with a swallow. "There was more to the prophecy, but I did not hear it. I was interrupted."

There was a sting of pain from Severus's left arm. He winced, while Bellatrix sighed.

"You treacherous weasel," she hissed. "How could you not hear the whole prophecy?"

The Dark Lord held out a hand to silence her, then beckoned Severus forward. Severus obliged and tried to brace himself. He knew what was coming, but there was no way to truly prepare for it.

The Dark Lord's eyes locked on Severus's and there was a hot piercing in his skull as the Dark Lord rooted through his memory of the evening, searching for any sign that Severus was withholding part of the prophecy. Severus shoved his memory of eavesdropping on Dumbledore's interview forward, not bothering to hide his discovery by the bartender. It was shameful, but better than the Dark Lord thinking that he was purposefully not telling him everything.

The Dark Lord pushed at Severus's memory, trying to find any gaps or weaknesses that an unskilled Occlumens might leave in a fabrication. The memory stood unyielding, even as Severus felt like hot needles were being pushed through the backs of his eyes. Finally, the Dark Lord was satisfied, but before he withdrew, Severus pushed the memory of his encounter with Elphias Doge forward, complete with Doge's recounting of the members of the Order of the Phoenix.

The burning of the Dark Mark faded, but the pain in Severus's head was overwhelming. He fought the urge to try to shove the Dark Lord out of his mind, even as he felt his mouth opening in the same silent scream as Merriweather's had when his sanity was torn to shreds.

The Dark Lord withdrew, and Severus's legs gave out immediately. He crumpled to the floor unceremoniously, hardly even holding out a hand to break his fall. His other hand sought his head immediately, trying to chase away the buzzing pain that was drowning out his thoughts.

Severus heard the Dark Lord say… something, and then Bellatrix flicked her wand and brought Severus to his feet. She held her arm outstretched with her face angled away, as though worried that aiding him might make her wand explode. Severus ignored her and focused his effort on not collapsing again. The pain in his head angrily refused to dissipate, but at least he could see and hear clearly again.

"You have done well, Severus," the Dark Lord said.

He'd done so well that the Dark Lord had seen fit to nearly drive him mad by tearing his head to pieces.

"Thank you, master," Severus mumbled, keeping his eyes on the floor. Everything else was spinning a bit too much at the moment.

From the corner of his eye, Severus saw the Dark Lord wave his wand and conjure a sheet of parchment. He levitated the parchment to Bellatrix.

"This a list of blood traitors that have sided with Dumbledore." Severus glanced up and saw a cruel grin on the Dark Lord's face. "I'd like you to narrow the list, Bella."

"Yes, master, of course," Bellatrix said breathlessly. She bowed and then skipped out of the room, humming a little tune under her breath.

"Tell me the prophecy again, Severus," the Dark Lord said turning away from him.

Severus obliged, knowing that the Dark Lord hadn't forgotten. "The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches. Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies."

"Thrice defied him," the Dark Lord whispered. "Dumbledore is the only… but could it mean the bloodline?"

The world had finally ceased spinning through Severus's eyes, so he risked a step forward. His legs held firm, so he took another, bringing him to the Dark Lord's shoulder. Severus didn't know if he should be offering counsel or if the Dark Lord would punish him for presuming to understand more than he.

"My lord, if I may…"

The Dark Lord turned to face him, but did not seemed angered by the interruption.

"Born as the seventh month dies… If the prophecy is true, then the mother must already be carrying the child."

"Yes…" the Dark Lord nodded slowly. "You have served me well again, Severus. I will summon you again when I have need of you."

Severus bowed slightly, taking heed of the clear dismissal and leaving the room. The pain in his head was swelling in waves as Severus departed the Dark Lord's headquarters… the Dark Lord's gift for Severus's fine service.


Sheer panic ripped through Severus as the Dark Lord revealed what Bellatrix had learned. Two women had been identified, both pregnant and expecting to give birth in the summer, both married into families that had thrice defied the Dark Lord: Alice Longbottom and Lily Potter.

It took every ounce of control that Severus had not to bolt for the exit, or to draw his wand and try to destroy the Dark Lord as he told each of them that the Potter boy was the subject of the prophecy, and that they must find Lily Potter and bring her location to the Dark Lord. The kill was to belong to the Dark Lord himself. Severus's instincts were screaming at him to take action, but he was no Gryffindor. The best thing he could do right now was to remain silent and play his role.

Severus mimicked the Death Eaters as they paid homage to the Dark Lord. The inner circle began to disperse, but Severus lingered behind. He approached the Dark Lord and dropped to his knees.

"My lord, I have a request." Again, it took everything Severus had to keep his voice level.

The Dark Lord hissed, displeased that Severus had distracted him. "Tell me quickly, Severus, and do not waste my time."

"My lord, Lily Potter is of… special significance to me. The prophecy refers to a male—her son. She is no threat to you. Master, I—I beg you to spare her life."

Severus had only begged once in his life, for Lily's forgiveness. Now he was forced to beg for her safety.

The Dark Lord laughed. It was thin and cruel to Severus's ears. "You wish me to spare the woman who carries the only wizard who might defeat me?"

"Yes. One of them. The prophecy might have been made for the Longbottom child, the pureblood."

The Dark Lord's eyes narrowed into crimson slits. "I shall keep my own counsel on the subject of the prophecy, Severus. Do not forget your place."

"Of course, master, I apologize." Severus snapped his head to the ground and bowed. His knees ached where they were planted on the floor.

"I am surprised by your request, Severus. I did not think you fool enough to have affection for one of Dumbledore's mudbloods."

"We attended Hogwarts together," Severus said. "She was—I… desire her, nothing more." The lie tasted foul in Severus's mouth, but he would have said far worse to spare Lily's life.

The Dark Lord laughed again. "I see that you are mortal after all, Severus." There was a long silence, then finally the Dark Lord spoke again. "Very well, Severus. Lord Voldemort rewards those who serve him well. I will spare your mudblood woman if I can."

A more naive man would have felt elation, but all Severus had heard was the Dark Lord's last three words.

If I can…

Severus was not going to risk Lily's safety on the whims of the Dark Lord.

"Thank you, master." Severus said, rising and exiting the room. The Dark Lord did not try to stop him.


The minute he had disapparated away from the Dark Lord's headquarters, Severus's grip over his emotions was broken. He collapsed onto the small bed in his flat and sobbed angrily. He had done everything in his power to survive, and to ensure that Lily would be spared, but the world was conspiring against him.

Severus knew what he had to do. He had made up his mind the second that Bellatrix had spoken Lily's name to the Dark Lord, before the Dark Lord had even proclaimed her their primary target. He rolled off the bed and tore through the drawers of the small desk on the opposite wall, grabbing a roll of parchment and an inkwell. He shoved them roughly onto the surface of the desk and scrawled out a quick request for a meeting. His first attempt at addressing the envelope came out an unreadable scrawl, so he took a deep breath before writing the name and location again. At the end of the note, Severus included an archaic codeword that he had learned from the Restricted Section at Hogwarts. It was something purebloods had once used to indicate that a message was sent in good faith, or a sign of truce in conflict. Severus did not know if the recipient would recognize it, but it might be the only chance Severus had of coming across as genuine.

The message complete, Severus rolled up the parchment and sealed it clumsily. He cast a litany of spells to make the message impervious to most natural methods of harm, then stumbled over to his fireplace. Severus grabbed a handful of floo power off the mantle, then hesitated for a moment. The green powder ran between his fingers like the sand of an hourglass.

Severus threw the powder into the fireplace, and green flames immediately sprung to life. He tossed the letter into the flames, and it swirled and fluttered as the magical fire roared around it.

"Albus Dumbledore!" Severus shouted.

The flames expanded quickly, then collapsed with a pop, vanishing alongside the letter. Severus exhaled raggedly. Now there was little left for him to do but wait. He had no idea if the letter would reach Dumbledore, or if the headmaster would believe its contents.

Severus felt fear beginning to creep in, and suddenly his flat felt very cold. But there was something else inside of him too. Something that Severus hadn't felt since Lily had called him her friend.

Hope.

He would save Lily, whatever it took. He had to.