A/N Forbidden Tomb now updated on this site. Hope you like the chapter, it's a tad insidious...JCWriter.

Chapter Four

A Dark Pact Between Aurors

As the moon began to rise, two cloaked and one shrouded figure appeared in the mist around Salisbury only to fade into a strange blue haze around Stonehenge. In the Twilight Arc, the monoliths they had seen as they entered had been reduced to rubble; only the center circle had been carefully cleared away for use by the Order of Merlin for their meetings. But in the moonlight, the pale, ghostly image of the monoliths could be seen standing exactly as they had when Merlin and the giants had constructed it a few thousand years ago. While Jennifer and Harry looked around, Severus murmured a soft spell, gazing at the center of the circle. The ghostly image looked remarkably clearer for an instant, almost solid…while in the center Severus focused in on the faint shimmer of a closed door in the air.

"Everything seems quite normal, doesn't it?" Jennifer said, gazing thoughtfully at the Twilight Arc, seeing no weak spots in the blue haze or signs of strain, while Harry checked over each ghostly monolith.

"The gate itself is in tact, and no signs of any sort of tampering," Severus said evenly.

"Then someone explain to me why, if everything's so normal, that I don't like any of this," Harry said as he gazed across the keystones.

"Yes, I've been going through the same thing myself," Severus mused, and then glanced at Jennifer, who merely looked thoughtful. "Well, we've gone this far, we might as well be safe and head to the Ministry to check on your piece, Jennifer."

"What, this late?" Jennifer said.

"Less likely Malfoy will know I've been there that way," Harry said dryly.

"Yes, I'd rather just get it over with," Severus agreed, "although even if the Cauldron does appear to be 'normal' like the rest of them, I believe one of the first things I'll do when I get back to the castle is make certain they finish the potion office first, Jennifer, so we can get that moved as quickly as possible."

"I admit, I wouldn't mind having it back in the castle myself," Jennifer agreed as they stepped out of the Twilight Arc and Disapparated.

No one bothered to even question them on their way down to the vaults. Even if any single one of them had walked into the Ministry, many of them would have hesitated if they had asked at all. But the fact that all three of them were together at once meant serious business, and it was not until they had reached the lower levels and happened to catch Aurelius by surprise as he was wandering down the hall that anyone spoke a word to them.

"I see you're working late," Harry said questioningly.

"Yeah, following a lead on the Brighton case," Aurelius said.

"Case?" Jennifer repeated with surprise.

"She's technically an abandoned child, so yeah," Aurelius said.

"And it means he doesn't have to take another leave of absence to help with a family crisis for a change," Harry said knowingly.

"That too," Aurelius agreed. "But what are you doing here?"

"Precautionary check on the Cauldron," Severus said evenly. "Care for a bowl?"

"No, but I'll walk you in," Aurelius said, turning around. "There're still a few clerks in there, not that you would have been bothered, but if I go along, Draco's not as likely to fire them for it," he said dryly.

"I'm surprised he doesn't rig the entire Ministry with detectors just to make sure I'm not in the building," Harry said back.

"He tried that, actually. Buried it on a byline of a popular bill funding Magical Malady research, but someone caught it and had the line reprinted in bold ink before it got to the Counsel floor," Aurelius grinned, looking over at his father who remained completely expressionless.

"Well, I did find it rather petty. Besides, I thought the two of you decided to call it a truce for Olivia's sake?" Severus said.

"Well we do, when she's around," Harry said calmly, although it was obvious from Severus' disapproving expression that he was not impressed with the answer. "Tell you what. The day you stop bickering with Sirius, I'll promise to try for a more permanent truce." Severus grimaced. Jennifer looked genuinely amused but quickly hid it when Severus' eyes darted over to her.

"Amazing how far some people are willing to carry some stupid old school grievances," Aurelius said.

"It was more than that," Harry and Severus both protested than once, causing Jennifer to look amused again, and this time it didn't fade as they reached the Archives and she signed off a form so she could enter the vault.

Cautiously she went over to where they had it on a square stone slab and covered with a magic field, but it dissolved away at her touch. A waft of the scent of the porridge-like pink substance hit her nose as it bubbled away, and after testing it cautiously with a kit from her Chest Cloak, she pulled out a bowl and scooped some of it in, coming back out with her contraband contentedly.

"Nothing out of the ordinary," Jennifer declared, cleaning the rim with her finger. Severus grimaced at her as she finished the stuff off.

"So, the gate is fine, the Seal is fine, and except for that strange feeling we had, all is right with the world," Harry sighed. "I really hate it when things like that happen to me. If it wasn't for what Sagittari went through, I probably would have either convinced myself I imagined it, or everyone else would be trying to convince me I had."

"Well, since we obviously can't do anything else about it at the moment, we should probably just heed it as a warning and keep ourselves alert," Severus said. "And if anything strange happens again, we should make sure to keep all four Sentinels informed."

"Agreed," Harry said and then looked over at Aurelius. "So, since that problem is at a wait and see now, I don't suppose there's anything you need me for on your case, is there Rel?"

"I thought you'd never ask," Aurelius said with a nod. Jennifer and Severus glanced at each other, but didn't say anything. They had learned some time ago not to get in between Aurelius and Harry when they decided to team up on a case.


"So this all started because of the paper the note was written on?" Harry asked incredulously as they walked down a quiet street.

"Yeah," Aurelius nodded. "When we originally analyzed it to try to identify the handwriting, we never really did look at the paper itself, so I decided to take a closer look at it. It was thinner than what they sell at Flourish and Blotts, but nowhere near as thin as Muggle manufactured paper, though of a little better quality. I tested for a watermark and found out it was made by a small wizard company in Massachusetts."

"Is that paper sold anywhere over here?" Harry asked with interest. Aurelius shook his head, glancing at the address one more time.

"No, not at all. But I had Ginger analyze the ink, and it was standard Flourish and Blotts, so that means it was probably someone who either has recently visited the States or lived in the States, and more likely the latter. That's when I started combing our files on wizard housing purchases and visas within the last year to try and match signatures," Aurelius explained. "This is the closest match, a Jennifer Hurst, who graduated from the Salem Institute."

"Also in Massachusetts," Harry said with a nod. "That does sound like a lot of uncanny coincidences. Which is it?"

"We should be getting close now," Aurelius said.

They both knew it for a fact when they turned down a side road in Manchester that had been marked "Dead End" only to find it suddenly open up into a row of houses where there had only been a stone wall the moment before. Old-fashioned lampposts dotted the street of cottages and lit the cobbled road, the area reminding Aurelius quite a bit of Andrew's neighborhood in London, except for the fact that many of these were family houses instead of rentals. But as they walked down the street, Aurelius soon spotted a very humble cottage between a pair of larger two-story homes, and wasn't surprised when they found themselves at the end of the walkway.

"She isn't likely to be in," said a voice out of the darkness. The two of them looked around curiously until at last they spotted an old witch sitting on the porch next door, too busy lighting a long reed pipe to look up at first. Aurelius took a few steps closer to see her better in the dim light, and Harry walked up beside him.

"She is home," Aurelius said to Harry.

"Even if she were, she isn't likely to open the door," the witch said, apparently having heard him. She got up and stepped to the porch rail to get a better look at them, her eyes settling on Harry. "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am," Harry said with a nod. "And you are?"

"I am Mrs. Match," the witch said. "Is Jenny in some sort of trouble?"

"We're simply here to talk to her, Mrs. Match," Harry reassured her. "And perhaps help her if she is in trouble. This is Aurelius Snape, by the way, head of the Ministry's Auror department."

"Some say he is, others think you are, Mr. Potter," Mrs. Match mused, glancing at Aurelius' even expression. "Not that I'm not honored to meet a Snape as well. You are certain you're simply here to talk to her?"

"For the moment, yes," Harry said with a nod, and she nodded back, stepping off the porch. "Do you know if she has a daughter?"

"Why, yes!" Mrs. Match said with surprise. "Although she's off visiting relatives, I think. Is something the matter?"

"No, no, she's perfectly safe, Mrs. Match," Harry said, glancing at Aurelius who simply nodded. "We are just here to make sure her mother is all right."

"Very well, then, Mr. Potter. Let me talk to her. She'll open the door to me if no one else. She's a sensitive woman, Mr. Potter, as if some tragedy has befallen her. And although she hasn't confided so much even in me, I expect you'll know to go easy on her," the old witch said. Harry and Aurelius exchanged glances.

"I understand, Mrs. Match," Harry said, and then waited as the witch went over to the door. She knocked on it gently for a moment then listened, knocking a bit more firmly a second time.

"Jenny! It's me, Mrs. Match. Come open the door!" the woman shouted through the door. She paused then and put her ear to the door a moment. "Come, now, girl, you've shut yourself off too much lately, and there's a fact. It won't hurt you to talk," she added, and then seemed satisfied at the noises beyond the door. All three of them began to hear heavy latches being unlocked. Mrs. Match frowned and gestured for them to get out of the way of the door, and Aurelius nodded, stepping to one side with Harry soon following just before the door finally creaked open.

"What is it, Mrs. Match?" asked a woman's soft voice.

"Now, it's just me and some friends, Jenny, why don't you be a dear and ask them in for a cup of tea so you can talk?" Mrs. Match said, nodding to her encouragingly.

"Friends?" Jenny asked in obvious alarm as Harry stepped into view. "Oh no!" she screamed and started to shut the door, but he quickly got a hold on the door before she could. Aurelius jumped over to help and she began backing quickly away from the door, covering her face when she recognized him. "Oh NO!" she said again and ran into a corner with her face still covered, sobbing. Harry turned and nodded reassuringly to Mrs. Match, who quietly left.

Aurelius had been too taken aback by her appearance to get a reading on her in that brief glimpse, for she had such an uncanny resemblance to his mother that he felt a pit in his stomach. Perhaps her hair was more red than auburn; her eyes closer to grey than green, and something in the sheer terror in her face when she saw them sent chills down his spine when she ran off to hide from his gaze.

"Please calm down, Jenny…Jennifer…damn…Ms. Hurst," Harry finally got out.

"We're just here to help you," Aurelius reinforced, although he really couldn't blame Harry for his hesitation. "All we're concerned about at the moment is your safety and Gloria's."

"Gloria's safety," Jenny got out after a moment, not turning around. "Gloria is better off where she is. She's not safe here."

"Why isn't she safe here?" Harry asked, but the woman simply started crying again. Harry sighed.

"Perhaps some tea or something to calm her down?" Aurelius suggested.

"Would you mind terribly if Auror Snape used your kitchen for a moment?" Harry asked gently. She didn't answer right away, but did finally start to quiet down a bit before shaking her head slowly. Harry nodded to Aurelius, who peered cautiously through a couple of doorways until finding the right one and stepping in. "You know, if it's Auror Snape's talent that's bothering you, I can easily ask him to turn around or stand so he can't see you. He's not here to intimidate you in any way, he's just concerned for his brother," Harry said quietly, but she didn't look around. "But Gloria isn't Andrew's child, is she?"

"I thought they would be able to protect her," Jenny said, still sobbing through her answer.

"Why didn't you just go to the Ministry?" Harry asked. The woman shook her head. "Did you not feel safe to go there for some reason?"

"He would have found out," the woman whispered. Aurelius came back in with a tray, gazing at Harry silently.

"Thanks, Rel. Would you mind standing over there?" Harry said almost apologetic. Aurelius simply nodded and backed away, but kept watching Harry carefully. "Here, have a cup. It's all right, it's just tea," he assured her, taking a sip from the cup before handing it out to her, but she didn't take it at first. "You know, you're better off accepting it for your own sake. You'll be able to keep more to yourself if you're able to think more clearly." Aurelius gave him a dirty look, but apparently the suggestion worked because she finally took the cup. "When you said 'he' just then, did you mean Gloria's father? Is he looking for her?" Harry continued. But Jenny shook her head.

"He doesn't know," she whispered. "He…said he was taking potions but I didn't believe him and I started taking them myself, but…"

"Don't tell me, the Minute Alchemist botch up," Harry sighed. Jenny nodded.

"But I thought…I thought I could start over…a new life, just Gloria and me, so I hid back near where I grew up, and I succeeded for awhile but then…the threats towards my family asking where I was grew worse and worse. I knew I was just putting them in danger by staying away from him, but I knew when I came back that I couldn't hide Gloria long before he found out. I just wanted her to be safe," Jenny said again, wrapping her arms around herself as if she were cold. "Hogwarts was the only place I knew he couldn't touch her, and I thought…well, I had heard rumors about…" she paused, uncomfortably aware that Aurelius was in the room.

"About Andrew Snape?" Harry finished. Aurelius let out a soft sigh.

"Gloria looks so much like I did at that age," Jenny murmured. "And since I look like Jennifer Craw Snape, I thought perhaps it would be easy to believe it was his." Harry frowned. Shouldn't she have been thinking that Jennifer looked a lot like her instead of the other way around?

"Surely you realized that sooner or later they'd realize it wasn't Andrew's," Aurelius put in. "There are tests for that sort of thing."

"Yes, but I was hoping perhaps they'd have gotten attached to her by then and…well if nothing else, found her a good home," Jenny finished softly.

"We will find her a safe home if that's what you truly want, Ms. Hurst," Harry promised her. "Although I think to truly keep her safe we would need some idea of why her father is a danger to her," Harry coaxed. Jenny shook her head again. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to at least sign a waiver to officially put the child in our hands?"

"I can't," Jenny said, shaking her head fervently. "If he sees my name, he'll know."

"That sort of thing isn't made public…"

"That doesn't matter. He'd still find out about it," Jenny said so firmly that it made Harry wonder even more. He glanced up at Aurelius, but then thought better of it. She was distraught enough as it was. "Didn't you already find out what you really came for? She isn't Andrew's. I've never even met him, or any of the other Snapes, I just know what I've been told and what's been in the papers. I've barely met anyone here. Can't you just forget you ever saw me? Please?"

"All right, but it is going against our better judgment," Harry said, glancing up at Aurelius. They could always try again some other time when she had calmed down, and maybe Aurelius could get a better view of her face then. Aurelius nodded to him in understanding. "And don't worry about Gloria, okay? She's safe and happy, you just look after yourself," Harry said gently. "I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't right and people aren't already getting attached to her. And you're right, she does look like you," Harry added with a reassuring smile. "Except for the hair, of course." But to Harry's surprise and alarm, she burst into tears again in such obvious anguish that Harry found himself putting an arm around her, trying to comfort her. "I'm sorry! What did I say? Rel? Something stronger if you don't mind…"

"No, no just please go away!" Jenny protested, trying to push him away.

"We're certainly not going to leave you like this! Tell me what's wrong!" Harry demanded.

"He did it," Jenny finally got out between breaths.

"Did what?" Harry asked, gesturing Aurelius to come closer.

"He made me dye my hair," she got out, another chill going down Aurelius' back.

"Who?" Harry snapped, barely able to keep himself from shaking her as he turned her around to look at them. "You have got to tell us who!"

"A…Amadeus…" she said, barely above a whisper. "Amadeus Longbottom."

Aurelius was dumbfounded a moment, staring at her face in horror before feeling his blood burst into flames and he raced for the door. But by some miracle, Harry had recovered a split second sooner and managed to wrestle him to the floor, while Jenny began pleading to them not to say anything.

"Let me go, Harry! I'm going to kill that bastard!" Aurelius said as Harry somehow managed to get the Unicorn wand out of his hand.

"I can't let you, Rel! As much as I'd like to, I can't let you!" Harry shouted back at him. "For one thing, you'd be sent straight to Azkaban for murder without probable cause, regardless of what we think was going through his head at the time!"
"Gladly!" Aurelius snapped. "What, do you think for one second that Father would let this go when he finds out about it?"

"He's not going to find out about it," Harry snapped back. Aurelius stared at him.

"Like hell he isn't! I'm not covering this up!" Aurelius said furiously.

"Well, let's just leave that for another conversation! As much as I appreciate the sentiment, you're not killing Longbottom tonight. Because for another thing, she's still seeing him!" Harry pointed out. Aurelius stopped struggling and stared at him a moment before he looked over at the terrified woman who had been watching the entire exchange.

"How could you?" Aurelius asked. "I mean, you must know he's using you…"

"I told you," she murmured shakily. "I'm doing it to protect my family."

"Well, it's got to stop," Aurelius said firmly. "It's got to stop right now."

"That we agree on," Harry said with a nod, letting Aurelius sit up. "We need a reason to get you and your family into protective custody. I think Lunette Vallid may be willing to help us out there since your relatives are in the States, and we'll need to make arrangements for you too."

"Hey, what about that old witch next door? She knew she had a daughter," Aurelius pointed out. Harry looked over at Aurelius with a frown.

"We should at least make a list of anyone who may know Gloria is yours, Ms. Hurst."

"It's Jenny," Jenny said.

"I…um. Right, thanks," Harry said. "Aurelius, could you help me to secure this house and get her to my place for now? We'll finish our talk about how to handle it there. The sooner we get this end of it done, the better I'll feel."

"I won't," Aurelius retorted, but did as he was told and got to work.

Neither of them spoke about why they were doing it for a long time after that; simply going through the motions as if it were a cut and dry protection case as if it didn't matter to them personally. Exhausted from the ordeal, Jenny soon fell sound asleep in the guest room of Harry's home, and while Harry was busy sending out Owls, Aurelius at last found a moment to step outside for some air, sitting on one of the stone steps outside as he attempted to sort out all the thoughts running through his head, the anger threatening to boil to the top several different times before Harry finally made his way outside to join him.

"So…" Harry said as he sat down beside him, looking up at the stars. "Where to go from here."

"Right now I'm still busy kicking myself for asking you along in the first place," Aurelius muttered.

"You know, Rel, there just aren't enough Aurors in the world to let one get dragged under in something like this," Harry said quietly. "Although if you had gone alone and he had ended up dead, I admit readily I wouldn't have blamed you for it, either. But let's let those gut instincts of ours to peel the skin off the bastard and hang what's left of him out to dry in front of Gringotts' Bank for all to see go for now so we can think this out rationally." Aurelius blinked at him in surprise.

"Wow, Harry, that was a fantastically morbid and sadistic idea. I didn't know you had it in you," Aurelius said, impressed.

"Yeah, it's the job. It starts to do that to even the best of Aurors after awhile," Harry said with a shrug. "Right at this moment, I am a lot more concerned over what your Father or Corey might do hearing about this."

"Might? Will, you mean," Aurelius said. "And although you and I may be able to take Corey out, I don't think we could stop Father, you know."

"I know I couldn't," Harry agreed somberly. "So, in a way I guess ultimately whether or not he goes to Azkaban is up to you at this point."

"I really hate it when you put things like that," Aurelius snapped. "And I hate the idea of keeping this from anyone, especially Father! And I hate the idea that that bastard could possibly get away with any of this!"

"I never said I was planning on letting him get away with it," Harry said seriously. "And I know you weren't going to either. We just can't do it now," he added with a sigh. "We have to think of what's best for Gloria, not to mention the Hurst family." The two of them grew quiet a moment, staring out into the darkness.

"Nearly everything prudent I can come up with at the moment involves something illegal," Aurelius admitted with a growl.

"Yeah," Harry said somberly. "Bad enough that I had to do something illegal in Mrs. Match's case. I can't use any sort of memory spell without thinking of your mother anymore."

"I just can't bring myself to use them," Aurelius said.

"In some cases, Rel, it's better than the alternative," Harry pointed out.

"I know, but I don't have to like it," Aurelius said, and then shook his head. "Come to think of it, I don't like any of this. If only we could bring him in…for something."

"For what? Something that started out as consensual? And yes, it probably didn't end up that way and we both know what the real reasons were, but that's not something we can prove in court and you know it," Harry said.

"That doesn't make it any less evil," Aurelius snapped. "And the one thing I do know is that Gloria is better off away from all of this, including away from her mother," Aurelius said.

"Yeah, I know. But that means coming up with some sort of reason as to why we didn't find a mother and yet think it's okay for her to actually find a new home now. We can't say they're dead considering how Gloria was found," Harry said.

"Could have happened after the fact," Aurelius mused but then shook his head. "Not that Grandfather would buy any of it for a second."

"Well, maybe we can get away with telling part of the truth and just not all of it then," Harry suggested. "Although…I think we ought to tell Lunette all of it, because I don't think we can get away with hiding her family without her help. Besides, she's not likely to go ballistic over this."

"Yeah, she should know," Aurelius sighed. "But what you're not telling me at the moment is how do expect me to live with this kind of secret? I mean, I've kept some great ones in my time, and some I'm keeping now would probably have earthshaking consequences if they got out, but…this?" Aurelius' hand went to his head, but Harry reached over and put his hand on his arm.

"You think this isn't hitting me like a brick too? Your mother was there for me in some of the darkest moments in my life! So if you think it's any easier for me to be sitting here right now, you're wrong, Rel," Harry snapped. "And personally, I think the only way we can live with what we have to do to preserve our side from taking losses right now is to make a pact…a real pact. That even if we can't do anything now, you and I are going to do everything in our power to bring him to justice in any way we can, and hopefully before anyone else gets hurt."

"Not court justice, right?" Aurelius said skeptically. Harry snorted.

"I don't think either one of us got into this job for court justice, Rel," Harry said bluntly.

"Because of it, maybe," Aurelius said dryly. Harry nodded in understanding.

"For real justice," Harry said, and Aurelius nodded, shaking his hand. "Now, let's wait and see which office Lunette wants to meet at. She'll probably have some ideas on how we should proceed with this, although she might want her cut of Amadeus' blood too," Harry mused.

"Fine, but I get the first shot," Aurelius said.

"Deal," Harry said and got up, helping Aurelius to his feet as well before the two of them went back inside to make further arrangements.