Narcissa Apperated. She sensed the wards around the little house on the moor, as her feet touched the step, the wards went off to warn the occupants of her arrival; she raised her wand and cast a Shield charm over herself. The door opened a stunning spell was immediately deflected from her Shield.

"Good evening Rodulphus may I come in?" She said calmly without lowering her defences

"You're a traitor cissy, Rabastan wants you dead" he growled not lowering his wand but stepping aside so she could enter the house.

Narcissa Swept past him into the house.

"Do you want me dead Rodulphus? Bella loved me; she wouldn't want you to kill me."

"Bella loved the dark lord, you betrayed him" he responded glaring at her darkly.

"For my son, for Draco, you never had a son you don't understand. If Bella had given you a son you would have wanted to save him too." Her voice quivered a little as she spoke. " My darling sister Bellatrix, you have no idea how I mourn. You must miss her so much too." she continued, a tear falling from her eye.

"We sacrificed much for the dark lord, you sacrificed nothing" he spat.

Narcissa reached up to Rodolphus with her elegant hand, and gently ran her hand down his cheek. Her beautiful glasslike nails began tracing his stubbled beard down to his throat.

He recoiled slightly. Narcissa whispered "she would have been proud of you still fighting, I want to make her proud too Rodolphus . I need to make up for my weakness. Lucius has completely deflected just as Bella always said he would. She always hated him, I see why now. He dragged me down he infused me with his own cowardice. I envy my sister in her loves. She was true to the dark lord; she was true to you Rodolphus. Such love, such devotion. Now she's gone no one is devoted to me. Help me Rodulphus help me make up for my mistake, Help me make my husband pay for his continued mistakes. "She once again stepped closer to him and lifted her beautiful icy eyes to his, taking in his once beautiful face, rugged and frayed but still holding onto a raw masculinity. His eyes locked on hers and saw Bella's countenance reflected in them. A misty haze seemed to descend, drowning his mind. She once again trailed her finger across his chin.

"So dark where Lucius is so fair, why do I envy the dead?" She breathed into his ear.

He unconsciously leaned toward her touch and as her fingers ghosted over his lips, his tongue flicked out and tasted them.

He closed his eyes "Bella" he said.

"yes Bella, she wants you to help me, I've heard of the hallows I can get them we can bring back Bella. Rabastan will only bring back the dark lord, he was always jealous of the position Bellatrix held with the dark lord. Rabastan craves the attention. Bella and I crave only you. Prove to him that I am loyal to you I can help you. Believe me when I tell you only I know how the Hallows work, I can bring her back to us."

The mist seemed to settle further in his mind as he franticly grabbed at Narcissa, dragged his hands through her hair. She was still and emotionless as she allowed him to grope and pull at her. Uselessly grabbing her cloak he dropped to his knees, he pushed his face against her skirts his arms around the top of her legs, the cloth muffling his groans. He franticly moved his face from side to side drying the tears of insanity that were falling over his once handsome face, soaking them into her crushed velvet robes.

"Bella" he moaned again. He let go, stood up and pushed her from him, turning away.

"Will you help me my brother?" She asked clearly, following him to the sitting room of the dark little house.

"I will talk to Rabastan, you may be of service." he sat down on a shabby leather arm chair " at least to me" he added turning to look at the picture of Bella on his mantle peace. He didn't see the shudder of distaste or the fox like glint in her eye. He just felt the closest thing to Bella sit on the arm of his chair, and felt her hands stroke his hair.

"Call him" she crooned in his ear. He took out his wand and pushed it into the dark mark. Within seconds four wands trained on Narsissa and four men closed in on her menacingly. She stood up, straight, proud haughty and beautiful. She commanded respect, very like Bellatrix, without the demented streak. "Gentlemen let me speak I have a right to defence, I want to speak to Rabastan alone." She announced clearly, unfazed by the hostility and murderous gazes of Four mass murderers. Rabastan reluctantly pointed her to a parlour of sorts small and unkempt like the rest of the house. He walked behind his wand trained on her. The door closed and the remaining death eaters could hear the undertone of hurried voices carrying through the walls but they were unable to distinguish any words as the walls were admiring a faint buzzing sound. Half an hour later the door opened and all wands rose again.

"put them down" growled Rabastan. "It seems our Mrs Malfoy has much to offer, I understand you think so to Rodulphus?" Rodulphus shuffled slightly away.

"I have invaded her mind and her words are truth but she will have to bring the dark lord back before she can revive any true allegiance from us." he continued.

"She's a traitor" spat Rockwood "her husband is licking backsides all over the ministry to get into favour. Draco, the little ferret has even been given a job at the ministry. How can they be so stupid as to fall for the Malfoy's over and over again it's beyond me? I am not so stupid Mrs Malfoy." He looked her over with distaste.

"You are forgetting that I am not a Malfoy, I'm of the Noble house of Black, a family that was highly prized in the dark lord's eyes." she was cool in the return of his appraisal. "My family's positions within the ministry place me well at the centre of the knowledge you require. The Mudblood I hear has had bereavement if I can rescue her father, I will attain the complete trust of the ministry. That's what your missing at the moment isn't it?"

Rockwood fell silent.

"is that it? is that all you have? The Black family are riddled with blood traitors and cowards, what happened to Regulus and Sirius? Highly prized in the Dark lords eyes, Utter rot, You need more than that Rabastan, or is the word of a most noble black good enough for you? Dolohov sneered at Rabastan.

"No not at all, Narcissa had given me the whereabouts of the death stick."

Dolohov appraised Narcissa, scornfully sweeping his disdainful eyes over her, while shaking his head in disbelief. The witch looked away from him unconcerned by Dolohov's displeasure.

"Where's the muggle?" asked Narcissa.

"We kept him stupefied, seemed easier." Macnair nodded towards the cellar steps as Narcissa moved past him towards the cellar, he saw her unconsciously touch her ear lobe.

The words Levicorpus rose from the cellar then the body of Mr Granger floated up the stairs. With Narcissa in pursuit.

" I will put the plan into action now Rabastan." she walked over to Rodulphus , still floating the inert body in front of her. She grabbed his face and Then hissed In his ear, " for Bella darling" She brushed her lips against his and bit his bottom lip hard. Squirming he licked the blood slowly off his bottom lip.

"If Lucius could see you now, his fine wife prostituting for favours, it's almost funny watching you with Bella's left overs. The ministry are watching this house disillusion yourself and the muggle, before you dissaperate. Now get out you harlot."

With a crack Narcissa and the muggle had gone.

"We mustn't keep meeting here we will be drawing too much attention. McNair, can you find us a suitable place to meet next week?" Rabastan brought the meeting to a close.

At the granger house, soft and gentle hands cleaned Mr Granger of all signs of disturbance. A wand past over him "obliviate" a rush of air and then "enervate" Mr Granger stirred in his armchair. "Irina? Oh I must have dropped off" he said.

"You did dear, just as you were talking about the volunteer dentistry project you're interested in. I've mentioned it to Hermione she thinks we should go." she said.

"Go where?" Mr Granger asked

"Africa darling, honestly your memory" she chided.

"Yes, Yes " he said I remember although he still looked vague and vacant.

"I will make some tea" she said kissing her husband sweetly.

Severus Snape flooed to the Ministry to deliver the prophecy, hoping he would only have to see the Minister for Magic. This was his first venture out into public since killing Albus Dumbledore, and it was not a comfortable course of action. Yet, the few wizards he met showed him deference and respect. This surprised him, and although most were clearly not ecstatic about his presence, they were not angry or accusing.

Snape realised Potter must have shared his memories. He cringed to his very bones and hoped that the foolish boy had the decency to keep some of his more intimate memories private.

It was all very awkward and made even more so when Kingsley said he needed to take the prophecy personally to the Department of Mysteries. Snape sighed, knowing it was too much to hope that Mr. Weasley was having a day off.

Kingsley took him to a corridor with glinting black tiles and angular shapes that he recognised from the forays he made into Potter's mind during the Occlumency lessons.

"I am unable to go in with you, Professor. Only those mentioned in a prophecy are supposed to deposit it," the Minister informed him.

"The prophecy isn't about me," Snape said sharply.

"To be honest, this department is very esoteric and I don't understand it at all. I do know that the department has been informed differently and the understanding is that you are part of the prophecy. Even so, you were present when it was made and that gives you admittance anyway," Kingsley explained.

"If it is so dammed complicated, why the hell did you give the Weasley boy a job? The menace never completed a single essay without Granger correcting it."

"Because he can keep secrets. You, of all people, should understand that," his response was firm but polite.

A few minutes later, the door Arthur Weasley nearly died outside opened.

"Hello, Professor Snape," said a pretty girl with raven hair and delicate oriental features.

Snape was surprised to see Cho Chang. She was one of the few former students who didn't totally infuriate him, and he personally felt that she had gotten a raw deal during the war.

"Miss Chang, obviously your pragmatic approach to work has quickly found you employment. It still leaves me wondering how Mr. Weasley wormed his way in."

Cho smiled at him. "Come in, Professor."

Kingsley had turned and left at this point. Ron Weasley approached from another side door and started slightly when he saw Snape.

"You look better than when I last saw you," he spoke without thinking.

"Careful, Weasley," Snape snarled slightly.

"I meant no offence. Can Cho and I take the prophecy now? We need you to entrust it to us. Please hold out your wand over the bottle and say the incantation 'Dissimulo' followed by the words 'Tego Texi Tectum'." Ron was very uncomfortable telling his old professor to do anything, and Snape seemed vaguely annoyed by it too, but he acquiesced and completed the formalities.

"How sure are you that the prophecy relates to me?" Snape asked.

Cho took the beautiful amber orb from his hand. "Lumos," she intoned as she pointed it at the bottle McGonagall had used to charm the memory into. The container glinted and shimmered in the light.

Ron approached nervously, held his wand aloft, and said, "Denobis Fabula Narrator."

A label was conjured from Ron's wand. Cho caught it and placed it on the bottle. Magically, the scrap of parchment adhered itself to the glass and small script writing started to emerge on it.

Cho passed it back to Snape silently. Gesturing with her wand, she pointed him to the words that had appeared.

L.L. to M.M. and S.S.

Harry Potter, Severus Snape, Lily Potter, Hermione Granger, and ?

Snape finished reading, and then swore repeatedly under his breath.

Ron took the prophecy back before it could be dropped. "Professor, I'm a bit freaked out. Does this mean it's not over?"

"I hope not, Mr. Weasley. Am I correct in understanding that only those who are listed on the label can now retrieve this?" he questioned.

"Yes, Professor. Unspeakables can see and hear it too because you entrusted us with its secrets to be hidden," chimed Cho.

"And you are definitely not only a witness of the prophecy, but also part of it. The incantation I used for the label reveals whom the prediction is about," finished Ron.

"Yes, thank you, Weasley. I've been speaking Latin since before you were born. I don't require a lesson."

"My apologies, Snape," Ron snapped back.

"Professor Snape, you cheeky runt," was the response.

"Not to me. You're not my professor anymore. I am happy to respect your professional title if you respect mine. Can you do that, you greasy git? How many House points do I lose for that, sir?"

To Ron's surprise, Snape smiled.

"My regards to your mother and father, Mr. Weasley. Miss Chang, could you see me out please?"

Snape spun on his heel and started to leave, but Ron stopped him.

"I'm glad you're alive, I really am. You have no idea how worried Hermione's been about you. I don't understand it but I'm glad."

Snape made a small sound of annoyance and said, "I think that's quite enough conversation, don't you?"

He turned once more and almost flew down the corridor with Cho trotting after him.

In his dungeon quarters, Severus Snape was reading once more.

His health was improving to the point where he actually woke up without immediately wanting to die. Control and poise had returned to his magic, for which everyone in the castle felt relived about. He knew the old proverb, 'whatever doesn't kill us only makes us stronger', and never believed it. Injury caused weakness, not strength. However, magically speaking, he did feel stronger than ever before. He idly wondered if this was due to the Dark Mark that had died on his arm, as it may have taken a substantial amount of magic to sustain. But despite all this, he felt desperate and ill at the thought of fighting another war.

The professor closed his book; he could not concentrate. He had been trying to research prophecies, trying to make sense of Lovegood's nonsense.

'It must be wrong… It has to be. How can Lily be involved when she is dead?' he thought.

He reached out for his decanter of firewhiskey and poured himself an ample measure.

As he placed the bottle down, he saw a sealed parchment addressed to him; one of the house-elves must have left it there. He settled into his chair and broke the seal on the letter.

Professor Snape,

I asked Professor McGonagall to give you this letter when you were sufficiently recovered to read it in the way it is intended. I am sorry. I am sorry I could not let you die, but I am tired of death. We lost Sirius, Remus, Tonks, and Fred. I didn't want the wizarding world to lose you too. I gave no thought to your feelings. Given the same choice, I would have done the same thing, so my apologies may mean little to you. I am sorry I swore at you. You have my deepest respect and I did not show you that. You asked me why I kissed you. The honest answer is, I don't know. It was maybe a childish desperation to cling to something. Professor Dumbledore said it was an expression of gratitude, a wish to swap fates, and this is why Fawkes found us. Deep down, I think I thought that a man who is about to die, a man that has seen nothing but horror for his whole adult life, should be kissed in recognition of his sacrifices. I had hoped you might think it was someone else. You know what I am saying; I can almost hear your teeth grinding in my head. I can assure you that I hoped you would never see the memory, and I forgot that you could just take it from me. I would be happy to never talk of what took place ever again, which I am sure you will be pleased to know. I understand that you are intransigent by nature, but I really wish you could try to change that. I may be insufferable to you, but I am not a know-it-all. Right now, I am waving my hand in the air for your attention and your forgiveness. I want to thank you for being the professor that taught me the most. I wonder how much more I might have learned had I not been so frightened and suspicious of you. I hope you are fully recovered and I hope you enjoy your life to come. I know you are about to throw this in the fire. That's ok, I am glad you read it, but before you scoff and mutter, 'bloody Gryffindors', before you hurl this in the fire, please remember that despite everything, I would like to be a friend. I know you won't accept that, but I had to tell you. If you need anything,

Just ask.

Hermione

'Well, that was the most disturbing letter I have ever read,' he thought.

"I don't want to disappoint you, Granger, bloody little Gryffindor that you are." He had twisted up the letter in order to hurl it into the flames when an unwelcome realization hit him and he froze.

Mortification drained his face of what little colour it possessed.

'Damn it! I am the spy, Lily's the flower, and my life's saviour is… Granger! Bloody hell, it doesn't make sense! It has got to be rubbish, just Lovegood dribble,' he thought desperately.

Placing the letter down absentmindedly, he reached again for the whiskey decanter.