In a spin of dizziness and with a cry from Ron that Harry prayed no one heard, the three drifted down until they were in Dumbledore's office, and Harry felt a surge of emotion as he saw the old headmaster at his desk. Evie sat across from him, her chin high and her eyes glossy but not teary.

Ron shot him a look of surprise, stunned by the effect of the Pensieve, and Harry smiled. "It's okay, they can't see or hear us."

Ron nodded, but still looked a little shaken up. He followed their gazes to the memory again.

Dumbledore was staring down at his hands, joined there on the table, and took a deep breath. "I've known for some time that Severus was in trouble. I just never thought it would go this far." He looked at the girl. She met his eyes.

"Please, Professor," she whispered, and the three could tell that she was on the verge of tears. "I know that under the law he should be sent to Azkaban, but…" she sucked in a sharp breath, "you can't. You can't do that to him. Or me. I can't bear the thought of him there."

Dumbledore looked at her for a long moment, then sat back in his chair. "You say he showed deep remorse for the Potters?"

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry, but he ignored them and kept his eyes on the headmaster.

Evie's face twisted, and a tear fell from her right eye. She wiped it away quickly, nodding. "Yes. More than I've ever seen. Not just on him, on anyone."

Dumbledore leaned on his arm, his index finger over his lips, staring at her in scrutiny. She stared back, and another tear fell.

"You truly love him, don't you, Evelyn?"

She nodded. "More than anything. I'd die for him if I had to." She looked down. "He's a brother to me. He's all I have left." She sniffed, then looked back to the wizard.

"Please, help him. He's hidden right now, but he's agreed to see you as long as you promise to help him. I know he will serve you well, Professor. And…" she swallowed, "if I have to, I will serve you also. Anything you ask of me, anything at all, as long as you keep Severus safe."

Dumbledore was peering at her over his spectacles, and suddenly looked thoughtful. "Evelyn, I understand you were undergoing the training to be a Healer?"

She was composing herself, and nodded to him. The headmaster shifted. "Top of your class, as I remember." She smiled weakly. He smiled back, then rose.

"Very well, Evelyn, I believe you. But before I take Severus under my wing, I must hear it from him and him alone, do you understand?"

She was on her feet. "Yes sir, thank you so much, I..."

He silenced her with a hand in the air. "I mean what I say, Miss Prince, if I am not convinced of Severus's character, I will be forced to turn him in."

Evie stepped towards him. "Believe me, sir, he is telling the truth. I know it." She seemed to drift off for a second, then said, "He could never hide things from me."

Dumbledore was looking at her again, and reached out to take her by the arms. "I feel so much sorrow for you, my dear. All this, only days before your wedding."

Hermione's eyes shot to Harry, her mouth wide open. Harry almost fell over the bookshelf he was standing against, and Ron steadied him.

Evie met the old man's eyes, forcing a smile. "It's alright, Professor. Some things are not meant to be."

Dumbledore looked to the side, then spoke carefully. "You know that he's being held at the Ministry, until he's sent to Azkaban. If you wanted to speak with him beforehand, I could arrange..."

"No," she said sharply, "I don't want to see him. I can't."

Dumbledore smiled again, then stepped back. He strode to Fawkes' perch, eyeing the phoenix carefully.

"Evelyn, I suppose you know about the power of the Phoenix?"

She slowly looked to Dumbledore, and nodded. "Yes, sir. They can heal with their tears and are reborn in the ashes of their own destruction. They can bear loads of immense weight, and..."

He chuckled. "Yes, yes, I suppose you do." He turned to her. "Did you know, that out there somewhere, there are Healers who possess great gifts? They can heal the ones that seem to be without hope the most. All through the divine power of the Phoenix. Why, if the Ministry would allow them to study these things, then there would be no St. Mungo's, I dare say."

Evie was frowning. "The Ministry? Why wouldn't they want anyone to study something that could help?"

Dumbledore faced Fawkes again. "You know, they offered me the position of Minister of Magic many times, but I couldn't see myself working alongside such people. The Ministry is all politics, Miss Prince. As long as some people have the power over others, there will always be a place for them to be viewed as superior, and that alone can cloud a vision of what is right."

Evie shook her head. "Professor… why are you telling me this? Why should I know about what the Ministry does?"

"Because, Evelyn," he said, and turned to look at her, "you said you would help me if I helped Severus. So I am asking you to honor your word."

She shifted uneasily. "What would you ask?"

Dumbledore approached her, seeming to choose his words carefully. "Do you wish to be a Healer, Evie, here, or at St. Mungo's, perhaps? Do you wish to make a difference?"

She nodded. "Yes, sir. You know I do."

His eyes met hers over his glasses. "What if I told you that you could be something greater? Something that the world needed more than a Ministry-approved Healer? Something that the entire world would be humbled to, and yet so discreet, so unspeakable, that no one could ever know you existed?"

Her chin rose, and she eyed him suspiciously. "What are you asking me to do, Professor?"

Dumbledore lowered his voice to a whisper.

"I can hide you, more completely than you know. There is a man who will help you, a man named Cyrus Auden. He is an old aquaintance. With your knowledge and talent, you would be everything they need. And someday the Ministry would be forced to recognize your achievements, and you alone could be responsible for saving hundreds, maybe thousands, of lives. Mind you, it would mean leaving everything behind- you would have to stay hidden, and you would not see those you care for, perhaps ever again."

She looked at him sideways. "What is this man that you speak of? What has he done that he stays so hidden?"

Dumbledore grinned. "My dear Evelyn, sometimes what we see is not what is fact. They say there is no cure for the bite of a werewolf. How do we know? Your friend Remus, you have seen how he is after the full moon?" She nodded. "How would you like to someday change his life? Perhaps bring hope to him and a host of others? How would you like to put a stopper in the face of death? To be able to learn the things that the Ministry would forbid?"

Her eyes searched the old man for any hint that he had gone insane. "What you speak of… it sounds impossible. The Ministry would not withhold such information, just to reserve their place above the werewolves."

Dumbledore lowered his chin. "I assure you, Miss Prince, the Ministry is not at all what it would appear to be. Many years ago, it was just, and right, but over the years, I'm afraid Voldemort's evil penetrated its walls and many of its people."

She stepped away, walking towards Fawkes. "This… man," she said slowly, "what is it that he does?"

Dumbledore smiled at her. "Cyrus? Well, he is but a member of a family that I have come to respect and honor over the years. Years and years ago, a man named Jeremiah Altress, quite an accomplished Fowlmaster, bred Fawkes there. Gave me the egg when it was three days from hatching, supplied me with one who has saved my life on many occasions. Cyrus has now taken over his mission. Where he is- and what he does- has everything to do with the Phoenix."

Her fingers traced the bird's red wings, and she looked over her shoulder at Dumbledore.

"Where is this place?"

Dumbledore lifted his chin. "I cannot tell you that until your mind is made up."

She looked back to Fawkes, and swallowed. "How long do I have to decide?"

Dumbledore shrugged. "As long as you need. But time is of the essence, and I truly do need your help, Evie. Your heart is pure and you are steadfast when it comes to those you care about. All I ask is that you care for all those who need you."

She turned to him. "Then I shall give you my answer tomorrow."

She was walking out of the room as the spinning began, and suddenly there was Snape, arm and arm with Evie, the two of them hurrying into the back passageway of Hogwarts, Minerva McGonagall ushering them in. She led the two to the stairway to Dumbledore's office, and spoke Jelly Dewdrops, and the staircase began to rise. The two entered, and McGonagall gave them a smile.

Ron, Hermione, and Harry were rushing to keep up, and stopped thankfully as Evie pulled her hood from her cloak and met Dumbledore's eyes.

"Thank you," she said, and Dumbledore smiled at her.

"You are quite welcome." He looked at Snape. "Severus, I suppose you know why you are here?"

Snape nodded. "Yes, sir. And thank you." He seemed nervous, not at all like the Snape that the three were used to. Harry had seen him in his more broken guise, but Hermione and Ron had not, and stared on in awe.

Dumbledore looked back to Evie. "I must ask that you go, my dear. What happens from now on is between Severus and myself."

She nodded, and looked to Snape. He was looking at her strangely, almost desperately, as if fearing the thought of her departure. She swallowed, and reached out to take his hand.

"It's alright," she said, and tears began to form in her eyes. "Professor Dumbledore will stand by you. You know he does what he says. As do I." She looked at the headmaster, and his chin rose, his eyes taking on a knowing look. She stared back at Severus.

"I have to go away, Severus. I have to leave you. There is nothing more that I can do here. Professor Dumbledore has offered me a… position. It's what I want to do, Severus. I want to be able to help those that need it. And so I have to say goodbye to you."

His face had straightened, and his mouth formed a firm line. "What are you saying? Where are you going?"

She felt a hot tear fight its way down her cheek. "Please, hear me. Just as you will now turn your life around to the good for Dumbledore, I must turn my life to his cause in gratitude. You cannot rely on me for the rest of your life." The tears began to flow down her face. "There's nothing more here for me, Severus. You know that."

He began to tremble, and his eyes hardened. "Am I nothing? Am I nothing to you? You're leaving! Why? Because Black is gone? Because you will never be known as the wife of Sirius Black, the wonderful man who swept you away form your sad life? Or is it the shame of seeing him for what he truly was? How many times did I tell you he cared nothing for you? That he only wanted the one thing that was out of his reach? And yet you succumbed to him, to his pathetic charm, and now, look at you! Look at yourself!"

She suddenly met his eyes, her voice a scream. "STOP IT, SEVERUS, STOP IT! DO YOU NOT THINK I KNOW NOW? DO YOU NOT THINK THAT I FEEL EVERY BIT AS FOOLISH AS YOU ALWAYS SAID?"

He leaned away from her, shocked by her outburst. She seemed to stare daggers through him, her chest heaving with her heavy breath.

"But do you wonder what it is like for me, to protect the man responsible for the deaths of my friends? To know that you were the one who sent them to their deaths?" She shook her head, fresh tears rushing to her eyes. "And to love you so much, and yet hate you when I look at what you've let yourself become?"

He visibly stiffened. He looked away from her, and she caught his face in her hands, forcing his eyes to her.

"Do not look away from my tears, Severus. Do not. I want you to see. You have shut yourself off from me, from everyone, and you pretend you don't feel, but I know you do. I know you hurt inside, and I know you hate to see me cry because it reminds you of your mother, how she cried, and I know that you wish so many times that you had done things differently, but you felt as though you didn't have a choice." She swallowed, and he tried to pull away, but she held him steady.

"And I know about the child. I know, Severus. He fills your mind every time you try to forget. You hate yourself for caring, and you hate the fact that he will never know you as he should have. But do not let that hold you back from the life you are being given. Here and now, swear to me that you will never turn back."

Dumbledore was watching the scene unfold intently, and Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were holding their breath along with him.

Snape just stared at her, and she stepped closer.

"Swear to me," she said with a guttural growl.

He swallowed. "I swear," he said, and she bore into his gaze for a moment, then backed away. She looked at Dumbledore.

"I'm ready," she said, and he gave a nod.

"Very well." He handed her a piece of parchment. "Cyrus will be waiting for you at the gates."

She smiled at him weakly. "Thank you. And if you ever need anything, of any kind, you know I will do all in my power to help you."

Dumbledore nodded. "I know you will. And I promise that I will give Severus the life he deserves."

She looked at her cousin again, and he was watching her. She reached to him again, and pulled him into a hug, closing her eyes against him.

"I love you, Severus," she whispered, "no matter what you believe. And I always will. You know if you ever need me, I'll be there." She pulled away and met his eyes.

They were cold and hard. "Except for now," he growled.

Her face fell, and she stepped back. Something passed unsaid between the two of them, and her features hardened to match his, her eyes filled with disappointment.

"I can honestly say, this is the first time I have ever pitied you. Everything I've ever done for you has been out of love. But now," she shook her head, "I pity you."

He met her stare stubbornly, and after a few moments she turned away. Before Dumbledore spoke to Snape, the three felt themselves spinning back into the room. Ron was red-faced, and Hermione looked as though she would cry any second.

"So that's how he got to Hogwarts," she said, and sat down on an armchair. "She brought him to Dumbledore."

Ron shook his head. "Did you see him? He looked pathetic, like a little child." He joined Hermione, and the two shared a look before glancing at Harry.

Harry grimaced, and shook his head. "What- he was faking! He knew he'd go to Azkaban for being a Death Eater if he didn't act the part! He just convinced Evie, and she convinced Dumbledore, not Snape! You can't feel sorry for him and just believe whatever you saw!"

Hermione shook her head. "But he looked so… sad. Especially when she left. Did you see how he changed when she said she was leaving?"

Ron nodded. "Yeah, like he is now. He was fine before, really looked sorry. But when she told him goodbye…"

"And he swore to her! I don't think he would lie to her, not after how he acted."

Harry let out an incredulous guffaw. "You've got to be kidding me! He killed Dumbledore! I saw it!"

Ron rolled his eyes. "Okay, okay, relax. It's just… hard not to feel sorry for the guy."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "You have to at least admit that, Harry."

Harry shot her a look. He knew immediately that he would never show them the memory of his father and Sirius torturing Snape, and definitely not the one from the night his parents died. They'd probably want to take Snape out for a drink if he did.

Hermione thankfully changed the subject. "Cyrus Auden. He's that man that lives here, isn't he? So this must be the place that Dumbledore sent Evie to?"

Ron nodded. "And they hate the Ministry. That explains that part of it."

Harry forced himself to concentrate. "And he said it had to do with phoenixes. But I haven't seen any here."

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Do you think she told Professor Lupin?"

Ron raised an eyebrow. "He seemed to know more that we do."

Harry shook his head in disgust, becoming more and more agitated by the second. He scanned the table around the Pensieve, and saw it.

It was tiny, probably the size of a robin's egg, but he could see that inside the orb there was silvery liquid. He picked it up, scanned it, and held it up to the moonlight outside.

He could plainly see Dumbledore inside.

His heart raced and he put it into the Pensieve, and Hermione and Ron joined him immediately after seeing the look on his face.

Down they spun until they were in none other than the study where they all had first encountered Evie.

And there in the center stood Albus Dumbledore.

His hand was black, as Harry remembered, and Evie was studying it.

"And it's destroyed?"

He nodded. "Yes. And I'm sure I know the location of the locket."

Her eyes shot to his. "Be careful, Albus. You don't know what Voldemort's done to protect his soul."

He smiled at her. "Oh, on the contrary, I do."

She narrowed her eyes at him, and looked back to his hand. "You know there is nothing I can do," she said softly, running her fingers over the seemingly charred flesh.

He gave a small nod. "Yes, Evelyn, I know."

She straightened, and walked away from him. "Then why are you here?"

Dumbledore watched her cautiously, then took a step towards her.

"Severus's life is in danger, Evie. He's going to die if I don't convince him to follow my orders."

She stiffened, and her head turned. She studied the floor worriedly. "Quinn says that Severus's standing with Voldemort is strong. Why would he be in danger?" There was an edge to her tone that showed her fear.

Dumbledore sighed. "Severus has made an Unbreakable Vow."

She closed her eyes, turning to the old man. "With who?"

Dumbledore shifted. "Narcissa Malfoy."

Evie cursed, and flung a book into the corner. "The fool!" She looked disgusted, then glanced at Dumbledore. "To do what?"

Dumbledore looked as though he was discussing Quidditch. "To kill me."

Harry let out a grunt, and Hermione and Ron looked at him guiltily.

Evie lifted her chin. "He would never agree to that. Never. He looks up to you. You're his mentor."

Dumbledore took another step towards her. "He did it to protect the boy, Evie. The boy has been given the task of murdering me. Severus has agreed to protect the boy and to finish the task should he fail." He swallowed, and his voice softened. "Voldemort is using the boy to seek revenge upon the father."

Her eyes pained. "He is punishing Malfoy by leading a child into death." Dumbledore nodded. Evie shook her head. "What kind of evil do we face, Albus?"

He raised an eyebrow. "The most unfeeling kind. I trust that you see my reason for coming here?"

She nodded. "Yes." She blinked a couple of times. "Fawkes is well?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Very."

She pursed her lips. "And you're sure that you have readied your mind?"

He smiled wider. "Of course."

She traveled to him, meeting his eyes. "You know that it will not be easy. Death is not something that grants an easy passage."

Dumbledore was grinning away. "I only need you to tell me what you have learned. Tell me that you can summon the power and do what I need for you to do."

She swallowed, and Harry saw her face go through several emotions. "I can."

He bowed his head. "Very well." He looked back to her. "And Severus. He has sworn that he will die before raising his hand against me." He breathed. "I fear that no one other than you can convince him to carry out what is required of him."

Her eyes were suddenly clouded, and her lips tightened. She looked older, Harry noticed, older than she ever had. Guilt and fear shadowed her features, and when she spoke, her voice was strained.

"Tell him that he has to do it. Tell him that I cannot afford to lose the last person I care for. Tell him that…" her voice trailed off, and she was suddenly fighting tears.

"Tell him that sometimes, we must face what we fear the most to be brave, that we must sacrifice what we care about the most to save it." She looked at the wizard. "Just as I had to leave him behind, he will have to leave you."

Dumbledore nodded, looking down at the floor. "And when this is done, when my life is gone, I have to ask you…"

"I will hide them."

"And there are others..."

"Harry Potter will be safe here."

Dumbledore swallowed. "I fear what this might do Harry. He will not be willing to trust Severus as easily as you and I."

She looked up stiffly. "Then I will make him understand. I will do all in my power to make him see that Severus is no murderer." She blinked. "After all, he has done more for Harry Potter than anyone. And if he must take your life to save Harry's, we will stand behind him."

Harry felt the room spin, and realized it had nothing to do with the Pensieve. A buzz filled his ears, and he couldn't piece together what he was hearing. He turned to Hermione and Ron, but they seemed hazy and out of focus.

Dumbledore touched her face. "I dare say this is not goodbye. But I am very proud of you, Evelyn. You have served me very well. And I'm sure that Severus will do the same."

She took his hands and kissed them, tears falling from her eyes. "Fawkes will be ready. We will keep your death in our hands."

Dumbledore lifted her chin, and smiled at her. "Well," he chirped, "have a nice day."

She watched him turn and walk to the center of the room, then turn on the spot and Disapparate.

And then her tears came hard and loud, and her figure fell to the couch.

It was a relief to leave that sight, but even as his feet touched the floor of the room, he continued to wobble. Hermione and Ron rushed to him as his bottom hit the carpet.

"He… knew," Harry whispered. "He… he came to tell her… tell her that Snape was going to kill him… and he knew…"

Ron seemed to be just as shocked. "Then… what does that mean? If Dumbledore had to make Snape kill him, then… what does that mean, Harry?"

Hermione's face was twisted with confusion. "He did more than that. He came to ask Evie how to get Snape to agree to kill him."

Harry stared at the floor, everything swimming in and out of focus. He touched his nose to make sure his glasses were still on. He shook his head. "I know what I saw."

Hermione knelt in front of him. "Maybe you saw what you were supposed to see."

He was on his feet, however unsteadily, and his glare bore down on her like ice.

"SNAPE KILLED DUMBLEDORE! I SAW IT! AND NO PIECE OF MEMORY CAN CONVINCE ME OTHERWISE!"

Ron winced. "Oy, Harry, keep your voice down!"

"WHAT DO YOU CARE? YOU DIDN'T SEE IT! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND! I SAW HIM DIE! AND I SAW SNAPE DO IT!"

Bounding footsteps in the hall brought Hermione and Ron to their feet. Lupin was in the doorway, his face white with worry, and Tonks was coming behind him, her eyes large.

"What are you doing in here?" Lupin asked, entering the room slowly.

Hermione and Ron looked at Harry, unable to answer. The boy's face was flushed, and tears had begun to stream down his face. He walked up to Remus, his eyes boring into him.

"Tell me what really happened," he said calmly. "Tell me what you know."

Lupin shifted, and looked at Harry knowingly. "Harry, I can't talk about this now. You shouldn't be here. You need to-"

"TELL ME!" He hit the man in the chest, sending him back more than a few steps. His eyes were wild and he looked as though he were hanging on to sanity by a thread. "TELL ME RIGHT NOW!"

"HARRY!"

Evie's bark filled the room. She shoved past Tonks and took Harry by the shoulders. "Listen to me. Listen to me!" She shook him, and he looked at her, his face twisting. She swallowed. "Harry, you were not supposed to find out this way. You need to calm down. Can you do that for me?"

Her hand dropped, and Hermione and Ron noticed that Evie had taken something from her robe, a tiny vial, and was handing it to Lupin. She glanced at him, nodding towards it, and he seemed to take the hint and uncorked it. She turned back to Harry. He was facing her, his face swollen and purple, his sobs clouding his words.

"You… you knew what he was going to do… and you didn't stop it…" he shook his head, "…you could have saved Dumbledore… but you saved that filth instead… he's here, isn't he? Snape's here, in this house… you're protecting him… you've always protected him…"

Evie seemed to be melted by the boy's words, and she reached behind her back to Remus, who handed her the vial. She grabbed Harry's neck, forcing the tube under his nose, and he felt his eyes open widely from the intoxicating fumes that filled his mouth and nostrils.

"No…"

She shook her head. "Breathe it in, Harry, just breathe."

He began to struggle, but his vision began to fade as the trance took him over. "No… I don't… I don't want to sleep…"

As she guided him to the floor, the last thing he saw before blackness took over was her pale blue eyes looking down on him, and he really and truly hated her.