A/N: First and foremost I'd like to thank jen-pongo, VivaLaAmber, and mardar for their reviews. Every review I get makes me want to write more! I'm sorry its been so long since I posted a new chapter. I've actually been writing several at one time but school, work, and life in general seem to get in the way! But I'm back at it for the summer so hopefully I can get at least two more chapters out before next term begins.

I recently recieved some good and bad news. My best friend and grammar beta (yes, I have one for grammar and one for content) is moving out of state to finish her degree and begin her new life with my adorable godson and her handsome (she hates that word) boyfriend. While I'm very happy for her success and proud of her in general, I'm now on the hunt for a new grammar beta. If you're interested or have a suggestion send me a message.

Without further ado, enjoy the next installment!

I own nothing but Scarlett...

She awoke refreshed and content. Stretching and rolling over she remembered the reality of the situation. "Oh hell. Same shit, different day. " She told the empty room.

"Indeed." The room replied. She jumped three feet off the bed landing on the floor beside it, instead of on it, with a thump.

"Whatthefuckareyoudoingsnape!" He was on the other side of the bed, the one she hadn't fallen off of, sitting in a chair. "Why," she questioned as she finally disentangled herself from the sheets and popped her head over the edge of the bed to glare at him, "are you sitting in my bedroom? In the dark?"

"I didn't want to wake you, and it was before our agreed meeting time." He made no move to get up or leave.

"So you just sat in the dark and stared at me while I slept?" She began pulling herself up. "This is why people think you're creepy Snape." She turned on the light from the bedside table and moved to get dressed.

"Scarlett," He was staring at her again, or some more depending on how you looked at it. "Is that yours?" She looked down. Oh god. She was wearing one of Barty's shirts. She must've put it on during the night, but she couldn't quite remember.

"No, it isn't." She answered shortly, continuing her quest for clothes.

"Are you going to elaborate?" He asked.

"What would you like me to say Severus? It's Barty's."

"I was told that the two of you weren't sleeping together, perhaps my source was incorrect." She couldn't tell if he was being coy or he thought that she had been untruthful.

"Oh they were completely wrong. We just fuck and fuck and fuck some more. Loads of hot sex happening here, that's why we're always so relaxed." Her voice monotone and she flailed her arms for dramatic impact. She ripped open the shirt, grabbing clothes from the bureau. She felt a cold hand on her shoulder. Spinning, she met his coal eyes.

"Scarlett, calm down. I shouldn't pry and even if I do, you shouldn't answer me. I know you weren't lying, I understand more than you realize." This should've been the most awkward conversation of her life. The snarky Potions Master, and her ex-instructor, comforting her after asking if she was screwing her patient. All the while standing there in a pair of panties and her patient's dress shirt open, baring her chest to him. But this was becoming normal to her, sadly.

"Y'know, you'd think that once we became a part of the dark side we'd get laid more but not so much." It was all she could think to say. It was true but didn't really help the situation.

"You'd think. I believe your patient once summed it up nicely." She cocked her head at that. He continued, "If I remember correctly it was something along the lines of 'There's not a lot of pussy in being a servant of the Dark Lord. It's not surprising, look at the list of followers. One giant sausage fest.' Crouch wasn't known for his eloquent speech. You have that in common."

"Fuck off Snape," she replied scrounging through her drawers.

"It's not even worth the comment." He said returning to his corner.

She finally found the item she was looking for and pulled it on. Piece by piece she became less nude. "Why are you here Severus?"

"There's a new option." She immediately froze with on arm in a sleeve and her head half through the opening.

"What is it?" Her dressing became hurried.

"Last night I was graced with a visit from the Headmaster. He told me of a book that had come into his possession, in which it detailed a few rare but dangerous spells. We don't know much about them but it should be considered."

"Does Minerva know?"

"Unknown, but we know where to find her."

"Indeed we do." She turned to look at him, resting her hands on her hips. "Am I correct in the assumption that this is going to lead to research?" She moved across the room to her jewelry box, rummaging through she found the items she was looking for.

"Yes, that is correct. Unfortunately this might surpass the Hogwarts library's resources." He cocked both his head and an eyebrow.

She wasn't wearing her usual robes, or robes at all for that matter. But instead an odd concoction of muggle attire. It looked like, well, something that Crouch would wear. At the very least a man's clothing. A white button up shirt, obviously Barty's, it was large on her, with sleeves rolled to the elbow and unbuttoned to just above her cleavage. Dark pin stripped trousers, a fitted vest and of all things, suspenders. A rosary adorned her neck and a pocket watch holding the Crouch family crest was displayed across the vest. Snape decided she was dressed to pick a fight. She'd need that attitude.

"I love field trips to Knockturn Alley." She said breaking him out of his reverie over her clothing choice.

"Scarlett…." He began, and then thought better of it, "shall we?"

She nodded and they departed for the Great Hall to retrieve Professor McGonagall. As they passed students in the hall odd looks of terror and curiosity littered their faces. Crowds parted for them and moved to the edges of the corridors, cowering slightly. They avoided the volatile pair as best they could at every turn. They entered the Hall striding shoulder to shoulder, every set of eyes was on them and a cacophony of whispers spread through the large space. Approaching the teacher's table, Scarlett began a quick hushed conversation with McGonagall and Snape exchanged a few words with the Headmaster. McGonagall rushed around the table to join them and the trio turned and strode out just as quickly as they'd entered. Leaving most students gossiping about what they had just witnessed and what might it mean.

They settled around a table in the restricted section of the library. The door was locked giving them as much privacy as possible. Snape descended into a nearby chair, his fingers steepling. Scarlett was quickly learning that this action meant he was either in intense thought, which was often. Most people never recognized that Severus was indeed quite the scholar. Or he had significant information to give. Currently, she was confident it was both.

"There is a very dark spell that may, and I do mean mayhave occurred during the fight. Malfoy could possibly have had access to a book containing such a spell." He pulled a book from inside his robes, it was beaten and worn and extremely aged. The title read Serpentigena Grimoire. She finally grasped just what they might be going up against. This was the dark arts at its most sinister.

"In this book are numerous spells that should be considered. Some are mentioned in passing, others are explicit. Specifically, Plasma Occisor was pointed out to me. It's a cruel spell, but in comparison to some of the others one could consider it a godsend. It works a bit like a boggart, except it can be conjured at will by the caster. A phantom appears and transforms into what the victim fears most. If it is strong enough, taking hold of the prey's mind firmly, forcing him to believe what he sees is real, the victim will die of fear."

"Jesus fuck." Scarlett's shoulders slumped in defeat. Minerva put a hand over hers. Scarlett looked at the older woman and then at Snape. "Okay," she took a breath, "it's possible that Malfoy could've cast this, yes?"

"Again, it is a possibility, but we don't have many hard facts on the whole ordeal. The problem in lies with ascertaining what truly transpired"

"How many alternatives are in that book?" She pointed at the thing with detest.

Snape sent her a look. His meaning was clear. The book held as many possibilities as it did pages. She sighed heavily, "Then let start dwindling it down. Plasma Occisor, we're looking at it as though it wasn't strong enough to kill him, but not weak enough that he could fight it off, correct?" They nodded. "Well, let's take into account that Barty has a very strong will to resist attacks to his mind and is a skilled Occlumence. He would have a fair chance of fighting it off, or at the very least realizing it wasn't real. To be honest, even as his close friend and psychologists I've haven't the foggiest what he would have seen."

"Scarlett, I realize that these are somewhat extenuating circumstances but don't disclose anything unnecessarily." Minerva reminded her gently.

"I have the responsibility to keep my patient from harm. Well, my patient has been viciously attacked and has lain unconscious for days. I'm confident he's in harm. Not to mention this is not exactly an A typical situation to begin with. We're making this up as we go. I have to create my own set of ethics based on the situation and then adapt as needed. In other words, I think this is understandable and necessary." She stated firmly, "That being said, I have no idea what he could've seen."

"Does it really matter?" Minerva asked, hesitant about even discussing the matter.

"Severus, does it say how to counter the spell?"

"Not in this particular book, no."

"Then I think that's a good jumping off point. We need more information, how do we reverse it, and we still have to account for Malfoy's memory loss." She said as she began walking down one of the many aisles leaving the other two to their own devices. McGonagall and Snape looked at each other and headed down separate aisles.

Scarlett began pulling books she thought might hold an answer and thumbing through them, enchanting them as necessary. Tome after dusty tome she found nothing. Every book she grabbed became more and more malicious looking, holding illustrations of decapitations, and diagrams to create dark and forbidding items of wicked intent. There were stacks upon stacks of them. She felt consumed as she stood in their midst, powerless against their masses. How could she ever unearth the information she sought in all of it. As if some greater power felt her hopelessness Minerva's voice broke through the endless abyss, "I've got it!"

They all rushed from the stacks to the table. She had a finger marking the page, flipping it open they saw a sketch of some blurry figure moving towards a cowering man. "Scarlett do you remember seeing something like this?" She pointed at the blur.

"Minerva, I had a concussion, everything was blurry."

"Yes, but do you remember there being an extra blur that shouldn't have been there? Like this?" She pointed again at the picture. Scarlett fixed her eyes on the illustration, concentrating on it. She closed her eyes trying to picture the moment between Barty and Malfoy. Had there been anything in the space between them? No, there had been nothing but a red flash. A red flash! Whatever they were looking for it emanated a red stream from the wand. Her breath quickened.

"No. There wasn't a blur, I'm sure of it," Minerva's shoulders fell slightly. "But there was a red flash. I remember it distinctly, whatever he cast it gave off a red stream from his wand." She looked to Severus, "Does that help?" Her eyes were wide in anticipation and her heart pounded with a renewed hope.

"It narrows it down." He rushed to the grimoire, ripping through page after page in search of something specific. "Only four spells in this book contain both Crouch's symptoms and emit a red stream or flash. Do you recall which one it was, a stream or a flash?"

She closed her eyes again. The scene played before her. Malfoy's wand had sent out a red flash, then a short stream, then nothing. Her eyes shot opened with clarity. "It was both."

"It can't have been both. It must be one or the other." He snapped.

"No, it was both. It flashed from the tip of his wand, the light encompassed them both. Then a short stream went across Barty." She swallowed. She had seen that he had been injured, she just couldn't remember because of the trauma of her head injury and the emotional pain of the event. "And then it disappeared, then Malfoy ran off."

Snape stopped to stare at her. He looked deeply into her eyes, she didn't hinder his search. Understanding, then realization dawned ever so slightly in his features. Turning back to the book he continued rapidly turning its pages until he found his objective. "It was supposed to be a stream but Malfoy wasn't strong enough to produce the spell properly. That leaves us with two. Neither is particularly kind." He opened a page for them to see. At the top were the words Potentia Dictum Mortificare. There was a short paragraph and another illustration of a man yelling at a corpse. He quickly thumbed to another section, pointing to a line in a paragraph, specifically, Anima Corripio. Neither sounded pleasant.

"What do they do?" Minerva finally asked hesitantly.

"Potentia Dictum Mortificare kills with a single enchanted word. A very powerful and dark spell, but that is all it tells of it. I've only come across it in my research once before. I have a manuscript in my personal library containing limited information on it. But nothing useful is given on Anima Corripio. It is mentioned only in passing as an example for something else unrelated to our needs." He fell into silence, his brow knitted in thought. "Minerva, can you please notify the Headmaster that Scarlett and I will need permission for an outing."

"Where should I tell him you're going Severus?" Her features held an astonished look.

Scarlett hadn't taken her eyes away from Snape's face. Interrupting, she stated, "Knockturn Alley." Scarlett heard McGonagall's quick intake of breath but she kept her gaze on Snape.

He returned the intense stare, "We need to stop at my quarters first." She nodded and without giving a glance back they turned to leave the library with McGonagall quick on their heels. The diverged at the library entrance, Minerva resolutely in search of Dumbledore and Snape and Scarlett proceeding to Severus' quarters for their required book.

She strained to keep up with his long strides. He walked with purpose, always demanding a level of respect or fear from those that crossed his path. Following him down corridors, delving farther into the depths of the castle towards his quarters, after several minutes they reached a winding stairway eventually leading to his office door. He stopped momentarily, pulled his wand, muttered quietly and pushed open the heavy wooden door. During her time as a student she had never been in his office but the contents of the room were what she expected. Bottles, jars, weird creature looking things pickled and suspended in glass containers. Something purple was smoking in a bubbling cauldron in the corner. He strode behind his desk and began scanning through his books. The whole place reminded her of a cross between a mad scientist's lab and a torture chamber. Some how it was fitting for Snape's personality. She stood in the center of the room, trying not to touch anything, partly because she was afraid that if brushed against something it would eat through her skin, and partly because she didn't want to incur the wrath that was Severus Snape.

"You know you're going to have to some serious damage control, being seen with me. I'm sorry about that." She said conversationally while staring up at the curved archways in the ceiling.

"Yes. I doubt 'Dumbledore made me do it' is going to work considering I'm aiding what is currently considered the deepest betrayal to our side since the Dark Lord disappeared." He paused, "Scarlett how did you know? Did Albus tell you?" His tone held great concern.

"It's what I do Severus, size men up, figure them out. It's just a puzzle, if you look long enough there's a key. And I've had a long time to study you. It's been bit by bit, I put the puzzle together. But I was never completely sure. At least not until…" She paused, hesitating. She didn't want to offend him.

He stopped searching his manuscripts to look at her. She was staring intently at the ceiling and chewing her lip, she didn't want to tell him. "Finish your sentence."

She finally turned to look at him. Her face was empty of all emotion. "Severus, you didn't deny it."

"Deny what?"

"We got into an argument, one of them, and I implied you were one of them. Naturally you were angered, got up in my face once or twice, but of all the things you did, not once did you deny it. If someone wasn't a Death Eater and was accused repeatedly don't you think they would, at the very least, deny the accusation?" She paused again. He didn't look angry but he didn't exactly look happy either. "Remember what I once told you in a meeting? You're wearing more than a sleeve? It was a reference to something Barty and I talked about. You were so busy trying to appear as though you were totally Dumbledore's man, you slipped. It was obvious, if you were looking for it, which unfortunately for you I was."

He stared at her for a long time. No emotion ever crossed his features. She stared back, sympathetic. She didn't want to offend or upset him. And naturally such an oversight was probably a blow to his self image. He was always cold, every word calculated. No one knew his secret except those he chose to tell. And yet here she was, completely aware of what he was, without being let into that small and close kept circle.

"I'm glad you took the job." He finally broke the awkward silence. "You were the best choice for the position."

Considering the individual the statement was coming from she felt a surge of pride. She smiled at him, "Thank you."

He nodded and moved toward one of the windows. She knew it had to be enchanted, they were too deep down in the castle for it to be real. He pulled his wand again, murmured under his breath and the wall became a door. He sheathed his wand and pulled the door open, disappearing through the opening. She turned her attention back to the archways in the ceiling. She assumed that she wasn't invited into what was sure to be his personal quarters. Despite her curiosity to behold a rare glimpse into the mysterious Severus Snape.

He returned with a surprisingly small manuscript in hand. Quickly finding the nearest flat space, one of his work tables, he paged through it searching for the spell in question. He motioned for her to come to where he was, complying she stood next to him looking down at the text. She narrowed her eyes, trying to decipher the script. It was in Latin, which she barely understood from her limited exposure to the language. Despite her ignorance, he seemed to read the pages as though it were the simplest thing on the planet. The title was the only thing she recognized, Potentia Dictum Mortificare, she felt like it was taunting her. She searched his face hoping to see the dawning of realization but to no avail, he was obviously silently contemplating something but there was no relief in his features. Just the opposite, in fact, there was even more tension. Despite that she was glad to have him. She was happy to have help in all of this. She knew she wouldn't have been able to do this alone. McGonagall, Snape, Dumbledore, these were her pillars of faith.

"The grimoire was incorrect," he pointed to a line of words that meant nothing to her.

"What?!" She looked from his face to page and back again. "How can that be? Are you sure?"

He shot her a meaningful look, "No, Scarlett, maybe I'm reading this wrong. Could you check for me?"

"I would say 'sarcasm doesn't become you' but it's sort of your thing," she spat wryly.

He glared at her but continued, "I know this text to be accurate…"

"I don't want to know how."

"…and it makes no mention of a red flash or stream of light. According to this," he said pointing to yet another line she couldn't read, "the word is what implements the spell not a wand. Malfoy's not brilliant but he can read." He looked at her again.

"It's a dead language Severus."

"I understand it. Malfoy could read it."

"Oh get off your cross, for fuck's sake. We need the wood…to stoke the fire, to heat the cauldron, to make the potion, to fix this cluster fuck of magic."

"I'm merely pointing out…" he drawled.

"You do have a point."

"Glad to see you're coming around," he leered at her.

"This isn't the spell we're looking for."

"No it isn't. So let's hope for better luck in Knockturn Alley." He moved passed her headed for the door.

She followed quickly after him muttering, "I can't believe that actually worked," the door closing its self behind them.

She caught up to him in the hallway. He was moving swiftly through the halls and she struggled to keep up with him. Instead of heading towards main entrance Snape was directing them to Scarlett and Barty's quarters. She wasn't sure why they were going to their rooms but she silently followed. Which brought the query to mind, why was she following him unquestioningly anywhere? Let alone her quarters? Upon reaching the door he stopped and moved aside for her to open it. She pulled out a ring filled with keys and started shoving different keys into the row of locks seemingly at random. Then Scarlett leaned down to the handle and whispered something. A loud click sounded through the hall, she opened the door and they rushed inside.

Snape dropped onto the sofa, "Remind me to ask about that door when we aren't running around trying to save the life of a criminal."

"He's not a criminal!" She snapped, "And what about the door?"

"No wand necessary? Keys?" He asked. She was thankful that he didn't pursue the question of Barty's innocence. She had no desire to debate the topic with him or any one else for that matter.

"It had to be specific and special for security purposes." Her explanation earned her a cocked eyebrow. Her hands went to her hips as she regarded him, "Once again allow me to reiterate that Barty is an exceptional wizard."

She sank down next to him on the couch. Turning to face him, "Severus, the rule that Barty isn't allowed access to a wand is a joke. He doesn't need a wand any more than you do. He could've unlocked any door in this castle. You hate him for his betrayal, which is understandable but think, truly think of what he has done. He could've made Hogwarts his playground, escaped back to the Dark Lord, or manipulated us all with diabolical intent, anything he wanted. Anything at all." She stared intensely at Snape, inadvertently leaning towards him. In a hushed voice she whispered to him, "But he didn't."

Suddenly she stood and spun around to the fire place. A blazing fire jumped to life in the hearth. Grabbing her teapot, she began to make tea for them. She refused to turn around to look at him. Barty was certainly not a criminal. He could've done anything he wanted, she knew that. She realized it as soon as she read his file after taking on the case. But he didn't. Which she was sure left Snape begging the question, 'why?' She knew the answer. Barty wanted help, wanted to change, to be a better person. And it got her out of bed everyday. Fuck everything else.

She grumbled to herself as she moved cups and containers around on the tea tray. Snape hadn't said a word. This suited her just fine. Finally she set the tray down on the coffee table and sat back down on the couch next to him. Slowly sipping her tea she thought of her mother. She'd always said that there was no problem that couldn't be solved with tea. Scarlett could only hope that her mother had been correct because they had a hell of a problem in front of them. Realizing that their tense silence wasn't a solution to anything she broke the quiet with a flat tone.

"Do you have a plan?"

Snape turned slightly to regard her, "You don't?"

"Of course not. I make this shit up as I go along."

"That's reassuring," he scoffed.

"Well I can assure you that this was not a part of any plan I could've had."

"Yes, I have a plan."

"Please, don't leave me in suspense Severus." She mocked.

"Scarlett, ignore me. Please. My dislike is…"

"Shut up Severus." She interrupted. "Whatever you feel towards me or Barty isn't important right now. The fact that you're aiding me in this truly insane quest is more than I could hope for." She finally looked at him. She didn't like his opinions of Barty but she needed him. And when it came down to it Severus Snape wasn't that bad. She could've been dealt a worse hand then the one she currently held. Which should've been surprising to her, possibly terrifying but it wasn't. Her father had occasionally used a term in his work that she didn't really comprehend until that moment. She briefly considered sharing her realization with Snape but figured muggle terms were beyond him. She had reached SNAFU. All she could think was 'Well, fuck it, what's next?'

"What's the plan?"

He smiled. Well she thought he was smiling. It was hard to tell she'd never really seen it before. The foreign action transformed into a rather indecent smirk.

"What?" She began to shy away from him slightly.

A strange grumbled emanated from deep in his chest. Was he laughing? Scarlett looked at him with a tilted head. Like a confused puppy. He advanced on her. Very quietly he whispered to her, "I'm going to spend the day with a lady of the night." His grinned intensified.

Scarlett's eyes widened. "You're plan is that I'm a hooker?" She was shocked. And that was hard to do at this point.

"That is indeed the plan." He was enjoying this. Perhaps a little too much. "We can't be seen together, especially in a place like Knockturn Alley. But we both need to be there. I'm a lonely man. It isn't that unusual that I would go looking for some sort of…company." He was leering at her.

She looked him square in the face. "Severus, this truly fucked up. You know that, right?"

His smirk widened. "I feel like a blonde today."

Please R&R! Thanks!