All We Can Do: Chapter 10
Disclaimer: I own nothin'.
Warnings: If you don't know already then I've given up on you.
Notes: Wowza! When I asked for reviews I got them! Thank you all so much, it means a lot to me that you are enjoying my stories, truly. I hope you enjoy this latest installment. For those of you wanting some hot and heavy action, just keep reading. I can't wait to get to the point in the plot where I can write the fun juicy stuff, but I don't think we're ready for that just yet! As always, please drop a review if you want to ask a question, raise a point, or whatever!
The third year Ravenclaw/Hufflepuff mixed potions class and the fifth year Gryffindor/Slytherin class were the only two obligations Severus had that day but they both passed with the time slowing pain of the Cruciatus Curse. Each of the classes had ended with bewildered students trailing out of the dungeons unharrassed and unchastized for their ruined cauldrons, messes, and minor explosions. One Gryffinor who was particularly inclined to believing the most ridiculous of hoaxes insisted that Snape had been killed in a secret battle between Aurors and the Death Eaters, prompting Dumbledore, naturally, to cover up the death with a quickly created golem. But since the young man's last wild idea was that you could tell who would be sorted into which house by a special reading of the arrangement of moles and birthmarks, which was a particularly exciting idea of Professor Trelawny but practically no one else, he was mostly ignored by his fellow students.
Severus had indeed, however, been acting strange and reasonably so! The rhythm of teaching had fortunately taken over and he had been able to throw the lesson plan up of the board and keep most major accidents from occurring but his sarcasm had lost its sting and when he was not needed he moped behind his desk instead of prowling around the maze of bubbling cauldrons as per usual.
By the time the last students had bounded loudly up the stairs and out of his sight Severus was so angry with himself he could barely contain it. The door separating his living quarters with the classroom slammed shut with an earsplitting crack as he retreated from his public life into a bit a solitude where he promptly began berating himself.
"What in Hell did you think you were doing, Severus Snape?" He railed, completely throwing aside his customary calm demeanor in favor of storming around his rooms in a childish rage. "Taking advantage of Draco like that? Merlin! What did you thin would come of that, you dirty old man?"
He caught sight of the bookshelf where he hid the nice liquor Lucius always gave him from the boozy house elf who usually cleaned his rooms and stamped his way over. Severus had barely taken a sip out of the bottle of brandy though before he continued his tirade.
"Circe! You are just too damn desperate, Severus Snape. He's a boy! He's not even of age until June. Aradia! He must think you are disgusting and if he didn't before, he certainly will now! How are you supposed to work together? To keep him safe? Rasputin's dick!"
Exhausted from a day's worry and self-berating Severus slumped back into his favorite chair with his long legs splayed out in front of him, still taking the occasional tug from the bottle of brandy. Eventually, however, he looked down in disgust at the bottle. Why was he drowning himself in alcohol? Could he get any more pathetic? What happened to the strong willed Severus Snape who survived the first war, the horrific death of his first love, and a double existence as a universally loathed spy?
Sighing, he went to set the bottle down on the carpet next to his chair when a hot, biting pain raced up his arm. The bottle fell with a crash to the floor as his hand twitched in a spasm of pain, expensive liquor spreading over the carpet before sinking into the thick fibers to stain. Severus grasped his forearm tightly with his other hand, trying to calm the pain of the summons, his mind racing. He should have fucking known that this would happen now! After all, the Dark Lord would have heard of the Malfoys' supposed death just as soon as everyone else had. Why had he spent his few spare moments nearly snogging Draco instead of conferring with his newly minted brother spy as to how they were going to deal with this situation? They didn't even had a stable plan!
As Severus raced down the lawn towards the apparition point in the chill autumn night air he prepared his mind for the Dark Lord's inevitable invasion and hoped that Draco knew well enough to do the same. If he just relaxed and let the Dark Lord look for what he wanted to see then most likely Voldemort wouldn't stumble across anything incriminating. Probably.
The dark circle of black cloaks and skeletal masks was nearly complete when Severus swept into the marbled hall. The Dark Lord was still residing in the same manor he had been during the early part of the term and as Severus glided to his customary spot near his Lord's right hand he remembered the rivulets of blood that had smeared the marbled floors the last time he had visited. He recognized Bellatrix by her wild curls in spite of her mask. She was leaning slightly forward halfway across the circle from him looking like a cocky teenager angling for a fight or a savage dog tugging at it's leash. Though her eyes were obscured he felt their crazed heat beaming towards him but Severus was more interested in what was happening in the middle of the circle.
"Severus, friend," Voldemort hissed as Severus slid into his place silently. "Come here."
The Dark Lord's thin, bony fingers beckoned Severus further into the circle next to where another Death Eater was already standing. A flash of white blond crept out from underneath the other man's hood, a color that could only belong to a Malfoy. So he had already got to Draco, Severus thought worriedly. Had Draco managed to maintain their secret?
He came to rest next to his godson. "Yes, my Lord?"
"Draco, take off your mask, you are among friends," The Dark Lord said. "Take a good look at this face," he continued once Draco had pulled his mask away. "This is the face of the last remaining Malfoy, a well beloved and respected pure blood family that has continued for eight hundred years. Is that correct, Draco?"
"It has been eight hundred and ninety three years since the Malfoys had their name recorded in the pure blood roster at the Ministry of Magic," Draco confirmed quietly. His face hung down and his pale blond locks covered what Severus was certain was a look to pure terror. Instinctively he raised a hand and rested it on his godson's shoulder. Draco twitched in surprise but then relaxed into his grip.
"Exactly, eight hundred and ninety three years," the Dark Lord continued as he prowled around the inner rim of the circle, making sure to take a good long look into the face of every single follower. "Now, this proud family has been nearly destroyed beyond repair. And who was done this?"
This last question was shouted, prompting every Death Eather to answer in unison, "Filthy Muggles!"
"Correct!"Voldemort was still screaming as he continued. "Filthy Muggles! Filthy Muggles dared to murder this wizarding family, Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy, our brother and sister, in their own home."
The thin lizard-like man had made a full trip around the circle and came up to face Severus and Draco in the center. He was standing so close that Severus could smell him, like cold damp rocks and blood. His flattened nostrils flared as he stared directly into Severus' eyes, down down into his mind, and asked, "So, then, Severus, how do you think we should repay these filthy Muggles?"
"Kill them," Severus said without hesitation. He felt the Dark Lord breaking through his mind the way a hurried thief overturns a darkened house but felt assured that neither the truth of his and Draco's situation was revealed nor was the embarrassment of their earlier indiscretion.
"Do you agree Draco? Tell your fellow Death Eaters what you would like them to do to your parent's murderers!"
Draco raised his head slowly before saying, voice broken by emotion, "Find them. Find them and kill them. Filthy fucking Muggles."
The rest of the meeting had passed in a blur of elated war cries, the screams of blood thirsty beasts finally allowed to sate their passion for violence, and the creation of a hasty plan for retaliation. Severus managed to avoid Bellatrix during the planning period much to her disappointment; she kept aggressively trying to get him cornered, and he finally escaped with Draco by saying that they would be missed at Hogwarts if they did not leave immediately.
The pair did not speak as they raced up to Dumbledore's office. Severus barely had the breath to gasp out the password to the patiently waiting gargoyle ("M&M's") and then they took the circular staircase a run, skipping two steps at a time.
"My dear boys," Dumbledore said jovially as Severus and Draco collapsed into the double chairs in front of the headmaster's desk, "I hadn't expected to see you this soon, I must admit! Perhaps you simply missed me?"
"We just got back from a meeting," Severus panted, ignoring the old man's teasing.
"Yes, that would explain the peculiar outfits. Although, I had hoped that you two simply had decided to dress identically because you knew you would look so cute together."
Severus and Draco scowled which made the Headmaster chuckle delightedly.
"This is serious, sir!" Draco said loudly.
"Yes, yes of course it is, Mister Malfoy. Please excuse my joking," Dumbledore conceded not looking at all contrite. "I must say, you played your part exceedingly well this morning. I was most impressed. I'm sure you two will make quite the duo."
Dumbledore's observant eyes could not miss the slight blush that rose over Draco's pale cheeks and the look of annoyance that flickered over Severus' face. Interesting. He would have to pester Severus about that later...
"They have decided on a date for retaliation, Albus," Severus said. He was damned if the old man was going to distract him from the purpose of their visit with innuendo and jokes.
"It's tomorrow night!" Draco picked up where he left off. "You have to tell the Order. Can they get ready that quickly?"
"Well, my dear boys, why don't we find out?" Dumbledore replied cryptically.
The Headmaster stood and swept out from behind his desk over to the towering fireplace.
"Come, Severus, Draco," he beckoned them forward. "Let us go and you can inform the Order yourselves."
Draco and Severus shed their outer cloaks and masks before stepping into the fire with Dumbledore. Draco couldn't hear the name of the location although he saw Dumbledore's lips moving to instruct the Floo where to take them. When they finally stopped spinning Draco found himself staring out of the fireplace at a kitchen packed with witches and wizards, some he knew and some he did not, all with their wands turned towards him.
"Now, now, friends," Dumbledore raised his hands and waved them dismissively at the crowd of suspicious wizards. "Let's not attack our newest member before he can even be introduced."
"We don't need to be introduced," said a woman with a shrill, reedy voice near the back of the kitchen.
"Really, everyone," Dumbledore tried placating but the group continued to grumble loudly.
"We can't be certain that he's trustworthy," piped up another voice, one Draco couldn't see the owner to. "We may be sheltering his family but what's to say that if things don't go our way he won't turn and run?"
To Draco's surprise he found Severus' large hand on his shoulder once again that evening. The heat from his godfather's hand seeped down into Draco's shoulder, a discreet comfort, and Draco prayed that he wasn't blushing again.
"Draco has the Headmaster's confidence and mine, Angus," Severus said to the man Draco still couldn't place in the crowd. "And after seeing him in action this evening, I am sure that he will preform his duties admirably. Anyone who has any other doubts can come see me."
The looks on the faces around the room were evidence enough that no one would be raising any more questions, at least not where Severus could hear them. The wands were slowly lowered and Dumbledore, Snape, and Draco finally stepped out onto the brick hearth. A tall witch broke ranks and stepped out of the crowd and Draco was not shocked to find that Gryffindor Head of House Minerva McGonagall was part of the Order. He was shocked, however, when his transfiguration professor stepped smartly forward and took his hand saying, "Let me be the first, Mister Malfoy, to welcome you into the Order of the Phoenix. Because I trust Severus I will also say that if anyone here doubts your word they can come see me."
She shook his hand with a strong grip and stepped up next to him on the opposite side of Severus. Between them Draco felt very small and embarrassed by their outspoken praise but he was grateful that he had at least two people supporting him.
Dumbledore sensing that Draco's presence would no longer be an issue coughed to get everyone's attention. "My friends," Draco tried unsuccessfully to ignore that Dumbledore addressed the Order in much the same way as Voldemort addressed the Death Eaters. His only comfort was that he trusted Dumbledore and did not feel as sickened by his ideals as he was by Voldemort's. "As you should know, we took Draco's family into our protection last night. Tonight young Mister Draco and Severus were called on to attend a gathering of Death Eaters to determine how to punish those they believe to have murdered Narcissa and Lucius Malfoy. Draco, would you care to explain further?"
"They are going to attack the village ten miles down the road from our home tomorrow night," Draco began nervously, but he could not help but add a little rudely, "they aren't particularly concerned with finding the supposed real culprits, they are just blood-thirsty. I...I mean...I'm sorry it is so soon...I couldn't really hold them back as it's suppose to be avenging the murder of my parents...you know, it'd look weird if I asked them to wait..." Draco realized he was babbling and shut up immediately.
"Well if it's tomorrow night," said the man Draco recognized as his former Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Remus Lupin, as he smiled at Draco kindly, "we best get ready!"
Well now Draco has begun his life as a spy, let's hope he can live up to everyone's expectations! What is going to happen between Severus and Draco? There is obvious chemistry, but will they let themselves act on it or will they just suppress their feelings? All that and more coming up! Keep readin' and reviewin'!