June, 1976
The Severus Snape that Harry picked up off the train that summer was a very different boy than the one that Harry had dropped off at the end of the holiday break, and it broke Harry's heart to see.
Severus was alone when he stepped off the train. His hair was oily and hung in his face, and he was quiet and sullen as he greeted his mentor.
He remained so as they returned to Harry's cottage and sat down for their now traditional end-of-term cup of tea.
"I know what Albus has asked of you," Harry said, hoping to get to the point, so they could get this conversation out of the way and maybe draw Severus out of his dark mood.
"He said as much."
"Do you want to talk about it?"
"No."
"I think that we should."
"I don't care."
Harry sighed. "Do you want to talk about what's going on with Lily?"
"No."
"Severus, I think you'll feel better if you talk about it."
Severus looked up from his tea for the first time, and the scowl that Harry knew so well from his school days had found a home on the boy's face. "You were right. Is that what you want to hear?" he snapped. "Regulus wasn't worth losing Lily over. Alright? And now I've lost them both."
"You and the Black boy have gone your separate ways then?"
"Yeah. I broke it off when Lily started hating me. Not that it did any good."
"Lily doesn't hate you."
"Yes she does."
"I can't believe that."
"She stuck her nose in where it didn't belong, and I called her a mudblood. Trust me, she hates me."
"It sounds like she has a good reason to be angry, but I'm sure she doesn't hate you."
"Well, I've apologized a hundred times. I broke things off with Regulus to show her how sorry I am. None of which I should have even done anyway, because I'm supposed to be ingratiating myself with the purebloods, and I couldn't even be friends with her anymore if she did forgive me."
"And how is that going?" Harry asked, not sure that he wanted to know.
"I'm going to another dinner at Malfoy Manor next week with the rest of the Hitler youth."
Harry raised a shaggy eyebrow. "You seem to have changed your opinions since the last time you had dinner at Malfoy Manor."
"That was before I had to listen to all of their propaganda. I'm not blind; I see the parallels. And, yeah, I can understand it too. You think I haven't dreamt about putting my father in his place? But, that doesn't have anything to do with him being a muggle. There are plenty of wizards just as bad. The difference is that the muggles don't have the power to fight back. I know what that feels like. Voldemort and his supporters are no better than Potter and his Gryffindor cronies. They're bullies. They want to take advantage of those weaker than them for their own gains."
Harry wasn't sure that he liked his father being equated with Voldemort, but from Severus' perspective, it was a fair point.
"So, that's why you've agreed to spy for Dumbledore?"
"Isn't it what you want? You two are thick as thieves. He said that he talked with you about it before approaching me."
"He did."
"So?"
"What I want is for you to not be involved in any of this. What I want is for you to stay as far away from Tom Riddle as possible. What I want is for you to grow up in a world where magical and non-magical people can live together in mutually beneficial peace and cooperation. What I want is for you and Lily to still be the best of friends when you're old and grey."
Harry heaved an exhausted sigh. "But, what I want doesn't matter. This is the reality that we live in. Voldemort is a dark lord on the rise. Unless we want to live in the kind of world that he envisions, we must, all of us, oppose him at every turn. Dumbledore is a big fan of personal sacrifice for the greater good. I've never been able to be quite so sanguine when it's other people's lives on the line, but I do understand personal sacrifice. If you're willing, you are in a unique position to be able to help. Information on Voldemort and his followers will be invaluable in the years to come. Having a spy in his ranks will save lives. I understand the need, but don't think for a second that it's what I want."
Severus sighed and took a sip of his tea. "What about what I want?"
"What do you want?"
"I want Lily to forgive me. I want her to stay the hell away from James Potter, and his fucking werewolf friend. I want to go back to dating Regulus without it being a problem. I want to graduate and find a decent apprenticeship. I want to get away from my fucking father and this shit-hole of a town. I just want to live my life and not have to deal with any of this."
Harry nodded, heart sinking. "So, what will you do, then?"
"I'll go to Malfoy's damn dinner and keep my ears open and my mouth shut."
"The right course is seldom the easy one."
"You don't have to tell me."
Harry drained his tea. "It may be possible to mend things with Lily in spite of the situation. I've spoken with Albus about it, and he feels that it would be safe to confide in her. You would both have to be incredibly careful of course. It must appear to the rest of the world as though you hate one another, but provided you can keep up the charade, I see no reason why the two of you couldn't maintain a secret friendship. If she can be persuaded to forgive you of course, which in light of the circumstances, I believe she may."
Severus brightened for a moment, but then he frowned. "That could put her in danger as well."
Harry nodded. "It could, but Lily will be in danger just by being a muggle-born if Voldemort rises to power. I think that having you at her side, even in secret, will only be to her benefit."
"Will you talk to her?"
Harry nodded.
Severus closed his eyes. "I hope I'm doing the right thing."
"I can understand that sentiment better than you know. If it makes you feel any better, I wouldn't allow this for one moment, if I saw a better way forward."
Severus lowered his face to his hands. "I think that makes it worse."
"I'm going to do everything in my power to see you safely through this, Severus. I know that you have a lot on your shoulders, but we're in this together."
Severus nodded once, his eyes held a hunted look that Harry didn't like one bit. He wanted to do anything to keep that look from ever crossing Severus' face again. He wanted to grab the boy, and apparate to Greece, or India, or the Arctic Circle- anywhere that wasn't Britain, and never look back. He wanted to keep Severus safe from everything that would hurt him in the years to come. He wanted to wipe away all the hurt that he had been dealt already.
Part of him wanted to just hold Severus close and watch the world burn around them.
What Harry Potter wanted didn't matter.
Never had mattered.
Severus rose to his feet and put both of their cups in the sink. "I should get home. I'm not sure if dad even realizes that I'm back today, but just in case he remembered, I should probably make an appearance."
"I'll be here if you need me, and I'll expect you tomorrow morning. Don't think I'm going to take it easy on you just because you're moonlighting as James Bond for Albus."
Severus grinned a little at that. "James Bond, huh? That actually does make me feel better."
"Don't think I'll be sending you into that den of snakes unprepared. You'll be learning Occlumency this summer, as well as every defensive spell I can think of."
"So, says the centenarian who spends his free time wrangling Basilisks, or is it less wrangling and more that you stop by for a chat?" Severus smirked. "Since when does the parselmouth disdain snakes? You're going to hurt my feelings."
"Merely an expression, Severus. I may be but a sorry Gryffindor, but trust that I appreciate the subtlety and resourcefulness of you Slytherins. It's what makes you so well suited to your new appointment as Albus' secret agent. I'll content myself to playing Q to your Bond. That's more my skill set."
Severus grinned. "Does that mean you're going to make me some fancy gadgets?"
Harry smiled. "I might be able to come up with a few things."
Severus paused at the door. "You never told me what house your boyfriend was in."
"Why should I have?"
Severus shrugged. "I was just wondering."
"Slytherin," Harry answered, cautiously.
Severus nodded, smirking a bit. "Yeah, parselmouth."
He was gone before Harry could respond- cheeky brat.
January, 2006
"It's been a productive night, but if it's all the same to the rest of you, I think we ought to throw in." Minerva said as she sat up straighter on Harry's couch, and her back crackled. "I'm not as young as the rest of you, and I'm meant to be meeting Augusta Longbottom for tea in the morning. She's sure to find a backhanded way to politely comment on my age if I look the least bit tired."
Neville had already left half an hour previous to deal with some minor emergency in Gryffindor tower, and they hadn't accomplished all that much in his absence, so Harry was happy enough to wrap things up for the night. He let out a yawn, and said, "I was just waiting for someone else to say it first." Realizing how that sounded, he flushed, "The calling it a night thing, not that you look old," he amended quickly and grimaced at McGonagall as the words left his mouth. "Not that you do of course."
Minerva gave him a neutral look as he continued to blather, but there was amusement dancing in her eyes.
"Right, well, I'll just shut up now."
Hermione rolled her eyes at him as she shuffled her notes together. "Yes, I imagine that Ron is waiting up for me."
"You'll hear no arguments from me," Severus agreed, leaning back in his portrait. "I can only spend so much time in a room with this many Gryffindors before I feel my sanity start to slip away."
"I tried to get Malfoy to join us," Harry said, "just to preserve your Slytherin sensibilities, Severus. But, it seems that Draco's taciturn approval on this proposal is as far as he's inclined to be involved."
"I would remind you, Potter," McGonagall said, "that you've yet to earn my approval, taciturn or otherwise
The Hogwarts Non-magical Student Integration Committee had ensconced themselves in Harry's sitting room for the majority of the evening. Kreecher had provided them with a nice spread of snacks, and Harry's liquor cabinet had been thoroughly ransacked, as they had argued their way through a list of suitable subjects and material to teach the new hypothetical non-magical students- devising clever ways to integrate magical and muggle knowledge to provide a solid basis for matriculating students to find careers in either the magical or muggle world.
Having been muggle-raised, Harry and Hermione were the best at finding areas of overlap for the muggle and magical subjects. McGonagall had argued the most heavily for an ever increasing number of policy changes that she felt would prevent the non-magical students from feeling isolated from the rest of the student body. Neville had made some practical suggestions about things like bringing in a muggle doctor to assist with non-magical ailments, and giving in to Arthur's desire to equip the school with muggle computers by hiring an IT expert. Severus was most ardently in favor of giving the non-magical students their own house, though he saw no need to change the school's crest, and he insisted on the suggestion (only somewhat tongue-in-cheek) that the new house should be called Potter.
Harry had flatly denied this suggestion.
All in all, it had been a productive meeting, and Harry thanked Minerva again for her assistance, if not her approval, as he walked her to the door. He turned to bid goodnight to Hermione as well, but she was still shuffling her papers together- clearly giving time for Minerva to precede her out.
"Can I speak to you privately for a moment, Harry?" She asked, once the door had shut behind Minerva, and she shouldered her bag.
"Of course, Hermione, what's the matter?"
"Privately, please," she repeated, glancing pointedly and Severus' portrait.
"Uh," Harry shot Severus an awkward glance, "sure… Would you mind waiting in the office for a bit, Severus?" Harry asked.
"Not at all," he said, but he gave Harry a concerned look before he disappeared from his frame.
Harry looked back to her once Severus had gone, but Hermione avoided meeting his gaze, instead taking in the room.
"I see that you've added more paintings," she said.
"Yes, well, I wanted Severus to be comfortable."
She snorted.
"Is that a problem?" Harry was honestly perplexed.
Now she did look at him. "Do you think I'm an idiot, Harry?"
"No. Furthest thing from it, really."
"Then why do you always think that you can lie to me?"
"Hermione, I don't-"
"Save it," she interrupted him. "Remember that I'm the one that helped you fix that time-turner that you're still wearing around your neck, and the aging potions that I'm sure you're still using as well. At the time, I thought, fine, he has some things he wants closure on. I won't meddle. I won't ask questions. I'll give him some space. He knows what could be at stake with time travel. He knows better than to make changes to the timeline. So, I guess maybe I am stupid."
"It isn't like that."
She snorted. "It's been almost three years, Harry. And, don't try to tell me that you aren't going back and forth, because I know that's not true. You wouldn't be wearing the time-turner as a necklace if you were only using it once in a while."
"I don't feel safe leaving it in my office."
"Oh, yes, one of the most secure rooms in Britain, I'm sure it would be in constant danger," Hermione scoffed.
"Says the woman who helped me break into a Gringotts vault and steal a dragon when we were seventeen."
"The dragon was incidental, but fine, I'll allow that the time-turner may be safer kept on your person, but you're misdirecting. Is that something you've learned from Snape?"
Harry thought hard for a moment, trying to decide how much he should tell her. He turned to walk toward the liquor cabinet, instead of answering her. "Would you like a drink?"
"No, I would like some answers."
"This brandy was a Christmas gift from Albus Dumbledore. I'm not really a big fan of brandy usually, but this is pretty good. He gives me one every year. I think I have half a dozen bottles now. Are you sure you wouldn't like to try it?" He offered her the first glass he'd poured.
Instead of answering, she walked over to him and took the glass. She held it in her hands, not drinking, while he poured one for himself. "So, you're going to see Dumbledore?" she asked quietly, when he'd returned the stopper to the bottle and tasted his own glass.
"I see him at least once a week for tea," Harry answered.
"So, the aging potions are so that he won't recognize you when you start school?"
"The aging potion ensures that no one I interact with in the past will recognize me in the future, and it makes it so that I look less like my father. He's sixteen now, it would be difficult to hide the family resemblance."
"Are you going to tell me why?" she asked. "I can understand that you'd want to save your parents, but, Harry, you have to know that isn't possible. If they'd survived, who knows what would've happened? Voldemort would probably be in power now. More people we love would probably be dead."
"I know that, Hermione. I'm not going to try to save them." He felt his eyes starting to prickle and the pain in his sinuses from held back tears, and drained his drink in an effort to stay collected. "It has been nice to get to know my mother though."
"So, you're just going back to spend time with the people that you love. You aren't going to change anything?"
Harry sighed. He didn't want to lie to his friend, but he just couldn't have her interfering either, not now. "Look, Hermione, I'm not going to do anything to risk the outcome of the war. I won't risk Voldemort rising to power on some fool's gambit, but… I do have plans." He raised a hand when she opened her mouth to interrupt. "I'm not going to tell you what they are, and I don't want you involved. Time travel isn't exactly legal, and you have the children to think about. If I get caught, I'm willing to accept the consequences, and I think I'd have a good chance of getting off with a slap on the wrist, but I'm not willing to take you down with me. You're already more involved than I'd like, but I wouldn't have been able to rig the time-turner on my own."
"You want me to just pretend like I don't know anything about what's going on?"
"I want you to trust me," he said. "I think I've earned that."
She sipped her drink. "And, Snape?"
"I think he's earned a little trust as well."
"Are you going to tell me how he's involved? I thought he was helping you to try to save your mother, but now I'm not so sure. You certainly have made him comfortable here."
Harry tried to avoid fidgeting under her calculating look by pouring himself another glass. "I'm not sure I can answer that without giving away the rest."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "As if that isn't answer enough." She spun on her heel to throw herself down on the couch, careful not to spill her brandy. "So that's it then. You're involved! He's the one you're trying to save."
Well, damn.
"It didn't start like that."
"No, of course not- Harry Potter and his noble intentions. And how do you expect to save Snape without risking the outcome of the war?"
"Antivenin on hand at the right time," Harry answered, not seeing any point in trying to hide anything now. He should have known better than to think that he could buy Hermione off with half-truths to begin with.
Hermione frowned at her glass. "That might actually work- if you could invent an antivenin potion for basilisk venom."
"Already done," Harry said, unable to help the bit of pride in his voice.
She snapped her head up to look at him. "How?"
"Standard antivenin protocols, plus an infusion of phoenix tears, and with the help of the foremost potions master in a century and a very capable fourteen-year-old lab assistant."
She frowned. "So, why didn't it work then?"
"It does work. I mean, we tested it on a bunch of animals anyway- standard lab procedure. I wasn't about to risk human testing without need, but it should work."
"It must not though, Harry. Or, he didn't take it in time. Because if it did, the timeline would have changed the moment you gave it to him, and he'd be alive now."
"We've discussed that, actually. I haven't released the timeline yet," Harry answered. "There are other things going on that I need to fix first. As soon as I release the spell tethering the time-turner to a linear progression of the past, the rest will play out, and whatever is going to happen between then and now will change the present, but until then, everything has to stay the same. At least anything past what time has already elapsed in the other timeline."
Hermione thought that through. "Snape is helping you with all of this?"
"Obviously. Though, he wasn't on board at the start. He's tried to talk me out of it a few times."
"That actually makes me feel a bit better."
"And, the Severus and me thing, you're okay with that?"
"A few years ago, I would have had a few things to say about it, but now… I don't know. You were obviously depressed after the war. You hid it well, kept yourself busy, but Ron and I could tell. It was all starting to spiral downward. We were going to try to confront you about it, but then you asked for my help with the time-turner, and it was like someone had flipped a switch. You weren't suddenly the same as before the war, but it was obvious that something had changed. I thought it just had something to do with your parents: finding closure, laying old ghosts to rest- not trying to resurrect them. But, you've seemed happier the last few years- more distant too, but happier. I just wish that you would have told me."
"What would you have done if I had?"
She laughed. "Probably tried to talk you out of it, I suppose."
"Well, it's too late for that now."
"Yeah, I can see that." She stood and drained her glass, setting it on the tea table, and shouldered her bag again. "I should get going now, anyway. Ron will be waiting up for me."
"Do you think you could keep this between us, at least for now?"
"I don't like lying to my husband," she said.
"I'm not asking you to lie," Harry said. "Just don't tell him, for now. I'll tell him myself, once things are decided one way or the other. I just… He won't understand, Hermione. You know that he won't. You remember what he was like when I broke things off with Ginny."
"He doesn't care that you're gay, Harry. It was just a shock for him at first, because you'd spent so much time together, been so close, talked about girls, and you'd never even hinted at it."
"Yeah, I know that, Hermione. And, it wasn't like that. I just didn't want to say anything to him until I was sure. I didn't want to make things weird for no reason, and yeah, once he got over the shock, everything was fine. But, can you imagine how shocked he'll be when he finds out that I'm in love with Severus Snape? That I've been involved with his portrait for years, and the only people who knew about it were Dudley and Charlie."
"Charlie knows?"
Harry nodded.
"He won't like that, Harry. He's supposed to be your best friend. He wouldn't mind you keeping secrets from him, provided that you're keeping them from everyone else as well. But if he finds out that you told me, and Charlie, and your cousin. He won't forgive that so easily."
Harry ran a hand through his hair gripping the roots in frustration. "I didn't tell you, you figured it out, like always. But, yeah, you're right, of course, like always. Just, let me get to it in my own time, okay? I'm not ready for him to know yet, and it will be bad enough coming from me."
Hermione sighed. She looked tired. "Yes, alright. I do hope that you don't wait too long though. Ron has always been the heart rather than the brains of our little cadre, but he isn't completely blind. He will figure it out on his own eventually. Best get around to it before he notices the writing on the walls." She looked around the room again at Severus' painted world. "The paintings on the walls, as well."
Harry couldn't help the snort of laughter at the lame joke- more a product of the relieved tension than any humor. "Thank you, Hermione. I really do appreciate everything that you've done for me over the years. I try not to ask for things that aren't important."
It was her turn to snort now. "Or life threatening, or illegal, or in danger of disrupting the space-time continuum and destroying the universe."
"You forgot about things that could get us expelled," Harry pointed out with a smile.
"That is the worst of all possible outcomes," she said with a smile of her own, "but less of a concern these days." She headed for the door. "Just be careful, Harry. I won't be around to keep you out of trouble."
"No," Harry said to himself when she was gone. "This has been a solo mission from the beginning."
He poured another glass for himself and sat in the armchair closest to the fire, nursing the drink for a long time before Severus reappeared.
"I take it from the shovel talk that I just received from Professor Granger-Weasley, that you've told her most of what we've been up to," he said.
"Oh, you know Hermione, she figured most of it out on her own."
"Yes, I suppose that was only a matter of time."
"She'll keep it to herself for now, but I don't think that I can keep it from Ron forever either."
"Was that ever your intention?"
Harry heaved a sigh. "No, I guess not. That's just the last thing that I want to deal with right now. I'm ready for all of this to be over." The wall of silence that met this remark made Harry realize that for the portrait of Severus Snape, the end of his adventures in time-travel could very well be a very final one. "I'm sorry, that was insensitive. I'm just tired, is all, I get defeatist when I'm stretched too thin. Let's go to bed."
"Beds," Severus clarified, with his own mood turning maudlin.
Harry shut his eyes tight and let out a deep breath. "I love you more than I could ever possibly put into words, all of the different versions of you; why can't that just be enough?"
Severus shook his head. "I don't know, maybe it is, or will be, or was. But, enough of this now. If it has to be beds instead of bed, then so be it. Either way, you should get some sleep. You'll be busy the next few days."
oOoOoOo
"Where is everyone else?" Draco asked, when he entered the Hog's Head to find Harry seated alone at the corner table.
"No one else," Harry answered, "just us."
"When you said drinks, I assumed…" Draco narrowed his eyes. "This had better not be a date, Potter," he hissed.
"If this were a date, I would have taken you somewhere a bit classier," Harry said. "No offense, Aberforth," he added when the barman stopped at their table with two pints of lager.
"None taken. If you boys are looking for a romantic atmosphere, you'll want Madam Puddifoot's down the street."
Harry cocked his head, smirking at Draco. "What do you say? Fancy a cup of tea instead, Malfoy?"
"Not if you were the only other person on the planet, Potter."
"Good thing that I prefer beer then," Harry said, sipping from his pint.
"Cheers to that," Draco said, raising his own glass to his lips.
Aberforth walked back to his bar, chuckling to himself.
"So, if no one else is coming, and it's not a date, want to explain why I warrant the private audience, Headmaster?"
"I'm calling in all my chits."
Draco frowned. "Your chits? You mean the life debt? I would have thought that your Gryffindor honor would prevent you from calling in that particular credit."
"You can think of it as my inner-green showing, if that makes it easier. But, either way, I'm calling it in. No questions asked. After this, we're square."
"No questions asked," Draco repeated. He took another sip of his beer, staring at Harry over the rim of the glass. "Maybe you do have some inner-green. What do you want, then?"
"Just information," Harry answered. "I need to know what wards were on Malfoy Manor."
"How the hell should I know? Whoever bought the place will have put up their own wards."
"I don't care what wards are on the manor now. I need to know which wards your family had in place- specifically, anything to do with magical detection on non-residents."
"Why do you want to know?"
"I said, no questions asked."
"You aren't asking for my grandmother's love potion recipe, here, Potter. I'm not just going to hand over the key to my family's wards without knowing why you want it- life debt, or no life debt."
Harry frowned, taking another drink of his beer to buy some time. He'd been trying to think of some plausible reason for his questions since he realized that he'd need to ask them, but he still hadn't managed to come up with anything. He'd just hoped that using the life debt for leverage would be enough to silence Malfoy's questions. He should have known better, but he needed information on the wards.
"Would it have been possible for someone to infiltrate Malfoy Manor while Voldemort was in residence?" Harry asked instead.
"Apart from Snape, you mean?"
"Not necessarily. But, I'm talking about traditional means- someone who hadn't already earned Voldemort's trust."
"You want to know if there could have been another spy."
Harry smiled. Sure, let's go with that. One thing Harry had learned both from his own experiences and through his interaction with Severus, was that if you're trying to be less than entirely truthful, it was often easiest to just let people come to their own conclusions and then go along with their mistaken assumptions.
"Could it have been possible?" Harry asked. "How strong were the wards? Would they have picked up on monitoring charms? Magical objects that functioned the same way? What about a muggle wire tap? How extensively did the wards monitor guests? What about the house elves?"
Draco's eyes remained suspicious, but he said, "If I give you this information, I want your assurance that you'll never use it to harm my family."
"My word," Harry agreed. "I'll make an unbreakable vow if you want."
Draco shuddered. "No. Your word will suffice, Potter." He drained his glass. "And, you'd better buy me a firewhiskey. I have a feeling we'll be here for a while."
Harry made it a double.
June, 1976
"You look nice, Severus," Harry said, as the boy entered the cottage dressed in his best robes.
"Thanks," he said, flushing a bit.
"Are you ready for this?"
"No."
"You can still back out, Severus. Dumbledore and I can come up with an alternative." Honestly, Harry had no idea what else they would manage. At this point, he was certain that Severus wouldn't join Voldemort's ranks honestly. If he didn't become a Death Eater, there would be no one to report the prophecy back to Voldemort, and that would definitely cause some serious problems, but Harry wasn't going to force Severus into putting his life in danger if the boy wasn't committed.
"I'm not backing out," Severus answered. "I'm just nervous. I'm not prepared for this."
Harry smiled. "I think I may be able to help with that. Come over here." He led Severus over to the kitchen table, and swept back the black cloth there to reveal a variety of objects.
"This is the gadget scene in the spy film, then?" Severus asked, with a quirk of an eyebrow and a crooked smile. "Well, what do you have for me, Q?"
Harry started from the left and started working his way through the items. He lifted a little enameled snuff box. "Instant darkness powder, throw a dash in the air and the room goes black. Good for a distraction or a quick escape." He moved on to the next, a matching flask. He unscrewed the top and handed it to Severus.
He wafted the fumes toward his face and sniffed, frowning, and then held the flask under his hooked nose after Peverell made no objections, and inhaled more deeply, nostrils flaring. "Firewhiskey?" he asked. "I don't detect anything else."
"You wouldn't," Harry agreed.
"Ah," Severus smirked. "Veritaserum." He screwed the top back onto the flask.
"Just so," Harry agreed. "Unscrew the bottom."
Severus turned the flask over, seeing where the bottom screwed off to reveal a small compartment with a piece of tan string hidden in it. At a nod from Peverell, he pulled the string out to unravel it and revealed a protrusion on either end shaped like a human ear.
"Extendable ears," Harry explained, "not particularly covert, but I didn't have any luck transfiguring them into something less obtrusive. I'll see if I can get a bit of assistance on an improvement for the future. Pretty self explanatory. Hold one end to your ear and put the other end closer to whatever you're trying to listen in on."
Severus replaced the extendable ears and screwed the base of the flask tightly in place, and Harry moved on to the next. "Floo key," he said, holding up the little metal tag covered in runes on a silver chain. "So we don't have a repeat of what happened last time. Tied to your magical signature, so it won't work for anyone else." He set it down and picked up a silver pocket watch. "Emergency portkey- press the dial down and say, 'there's no place like home,' and it will send you straight back here."
"There's no place like home?" Severus asked with an eye roll, "really?"
"Are you going to remember it?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Severus said. "Hard to forget, but are you sure you wouldn't rather give me a pair of ruby slippers instead of a watch?"
Harry ignored him, moving on to the last item. "I'd like to cast a surveillance charm or give you a watch-me pin, but that will set the wards off, so I came up with this instead." He showed Severus a silver brooch pin in the shape of a snake- a thin black wire ran from the back of the pin to a little black plastic box. "It's a wire. The wards won't pick up muggle surveillance equipment. The microphone is in the pin, and it records digital audio, for later playback."
"You're joking."
Harry smirked. "I never joke about my work, 007," he said in a passable imitation of Desmond Llewelyn.
Severus laughed. "Please tell me you have an Aston Martin with an ejector seat parked in the shed."
"Unfortunately, no. I'm not entirely sure how we'd explain you arriving at Malfoy Manor in an Astin, But, all joking aside," Harry said, "the recording device and the floo key are the only items in this little spy kit that I expect you to make use of. I'm giving the rest to you so that you will have it, but you're there to ingratiate yourself with Voldemort and keep your ears open. You are not to go courting trouble. I imagine there will be time enough for that later, once you've earned their trust."
Harry put a hand on the boys shoulder and held his gaze intently. "I'm only going to tell you this once, Severus Snape, and I expect you to listen. No heroics. No bravery. No reckless spy games. If we wanted a Gryffindor, Dumbledore and I would have asked for Sirius Black's assistance. You are a Slytherin, and I expect you to act like one. Cunning and subtlety are what are required here. And, above all else, self-preservation. You are not to take any unnecessary risks. Do you understand me? No idiotic acts of bravery. I want your oath on that."
Severus nodded. "No acting like a Gryffindor, on my honor."
That will have to do, Harry thought. But, damn if he didn't wish he could find a way to keep the boy out of it.
Harry helped Severus to stow away all his new spy accoutrement and gave the boy a quick once over. "One last thing," he said, drawing his wand and pointing it at Severus' feet.
A complicated wand movement and a shot of blue light later, and Severus looked down, fully expecting to see ruby slippers, but his boots remained unchanged. "What was that then?"
"A tracking spell," Harry answered. "It won't work behind the Malfoy wards, but it doesn't hurt to plan for contingencies. I'd prefer to put a full trace on you, but there's no way to do that without involving the ministry, so this will have to do."
Harry sighed, looking Severus over one last time. He'd grown so much. He looked more like the Severus in Harry's portrait now than the boy who'd once stood so boldly in Harry's garden to accuse him of being a wizard. But, however much he was starting to resemble the man he would become, he did not have those years of experience as a double-agent. Dumbledore's spy was a sixteen-year-old boy, and clever as he was, he would be woefully out of his depth.
"One last thing. I don't think he'll try it with witnesses present, but if Voldemort tries to use legilimency on you, I don't want you to try to occlude. If he tries it, I want you to use that emergency portkey, and get out of there." He'd been using Dumbledore's pensieve to safely train the boy in occlumency. But, in all that Severus had taken to the art like a duck to water, two weeks of training was nowhere near enough to set the boy against Voldemort. "Dumbledore will take up your lessons when you return to Hogwarts, but for now it isn't an acceptable risk."
"Okay," Severus agreed.
"If you're ready, you should probably get going. You don't want to be late for the party," Harry said.
"Doesn't feel like much of a party."
"Come home safe, and we'll celebrate after," Harry told him.
Severus took a deep breath to steady himself, and went through the floo- feeling as though he was going to his doom.
oOoOoOo
The little house-elf child from his last visit met Severus in the Malfoy's floo parlor. As he dispelled the ash from Severus' robes, Severus noticed that the little fellow's entire left leg was bandaged in a dirty wrapping.
"Welcome, Master Snape," the elf said. "Dobby is at your service. The other guests are gathering in the main parlor. Would you like Dobby to take you there, sir?"
"No, thank you Dobby; I remember the way. But, what's happened to your leg?"
Dobby hung his head in abject dismay. "Dobby is being such a forgetful, elf. His lordship is preferring the chocolate biscuits with his tea, and Dobby is bringing him the jam tarts. Dobby has punished himself, sir, so that he is remembering for next time. Dobby is trying to be a good elf."
Severus tamped down the horror at this revelation. It shouldn't come as much of a surprise to him, but he'd never really had much interaction with Hhouse elves, apart from the Black elf. And, Kreecher had always been much more formal than this young elf.
"Am I to have the pleasure of escorting Narcissa to dinner again?" Severus asked. He mentally ran through the etiquette manual that she had been kind enough to send him. He had read the whole thing cover to cover, twice, in preparation for tonight.
"No, sir, this is to be a wizard's dinner. There is not being any witches invited."
Severus had not been anticipating that, and while he'd read the chapter on etiquette for when wizards dined without the company of witches, he hadn't studied it quite as extensively. He'd just have to hope that he remembered everything and didn't make a fool of himself.
"Thank you, Dobby," he dismissed the elf, and made his way to the main parlor.
He adjusted his lapel pin just slightly before entering the room, feeling the nerves mounting in his chest once more, and he swallowed and set his features into a neutral expression before sweeping into the room. He scanned quickly to find Lucius, the long platinum hair standing out in the crowd of black and green formal wear, and went to greet his host.
"Severus," Lucius said when Severus came to stand near the sideboard where he was receiving his guests, "So glad that you could finally join us again."
Severus bowed his head, "I was grateful for the invitation," he said- hoping to mitigate some of the damage that his previous refusals may have done. "I found myself quite busy last season."
"It is good then, that your schedule has freed up this year," one of the other men said, and Severus turned to notice Lord Voldemort standing in the group- seeming to have disappeared into the shadows until he wanted to be noticed.
Severus inclined his head again, "It is nice to see you again, Mr. Riddle. I must admit that I've been reading a lot about you in the Prophet lately."
"There is some sensationalism there, I think," he said amiably, "but please, do call me Voldemort. I distain at hearing my useless muggle father's surname, and I've stopped using it altogether."
Severus was surprised to hear Voldemort openly admit to his half-blood status, but felt it may be a good show of solidarity if he did the same. It wasn't as though it was a secret.
"I find myself similarly afflicted with a useless muggle father. Perhaps I should choose a new moniker for myself."
"The Prince name is a fine one," Voldemort agreed. "You come from a long line of very strong wizards. It's a pity that your mother was so weak."
Severus gritted his teeth.
" Lord Voldemort and the Half-blood Prince," Lucius said with a chuckle. "It has a certain ring to it. But, forgive me, Severus, I haven't offered you a drink. What would you like? I have a very nice blackberry brandy here."
"That would be lovely, Lucius. Thank you."
Severus was just taking the drink when he noticed the new guest entering the room and fumbled the glass, only just avoiding spilling the liquor all over his host. "Bloody, fu-" he exclaimed, cutting himself off quickly. "My apologies, Lucius," Flustered, and visibly ruffled, he pulled his wand out and banished the mess, only remembering the instant the spell left his wand that he should have left it for the house elves to clean up. It was truly bad form to pull his wand in the presence of his host. Severus silently cursed himself for a fool, and returned his wand to the inside pocket of his robes.
"That's quite alright, Severus," Lucius said, a hint of condescension in his smile. "I believe that I see the source of your distress." He looked past Severus to the new arrival. "Good to see you, Regulus. Glad that you could join us."
Regulus Black. Regulus fucking Black.
And, why the hell should he be surprised? Severus had to remind himself that he was the one that had broken things off. He shouldn't feel so unmanned by the other boy's mere presence. Severus set a bland smile firmly on his face, and turned toward Regulus. The gob smacked look of complete shock on Reg's face helped to assuage his own embarrassment a bit.
"Hello, Reg," he said, softly.
"Severus," Regulus acknowledged, curtly. "I'm somewhat surprised to see you here, considering your mudblood sympathies."
"Mudblood sympathies?" Voldemort asked, a hint of a red glint in his eye.
"Oh, hardly," Severus brushed it off, blithely, heart pounding percussion in his chest. "I have a childhood friend who is muggleborn. That's all. I hardly speak to her anymore. Regulus is under the mistaken impression that I'm in love with her, or some such nonsense."
"And you are not?" Voldemort asked.
"Hardly my taste," Severus answered, putting a note of disgust into his voice.
"Severus is a confirmed bachelor," Lucius pointed out.
A ridiculous statement to make about a sixteen-year-old, but perhaps more polite than to say I'm a flaming catamite, Severus thought.
"Ah," Voldemort said, "Perhaps for the best. It's better to leave the procreation to the pure-bloods, I've always thought. I rather detest young children myself. Though, those from the old families have a duty to preserve the line. We'll be expecting many children from both you and Mr. Black here, Lucius."
Regulus looked none too happy about this pronouncement, but Lucius just laughed.
"You may count on it, but you'll have to give me a chance to finalize my bonding first," Lucius said.
"And where is the lovely future Mrs. Malfoy tonight?" Severus asked.
"Oh, working on finalizing our bonding," Lucius answered. "She's going over wedding plans with her sisters and my mother."
Regulus snorted. "Bellatrix is helping with the wedding plans? That sounds like a barrel of laughs."
"Indeed, your cousin seems much more suited to other tasks. I doubt that flower arrangements are her forte," Voldemort said, "but, please, excuse me. I'd like a chance to speak with Abraxas."
Severus wanted to groan as Voldemort walked away. Fifteen minutes into his first spy mission, and he's already spilled his drink, run into his ex, and let the new dark lord find out that he was a half-blood homosexual who chummed around with muggle-borns. And, he just realized that he'd called Lily a muggle-born instead of a mudblood in front of him. Fantastic. So much for ingratiating himself. Could this night get any worse?
"Snape?" Lucius asked, and Severus looked up to realize that Lucius had been trying to hand him a new glass. He took it, carefully this time, as Lucius eyed him and handed a second glass to Regulus.
"Thank you," Regulus said to Lucius, before turning his scowl on Severus.
"Yes, thank you, Lucius," Severus added quickly.
"Are the two of you going to be able to get along tonight without embarrassing yourselves?" Lucius asked. "You've been seated together. I hadn't realized that it might be a problem."
"No problem," Severus said, though he couldn't think of anything worse.
"Not at all," Regulus agreed.
"Good," Lucius said. "Lord Voldemort is very interested in both of you. He may even choose to offer you a place with his supporters. I hardly need tell you what an honor that is."
"I understand my obligations," Regulus said.
"I'd be grateful for the opportunity to serve such a great wizard," Severus agreed, tasting ashes in his mouth.
Lucius beamed. "Good, good. You," a bell chimed, interrupting him. "Ah, that will be dinner."
oOoOoOo
Harry paced in front of the fire, clenching his hands into fists as his mind buzzed and he worried over Severus. If it was like this every time he had to send Severus to Voldemort, he was going to develop an ulcer.
He needed something to take his mind off the danger Severus was in. Perhaps it was time to try to make good on his promise to Severus. He went to the desk and pulled out quill and parchment, and sent a letter off with his owl.
That done, he busied himself with making tea.
It wasn't long before there was a knock at his door, and he went to let his mother in.
oOoOoOo
Severus had been seated between Regulus and Mulciber at dinner, and so he concentrated on his food and table manners rather than making conversation.
Following Peverell's instructions, he did listen to the conversations going on around him.
Regulus, to his left, was talking about quidditch with his brother-in-law, and Severus tuned them out as best he could. Mulciber and Avery were likewise chatting about a variety of topics ranging from girls, to school, to music- all irrelevant to why Severus was here.
Instead he focused on Abraxas Malfoy, at the head of the table, and Lord Voldemort and Lucius, seated to either side. He tried his best to appear uninterested as he ate his food, and strained to hear every word.
"If we could just manage to out that bastard, Minchum, we might have a chance," Abraxas was saying.
"Perhaps someone should take a more proactive approach to that end," Voldemort said.
"What are you suggesting?" Abraxas seemed unnerved at the suggestion.
"I'd always thought that you would make a good Minister for Magic," Voldemort said. "Surely, between my supporters and yours, we might be able to gather the necessary votes, should a new minister be required."
"Well," Abraxas said, "Perhaps, but I hardly think that-"
"Don't you agree, Severus?"
His attention was pulled away from the head of the table by Regulus, who was looking at him with a glint of ill-humor in his eyes.
"Sorry, what was that?" Severus asked. "I wasn't listening. This pheasant is delicious."
"Quite," Regulus agreed. "I was just saying that you'd have to be a fool to decline an invitation to dinner from the Malfoys."
"Um, yes, well without reason, of course," Severus hedged. "Why do you mention it?"
"Oh, no reason really," Regulus said lightly, staring Severus down. "You're quite lucky that Lord Voldemort has taken such an interest in you. Of course, my family have been among his most ardent supporters from the beginning, but, for a half-blood like you, it must be quite an honor to be considered."
"Quite an honor," Severus agreed. "It's a pity that your brother doesn't share the opinion of the rest of your family. But then, I guess, every house has a few black sheep."
Regulus sniffed, and Severus went back to his food. Unfortunately, Voldemort and Abraxas had changed topic. He just had to hope that the range on his microphone was good enough to have picked up the rest of the conversation.
oOoOoOo
"So," Lily said, "you're saying that the reason Severus has been acting like such a toe rag is because Dumbledore wants him to spy on Voldemort and the rest of those bigots."
Harry nodded. "I hope you understand the danger that you would be putting him in if you breathe a word of this to anyone. If you don't want to take the risk of knowing this information, or the responsibility, I will obliviate you and bring you home. Otherwise, I will require an unbreakable vow to ensure Severus' safety."
Lily's eyes widened. "That's dark magic."
"It is," Harry agreed, "but in this case, I believe it to be necessary. You must understand that it isn't that I don't trust you, but if Voldemort were to suspect, there are ways for him to extract the information."
"You mean torture," Lily said, eyes darkening. "Are things really that dire?"
"Torture, or legilimency," Harry said, "and yes, dire and dangerous. It may not be commonly known yet, but we are at war. Voldemort will be making his first direct attack soon, and then no one will be completely safe. Voldemort is gathering supporters, and Dumbledore has begun to do the same. I hardly need to ask which side you're on, but you'll need to decide how active you want your role to be."
"How active I want to be?" Lily asked, incredulously. "All due respect, Mr. Peverell, but I'm sixteen. What can I possibly do to help fight a war?"
Harry couldn't help the laugh that escaped his lips. "I know exactly how you feel," he said. "But, you won't be sixteen forever, and Voldemort won't discriminate, so Dumbledore can't afford too. And, I think I can speak for Severus when I say that he would very much like to have his best friend back."
oOoOoOo
Severus had managed to get through dinner and was milling around in the smoking parlor with the rest of the guests, trying to listen in for any news of Voldemort's plans while he made small talk, when the man himself joined Severus where he stood with Mulciber and Avery.
Avery seemed to lose confidence the moment Voldemort entered their vicinity, and his diatribe on the MLE's no tolerance policy on the dark arts came to an abrupt end.
"Oh, please do continue, Mr. Avery. I quite agree," Voldemort said.
"Yes, well, it's hardly an uncommon opinion," he continued. "The ministry has no right to outlaw whatever spells they see fit. It's one thing to say that it is illegal to murder a wizard, and quite another to say that using the killing curse is punishable by life in Azkaban."
"Doesn't it amount to the same thing?" Severus asked. He wasn't trying to be subversive. He was just honestly confused as to what point Avery was trying to make.
"Killing a wizard should hardly carry the same punishment as killing an animal. The killing curse is quick and painless. Until recently, it has always been considered merciful. There are a hundred painful ways to kill an enemy- not all of which are even considered dark. Why choose to criminalize this particular one? If I must do the merciful thing and put down an aged and dying house elf, should that mean I deserve to spend my days in Azkaban?"
"I'd never considered that," Severus said. "You're quite right."
"The MLE is full of progressives these days," Voldemort said. "The very idea that killing a muggle should carry the same sentence as killing a wizard is ridiculous."
"I don't see why killing a muggle should be illegal in the first place," Severus said, thinking of his father to put some feeling behind the words.
Voldemort clapped him on the back. "Quite right, Mr. Snape. It's just a pity that so many of us are afraid to say it aloud."
"How are things supposed to change if no one speaks up," Severus said.
Voldemort smiled his shark smile. "My thoughts exactly, Mr. Snape. Tell me, what are your plans after you graduate?"
"I plan to study for a potions mastery," Severus answered, honestly.
"Have you secured an apprenticeship yet?"
"Not yet."
"Hmm. I heard a rumor recently that Master Belby was looking to take on an apprentice next year. I could put in a good word for you, if you'd like."
"Master Damocles Belby?" Severus asked with interest.
"One and the same," Voldemort said. "I've been funding his research into a treatment for lycanthropy, and I think he'd look quite favorably on any applicant with my personal recommendation."
"That would certainly be most appreciated," Severus said.
"And in exchange," Voldemort said, "I would of course be able to count on your support in the future."
"Oh course," Severus said, feeling a weight in his throat. "You have it in any case, but I would of course appreciate the recommendation."
The shark grin again. "That is good to hear. I think you're going to go far, Mr. Snape. I expect great things from you."
"Thank you, sir."
Voldemort turned his attention to Avery, and then to Mulciber, making similar inquiries into their post-graduation plans, and offering to assist them in their future endeavors in exchange for their support. When he'd excused himself, Severus watched discreetly as Voldemort went around the room making similar overtures to all of the younger guests.
Voldemort was definitely gathering his supporters, binding their loyalty with whatever promises he could make. If he kept his word, Severus might well find himself apprenticed under the greatest potion master in all of Britain this time next year. It seemed that spying for Dumbledore was not without its perks.
oOoOoOo
Harry was sitting at the table with Lily, eating biscuits, when the fire glowed green and disgorged Severus onto the hearth.
"Well, that was certainly educational," Severus said, casting a cleaning spell on his robes to remove the soot. "I think Voldemort and Abraxas Malfoy are plotting to kill the Minister of Magic, and Master Belby is looking for an apprentice. It seems that…" Severus looked up and abruptly stopped his report. "Lily, what are you doing here?"
"It's okay, Severus," Peverell assured him. "I've made Lily aware of your role. Though, perhaps it would be best in future to observe your surroundings before you start reporting on murder plots."
"Yes, I…Does this mean… Lily?" Severus looked at her searchingly.
"I forgive you," Lily said.
Severus grinned. "Really?"
"Yes, and I think that what you're doing for Dumbledore is incredibly brave," she said, "and incredibly stupid."
"I've sworn an oath against brave acts of stupidity."
"He did actually," Harry said, "idiotic acts of bravery, as well."
"Well, I vowed on pain of death to keep your secrets," Lily said, so if I'm going to keep my oaths, you'd better keep yours, Severus Snape, or you'll have me to answer to. Oh, Severus, I have missed you."
Harry watched as his mother strode across the room and swept Severus into a tight embrace.
There would be time enough for reports and spy games later, for now, Harry was just glad to have been able to return this small piece of comfort to Severus' life. It may need to be a secret, and it may put them both in danger, but seeing Severus and Lily's friendship restored was well worth the risk. Harry hadn't seen Severus so happy in quite some time.
Despite that, Harry could feel the constraints of time closing in around him. Events were spiraling ever closer to the endgame for them all, and Harry just hoped that he was clever enough to steer time in the right direction.
