Chelsea

It was, in fact, a surprisingly sunny Saturday morning, and at the height of it Severus Snape found himself once more steering his broom towards London. He wasn't exactly looking forward to pursuing business in the city since he hated to move in the Muggle world and London was a place where Muggles abounded in staggering numbers. Their cars where everywhere, honking loudly and spreading exhaust fumes. Their kids were squealing on every corner, their dogs crapping right beside, and the jostling of their bodies and the never-ending uninformed wise-cracking – not to mention the dirty looks they invariably gave him – was enough to spoil the rest of the day for him. Hence, he put off the touchdown a while longer and allowed himself a little race instead, flying in a wide circle high above the borough of Kensington and Chelsea. This he enjoyed, although he knew that he was really too old to be riding his broom like a madman. Yet, it was still a far cry from the wild and reckless races he'd indulged in with Lucius Malfoy about two decades ago; by now, his broom had become too old, anyway.

Eventually, he landed in a small groomed park near Chelsea Embankment in a corner that he believed to be inconspicuous. Once more, he transfigured his broom into a large black umbrella – which was even more useless today than it had been last time – and was about to set off when he noticed a large pair of kid's eyes staring at him. It was a girl of maybe six or seven years of age. She had long dark-red hair with a green ribbon in it, and sat under a bush, Barbie doll in hand. Severus met her glare and twitched. It was obvious that she had seen him landing and transfiguring his broom because her mouth had fallen open in disbelief. He took out his wand and fixed the little girl with one of this cold glares. Should he Obliviate her? The rule was not to bother with small children who were tolerant with magic and wouldn't be believed if they told their parents that they had seen a man flying on a broom, but once they had gone to the so-called 'age of reason' things could become dicey. The girl under the bush knew very well that something wasn't right, there was apprehension in her eyes. Green eyes, by the way, bright green. And the auburn hair … He found that he couldn't Obliviate her. Instead, he tried at a relaxed face and put his finger to his mouth. "Don't tell", he said quietly, "nobody would believe you, anyway."

Her green eyes became even wider. "Are you a wizard?" she whispered, completely overawed.

He nodded. On an impulse, he picked up a couple of dead leaves and jinxed them so that they would form the body and wings of a bird, and made it fly towards her. The girl gasped with pleasure as she dropped the doll and received the leave bird in her open palms. Once more, Severus sought her eyes and put a finger to his mouth. She beamed at him and nodded fiercely. He walked away, but looked back over his shoulder after a few yards. She stood on the gravel path, hair glowing fiery in the blinding November sun, stared and waved shyly. He realized that she probably wouldn't forget this encounter for the rest of her life, that she would try to convince her family and friends for years, that they would laugh at her and that it would make her shut up about it, that perhaps she would even try to convince herself that it hadn't happened. The thought saddened him and after some hesitation, he waved back at her, not really knowing why he bothered.

Maybe he was becoming soft with age.

The house on Cheyne Walk was grand and had an iron fence around it. The road was wide and immaculately cleared of the dead leaves and sludge of the past days. The place breathed affluence, and large shiny cars were parked on the curb. One of these – although he usually snorted at cars – caught Severus' attention; black, with nice curves and probably what Muggles called a 'sports car'. Briefly, he imagined what it would be like to be able to drive it. Probably, it gave the average Muggle man the same kind of thrill that he got out of racing his broom.

When inspecting the car started to feel too much like longing admiration, Severus made himself walk up to the house. It had a concierge and the man remembered Snape from his last visit only a few days ago. "To see Mr Malfoy?" he asked smoothly, pronouncing the name with a French accent. He probably thought it was chic.

Snape nodded, aware of the man's eyes gliding over him. He had chosen a suit today as it was less conspicuous than robes, but to the concierge it probably looked like something out of a carnival trunk. The man was too well trained to let on, though, and picked up the receiver of his phone. "Professor Snape here to see you, sir", he purred after a while, "and do you want me to call the patisserie for your breakfast? – Two servings? – Very well, sir."

He put down the receiver, jerked his chin at Snape and pointed towards the elevator. "Up you go, then."

Hating to follow a Muggle's instructions, Severus took the stairs instead. They took him up two storeys until he reached a wide, lemon-scented corridor at the end of which a door stood open invitingly. The rooms behind it were open-plan and suffused by the slightly grubby November sunlight. The furniture was sparse and hence the golden parquet flooring and the high whitewashed walls set the atmosphere. On first inspection, nothing gave away the fact that quite a talented young wizard lived here; in fact, it looked like the abode of a bored young Muggle whose parents had stuffed more money up his backside than was good for him. On a polished oak table stood empty cartons with Asian inscriptions and two wineglasses with dried-up red residue at their bottoms. Items of clothing were strewn on the floor and Snape's brows went up as he cast his eyes around in search of Draco.

He found him in the next room, lolling on a chocolate-brown leather couch. His white-blond hair fell carelessly into his face and he wore a white shirt, unbuttoned and exposing a hairless but otherwise surprisingly manly chest. Close beside him sat a blonde girl in a very short jeans skirt, a tank top more fit for July than November, and purple tights that had magnificent holes and ladders in them. When Snape entered, she stared at him with wary coal-smudged eyes. Her lips were a perfect erotic pout and her hand stroked the nape of Draco's neck possessively.

"Professor", Draco said with a smile, "what a pleasure on a Saturday morning!"

"Morning's long past", remarked Snape and scowled at the blonde girl that looked him up and down impertinently.

"Ah, but that's where most of the Chelsea party folks would disagree", Draco replied cheerfully – eliciting a chuckle from his companion – and indicated an expensive-looking leather armchair, "anyway, you're here, why don't you take a seat?"

However, Snape didn't budge from his spot. "I was hoping to talk to you. Alone."

Draco nodded quickly, turned to the girl and whispered something in her ear. She pouted even more, murmured in protest, but Draco stroked her cheek and said a very pretty 'Please', upon which she sighed languidly and got up. She crossed the room with swaying hips and in doing so bestowed another look on Snape that was somewhere between provocation and defiance. Taking her sweet time about it, she picked up a handbag, shoes and a black blouse before she left the apartment, loudly banging the door shut.

Only now did Severus take Draco up on his offer and took a seat. "What was that?" he asked.

"They're called 'girls'", Draco explained with a grin, "and that one, I'm told, is the rising star of London fashion heaven."

Snape sneered. "Which is probably the reason why she can't afford a whole pair of tights?"

Draco smiled indulgently. "It's a style. They call it 'grunge'. – And she's sweet, particularly for a Muggle girl."

It made Snape chuckle. "You're talking like an old lecher. And yet, you're probably younger than her?"

"Older women like me", Draco replied with all the Malfoy self-assurance. "To them, I'm this wealthy toy boy that'll cheer them up without putting any pressure or expectations on them."

"How does Astoria fit into that?"

The smug grin fell from the young man's face. "Have you given her my regards?"

"Yes, I have, and I can assure you that it's been years since I've been able to elicit such glowing cheeks." In spite of himself, the memory of the blushing Astoria Greengrass made Severus smile crookedly. "Which begs the question: what is that … woman … doing here?" He could only just stop himself from saying 'floozie'.

Draco squirmed a little. "That's complicated."

Snape looked pointedly towards the four-poster bed that was visible from where he was sitting and looked as if a bunch of maddened pixies had been at it. "Doesn't look very complicated to me", he purred.

"You see", Draco started, looking flustered, "the thing with Astoria is … she's The One. – You may laugh about it, but I'm sure."

However, Severus had no intention of laughing. He was acutely reminded of Lucius, many years ago, coming to him with a beaming face and explaining with all certainty that he was capable of that he had found The One. Narcissa Black. And in fact, the woman had turned a philandering ladies' man into a surprisingly uxorious husband. Maybe the Malfoys had a talent for it, spotting the person that was right for them and not turning away from the decision once it was made. "Even more so", Snape went on, "it should have been Astoria sitting on that couch with you."

Draco chuckled. "Astoria's not off age yet, and from a good family. Her father'd jinx me to Saturn if I had her stay here for the night."

"He'd jinx you to Pluto if he knew that you're having designs on his daughter and yet insist on rolling in the hay with Muggle girls dressed in rags", Snape said reasonably.

"That's just … for now", Draco murmured and his voice sounded slightly embarrassed. "With Astoria I will have to do everything right, you see. She deserves that. But I'm not quite there yet. Not … ready, so to speak. This is why I'm giving myself this time, here, to sort myself out and to … well …"

"… sow your wild oats", Snape finished Draco's sentence lazily.

It made the young man's cheeks colour slightly. "It sounds awful when you put it like that", he mumbled ruefully.

"It's not why I have come here", Severus replied, letting the subject drop, "as you may have guessed. – Have you done what I asked you to do?"

"I have." Draco sat up and started to button up his shirt. "And the result was quite surprising."

Snape leant forward. "So you found him?"

"I did. Wasn't too difficult. The guy's conspicuous."

"You have no idea", Snape sneered. "Go on."

"I was on to him all of yesterday", Draco said. "Spent the morning in the Ministry. Of course, I couldn't follow him in to see what he was doing there, but it wasn't too long before he came out again and took off on his broom. Quite an old model, by the way. It was easy to stay on to him."

"Where did he go?"

A mysterious smile appeared on Draco's face. "To an address in the Midlands", he said, closely watching his erstwhile teacher's face.

Snape's heavy brows drew together. "The Midlands?"

"A place called Cokeworth, to be precise."

"He went to my place?" Snape started with alarm in his voice. "To Spinner's End?"

Draco tilted his head. "He did go to Spinner's End. But not to your house."

Ill foreboding glittered in Snape's black eyes.

"In fact", Draco went on, "he visited the opposite house. As I was able to find out, an old Muggle woman lives there, a Mrs Crawford."

Severus shot up from his seat. "He went there? McVey did?"

Draco stared at him blankly. "Why does that upset you? And who's Mrs Crawford?"

"That … doesn't matter."

"He didn't talk to an old woman, anyway, but to a young one. I peeked in through the window and saw them chatting in the sitting room. They looked quite relaxed with each other."

Severus twitched and paced over to the window, Draco's eyes following him with an interested gleam. The young wizard had known Snape since childhood and he could tell when the man was upset. He watched him flexing his fingers as he stared out onto the street below.

"Well, well …", Snape murmured after a while, but the tone of his voice made it clear that nothing was well. "How long did McVey stay there?"

"A little over an hour", Draco reported. "Then he took off once more on his broom, this time to Dorset. Grand house, about as large as Malfoy Manor. He didn't come out until nightfall, then went back to London and spent the rest of the evening in a very dodgy pub on Knockturn Alley, 'The Green Spider'."

"Favourite watering hole to that kind of character", commented Snape with obvious loathing. "And the grand house? Did you find out who it belongs to?"

Draco nodded curtly. "To Aeneas and Magrathea Crowley. I'm sure you have heard about them. They're in the Prophet all the time."

Snape said nothing, but continued to scowl out of the window.

Draco watched him for a while, then asked, "What's up with that McVey guy?"

"You haven't heard of him?" Severus turned around and folded his arms in front of his chest. "Why, of course not, you weren't a Death Eater long enough. – He's a … I don't know how to put it. A trickster? A negotiator? A fraud? A dark horse, anyway, with plenty of interesting contacts. The Dark Lord used him frequently for his negotiations with possible allies. McVey made contact for us with the giants, the trolls. And he ensured that the goblins would stay neutral, as he is closely connected to them."

"Looks like one, too."

"Yeah, but he's ten times slyer than the average goblin."

"You don't like him much", Draco observed.

"He's not the kind to be liked. Hard to pidgeonhole. One of those that always make you wonder which side they are on."

"Do you have a current problem with him?"

"I may have", Snape replied noncommittally. "The mere fact that he's around, sticking his nose into things worries me."

"Do you want me to stay on to him?"

Snape taxed Draco in a calculating way. It was obvious that he was pushing something back and forth in his mind. After a while, he shook his head. "No. Not for now. – However, I may have another assignment for you. If you're interested."

"Like I said, I have nothing to do", Draco said, raising shoulders and arms in a dramatic shrug. "I'm glad for some purpose."

"Are you also up for Occlumency lessons tonight?"

"Sure!" It sounded nothing short of enthusiastic. In fact, Draco looked at Snape with a genuine pleased smile.

"Good. Come to my house at around seven. As for any plans that I have for you, I will tell you about them later."

"What about McVey?"

Snape smiled maliciously. "I'll take care of him. Or rather …" He broke off, his eyes darkening. "Anyway, thank you for doing this for me. – You need money?"

Draco raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "I'm a Malfoy. And although my father doesn't speak to me right now, he hasn't yet cut me out of my inheritance."

"Good", said Snape with a touch of relief. "So your father's still sulking?"

"Yeah. He had another visit from some Ministry guys, too. Mother told me."

"I can just about guess why. He was probably asked to corroborate something I told them."

"The McKinnon thing?"

Snape gave a curt nod. "Do you know what your father told them?"

"No. But I'll find out. – By the way, my mother sends her regards. She is quite thrilled that you are – as she put it – 'keeping an eye on me'."

Snape snorted and again looked pointedly towards the adjacent room and the untidy bed. "I'm sure she'd say I'm doing a poor job."

Draco grinned. "Well, she doesn't have to know everything. – She'd also like to see you at Malfoy Manor one of these days, if you can make it."

"I hardly think I'm welcome there."

"Come on, that's only my huffy dad! Mother'll make him shut up and behave himself. You know how she can wrap him around her little finger …"

"Yes, I do." Severus grinned in spite of himself. "We'll see. I have plenty on my mind right now. – See you tonight, then?"

"Won't you stay for breakfast? I have ordered something."

"I'm not hungry. And I have somewhere to be." A dark scowl spread on his face.

Draco accompanied Snape to the door and bade him good-bye. As he did so, he noticed the tension in the older man's body. He was still clenching his hands and his movements were twitchier than usual. Draco knew well what this meant: Snape was angry. Not at him, that much was clear, and the young wizard sensed that it wasn't so much about McVey, either, but something very different. He watched the black-clad wizard as he stomped down the corridor, and the mere fact that he stomped when he would usually glide said it all. Draco wondered briefly who deserved that anger and he felt a tiny pang of pity for the person who would have to bear the brunt of it …

Severus was too upset to bother with the broom and Apparated from the first discrete place he could find directly to Spinner's End. Without delay, he proceeded to the Crawford house with his blackest scowl firmly in place. As he stood by the front door, he could hear loud rock music from inside. It gave his foul mood a thumping rhythm and the energy went into his knock on the door – only to be ignored. Severus swore under his breath and, uncharacteristically, reached for the doorbell, pressing his thumb on the knob for a very long time.

The music was promptly tuned down, and a moment later he heard footsteps and the door was drawn open. Elena was dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved men's shirt and smiled at him radiantly, but only for a moment before she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?" she asked, bewildered.

"We need to talk", he growled.

"Now is not really a good …"

"It has to be now!"

"Alright, alright", she breathed. "Kitchen?"

He jerked his head and followed her inside, across the hallway where the double-door to the sitting room was wide open. There were remnants of a messy breakfast all over the coffee table, disc sleeves and shells strewn across the carpeted floor. Most disturbingly, there was, once again, a young woman sitting on the couch who, once again, stared at Snape with wide eyes. She had long dark hair and a face that seemed familiar, but he chose to ignore it. He hardly suffered Elena murmuring a quick apology to her guest and steered towards the kitchen, growling.

"Calm down!" she hissed as she hurried after him, eliciting a sharp scoff.

The kitchen smelt of coffee, there were dirty pans on the stove and fruit peels on the counter. Elena closed the door behind them. "What is it?" she asked right away and stared at him challengingly. She had long ago learnt that submissive apprehension got her nowhere with him, and her body language told Severus that she was preparing herself for a fight. It was totally fine with him.

"Don't you have something to tell me?" he started, glowering at her menacingly from behind a curtain of black greasy hair.

Her face went blank. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean! McVey?"

Her mouth opened and closed again. "What about him?" she asked eventually.

"Don't play stupid! I know he was here!"

Her eyebrows shot up. "So?"

It brought him close to blowing a fuse. "Is that all you have to say? You meet a man behind my back who might be in a conspiracy against me and you don't waste a thought on telling me?"

Now she was dumbfounded. "Behind your back? … I didn't! And of course I was going to tell you! Tonight, when we would have met for lessons, anyway. I thought that was quite early enough!"

He issued an evil chuckle. "Learnt nothing, have you? Not enough that someone kidnapped you to get to me, no, you're as happy-go-lucky and trusting as ever, letting that sort of character into your house without so much as a second thought!"

"The man's with the Ministry, for God's sake!" Elena defended herself, albeit a bit lamely.

"That man is manipulative and deceitful! And if I remember correctly, I warned you of him. Also, you should have realized by now that being employed with the Ministry of Magic is hardly a recommendation!"

She said nothing for a few moments, just looked at him searchingly. "Truly, Severus", she said finally, "I didn't think anything by it. Also, there's a story to the whole thing; I wanted to tell you all about it tonight, as well, actually I've been dying to tell you …" Suddenly, she broke off and stared at him suspiciously. "Are you stalking me by any chance?"

"Nonsense!" he snarled.

"I don't believe you!" she declared and pushed forward her chin.

"I'm not going to explain myself to you!" he bellowed, and then – quite without realizing it – he did it, anyway. "I had McVey followed. Only to find out that he came to you!"

"Why did you have him followed?"

"You don't get to ask why before you tell me what McVey wanted!"

"I don't get to …", she broke off, gasping for air. "What exactly are you telling me? That I can't use my own judgment on when to tell you something? I am to come running to you right away?"

"Exactly", he said with an acid grin, "and I hope I don't have to tell you why!"

Her mouth fell open in astonishment, and she laughed harshly. "Do you really think you can protect me by controlling everything I do?"

"First of all, I need to be able to trust you!" Now his eyes were on hers, it was as if he had cornered her with his stare and demanded something, although Elena had a hard time cottoning on to what it was. His anger was so palpable and pressing in on her that she shrank from him a bit.

"Aren't you?" she asked in a small voice.

Snape saw her apprehensive eyes, the slight tremor of her hands. It made him twitch, look away and he took a few deep breaths before he spoke again. "I want to make sure nobody uses you to get to me." His voice was a tad calmer now.

"I understand that", she said, but she had to force herself to speak gently. "But sometimes things just happen. Like the day before yesterday. I was having coffee with a friend, and suddenly McVey turns up. Inviting me to come with him to visit Magrathea Crowley."

The glare was back. "You didn't …"

"Yes, I did. – Wait a minute, don't work yourself up again, it was all perfectly safe and I had my friend with me! It was only an invitation for tea. Oh yes, and quite an unmasked attempt at warning me off you."

The glare fell, leaving blankness. "She warned you off me? I don't even know that woman!"

"Yet, she has quite an opinion on you. Thought I shouldn't have to bear your teaching practices and come to her academy instead." She grinned. "Of course, I told her where to shove her academy. – No, no, don't look at me like that, I was very polite about it!"

"I'm looking at you like that because it was very naïve to just go off with McVey and visit somebody you don't know at all!"

"Come on, I know hardly anyone in the wizarding world! Sometimes you have to take chances! And like I said, I had my friend with me."

"Why are you constantly referring to Hincks as 'my friend'?" he snapped suddenly. "You did the same after the hearing; do you think I'm stupid?"

For a few seconds, Elena was lost for words and just rolled her eyes. However, when she looked at him again, her face was friendly. "I wasn't talking about Eddie. On neither occasion."

Another uncertain twitch. Abruptly, Snape turned away, paced towards the stove. Elena suddenly understood what had been riding him and she hung her head to hide a smile.

"Who was with you, then?" he asked after a while, his voice hoarse and very quiet. He didn't turn around.

"The woman over there in the sitting room you so graciously ignored. Her name's Cassandra Cleary. I believe you know her?"

He half turned, but didn't look at her; nodded. Then, briefly, his eyes flickered towards her face. Elena sensed that he had just been jolted out of a paranoia that had a lot to do with trust issues and his fear of opening up. She felt that he was trying to let her get closer, but that this triggered irrational responses and desperate measures to regain control. He saw now that he'd let his temper run away with him and was embarrassed.

Elena came closer. Her voice when she spoke was hardly more than a whisper. "Have you forgotten what I told you the other night? I don't play with men like that, and I wouldn't go against you, I wouldn't …" She broke off, bit her lip.

"Yes", he said hastily, eyes still glued to the floor. Seconds dripped by, laden with unspoken meaning. Eventually, Elena broke the awkwardness of the moment by telling him quietly about her visit to Abrasax Manor, what she had found there and what had been said, leaving out only one small detail. Snape listened, staring ahead of him, and his face was again impassive so that Elena found it impossible to guess at what he was thinking.

"These Crowley people keep creeping up wherever I go", he murmured when she was finished. "Lupin mentioned them, he's very suspicious where they are concerned. – But where does McVey come into this? What has he got to do with them?"

"My impression is that he is somehow indebted to them", Elena explained. "At the same time, he appears to resent that, or otherwise he wouldn't have wanted to meet me. Some of the things he told me were … quite interesting."

Severus looked up into her eyes then, and it was a demand to go on.

"I asked him what Magrathea wanted from me", she complied, "and his theory is that she was trying to suss out how close I am to you, and if I could be used against you."

"I bet he couldn't tell you what that woman wants from me?" Snape asked sarcastically.

But Elena shook her head. "He was quite clear on that. In his view, the Crowleys consider you a danger, or rather an incalculable factor. McVey says you're too independent and too powerful for the world order they have in mind. And too much Dumbledore's disciple."

"I'm no one's disciple", he growled.

"What McVey meant was that these days you act in Dumbledore's spirit. And that, according to him, is the last thing the Crowleys and their posse want."

Snape digested this, then twitched himself out of his thoughts. "I hope you know to take whatever McVey's told you with a pinch of salt."

"Of course I'm wary", Elena assured him, "at the same time, I'm pretty convinced that McVey has nothing sinister in mind. The Crowleys have some kind of hold over him – he wouldn't tell me anything about that – and I think he'd be glad to see them gone or discredited or something. That's why he wanted to talk to me. I think he was looking for an ally."

"In you", Snape said with a sneer.

Elena rolled her eyes. "Yeah, absolutely, remind me of what a crappy witch I am, as if I didn't know already. – And no, I don't think he's so interested in me, but he hopes to win your help through me."

"Fat chance", Severus scoffed. "Unlike you, I know a thing or two about McVey. Believe me, he is the last person who needs help. – And mind you, I was right, wasn't I? He's using you to get something from me. That's exactly what I wanted to avoid."

"That's probably impossible", she mused, "I'm associated too much with you already."

"Maybe", he said sharply, "but you don't need to invite it in, either."

Elena sighed. For some reason, she looked stricken, but Severus was too caught up in his own thoughts to notice much. "I will take care of McVey", he announced tersely, "there's no need for you to meet him anymore. In fact, I recommend that from now on you stay as far away from him as possible." He fixed her with one of his cold stares. "Do you understand?"

Elena gave a quick nod, but she didn't look at him. She appeared lost in thought, a little flustered even. For a brief moment, Severus wondered what she was thinking. He was, however, reluctant to ask, anxious that he might upset something and hit a wasp nest of emotions that he was not fit to deal with. Legilimency occurred to him. It was not for the first time that he felt irresistibly tempted to take a covert peek into her mind, but there was a possibility that she might notice, sensitive as her inner make-up was. She had already accused him of stalking her – it still rankled – and hence, he did not want to take the risk. Lacking alternatives, he chose to ignore her pensive mood and changed the subject.

"Are you all set for tonight?" he asked silkily.

"Of course", she said and the radiant smile was back on her face. "Any plans?"

"You'll see."

"Seven-ish?"

He considered for a few moments. "Make it half past", he replied eventually, "I have a lot to do until then."

"Will you come here?" she asked, looking hopeful.

But he shook his head. "No. My place." And as if to emphasize the finality of the decision, he started and went out of the kitchen, once more having Elena hurrying after him.

Once more, she rolled her eyes behind his back, but then watched on in surprise as he crossed the hallway and went into the sitting room without delay. A second later, she heard his voice sounding haughty and self-assured and dealing out a string of silky words.

"Miss Cleary. My apologies for ignoring you. I had urgent business to discuss with Miss Horwath and may have forgotten my manners." He bowed formally and a little mockingly. Elena realized that he had put on the pure-blood routine. Socially inept he might be, but during his lifetime and in the company he'd been keeping for many years he had also learnt a few lines and certain modes of behaviour that helped him mask his awkwardness in order to keep up the image of the ever-superior wizard.

Cassie had shot up from the sofa and stood there like a fool with an open mouth. "That's alright, no worries", she said hastily. "It's good to see you, sir."

Snape acknowledged this with a curt nod, then turned sharply to walk to the front door. Again, Elena had to hurtle after him. She saw him off and then watched him as he walked at a swift pace towards his own house, black cloak fluttering and not glancing back.

Slowly, she strolled back into the sitting room, her face glum, forehead in lines.

Cassie greeted her with a grin. "Smooooth!" she purred.

In spite of herself, Elena chuckled. "'I may have forgotten my manners', my ass!"

"What was he so pissed off about?"

Elena waved that away, signalling to her friend that it didn't matter and sat down at the coffee table again.

"You held your own, though", Cassie commented, "I heard you from the kitchen, you were both loud enough. Didn't like our trip to Dorset, did he?"

"He doesn't like it when I'm acting independently."

"He wants to protect you", Cassie said simply and watched Elena's face with an amused expression. Elena felt the heat rise to her cheeks, but she didn't comment and Cassie was too wise to probe further. By her knowing smile, Elena could guess that Cassie had picked up on some tension. However, her new friend was kind and sweet, and determined to give Elena the time she needed to talk about it.

"Is there still something of your 'imperial nonsense' left?" Cassie asked lightly.

"No, we ate it all", Elena replied. She had made Kaiserschmarrn for breakfast, a sweet alpine dish consisting of a fluffy dough spiked with raisins and powdered sugar on top, served with apple sauce and – for reasons unknown – translating to 'imperial nonsense'. "I can make more in a jiffy if you want it?"

"No, don't bother, I'm actually quite full up. – And! I've made up my mind! – It's definitely the Stones for me." Cassie held up the 'Between the Buttons' album and beamed. She had taken up Elena on her promise to provide her own brand of Muggle studies and to solve the 'Beatles or Stones' conundrum for her.

Elena smiled. "I agree. I used to like the Beatles better when I was a teen. But that's the point, isn't it, the Stones are more grown-up. – You know, it's funny", she made a thoughtful face, "the Muggle world and the wizarding world overlap in so many areas, but when it comes to music, they are – to say it with Pink Floyd – 'poles apart'. – Speaking of which, you cannot leave this house today without having listened to Pink Floyd. Or Bob Dylan. Or David Bowie. I won't allow it."

"I need more coffee then."

Elena grinned. "Coming up", she said and went to the kitchen.

As she left the sitting room, the smile fell from her face. While she busied herself with changing the filter, grinding fresh coffee powder and filling water into the reservoir, she felt nervous and distracted, but only after a while was she prepared to admit to herself that this was nothing but bad conscience.

She hadn't told Severus the whole truth.

She hadn't really lied to him, either, or at least that was what Elena firmly told herself. However, if such a thing as 'lying by omission' existed, she had probably lied by leaving out one significant detail about the conversation she'd had the day before with Finn McVey.

He had called on her around noon of the day before. Once more, his manner had been extremely polite. Elena had led him into the sitting room where he had sat down on the edge of the sofa, refusing any offers for beverages, and proceeded to watch her with a slight smile that was hard to interpret.

"Well, then?" Elena had started the conversation.

"Well, then?" McVey had repeated with a quirk around the corners of this mouth.

"You wanted to see me", Elena reminded him.

The smile had become more secretive. "Not quite. I offered myself to you for any questions that you might have."

It had made Elena sneer. "Don't tell me you do this out of the goodness of your heart! I'm dead sure you have an agenda."

"Why, I can't simply be helpful?"

"I hear that's not the kind of man you are, Mr McVey."

"Oh, so Professor Snape has told you about me?" McVey had started to gently knead the tip of his moustache. "I'm not going to ask what he told you. He's always been suspicious of me."

Elena had shrugged. "He probably had his reasons."

"Probably", McVey said, but his voice sounded distinctly sarcastic. "In my experience, though, the truth is largely a matter of perspective, and even your Professor cannot see all the sides."

Elena had sat down opposite of him and jerked her head irritably. "What do you want to tell me?"

"Whatever you want me to tell you."

Elena hadn't been able to help scoffing. "Why not drop the pretence? You offered yourself, so I'm guessing you're actually dying to tell me something! Yet, I am to find out what it is?"

"You've got the wrong end of the stick, Ms Horwath. It would be more correct to say that depending on what you want to know from me, I am going to decide whether to tell you what I might be dying to tell you."

"A complicated one, are you?" Elena had scrutinized him with a frown. "I'm already getting the feeling I'm being manipulated …"

"I will leave this instant if you ask me to."

Elena had rolled her eyes and issued a complicated swearword in her mother tongue. "Well, then", she'd finally sighed, "since you're here … why don't we start off by you telling me why Madam Crowley sends you around as her errand boy? I thought you were employed with the Ministry?"

"I am not employed with the Ministry."

"But Periwinkle said you were his assistant!"

"You didn't question it."

"So he lied?"

"It wasn't exactly a lie. I did assist him on that day."

"But why?"

"Why did I come along? To get a clearer picture of you."

Elena had stared at him. "Of me? Why? And on whose behalf?"

"Naïve questions, Ms Horwath. Of you, of course! A witch no one knows, but who's associated to one of the most powerful wizards known at the moment and who's saved his life at that! Immediately after the Leshnikov incident, there were a lot of people who wanted to know who that mysterious student of Professor Snape's was, and I must admit I was quite curious myself. Not half as curious as Madam Crowley was, though."

"So she sent you to check me out. – Which brings me back to the question you've so cunningly evaded: why are you playing servant to her?"

It had been a pointed provocation, as Elena had guessed that he wouldn't like being referred to as a 'servant' or 'errand boy'.

Sure enough, McVey had wrinkled his nose. "Let's just say, I owe the Crowleys."

"What do you owe them?"

"A temporary kind of loyalty. – But certainly not affection."

Elena's eyes had narrowed while she'd felt a funny twinge in her guts. "And you're hoping to use me to shake them off?"

A mysterious smile had answered her. "Like I said, I haven't yet made up my mind on that."

She had considered this for a few moments, but suddenly a jolt had gone through her and she had shaken her head ferociously. "No way. I got myself into so much shit lately, I'll be damned if I stumble right into the next mess! – Sorry, Mr McVey, but I don't want to know."

There had been no calculation in her words; nevertheless, they changed the situation, and more importantly, they completely changed McVey's facial expression. It became worried, disbelieving even. He had clearly counted on her curiosity.

"You don't want to know?" Finn McVey repeated. "You have no interest in helping your Professor?"

She had glared back at him. "What d'you mean, help him?"

"At the very least, I would have expected that you might wish to learn more about the people who are out to make his life difficult. And why they are doing it."

She had swiftly leaned forward. "I know why they are doing it. He pissed them off by his spy work, by doing the right thing. It's not hard to guess, either, who these people are. Ex Death Eaters, out for revenge …"

"That's not wrong", McVey interjected, "but it isn't right, either. – Sure enough, your Professor made himself a number of enemies by his actions. Most of them may be ex Death Eaters, and they may harbour elaborate schemes of revenge. However, revenge needs to be orchestrated. It's not something a handful of down-and-out Death Eaters can easily do. They have more pressing problems – stay hidden, establish communication with their families or among each other, get out of the country … Unless, of course, someone takes charge; channels all the dark energy and gives it a shape …"

Elena remained silent for a few seconds, her eyes on McVey's peculiar face with the alert dark eyes. Only now did she notice that his ears were slightly pointed, a little bit like Mr Spock's. "The Crowleys", she murmured after a while, "they're orchestrating it."

McVey didn't confirm it in so many words, but looked at her with glittering eyes.

"But why?"

The small black-haired man tilted his head. "Isn't that obvious? – For power. The wizarding world is weak at the moment, it hasn't returned to normal yet after the Victory. This is the best time to establish new structures, but of course, if anyone wishes to do so, someone like your Professor could be in the way."

"Because he's powerful", Elena murmured.

"That, too. But mainly because he's a very independent agent, an incalculable factor so to speak. Plus, if anything could be learnt from that hearing, it is that Severus Snape will forever act in Albus Dumbledore's spirit. And that is the last thing people such as the Crowleys want."

"So they're trying to get rid of Sev… the Professor?"

McVey's grin was no more than a ghost on his lips. "That's one reason. – However, there is another one, perhaps a more important one. It brings us to the question why Madam Crowley so wanted to make your acquaintance …"

"You mean …", Elena broke off, thought hard, "… you mean she has a personal motive?"

McVey had inclined his head. "A very personal one."

"A personal grudge against … the Professor?" Elena had glared at McVey blankly. "Or perhaps …", her face changed, "… against his family?"

Interest had flickered up in McVey's eyes. "So Madam Crowley said something to that effect?"

Elena had taken a few moments before she answered. "She mentioned the Prince family. Specifically, the Professor's mother."

"I'm impressed", McVey had said with a dead-pan face.

"What does that mean?"

"Magrathea must be pretty desperate", again, the man had started to twist the tips of his whiskers, "I wonder if she found out …"

"What?"

"Never mind", McVey had made a dismissive gesture. "Has she shown you the gobstones, as well?"

"The gob… you mean the set of marbles? – Yes. What about it?"

"Has she also told you what's so special about it?"

"Only that it's very old and valuable. And that she inherited it."

McVey had smiled lightly. "It's not that valuable, you know. Not with one stone missing. – If that stone wasn't missing, however, it would be valuable beyond imagination."

Elena's brows had drawn together. "Why? It's only a stupid game."

"So she hasn't told you all about it." The tone of McVey's voice had been satisfied. "Believe me, Ms Horwath, this game of gobstones is a very special set. And believe me, too, when I say that Madam Crowley would do anything to get the missing stone back."

"Wait a minute, wait a minute …" At that point, Elena's head had started to spin. "Weren't we just talking about the Professor's enemies, about plans of revenge? How do the gobstones fit in?"

"They fit in very nicely", McVey had explained. "In fact, you shouldn't underestimate their significance."

"Then why are you being so vague? Won't you tell me what's so special about them?"

Again, McVey had tilted his head thoughtfully. "You might want to find that one out by yourself …"

"Why should I?"

"… I can tell you, however, that your Professor's mother used to be a very accomplished player of gobstones."

"Madam Snape?"

"Have you met her?" asked McVey.

"No. But Madam Crowley asked me the same thing."

"That doesn't surprise me. That was, after all, probably her main reason for wanting to meet you."

"To find out whether I knew Madam Snape?"

McVey had cast a pointed look at Elena, one that said 'Think'. So hesitantly she had started to put two and two together. "So there's this game of gobstones, with one stone missing that Magrathea wants back … she asks after Madam Snape … who used to be a brilliant gobstones player … Are you saying that the Professor's mother has the missing stone?"

"I don't know. But I am pretty sure that this is what Magrathea thinks."

"Madam Crowley told me that the stone has always been missing."

"I'm sure it's been missing for a very long time", McVey had replied with one of his wan smiles, "and another thing I'm sure of is that Madam Crowley told you a complicated mix between truth and contorted truth on the day you met her."

"So what's the truth?"

"To be honest, Ms Horwath, I don't know the entire story. What I do know, however, is that Madam Crowley is convinced – no doubt for her own good reasons – that Eileen Snape has the missing gobstone, that, in fact, she's had it for a long time. She might have won it, or stolen it, I don't know. I don't know the story behind it, either. – But there is no doubt that the gobstone and the will to get it back is what drives Madam Crowley. And it is her main motif behind her efforts of orchestrating a plan of revenge against your Professor."

It had taken Elena almost one minute to digest this. "You mean … if Magrathea had that bloody gobstone, she would call her dogs off Sev… the Professor?" Elena had twitched irritably, frustrated by her frequent slips of tongue, but McVey had acted as if he hadn't noticed.

"He'd still have enemies", McVey had replied evenly, "he'd still have to watch his back. However, Magrathea is the driving force behind what's happening right now. Periwinkle, Aeneas Crowley … they just act on her behalf, are fuelled by her, because that is the kind of power she has. – It's true, Ms Horwath, Professor Snape may have angered a lot of people by his past actions. But I'm pretty sure he has no idea at all that his real enemy is Magrathea Crowley."

"For all I know, he's never met her", Elena had said. "But hey, if things are really as you say, why don't I talk to the Professor and tell him? He could speak to his mother, ask her if she has that bloody gobstone, and if so, she'll sure give it back to get her son out of trouble?"

To her surprise, McVey had started to laugh hard. "I'm afraid you're wrong there", he had said after he had calmed down. "First of all, I am pretty sure that your Professor has no idea about the gobstone. Second, I'm positive that Eileen Snape would never willingly give it back or even admit that she has it …"

"Why? A stupid game stone?!"

"I told you. It is a very special set."

"Special how? Magically?"

"Of course it's magical."

"What does it do?"

"Like I said before, you should find that out yourself."

"Why am I to find out for myself if that is what you came to tell me?"

McVey hadn't replied at once. Instead, he had smiled at Elena mysteriously and very suddenly, she had understood.

"You want the gobstone for yourself, don't you?"

The smile had deepened in response.

"And you want me to help you to get it", Elena had continued, her eyes narrowing while she spoke. "What makes you think that I would do it?"

"That's easy", McVey had replied coolly, "to help your Professor. Thus, there would be something in it for both of us: you help him; I get the stone and – my freedom."

"Your freedom … from the Crowleys?"

A curt nod had confirmed her question.

"So you want a deal."

"Exactly."

"Why don't you just go and talk to Professor Snape and explain to him? I don't think he'd care very much for that stupid stone …"

"You're right, he probably wouldn't. And even more probably, he wouldn't listen to me. – But there is another complication: like I said, it's highly unlikely that Madam Snape would admit to possessing the missing gobstone. Actually, I have a feeling that she would rather bite her tongue off than tell him, for a very specific reason."

"Which is?"

"I'd rather you'd find that out yourself, as well."

But Elena had shaken her head. "That's not how it works. You have to tell me everything you know if you want me to help you. Plus, I'd better tell you right now that I would do nothing behind the Professor's back."

"That's touching", McVey had said sarcastically, "but you wouldn't be able to help him in that way. – Look, I cannot explain everything to you. The most I can say is that it is necessary that you learn certain things for yourself, because otherwise you would not appreciate their significance."

"Bullshit! This is just manipulation!"

"No, it is not", McVey had said firmly. "But that, too, you'll find out only if you look into the matter. By yourself."

Once more, she had shaken her head, but in frustration this time. "You have no idea how dodgy all this sounds!"

"Listen to me." McVey's dark eyes had held hers, and the look in them had been intense. "The only thing I'm asking is that you try to find out more about Madam Snape and whether she has the gobstone. Won't hurt you to keep open eyes and ears, will it? Maybe you will learn something. – I strongly recommend, however, that you don't tell Professor Snape. I'm aware that you don't like it, but if you told him, you would considerably mar your chances of helping him. Plus, he would certainly resent where all this comes from – he has never trusted me."

"Like I said, he might have a good reason for it."

"Maybe. Most of all, he would never believe that I might actually help him. Believe me, Ms Horwath, if he knew he'd react in a way that would make the whole thing blow up before anyone of us even had a chance of getting their hands on the gobstone. Also, it's a given that he'd very much resent you snooping into his family's business, but I don't need to tell you that, you know Professor Snape and can imagine. Again, I would like to remind you that Eileen Snape would never give the stone away willingly, not even to her son, and there is a very specific reason for that, too, one that I'd rather …"

"… I found out for myself", Elena had finished his sentence, trying to sound bored. "You said so already."

"Well, then."

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all."

"I sympathize. However, Ms Horwath, all I'm asking of you for the moment is to bear all this in mind and be attentive. You need not betray anyone in order to do so, am I wrong?"

Elena hadn't replied; the feeling of being manipulated had been too strong. What did she know about Finn McVey, anyway, apart from what Severus had told her? And yet, she'd had to admit it, what he'd told her was, at the very least, interesting, if not fascinating. Plus, the thought that she might help Severus in her very own way, that she might contribute to having the pressure on him relieved was more than appealing. 'How can it hurt anyone', she caught herself wondering, 'if I keep my eyes and ears open and try to find out as much as I can about Severus' mother? If it works – fine; if not – who'd know the difference? Severus needn't know.' Finn McVey had been smart enough not to ask her for any assurances. He had, however, asked her to think about it.

"That's all that I want", he'd ensured her, "for you to give it some thought. I know that my proposal puts you in an awkward position. However, we might both benefit here."

He had left soon afterwards, leaving her in a state of indecision. Several hours later, however, she'd caught herself making plans – on how she could find out more about Snape's mother and her secrets. Might she ask Gilly, the house-elf, for help? Or was there any way to find out more about the woman's past and how her path had crossed with that of Magrathea Crowley? Because certainly that was a starting point – to find out exactly how that damned stone had come to Eileen Snape, provided that McVey was right and she really had it. First of all, she'd have to meet the woman! However, Elena already had a feeling that this would happen very soon, probably the next day already when she would go over to Snape's place for lessons. And as always, the thought of meeting him very soon had not only increased the pace of her heartbeat, but also the eagerness to help him, to improve on his situation, even if in a clandestine manner.

Now, however, sitting in her aunt's living room with Cassie and half-heartedly instructing her new friend on all things Bob Dylan, she couldn't help having second thoughts. Her little run-in with Severus had demonstrated once more that he was all about trust. He couldn't abide the idea of her going behind his back, and Elena feared that the more he tried to open up to her, the more sensitive he would become in that area. – What would he say, were he to find out that she had secretly checked out his mother, of all people? There was hardly any doubt in Elena's mind that his reaction would be very strong, indeed.

She reminded herself of the fact that she hadn't made any promises to McVey. It calmed her a little bit. But at the same time, she had already kept something from Severus by omitting the gobstone story from her account, and in doing so she had in a way declared consent with McVey's proposal. No matter how often she told herself that she hadn't really lied, that she hadn't done anything yet and need never act, she already felt like to most consummate cad.

The problem was: she knew herself. Specifically, she knew her own curiosity and her deep-rooted wish to help Severus, especially in those areas where he wasn't able to help himself. After what she had learned from McVey, it would be hard not to stick her nose into things that were none of her business. There was also the fact that Severus' strictures as to what she was allowed to do and what she was to stay away from always incited a natural spirit of contradiction within her. The more protective – or possessive – he became, the more she leaned towards independent decisions that were a little reckless. This was her way of retaining a degree of self-reliance, something she sorely needed when faced with Severus' sometimes overbearing attitude.

"Are you okay?" Cassie asked with an encouraging smile.

"It's alright", Elena replied lightly.

"Don't be angry about the way he talked to you. That's how he is!"

Elena looked up. Cassie's face was kind and sweet. Elena realized in that moment that her new friend had already seen through her, knew about her feelings, but tried to be as unobtrusive as possible. "I'm not angry with him", she murmured, "it's just … sometimes I don't know which decisions are right and which ones are wrong. Especially decisions in the wizarding world. I don't know enough about it yet."

Cassie tilted her head. "Actually I think that at the bottom of it, there is not a whole lot of difference. Yeah, there's magic. It makes many things easier, but complicates others. – In the end, you always have to rely on your gut feeling. And most importantly, you have to learn to live with your mistakes. And to forgive yourself for them."

Elena digested that and slowly, a careful smile came to her lips. Cassie was right, of course. She could not make decisions solely to please Severus, how ever strong an incentive that might be. She had to trust herself, regardless of what he might think. And so – also because it was much easier than dwelling on it for hours on end – the decided not to cross any bridges before she got there, hoping that gut feeling would save her ass …

"Cassie?"

"Yes?"

"Don't forget to show me how to play gobstones. You promised, didn't you?"

Cassie made a face. "Are you sure you want that? Gobstones can be a little disgusting, you know …"

"I'm sure. I need to know about games played in the wizarding world, don't I?"

"Then I'd recommend wizarding chess! – But I know where that comes from, mind you. Magrathea Crowley's set. I can't get it out of my mind, either."

Elena looked at her friend with interest. "Why do you think that is?"

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. Something about it just stuck. I guess it was that house, too, you know, the whole setting. Weird, somehow. Eerie."

Elena smiled softly. "As a born witch, you should be used to weird."

"True." Cassie looked thoughtful. "However, that was a whole new level of weird."

Elena couldn't have agreed more.