Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all public characters, and the world of Harry Potter. There is no intention to violate copyright.

Hogsmeade Weekend

Saturday, November 28, 1998

Hogsmeade Chaperons

Heads of House: Filius Flitwick, Bill Weasley, Severus Snape, Pomona Sprout

Professor Volunteers: Minerva McGonagall (Headmistress), Rubeus Hagrid (Creatures)

Hogsmeade weekends were a Hogwarts tradition, and the students eagerly looked forward to them. Since I was head of Slytherin, I had the task of supervising the dunderheads while they went about their idiocy. These weekends were dreadfully dull, but this one had potential. Before leaving my suite, I decided to cast an anti-apparition charm on myself. If things went badly, I did not want them to take me alive. It was my intention to walk alone, and meet the auror trainees at the main gates. However, Minerva had another plan.

In the Entrance Hall stood McGonagall, and four other professors destined for an afternoon of tedium. She gave two quick claps at my approach, and then she enthused; "Now we can go to Hogsmeade." Why did the woman refuse to listen? I suppose, walking with others had its benefits. She turned her attention to me and said, "Severus, I know you did not want us to fuss. However, we all felt it was better to walk together."

Weasley opened the massive doors, and our large group followed. He glanced over his shoulders as he admitted, "She put me up to it. I figured you were capable enough on your own, but you know how it is with women. Once they get an idea in their head..." Bill never finished his cheeky statement, but I suspected it was not his intention. McGonagall grinned coyly, and I wondered if he understood the potential dilemma his comments created. Fleur would hear of them, of that, I had no doubt.

Hagrid clapped one of his big meaty paws against the back of my shoulder as he enthusiastically barked, "Don't you worry about a thing, Laddy. Hogsmeade won't feel so crowded once we spread out." He jerked his thumb outwards as he bellowed, "You see, we be taking our regular corners."

We walked through the main gates of Hogwarts, and I noticed movement in the trees. The auror trainees were to meet me there, so I suspected it was they. I pressed my hands into the pockets of my robes, and marched with the professors while discretely checking for danger. It was not surprising to find the others doing the same. Hagrid was the first to leave, because he headed to the zoo.

The local residents and shop owners greeted us, as we traversed High Street. Ambrosius Flume stood outside his store holding a basket of candy. He set it down and opened his arms in greeting, while he happily enthused, "Now if it isn't my favorite professors from Hogwarts. We open our doors for your fine school, but for you my friends, I give samples of the best sweets Honeydukes has to offer." He quickly handed each of us a small bag filled with candy. We readily accepted the gift, and then he held a chocolate frog for me as he mentioned, "I hear you've developed a taste for these treats."

He knew me too well. With a deep voice I calmly mentioned, "Indeed, I should like to order another case." My craving for sweets amused the other professors, but it surprised none of them. They already knew I frequented this store when the students were not around.

Fortunately, I did not carry my pro pouch with me. Instead, I pulled the money from my coin bag, and handed it to the proprietor. Flume grinned at me, and then he mentioned, "Do not worry about a thing, Professor Snape. The box will arrive in Hogwarts before you do." He then addressed our group, "Welcome to Hogsmeade."

The others exchanged pleasantries, and then he and Professor Flitwick went into the candy store. The little gnome had a stool in the corner, so he could keep an eye on the students while they shopped. None would accuse them of stealing, but a professor helped to keep them honest.

Bill walked ahead to Dervish & Bangs, as he would patrol that area. Students interested in magical items could more easily attain his advice, and recommendations. I walked to the south, because I stayed near the Hog's Head and watched for trouble from both the students and the questionable patrons. I could not imagine anyone else volunteering to observe the bar. It served the worst sort of witches and wizards, and it was no fitting place for a student. Despite that, we allowed them to enter.

The Hog's Head would prove the ideal place for an assault, and I could more easily make sure the students stayed out of the area. They typically avoided risking my wrath, but today they kept their distance. Few would venture to The Hogs Head, as none wished to earn my ire. I leaned against the fence, and the bond alerted me of my Master's presence.

Perhaps, Potter hid inside. It was difficult to know exactly, as he was on the outer limit of my bond's range. Aberforth Dumbledore provided him with protection in the past, and it was close to the potential conflict. Oddly, it was reassuring to know he was near. Was that due to the bond, or was it me?

McGonagall shifted into her cat form, as she intended to patrol High Street. I assumed she would spend her time near the Hog's Head, but I could not fault the woman for caring. Sprout had the least enviable position of any Hogwarts teacher, as she was at Madam Paddifoot's teahouse. It was her duty to make sure the romantic escapades did not get out of hand. She sat at a corner table, and supervised the dating students.

Thankfully, that duty would never fall upon me again. Dumbledore had the worst sense of humor, and he stationed me there one weekend. It lasted an hour before that miserable witch requested another professor. She should have thanked me for making sure debauchery and public shows of indecency did not tarnish her fine establishment. Instead, she kicked me out! Was it any wonder that youth today lacked decorum?

Students enjoyed their trips into Hogsmeade, but the older ones often wished to know why we limited them. The seventh years complained the loudest, because they were adults. However, it was not something we could allow. Students needed supervision, and their getting into trouble at Hogsmeade created problems for Hogwarts. This was why we sacrificed our weekends to supervise the barmy cretins. Did they appreciate it? I suspected not.

My senses were on full alert, as I anticipated the death eaters to attack before eleven. That was when Hogwarts permitted the students to leave for Hogsmeade, and some of them were avid fighters. It would even the confrontation, and the death eaters could never allow that. They were cowards, and the only time they acted was when they greatly out powered the foe.

Anxiety caused images to flicker through my mind, as I fearfully anticipated nothing happening. What would I do if they chose not to attack? I could live with the wounds from battle, but this idiotic grounding would undo me. However, now was not the time to delve into an internal dialogue. I had to stay alert. It was then that I noticed an ugly black beetle sitting on the fence.

Instinctively, I moved to flick it, but then I stopped. It was odd to see beetles in the open during the winter months, and then I had my answer. Now I regretted not giving the creature a good flick as I softly whispered without moving my lips, "Rita Skeeter, get lost. Go hide under a rock, or I will squish you with the heel of my boot." She wiggled her antennae in frustration, and then I added, "For the love of Merlin, leave woman! If you still live, I will give you an exclusive interview."

The Assault

Finally, the beetle ran for cover. Suddenly, I heard something crunch overhead, and I saw a figure in black move across the roof. Where were the aurors? It was then that I noticed another three figures on the roof of the Moving Pictures Gallery.

Did the death eaters plan an aerial attack? Swiftly, I stepped away from the fence and noticed three masked men walking from either side of the Hog's Head bar. That brought the total to ten, and then I turned around to see three more approach me. My gaze narrowed on the man in the middle, as I assumed he was the leader. The other two held rear-flanking positions and I assumed they were his personal guard.

My arms folded across my chest as I sneered at the men, "Still wearing those atrocious masks, I see. It is true then, you have reformed the death eaters?" The man in the middle nodded his head in response, causing me to scoff. "Honestly, Nott, you cannot believe those stupid masks hide your identity from me." With a glance at his flunkies, I called them out as I said, "The same goes for you too, Crabbe and Macnair. What do you want from me?"

"Now that is the question. What could we want from the betrayer?" Nott asked enthusiastically. The three men started to laugh, as though that was the most amusing question ever asked. Nott grinned maliciously at me as he stated, "We want revenge."

They drew their wands, and aimed them at me. It was obvious they took their cue from Nott, so he was the one I needed to distract. The other six joined our little group, and they formed a semi-circle around me.

Knott grinned evilly at me, and then he challenged, "Betrayer, if you had any courage, you would fight." He leered at me, and motioned to the others as he shouted, "He was willing to pull his wand on The Dark Lord, but only after Potter distracted him. The Betrayer aimed for his back, and showed himself for the coward he was!" He turned on me angrily and demanded, "Draw your wand!"

My arms folded in agitation, as I stared him down. My lips curled into a sneer, and I snidely stated, "Your stupidity never failed to astound me. I knew you were lacking, but I had no idea you were illiterate as well. Perhaps, you should have one of your flunkies read you the paper."

My comments failed to concern Nott, as he leered at me. He raised his voice and shouted his questions, "So, it was true? You lost your wand?" I nodded in answer, and he laughed derisively at me. He turned to Macnair and brusquely commanded, "Scan him."

Macnair cast the spell, and I watched curiously. A blue mist started at the tip of his wand, and it enshrouded me. He stared at me, as if he expected to notice something unusual. After a few minutes, he turned to Nott and stated, "He has no wand." Of course, not, I already told them that.

Nott laughed delightedly. His lips curled into a snarl as he sneered at me, "Severus Snape, from this point on, your name is Betrayer. Consider it official, as I am the only authority figure you will ever see. Do not worry, Betrayer; we are not going to kill you, yet. Death is too good for the likes of you." He turned to his flunkies and shouted, "Grab him!

I charged the weakest area of the circle, and attempted to break from the nine death eaters. Unfortunately, this plan failed. They threw me to the ground, and I desperately kicked at my captors. A glance at the rooftop gave me some hope, as I noticed the death eaters stiffen under the affects of Totalus. Aurors appeared on the roof, and immediately removed the petrified bodies from view.

Did they plan to offer help after I died? Unfortunately, the war killed most of the aurors, and it was possible for the death eaters to outnumber us. At least, they removed the aerial support. At this point, I ceased my struggles, and I curled into the fetal position to lessen the damage. Suddenly, a pair of hands gripped my shoulders, and roughly hauled me up. An arm wrapped around my neck while someone pulled back my head, and forced me to look at Nott.

He gruffly approached me, and plowed his fist into my gut. The force knocked me off my feet, and I fell back into the goons holding me. They aggressively thrust me ahead, and I fell to my knees where I immediately began to vomit. An arm cradled my stomach, as I attempted to quell the pain. Where were the aurors?

Nott spit in my hair, as he growled at me, "Did Potter actually think he could reform you, Betrayer? Did he want to make you into someone?" He snorted gruffly, and then he added, "That is rich. You know nothing of loyalty, and you will deceive him too. Maybe that is why he chose to leave you defenceless, because he knew you were not worth saving." My eyes narrowed at him, as I snarled angrily. He laughed and spoke down to me as if I were a child, "Aw, did that mean old head of house take away your favorite toy, and ground you for being naughty?"

The voice of Potter rang loudly, as he called out, "Severus knew you lot hadn't the brains to foresee a trap." I grinned at Nott, and he rewarded me with a swift kick to the chin. Fortunately, I managed to move just far enough to avoid the full force of the blow, and I stayed conscious. My mind focused, and I mentally cast a force shield that I thrust forward. It caused Nott, Macnair, and Crabbe to fly back and fall to the ground.

Potter grinned maliciously as he called out to the fallen Nott, "Minister Shacklebolt, and the aurors plotted with us to bring you in. Everything you read in the paper was a carefully planned act. Severus played his part well. His yelling at me was very convincing, and nobody doubted it for a minute." Aurors appeared behind the six goons who surrounded me. Their wands flashed brightly as they cast, 'Petrificus Totalus.' The six men stiffened and fell to the ground.

The aurors levitated the bound men, and brought them behind the Moving Pictures Gallery. I assumed they meant to place them with the other captured prisoners. The two youths joined me, and we cast 'Protego.'

The three men angrily rose to their feet, and started slinging spells. We held our shields before us, and reflected them back at the castors. When able, we attempted to send out binding magic. Green and red streaks of light rebounded in every direction, and then we noticed Nott stepping back from his personal guards. Crabbe and Macnair continued firing off spells to penetrate our shield, but their fearless leader closed his eyes and attempted to apparate. My defenses dropped immediately, as I lunged forward and tackled the man while he tried to escape.

We tumbled to the ground, and I successfully broke his spell. Mentally, I sent a stinging hex to his backside, using my full magical abilities. Nott ignored everything else, as his hands reached for his arse and he howled out his anguish. He glared at me furiously while his hands moved to the waist of his pants. He attempted to remove them. The corners of my mouth curled slightly, as I watched the man's reactions. My tone softened, and I derided the other male, "Nott, keep your pants on. I have seen enough natural terrors to last, a lifetime."

Perhaps, I should have watched the other two combatants a little more closely, because they stopped fighting the shielded youth. Unfortunately, they chose to aim their wands at my unprotected rear. I heard someone call out, "Sectumsempra!" Deep slashes crossed my back in a zed shaped pattern, and blood oozed from my wounds.

Potter yelled, "Severus!" Only, his warning came too late. My pride stung even more, as I realized my cockiness caused the injury. Fortunately, I managed to cast my shield in time to stop Macnair's Killing Curse. It reflected back, and he narrowly avoided it. I returned my attention to Nott, as he cast the Imperius Curse.

He grinned in satisfaction, as he watched me fall to my knees. He rose to his feet, and I felt the sudden urge to attack Potter. I pivoted on the ground so that I could face him, but exhaustion caused me to stumble. My arm helped to balance me, as I used it to hold myself, like a three-legged animal. My other rose upwards, and I held out a trembling hand in the youth's direction. Internally, I raged and screamed against the spell, as I attempted to fight it. Why would the entity give me such powerful magic, and not the willpower to resist control? That angered me as I attempted to fight Nott's command.

Potter cast a binding spell on Macnair and magical ropes tied the man to the ground. He then used 'Expelliarmus' to remove the wand. Weasley managed to petrify Crabbe, and the two youths turned to see my wand shakily aimed at them. Potter quietly pleaded, "Severus, fight it. I know you can."

Weasley drew in a deep breath, and we saw the McGonagall cat running towards us. That surprised me, as the combat had lasted less than a minute. I did not think any of the professors would have heard it, but now I knew otherwise. Suddenly, a bestial rage surged from within, and it threw off the Imperius as if it were an unwanted cloak. I rose to my knees, made my body rigid, and leaned back as I released my fury in a vicious roar.

Nott flew backwards, as he attempted to flee. My eyes snapped to his. I mentally cast another full powered Stinging Hex at his backside, and then Petrificus Totalus. The stunned man fell to the ground. It satisfied me to know that he would feel that. His wand flew into my hand, as I thought of Expelliarmus.

Longbottom and a group of trainees ran towards us from behind the Hog's Head. McGonagall approached me, and she immediately started casting Vulnera Sanentur. She repeated the incantation three times. The first caused me to stop bleeding, then I felt the warm fluids returning to my body, and finally the wounds sealed. McGonagall spoke in a concerned voice as she asked, "Severus, are you alright?" She glanced at the group of auror trainees, and asked her former students, "What about you? How are you holding up?"

Aftermath

It was then that Robards and Graves arrived from the Southern direction. The two men levitated another three death eaters, and it became clear that fighting ensued elsewhere. Longbottom grinned at the two men and mentioned, "Our squad tackled four behind the Hog's Head. We bound them, and left three to guard."

Robards whistled as he admitted, "Merlin, we captured twenty rogue death eaters today. That was double the number we anticipated." He and Graves grinned to one another, and then he glanced at Potter, "Any word on their leader?"

The youth motioned to the man beside me as he admitted, "Severus took him out." Someone yelled for my attention, and then I noticed Skeeter standing there with her camera. Curiously, I wondered how many pictures she took during the battle. Potter dug into his robe, and thrust something into my hand. Without needing to look, I recognized it immediately. The hardened cylindrical object received a loving embrace, as I curled my fingers around my beloved wand. I offered the youth a firm nod in gratitude, and I noticed that Skeeter continued to snap pictures.

Gavin clapped me on the back of the shoulder as he stated, "Despite what you told us, I still worried about you acting as our bait. I'm glad it worked out." He glanced at Robards and asked, "Gawain, do you give the all clear?"

The leader of the aurors shook his head, as he admitted, "Not until Rinlem gives his report." Gavin nodded in agreement, and then he turned to Longbottom, Weasley, Potter, and the other trainees. The man smiled to them and proudly enthused, "You continue to show an avid combat ability, and it makes me proud to think of you as future aurors. Tonight, you will lick your wounds and rest. Tomorrow, we start training first thing in the morning, and I do not want to hear anyone complaining. Take the rest of the day off, you earned it."

The youth erupted into wild cheers, and then an older auror came to join us. Where was he during the battle? He smiled at me, and then turned to Robards as he reported, "Sir, our perimeter held. Nobody was able to apparate into, or out of Hogsmeade." I wish someone told me about the wards, as I would not have dropped my shield. At least that explained why his team was not involved in the battle.

Rinlem continued to report, "We also discovered their original point of travel, and I sent a crew to that site. We traced the magical signatures from there, and we compared them with the prisoners. Sir, we captured everyone." The youth cheered wildly, and unintentionally cut off the man in the middle of his report. Instead of attempting to take control of his students, Gavin seemed to encourage their boisterous behaviour.

Robards victoriously clasped his hands together, and then he stated, "Renlim, after all these months. We have finally captured them." He turned a delighted smile to Potter, and then to me as he acknowledged, "Your plan succeeded spectacularly. We lacked accurate information, and we underestimated the number of people involved. The underground movement was even more dangerous than we expected, but now the wizarding world can rest easy. We arrested Voldemort's loyal followers. Severus, we could not have done it without you baiting them."

"You knew of this," McGonagall asked me curiously, as she studied me with her gaze. My nod answered her question, and she met that with a coy smile. Apparently, she approved of our methods. We placed no students in danger, because the attack happened before they could leave Hogwarts. It was nearly eleven, and I expected them to arrive in Hogsmeade shortly after that. Fortunately, the prisoners and aurors should have left by then, as they were already transferring the prisoners directly to Azkaban. They would receive a fair trial, but it was a secure place to hold them.

Rinlem waited for the enthusiastic cheers to die down, and then he stated, "Sir, we found a compound, but we have not yet entered. My team was working on the wards when I left. Fortunately, we do not detect movement inside, but we ran into a problem." The man glanced uneasily at Bill, as the young professor ran towards us. He appeared hesitant, and stopped his report.

Robards nodded his assent, and then he briefly glanced at the young man, "Rinlem, this is Bill Weasley. He works as a curse breaker at Gringotts." The auror turned to Bill, and studied him contemplatively. They greeted one another politely, and then Robards mentioned, "Bill, it is good to see you again. This is my brother Renlim, the man in charge of our perimeter division."

Bill nodded his head in acknowledgement, but our attention turned to Rinlem as he continued his report, "Sir, there is a curse that guards the wards. My men are unable to break them, until we remove it." Bill became the center of his attention, as he turned to the young man and asked, "Professor, would you mind looking at it for us? Perhaps, it is something you are familiar with?"

Bill shook his head apologetically as he admitted, "I'm sorry Rinlem. Fleur made plans with her family this weekend, and she expects me to return the moment our students leave Hogsmeade." Rinlem looked disappointed at the youth's response, and then Bill suggested, "Why don't you ask Professor Snape to take a look at it for you. He is very skilled with curses, and he cracked a code I was unable to touch."

The Robards brothers both stared contemplatively at me, after having heard Bill's suggestion. The elder nodded his consent to the other, and then Rinlem asked, "Professor Snape, would you look at this for us?" Before answering the man, I glanced at Potter who gave me the slightest of nods. I hoped the others missed my having to ask his permission.

The man received a firm nod as I mentioned, "Indeed, Rinlem. It sounds intriguing. Perhaps, you can show me what you already know of the curse. The students will return to Hogwarts by five, and then I can give you my full attention."

McGonagall spoke up as she mentioned, "Severus, you go ahead and help the aurors. The sooner we get rid of these guys, the better." The corners of my lips twitched at the woman, and she nodded her head.

Rinlem held out his arm, and I willingly accepted after removing my anti-apparition charm. However, it did not go as planned. Before he could apparate, we found ourselves with another eager passenger. Rita Skeeter grasped his other arm. He glanced at her curiously, and then she explained, "There is more to this story." The man inhaled deeply, and gave his brother a pleading expression before he apparited us to a forested area.

On closer examination, I noticed the distinct outline of buildings. However, the protective wards kept them secured. Rinlem eagerly showed me their work, and I studied it curiously. I ran the dark detection spell, and then I analyzed the code more thoroughly. The man watched curiously, as I worked. It took a few hours to lift the curse, and then Skeeter awoke from her bored stupor, "Finally! Now let's see what all this fuss was about."

Rinlem held out his hand to the eager reporter as he stated, "We cannot enter the compound. It isn't secured yet." My brows narrowed curiously at the man's words, and then I watched as he pulled out a muggle mobile phone.

Skeeter stared at the object curiously, and then Rinlem spoke into it, "Sir, Professor Weasley's praise was not misplaced. Severus found a way to remove the curse, and the compound is now open." He glanced at us, and after a short pause he continued, "That's right, I will let them know, Sir." He disconnected the call, and then turned his attention to us. With a glance at Skeeter, he calmly requested, "Please return to Hogsmeade." She was about to argue with him, and then he explained, "It is too dangerous, but I will tell you after the stealth squad clears the building."

The man received an appreciative nod from me, and then I turned to Rita and mentioned, "McGonagall agreed to let me work here, but now I should return to Hogsmeade and continue with my supervisory tasks. Perhaps, you could conduct the interview at the Hog's Head while I eat my lunch?"

Suddenly, the idea of exploring an empty bunker no longer held much appeal for the eager reporter. Skeeter grinned enthusiastically at me as she stated, "I need to know all the facts." I suspected as much, and then she would make up a story that was nothing like the truth. She eagerly held my arm, as I apparited us to Hogsmeade.

The scene at the Hog's Head caused me to gape, as I stared at the many students mulling about the place. Of course, I should have expected that. They obviously heard of the battle, and they wanted to check out the area. McGonagall glanced curiously at me when we returned, and then I offered, "Headmistress, Rita Skeeter asked for an interview. Would you care to join us?" The woman hesitated, and then I scoffed, "Minerva, you want to know what happened."

McGonagall smiled impishly at me, as if I revealed something she previously thought was secret. Her glance fell briefly on Skeeter, and then it returned to me as she mentioned, "Yes, Severus. I would like to join you."

Potter accidentally grabbed Skeeter's attention, because she noticed him milling about with the other youths. She waved at him, and called, "Mr. Potter, will you join us? It pleases me that Severus will give an interview, but my readers want to hear from you too!" Potter was not impressed. However, he reluctantly joined us, and we entered the bar.

We ordered four bowls of beef stew, and butterbeer. McGonagall and Skeeter were very interested in the planning process, and we went into great detail. We rehearsed our stories well, and spoke of it without having to pause. Minerva seemed satisfied, but our intrepid reporter grew distant during the interview. Finally, she voiced her thoughts, "How do you expect me to print this? Do you realize what you have done? You made us look like blundering idiots!"

That was not far from the mark. However, angering the vindictive beetle was not to our advantage. I should ward my suite from those bugs. My voice deepened as I calmly asked, "Do you need to print a retraction, and apologize to your readers?" Skeeter angrily replied with a nod of her head. My brows rose dismissively as I stated, "I do not see the problem. Perhaps, you can apologize for lying to your readers in trying to save their lives. Why claim ignorance, when you can go after glory? The Daily Prophet helped us capture Voldemort's army."

Skeeter's mouth formed a little oh, and then she hurriedly rose from the table. She eagerly glanced from Potter to me, and then she held her camera out to McGonagall, "Please be a sweetie, and take my picture with them." Minerva smirked at the eager reporter, and she took over a dozen photos before Skeeter found one she considered tolerable. Rita fluttered her fingers at us, and apparited without another word. Apparently, she received the desired story. Would it mention us?

Dare I tell Potter?

It was after five by the time we returned to the castle, and McGonagall wished us well. Potter waited for her to leave, before he turned to me and asked, "Severus, would you like to deal with the bond's demands now, or later tonight at our usual time?" He made that sound bad, as if I required daily discipline. We met nightly, but it did not always include punishment.

I dreaded the conversation since early this morning. Phlegm collected in my throat, causing me to swallow as I stared into his emerald-green eyes. They reminded me of Lily, and I felt all the more guilty. How would Potter handle my fantasizing over his mother? He could never know. I could not voice my answer, but meekly nodded my head. He seemed somewhat confused, but he followed me to my quarters.

Again, I had to swallow. Potter could easily detect my anxiety through the link, and I was sure he felt my guilt imbued humiliation. Once inside my suite, I turned to the youth and hurriedly stated before he could ask, "Sir, it is my preference that you not ask what I did."

Potter's brows narrowed suspiciously at me, and I watched as he folded his arms across his chest. His voice sounded deeper than normal as he enquired, "How can I decide the right punishment, if you will not tell me why you earned it?"

My body produced phlegm in abundance this afternoon, and I had to swallow once more. Perhaps, there was something in that stew. My voice softened to a whisper as I quietly muttered, "It did not concern you, Sir. I suppose, you could say, it was rather personal."

Potter shook his head as he admitted, "Severus, I trust you. There is no need to explain, and you may tell me the same thing in the future. I do not wish to pry into your private life anymore than what I already do." He paused for a moment, and then he continued, "I wish the bond did not demand a punishment. Thanks to your playing bait, it is now safe for everyone to leave their homes. Severus, I grant you permanent permission to travel wherever you want. However, you must tell me where you plan to go."

That was pleasing to hear, and my eyes snapped to the fireplace as I started making plans for this evening. The youth received a nod of approval, and then I said, "Sir, it is difficult for me to contact you without owls or a patronus. Those are awkward while you are in class." Potter nodded his agreement, and then I asked, "What if I write you messages, and leave them on my table?"

Potter acknowledged, "That will work, because we can both access your suite." That was rather unfortunate, as I had no privacy whatsoever. The youth studied me curiously, and then he stated, "Severus, you were the youngest potions master ever to teach at Hogwarts. It is a shame to see you leave after twenty years, and have nothing to show for it."

My shoulders shrugged, as I stated, "It does not bother me, Sir."

Potter frowned in concentration, as if he churned an idea over in his head. His gaze met mine, and then he explained, "It bothers me, Severus. You have more skill than Libatius Borage, and yet Hogwarts continued to use his book for the advanced potions class. There were several errors, and you fixed them while still a student. Why should Hogwarts use a flawed textbook, when you could write a new one?"

My head shook as I stated, "Sir, I do not mind. Hogwarts can remember me in the future, or forget. I do not seek publicity, and yet, we are celebrities. Do we actually need more?"

Potter considered my words, as he quietly paced the room. He glanced at me, and then his attention turned to the fire. He stopped walking, looked at me, and calmly said, "Authoring a book has nothing to do with publicity. It is recognition for your life's work. Severus, what would you prefer for a punishment? You can choose being grounded to the castle for one week, or writing the first chapter of the new textbook?"

How could he read the newspaper, and fail to miss what everyone was saying. At least he gave me two options. Despite my earlier comments, a part of me actually wanted the students to learn from my work. I silkily stated, "Sir, my preference, is to write a chapter for the new textbook. Is it safe for me to assume that you plan to assign the others as future punishments?"

Potter gave me a devilish smirk as he admitted, "Indeed, Severus, and I noticed the tingling sensation vanished. The bond considered it suitable, when it required something harsh." He glanced at me thoughtfully before he said, "I will laugh, if you finish it before Christmas."

My stomach felt as though it dropped, because I realized it was a month away. At this rate, it was probable that I would complete the blasted book before then. Potter chuckled as he felt my guilt through the link.

Aurors

We turned to the fireplace as it flared brightly. Curiously, we crouched down to receive the call, and the Robards brothers greeted us. Gawain was the first to speak as he mentioned, "Keep this under your hats, but we have a bad situation on our hands."

Why do people say stuff like that, and then not continue. Do they even realize how annoying that is? Robards glanced around the room, and then he asked, "Is anyone with you?" We both shook our head in the negative, and then he stated, "We found victims in the compound. They were unconscious, but the death eaters were harvesting them for body parts."

My brows narrowed at the man's comments. Potter seemed no less confused, so I finally asked, "Robards, what do you mean? Why harvest body parts? Spells and potions regenerate them effortlessly."

Rinlem glanced at his brother, and received the assent to continue. The younger brother cleared his throat and explained, "We found documents that connected them to the Russian mafia. They corresponded with groups in Italy, Mexico, and the United States. Body parts from the magical community have fewer rejections, and they are highly valued in the muggle underground economy."

Potter and I shared a look of disgust. It was simply, revolting. Gawain took over the explanation as he continued, "They harvested the victims for their parts, and then used magic to restore them. Unfortunately, they were not the only group. There was already an established market in Britain, and they were recent entrants." Gawain turned to Potter as he stated, "We need to look at all missing persons cases from the past ten years." The youth nodded his head in agreement, and I did not relish that tedious assignment. Fortunately, he gave it to Potter.

Rinlem turned his focus to me as he stated, "Severus, we need your help. The newspaper often highlighted your ability to design new potions and spells. We have nothing to combat these groups, or even to find them. We failed to notice them for the past decade, and earlier today, you demonstrated skill with removing curses. Would you consider joining my team?"

That sounded more interesting than Bill's job at Gringotts. He missed the offer by visiting with his in-laws. What a sucker! The offer interested me, but I hesitated to accept. After a few moments of thought, I curiously asked, "What about auror training?"

Gawain shook his head in response to my question. He glanced at the youthful master and mentioned, "Potter, I do not want you to take this the wrong way. You have a lot of talent, but you lack experience. I suspect that you will go far in your career, but only if you receive the proper training." The youth nodded his head in understanding, and I agreed with the elder Robards brother. He then turned to me and offered, "Severus, you already posses more skill and knowledge than what our training program can offer. You have abilities that we need, and your experience with espionage far surpasses anything we can teach."

Potter smiled proudly at me, and I took that as his permission to accept the job. The youth furrowed his brows curiously, as he glanced at the younger brother. Potter's voice became firmer while he asked, "What does your team do? I never saw you in combat." It felt awkward for him to question my future employer, but as he was my head of house, it was not considered out of the ordinary. Still, I hated it.

Rinlem spoke with an authoritarian tone, as he said, "That is correct, Mr. Potter. Muggles refer to my team as specialists, or perhaps, scientists. The other members enter magically unclean areas, and they sweep it for dangers. The job I have in mind for Severus is more like my own. We study the information our field workers hand to us, and we analyze the magical trends."

Rinlem held my interest, and I listened curiously, as he continued to explain, "It is up to us to develop ways to counteract their plans, and to help with our defences. This job requires specialized knowledge, and an imagination to invent new solutions to our problems. I believe Severus is the man we need. He can create new spells, design potions, and he has a solid understanding of dark magic."

The job sounded intriguing, and I wanted to accept. On the plus side, it would allow Potter and me to keep relatively close to one another. That would enable me to reach him when he needed the extra power. However, I had a contract with Hogwarts. I hated teaching, but I could not disregard it. Regrettably, I admitted, "The offer pleases me, but I have a contract with Hogwarts until the end of the school year."

The brothers glanced at one another, and then Gawain mentioned, "Severus, we understand your responsibilities, and it is not our wish to dishonor you. Will you consider starting with us in September of next year?"

"Indeed," I said with the same rational tone I always used. My voice stayed calm as I stated, "I accept your offer." My emotional mask held nicely, but the link told Potter of my excitement. It was exhilarating, and I felt like a child in the sweets shop with a dozen galleons to spend. I wanted it all! It was then that I remembered the case of chocolate frogs. Indeed, this was a wonderful night.