Author Note:

Thanks to Rachel and the ever faithful Wendy Waddles for your kind reviews. Thanks also to Thatgirlwiththatsmile and ninachr for adding my story to your lists.

As always, the next chapter will be posted next friday. That's the 3rd of September, so to stay tuned!

Chapter 21 - The Journey

~ Beloved, in what other lives or lands

Have I known your lips, your hands

Your laughter, brave irreverent.

Those sweet excesses I do adore.

What surety is there that we will meet again,

On other worlds some future time undated?

I defy my body's haste. Without the promise of

One more sweet encounter, I will not deign to die ~

- Maya Angelou

Shadows danced on the walls, casting an eerie light across the chamber that made the atmosphere seem even more nightmarish. Tamara took a deep breath to try to clear her head, but the air was shallow and the walls were pressing down on her. The chamber was starting to feel horribly claustrophobic. When the voices of the two guards could be heard returning, she knew it was time to leave. She didn't want to tempt fate by staying for too long. Making a mental note to lodge an enquiry with the Ministry of Magic about getting apparition lessons, she considered her exit strategy. In her pocket were still plenty of packets of Peruvian Instant Darkness powder. She didn't want to use them just yet, though. If she shrouded the chamber in magical darkness too many times it would likely look suspicious and make the journey through the corridors even more difficult. If she used it in the corridor outside the chamber then she might risk missing the door in the darkness. What she needed was another distraction and without thinking she grasped the amulet at her neck for reassurance.

After a moment, she remembered the battle that had taken place in the Alley above. The Death Eater she had faced had cast an odd spell that had created the distracting illusion of blood dripping from her skin. All at once she recalled reading a passage about glamours one Saturday while in the library at Hogwarts researching an assignment for Professor Flitwick's Charms class. "Glamours are an advanced type of charm that creates an illusion, giving the chosen target an appearance which is markedly different from its usual appearance" she recalled reading. Tamara had never attempted to cast a glamour before. It was a charm that was much too advanced for school students. When she had asked, Flitwick had told her that it was largely reserved for those witches and wizards who were in training to become aurors. When she had read about it, the charm sounded ridiculously difficult to cast and so at the time she had given up all thoughts of attempting it. But now she had an idea, and she wondered whether it might be possible. After all, she had done and seen many things in the course of the year that she had never expected before.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to recall the procedure. With an appropriate image in mind, she drew out her wand and uttered a long worded incantation, hoping that she had got the pronunciation right. When the incantation was complete, she aimed her wand at the jars and began a series of complicated wand movements. Nothing happened. Frustrated, she tried again as the guards drew closer to the chamber. This time an odd sort of mist appeared, though it soon vanished. Beginning to panic as she heard the guards just outside the chamber, she once more grasped her amulet and summoned all of her magical energy. To her incredible surprise, and utter relief, this time it worked. The image of a Death Eater appeared in front of the jars. When the guards re-entered the chamber they immediately began to walk towards the illusion. Thinking that her illusion was a real Death Eater, one of the guards addressed it.

"Have you got the next one ready?" He asked, in a gravely voice. While the guards were focussed on the illusion of the Death Eater, she dashed out from behind the stalagmite and ran towards the corridor. When she was safely in the corridor, she realised that another great fortune had been bestowed on her. This time the corridor was empty. As she ran back towards the door, she heard the voice of the guard in the distance and realised that her glamour must have finally disappeared.

"Anyone would think he was the Dark Lord himself with that attitude." She heard the guard complain when the glamour hadn't answered his question and had promptly disappeared. For this she was very thankful, understanding that it must have looked as though the fake Death Eater had disapparated before the guard had been able to garner a response.

As soon as Tamara reached the door, she flung herself through it. She had her wand at the ready, knowing that the troll would be waiting for her with his club. "Confundus!" She called out, not raising her voice any more than she dared. Again, the troll began to look around him with a vacant expression on his face. Not wasting any time, she ran down the length of the corridor, turning corners and passing pathways until she reached the opening that was obscured by the large boulder. Slipping behind the boulder, she wasted no time in making her way back to the secret exit. Creating a small gash on the palm of her hand with her wand, she smeared drops of blood onto the wall and instantly the doorway appeared again and she quickly ran through.

The homeless man wasn't waiting for her when she emerged. Tamara guessed that he had found another hiding place. Thankful for the light of day and the fresh air, she began the journey back through Diagon Alley and wasn't surprised to see the familiar face of the homeless man peer out of the door of Flourish and Blotts as she approached. His expression was one of utter disbelief. He hurried toward her.

"You escaped?" He exclaimed, awe beginning to accentuate his features.

Tamara nodded in response. "They didn't know I was there." She told him. Then another thought occurred to her. "Do you want me to help you leave Diagon Alley?" She asked, remembering that he had said he had become trapped. Immediately, his eyes lit up and he eagerly nodded. Thankful for all the man's help, she led him through the alley and back to the ruined portal that separated the wizarding world's former shopping avenue from the back streets of muggle London. Using her amulet to shield them both, they had soon made it safely through the force-field that protected the entrance. The man fell to her feet, thanking her profusely. Smiling, she pressed some galleons into his hand so that he could now at least get something to eat and clean himself up. Tears began to glisten in his eyes as he gazed at her in adulation.

"How can I ever repay you, miss?" He asked her, over and over. She firmly told him that there was no need and that she hoped his life would begin to improve. He nodded and was still calling his thanks over his shoulder as he began to walk away.

When she returned to Elizabeth's apartment, she found it was empty. Elizabeth had a late shift at the hospital that day so she wouldn't be returning home until later that evening. Tamara sat at the dining table with books and parchment strewn across it as she tried to work out what the silvery blue substance was that had been in the jars back in the chamber below Gringotts. She also recalled what the guard had said to the glamour that had resembled a Death Eater. The guard had asked "is it ready yet?" What could this have meant?

Thoughts of the glamour, however, also continued to tumble through her mind. Even now, she found it unbelievable that she had been able to cast it and had spent much of the afternoon trying to cast another one. Though she was almost able to manage small uncomplicated things like pebbles, she couldn't manage larger things like coffee cups and certainly not people, though she was certain that she still had the ability. After all, she had already accomplished it once. She guessed that like the time she had inadvertently transfigured herself into an owl on the night of Dumbledore's death that perhaps adrenaline had a large part to play in her ability to perform more advanced levels of magic. She made a mental note to keep practising, though, and perhaps Snape would help her if she asked the next time she saw him.

What continued to elude her, however, were the contents of the strange jars. None of the books she had in the apartment made any reference, or even hint, as to what the substance could have been. She would have to return to the Ministry of Magic's library tomorrow and see if she could find any information there, though she had a feeling that since Voldemort was involved that this was information that would only be found in the restricted section of Hogwarts' library. She sighed, knowing that she didn't have an easy task ahead of her.

The many hours Tamara spent in the library trying to deduce what she had seen in the chamber in Gringotts was largely fruitless. Without any clue as to the nature of the strange substance in the jars, it hadn't been long before her research had soon hit a dead end.

And as the weeks passed, she also began to worry about Snape, who had not been to visit since her birthday. This, of course, made her feel a considerable amount of loneliness as she wondered when she would get to see him next and whether she would ever get to share more than a few hours with him.

With a pang, she also realised that her friends would be well into their first term of the Hogwarts school year. Tamara wished, emphatically, for a normal life; one without Voldemort and one that contained school and the usual classroom dramas. But it wasn't to be. She had been born into the war, and so she had to honour her birthright and use her inherited power to fight against the dark forces.

One day when she was staring idly out of the window, something appeared on the horizon that caught her attention. A tawny owl was winging its way toward the apartment. Tamara opened the window to let it in and it came to land on the window ledge. It promptly held out its leg and she removed the envelope that had been tied there, her heart pounding in her chest. The envelope was plain. Holding it tightly in her hand, she offered her arm to the owl which jumped up immediately, taking care not to sink its talons into her skin, and she carried it to the kitchen. Elizabeth, who had the afternoon off today, was making a cup of tea and she looked up in surprise to see Tamara approach with the owl.

"What a stunning owl!" She exclaimed. "Is this the owl post? I've never seen post arrive this way before!" Elizabeth was clearly excited so Tamara brought the tawny owl towards her so that she could gently stroke it. The owl hopped onto a surprised Elizabeth's arm, and Tamara headed to the fridge to retrieve a plate of left over beef from the previous night's dinner. Tamara fed bits of the beef to the owl, which was enjoying the affections that were now being lavished on him. He nudged Tamara's hand, appreciatively, at being given the beef and Tamara took him back to the window where he ruffled his feathers and flew away again.

Once she had returned the plate of beef to the fridge, Tamara sat down at the table and immediately tore into the envelope. To her immense disappointment, she found that the parchment within was blank. She turned it over a few times, wondering what this meant. Elizabeth watched as she deliberated and finally took out her wand. Tamara tapped the parchment three times and uttered a revealing charm. The parchment glowed for a moment but remained blank. She sighed.

"Oh Severus, when are you coming back?" She whispered. Suddenly, the parchment glowed again. This time, words appeared. Her desire to see Snape again seemed to have been a password of sorts. The letter, however, was unsigned and contained instructions. The writer instructed Tamara to journey to an isolated port town in northern Scotland, the name of which she did not recognise. The writer further explained that she would be met in the town's pub by a little old man wearing a winter jacket and a sailor's cap. Tamara pondered this for a moment before she noticed that the parchment seemed to sparkle in the light. This gave her an idea. Running to her bedroom, she took out her Mother's small chest of potions. Selecting one of them, she ran back to the dining room and poured a little of it over the parchment. A moment later, the potion disappeared and in its place an image had been revealed which replaced the words. The image was of a single red rose. Tamara smiled, knowing exactly who the sender was.

Her smile didn't last for long, though. What had happened to make Snape send such a strange summons? Not only this but the task itself would be problematic. She was required to be there tomorrow night, and without the use of apparition it would be difficult to find a discreet mode of transportation that would get her there in time.

Tamara sighed and tapped the parchment with her wand, watching it disintegrate before her eyes. Elizabeth, who was also watching, saw the crestfallen expression appear on Tamara's face.

"What's up, sweetheart?" She asked, taking a seat at the table beside Tamara. "Bad news?"

Tamara looked up at her cousin. "It's a long story." She sighed.

"I have all the time in the world." Elizabeth replied. "You've looked pretty down, lately. Maybe it would help to talk about it."

Tamara bit her lip. Elizabeth had understood about everything else. Perhaps she would understand about this too. Her heart aching with the need to see Snape again, she began to tell her tale. "I'm sort of seeing someone. He's an older guy, and not very popular. He's a double agent, spying for the good guys and he had to do something really difficult for the war. Not many people understand about it. Not even my two best friends. Because he's a double agent, he has to stay on the right side of the group he's spying on. It means we can't see each other very often. He sent me a letter, asking me to go to an isolated port town tomorrow night and I have no idea how I'm supposed to get there in time. It's so far away. I have to see him, Elizabeth. I miss him so much. I really hate this war. It's torn so many people apart." Tears glistened in Tamara's eyes as she told her tale in as simple a manner as she could.

Elizabeth placed a comforting arm around Tamara's shoulders. "Where is this port town?" She asked.

"Northern Scotland," Tamara told her with a derisive laugh. It sounded ridiculous.

"I could drive you." Elizabeth offered. At this, Tamara shot her an incredulous look. "I'm serious!" Elizabeth insisted. "I told you I would do whatever I could to help you in this war. If we leave first thing in the morning we should just be able to make it in time. Besides, I could do with some time off and I'd like to meet the guy who's lucky enough to be able to call you his girl."

Tamara didn't know what to say. Elizabeth had surpassed all of her expectations. Family bonds were evidently more powerful than she had ever bargained for. "Elizabeth, there's no way I can ever repay you," She began, but Elizabeth held her hand up.

"You're my cousin. There's no need." Elizabeth told her. The girls shared a hug before Elizabeth suggested that they get ready for the journey and that Tamara could tell her all about "her man" on the way.

When the sun began to rise the next morning, the girls were ready for the journey. They had their travel bags packed, Elizabeth had phoned the hospital to request a last minute leave of absence, and they were now driving along the motorway. Elizabeth was asking questions about Snape, which Tamara eagerly answered. She explained about his skill as a wizard, his potion-making prowess, his air of charisma and mystery, and his tendency to be reticent and unapproachable to all but the few he was close to, and even then this didn't comprise a large circle of people. She even told Elizabeth how their relationship had begun, though this made her a little nervous considering that Snape had been her teacher when they had met. Elizabeth, however, listened with interest and continued to ask excited questions. A couple of hours later, they had finally exhausted the topic and had moved on to the escapades Tamara had experienced with her friends at Hogwarts.

Near the border of Scotland, Elizabeth stopped at a transport cafe so that they could both have something to eat and get some rest. After an hour or so, they were back on the road, and as the sun began to set once more, Elizabeth turned away from the main roads and travelled the windy side streets for a time. Eventually, the houses and villages gave way to the endless rolling countryside. After yet more time had passed, and the darkness began to cloak the landscape, the countryside grew steadily sparser. Finally, the sea came into view as their destination appeared on the horizon. The cold and unforgiving waves crashed on the craggy coastline and as they entered the tiny port town rain began to beat down in heavy sheets.

Tamara's heart began to beat with nervousness as Elizabeth parked the car in a bay beside the town's pub. Together they grabbed their bags and ran toward the front door, entering the bar completely sodden from the rain. Elizabeth followed Tamara to the bar and ordered a pot of tea. The barman nodded and disappeared through a door. Tamara perched herself on one of the bar stools and discreetly cast a glance about the room. It wasn't full by any means, but it was still playing host to a number of people. If it weren't for her keen eyes, she would have completely missed the man she was looking for. The little old man wearing the sailor's cap, as had been indicated in the letter, was huddled in a booth in the far corner of the room. She gave him a barely discernable nod and to her relief, he returned the nod. All was going to plan. She turned her attention back to the bar as the barman placed a pot of tea in front of them. Elizabeth poured the tea into the two accompanying cups and Tamara took a life-giving sip.

They sat in silence for a time, trying to appear inconspicuous as they drank their tea. Out of the corner of her eye, Tamara noticed the man get up. He caught her eye before heading through a door and into another room. Tamara took a moment to finish the last dregs of her tea before placing her hand on Elizabeth's arm and following the man.

On the other side of the door, they found themselves in a small and empty room. The man immediately drew out his wand and cast locking and silencing charms at it before taking a tiny vial of liquid out of his pocket. The vial contained one mouthful, which the man swallowed in one gulp. What happened next shocked Tamara, and Elizabeth stumbled backwards having never seen such a display of magic before. The appearance of the man began to change. His skin was suddenly less wrinkly, he was growing taller and his hair was regaining much of its colour. Tamara gasped as she realised who it was. Snape. When Snape was completely himself again, Tamara ran forwards and flung her arms around him, lifting her chin up for a brief kiss.

"My apologies for the disguise." He told Tamara. "Discretion is of the utmost importance."

"How did you do that?" She asked, wonderment in her voice. "I thought polyjuice potion wore off on its own."

"I spent more than 15 years as the Potions Master. Wouldn't it be natural for me to acquire some useful potions in my private stores?" He told her, a smirk playing about the corners of his mouth. She grinned at his resourcefulness and she silently remarked that his skills had never yet failed to amaze her. Snape, however, no longer seemed to be sharing her happy expression, and his smirk had all but disappeared, as he cast his eyes over her shoulder at Elizabeth. "Why is she here, Tamara? You were supposed to come alone. I hope you realise how incredibly foolhardy you've been in bringing her with you."

Tamara opened her mouth to respond, but Elizabeth was too quick for her. "I don't believe I'm hearing this! If it weren't for me, she wouldn't be here at all. How else do you think she was supposed to get here?" she shot at him. He didn't look pleased at being addressed like this.

"She's a witch and therefore in a much better position to protect herself than you are." He shot back. All at once, Tamara understood what he was saying. Elizabeth was her cousin, and a muggle at that. It was only natural for him to want to minimise the harm that could come to her when she had no means of magically protecting herself. It was too late to explain this to Elizabeth, however. Her cousin, like so many before her, had not warmed to Severus Snape's cold and unsociable demeanour.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Elizabeth fired back, indignantly. Evidentally, fiery dispositions ran in the family.

"You are muggle and this is a wizarding war. If anything should happen you won't be able to protect yourself, and I won't let Tamara lose anyone else." Snape's voice was terse, his expression pointed, as he spoke in the no nonsense tone that had brought order to so many an unruly class. Elizabeth, startled at this revelation, fell silent and gaped at him rather comically.

After an awkward moment of silence Elizabeth finally replied, though in much a quieter voice. "At least I'm doing something to help which is more than I can say for you, leaving her to fret about you for weeks on end. She cares about you, you know."

This visibly stung Snape. His sallow skin turned a nasty shade of puce, and for the first time Tamara saw that he was at a loss for how to respond. Tamara took this opportunity to cut in and try her best to restore the peace between the two people she loved.

"Please Elizabeth, he's only concerned about our safety." She told her cousin, softly. "The war is dangerous, even for us, and he just wants to make sure nothing happens to us." Elizabeth was still glaring, but out of respect for Tamara she said nothing more on the matter. "So what's the plan?" Tamara asked Snape, relieved to be able to change the subject.

"We need to make a short journey." He told them. "Your cousin will have to come with us. I can't risk her being found here if any Death Eaters should happen to appear. It wouldn't bode well for her, or for us." Elizabeth didn't look impressed at the implication that she was some sort of liability, but Tamara cut in before she could say anything.

"Severus, why all the trouble? Why did I have to make such a long journey? Couldn't you just apparate?" She asked. This question had been burning inside her ever since she had received his summons.

"The Dark Lord is now tracking the apparition trails of his Death Eaters. I couldn't risk doing anything that might lead him to you, or that might make him realise the true nature of our relationship. Journeying here without magic was not easy, but it was entirely necessary." Snape explained, his voice becoming softer now, giving way to the velvety tones that Tamara so loved.

"What's our task?" Tamara immediately asked.

"It is imperative that we maintain discretion. It will be more prudent if I explain when we arrive at our destination." Snape told her, cryptically.

"I think you've picked up a few bad habits from Dumbledore." Tamara told him, trying to make light of the situation in referring to his inadvertent need to cloak himself in mystery. At this, Snape smiled the first true smile that Tamara had ever seen from him. In all of their previous encounters, he had always seemed tense, pensive, or frustratingly neutral. It was his eyes that were usually the most expressive. She mused; it was just like Dumbledore to have an influence on easing people's feelings, even from beyond the grave.

"I presume you returned to Diagon Alley?" He said, changing the topic. In her relief at seeing him again, her fatigue at the journey, and the tense emotions that had followed, she had forgotten about her fact finding mission.

"Yes, I did. I managed to get in and out of Gringotts without being seen." Tamara began, and continued to explain about the chamber and the eerie jars that had been housed there. When she mentioned the strange substance that was being kept in the jars, and the oppressive atmosphere that had hung over the chamber, an ugly scowl spread across his features. "Severus, what is it?" She asked, startled. He took a moment to respond.

"I wondered why the Dark Lord seemed so eager to keep the dementors close by." He said, a tinge of bitterness in his voice.

"What does he want the dementors for?" Tamara asked, though her confusion disappeared the moment the question left her lips. A horrible realisation dawned on her. "Do you mean to tell me that the chamber in Gringotts… is a storage facility for human souls?" She choked on the words, unwilling to say what they were both thinking. The idea was horrifying. No wonder the atmosphere in the chamber had seemed so utterly sickening. All Snape could do was nod. It was plain that his sentiments mirrored her own. Elizabeth, however, had never heard of dementors and Tamara was left to explain their role in the justice system. When Elizabeth finally understood that the dementors were creatures that left a wake of misery behind them and that their "kiss" was intended to deprive a human being of their soul, rendering the human a mere empty shell, she too understood the horror of Voldemort's present activities.

"Why would he do such a thing?" Elizabeth asked, incredulously.

"I could not begin to speculate on his reasons why. The Dark Lord did not share details of his plan with many of the Death Eaters. I couldn't claim to understand his thinking." Snape replied, his tone even though it was plain that even for him this was no matter-of-fact revelation.

"There's something else." Tamara suddenly cut in. "I don't understand why it was so easy to get in and out. Surely there would be stronger defences protecting a place that's so important to him?"

This revelation didn't appear to sit well with Snape. "Ordinarily, you would be correct. In places of particular importance, the Dark Lord sometimes opts to engage defences that are impenetrable to all except those who carry the dark mark. Perhaps your Mother's power makes you different, or perhaps there is another reason for such nominal defences. I will see what I can find out." He told her, apparently having no better understanding than she did. With that, the last vestiges of their conversation ebbed away, making way for the task that lay ahead.

The girls were told to meet Snape by the docks in an hour, and to wear clothes that would be warm and inconspicuous. Taking a hip flask out of his pocket, he took a swig and a moment later the little old sailor once more stood in his place. The sailor promptly disappeared from the room, leaving Tamara and Elizabeth to return to the main bar. They slid into seats at the side of the room, their conversation sparse though the atmosphere between them was considerably lighter.

An hour later, the girls left the warmth of the pub and made their way toward the town's docks. Mercifully, the rain had now stopped but the wind was as strong as ever and they huddled together as they walked. When they arrived at the docks they saw an old tin dinghy moored up, but no-one was in sight. Wondering where Snape was, they waited for what seemed like an age until finally he began to approach, still in his guise as the old sailor. When he ushered them towards the boat, Tamara began to panic. Surely that little thing wouldn't be able to transport them safely over the treacherous waves of the stormy sea? But Snape, evidentally, had thought of this. Taking out his wand, he cast a quick charm over the boat.

Elizabeth was first to step into the boat. The disguised Snape immediately stepped forward and offered his hand to her to steady her as she stepped down. Elizabeth flashed him an appreciative smile before sitting on the wooden slab that served as a seat. Tamara felt glad for this. She knew that single smile had taken a lot of effort for Elizabeth. Tamara followed Elizabeth and stepped down into the boat and before long the three of them were seated and powering across the crashing waves. Despite the howling wind and the rising swell, however, the journey was not as bumpy as Tamara expected. Thanks to Snape's charm, the boat almost seemed to float above the water.

They travelled in this fashion for another hour or two, and finally a lone island began to emerge in the darkness. As they approached, Tamara could see that it looked wild and overgrown. It was very eerie. A small jetty protruded from the small stretch of sand that served as a beach, and Snape guided the boat towards it. Once moored, the girls wasted no time in stepping onto the safety of solid ground, thankful to have survived their journey across the sea. Snape, still in disguise, led them away from the jetty and into the thick plant growth that covered the island. Though it was already dark outside, under the cover of the island's wild plant life, it was almost pitch black. Even with Snape and Tamara walking by wand-light it was almost impossible to see where they were going.

Finally, a dilapidated wooden shack appeared in the wilderness. Snape came to a stop and shot a spell at the shack that Tamara didn't recognise. After a moment, he appeared satisfied and approached the door. He tapped the door with his wand three times and uttered a password. The front door opened in response and Snape led them inside and towards what appeared to be a sitting room, lighting the lamps with his wand. When the lights were finally lit, Tamara was able to see that the shack actually looked rather comfortable and nothing at all like the decrepit exterior. For Tamara, this was not entirely surprising, since she was used to the wizarding world. To Elizabeth, however, it was sheerly amazing and she gazed about the room, over and over, trying to take it all in.

Snape took out another tiny potion vial, and no sooner had he swallowed the potion than he had transformed back into himself again. "We will be safe here for a few days. The house carries charms that are not unlike those that protect Hogwarts." He explained. "You are welcome to move about as you will, though I would suggest that remaining within the walls of the house would be a prudent decision."

Tamara sank onto the sofa beside Elizabeth. She was weary but there were still things to be said before any of them chose to retire for the night. Her eyes locked onto Snape's as she silently implored him to finally explain why they were here.

Author Note: Another cliffhanger... aren't I mean! Haha! Yep, a bit of a longer chapter this time, and quite a bit going on. What's in store for our trio?