21

Dodging Dolores

"More!"

"Yes!"

Severus was still firing spells at her. She was really tired, but continued to deflect them or to turn them against him.

"We're going to get a little bit sadistic, shall we?" He smirked and pointed at her with his wand.

"Imperio!"

She tried to turn his curse against him, but this one was different. The energy level was different. She couldn't jump aside. It was too late. He succeeded in using an Unforgivable curse on her. When she regained her conscience, she heard his voice:

"And be grateful that I used the mildest one."

She gritted her teeth and with stood up again, struggling. Her legs were shaking and her mind didn't want to fight anymore.

"Control yourself!" Her husband was extremely hard on her. "In real battle you'd have no time to rest!"

She forced her mind to concentrate again, and every cell in her body was revolting.

"There's a reason…" She was panting when she was jumping aside, "there's a reason… that the Unforgivable curses are different… Do you have to implore greater energy?"

"I wouldn't say energy, they certainly demand higher emotional skill of the wizard."

"What do you mean?"

"It's not as simple as pouring yourself a glass of water. They require emotional determination, the determination to pollute your soul with the darkest of magic."

"Maybe there's no way of controlling the Unforgivable curses…" Sinéad thought, "maybe you'd have to become a really bad person to divert them."

So for the time being, she decided not to manipulate the Unforgivable curses.

"To your first task, Sinéad." Dumbledore connected the tips of his fingers and looked at the woman through the rims of his glasses. They were sitting in the kitchen of Grimmauld place and everyone went to their beds.

"Sir?" She asked.

"Are you afraid?" He asked.

After a slight hesitation, she said: "No."

"I can see that you doubted it for a second?"

"No, sir. I just chose not to be afraid."

"Wise decision. Here, there's something more waiting for you than Lord Voldemort, Sinéad. Death, and injury, misery and suffering. A fight is never a pleasant thing. Are you sure again that you want to undergo this?"

"Yes."

"So what can you tell me about the spirits you work with again?"

"There are many of them, sir. The Spirits of Nature, of Animals, of Human Beings, the latter two cathegories representing more distinct human and animal features of character than let's say, particular personalities. In every cathegory, you could find good and evil ones."

"Are these easily accessed?"

"Not really, sir. It requires a special training to even endure their presence. Last year, Severus– my husband had to undergo at least three months of intensive individual training before he could even be in their presence."

"So we could cross them out as an opportunity for Voldemort to gain more power?"

"I can't be so definite, sir. This ability is unique, sir. It takes years of practise. Although, I am ignorant of any other wizards who would so deliberately penetrate into the Spirit World, we must not be so definite. Penetrations don't usually leave traces."

"So you can access those spirits only by accessing the Spirit World?"

"Yes."

"Are there some that could penetrate into our human world?"

"Yes, sir, banshees for example–" She immediately realised her mistake and bit her lip. She was still talking about them as them, although she knew she was one of them. That she had been one of them since the beginning of her time here on Earth.

"You don't have to be afraid of your identity, Sinéad." Dumbledore whispered softly.

"I'm not afraid in the literal sense of the word, sir," she said and turned purple, "I still have difficulties when I talk about them– you see, in general conversation, it's always them, it's never us… I never considered myself to belong there for a second…"

"And that is only right, Sinéad." He said softly. "Any human being has the right to choose his or her identity. You can disregard biological or past connections if you wish to, it is your identity and you can deal with people however you want."

"So when I'm only part human… I can choose to be a human entirely? I don't have to remind myself that I'm a– I'm a– half-breed?"

"You're not only part human," he took both her hands, "you are only part banshee and fully half-human. Even though you could tell objectively that those two halves are even, who decides what's objective? You tell people what to think of you, don't forget that. Therefore, you can choose one of the parts to be your whole."

"Even though it's just one half of me?" She said in a tight voice.

"Who says that the mother and father give exactly half and half? Physically it might be so, but concerning features and abilities and brains, who gives which? The material substance isn't important, Sinéad, it's important what you have inside it." He knocked with the tip of his finger onto her forehead.

"Take Severus for example. You could say that he's a half-Death Eater, half-member of the Order of the Phoenix. You could say that he is never loyal to any party. But from what you and I both share as common knowledge, we know he is only one-sided. Because he chose it to be so, and it doesn't really matter what are people thinking of him. He is trusted and he is being dealt fully as our member, and this is what counts. Never mind people, Sinéad."

She smiled and her liking of the old man penetrated her veins.

"There are various other creatures," she said, "mainly fairies, piseogs, sometimes púcas. They are very selfish, I've never seen them act on someone else's orders. These can penetrate into human world and cause damage."

"Is the damage serious?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, just bad luck, some abductions or obsessions resulting into physical or mental damage of the person involved, but it's always an individual case, no creature of the before-mentioned would work in groups with others to cause more severe damage. They do harm mainly for their own amusement, in fact." She said.

"I see." Dumbledore said.

"And as I said," she continued, "it's not so easy to approach such creature and not to be possessed by it instantly. I would consider it almost impossible that Voldemort could do it. Unless–"

"Unless?"

"Unless he would use me of course." She swallowed and looked at Dumbledore.

"And that is exactly why I must deal with you and Severus separately, personally, secretly and in a very very dependable manner. We have to have absolute trust in one another. You're a weapon, Sinéad, and now you decided to be double-edged. It will be hard, Sinéad, very hard… Voldemort must have a feeling that you are acting upon his orders, meanwhile you'll consult everything with me and together, we will think of a way how to fulfil his orders but promote our plans and intentions at the same time. It will be like dancing on hot coals, Sinéad, you realise that?"

"Yes, sir." She said and looked into her lap.

"Good. So what I want you to do is to visit these creatures and tell them something about not trusting any wizard at all, you get it?"

"Yes." She said and went outside. She had an important job to do.

"Miss Uí Bríain! Didn't think I might run into you here!" Harry said when greeting Sinéad in the entrance hall in Sirius Black's house on Grimmauld Place.

"I'm doing things for the Order, Harry." She smiled weakly. She looked changed, as Harry noticed. Older, more mature, more woman-like and less flamboyant and nutty.

"What things?" He asked.

"You know, things that are necessary to be done," she smiled and obviously didn't want to talk about any details.

"Why can everyone do things for the Order, even you, and I must stay aside?!" He burst out with anger.

"What did you mean by that, even you?" She asked sharply, her green eyes narrowing.

"You're a banshee, not a wizard." He said angrily.

"And since when is the Order a wizard-only society?" She answered sharply and folded her hands. "If you have such impression, you should probably excommunicate Lupin and Hagrid as well, shouldn't you?! Mind where you stick your nose Potter!"

Harry went sulkily upstairs.

"Sorry for my godson," she heard Sirius' voice, "he's just so sad he cannot fight too."

"I don't know what's up with him," said Mrs. Snape, "these are dark times, Sirius. Your godson should take greater care of his tongue. One never knows what words can bring."

"That's definitely true," said Sirius, "you're looking really dreadful tonight."

"Thank you, Sirius." She smirked and yawned: "I desperately need some sleep."

"So how did it go? The infiltration into the dark spirits circles."

"It was hideous. But successful."

"What did you tell them?" Asked Sirius, gently took her arm and led her aside.

"That they aren't going to gain any profit by cooperating with the Dark Lord. That any wizard could use them for his own pleasure and that they should mind their own interests."

"Didn't you try to convince them to help Dumbledore?"

"Sirius, these are dark devilish creatures. A man with a silver beard protecting a teenage boy is hardly any satisfaction for them. The things that the Dark Lord can give them are much greater. Souls to feed on, minds to torture, bodies to consume. We cannot provide any of this. So let them be unbiased at least. For the time being, I managed to convince them to mind their own will and pleasure. But they are bloody devilish creatures. They will attack whenever they please. May it not be at the Dark Lord's command at least." She shivered. "I feel hideous. Sirius, give me something to drink."

"Sure." He quickly rushed into the kitchen and Sinéad followed him. "A glass of water, or pumpkin juice?"

"I need some alcohol in my veins, Sirius."

"I still wonder," he smiled as he poured her glass of whiskey, "why hadn't you turned an alcoholic yet? With such a horrible husband."

"A lady has her ways." She smiled and sank the glass at one go.

"Wow, maybe I'll manage to relieve you of your distress now," chuckled Sirius and poured her another glass. She took it gratefully. He poured one for himself, too. They were sitting next to each other in the kitchen, Molly and others went to bed a long ago. He hugged her from behind.

"Sinéad, you don't know how much I regret that you got married. Such a waste!"

"He's a good man, Sirius."

"Really? I don't think so. You've to admit that he's a-" Sirius hiccuped, "nutty greasy oddballish arsehole."

"Sirius!" She gasped and pushed him away from her personal space, "just because he's not good to you doesn't mean he's–"

"But he's never good to anyone!"

"And how can you tell?!"

Their voices were rather argumentative than chatty.

"Tell me something."

"What?!"

"Would you've married me if I asked you?"

"How– Why– Why are you asking me such questions?!"

"I just want to know." Sirius smiled.

"I first had to be in love with you."

"Were you in love with him?!"

She didn't answer. Instead, she got up, put on her light cloak and went outside into the summer darkness.

"What are you doing?!" He snapped and grabbed her arm. She gave him a wild withering look, and suddenly she looked like a real banshee. He recoiled and she marched straight into the night.

"Sinéad, where are you—!" He called after her, but she went away. He cursed under his breath, took a piece of parchment and scribbled a few words in a haste.

She walked through central London. Through streets, city lights, crossroads. She didn't look where she was going, the veil of tears made her sight blurred and watery. People were casting her odd looks, they thought she was returning from some masquerade ball. When she reached St. James' Park, she couldn't take it any longer. She delved deep inside, sat onto the kerb and started crying in a long, monotonous wail. She couldn't understand it. All the time, she had to fight for who she was, or for her choices. She hadn't experienced such difficulties in her home tribe. Why is this world so cruel to people, she thought. Why must I endure all this, she thought. Had I really made such a choice? She wondered. Had I really chosen someone with whom I have to constantly fight not only for his existence and rights, but even for mine? Even for those that I didn't have to fight for before? No teens were questioning me before, she sobbed, even my friends were not questioning me when I was single. Why were there lifts between her and Sirius? Why weren't they tolerant friends anymore?

"I know it's hard…" She heard a soft, grumbly voice. She turned her head slightly. There was Severus sitting next to her on the kerb. She didn't say anything. He just saw her eyes, her beautiful green big eyes, twisted in agony and wet with tears. He covered her with his large cloak.

"Let's go home. You can tell me there what happened." He whispered. She clutched to his arm like a five year old and they vanished together.

"I will refrain from any commentary whatsoever, because I would have to be very rude." Snape said with his folded hands when they were sitting in their living room in Cokeworth. "You know that I do not tolerate foolishness."

"I know." She whispered.

"Black has been a swine, in fact he never ceased to be, but you shouldn't have drank with him."

"I know." She said, barely audibly.

"I'm saying this just because, perhaps, you might be oblivious of the fact that, unlike at your home village, here when men drink they lose boundaries." Severus continued, his cold eyes fixed at her trembling lips. "I would think that you've learned your lesson from that disgusting Muggle last summer, but apparently," he sighed, "not."

"Are you saying that Sirius might lose boundaries?"

"I'm only saying that interrogating you why you married me and insulting me could perhaps be one of many steps he could take." He bent close to her. He didn't intend to be harsh with her, but he needed to reprimand her a bit. "You must realise…" He growled. "Not everybody here is your friend, Sinéad… People change, and those that were with you at the beginning might not be with you at the end."

"I just thought…" She gasped sobbingly, "that there might be values that you respect as well as us… Faith, honour, comradeship…"

"In times of prosperity maybe, but i seriously doubt it even then," he smirked spitefully, "definitely not in times of war."

"Is this war, Severus? Are we on a brink of decay?"

He bent close to her again. She could feel his very personal smell and his hooked nose was just a few centimetres from hers. His eyes remained cold, different to those which he had in times of personal comfort and pleasure.

"Yes." He growled slowly again and the hair at the back of her head stood up.

You are just lucky that Black had enough conscience in himself that he immediately warned me when you left Grimmauld place." He said, detouring his eyes aside.

She swallowed her tears and said in a trembling weepy voice: "There's something you ought to know."

He turned sharply towards her, suspecting another trouble with Black.

"The Potter boy is different." She said in an unaffectionate manner which pleased him very much. He had a crooked smile now.

"So now he's the Potter boy, huh? Not our dear sweet Harry?"

"Stop condemning me, Severus." She said weakly. "He's different. His mind is different. Dumbledore ought to know."

"I bet he already knows." Said her husband and drew up a piece of parchment, "just for reference, what is it?"

"He's full of anger. He definitely used to be nicer." She began, "he's like a walking Boggart. Something about his mindset changed too."

"Headmaster assumes," Snape began slowly, "that Potter might be… dangerous. With the circumstances given…"

"That his mind could be possessed by the Dark Lord?"

"Indeed. Would it be possible for you to find out?" Asked her husband, still bent over the message he was writting for Dumbledore.

"I don't think– I don't know." She said. "It's an unusual conundrum."

He looked at her questioningly.

"I've never distinguished the parts of a human mind before, I've never worked with the fact that the feelings and emotions that are there could be of somebody else." She said.

"Is that the only thing you can see? Feelings and emotions?"

"Yes. There's Legillimency for the rest, isn't it?"

"Indeed, but just as you say… It's a very difficult matter. Who knows if Potter's mind wouldn't explode if there were two people digging in it, or if the Dark Lord discovered my presence in his head, that would be an awful lot of explaining…"

"Suppose we'll just leave it?"

"Suppose we'll do."

She was on patrol on the dark spirits all the time, she didn't have time to care about any other person's opinions too much. She also managed to tidy the house and to re-paint it, and it finally looked nice and welcoming. For her it was a way to exercise and relax after the exhausting Order work.

"It's a pity that we're leaving the house." She said. "Just when it looks a bit homey."

Severus was flying their suitcases from the upper floor with his wand and murmured: "You could be back sooner than you think."

"Why?"

"Look," he turned to her, "Dumbledore wanted me to speak to you about this. This year, a Ministry-imposed Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is going to be there and she's a bitch, just from what I've heard. You must be careful." He looked her into her eyes. "She loathes half-breeds."

"Half-breeds!" She gasped and a cup from which she was drinking her tea slipped through her fingers. "Half-breeds?! What am I, a dragon with human head?!"

"Don't yell at me." He snapped grumpily. "I'm just conveying the message. I know you're not a half-breed." He smirked spitefully. "But because of her, Lupin was unable to find any job for two years–"

"That's HIDEOUS!" She raged, her green eyes pricking him through like a pair of skewers.

"DON'T YELL AT ME!" He shouted, marched towards her and grasped her shoulders: "Just promise me… Promise me you'll be careful. Hold your tongue, be ironic or sarcasstic or whatever, just don't give her any reason to sack you. Please."

This was the first time when Severus was actually pleading.

"What do we do?" She asked, looking across his shoulder into the distance. She felt uncomfortable because of his sudden change of tone.

"I don't know."

"The staff already knows I'm half-banshee." She murmured and put her hair behind her right ear nervously. "Could we prohibit them mentioning it to her?"

"That'll only attract attention." He said. "Don't let's mention it at all. Pray any of the staff won't blab it to her."

"Yeah." She nodded. "Let's act like nothing's going on."

"Luckily, there are no special arrangements in your case which would give you away so easily. Not like in his case." He smirked again, thinking about Lupin the werewolf. She ignored his poisonous voice and continued discussing:

"But how about my story that I've ditched my wand to study Mythology? I mean, the Ministry surely has records of where do all wizards live. They won't have mine. There's no record that I've ever been accepted into Hogwarts. They don't have any record of me being a wizard at all. And she'll surely have us all checked out beforehand. I mean, the staff. Even before we've arrived."

"Let's just ask Dumbledore." He said, which should have indicated that he didn't know.

"Yeah, let's do that as the first thing when we arrive there."

"Well I have to say, it's quite a time before you've started to think about this matter!" Dumbledore smiled, looking at Sinéad.

"Excuse me?" Her eyes were popped out and mouth slightly open, she felt like an idiot.

"I had it falsified as soon as you set foot in Hogwarts for the first time!"

"EXCUSE ME?!" She yelled in surprise. Dumbledore chuckled good-naturedly. Snape raised his eyebrows and smirked.

"Could you kindly confide to me the past wizarding history of my wife?" He said coldly.

"Indeed. She was born to an Irish muggle farmer named Aengus Uí Bríain and an English witch, Eleonora Eagerton. She was however kicked out in the middle of her fourth year so she could complete neither OWLs nor NEWTs. So Ministry has no records of it." Dumbledore winked. "What they do have is her name in the register of first-year children and her expel record."

"Why did you make her fail school? Now everyone will think my wife's totally illiterate." Snape folded his arms in protest.

"Excuse me?!" She yelled for the third time.

"It was difficult enough just to sneak her birth certificate, school records and the documents of her parents into the Ministry's offices." Dumbledore said, looking through the points of his fingers, joined together. "Arthur almost got caught."

"Isn't there really any way they could know the documents have been falsified?" Asked Snape.

"Dark times are approaching, Severus. Soon they'll be questioning even real wizards and witches about their origins, let alone Sinéad." Dumbledore said. "Anyone can question the validity of any document at any time. Still, it's better to have them than not to have any at all."

"Wait, why I failed school?" Sinéad was interested. "I was surely a hard-working and enthusiastic student, weren't I!"

"You didn't bother to come very often." Dumbledore winked.

"Why not?"

"Your Mythology obsession of course." He winked again.

"I just don't want to look like an idiot." She folded her arms.

"It's the best we could do." Answered her husband coldly. "What if someone asked you to perform Vanishing Spell or brew a Draft of Peace? You couldn't stand a chance. The furthest you can go is immitate Wingardium Leviosa."

"Excuse me?!" His wife snapped, offended.

"I agree with what Severus said. Remember it's just a fake data to keep you protected from the Ministry scanning – for now. They'll still raise an objection, I'm afraid."

"Why?"

"The Ministry is going to inspect all teachers here since it reckons the education is of a bad quality. Anyone who's not qualified enough will be fired."

"I've not much time left anyway then." She said in a miserable voice.

"Still better than having to go to Azkaban." Her husband said coldly.

"Have you forgotten that your teaching here was just a camouflage to protect Harry Potter?" Dumbledore asked.

"No, I haven't. But I've grown to like the other kids too." She sighed. "I liked helping them all, not just Harry Potter. Everyone's helping Potter anyway." She added bitterly. Her husband smirked and nodded in apprehension.

"I'm just– desperately– pissed off by how this world started to fall apart." She growled and intended to walk away from the office.

"Tarry a little, don't you want to see your new suite?" Dumbledore said, smiling.

"Am I now a gentleman that you'd like me to wear a suit?" She mumbled.

Dumbledore chuckled: "I mean appartment."

Her eyes glistened in the dark: "Appartment!"

"Well of course, you now changed your surname and all, do you expect me to let you live apart?" The Headmaster smiled.

"I never quite thought of life here AFTER marriage." She said.

"I'm not moving from the dungeons." Snape snapped firmly.

"Ok, so it's again all about you, is it?" She said, but deep inside she knew she had to give in. Her husband was teaching here way longer than she was. They both followed Dumbledore into the dungeons.

They approached Snape's office which was situated there as usual and looked quite unchanged. As she knew, there was a door leading to his private room. Next to the door of his office, however, was now another door, resembling the first one. There was a doorplate which read:

Professor Sinéad Snape

Mythology teacher

and Student's Advisor

Below, there was a large notice:

No queries concerning Professor Severus Snape will be answered in this office. Please turn to the door on the left.

"This is for student's not to bother you with pleads to mollify your husbands punishments executed on them, you know, just in case." Dumbledore said.

"Brilliant." Said Snape, immediately relieved his wife won't be used as a pidgeon to soften his heart.

Sinéad opened the door leading to her office. The furniture in it was now of rose wood; it was dark and shiny, looking pretty old and heavy. There was a desk, a comfortable stuffed high chair which stood right opposite the door so the teacher could have a good view of who's entering, two simple chairs for students to sit on, a comfortable sofa, a tiny bookcase and a door leading further. The chairs and sofa were of a black color. There was also another door on the left wall.

"This leads directly to Severus' office, however, I presume it won't be used very much." Dumbledore said with a wink.

"Yes, it shall be actually locked most of the time."

Sinéad glanced at him. She could see that he still wanted to keep a certain level of privacy.

"No worries, Professor Snape, your dealings with the students shall remain uninterrupted." She said with a smile as she proceeded to open the door which was behind her high chair and led further. She opened it and gasped.

"It's so beautiful!"

The room looked like Severus' room had looked before: the furniture was of ebony wood and it was also very heavy, there was the stoney fireplace that he used to have before, there was a double bed with Slytherin coloured curtains, two bedside tables, a green sofa again, a coffee table, and a giant solid black wardrobe, occupying almost a quarter of the room. There was an emerald green carpet on the floor, no windows and a gorgeous crystal chandelier.

"It looks like a queen's chamber!" Sinéad breathed out; the transfer from her rural naturally-decorated light-lit room was a huge shock.

"I hope you won't make it too feminine for me." Her husband growled.

"I'll leave you to… admiring the wardrobe." Dumbledore winked and closed the door behind him.

"Wait, isn't this the same bed you've had earlier?" Sinéad asked and touched the mattress as if she were examining the springiness of it.

"Maybe," Severus moved behind her and placed his hands onto her hips from behind, "and maybe not."

"How delightful to meet my new colleagues!" An over-sweetened girlish voice sounded in the staff-room. "I'm sure we'll all be very good friends!"

Sinéad looked like she was smelling something very bad and was determining in her head what it was. Severus nudged her to her ribs with his middle finger. A few of the professors smiled with hesitation and Sinéad quickly forced a fake smile too.

"Let me present our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, professor Dolores Umbridge!"

A polite applause sounded through the room. Dolores smiled widely at everyone and Sinéad stepped closer to Severus. He put instinctively his hand round her waist from behind, luckily, everyone was looking at Dolores so that they were left quite alone in the corner of the room and no one could spot his movement.

"Also, I'd like to welcome back professor Grubbly-Plank who will be substituting for professor Hagrid for a few weeks."

Another applause. Minerva managed to catch Sinéad's eye and held up her hand in a silent gesture of hello. Sinéad smiled and nodded back.

"Finally, I'd like to announce a delightful news." Dumbledore beamed, "professor Snape and professor Uí Bríain will be from now on residing in the same private space with two separate offices, however," he casted them a significant look, "under the same name on the doorplate. So mind you, whenever a student or staff will be asking for professor Snape, you'd better ask them which one," the members of the staff burst out in laughter, "to prevent unnecessary complications." Dumbledore finished and started laughing himself. Everyone was looking at the couple standing in the corner; all teachers were clapping their hands and laughing with all their might. Severus stood frozen on the spot and pretended that the humbug didn't concern him, Sinéad blushed and narrowed her eyes.

"Hem hem," Dolores interrupted the gigantic applause because it seemed to her that they were getting quite more of it that she had before. She pulled out her clipboard and smiled hideously: "Excuse me, professor Dumbledore, I'd like to meet every member of the staff separately, if you mind."

"Not at all, professor Umbridge, but couldn't this wait until tomorrow?" Dumbledore said with a smile.

"I'm afraid it would not." She smiled sweetly. Sinéad got pale and pressed Severus' hand. Her didn't display on his face any contact whatsoever going on between, but squeezed her hand reassuringly behind his back.

"Professor Snape, perhaps?" She chuckled hideously and looked at them. They both startled forward, then looked at each other, then smirked. Other members of the staff started laughing again.

"Perhaps it would be best if you said which one, professor Umbbridge." Said Dumbledore politely, but he was barely able to keep his laughter inside. He was looking at the all-pink-wearing woman with a didn't-you-listen-to-me-two-minutes-ago-professor look.

Professor Umbridge unrolled her roll of pink parchment and after a few unsuccessful attempts to read Sinéad's name, she just pointed with her head and said: "The red one."

Sinéad couldn't help it, she burst out laughing, consequently trying to mask it as an outburst of coughing and followed professor Umbridge into the corridor.

"So how do you say your name, dear?" Dolores began, sweet as sugar.

"It's Shin-eh-d." Mrs. Snape said, smiling.'

"I beg your pardon?"

"Shin-eeeh-aaad." Said Mrs. Snape, opening her mouth even wider.

"Lovely." Said Umbridge and scribbled something onto her parchment. "What do you teach?"

"Mythology."

"I've never heard of that subject!" Cried Dolores, her small eyes fixed on her.

"It's a new one." Said Mrs. Snape indifferently. "It was created two years ago, firstly, we thought it would be compulsory, but we've just changed it this year onto optional." She looked at Umbridge with gleeful look of oh-such-pity. Another brilliant idea of Dumbledore. It meant that all the annoying Slytherin students would not be present anymore so she couldn't get any malicious reviews.

"Do you have an idea why professor Dumbledore created it?"

"Perhaps he thought the students had lost their natural feelings."

"Natural feelings? All feelings are natural dear, it's called reflexes." Dolores smiled at her as if she was pitying her idiocy or as if she was teaching a five-year-old.

"I think he clearly meant the feeling you've already lost, dear," Sinéad smiled at Umbridge in the same way she was smiling at her. "It means the feeling of compassion to nature, to all animals, to all humans. It means being able to survive without your wand more than two minutes under clear sky. It means being able to find clear water, build a shelter, coax and lure animals and help humans in their physical or mental distress. It means solidarity, and humbleness."

"I see," Dolores gave her pitying smile again and scribbled something. "I've heard something about spirits too, what is it?"

"The greatest gift an open mind can bring," Sinéad smiled malevolently and her eyes glistened in the darkness. Umbridge shivered and sang: "Perhaps some other time, I'd be looking forward to… seeing these… spirits very much!" At the end of her sentence, she gave a girlish laugh which made Sinéad suddenly want to punch her in her face.

"One last question dear." She called after her because Sinéad was about to depart. She turned halfway round.

"Why did you marry your husband so suddenly?" Dolores' eyes were piercing her through, "he's a half-blood wizard as far as I know, the same as you?"

"I'll tell you why," Sinéad's eyes glistened again with though somehow scary sparkles, "but it's a grave secret. I'm telling you just because you are my friend."

"Yes! What is it?" Dolores jumped, she was interested very much in every piece of double-edged information her victims could give. "Tell me!"

Sinéad came as close to the ugly woman as she possibly could with her own best interests in mind, bent towards her ear (she was taller than Umbridge) and whispered: "Professor Dumbledore desperately longed to be a bridesmaid…"

Dolores groaned with fury, however, Sinéad turned around and went walking calmly and steadily. She smiled and resisted giggling at her own silly little joke.

"Haven't I told you to keep your mouth shut?" Severus shouted after her as soon as she opened the door of her office which was then leading to their private suite. He got up from the sofa with a book of Potions in his hand and looked straight at her, however, the corners of his mouth were twitching.

"A bridesmaid!" She squeaked and burst out laughing, holding her feelings for so long (all the way into the dungeons). He smiled too.

"A stupid answer for a stupid question, what else should I have said?" She was laughing. He put down his book and put his arm around her shoulders.

"I'll have to dye my hair black!" She squaled and burst out laughing again, wiping her eyes with her sleeve. "Did you hear her before? The red one! Either I'll teach her how to say my name, or she'll have both of us!" She couldn't stop laughing, she laughed like mad.

"I just loved how you spreaded out your mouth so that she could hear your name!" He chuckled and then started laughing.

"And how she was looking at us, oh dear!" She wailed with laughter. Her laughter was infectious, he laughed as hard as never in his life before, perhaps. They were just standing there behind the sofa, holding around the back of one another with their arms, could barely stand, and laughed like a pair of madmen.

"My tummy hurts!" She said in a high-pitched voice, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks and her lungs gasping for more breath. He just laid his head onto her shoulder and she hugged him tight.

"I've never felt happier in my life…" She whispered.

"Me neither." He said quietly, still smiling. Now he could understand it all. Finding the love of his life meant laughing like two moron donkeys and not feeling ashamed of not feeling the need to keep your image steady and your features unaffected. Severus Snape could finally put down his mask he carefully wore publicly (and even privately) for many many years. But in the public I'm unchanged, he said to himself, in public I'll never let anyone know what a gorgeous wife I have. And that was that. Severus Snape finally found happiness.

"Now I would like to speak about the staff changes for this new school year," Announced Dumbledore and everybody in the Great Hall got quiet.

"It is my pleasure to announce that the Mythology class as well as the Student Advisor post, both of which were created two years ago, will be further undertaken by no one else than Professor Snape."

The Great Hall started reverberating with moans and cries of torture.

"Snape?! As the Student Advisor?! No, thank you, I'd rather commit a suicide than to talk to him!" Ron exclaimed. Hermione was casting shocked looks all around her and Harry stared into an empty space with his mouth opened.

"Can you hear it?" Ginny giggled and smirked, "Neville's mind is collapsing."

It was true. The boy was pale as a piece of parchment and looked like he would be about to vomit in any second. He slid slowly under the table and kept mumbling: "I am ruined. . . I am completely ruined. . . My most favourite subject. . ."

"Of course-" Dumbledore had to use his wand to make himself heard in the wave of panic that was created, "of course, to be more precise, I should have mentioned it would be Professor Sinéad Snape who will be carrying out the tasks for you."

It was as if the whole hall became one person, popping its eyes out and crying: "WHAAAT?"

Neville's head emerged from under the table, squeaking: "What?!"

"Did he use the Confundus charm on her or something?!" Harry cried out, Hermione gave a big smirk and Ron looked completely puzzled, mumbling: "She did it. She eventually did it. I thought it was a temporary failure of senses. How can she sleep in the same bed with him?!"

The Golden trio looked at the direction of Severus Snape and saw him tilting to Sinéad and telling her something. She laughed and gently put her hand onto his arm and he let her do so.

"How could he?!" Hissed Draco Malfoy to his fellows, however, his source of disenchantment was different to the one of the Gryffindors. "She's a filthy scum! How can he stand her beside him!"

The chatter didn't seem to cease, however Dumbledore tried. Sinéad slowly rose to her feet and lifting her palms to the students she silently asked for their attention. They immediately ceased speaking, waiting for her to say something. However, she just smiled again, sat down and looked at Dumbledore, encouraging him to resume his speech, which he did gratefully.

Professor Snape walked resolutely to her class and slammed the door behind her. All the chatter ceased and the students looked at her more curious than ever. Some of them seemed to notice the change in her appearance just now, and they started whispering to their neighbours:

"I don't remember her wearing red lipstick before."

"Neither the black dress."

"And she keeps her hair combed now."

"I reckon Snape has tamed her." Ron whispered and both him and Harry smirked.

"We'll see in the afternoon if she tamed him as well. He might be easier with me this year." Harry said, although he guessed the unpopular Potions teacher will remain unchanged.

"Welcome back to my class." Sinéad began her lesson and pretended not to notice Dolores Umbridge, who chose her lesson as the very first to inspect. She wants to sack me sooner than anyone notices the term has started, Sinéad thought, but continued: "Thank all who bothered to attend my classes even this year, now that the status changed. Apologies for the inconvenience–"

"Hem hem."

Sinéad raised her eyebrows and turned to Dolores Umbridge.

"I would like to ask you a few questions, dear." The High Inquisitor's toad-like smile made Sinéad's innards disgusted.

"Excuse me, professor, but I would very much appreciate if I could begin my lesson in a usual manner." Sinéad said with a smile which prohibited any discussion.

"I assume you got my message concerning the date and time of my inspection?" Dolores asked in her sweet girlish voice ignoring her colleague's previous utterance.

"Indeed I did, however, pardon me when I say that my class takes precedence over any Inquisitor on the world that would kindly bother to visit my class." Said Mrs. Snape strictly and measured Dolores with her cold green eyes.

"What do you mean, professor?" Dolores said and her smile widened as if she'd just found a nasty piece of evidence she could use against Sinéad. She began scribbling viciously.

"I mean," Sinéad paced a little and turned back at Dolores with her chin high in the air and her eyes cold and freezing, "that I'd rather sacrifice my precious time in the classroom to actually teach my students something than to give it to you."

"Oh, do you really call your ongoing nonsenses here as teaching valuable pieces of information?"

"Bang!" Ron hissed, Harry giggled. Parvati and Lavender seemed most amused. Mrs. Snape got slightly paler. That's a counter attack, she thought. But she was still determined to act as if Umbridge wasn't there at all.

"This year, we will be focusing on human spirits. That does not mean we will study fairies that take on human form, we've done that in our first year together already, but rather, we will be focusing on real people and their distinct personal traits and the factors from which their mind is composed-"

"Hem hem."

Sinéad pretended not to hear Dolores at all: "I will teach you how to deal with people in different social situations, how to calm them down, how to get them excited, how to know their emotions judging from certain physical traits and yes, even personal energy comes into our field of-"

"HEM HEM."

"Any problem?" Sinéad asked and tried to calm her shaking voice down.

"Yes, there is actually," Dolores smiled viciously, "in fact, the Ministry has quite a great problem with your classes, in fact, I'm here to tell you that they are absolutely superfluous and entirely-"

"So," Mrs. Snape had to raise her voice to make herself heard over Dolores' pompous speech, "so does the Ministry say. But tell me, has the Ministry ever actually been to my classes before making up its delicate mind? Any person on the world could actually walk into my class right now and tell me: 'I don't like your classes.' Does that mean something gets cancelled every time someone dislikes it?"

"Oh, but according to the Ministry-"

"According to me," Mrs. Snape had to shout this time, "your lessons can be badly conducted piece of bullying."

Dolores Umbridge got just the same shade of pink in her face as her cardigan was.

"But of course," Mrs. Snape chuckled (resembling Dolores in a crazy manner) and continued with a sarcasstic smile, "I've never been to any. They haven't started yet. How would you feel if I actually did that? Tell me, Miss High Inquisitor, I would desire to know."

There was deafening silence. Dolores Umbridge casted her colleague deadly looks and almost broke her quill – so ferociously she wrote on her piece of parchment.

"What matters is not what the Ministry thinks." Mrs. Snape continued, talking in a clear and distinct voice as she walked around the classroom while Dolores furiuously tramped her clipboard under her feet in the corner, "but what is inside." She almost whispered the last words and placed her hand onto Neville's chest. The boy blushed and looked at her questioningly.

"You are very sad now, because you think we two would have to part," she said and the boy blushed even more, "at the same time, you're happy to see me again, you are confused why I have married professor Snape – just as the entire school is – you are angry because your birthday gift doesn't grow up to your expectations and you are nervous why am I ever talking about your feelings in front of the whole class, are you?"

"That's amazing!" Neville breathed out with awe, "it's all true!"

"We can together learn all this, and even more!" Sinead cried and fires of enthusiasm glittered in her eyes, "but, in order to do so, we must break free of what anyone else thinks. We must focus on what do we think. What's inside us. We are what matters." Her diction suddenly resembled her husband. "Each and every one of you is the source of his own good and evil, you can decide the best what to do, without anyone telling you what you should or shouldn't-"

"ENOUGH!" Shrieked Dolores who was red with anger. Sinéad and the rest of the class jerked a bit, they'd forgotten Umbridge was still there.

"This is still my class," Mrs. Snape said quietly, "I hope I still am entitled to talk here however I want in order to impart the best-"

"THIS IS OUTRAGEOUS!" Umbridge screamed, eyes on the top of her head, "THIS CLASS IS DISMISSED! YOU-" she shrieked and pointed her fat finger at Sinéad, "ARE FIRED!"

To the amazement of all, Mrs. Snape didn't move an inch from her place (half-seated on the teacher's desk), but continued smiling at Dolores as if she'd just told a really funny joke.

"Didn't- didn't you hear me?!" Umbridge yelled.

"I did," Mrs. Snape said calmly, looking at Umbridge, "I'm doing this class as a hobby now."

The students started laughing. Harry nudged Ron.

"Bang bang bang! That's jackpot for Sinéad, mate."

"We'll start with how to determine mood traces now, shall we? After we've successfully wasted twenty minutes of our lives…" Said Sinéad and took a chalk near the blackboard. Umbridge run furiously out of the classroom and Sinéad could therefore continue her lesson uninterrupted. She felt proud of herself, to be honest. She managed not only to dodge Umbridge, but also to drive her away. However, poor Sinéad, to be oblivious of the immense powers of her opponent with the Ministry! When the bell rang and students drifted off from the classroom, Umbridge marched into the classroom like a field marshall, followed by two Ministry attendants.

"TAKE HER!" Umbridge boomed and the attendants stepped forward, ready to seize Sinéad's arms.

"If you'll excuse me, gentlemen," Mrs. Snape said politely and turned to them, "I'd rather walk on my own than be dragged by your strong arms. I'm a chaste, feeble woman and I do not wish to be handled with like a criminal."

There were lightnings strucking from Umbridge's eyes, but Sinéad had her small victory in her misery. She could walk alone, being secured from each side by the attendants, the evil witch just tied her hands with a rope by the use of her wand. They marched through the school corridors, Umbridge floating like Napoleon after her destructive victory and beaming hideously. Sinéad, on the contrary, walked with her face unchanged and her eyes lowered. When they were crossing an open door, she could spot Minerva lecturing on Transfiguration. This was the first week of school at Hogwarts. And Sinéad's last day at Hogwarts. But she was unyielding. She hadn't done anything wrong apart from telling the students to focus on themselves rather than on anyone else. How could this be considered a crime worthy of public procession with the prison warders? Minerva's head turned to the door and as they walked by, Sinéad casted her a sad look with her green eyes. Minerva then spotted the Ministry attendants seizing the young woman from each side and her chin lowered.

"Excuse me for a minute." She said to the stunned second-years and left her classroom, giving her study books to read.

They all marched to Dumbledore's office. The wizard was studying one of his books when they entered.

"Headmaster," Dolores began in an authoritative voice while the attendants pushed Sinéad forward so she staggered slightly, losing her usual point of balance when she had to have her hands behind her back. He looked up and caught Sinéad's sad, desperate look.

"I've taken the liberty to get rid of a teacher who is scandalously below the Ministry approved level for optional subjects-"

"You call dragging them off like prisoners getting rid of?" Dumbledore said and waved his wand, causing Sinéad's shackles to vanish.

"If you kindly let me continue uninterrupted," Dolores said in an oppressive girlish voice and unrolled the parchment she carried, "this is an order from the Minister himself suspending this cheater from her post immediately and giving her a life-long ban on teaching ever again-"

"I'm not a cheater!" Cried Sinéad and now for the first time since Dolores came to Hogwarts had tears in her emerald green eyes.

"You know you are, dear, and a nasty liar on top of that." Umbridge smirked. "Plus, I haven't finished-"

The door burst open and Professors McGonagall, Flitwick and Snape ran into Dumbledore's office.

"-this ordinance is also sending her to Azkaban for treason, fraud and rebellion against the Ministry of Magic and the Minister himself signed it, giving it an immediate force."

"To Azkaban!" Mrs. Snape breathed out and got weak in the knees. The Ministry attendants immediately seized her arms and forced her to stand still.

"Are you being ridiculous?" Professor McGonagall hissed and scanned Dumbledore with furious glance. "Professors cannot be sent to Azkaban for what they said in the class – what did she say anyway?!"

"I'd be slightly curious about that, if you pardon me," Severus said coldly and focused his cold eyes at Umbridge, "I think I have the utmost right to know why are you sending my innocent wife to prison."

"I wouldn't say she was as innocent as you say, Snape." Umbridge answered. "She undermined the authority of the Ministry in class-"

"How exactly?" Asked Filius.

"Shouldn't we let Mrs. Snape explain what she did?" Dumbledore asked and gave Sinéad a kind and encouraging smile.

"I didn't say anything against the Ministry, Headmaster, I swear," she began in a shaky, weak voice.

"Liar!" Shrieked Dolores, "take her!"

"I haven't finished listening to my colleague, Dolores." Said Dumbledore coldly, turning to Sinéad, "please continue on, Mrs. Snape."

"W-We were starting mood evaluation an-and human spirits study," Sinéad started again with her voice shaking more than ever, "and I just told them not t-to mind anything anyone else is telling them because–because for this evaluation it's crucial that students stay focused and alert of their own mindsets-"

"Rubbish! There is not anythiing like mind evaluation!" Roared Dolores, "she's just made it up!"

"It happens that we have a witness who can confirm the correctness of this art. He experienced it in use right in the classroom."

"And who that might be?" Umbridge smirked.

"Neville Longbottom." Dumbledore smiled.

"Mr. Longbottom is an instance of a bag of dung walking." Umbridge smirked again.

"On the contrary, Dolores, he's showing pretty good abilities in Transfiguration." Professor McGonagall said coldly, although Sinéad had an impression that she was lying just to help her in her desperate situation.

"Is my wife going to Azkaban then or what?!" Snape growled angrily, killing Umbridge with his cold eyes.

"Of course she is not." Said Dumbledore calmly and the piece of parchment Dolores was holding caught fire. She shrieked and dropped it.

"This is scandalous- I'll have the Minister to fire you all- Nothing like that has ever happened at Hogwarts before-"

"The Minister cannot send innocent people to prison for nothing, Professor Umbridge." Dumbledore said sharply. "However, Professor Snape will be ready to abandon her post immediately, will you?"

"Of course, Headmaster." Sinéad said and lowered her eyes. She could not believe it. She was immediately sacked!

"Monsieurs warden, we won't need your services anymore, kind regards." Dumbledore said with a smile and turned to Sinéad.

"I was just fancying a glass of brandy, would you join me, Mrs. Snape? To put you back on your feet…"

"Gladly, Headmaster." She said, still trembling.

"I hoped Severus told you clearly enough to mind your tongue?" Dumbledore said and he was now way colder and stricter than before. Now there were only the two of them.

"I know Headmaster, he did," Sinéad swallowed and her eyes got that desperate look again, "I just thought that there was no harm in promoting individuality-"

"Promoting individuality, this is exactly what the Ministry doesn't want in here Sinéad." Dumbledore said and sipped from his glass. She, in order to get into his favour again, did the same.

"But my whole last year of the subject was based on subjectivity and individuality-"

"I'm afraid that your subject could not continue anyway." Dumbledore frowned. Sinéad popped out her eyes.

"Why not?"

"She seems to know you are a half-banshee. Someone must have told her."

"But whom?"

"We do not know. Probably a member of the staff. No one else knows, do they, Sinéad?"

"Well, Potter and his lot knows, but they know everything anyway. So," her voice was now awfully dull, "is this the end? Has my time here came to its end?"

"Of course not," Dumbledore smiled, "you still have your Student Advisorship post, do you?"

"But I pretty much feel she'd like to strip me of that one too." She sighed.

"Don't forget that only the Headmaster can assign special positions like this," Dumbledore winked. "No worries dear." He took her hand into his. "I'm here. You're safe."

"Thank you, Professor."

"Sinéad, I would like to ask you a favour."

"Anything, sir."

Dumbledore looked out of the window, made a pause and then said slowly: "There will be a time… when Harry Potter will need all the mental help you can give him. Can you do that?"

"I'll do what I can, sir."

"That's good. That'll do."

"Sir? Is it true that he might be posessed by the Dark Lord?"

"How do you know he might be?"

"Severus told me, sir. Also I noticed that whenever he's around, you don't look at him. You sometimes force yourself to divert your look."

"You're a very clever woman, Sinéad."

Instead of being angry (which she presumed he would do), Severus was actually wondering a lot.

"It's quite strange. How comes she didn't put you on probation first?"

"I guess she wanted to be over with me as soon as possible. Severus?"

"Hmph?"

"Does she work for the Dark Lord?"

He paused a little and casted her a sharp look. After a while, he continued: "No."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"I'm the surest. I'm going to the regular meetings, don't I?"

"Of course you do. i'm sorry to question that." She smiled. "She's just so evil. You wouldn't like to know how her soul looks like."

"You don't know how Potter's mind looks like."

"Are you actually peeping?" She laughed and looked at him with interest in her eyes.

"Only because Dumbledore asked me. He's got a head full of sawdust, he does." He smirked and smiled bitterly at her.

"Oh Severus! That's mean!" She laughed.

"Have you figured out how not to become a lazy good-for-nothing couch potato?"

"I have," she nodded, "I will extend my help as the Student Advisor and I'll promote it a little bit, and I also want to write a book."

"A book?" He raised his eyebrows.

"Concerning my course. Like a study guide. If I ever come to be teaching it again of course." She said bitterly.

"Of course you will…" He whispered and bent close to her, smelling her hair and kissing her cheek.

And this was the night when Sinéad forgot to take her Prophylaxis antidote.

The news that she'd been sacked sprang around the school like a fever and even the students that she'd never taught before were whispering about her behind her back and pointing at her. Next few days in the morning, she always walked into the Great Hall as usual (in the mornings with her husband) and pretended nothing was going on. She was for a few days happy of her newly acquired free time: she went for walks, she went swimming into the teachers' pool, she read a lot of books from the library. However, Umbridge was annoyed with the attention Sinéad was receiving, so a few days later, she could read a new Educational Degree in the Entrance Hall:

The parts of the castle publicly dedicated to teachers should be from now used by professors only.

Non-teaching staff cannot have meals at the Great Hall, cannot use the teachers' facilities such as the bathroom nor the staff room and are from now on subjected to the High Inquisitor regarding all punishments they would like to execute on students.

Sinéad clenched her fists. So not only did Umbridge banish her from the Great Hall, but also, more importantly, she forbade her to take points from students or to use detentions. So from that moment, Draco Malfoy or any similar little terror could throw Dungbombs at her and she couldn't complain! You'll see, she thought and cursed Umbridge under her breath, you'll see what I'm capable of!

The following days, whenever she went out of her room, she always wore splendid dresses and a nice makeup, was stopping her fellow colleagues and students on the corridors and chatted with them until Umbridge ran onto them and demanded they dispersed immediately. Her husband gave up on eating in the Great Hall too ("I won't be displaying myself to their curious glances!") – although, Sinéad was pretty sure he actually rather dined with her than with his colleagues. He never had any extra warm relationship with them – and Umbridge was furious, because various other teachers began to follow that trend soon enough and there was nothing she could do something about it.

"She can't order you where to eat, can she?" Said Sinéad when she was talking to Professor Flitwick, who was scuttling next to her, "if she did, she would in an instant order you when to go to the bathroom!" To her utmost satisfaction, Filch was banned from the Great Hall as well so she hoped that would delay his partnership with Dolores, because Sinéad knew that Filch and Umbridge together was the last thing that school needed. A few weeks later, a new Educational Degree appeared, ordering "all married woman in the castle to wear hats to hide their pompousness and save it only for their husbands' eyes". Sinéad was immediately relieved that almost all adult-witches in the castle wore hats anyway, so that decree won't offend them much, because again, Umbridge had created it to deflate Sinéad's personal air, which only increased thanks to her suspension (students now came to her office in great numbers not only because of their interest in human mind and feelings, but also to have a chat or to ask her various questions, they knew she'd always listen to them with a sympatethic smile on). However, Sinéad didn't give up in her war with Umbridge. On the contrary, she created during her long solitary evenings – her husband was always either brewing some Potions or plotting with Dumbledore – a beautiful large navy silk hat which had a large ribbon around it and she decorated it with colourful fabric flowers. It looked magnificent and she was sure that Umbridge would soon regret she passed the decree into effect. Whenever Umbridge passed a decree into effect, Sinéad did whatever she could to obey it but at the same time cause Dolores to regret her own actions immediately. The fight was neck to neck.

"Mrs. Snape… We haven't had the pleasure for so long…" Voldemort said and she shivered. "I presume the work for the Order is going well?"

"Yes, My Lord." She said softly.

"What has Dumbledore asked you to do?"

"To see the Dark Spirits, My Lord."

Voldemort got excited: "Dark Spirits? Are there any Dark Spirits? Get them for my services, will you?"

"It's not so easy, My Lord."

He frowned: "Why not?"

"They only do individual abductions or possess a single person's mind. Even if My Lord desired to get them for his own personal purposes, they might not want to cooperate, or worse, they may trick you, My Lord."

He looked angry.

"Back up, back up!" She heard a hiss from behind: Severus. He stepped forward and successfully explained to Voldemort. Sinéad was relieved. It meant she managed to protect another few souls from Voldemort's impact.

Somewhere around the beginning of December, Sinéad started to feel very sick every morning. Although, having endured the third morning of nausea, she began to be suspicious that this was not just her naughty stomach's will. Severus was of similar opinion.

"You should see Poppy. I don't believe any gastric flu would last so long and occur only in the mornings."

"I was sick yesterday evening too." Sinéad answered, however, she had the feeling she already knew what was the problem. Nevertheless, she said: "I'll see Poppy today, if that's what'll pacify you."

"You wouldn't have to see her at all and continue with throwing up, for all I care." He said and hadn't diverted his sight from his Potions book once.

Poppy only confirmed what Sinéad already presumed.

"Oh I'm so sick Poppy!" She said, as pale as a vax candle, laid down and closed her eyes.

"It's just a temporary discomfort, anyway, in a few months' time, you'll learn what true discomfort looks like!" Poppy said sarcasstically and smiled. "Show up after the Christmas holidays, just to make sure everything's going fine…"

"Wouldn't I have to go to St. Mungo's?" Sinéad asked anxiously.

"To St. Mungo's! Why, are you dying or something?" Poppy laughed, "that's just for serious cases. You'll go there when… You'll go there just for the delivery, and they'll be finished with you before you could say Quidditch."

"Does it really hurt so much?"

"I don't know, never had one myself." Poppy smiled and put a small bottle of the Draught of Peace into Sinéad's feeble hand. "There, when you'll feel sick to death, have this – oh, and have you taken any Prophylaxis since that date?"

Sinéad thought hard: "I don't know…"

"It's fine, they are designed to be harmless anyway, they just create a hostile environment for any conception, once you've done so, they're harmless like water. Don't take any of them now though, that'll be a waste of ingredients." Poppy concluded and rushed off to see another patient.

Great, thought Sinéad while she strolled through the castle corridors, great. Umbridge was still trying to usurp Sinéad's position as the Students' Advisor in order to have even more power over the students, however, Dumbledore continuously resisted. What is he going to do when I tell him? Sinéad wondered. Suddenly she froze on the spot. What is Severus going to do? What is he going to tell her? She knew he didn't want any children just now. Will he force her to give it up? No, she told herself, there's no way how could I commit such an inhuman crime. No, she told herself, even if I had to move back into the countryside and be a single mum, I'll do so gladly. But will I be truly able to cut the bonds with the wizarding society? No I won't, she said and she was more down than ever before in her life.

"Sinéad, is everything all right?" She heard a soft voice behind her, she turned sharply around: Dumbledore.

"Perhaps you'd like to accompany me to my office?"

"I see," Dumbledore said, smiling, "What a coincidence!"

"Sorry, sir? Coincidence?" She said, puzzled.

"This is the beginning of war, Sinéad." He said calmly. "A new life being born is a promising sign for victory."

She smiled feebly: "I am not particularly happy that the child will be raised in such a difficult time, sir."

"Have you told Severus?"

"Not yet."

"Why not?" He asked, obviously surprised.

"He told me he didn't want children, sir." She said and looked on the floor. "Could I go and speak to Sirius?"

"To Sirius?" Dumbledore's eyebrows were up high, almost lost in his hair.

"He's a dear friend to me, sir." She said, "he always gives me good advice what to do."

"You shouldn't rely on anyone else's advice, Sinéad." He said gravely.

"Will she sack me from the other post, sir?" Sinéad asked in a sad voice.

"She cannot, if I grant you a leave." Dumbledore said. "Which I'll do right now. When would you like to leave for home?"

"I think – I mean – can't I stay in the castle? It won't trouble anyone, I promise. For me and the child, it will be important to have the father around…"

"We'll see then." Dumbledore had again his mysterious smile on.

She hasn't spoken to Severus since she went to Poppy in the morning. She started her bike and before Umbridge could stop her, she rode off to London. She loved flying her motorbike. She felt like a bird.

"Sirius, I need your advice. What would a guy do if he said he didn't want children and then his own wife tells him she's pregnant?"

Sirius looked at her greatly puzzled, thought for a few seconds, then a look of comprehension spread around his face.

"You are– Are you–"

"Yes I am." Sinéad whispered. "Three months."

"Is it his?"

"Who else's?!"

"I just needed to have it clear for myself." Sirius said, then turned back to her and beamed: "Congrats."

"Thanks. You still haven't answered my question."

"Well, he better be glad!" Said Sirius and suddenly looked angry. "Such a good wife as you are, I mean–"

"Oh Sirius! But he'd been giving me Prophylaxes and everything, saying that he didn't want no children! What do I do?! What do I do if– if he doesn't want me having it? I cannot give it away, Sirius, what do I do? What do I do?!" She almost shouted the last sentence, tears streaming down her cheeks, her fists clenched.

"Don't get upset– I mean just calm down." Sirius put his hands on her shoulders, he'd never handled any pregnant woman and it was apparent he didn't know how to behave.

"Look, there's always a way to go…" He said, clumsily patting her back, "I mean if… If Snivellus doesn't want you and your child, go here and… live with me."

"What?!" She yelped.

"I know, I know, it's not much, but still… If he doesn't want you, leave him, and live with me! I have to admit it's a sudden decision, but why not? I could be even better father to your child than hundred Snivelluses–"

"You would… Take care of me?! Of us?!" Sinéad gasped and covered her mouth with her hand. She didn't expect such generosity.

"Sure, I mean, you're my best friend, aren't you–"

"Even though it's his child?" She gasped again.

"It's your child, Sinéad, and that's what matters to me." Sirius smiled and she suddenly felt so much gratitude she could hardly express it. She wasn't doomed… Her child would grow up in the wizarding world and could still go to Hogwarts…

"Sinéad!" Lupin cried, having walked in the kitchen, "is everything all right? Has anything happened in Hogwarts?!"

"Easy, Moony," Sirius grinned, "we're gonna be uncles!"

"Uncles? What uncles?" Remus looked puzzled as Sirius did a few moments back and then gasped.

"NO!"

"Yes, Moony, YES!"

"HARRY?!"

"NO, SINÉAD!" Cried Sirius and she burst out laughing.

"Blimey, Padfoot, those stupid little jokes of yours!" Lupin cursed under his breath, but then smiled.

"It's not a joke, it's true!" Sirius was defending himself.

"What does Snape say?" Remus turned to Sinéad. She lowered her eyes: "He doesn't know."

"Doesn't know– But it's his child, isn't it?!"

"Yes it is."

"So how comes he doesn't know?"

"Sinéad is afraid he would force her to abort it."

"Would he really? Snape isn't so stupid as to do that." Lupin said, but he seemed unsure of his own words.

"I think I'll just… give it a try, and see." Sinéad smiled feebly and looked at Sirius for encouragement. He nodded.

"Write us as soon as you know." Remus smiled, then stepped forward and hugged Sinéad firmly: "I'm so glad… A little one will surely help us all fight for good even more vigorously… You're so brave." She felt fantastic. She was so grateful she had such good friends as Remus and Sirius were.

"Where have you been?"

"At Sirius's."

"Umbridge was questioning me about you."

"I'm sorry for that."

She didn't wish for this cold greeting when she got to Hogwarts. Severus was stretched at the sofa, reading something, his expression bored and relaxed, and he no longer seemed to mind Sinéad's trips to London. He got used to them after all.

"What did they say?" He asked her.

"Er– nothing." She bit her lip and remembered she had to tell him the great news first.

"So you just stared at each other for two hours, eh?" He smirked, obviously getting from neutral to bad mood.

"I was asking them for an advice which I got eventually." She said and was determined to get to the subject at last.

"What advice?" He asked.

"Severus, put down your book please." She asked him and sat on the armchair. He slowly did as she said, sitting up and fixing his cold dark eyes at her.

"I… Need to tell you some important news, I…" Sinéad muttered, not knowing how to begin. "I went to Poppy as you said and… Er… It's not just the nausea, I mean, that's only the top of the problem, I mean, not that there would be any problem at all, just–"

"Spit it out." He said, smiling a bit.

"I'm pregnant." She said quietly. His smile froze on his lips, and he looked astonished. He didn't know what to say.

"How– I mean, when?"

"Three months ago." She peeped.

"You didn't take the Prophylaxes that I gave you?" He semed irritated.

"I did, I swear, but I might have forgotten one time, maybe–"

"You clearly did." He smirked. "Didn't I tell you I didn't want any children now? Didn't you understand me? Or is your rural tribal comprehension so primitive you thought that maybe, I didn't mean that seriously and I'd be actually glad?!"

"YOU ARE BEING VERY RUDE!" She yelled at him and jumped to her feet. The world around her swirled. She fell back to her armchair.

"What else am I supposed to be, with you putting me in this disgraceful state?!"

"NOR SIRIUS NOR REMUS COULD ACTUALLY BELIEVE YOU WOULD BEHAVE LIKE YOU DO AT THE MOMENT!" She yelled at him, tears in her eyes.

"AHA!" He got to his feet to and was now casting her vicious glances. "YOU WENT TO THAT LOT FIRST, DIDN'T YOU? You didn't go to me, your own husband!"

"BECAUSE I KNEW EXACTLY HOW YOU WOULD REACT!" She shrieked and threw a pillow at him. "LIKE THIS!"

He swiftly walked to his office and smashed the door behind him.

So this is it, she thought, do I take this for an answer or shall I wait for the exact wording "Get out"?!