"I am out of breath, sir," Blaise slumped on the couch in the room unofficially branded the 'Detectives' Hub' but was in truth Cadmus Pendragon's office. "I can't believe you assigned us to learn that song for next week! Not good with music, I am."
"The fourth years can do it, so can you," Cadmus held up a marking sheet for Luna's class. "So it's been a month since the first lesson, and you haven't made any progress?"
"Their flutes play for them! All they have to do is think!"
"If we lived life expecting things to be done for us, we may as well let others take our lives," Cadmus read out loud from a book on his shelf. "Nice guy, that Pious Thicknesse. Heard he's in the running for Minister next year…"
"I asked to see you sir, because I have a report on…"
"Muffliato," Cadmus quickly chanted.
"-on Malfoy and the doings of Slytherin House, "he handed Cadmus a small folder.
"So he's been going up and down the stairs…just before curfew…to the seventh floor? What could he possibly want up there?"
"Crabbe and Goyle are with him sometimes. But something is interesting, sir…a couple of house-elves are also following him. I can't tell who they are; they aren't the ones that work here."
Cadmus stroked his chin. "House elves trailing students? That means someone is ordering them too. We can never be too careful with You Know Who. You never know who he's got on his side, maybe a couple of people with house-elves. Good work."
"One of them looked like Malfoy's old house elf Dobby, but it was too dark to tell. There are only so many shadows I can hide in myself."
"And your Slytherin comrades? How many would help us in case of a final confrontation?"
"I can confirm that Malfoy,Nott,Crabbe,Goyle, Parkinson and some of the juniors will definitely NOT be on our side. I would think Uruqhart, Avery, Madison and Bilko are on the fence somewhat. The Carrow twins, I'm worried about. They were estranged from their father's family because he married a Muggle-born years after their mother died."
"The other Carrow twins, Alecto and Amycus are their uncle and aunt. They're Death Eaters , escaped from Azkaban when the Dementors did a runner," Terry Boot, who had been silent so far suddenly spoke up from his seat.
"They would be in danger if their uncle and aunt came back," Cadmus looked out the window, "I hope Padma's managed to find us a way out."
"Not much luck there, sir," Zabini shook his head, "the DA hasn't met at all this year and she can't get into the Room of Requirement."
"Which naturally, of us all only she knows how to enter without Potter, unlike me," Boot made a hand gesture, "where is she, Blaise?"
"Hogsmeade for the night, with the Headmaster's permission. All students who have the Apparition test tommorow have been put up at the Three Broomsticks Inn, heard some parents came, just in case."
"So why are you two mooks here? Not old enough to take the test?"
"A month shy, sir," Boot shrugged. "I thought I did the lesson okay."
"I prefer a broomstick myself, I like to ride," Zabini locked fists with Boot.
"Is that all then?" Cadmus finished reading Blaise's file.
"One more thing, but I don't know how to make of it. It's about Malfoy again," Blaise scratched his head.
"Go on then," Terry rocked his chair.
"Well after…okay, during the Christmas party Padma and me…we snuck out, you know, to get to know each other better?" Blaise felt his cheeks heat up.
"Go on," Terry huffed, but Cadmus listened intently.
"It was intense, like nothing I'd ever done before…"
"Not the necking, …" Cadmus shook his head but smiled.
"Err, yeah… I saw Snape, err... Professor Snape take Malfoy outside and right by the corridor where Padma and me were."
"Stop right there, are you old enough to be doing what I think you're doing?" Cadmus held out his hand.
"Only kissing, sir! and maybe a bit of touching but the only thing I took off was my tie, I swear!" Blaise stepped back. "I wouldn't do that to Padma." Cadmus breathed a sigh of relief and waved for him to carry on.
"We heard Snape; we didn't realize we'd cast the Inverso Fidelus unconsciously but he didn't hear us."
"Way to keep it secret, no wonder you're on top of NVW," Terry tapped the table. "You're casting spells unconsciously!"
"Snape said something to Draco, something about vowing to protect him and Draco shot back saying he didn't need help. Snape said the word 'Unbreakable' and then dragged Malfoy up the corridor until we couldn't hear. But sir, we also saw Harry Potter take off his invisible cloak and get back to the party."
"Which you naturally went back to as well?" Cadmus raised an eyebrow.
Blaise nodded, glowering at Terry who was probably thinking all sorts of things improper.
"Severus Snape, unbreakable, help, Harry Potter…. Boot, make yourself useful and put them into the Mirror."
Terry took a quill and wrote the words on pieces of yellow paper and threw them into the pool around the mirror, where Cadmus had conjured up some fire. The papers burned and a series of letters and outcomes appeared on the glass.
"Unbreakable Vow, tasks set by Him, unwanted, not needed…" Cadmus nodded. "Draco's mother and Snape were good friends when we were at school. He even called her by her pet name 'Cissy'. I wouldn't be surprised that he made a vow to protect her son, but I don't know why he would go to those lengths."
In truth, Cadmus already knew. Snape's bottle of memories showed him just what had happened at Spinner's End with Bella and Cissy, of the vow he had to make to demonstrate his fealty to the Dark Lord, and many more things even Pendragon shuddered to remember. Snape was risking his very life for Dumbledore, and in a roundabout way, for Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy. If Vanessa knew just how brave Severus really was she'd have given him the Medal Of Honor herself.
"Maybe he was just upset his favorite suck-up broke some rules," Terry reviewed the possibilities.
"Could be, he rained House Points on Malfoy in our first three years. They haven't been really close though lately. Snape's not close to anyone at all, well except maybe you Professor."
"No wonder he let Slughorn take the Head of House position!" Terry snapped his fingers, "So he wouldn't have to deal with the troublemakers!"
"That would be convenient, but Slughorn just grabbed the position as soon as he got here. Professor Snape didn't mind; imagine if you had to deal with those brats every single year."
"It's hard to think without Padma here," Terry scratched his head, "She usually dots the end of our sentences."
"Maybe you'll see her in the Common Room tomorrow. Give her my regards and hopes that she passed the test. Off you two, back to the dorms before Filch sets his traps."
"Traps?"
"Just kidding, keep me informed- personally, remember?"
"Sir," the two boys started their race to the great stairs, where their paths diverged.
"He doesn't set them anymore," Cadmus opened the memory bottle and poured its contents into the Mirror, rubbing his eyes. This was the fifth time he had seen it and couldn't believe it. There were Bella and Cissy, greeted by Pettigrew, served with wine. Snape, ever calm under Bella's goading but reflective of Narcissa's worry over her son. Then came the wand moment, the recitation of the vow to protect Draco no matter what, and carry out the task that he had been given just in case Draco could not. Narcissa was clearly worried about something else as well, but she focused on her son's well being. Snape was now bound by the Unbreakable Vow- if he turned on Voldemort now he would be dead before any curse would kill him. Yet Unbreakable Vows could be eternal- Snape had effectively signed his own death warrant, unless Voldemort was to die first.
Cadmus felt tears coming down his cheeks, the feeling of helplessness even worse this time as he digested the facts. A single tear touched the green stone on his ring and the image of Vanessa Argent instantly came out, immediately noticing Cadmus in his grief.
"Baby, what's wrong?" She looked into her own Amori Fidelus, hung on a silver necklace round her neck.
"Oh, Vanessa," Cadmus quickly wiped his face and withdrew the memory, sighing. "I have to tell you something…"
"Tell me what?"
"I think Severus is in great danger, but there's nothing I can do to stop him."
"Nothing you can do to stop him? Has he turned?"
"Stop him from fulfilling his mission from the Old Man…I can't stop him, he's practically Dumbledore's right hand. He's risking his life for something he might not be able to do."
"Stop crying, wipe your face, baby," Vanessa felt tears start welling in her eyes, "You of all people know how brave he is, how he works quietly when everybody else is in the dark. Don't worry about him; he'll come through in the end. I want him at our wedding, you understand?"
"Best man," Cadmus met the image's forehead, "the best man."
"Be strong, my love," she held her pendant close, "For Sev, for the kids, for me." She knew he was keeping some things and key details from her, but that was the duty of being a Secret Keeper and she understood it too well. "I have to go now," she said reluctantly.
"Thank you for listening…" he kissed the ring and the image disappeared.
Suddenly a loud banging could be heard outside, but not on his door. Cadmus quickly cleaned his desk up and pulled his doors open only to see Ron Weasley stumbling sideways like a drunk monkey with Harry Potter begging to be let into Slughorn's door. Noticing Cadmus he quickly turned to him, begging to be let into the Potions Master's office.
"What happened to you, Weasley?"
"He took some Amortentia meant for me, now he's gone loopy! Oi, come back here!" Harry desperately pulled at Ron's shirt as he tried to creep away.
"ROMILDA! I WANT ROMILDA VANE!" he gasped, clutching at a stone pillar. "You're not Romilda…"
"Amortentia meant for you? Do you need more girl trouble, Potter?"
"I put them under my bed because I knew they were spiked, but Ron stole in and took a bite..and three. It's his birthday you see, sir!"
"Fine, you two stay back and plug your ears…never mind, I'll plug your ears. Inverso Fidelus!
Harry felt the world go mute around him as Pendragon yelled at the door, shaking the ground.
"-HOOOOOOOOOOOOORN!" Harry heard as the bubble dissipated. Ron was dazed and holding his ears, which were partly bleeding as he had in his stupor pressed them against the wall, hoping Romilda's voice was on the other side. The wall looked like it had been pushed around by a giant wave and the glass that contained the corridor's candles was shattered and scattered all over the floor.
"Yes, Cadmus, there's no need to demonstrate your Banshee ancestry," Slughorn rubbed his eyes, dressed in pajamas that had emerald beadings sewn in. "Oh! Potter, Winglefield! What the devil are you two doing here after hours?
Potter explained the situation and begged Slughorn to let him in, despite the professor's recent avoidance of him. It was Ron's birthday, he pleaded and Madam Pomfrey would not take kindly to Amortentia , which was banned outside the Potions classroom.
"Oh ,all right ,come in, you too Cadmus," Slughorn quickly shut the door to his office.
"What are you doing sleeping in your office?" Cadmus asked, although he already knew the answer.
"I like to keep it simple, dear boy. That room he calls lodging is hardly enough for someone like me! My luggage could barely fit in it, much less myself. Oh, the antidote won't be a minute."
"I thought you were his darling, what's gone wrong Harry?" Cadmus whispered as Slughorn fumbled with his office chemistry set.
"Dumbledore…I mean the Headmaster told me he made you check a memory for alteration- I need it from him!"
"Get him to drink," Cadmus quickly whispered before Slughorn returned with the antidote, which swirled around in a martini glass.
"Stirred, not shaken. Here you go, Rupert, to calm the nerves before you meet that lucky girl. Drink up!"
Ron took it down in one gulp, his senses returning quickly. The sudden onrush of panic at being in different surroundings nearly made him bolt, but Slughorn simply shook his head.
"Calm down boy, this is merely my office. Did a good thing waking Professor Pendragon, at my age you tend to fall asleep rather easily when nothing is going on! I think we should celebrate 's recovery! Jolly good, I'll get us some fine quality mead. Sit down, boys!"
"Uh, alright professor," Ron was still slightly dazed. Harry plopped down on the guest chair, surprised by how soft it was compared to Snape's cold wooden torture racks he called chairs.
"Get him to drink…a lot," Cadmus took some goblets from Slughorn's table as he approached with a dusty green bottle in each hand.
"Oh, how I miss suppers with the lads and sometimes, the ladies," he winked, pouring each of them a drink. "I meant to give this to Dumbledore for Christmas, but oh well…"
"What should we toast to then, Professor?" Harry raised his goblet.
"Ron!" Cadmus dropped his goblet and dived to catch Ron, who had quickly taken his mead and fallen over shivering.
"Yeah, to Ron…! Oh no, quickly sirs get help!" Harry dived into Slughorn's drawers, fishing out a bezoar and quickly flicking it into Ron's throat. Slughorn went to work on the chemistry set and Pendragon fled the office as if wings had grown on his legs. Ron lay there cold and limp, blue and purple at the same time and foaming at the mouth.