Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter and anything associated with it. Title borrowed from a song by cage the elephant
The summer before Harry's forth year was layered with difficulties. Sirius was still on the run and so Mina put him up with her in Abaddon. Severus was not pleased but as she knew he was innocent and that Peter had handed Lily to the Dark Lord she felt it was owed to him. None of her people would hand him to the ministry as most never saw him. Mina kept him in a room transfigured in between hers and Remus'. Sirius spent the first three weeks of the vacation trying to persuade Mina to hook up with him. This failed dramatically as she was very involved with Severus again. Well that and the fact that Drago decided to visit that summer. When the two met, Mina found her self greatly amused, as Drago used her room when he visited. Mina had just welcomed her sire, which in typical fashion captured her lips and forced a blood exchange and was bringing the kiss to the end when Sirius entered her room.
"Mina, I'm bored can you please not have anything-" Abruptly he realized what he was seeing and found himself glaring up at Drago. Drago smirked and slowly let his gaze travel over Sirius. "This is the one you refused for the Dark Lord's servant?" He was laughing and Mina twisted from his arms glaring. "Not everything is based on looks Drago." Drago raised his eyebrow but did not stop the eye battle with Sirius whom had puffed up his chest in an effort to be intimidating. Mina scowled and crossed over to Sirius and forcefully drug his face to hers. "He's my sire, not that I owe you an explanation, but he is… don't get possessive I don't belong to you." This drew laughter from behind Sirius who pulled back from her and turned glaring at his friend. Drago's laugh sounded behind her then and Mina glared at all three men in her room.
Remus had just approached Sirius and nodded a greeting to Drago, as the two were familiar with one another now and he glanced at her in amusement before looking back at his friend. "Padfoot, you should meet her hunter." Mina growled. "He doesn't need to meet Orion, and Orion doesn't belong to me..." Drago laughed from behind her. "She's right, out of the two if one has to belong to the other she belongs to him." Mina hissed and turned back to Drago. "I don't belong to any of you, and you Drago, should know this as well as those two." What ever would have been said next was compounded into a much worse situation when Orion's voice cut across the group as a whole. "That was so cold, Mina, I feel most heartbroken that you don't think you belong to me." A fanning sensation and she knew he was behind her. Mina stiffened resolutely and glared at her other three companions before turning with red eyes to her most recent lover.
"What… Do… You… Want?" Each word was spoken coldly, as if she were stabbing them with ice shards, her temper climbing to its peek. Orion just met her gaze evenly and smiled amusement in his gaze. Remus started laughing and Mina shot a glare at him, which silenced her lupine friend. Drago shifted and Sirius just stared opened mouth before turning back to Mina. "That is your hunter?" Mina narrowed her eyes and glided away from all of them her temper not cooling but growing steadily colder. When she had enough space from all of them she turned, her voice sounding of melodious bells when she spoke. "Let me make it clear. I belong to one person, and he is not in this room." She did not notice that she had made three of the four men in the room shiver with a level of fear; she had been poked and nettled too much since she had brought the marauders here and she was fed up.
Sirius had never truly feared her until that moment. Even as she held her wand over him and tortured him with the cruciatus, he was still sure she would not kill him. This was not the Mina he had known all his life. This was something infinitely more powerful. He suddenly understood what the Dark Lord had meant when he had said she failed. If this was the Mina he had first recruited no wonder he had wanted her. Remus found that he had never really understood the darkness in her. Everything else he had seen before this was a prelude. Mina had come into her own over the last fourteen years. She was something while she was at school, dangerous as soon as she got out, and beautiful in her capacity for good and evil. This was terrifying, for the first time Remus feared all of her not just a piece. Drago realized at this point, that his child had exceeded even him, when it came to fear inducing. This was what the Dark Lord had desired. This was what she would embrace if the Dark Lord returned. His eyes cut to Orion who stood calmly seeming to have expected this change. Orion felt his gaze and glanced at his child. "Drago, take Mina's guests to the next room please."
Drago nodded and crossed to her friends. Remus seemed more aware and less entranced and so turned grabbing his friend's arm and pulling a still entranced Sirius from the room. Mina just glared at them. When the door snapped shut she turned her vermilion stare to Orion. Orion just studied her for a long time before finally speaking. "I apologize Mina, I did not realize that you were so bothered." He raised a hand, Mina's eyes flicked to it and she saw that he had several tickets. "I had intended to give these to you and your friends, they're for the world cup." Slowly he moved towards her. Mina had remained silent but aware that she was at the edges of her temper. When Orion reached her he held the tickets to her. Mina took the tickets and as she did her temper eased. Orion smirked and kissed her lightly. "You have grown up much, Mina Chakano. You're a power in your own right now." Mina raised her eyebrow and answered, her voice a cross between its normal sultry cadence and the clear bells that she gained after having his blood.
"I think my friends just pissed themselves." Orion laughed and then sighed. "You should see your human soon, take some time away from your friends." Mina nodded and he kissed her lightly again before calling across the room "Come with me, Drago." The door to Sirius' room opened and Drago glided out. When he reached Orion the two misted and drifted out into the night. Remus stood looking at her cautiously and she sighed, realizing that they were truly aware of what she was now. "Orion brought tickets to the world cup." She dropped them and sent them floating to Remus and continued to speak. "I had planned it as a surprise for Sirius, make sure he is disguised if you go." Remus took the tickets from the air. "What about you?" Mina smiled darkly. "I have other roles to play, I'll be there but you can't talk to me if you see me." She crossed to her closet and grabbed a bag that she had already packed and by the time she re entered her room Sirius was back. "Where are you going?" Mina stopped and looked at him. "Away for a while. I need space." Her voice was slightly cold again and Sirius fought not to shiver. She smiled darkly and then misted herself, leaving Abaddon, her destination Severus.
Before long time had bought with it the World Cup. Mina was a guest of Lucius' and she had not anticipated Harry sharing the minister's box with them. She had followed behind Narcissa, on the arm of Severus when her eyes were swallowed in green. He was as forward as his father and had just opened his mouth to say something to her when Lucius cut across all conversations. "Good Lord, Author, what did you have to sell to get these seats?" Mina mentally sighed when Harry stiffened and shifted his gaze to Lucius. She felt Severus' mental brush and knowing she had to tell him opened her mind to his. 'He has seen you.' The accusatory tone of his mind voice caused Mina to turn to him and glare as she answered. 'Last year, they had a time turner, which you might have mentioned to me, as I spent a large part of my time sneaking around.' He huffed and caressed her with his mind before closing the communication. 'We will talk about this later.' Mina pursed her lips and looked back out over the field.
She was not happy with the brightness as it did make her stand out as unusual amongst the crowd. She could only be grateful that there were so many other immortals at the game that she was not so out of place, as it would seem. She was sat between Severus and Lucius, his wife and son sitting in front of him. Frequently, she felt she was being watched and she would let her eyes pass over to Harry. She felt relief that he was facing forward as opposed to paying attention to her. The game was violent and wonderful in its sporting form. Mina had never been a particularly big quidditch fan and she knew it was the same for Severus but they could not refuse the invitation as they had to keep up appearances. The game as the game ended Mina rose to her feet and turned to leave when her eyes caught the empty seat in the back of the box. Empty was a relative turn as her eyes met those of Barty Crouch junior's. She blinked and he smirked a bit at her and she realized that he was obviously not visible to anyone else. She turned and left the box with Severus on her heels.
They returned to Hogwarts early, as that was where Severus was staying due to preparation for the Tri-wizard tournament and had just settled into bed when Severus asked her about how Harry had seen her. She explained about how it had fallen about and he scowled as he realized that the boy would have seen them kiss. Mina had smirked and told him that Harry was more concerned with that fact that she knew him but he didn't know her. Severus had scowled at this and then Mina remembered the junior Crouch. She darted from the bed and immediately headed for the headmaster's office. It was only to find that he had been called away. Mina scowled and returned to Severus. He demanded to know what that was about and she explained and then the two spent the rest of the night, with just each other, pushing the outside of the world away. The next day Mina forgot what she had meant to tell the headmaster because of the daily prophet's article. She could not believe that her dark allies had not called her as she would have loved being able to identify them, and then realized they would not have as she was supposed to be a spy for the Dark Lord and the risk of capture would have destroyed her supposed work. These thoughts were over shadowed when she felt the mild stinging on her arm. She lifted her sleeve and gasped, the beginnings of her dark mark were showing clearly.
After that there wasn't as much time given to consider the growing dark mark on her arm. She began wearing tapered sleeves again as she didn't want anyone noticing at the Ministry. A recent development caused by both Dumbledore and Lucius, she had taken a job in the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures. Due to her work in Abaddon Sanctum she was an ideal candidate for the Being Division. It was not as much fun as being an unspeakable, but enabled her to move more freely amongst the Ministry. As a result she had put Lyra in charge of the Sanctum, and only dealt with a few matters pertaining to her work. She did not return to her rooms there however, instead choosing to take up residence in her cottage again. This was ideal as it gave her privacy from the still interred Marauders' and enabled her to deal with all levels of her life quietly. The next school year started and Mina found herself working in her new department when the invitation to help regulate the Tri-Wizard tournament arrived.
She smirked in amusement at seeing how both sides manipulated her into this position and she took it with alacrity. As such she was present when Harry's name came out of the goblet. This was an interesting situation as she was seated between Severus and Igor Karkaroff, a fellow death eater and now head master of Durmstrang. The entire situation was made even more uncomfortable because Dumbledore had gotten Alastor 'Madeye' Moody to teach defense for the year. Mina found that she was often being watched by the auror, but not in the way she had expected. Moody had been the one to capture her the night of the Longbottom's torture and as such she had expected him to watch her in suspicion. On the surface, that's how it appeared but she caught him staring at her in other, intensely personal ways. As though he knew the darkness inside her. Harry also spent a lot of time staring at her, and she wondered what Sirius had said when the boy asked about her. She realized that to the students she looked much younger then she was.
The fact that she was often found on Severus' arm must lead to some interesting conclusions from the youth at Hogwarts. Severus, now 34 years old, looked it. Mina in comparison looked about 25. Both she and Severus tended to ignore any odd looks they received but they received few out side of Hogwarts. As out side they were known, in their own ways to be near the same age. As a result Mina found a great relief whenever she was not at the school. This did not stop her from coming to the Yule Ball. For this event she decided to remind Severus what he had and chose an emerald long sleeved Lolita dress. This was her witty tribute to a number of things in their history all rolled into one. When she entered the great hall she found Igor at her side before she could react. This followed with a dance that led her around the room gracefully. Several times she found Severus watching her, and she was tempted to brush his mind but did not. She knew he would get her messages. Dumbledore danced with her as well and found the whole ensemble amusing an only commented saying. "You do nothing by halves do you?" Mina had felt her lips twitch but did not reply and she found herself handed off to Lucius.
Malfoy peppered her with questions in regards to Severus and she knew he was trying to find out what they had been up to. She answered only a few of these saying that as, there were signs, she was making sure the right people would be pleased. She also danced with the Minister and several other officials that were present. She was taking time to mingle when she found herself behind Harry and his friend Ron. "Do you see her?" Harry snorted. "I am more interested in the women Sirius said was a vampire." Mina froze where she was and slipped into the nearby shadows and Harry continued. "This is the forth time I have seen her, and I cant tell anything about her. One minute she is with Malfoy's ilk and the next she is dancing with Dumbledore. Sirius said she was helping him out yet every time I see her she's with Snape." Ron scoffed. "She's a women mate, they are all impossible." Harry sighed, clearly annoyed. "She knows my name and Sirius said they went to school together. She drew Remus Lupin away from us that night using her own blood and she wants me to forget her. Professor Lupin said she was a good friend but made the hard decisions early on in life and that she used to be a friend of my mothers. Yet every time I try to approach her she moves away."
She found herself so lost in listening to Harry that she was startled when Severus breath fell on her neck. 'It's rude to eavesdrop Mina.' Mina jumped as he had spoken in her mind but he kept her still with his hands on her waist. 'An impressive dress sweetheart, though I notice you have yet to try and dance with me.' Mina shivered and leaned back into him 'I did not think you would want to dance.' He chuckled in her head and his thoughts led Mina to blush furiously as he turned her to face him. He placed one hand on her waist and the other captured and raised one of her hands. He looked at her with heated eyes and Mina smiled softly her eyes lighting with joy as she raised her other hand to his shoulder. As the ball was coming to an end, Severus whisked her out onto the floor smoothly. She heard a gasp and assumed Harry had realized the direction she came from, or perhaps he was shocked that Severus could dance. As the dance drew to a close Mina realized that this would probably be the last lighthearted moment they were going to have.
Mina returned to the Ministry and her various other duties and did not see Severus again outside of dreams until she was due to show up for the second task. The day before the second challenge, however, she had arrived well after dinner and was making her way down to the dungeons when her path crossed that of Moody. He limped toward her and stopped an arms length away his eyes trailing over her slowly, as though he were trying to peer through her clothes. Almost absentmindedly his tongue skated across his lips. Mina cleared her throat and his eyes returned to hers. "Still just as pretty as before." Mina raised an eyebrow at his growled compliment. "Is that so, I didn't realize my kind appealed to you, Moody." He smiled roughly and moved closer to her. Mina studied him for several seconds before he replied.
"Your kind appeals to my kind a great deal, Mina Chakano. It's a wonder the Dark Lord didn't try to find you when he vanished." Mina blinked confused and stepped back fro him. "Trying to trap me Moody, I'm afraid you'll have to do better then that." She raised a hand to her temple where the scar of his spell had caused her to loose consciousness. "Though I am surprised you are talking to me at all, seeing as how you deal with Severus and Igor." He leered at her but Severus broke the moment. "Mina." She looked up at him and tried not to smile. "Sorry Professor Moody and I were just having a small chat." She glided around the auror and made her way to his side. "Shall we go?" Severus looked passed her and nodded briefly before turning and striding back towards the dungeons. Mina followed in his wake feeling Alastor's eyes on her the whole way. The second task came and went smoothly. Or as smoothly as a task can go with the pall of a murdered ministry official following it can.
Mina returned to her work in the Ministry and found herself mired the evolving politics. She found herself exhaustively falling into her bed every day but after only a few hours of sleep she was up again. She could feel it, in her gut she knew that the peace was ending. This was made clear as several; long absent vampires that had followed the Dark Lord slowly shifted back into their places among their kindred. Mina found that with each day more of the individuals of her passed made appearances. Several times she crossed paths with werewolves whom had served under the Dark Lord and as her mark continued to become darker she grew increasingly aware that the tides were changing. As the Last task approached Mina felt as if the earth was holding its breath. The calm before a storm; Mina arrived early the day of the third task and helped with the placing of several creatures with in the maze. She could not shake the feeling that she should leave after the task started as she was almost certain she would be called.
She shared her worries with both her fellow death eaters and while Igor had paled and bustled off Severus had pulled her to him and kissed her temple. "I have instructions for you from Dumbledore." Mina nodded and he lowered his lips to her earlobe. "If he calls for you, you must go to him. I have placed and apparation point for you behind the stands." Mina rested her head on his chest and brushed his mind with her. He opened the communication as his hands slid softly around her waist. 'What about you?' Severus arms tightened. 'If he calls me I won't be arriving until late, you must go on time because your job was to recruit other immortals.' Mina nodded and turned her face to his chest. 'He will punish you.' He kissed the top of her head. 'Life is not supposed to be easy, Mina.' She lifted her eyes to his and his lips twitched. 'Our road is going to get harder before its over Mina. You have time to flee.' Mina narrowed her eyes as they flared red. 'You are an idiot Severus Snape, I followed you to the Dark Lord I'm not about to flee him without you.' Severus sighed and lowered his lips to hers. This kiss was one of desperation, as if he too knew things were about to change. A cough behind them had both Mina and Severus looking.
The headmaster raised an eyebrow and both Mina and Severus blushed as they moved apart. "It's time for the third task." Mina dropped her eyes to the ground and nodded before gliding out from behind the stands, where they had been talking. The third task started as planned and things seemed to run smoothly for a long time. The first set of red sparks shot up about an hour into the challenge. Fleur Delacour was recovered then, unconscious. An hour after that, Victor Krum was discovered, also unconscious. After that, tension began to mount as time began slipping into the night. Mina jumped when she felt the searing burn on her arm and glanced at Severus before slipping off the back of the stands and apparating to her lord. As soon as she hit the ground she bowed, as had been her standard greeting to the Dark Lord. As he began talking Mina lifted her eyes to see him.
She found herself in a graveyard, and not ten feet from her Harry Potter stood, held in place at his throat by the scythe of a statue of the grim. She felt him staring but knew he could not recognize her and so turned her attention to the Dark Lord. He did not look how she expected. He was white now, paler the Orion, and he had several snake like features. His nose was nonexistent, replaced instead with the nostrils of a reptile. His teeth were no longer gleaming, were dark, rotten, and pointed. She noted that they were not as sharp as hers, but they would not have an issue if he wanted to eat flesh. His eyes were a clear blue and he was very bald. He stopped in front of her. "My little Vampire, I see you return with out your heart's desire. Stand." Mina stood and he removed her mask. "You did not try to find me." Mina shook her head; "No my lord, but I knew you would return." He studied her for a long time before turning and gliding away. What followed after was, amusing even as it had her heart in her throat. The Dark Lord forced Harry into a duel that ended quite magnificently with the boy's well-timed escape. The Dark Lord was not pleased.
Following the Dark Lord's return, Mina's life abruptly shifted into the patterns from before. She had little time to visit Abaddon but she did keep in contact with Lyra. She was not surprised to find that roughly half of the residents there fled to the safe houses in Chandrala. Remus and Sirius both left and rejoined the order nearly as soon as Severus appeared before the Dark Lord. She had thought she had escaped her lord's displeasure but found that in this she was quite wrong. He made her punish Severus with several of her torture techniques. This naturally caused the darkness in her to surge, as she had not used such dark spells in such a long time. She had trouble not getting swept up in the temptation to do more then just punish. Severus seemed to have expected this as he took what she dealt to him. When he lay unconscious on the floor Mina found the Dark Lord was quite pleased with her work as he delved into her mind.
She was careful to keep all information pertaining to her true work locked away and the Dark Lord seemed pleased that she and done as she was bid. He was also pleased when he read Severus' mind after her love had woken. He dismissed them both, and Mina helped him to the apparation point and took him to her cottage. She tended to his wounds and he watched her in silence. Finally she lifted her eyes to him. "I'm sorry, Severus." She fought to keep the tears from her voice as she gently rubbed in the bruise healing paste but stopped when his fingers wrapped around her wrist and he tugged her up to him on the bed. "You did what you had to do, and you did it well enough that the Dark Lord does not suspect you." He removed the paste jar from her hand and dropped it on the floor before capturing her face in his hands and kissing her. Mina lost herself in his kiss and soon the two were bare, skin against skin and lost in the love that they shared.
Afterward, while Severus was asleep, Mina watched him. Neither of them had spoken of love, yet the last few times they had been together, things were… different. She sighed and crawled from the bed to go and make her report to Dumbledore. She found him in his office, pacing in a panic, as Severus had not returned. Mina told him everything that had happened and that Severus would return here as soon as he woke up. The headmaster seemed to calm with the news and then cautioned her about coming to Hogwarts this next year. While the Daily Prophet had been busy slandering both he and Harry; the Ministry had forced the headmaster to take a person of their own choosing to fill the defense post at Hogwarts. Mina realized as he told her that Delores Umbridge would be teaching at Hogwarts, Mina would probably not be welcome. He then proceeded to give her access to the Order of the Phoenix and told her to make her reports there. Mina nodded and left, making her way back to Severus.
She found him halfway dressed when she entered the room. He lifted his gaze to hers and she gave him a crooked smile. "I reported to Dumbledore for you." He nodded and fell back on her bed. Mina climbed in beside him and allowed her nails to lengthen. Severus watched her beneath heavy eyelids as she explained. "I had told myself I was not going to do this, but as I have done some marvelously dark work on your body, I am going to give you the means to recover quicker." His eyes opened a bit wider as she lowered her wrist to his mouth. He followed her silent directive and drank from her wrist for several minutes. Mina could not help the red glint her eyes took on as she watched him. He licked his lips cleaned and then reached up pulling her down to him, his lips taking hers again. When he ended the kiss he watched her eyes open slowly. "Turn me Mina." Mina shook her head. "I can't, Severus you have too many things to do still." He groaned and she silenced him with a kiss. "And I wont continue feeding you my blood either, I don't want you as a mindless thrall." He sighed and wrapped his arms around her before falling back asleep.
Mina found, as time progressed, that she was not sure if she was happy or sad that she could not visit Severus at the school. Delores Umbridge was a nightmare. She was kept up to date on all the happenings at the school via dreams and order meetings. She was also kept up to date about other details at the ministry as she worked there. She was never given the job of guarding the prophecy, though she wished she were still an unspeakable as she could just destroy the thing then. The Dark Lord did not call her too often and she realized it was because he was making an effort to lay low. The things he sought out were done so quietly. Infiltration into the Ministry was key. Mina could not help the flash of rage she felt when she realized that the Minister of Magic was inviting the Dark Lord to take power. Naturally she could only vent this the few times she was at headquarters. One such time was near Christmas holidays. Shortly after it was realized that harry had a connection to the Dark Lord's mind.
Mina was talking with Remus about how to slip into the Ministry when Sirius burst into the room excitedly saying that Harry would be arriving shortly. Mina rose, intending to leave when Sirius' hand snapped around her wrist. "Not this time, Princess, you have to talk to him." Mina glared but he did not release her. "I don't want to." Sirius scoffed and then stepped up and over the dinning table to the side where she was and jerked her closer to him self. "Then I will just tell Harry how you hated his mother because Snivelly was too blind to see what you offer. Still is as far as I'm concerned." Mina narrowed her eyes. "That's only part of the truth, Sirius." He smiled and slipped his arm around her. "Then I guess you have to be here to set the record straight." Mina growled and tried to get away but failed spectacularly as Harry appeared in the kitchen at that moment. Mina nearly barreled into him and as she skidded to keep from colliding, Remus broke out into a laugh. Harry watched her with wide eyes. Mina, crash averted, stepped back several paces and shot a fuming glance over her shoulder at Sirius, who stood there proudly.
Mina narrowed her eyes and turned offering her hand to Harry. "Hello Harry Potter." He took her hand cautiously. "And your name is?" Mina released his hand. "Mina Chakano, I went to school with your mom." His eyes held hers. "Yet you are friends with Snape." Remus laughed and Sirius scoffed. Mina shot another glare at her some kind of friends and turned back to him. "Yes, we all went to school together." Harry let his eyes drift over her. "You saved me and have been avoiding me." Mina nodded and sighed. "I'm a spy, Harry, just like Severus." Harry's friend Ron decided to draw attention to him self by stating. "You're a death eater too." Mina shifted her gold eyes to him. "I was young and made poor decisions. Not unlike a couple of other people in this room." She turned back to Sirius and raised her eyebrow as if to say happy and then walked around him. Sirius seemed to realize that he messed up and grabbed her wrist. She paused and looked up at him. "I'm sorry." Mina would have replied but her mark began to burn. She snatched her wrist from him with a murmured. "I have to go." She did not give them time respond and took off.
She stepped onto the pavement outside of headquarters and raised her hand summoning her mask and apparating away. She found herself in the familiar scenery of Malfoy's gardens. She knelt her eyes on the ground. "My lord?" She heard him shift around her. "Mina, do you still dream craft?" Mina tried not to smile. "Not as much but yes." She felt him pause behind her and shivered as his breath caressed her ear. "You can take people with you." Mina nodded. "I have in the past my lord." He shifted again and traced his fingers along her neck opposite the side he was leaning over. "I need to get a message to your brethren in prison. I want you to help me enter their minds." Mina nodded. "When?" He straightened and reached down gripping her wrist and tugging her to her feet. "Now." Mina nodded and he pulled her after him into a luxurious bedroom. He crossed over to a set of couches clearly placed in the room for this purpose. The Dark Lord released her and sat on one of the couches. Mina took the one beside him.
She removed her mask and lowered the hood of her cape. "You will have to sleep my lord, I have tried to reach a meditative mind and was unsuccessful." He nodded and raised a hand. Footsteps behind her had Mina turning. Her eyes met the dark ones of her lover and she could not help the blush that crossed her cheeks. Especially as she had just been with Sirius and his childlike attempts to gain her favor again. She looked back at her lord and he watched her in amusement. She felt him searching her mind and allowed a fleeting glimpse of the last time she and Severus had been together, her cheeks flushing a darker red. He laughed and took the potion Severus offered him. It wasn't long before he was lying back asleep. Mina sighed and lay back on her own couch and closed her eyes. It did not take her long to find her dream realm and she thought carefully about how she wanted to present it to the Dark Lord.
A wave of her hand and the shop she had favored most of her life shifted. All muggle minds were placed in a separate prison like tower. The undercroft stayed as it was meant to. The rest were sorted by their house allegiances with Slytherin being the most opulent cases. Pleased with her work she approached the mind of the Dark Lord. His box was the grandest of the lot and set on its own pedestal protected by a curio. Severus' was like wise in a special place not as protected but clearly important. Work completed she opened her lords curio and eased the lid of his mind open. She slipped into his dreams as delicately as possible. She found herself arrested by the site of him standing on a balcony with Bella at his side. She tried to be as subtle as she could so as not to anger her lord. Eyes downcast she murmured politely as she knelt. 'My Lord, when it is your pleasure.' He turned having expected her. 'Why do you bow to me, Mina?' She looked up at him. 'You are my lord.' He smiled. 'You don't bow to Drago, or his Sire.' Mina nodded and slowly got to her feet. 'I don't serve them.' He nodded and waved his hand.
'Lead on fair Mina.' She nodded and turned forming similar stairs as she had done for Severus. She shifted up them and back into her mind offering her hand to her master as he got to his own door. She swallowed feeling almost shy at this point as she looked up at him again. 'I have to take your hand.' He seemed amused and held his hand out. Mina took his hand and tugged, he steeped over the threshold and into her mind. She let his hand go and gave him time to adjust to her shop. His eyes were an unsettling mix of red and blue as they shifted around. 'You can enter all these minds.' Mina could not help the rush of her pride. 'As many as I desire, and I can change them as I please. I can…' She paused realizing she was delaying her assignment. 'Forgive me. I'll take you to the others now.' He studied her. 'This is the thing you love the most.'
Mina shook her head and dropped her eyes to the ground. 'No my lord, this is fun, a game, but I would trade it all for the love of Severus Snape.' She turned then and located the death eaters who were in Azkaban. She lined them all up and then waved her hand linking them. She turned back to him and smiled. 'You need only enter one dream, and it will link to them all.' He nodded and crossed to stand beside her. He lifted the lid to Bellatrix's dream and then Mina grabbed his hand and entered her dark sister's mind. Bella, it turns out, was dreaming of her lord. Mina adverted her eyes as he merged with his own doppelganger and spoke to his followers. He planned to have them released by the end of the month. They were to prepare to escape. When he was finished he gave Bella what she desired and then looked at Mina. 'This is a useful gift my little Vampire, return me to my mind, you and Severus have pleased me today. I think you both will enjoy the reward I have for you.'
Mina did as she was bid and then awoke before her lord. Severus was waiting with his wand at the ready to wake his master. Mina met his gaze and blushed again. He raised an eyebrow and with a silent spell, the Dark Lord awoke. He nodded at both of them and stood. "Come with me, my faithful children." He led them into the dining hall. Mina took only a moment to glance around and found Lucius and Narcissa quickly getting to their feet, and Peter Pettigrew bowing. "Wormtail, bring me Greyback." The pudgy man bowed and waddled the room. Minutes later he returned scampering quickly to stay ahead of the werewolf. He knelt to the Dark Lord and he waved his hand gesturing Mina and Severus forward. "Greyback, I am most displeased with your lack of progress with the werewolf clans. As such today you will receive your punishment." He glided back and sat in his throne. "Mina, Severus… enjoy your reward." Mina looked at the werewolf before her and felt the darkness in her swirl.
This would be the first time she had dealt a dark spell to anyone since she had to use them on Severus. She would not fight it this time. She glided in front of her lover and he seemed content to let her have the first shot. She raised her wand and smiled darkly before whispering like a lover. "Crucio." As soon as she shot the spell she was swept up in it. Greyback was not prepared for the pain that she brought to bear on him. This was a silent retribution for everything he had put her through. At some point Severus used several of his own spells and the result was a somewhat bushy and slightly blood covered lump on the floor. Greyback flinched as Mina drew closer. Hand in hand with dark spells came the urge to feed; a throwback to her conditioning. She knelt beside the wolf and purred over him. "How does it feel to be so helpless puppy?" Her voice held all the mockery he had turned on her before. He flinched away from her and a quiet applause sounded.
Mina looked up shocked that she had forgotten she had an audience. "Well done Mina." Slowly she got to her feet before bowing low. In the after math of curse casting Mina felt a heady release. It was like a violent homecoming and even as she felt the aftereffects of such dark magic surge thirsting for more. The applause stopped and the Dark Lord dismissed both Mina and Severus with the hopes that they found their reward pleasing. Mina and Severus left in a swirl of black smoke as they apparated back to head quarters. When they arrived there was an order meeting under way. Mina kept her eyes on the ground and tried to keep her blood lust at bay as they slipped into the dining room. Severus reported his bit and Mina told how there would be a breakout soon. Everything was said in an emotionless bell like voice. Mina forced it all away in an effort to control her self and so she sounded more empty then Severus. Reports continued and the meeting ended.
Mina turned and walked blindly from the room, she had to get out of here before she lost control. She kept her eyes resolutely on Severus and just as they reached entryway, Mina's wrist was taken. She swung around abruptly and had her hand on the perpetrators' throat before she realized she had acted. She froze as her fingers flexed on Sirius Black's throat. As if she had been burned she released him and stepped back. "I've told you before Black, following me is dangerous." He chuckled a bit as he calmed his breathing. "Yes, but then I wouldn't see that wild passion that I am so addicted to." Mina's eyes held his as they glazed over in red. "You keep playing this game, Sirius, it will end fatally for you." He laughed and moved closer to her. "Would you regret it and grant me an immortal life?" Against her will her eyes dropped to his neck and then flicked to his eyes again. He smiled and leaned closer his lips nearly touching hers. "I would not deny you Mina." She never got to answer as Severus had turned back and found her not with him. He growled and reached out lacing his fingers with hers and pulling her against him.
He glared at Sirius beyond her. "Are you really still trying Black?" Sirius smirked. "Are you still blind, Snape?" His eyes darkened and his hand tightened one hers Mina's attention had shifted to him, he could feel how badly she wanted his blood in that moment. "I haven't been blind for a few years now, Black, hadn't you heard?" He gave his enemy no chance to reply. "Oh that's right, you have been locked up." Sirius opened his mouth to reply but Snape ignored him dropping his eyes to his vampire. Mina held his eyes desperately and his lips twitched before he lowered his them to hers. Mina sighed into the kiss and he cut his tongue on her fangs, as his blood welled he felt Mina's attention shift as her kiss became harsher. He carried the kiss to its natural ending and realized he had given too much to the moment. His other hand cradled her cheek and the one that had been laced with hers had found its way around her waist.
Mina drew her bottom lip into her mouth and slowly opened her glowing ruby eyes. He raised an eyebrow as if asking silently if that was enough. Mina blinked and nodded before easing back from him. He kept his arm around her and looked back up to find a shocked Sirius Black, at a loss with what to do. Mina turned her red gaze to look at him and he felt the blow as if to his chest. He knew then that he never stood a chance. He shook his head as if to deny it and took several steps back clearly stunned. Severus smirked before turning and steering her out of the head quarters. A week later the rest of the Dark Lord's circle was free from Azkaban. Mina was called several more times to give the Dark Lord access to dreams of various individuals.
It seemed that he had several things he was trying to obtain. Eventually, Dumbledore was driven from the school and Umbridge became the Headmistress appointed by the ministry. Severus was forced to try and teach Harry occlumancy but the boy was very, unappreciative of the effort. The boy snuck into the penseive that Severus had been using to store some of his memories and with that the lessons ended. Dumbledore asked her to have a go at teaching the young Potter and she obliged, devoting as much time as possible to it by sneaking into the school and over the entirety of spring break. It was after one of these lessons at headquarters that Mina found herself cornered in the room with the family tapestry, by Sirius Black. She growled that she had to go but he wouldn't let her. "He still doesn't love you, you know that right?" Mina sighed and pushed him back from her.
"Love is not a requirement for immortals Sirius." He narrowed his eyes. "Then be with me instead, at least I would appreciate you." Unbeknownst to either of them, Harry was eavesdropping. "Sirius, you honestly have no idea about anything between me and Severus." Sirius growled and gripped her upper arms. "I love you Mina, I always have, and yet you deny me for someone who doesn't love you. Give me another chance." Mina raised her hands and gently pried his fingers off her shoulders. "Sirius, I wont be with you because I don't love you, I have always loved him, and no he may not love me back, but right now, he wants me. That's enough for me. Please stop pursuing me. We are in the middle of a war, you have a god son to care for." Sirius glared at her. "Kiss me." Mina rolled her eyes. "A kiss is nothing Sirius." He smirked. "Then do it." Mina rolled her eyes again and leaned in lightly pecking his jaw. "Now release me, I have to go."
Sirius shook his head. "That is not a kiss, Mina." He gave her no chance to reply and took her lips with his own. Mina tried to stand firm for a long time but Sirius Black was very good at kissing, and he knew it. Eventually, Mina sighed into his kiss and he delved his tongue into her mouth cutting his tongue on her fangs. Mina's eyes flew wide and she really tried to fight her animal. That is not how it works for vampires and soon Mina gave him the kiss he sought. They carried on for several long minutes and then Sirius ended the kiss. "Tell me you didn't enjoy that, Princess." Mina opened her red, red eyes and studied his silver ones. "You are very good at kissing Sirius, but a kiss is just as kiss unless there's more involved with it. You don't love me, you just don't like to loose. You know who I want, have always wanted, and now you can't stand that I have it. Especially because you hate him." She misted then and glided passed him and out into the hall behind Harry before she solidified. "Its rude to eavesdrop, Potter." With that she left Grimmald Place and headed for her cottage.
Several weeks later she was startled awake by a frantic mental brush. Immediately she followed it and found an irritated Severus. 'Potter has left the school and headed for the Ministry. He's taken six students with him and believes he is off to play hero and rescue Black. I need you to alert the order, but remember you cant go.' Mina got to her feet and with a wave of her wand she was clothed. 'I wont forget, I am coming to you when I am done.' He caressed her with his mind and she caressed him back before closing the link and darting out into the afternoon light. She narrowed her eyes against the brightness and apparated to head quarters. She entered and found several order members present. She told them what was happening and they immediately jumped into action, Sirius included. She tried to stop him but he shook his head, seized her lips, and was out the door before she could react. She shook her head and followed out behind them and apparated to Hogwart's. Severus led her inside and they waited to see what would happen. The blow came when Dumbledore returned a nearly dead looking Potter in his arms. Mina and Severus fell in behind him as he told them what had happened at the ministry.
Mina felt herself stumble when it came out that Sirius had died and she was surprised at the pang she found in her heart. She pushed it away and listened as they were given the rest of the facts they needed. After they were updated Severus led her to his chambers. "I did not think it would bother you so much Mina." Her eyes shifted to his. "There were times, Severus, when I wished I could have loved him instead." He watched her for a long time. "Mina, I…" She raised an eyebrow and he sighed crossing over to her and lacing his fingers with hers. He drew her to her feet and slipped his arms around her. "I have to tell you before its to late." Mina looked at him confused. "What's wrong?" His lips twitched. "Nothings wrong, Its just that I-" He was cut off by his arm burning. Mina sighed as the burn echoed in her own arm. She stepped back from him and turned to the exit onto the grounds. "We should hurry." She felt his eyes on her as she stepped out into the cool night and twined his fingers with hers as they apparated to their dark master.
