Hello again! This is the last chapter before I take a two-month break to finally fix all the previous chapters and sole som formating and lay-out issues.

I´ll be back in the end of May! (I will try to post some one-shots in the mean time though)

Thank you everybody once more for the lovely reviews! I´ll keep answering to all of them and to those of you who left anonymous, unsigned or unregistered reviews, I can´t answer but don´t think this means I care about your reviews any less, each and every one of them makes me so happy, thanks for taking the time to write them!

I hope everyone of you enjoys this chapter. :D

...

Severus looked on as the police officers screened Evelyn´s house. She stood by his side, fidgeting nervously. It probably wasn´t a good idea to come back while this was being done, but she had a hard time knowing people she didn´t know would be going through her personal things without her presence. It had taken some persuasion to get the officers to allow them back in.

That wasn´t what worried Severus, however.

Earlier Evelyn said another police officer had let her into the house so she could get food from her pantry. Now, these officers wouldn´t allow them to go in any further than the living room. That was odd. When enquired about the first officer, none of these men seemed to know what they were talking about. Maybe there had been some miscomunication, which was common enough in inept police departments, or maybe there was something else. Evelyn didn´t seem to make anything of it, but Severus had to wonder...

"Severus, you don´t have to stay here till they finish..." she told him as they stood by the door, trying to stay out of the way of the work being done.

"I don´t have anything better to do, I´m afraid..."

"But you seem tired..."

"I´m not."

"Don´t lie to make me feel better...I know you got very little sleep last night."

"I don´t usually sleep much more than I did last night..."

Sure, he had gotten very little sleep the night before. But certainly not for the reasons that worried her. Severus couldn´t very well tell her how it had taken him hours to fall asleep due to how troubling it was to have her sleeping under his roof...in his clothes... He couldn´t tell her he had suddenly gone back to the time he was fourteen and barely able to reign over his hormones. And above all, he couldn´t tell her he had gone into her room, after she was long asleep, telling himself he was simply going to check to see if she needed anything...And that what he really had wanted, in spite of all his good intentions and scruples, was to get one last look at her to make sure she truly was there and this was not one of those feverish dreams that constantly assaulted in the past few days. But mostly, to make sure she was sound asleep before fleeing into his bedroom and locking himself up to allow his mind and body to indulge on feelings he, trully, shouldn´t be entertaining.

Severus had managed to stave off such urges thus far, but the events of the night, the knowledge that she was so close...seeing her in his old, worn nightshirt (which looked nothing like a sack of potatoes on her, with those bewildering curves to fill it out)...It all had converged in such a way that he couldn´t fight it. It was wrong, very wrong of him to even think of her in these terms...Evelyn trusted him...Blindly almost. Even if she would never suspect it; even if was just a solitary, feeble atempt at satisfying urges he believe long dead, it was still quite wrong. But, he told himself, it was a simply matter of seeking relief. At some point imagination will get the best of a man, and paliative measures must be taken before one goes insane with need and want. It was pathetic and embarassing, but forgivable as long as it stayed in his mind and in his bedroom.

"I´ll step out for a moment. I need a smoke. Call me if you need anything."

His current infatuation, or whatever it was that led him into a sleepless night filled with indecorous reverie, was not what he should be thinking about now... Too many parts of the night´s events were not addiding up as far as he was concerned. And Severus had a hard time believing Cokeworth´s inept police department would be of any help with it.

"Mr. Snape!"

Severus didn´t recognise the voice until he looked towards the main street and saw the lanky denim-clad figure of James coming from the corner.

"If you´re here to talk to your teacher" Severus told him in a bored tone, going up to meet the boy. "she´s quite busy at the moment. And shouldn´t you be at school?"

"No, it´s you I want to talk to."

"Me?"

"Yeah. I wanted to ask...to ask something" he hesitated

"Just spit it out, lad!"

"A police officer came to my house this morning."

"I thought you had given your testimony last night?"

"I did. But then this bloke showed up. It wasn´t one of those who talked to us yesterday."

"And what did he want?"

"So...uh... yesterday I thought I had seen somebody in the house across the street"

"Wait, what? Why didn´t you tell me that?"

"You wouldn´t let me talk!I told the officers yesterday and they didn´t look like they were taking me seriously either...Then this other one shows up at my house asking about it..."

"I see..." Severus could smack James for this. Why the devil hadn´t he told him?

"I don´t think it was anybody though..." the lad was shifting on his feet and looking around nervously.

"Why not?" Severus pushed.

"I just saw a shadow for a second then it disappeared. It must have been my imagination."

"A shadow? Then it...'disappeared'? How exactly?"

"I don´t know. It was there one second and then poof! ´s what I told the police last night. I could tell they didn´t believe me, but now they sent somebody else to ask me about it."

"Don´t tell me you´re afraid it will get you trouble?"

"Somewhat, yeah...I mean, I wasn´t lying, but...Do you think I should be afraid?"

"What did you tell the officer this morning?"

"The same I just told you. I thought I saw something like a shadow and it disappeared."

"What else did he ask you?"

"About the man who attacked Miss Black. A description."

"Could you provide one?"

"Yeah, of course. Not his face though..."

"He had a mask on, I remember."

"Yeah, but I saw his clothes and the motorcycle...That should help, no?"

"Of course. Just do me a favour?"

"Yes?"

"Don´t go around telling anybody you saw something in that house."

"Why not?"

"Because nothing will come of it. It was probably your imagination. You were nervous, that´s all...Now...you wanted to talk to Evelyn?"

"Can I?"

"She´s inside. She´s been meaning to go and visit you and Constance anyway, so...Just go there and reassure her you´re both fine if you will."

Severus waited for the boy to go inside before heading for the house he had pointed out. The door was closed. Of course he could break in, but not with a team of police officers across the street. He walked to the window and looked in instead. Surely enough, the house was as abandoned as Severus had always thought it was. Still... He doubted James had just imagined that...

Severus had to cut his investigation short as he noticed the small group of police officers leaving Evelyn´s house. The one who had taken his and the children´s statements the previous night was the last one out, and Severus noticed he was lingering outside, taking more notes. He was always taking notes.

"Hey!" Severus shouted, moving towards him "Office...whatever your name was"

"Perry, Officer Perry"

"Oh, I´m sorry, I didn´t mean to give you the impression that I cared."

"Mr. Snape..."

"Yeah, yeah, we´ve been through that. Just tell me, is harrassing witnesses really the way you want to go about this?"

"Pardon?"

"Did you send another police officer to James´ house this morning to ask all the same questions he has already answered last night?"

"Wait a minute, did he tell you that? Because I can assure you..."

"Well, someone went there!"

"Not any of my men...And frankly Mr. Snape, if I were you I wouldn´t put much weight on whatever that boy says. He´s clearly troubled and I ran a background check on him..."

"Yes, I´m aware that James has been charged with minor offenses. Which doesn´t invalidate anything he says."

"Unless he´s trying to cover for something..."

"Let us stop right here, officer, for your own good. This fine municipality´s police department is already known across the entire Greater Manchester area for being grossly incompetent, even by local standards, which is saying a lot... I´m sure being a Cokeworth police officer adds no bonus points to you curriculum, so you probably shouldn´t go looking to get yourself sued for harrassing witnesses... I don´t care for your opinion of James but I was there and I know the lad is not involved in any wayn with what happened to Evelyn."

"Excuse me, Mr. Snape, but this conversation is over."

Officer Perry rushedly walked towards his car, but Severus suddenly remembered something.

"Officer Perry!"

"Now you remember my name?"

"How many men were assigned to collect evidence here today?"

"What the hell kind of question is that?"

"Can you just answer it?"

"I shouldn´t, but since you´re so intent on ruinning my morning I don´t believe you´ll leave me alone if I don´t...Three...the three men you saw yourself with your own eyes, for that matter."

"You didn´t send anybody earlier?"

"Dear Lord! We´re understaffed as is, why do you think I´d waste time and resources sending rogue officials on imaginary missions!?"

"So nobody was here early this morning."

"Of course not. Get it through your thick skull, sir, nobody questioned that boy a second time and nobody was here before our team arrived. Even if I had sent anybody, we´d have to wait for Miss Black to wake up and let us in, or would you prefer we bust the door open and go in without her consent?"

As Perry walked away muttering insults under his breath, Severus hurriedly walked back into Evelyn´s house.

"Severus, where were you?" She asked him. James was awkwardly sitting on the sofa, and looked up at him as if begging him not to tell her anything of they had just talked about.

"Just checking some things with that officer..."

"Well, James came to see how I was doing."

"I know, we talked a little while ago..."

"I´m going to get him tea and something to eat back at your place...can you believe this boy left the house without breakfast?! Do you want anything?"

"No, I´m fine...Thank you."

Evelyn had barely left the room before Severus swiftly and quietly lunged forward towards James, asking in a low, hissing tone.

"What did he look like?"

"Who?"

"The officer who visited you. What did he look like?"

"I don´t know...Normal I guess..."

"Elaborate. Height, hair color, clothes." 'Please don´t make me have to go into your head for this, kid1' Severus thought to himself.

"Average height, I think. Hair was grey...almost white. I don´t remember the eyes. And he was wearing a stupid looking suit."

"How was it stupid looking?"

"It just was. It didn´t fit him right...and it was purple, with a green tie...He looked like a bloody cartoon. Why?"

"You remember his name?"

"Dawlins, I think...Or something like that."

"Daw...lins?...But of course."

…...

"Severus?..."

Severus had been quiet, too quiet, the entire time James was there. Evelyn had taken the opportunity of James´ visit to start easing him into the idea of an extra-curricular project. Before that awful event the night before, Fr. Thomas had suggested James would make a good addition to the church choir. They needed a pianist and even though the boy didn´t play the piano, he could be taught. He had learned the guitar by himself, so it wasn´t a stretch... Evelyn knew she had to proceed with caution. James would say no if she told him right the way. She had to get him to open up to the idea of a project first, something outside school.

She had asked him about his latest piece, an intrumental ballad he had been toying with. As usual, James gave her monossilabic answers. The boy really didn´t think of himself as a composer or considered his work any good. Evelyn asked him wether he had ever thought about learning an instrument formaly, wether he considered music as a career...He looked at her as if she was speaking in tongues.

Severus had looked on without intereferring, and she couldn´t quite decide if it was because he didn´t want to override her or if he just wasn´t interested in the topic. Severus had acted normally all morning. Well, about as normally as Severus could act. He still seemed extremely awkward around her, moreso than the night before, if possible. Over breakfast he barely made eye contact, and talked little as usual. She had gotten used to Severus´ aloofness, and had learned not to take it personally, but he seemed particularly detached now that James had shown up.

Once the boy was gone she had to ask.

"Are you ok?"

"Yes, of course..." he answered, not even looking at her, as if his mind was lost somewhere else.

"You´re sure? I know it´s been a rough night..."

"More for you than me."

"I´m fine...So, what do you think?"

"Of..?"

"What I was telling James..."

"I don´t know. It looks like you´re going to have some trouble getting him to accept any project...Is this what you and father Thomas discussed? Music lessons?"

"Yes..." she studied his face. Sure he was talking to her, but his tone sounded mechanic, as if he was simply answering for the sake of being polite but wasn´t really 'there'. "What do you think?"

"You´re a better judge than student, after all" he got up from his seat, where he had been for the last hour without moving. "I should get going"

"Already?"

"You´re home, and everything seems fine. The officers said you could come back."

"True..." suddenly she felt like he was trying to get rid of her. In all fairness, she had indeed intruded on him quite a bit, and an unexpected houseguest could be a nuisance even to the most hospitable of people, but still...

"I...have some matters to tend to. I should be back in a few hours. Will you be fine till then?"

"Sure...I may go to school. To talk to the headmaster, explain what happened."

"You should probably stay in...Angela already talked to him, didn´t she? And you..."

"I know, I heard the doctor." she smiled. "So you will be back in a few hours?"

"I will."

"I´ll wait then..."

"Do try to be quiet for a while, will you? I don´t want you to have a dizzy spell and hit your head again when I´m not here."

"Yes, I´ll try to stay alive while you´re away. I´m sure I´ll manage somehow."

…...

It wasn´t wise to go back today. Snape was probably on full alert. That muggle woman that was so important to him had been attacked and he would surely be feeling very protective and paranoid. It wasn´t safe to be around them now, he´d be easily caught.

As a matter of fact, he wondered how he had managed to go undetected for over a week. Maybe Snape had gone soft after the war...Or maybe, and considerably more likely, he was too distracted by his little tryst with this woman to be as observant as he was known to be. To be perfectly honest, he couldn´t really blame him. Looking at that woman it was difficult to believe she was naught but a baseborn muggle. It wasn´t that she was pretty, which she surely was, but there were plenty of pretty women of better, cleaner birth...This mongrel Snape had found himself was downright enticing. It almost made it worthwile to be a blood traitor when he imagined the fun Snape must be having with her.

Distracted as he may have been, however, now that his little toy had gotten hurt, testing Snape would be dangerous. Not to mention the fact that he was almost certain that muggle boy had seen him in his hiding spot.

The ruffle of wings came from outside the window of the room he had rented in a shabby muggle hotel across town. He looked up to see an owl perched on the windowsill. Well, well, finally her highness had decided to answer one of his letters. If he had known working for the Rotts would be this thankless...

"Midnight behind the old mill. Wait for further instructions"

He folded the note after reading the laconic message. Maybe the idea of using the muggle woman as bait to get to Severus had pleased her enough to stirr a reaction? Oh women, even those without a heart would still be easily swayed by a romantic plot...

…..

Severus didn´t feel well at ease leaving Evelyn all by herself, but given the circumstances...

"Dawlins"...The dolt hadn´t even bothered to come with a proper fake name. Of course it was Dawlish. Who else would be as un-creative as to cover his identity by changing only the last two letters of his own bloody name. Then again he had always been a straight-laced, unimaginative, by-the-book boor. Severus had heard about his readmission into the auror office and how Shacklebolt had vouched for him, personally advocating his return. Evidently the new minister would try to prove his point by giving Dawlish the important assignment of keeping an eye on the most important living evidence and resource the ministry had: Severus himself.

But to what end had he gone after James asking questions about Evelyn´s attacker? Whoever that criminal was, Severus knew beyond a shadow of a doubt he was a muggle...What interest would Shacklebolt have in a muggle criminal, he had wondered...And then it hit him...It wasn´t the criminal... It was Evelyn. The ministry sent Dawlish to spy on him. Would it be too much of a stretch for them to use Evelyn in some way to get him to cooperate? With so many Death Eaters still unaccounted for, and the Rott´s money financing them, Severus could understand the desperation.

He could understand, but he wouldn´t be pressured. Kingsley was enough of a big boy to take care of his duties without having to resort to this. Severus refused to let the Ministry play with his personal life. He had told Shacklebolt more than once he wasn´t not at his disposal. Maybe the interim minister needed a reminder, even if he had to apparate to London and deliver the message in person.

…...

"Was it really necessary to threaten the secretary to gain access to my office?" Shacklebolt asked him cooly, without even leaving his seat, as Severus burst into his office unannouced, slamming the door behind him.

"He should count his blessings that I didn´t hex him."

"For a man who wanted to stay dead and hidden, you´re sure making a spectacle of coming into the Minister´s office. I imagine something serious happened..."

"Spare me the act, Kingsley. You know why I´m here. You know, you could have told Dawlish to come up with a better fake name if he wants to spy on me."

"It doesn´t surprise me that you´d detect him. Do take a seat, will you?"

"I rather stand, this won´t take long."

"As you wish" Kingsley crossed his fingers over the tabletop and leaned in "How did you find out?"

"Your obtuse pet auror is not exactly subtle. So, the ministry doesn´t take 'no' for an aswer, I gather? I told you I wasn´t at your beck and call, and you send an auror to spy on me?"

"To protect you."

"Oh, please!"

"Your neighbour had a little mishap last night, didn´t she?"

"Leave her out of this." Severus lunged forwards towards the desk, his face inches away from Kingsley

"I can´t." the interim minister leaned back, opened one of the drawers of his workdesk, retrieved an envelope and dropped it on the tabletop in front of Severus.

"What is this?"

"Open it."

Severus eyed him suspisciously before picking up the envelope. He didn´t recognise the handwritting, of a penmanship so poor it took him a while to understand, but once he did, Severus felt a punch in his stomach.

How could this have happened? How did he fail to notice? He had been a spy for years, and yet he had missed this? How? Had he gotten this careless?

"We have intercepted more of these. None reached its destination I assure you."

"Since when?"

"It started on Halloween, so not too long ago. I had asked Dawlish to keep an eye on you, and he had been on the case since mid October, so you can rest easy that the Rotts got no information concerning you...or your personal connections."

"Dawlish was there yesterday?"

"Not on the scene, no...He has kept his distance from you. We didn´t want you to notice, evidently. But he did learn about your neighbour´s misadventure as soon as it occurred. Our dear Death Eater friend was quick to report it..."

Severus looked down on the letter once more, feeling his blood run cold inside his veins.

"...Snape´s muggle whore..."

"...the baseborn is probably going to come in handy, he seems to hold her dear..."

"...he might be more incline to cooperate if..."

"It´s not signed..." Severus asked, after finally finding his voice "...who...?"

"Selwyn."

"Cant´s say that surprises me..." Selwyn was notorious for his sadism, Severus remembered it well. The man´s mere presence had always disgusted him. A sleazy coward with a nasty tendency of preying on the vulnerable and weak, and a penchant for girls and women. It had been quite the task to get him to keep his paws off Luna Lovegood when she was in their custody. Even the average Death Eater had more moral standards than this brute. Small wonder he would suggest hurting Evelyn to get to him...He probably would have wanted to do it himself if he could get his way. "I thought he was dead"

"He ran away right after the Battle of Hogwarts...Now he´s probably trying to get back in the good graces of his former associates."

"Once a coward..."

"We will deal with him in due time. As for what happened to your neighbour, we are also looking into it..."

"What do you want?" Severus asked in a low, defeated tone.

"Pardon?"

" . ?" he hissed

"I thought you said you were not 'at my beck and call'? Your own words."

"Just tell me what you want. I´ll do it."

"What I want depends on what you´re offering."

"You wanted my help, didn´t you? Fine. I´ll do it."

"And in return..."

"Don´t let anybody near her"

"Your neighbour?"

"Yes. This...this has nothing to do with her, and she shouldn´t suffer for it. She´s a muggle, a schoolteacher. I´m sure you don´t want the scandal if any harm comes to this woman. Attacks on muggles so soon after the war would be a publicity disaster for the ministry."

"Yes, that´s true. But that´s not what you´re worried about...is it?"

"It´s none of your concern what I´m worried about, Minister. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes."

Kingsley stood from his seat and walked up to Severus, stretching out his hand. Snape sneered and turned away, walking to the door.

"Do I have your word?"

"Yes." Severus nearly barked, his hand gripping the doorknob till his knuckles went white.

"Can I count on you for anything?"

"Anything. I gave you my word, didn´t I?" he turned "Just let me know when and where."

Shacklebolt nodded, knowingly.