At great length, Hermione and Minerva managed to convince Severus that the House Heads should be aware of his precarious position, however, he had forbidden nearly all the details.
When Hermione arrived at his cottage two days later, Severus was intent on making sure she told them only what they had discussed.
"You must tell them even less than Minerva. I chose a Secret Keeper because I needed secrets kept... and I needed the secrets kept secret!" He growled.
She was frustrated with him, "Yes, Severus, but you also put me in charge of dictating who was told what if anyone needed to be told anything."
"Go on then. Just what have you planned to tell them?" He snapped.
"I plan to tell them that I am your Secret Keeper, and that, for the benefit of all, clarity is required. In the interest of clarity, they will need to be told that you are still our spy," She said.
"No," He said firmly.
"For fuck's sake, Severus. You just want to leave it as 'I'm your Secret Keeper' and let them assume the rest?"
"Yes."
"No, sorry, that's not the way to make this most functional."
"I disagree," He drawled
"Oh, of course you do," She huffed, "You'll just have to trust me."
He raised his eyebrow, "Yes, just look at where that has gotten me thus far."
"Lovely, Sev," His breath hitched. Sev, "is there anything else you'd like to undermine before our guests get here?"
"I am sorry, Hermione," He said, "I trust you. Being open and trusting are not exactly two of my strengths."
"Definitely not," She said. Her head turned toward the door when she heard the crack of apparation.
She shoved Severus back down the hallway out of sight and he grumbled, "What the hell?"
"Minerva didn't tell them this was your place. They wouldn't have come. Just stay back here for a minute or so," She said.
He glared, but sighed in defeat. They're going to murder me at first glance. This death, at least, will probably be tremendously quicker than whatever the Dark Lord has in store for me.
He heard Minerva bring in the other staff.
"Just where the devil are we, Minerva?" Horace Slughorn spoke first. He is surely the most disappointed in me. I am just another one of his Slytherins gone bad. Each one he takes as a personal failure.
Pomona Sprout seconded his question, "Yes, and what was so urgent and why all the secrecy?" The irony.
Filius Flitwick asked, "Whose house is this?" Oh, this will go wonderfully, "and why is Miss Granger here?"
Hermione spoke, "Hi Professors... I'm really sorry about the urgency and secrecy and all that, but it will all be made perfectly clear in a minute or so." Too clear.
Minerva said, "Yes, Indeed, it will. But first, we need your wands." Filius could kill me without lifting a finger let alone a wand...
The three grumbled their dissatisfaction at the request, but after both Hermione and Minerva pleaded and said they required their trust, they held all three wands in their possession.
"Right, now that we've got that out of the way..." Hermione sounded nervous.
"Whose house is this?" Flitwick asked again. As usual, he is working things out before he should.
Hermione began to speak, but Severus stepped out from the dark hallway into the light of the sitting room and spoke lowly, "It is mine."
"You!" Sprout rose to her feet, but Flitwick had Snape bound to the wall in an instant.
Severus met the eyes of Slughorn who was staring at him sadly. Anger would have hurt less. Hermione was screaming at Flitwick to let Snape go, but the invisible bonds around Severus' neck only grew tighter. Yes, this will be much faster.
Ponoma spoke up, "Filius, stop. They brought us here for a reason, and if he's involved," She spat toward Snape, "then we should know everything before we decide to kill him." Ever the Hufflepuff.
Filius released Snape and he gasped for breath. When he had regained his breathing, he leaned back against the wall for support. He opened his eyes and observed the people in front of him.
"If everyone would please just sit down so we can talk," Hermione said. Slughorn sat immediately. His heartbreak is horrifying.
Filius remained glaring at Severus, and Ponoma said, "Miss Granger, we do want to hear you out, but this..." She jutted a finger toward Snape, who flinched, "This man killed our headmaster."
"I'm aware of what he did," She snapped, "Please. Sit."
All but Severus obeyed, and when Hermione shot daggers at him, he merely raised his hands and said coolly, "I believe I am safer here."
Filius spat, "You're not safe anywhere, Snape."
Severus inclined his head, "Indeed."
Hermione interrupted the brief verbal sparring, "Professor McGonagall and I brought you three here tonight in hopes of bringing to light some information which you will find both necessary and valuable in the days to come. It is also to unite the House Heads under their headmaster as well."
The three professors looked between the two Slytherins confused as to which was which, and Flitwick's mouth dropped open, "No!" Again with the figuring it all out before it's time.
Flitwick lunged toward Severus again, but Hermione jumped in front of him, "I am Severus Snape's Secret Keeper! He is our spy, he killed Dumbledore at Dumbledore's own request, and he is your new headmaster appointed by You-Know-Who himself," She yelled.
Yes, fantastic, just throw in the bits about Lily, too, or the part where I'm fucking their prized student.
The room went completely silent. The secrets nestled firmly in all of their chests, rooting in a way that could never be forced out, and they digested what had just been said. Severus was quite certain that nobody, other than he, was breathing.
Filius staggered backward a step and everyone remained silent. He looked green. Slughorn looked thoroughly confused and hurt, and Sprout looked as if she had been kicked in the chest by Buckbeak. All eyes slowly made their way to his face.
He crossed his arms in Snape-fashion and pushed away from the wall, "How lovely to see you all," came the velvet drawl.