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Chapter 37

Severus heard about the bombs and thought of Hermione. Tom was safe in Scotland. He was well ensconced in Hogwarts but Hermione was not. She took her wandnow, ever since last summer. He made her promise that she would. Ministry workers guided muggles and squibs into safe houses and out of the raids' ways. Children were evacuated into different country side houses to keep them safe.

Hermione continued her work at the hospital. Severus made his way out of the ministry and into the alleys to the left where he could apparate to his home.

He called for Winky, "Where is your mistress?"

The elf looked at him quickly, "she has not returned master."

The man waited for an hour before he received her patronus. The otter danced around but the words were worried. "I am safe, there are many injured. I will stay the night."

Severus knew that they would not see each other for another day. He went to bed and woke up the following day to an Owl from Tom.

"Mum and Dad,

I heard about the raids. I wanted to floo but I was not allowed. None of us were. Please write back so that I know you two are safe.

Love,

Tom."

Severus wrote a quick reply to their child. Severus then went to work and resumed his activities as obliviator. He tried to concentrate as much as he could but wanted to see Hermione as soon as possible.

He apparated from place to place until it was time for him to go home. Severus refused to go back to the manor without knowing that Hermione would be there.

The man made his way through London and found his Hermione running to help with the injured. He made sure to keep away from her. He did not need his wife to recognize him and believe that he did not trust her abilities. Hermione could be touchy about him checking on her.

Severus snuck out of the hospital and tried to apparate to his home when he heard his name.

"Mr. Snape." Severus turned around and saw the last person he needed to see. It was Albus, dressed in his usual robes.

"Professor Dumbledore." Severus greeted.

"May I have a word with you?" The man asked him. "I am about to apparate home." Severus offered his hand and apparated them to Prince Manor.

Severus invited him to one of the drawing rooms and waited for Albus to speak.

"I heard that you are Octavius's heir. I must confess I find myself very confused by these turns of events." Albus stated bluntly.

Severus offered him a glass of firewhisky. "I do not understand your confusion. Octavius is my uncle and I am the last of the Princes. I am a Prince if that is your doubt" He said plainly.

Albus tried legilimency on him once again and failed. "I find you very intriguing."

Severus smirked and drank from his glass, "I assure you, I am very transparent and boring to be truthful."

Albus' eyes twinkled and he smiled, "I think not. You see, I don't doubt that you are a Prince heir but I find it hard to believe that you are Atria's son."

Severus remained impassive, "Professor, I fail to see any point in this conversation."

"Do you remember that first conversation we had?" The man asked him.

"I do, you and I convinced my wife to let Tom attend Hogwarts." Severus continued.

"Yes, and I asked your mother's name. You said it was Atria, the only thing was that it could not be Atria because the Atria I knew did not like men at all. She preferred the company of women." The man said and drank some more.

"I am aware of my late mother's sexual preferences which do not preclude her from having me." Severus said silkily.

Albus smiled a bit more, "I lied to you. I knew Atria, you see, we were classmates. Atria and I were always fighting for top spot. I usually won but Atria was extremely adept at Potions. I rather not bore you with the details but we became friends a little like young Minerva and Tom."

"Professor Dumbledore, I have a busy day ahead of me tomorrow."

Albus then gave him a look, "I believe you are my son. Atria did not graduate Hogwarts, Octavius pulled her away from the school our fifth year. It made sense you see. You are forty-five and Atria and I had sex before our NEWTS. The timeline made sense for a hasty removal."

Severus frowned, "Professor, I am quite sure that you and I do not share blood."

"I did my research and tried to find Atria. I contacted Octavius who explained the night he disowned Atria. He was sorry and I suggested he contact you now that you were in England. I searched for her gravesite and found that she died eleven years ago. There were records of your French birth but I simply do not believe it Mr. Snape." Albus remained impassive. "I would like to perform a simple charm that will tell me your parentage."

Severus frowned, "of course not. I am not your son. My father was a muggle by the last name Snape. He lived in Manchester and did not know my mother was a witch."

"Severus, I only want to be certain." The older man explained.

"Professor, there is no need for this. I am not your son." Severus stated clearly. He saw anguish inside the older man's eyes but could not risk him seeing his true parentage and age.

"I see that I will not change your mind." Severus expected Albus to stand up and leave but he stayed seated.

"The purpose of my visit is twofold." Albus said and continued on with another drink.

"Your talents are wasted as an obliviator. I am here to offer you a post." Albus continued.

"I have no desire to teach." Severus continued.

Albus shook his head, "Mr. Spencer Moon has tasked me to lead a small task project against Grindelwald."

Severus frowned. "I am flattered, but no thank you."

Albus frowned in return, "I would have thought you were more willing to help your fellow men."

Hermione entered the drawing room, "Sev, are you here? I need a back rub. I had the most awful day at work." She called and blushed when she saw Albus.

"Good evening, Mrs. Snape. I have overstayed my welcome. Think it over Mr. Snape." Severus escorted him to the door.

Severus went back to the drawing room and saw as Hermione poured herself a cup. "Parentibus natal revelio." He aimed his hand at Hermione.

A piece of paper appeared out of thin air,

"Hermione Jean Granger,

September 19 1979, Midlands England

Born to Frank and Catelyn Granger."

"Why did you do that?" She frowned.

Severus shook his head, "Dumbledore believes that I am his son." Hermione blinked and the laughed hysterically.

The potions master explained detail by detail the late afternoon interactions. "Of all the bad luck in the world. And he just told you like that?"

Severus nodded, "he wanted to use the charm and get my parentage. I refused on the spot. He must not realize where we come from."

"Never." Hermione said quietly. Severus also explained the second part of Albus' proposal.

"I refused and he said to think it over." Severus said tiredly. He had Hermione sit and started to massage her shoulders.

"Maybe you should take it." She said barely audibly.

"You made me promise to not get involved with Albus." Severus started.

Hermione turned and kissed his hands, "That was before I saw."

"Sev, I had to tend to little children who were hit by rubble from the damage in London. You could stop it. I am helping in all ways I can, maybe you should help too." Hermione said with a glint in her eyes.

Severus sighed, "would you think less of me if I still did not want to?"

Hermione kissed him gently, "you may have fooled the world Severus but I know you better than them. You have a brave and good heart. I say help him where you can and stay away from him as much as possible."

Severus kissed her cheek, "you are absolutely impossible."

Severus and Hermione went to bed later. He did not think of Dumbledore's proposal until two weeks later. Mr. Ogden came to his office after lunch. "You are to meet with the head of Magical Law Enforcement, third floor, office to the right. I have to say, it was nice to have someone as competent as you in our unit."

Severus nodded and left for the appropriate floor. He was not surprised when he saw Albus and Travers, the head of the department. Travers looked upset. Albus looked distracted.

"Mr. Snape." Travers invited him to sit down.

Severus sat down, "Dumbledore and I have had long chat about you. He believes that you are the ideal person for this job. You will start tomorrow."

Severus frowned, "what type of job? I have not accepted anything."

Albus looked disappointed. The man would perfect that look in a couple of years, "did you think about my proposal?"

Severus arched an eyebrow, "there is nothing to think about, while I am flattered, I have to think about my wife and son."

Travers scowled, "your wife will be protected. She can continue playing a muggle healer if she so desires. She is of no concern to us. Young Snape continues to excel in Hogwarts and is safe there. Dumbledore claims to need you at this time."

Severus disliked the ease in which the man spoke about his role in things. "I am not interested." Severus stood up and made to leave.

Albus then spoke, "we need you to spy for us."

Severus turned back, "I have no background on any of this. I am not your man."

"And yet you are. Did you believe that Albus and I would not research you? I admit that we do not work together but we do converge in occasion." The man stated.

"What did you find?" Severus asked a little too softly. He was upset with these two men.

"Nothing and that was what concerned us the most. Albus believes that you could be an asset for us. I have to admit that I trust Albus' assessment in this matter."

"Mr. Snape, we would like for you to work with me. You have unique abilities that we would like to explore." Albus continued.

"For the last time, I am not interested in any positions other than working as an obliviator." Severus stated clearly for the last time.

"We have reached yet another impasse." Albus stated and revealed a small frown and looked to Travers who stood up at last.

"We will need you to surrender your claims to the Prince Estate and you will accompany us to Azkaban as you have failed to produce appropriate documentation to prove who you are. Your wife and child will also be held for questioning. We have records of young Tom Riddle. He will eventually be handed to muggle authorities and placed back in an orphanage to be adopted once more." Travers began.

"Torquil, this is not necessary." Albus seemed to try and appease. Severus smirked, scare tactics from Albus. He did not know Torquil Travers and did not wish to know whether he would follow up or not.

"I will get ministry clearance for me and my wife. I am a Prince. You will no use whatever so called fraudulent information you have against me. This stops now. You will not touch Tom and my wife. I will also have full disclosure with you." He looked at Albus.

"If I am to spy for you, I will have debriefs with you and no one else." Severus repeated.

"Very well. I will owl you for our first meeting. You are to continue in your post as obliviator." Albus finished.

Severus went back to his desk and fumed for an hour before he received a memo with a place and time.

He apparated to an abandoned house. Severus tried to remain impassive but just looking at Albus' face bothered him deeply.

"Severus, I would like to apologize for what happened earlier today. Torquil got a bit carried away." The man began.

"He threatened my wife and son." Severus stated clearly. He could not run with them. Tom had Hogwarts and then he would have to explain. Hermione and him swore to never tell him about them and where they came from.

"I must insist that you let me perform the charm." Albus said carefully.

"I am not your son." Severus spat. "Now, what is it that I have to do?"

Albus explained what he needed, "Newt and his team are tracking Grindelwald but we have a problem. There is the muggle war. Grindelwald is placing some of his influence but we cannot account all of it to him. We need information from the inside to help and stop this war."

"The ministry has a department devoted to magical and muggle relations. Why do you need me?"

"You will spy at their ministry and keep us abreast on their development and sightings. Muggles sometimes report inexplicable things and they may relate to Grindelwald. You will work as an attaché for our representatives." Albus then gave him the documents he needed.

Severus apparated to the manor and went in search of Hermione. He needed to tell her immediately. He found her in the library, not reading but almost slumbering.

She smiled sleepily. "I left work early today." She said and offered him a spot by her. Severus did so and leaned into her. "Albus went to the Ministry today. Travers and him have researched us, well me to be exact."

"They threatened you." Hermione said a little fearfully.

"They did. We could go away." Severus replied tiredly. He knew that Hermione would think that he wanted to spy. She had accused him of such when they first moved into the manor.

Hermione looked at him, "what does Dumbledore want out of you?"

Severus sighed, "to spy on muggles and feed them information."

"He wants you close to him. He believes you are his. He cannot fathom any other explanation as to your brilliance. He will want you to close to him to prove or disprove his theory." Hermione said clearly.

Severus suspected as much, "he cannot know that we are from another lifetime."

Hermione stood up, "he's forced your hand. How did he do that?"

"Travers and him have researched us separately. Albus more successfully and for a longer time. They both came empty handed, our identities are muggle in nature and Albus at least could detect forgery at the least, that is my theory. He has records of us from the moment we settled in London. Travers proposed to interrogate you and me while Tom remained in their custody or sent back to an orphanage."

Hermione shook her head, "no. There is no moving from England either. I will not have Tom learn about our past."

Severus nodded, "so here I am, forced to spy. I should have listened to you and stayed away from the wizarding world."

Hermione laughed, "I would have taken so much pleasure from that statement two or even a month ago. Sev, it does not matter. Dumbledore already investigated you. He had his suspicions from the moment that he found that Tom is a parseltongue and was adopted. There is little use in thinking about what could have been. We have to face what is ahead."

Severus nodded and marveled at her. He knew she could have nagged but here she was a true partner. He kissed her softly, "you truly are wonderful."

She smiled ruefully, "you are sweet, so sweet, no one would ever believe it." She said and kissed his nose.

"So what do you propose madam Snape?" He asked her.

"I am scared Severus, but you have to spy for him. You have to be careful, every word out of your mouth has to be exact. Dumbledore will always doubt but you have to make sure these doubts do not grow." Hermione stated clearly. "We keep raising Tom and involve ourselves as little as possible with the purebloods. That does not change you hear me?" Hermione looked worried but there was a glint in her eyes.

"Severus, I trust you with my life. I learned to do that when I was twelve years old. I will always trust you." Hermione kissed him. Severus kissed her back.

"Liar, you believed that I betrayed the Order." Severus replied after a few kisses.

Hermione shook her head and kissed him once more. "I knew that it could not be true. You were a mean, terrible and vindictive man but you were not evil. Never evil, I knew it, which was why it was so easy for me to go come here with you, to this lifetime."

He nodded and kissed her some more. Severus did not stop kissing her and soon she was on her back while he hovered over her.

"here?" She asked with her blouse half undone.

"Here and now." He growled and pulled on her skirt. Hermione nodded and helped him along until their skirt and pants were by the side. Severus muttered the incantation and then he was inside of her. They moved in tandem, a rhythm that worked for both of them.

He was spent above her and sweaty. "You get better and better." She caressed his forehead and Severus laughed slowly.