A/N: All characters in this story (other than my own OC creations) are the property of JKR. I am happily borrowing her wonderful world. Updated 04/16/12

Chapter 53 – The Dolls

It was early yet on Saturday morning, but despite the hour Andrea was already packed and prepared to leave. With February almost over, it had been almost two months since she'd left the school grounds, and she couldn't wait a minute longer. Today, she was going shopping. With her daypack, tote, purse, and baby supplies bundled neatly into the back of the pram, she was busily placing Eileen under a mass of blankets.

"Don't worry," Andrea said with a loud, exasperated sigh. "I have all the paperwork I need. It's hidden right here in my inside pocket. I have my twenty-four-hour Ministry-approved pass, my identification badge, my American Proof of Passage and …" Andrea paused and smiled devilishly as she held up a small notebook, "I also have my shopping list."

Severus flicked his eyes at her briefly before crossing the room to stand by her side. "Do not let anyone come near you," he warned. "You must stay away from large crowds. If you are approached by strangers, no matter how benign you think they might be, you must retreat."

"You worry too much. Nothing's going to happen. Besides, Pomona will be right there, and we're only going to Hogsmeade for Merlin's sake," Andrea replied as she felt her good humor evaporating in a shower of frustration. Trying to convince Severus of anything was like talking to a brick wall. Although she was rapidly losing her patience, she forced herself not to get angry. It would not help her case. Instead she tried to concentrate on the baby bottle she had just wedged securely into the side pocket of the buggy.

"I wish you'd reconsider," Severus suggested for the eleventh time. "This is not a good time for wandering about unprotected—"

"I will not be unprotected," Andrea interrupted. "I have my wand, and you know as well as I do, that there's never going to be a good time."

Severus twitched his lips in reply. The action easily gave away his concern, not that he was trying to hide it. On the contrary, the expression was part of his strategy.

Andrea, however, could see right through him, and she wasn't about to change her mind. In response to his dour misgivings, she tried to smile reassuringly. In a ploy of her own, she reached out to grasp his hand. It was wound tightly into the folds of his cloak, his fingers protected inside a layer of twisted fabric. It was a habit of his to use the cloak as a shield, especially if he was worried about something. Playfully, she tugged his hand out of its wrapping and placed it on her waist.

He recognized her overture as a thinly veiled attempt to manipulate his feelings. But rather than fight it, he decided it might be wiser, this time, to give in. First, however, he would make her pay. Sliding his hands under her loose, billowing hair, he pulled her close, taking the time to nuzzle her neck with his nose.

"I would have preferred that you wait for me," he replied dejectedly, taking advantage of his position. "I should have been the one to accompany you."

"You know that's not practical. With your double teaching schedule, you don't have time. You've got a stack of parchment essays a mile high to mark. Besides, this is a Hogwarts weekend. The whole village will be crawling with kids."

"Hmph," he answered glumly, his bottom lip sticking out in a shadow of a pout.

"And I need to shop. Eileen's outgrowing almost all of her robes."

Slyly, he slipped his hand in the front of her robes to gently stroke the top of her breast. "A simple enlarging spell would do—"

"Stop it!" she said, pulling his hand away. "I'm going, and that's that. Besides, I've been confined to the school grounds since Christmas, and I haven't been to Hogsmeade in almost forever."

"Almost forever? That's an awfully long time," he teased halfheartedly. "Were you born with the dinosaurs?"

"No, but I'm not getting any younger standing here arguing with you. I have to meet Pomona in the entry in five minutes." Squeezing him tight in a quick, dismissive embrace, she released him and picked up her coat. "Did you want me to get anything for you?"

"No, just … just come back safe," he answered truthfully. "And send your Patronus if you need me."

"I will. And stop worrying," she replied as she pushed her way out the door. "Like I said, nothing will happen."

"Yes, I've heard that before," Severus muttered under his breath as he watched her leave. Frowning, he stared at the now closed door. Despite the cloak he had wrapped around his thin frame, he felt an icy chill sweep over him. It was so strong that it caused a shiver to leap up his neck and over his shoulders, the sensation moving right down to his toes. Only later would he remember the strange feeling of foreboding.

Dismissing the odd reaction as an imagined annoyance, Snape followed his wife out the door and made his way toward the dungeons. As he walked, he did his best to contain his pessimistic musings with a bit of logic. Hogwarts itself was probably more dangerous than Hogsmeade these days, considering the possibility that a monster lurked beneath the school. And with hundreds of children wandering around the village and acting as informal escorts, the possibility of harm was truly slim. With a modicum of luck, the day would pass quickly and uneventfully. In the meantime, as Andrea had so clearly pointed out, there were essays to mark.

xxxxxxxx

"I've already made my decision." Using the tip of his green, striped quill to emphasize his point, Severus tapped it loudly on the edge of his ink well.

"Severus, I do not think this is wise," Dumbledore advised. The two were seated in the potions office, and the headmaster absentmindedly picked up one of the students' essays from a neatly stacked pile on the corner of Snape's desk. Using it as a prop, he studied Snape's actions.

"And how long, according to you, must I wait? The Ministry has done nothing. They sit on their lazy arses all day chewing the fat, and the Americans are equally as useless. They've been chasing Lucius all over the globe, and yet he toys with them like a cat with a basket full of mice. Did you know that Malfoy is intending to host the annual Spring Widows and Orphans Ball? At his house?" Severus slammed the invitation down on his desk in front of Dumbledore.

Although the slap of the parchment against the wood's surface made a rather sharp thud, Dumbledore barely blinked. Wisely, he waited for Snape to finish.

"I'm sure he's invited Andrea and me simply to gloat, but he's much too smart to keep Ellenore on the premises. He knows exactly what would happen if I got my hands—"

"Severus," Dumbledore warned.

Clenching his fists, Snape continued as his voice rolled out in growl, "I haven't heard a word out of Narcissa since our last meeting. Lucius has been keeping her tightly under his thumb. I think he's becoming suspicious. If that's the case, I'll get nothing out of her now. Most of my other sources have grown permanent locks on their tongues, and the only things I can depend on are the useless, censored reports from the MBI."

"There is still a need for caution." Dumbledore could no longer hold back. "Do you really think that by going to Lucius directly, you can make him change his mind? You must stop to think, Severus."

"There's a chance," Snape answered stubbornly.

Dumbledore shook his head as he spoke. "I disagree. Lucius believes he has the direct offspring of Voldemort. It is a treasure beyond compare. Why would he give that up?"

Snape scowled. The truth was not a pleasant thing to hear.

"He imagines Voldemort will provide a grand reward – a fantastic, almost indescribable gift of wealth that will be his alone," Dumbledore explained, his eyes piercing Snape like an arrow. "To a man like Lucius, an infinite supply of power and riches is a dream more intoxicating than any potion. What could you possibly offer in exchange for that?"

"I … have the child's mother," Snape reasoned, trying to use logic. "The Dark Lord will see that Ellenore belongs with her—"

"Sadly, that is irrelevant. It is Lucius you must convince. When Voldemort returns—"

"He is weak," Snape reminded him. "I could convince Lucius that the Dark Lord will never return."

"No," Dumbledore replied with assurance. "He will return, and Lucius is betting on it. When he does, Voldemort will look for his daughters – both of them. He wants them at his side as he rises to power once again."

"Which is exactly why I have to try," Severus explained quietly. "Ellenore is my daughter. They are both my daughters – my flesh and blood. Whatever it takes … I must find a way!"

"Do not be so sure of yourself, Severus. What if you're wrong?"

"You think that matters? Do you honestly believe I'd do anything differently if they were the Dark Lord's children?" Snape spat back angrily. Unable to control himself, he rose slowly from his chair and placed his hands squarely on the desk. "They are Andrea's children, and more than that … they are innocent. They don't deserve a life of servitude."

"None of us deserve to be under Voldemort's rule. If you get caught up with Lucius's schemes, or risk a lifetime of debt, the world will have to pay for your choice."

"My choice?" Severus lashed out angrily. "The wizarding world is doomed if I make the wrong choice? How is that? It's your bloody plan that'll go to blazes if I'm gone. Your plan – not mine."

"Yes, Severus, my plan. And you agreed."

"You cannot hold me to that promise when my children's lives are at risk," Snape snarled.

Dumbledore reached out and laid his hand gently on top of Snape's as he shook his head. "We can do both, Severus. We can defeat Voldemort and save your daughters. But we must do it wisely. We have no other choice."

Snape pulled his hand away from Dumbledore and massaged it as if the contact had stung him.

"You will tell me when you meet with Lucius," Dumbledore ordered quietly. "And we will discuss your options."

Turning away from the headmaster's steely gaze, Snape closed his eyes. Options, he thought. I have no options.

"Severus? Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

xxxxxxx

"That makes two new dresses for Eileen, six new sleep robes, baby shampoo, and a teething ring. I still need some new bibs and a new hat. This one is pretty," Andrea held up the thin, lacey cap. "But it doesn't even cover her ears."

"Don't forget. You wanted to stop at Scrivenshaft's for some new notebooks," Pomona reminded her. "And that book you ordered."

"Ah, yes," Andrea answered as she took a sip of butterbeer and lifted an eyebrow. "How could I possibly forget that?"

She and Pomona had stopped at the Three Broomsticks for a short break and a bite to eat, and as they rested, Andrea thought about the book and what Severus was going to say when she brought it home. They were sitting at a small table near the stairs, and beside them, Eileen was already fast asleep in her buggy.

The morning expedition had been exhausting, and the child was taking advantage of the oversized pram. As usual, the whimsical nature of Eileen's artistic skills was blatantly evident. When they'd left Hogwarts, the sides of the buggy had been magically cast a deep purple, but now, as the baby drifted off to dreamland, the shade had muted to a pale lavender. The colors of Eileen's world always mellowed when she fell asleep.

"You know, you should really let Severus teach you. Defensive skills can be tricky, and he certainly knows what he's doing," Pomona cautioned. "I can't imagine learning a technique like that from a book."

"I suppose, but at least it'll get me started. If I run into problems, I can always ask him for help."

Pomona nodded, but her eyes were critical. Trying to avoid the older woman's gaze, Andrea looked around the tavern. The crowd of chattering teens had inevitably overtaken the place, and the noise level had risen accordingly. By the time they'd finished their sandwiches, it had reached a boisterous blast of frenzy. But the sound became only a persistent background hum as Andrea thought about Severus.

It had been months since he'd promised to teach her defensive tactics, and she'd gotten irritated at his attitude. The necessity of learning protective skills had never seemed more important, but oddly, Severus had procrastinated. Something was deterring him, and Andrea could only guess at his reasons. Ever since that episode at the Dueling Club when the conjured snake had nearly bitten her, he'd been reluctant to place her in harm's way. But didn't he realize that it was more dangerous not to teach her defensive techniques? Did he think he would always be there to protect her?

Well, now he was too busy, she thought, and this book came highly recommended. It wasn't as if she were going behind his back; it was simply a convenient alternative. Russell told her it was an excellent manual for beginner instruction. It started off with some easy charms she already knew quite well and moved on to some moderately complex incantations including disarming and entrancing enchantments. Smiling, Andrea remembered her very capable use of the Stupefying charm when she'd cast it on Severus a few weeks prior.

The spell had worked perfectly, but her smile faded as she recalled the skull fracture she'd given him. It seemed caution when using defensive spells was just as important as technique.

"You look tired, dear. Do you want to head back?" Pomona offered.

"No, just let me finish my drink."

Drawn back to her surroundings, Andrea gulped down the last of her butterbeer and prepared to leave. After reaching for her coat, she checked her pockets for her gloves only to find that one had gone missing. Checking the floor beneath the table, as well as her seat, she had no luck. The object maddeningly eluded her. She was just about to pull her wand to cast an Accio charm, when the missing glove appeared right in front of her face, floating placidly above the table like a stray feather rising in an updraft. As she reached out to take it, a tall, ginger-haired boy with a generous grin appeared seemingly out of nowhere. Beside him, a carbon copy stood at the ready. The first lad proceeded to pluck the glove out of the air as easily as an apple pulled off a tree.

"Good afternoon, Professor Andrea," Fred Weasley greeted graciously before gifting her with a bow.

"Good afternoon, Professor Sprout," George Weasley added, his tone a bit more mischievous.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Weasley, and also to you, Mr. Weasley," Pomona nodded to Fred first, then George. "Now, what are you two up to? Trying for a little extra credit? I would think studying might serve you better, although I do enjoy good manners." Pomona added good-naturedly.

"We were just passing by …" George explained almost innocently.

"And we saw Professor Andrea drop her glove," Fred said, his smile broadening.

"You see? It's not lost," George said as he held out his hand to Andrea, the glove lying innocently on his palm.

"And we saw you had your hands full," Fred continued.

"So we lifted it for you." George and Fred finished in unison.

Laughing, Andrea bowed her head. "Why, thank you. You're very kind—"

Just as she reached for the glove, a loud wail erupted from the pram beside her. The burst of sound only lasted for a brief second before ending in abrupt silence. At exactly the same time, a dark-cloaked lump of a figure appeared from beneath the stairs to hover over the baby. The strange creature scrambled onto the table and began to attack the pram. Pushing the blankets aside with an unusual clawing motion, the assailant furiously maneuvered to get at Eileen.

Andrea screamed and dived at the buggy, but stronger hands grabbed her from behind and held her back. As she struggled to escape, Andrea felt a furry softness swipe across her ankles and with it, she caught the revolting smell of a skunk.

"Look out!" George yelled. "Over there."

"I've got it," answered Fred triumphantly. Pulling his wand, the boy pointed it at the black and white menace, but several third year students ran in front and blocked his shot.

"EEWW!" A young girl screamed. "Get it away from me!"

"It's going to spray. Look out!" shouted a tall, weedy boy.

Minutes before, a burly man had pushed his way through the crowd almost entirely unnoticed. He'd approached the table near the stairs and waited until just the right moment. With the release of the skunk, the disturbance acted like a signal. The man stepped forward to restrain Andrea, just as his accomplice reached into the buggy.

The occupants of the tavern began to roar in panic. Initially trying to calm the crowd, Pomona launched herself into the fray, never noticing Andrea's position in the captor's grip. Fighting like a feral cat, Andrea squirmed to get away as her eyes stayed riveted on the squat, hunched creature that had its hands on her daughter. Eileen was crying hysterically, but totally soundless, as the attacker lifted the baby out of the traveling cradle.

With a casual maneuver, the burly man wrapped one of his powerful, beefy arms around Andrea's waist and used the other to press his wand to her throat. Unable to reach her wand, Andrea pounded the man with her fists, but it was no use. He held her completely immobile.

Finally, Pomona noticed Andrea's predicament. "Stop them!" she ordered, her authoritative voice echoing loudly through the tavern.

Fred and George were closest. They tried a stunning hex, but in their haste, the spell went over the man's head.

A tall girl slipped behind the man and lifted her wand to strike. It was Danielle. A fountain of liquid flew out of her wand tip, but the man ducked. The foul-smelling goo splattered on the table instead, creating an instant cloud of black smoke.

This can't be happening again, Andrea thought as a burst of uncontrolled anger arose like an exploding volcano in her soul. This was absolutely the last straw. "GET AWAY FROM MY BABY!" she screamed. With the fury of an avenging angel, Andrea's magic exploded outward from her body. The blast of power took off like a bomb, the concussion throwing the enemy to the floor. As soon as she felt her release, Andrea propelled herself forward, instantly targeting Eileen in the arms of the dark-cloaked aggressor. Everything was happening so fast that the bent form was only now moving away from the buggy.

Nothing could have held Andrea back. With a fierce growl, she launched herself at the creature. Andrea struggled with the attacker, but in her desire to protect Eileen, she became locked in a tug of war. Neither side was willing to let go.

"Petrificus Totalus." The spell hurled into the cloaked figure from a few feet away. Someone had fired the curse from behind the stairs, just missing Andrea as it sailed into the creature. The force of the curse jolted into the invader with a wicked thrust, freezing the culprit in a cocoon of magic. Like a spring releasing from a trap, Andrea was forced backward. With her arms now in complete control of her daughter, she knew of only one option that would help her escape – Apparition.

Pulling her wand, Andrea clutched Eileen tightly in her arms and concentrated. The gate, she thought. The western gate into Hogwarts was the best target. Casting the spell non-verbally, Andrea expected to be delivered immediately to her destination, but the familiar tug near her belly button never came.

Unbelievably, she was still in the tavern. Why couldn't she Apparate?

Glancing at the floor, she saw the frozen figure of the creature laid out in front of her. The stocky, short body was immobile, its face covered with a black hood. Only the assailant's eyes were visible as they gleamed out frightfully from underneath. To her left, she saw a third cloaked figure emerge. This one had his wand drawn as he approached. Moving quickly, the unknown aggressor took the arm of both the fallen fat man and the petrified creature. Both had fallen close together on the stone floor. The trio vanished with a loud "pop," leaving behind a jumble of frightened students and professors, including the traumatized mother and child.

Collapsing into a chair, Andrea hugged Eileen in a tight, almost smothering hug, her natural instinct to protect her child overcoming any other rational behavior. The tavern was filled with soft cries and murmurs from the rather disturbed patrons, and the frightened screams had been replaced by outrage.

"Professor?" a concerned voice inquired. "Are you all right?"

Looking up in shocked surprise, Andrea could only stare in disbelief. The boy that had just spoken to her had a strangely familiar face. Although much younger than what she expected, she gasped at the likeness. After all that happened in the last few minutes, Andrea wondered whether she was hallucinating. "Rob? What-what are you doing here?"

"Rob?" the boy smiled. "No, I think you've got me mixed up with someone else. My name is Cedric. Cedric Diggory."

"Diggory? Cedric Diggory?" Andrea gasped in understanding. "Then you must be Robert's cousin."

The boy frowned at first, his eyebrows narrowing slightly as he concentrated. But quickly his gentle smile returned. "Oh, yeah. You must mean my second cousin, Robert. Do you know him? His dad is my dad's first cousin. They moved to America a long time ago, and Robert was born over there. He's old though. I've never actually met him."

Andrea was shaking her head in confusion. This was such a surprise and hardly a good time to process the news.

"Mr. Diggory," Pomona announced proudly. "Thank you for your quick thinking." Puzzled, Andrea looked at her questioningly. "Mr. Diggory was the one to cast the Body-Bind Curse. If it wasn't for him, we might still be fighting off those attackers."

The boy blushed and smiled. He was naturally modest, and the kind words of praise from his Head of House left him speechless.

"Well, thank you, Cedric. You saved Eileen. She would have surely been taken away." Or killed, she thought with a shudder. "I am forever in your debt." Cedric looked at his feet, but a shy smile managed to sneak onto his face.

"Mr. Diggory, would you accompany Professor Andrea and me back to the school?" Pomona asked.

Nodding politely, Cedric stepped up. While he waited, he twisted his wand nervously in his hand. It seemed talking to the professors was a greater trial than facing a roomful of attackers.

Pomona turned to speak directly to Andrea. "I think you've had enough excitement for one day. We'd better get back before something else happens. I'll send a message to Severus to meet us at the gate, then I'll go back to Scrivenshaft's and get your book."

"I won't argue. I'm a wreck at the moment. All I want to do is go home, but shouldn't we wait for the Ministry? I'd have thought someone would have alerted them by now."

"You're right," Pomona agreed. "They should be here any minute, but they can easily come up to the school and talk to you later, once you've rested. Now, off we go."

xxxxxxx

Snape had just reached the Hogwarts gate as Andrea and her retinue arrived at the entrance on the other side. Ignoring his usual disdain for public exhibition, he ran to his wife and embraced her. She still held Eileen, refusing to put the child down in the pram. Instead, the buggy, now pushed by Cedric, was heaped with Andrea's purchases, the unit a mere delivery vehicle. George and Fred stood on Andrea's left, while Danielle walked beside Pomona bringing up the rear.

"What happened?" Severus asked quickly. "I got Pomona's Patronus. She said there'd been an incident."

"Yes," Andrea answered. "It was horrible. And I … I'm not sure …" Her voice trailed off as she stared into his deep, dark orbs, the tunnels opening wide as he looked into her eyes. He was asking for admittance, and she responded wordlessly to his request. With a profound intensity, her earlier experience flooded into his mind. She literally poured the memory into his brain, storing it there as effectively as a Pensieve. Their memory sharing was becoming much stronger, and both of them felt it. Never before had the link been so clear. Severus almost fell backward as the realism enveloped him.

"You forced them away," he gasped. "But why did they attack? Were they after Eileen?"

"Yes, I'm sure of it," she answered. "But she's fine. Everything's fine now." Relief flowed over her worn nerves like an anesthetic.

Cradling both his wife and daughter in his arms, Severus felt the relief as well, but it was followed by a rising tide of anger. Who were these evil attackers? Silently vowing revenge, he examined Eileen closely, the baby still resting quietly in Andrea's arms. She seemed quite safe. No harm had befallen his daughter – yet.

Looking around briefly at the gathered group of students, Severus felt a rush of pride. After seeing Andrea's memory in such clarity, he knew his wife acted bravely and wisely in the face of such a huge threat. And he had to admit, the students had also. Strangely, the group represented three of the four houses, yet they'd worked together as a team. Impressed, he eyed each student again with an inscrutable look.

"Your actions today were uniquely impressive, and I must say, a bit reckless, however—" He paused as each student gulped.

"Severus," Andrea warned under her breath. His eyes flicked at her momentarily, and in that brief instant, he'd communicated his intentions. The thought leapt into her mind, and she immediately knew the punch line. Unable to stop herself, she smiled.

"As I was saying, in light of your unprecedented actions … 50 points shall be awarded to each of your houses."

The look of disbelief and astonishment on the students' faces was overwhelming. Delight replaced the fear and foreboding. In response to his words, Andrea squeezed Severus's hand, and he reacted with a tightening grasp. His expression, however, remained unmoving.

"In addition, your actions have brought to light a lack of accuracy when casting spells. Only Mr. Diggory managed to reach his intended target. Therefore, I will be arranging mandatory target practice for each of you."

"Detention?" Fred grumbled under his breath.

"No, Mr. Weasley. It is not a detention – it is only practice – but if you continue to mouth off, I will—ow!" Severus said with a wince. Looking down at his foot, he saw the heel of a small, red boot crushing his toe. Jerking away, he added. "I will speak to the headmaster and recommend practice sessions for the entire student body."

Pomona nodded in agreement. "Excellent idea, Severus. I'm sure Minerva and Filius will agree. Now let's get moving. Cedric, would you please push that buggy back to the wand workshop?" Nodding, he waited silently.

"Danielle? Could you run ahead and tell Tookey we're on our way?" Andrea requested as she shifted Eileen in her arms.

"Yes, Professor," Danielle answered and took off running toward the school.

"I can take Eileen," Severus offered. "I may need to give her a small dose of Sleeping Draught. She seems a might unsettled." As Andrea handed her to Severus, however, the baby began to quiet. Precisely, he placed her small body against his shoulder and began to rub her back. With a huge yawn, the girl snuggled in and closed her eyes, ready for a long nap.

Together they walked along the path to the school, Andrea moving along anxiously beside Severus. Her hand was tucked neatly under his arm. "I just don't understand. Who were those people? Could Lucius have hired them?" Andrea asked softly, trying to keep her voice low.

"He has never shown an interest in Eileen. I believe he sees too many similarities between Eileen and myself to risk this kind of attack." Severus looked back at Cedric to see if he was listening. Unaware of Snape's scrutiny, the boy was busy maneuvering the pram over the rocky path. Clearing his throat, Severus turned his gaze forward before suggesting in a loud voice, "Perhaps a levitation charm would work better than blunt force, Mr. Diggory."

"Yes, sir," came the obedient reply.

"Then, who could it be?" Andrea asked in a low voice. "Another Death Eater?"

"There are a number of possibilities," he replied vaguely.

As they entered the school and hurried down the corridor to their apartment, they fell silent, knowing there would be hours of discussion ahead. Handing Eileen back to Andrea, Severus unlocked the door and released the wards. The door to the workshop opened with a creak, allowing the soft, mellow light of the wall sconces to stream out into the hallway. Andrea entered first, and Snape backed away slightly to allow Cedric to wheel in the pram. But as Severus glanced at the floor where the buggy had been temporarily stopped, his eyes widened in alarm.

"Don't move," Snape ordered as silently as possible.

Waiting till Andrea had retreated into the apartment he turned back. His eyes returned to the floor where a large, dark puddle had formed ominously underneath Cedric's feet. A steady stream of droplets fell unchecked from the bottom of the pram, and with each deposit, the puddle beneath it shimmered in waves, the undulating ripples caught dramatically in the golden light to reveal its true, bloody nature.

Cedric slowly followed Snape's gaze to the floor. Realizing his shoes were covered in the thick liquid, the boy gasped and stepped back, his footprints leaving a bright, red impression on the stones. Anxiously, Cedric looked up at Snape, but the professor's eyes had moved to the corridor beyond. A long trail of blood defined the path they had just taken. Along with a telltale display of splatters littering Cedric's robes, Snape surmised that the pram had been leaking ever since it left Hogsmeade.

Wanting more light, Severus used his wand to roll the buggy into the workshop. After adjusting the flames in the wall torches, he glanced back at Cedric. This was no place for an inquisitive student. The boy stood frozen in the doorway, curiously staring at the pram. In a low tone, Snape said tersely, "The trail in the hallway needs to be cleaned up. If you will kindly inform Mr. Filch, I'll take things from here. Thank you, Mr. Diggory. You are dismissed." With a fleeting, almost imperceptible nod, he closed the door loudly.

Stunned for only a moment, Cedric looked at the bloody puddle once more before taking off at a run down the hallway.

Inside, the apartment, Andrea had just handed Eileen over to Tookey when she heard Severus slamming the outside door. Curious, she left the apartment and joined him by the pram. He was busy with his wand lifting the various packages out of the interior and placing them one by one on a bench by the wall. Confused, she approached and reached out her hand to grasp one of the packages.

"No," he said barely above a whisper. "There is a problem."

Retracting her hand as if stung, Andrea watched as he lifted another parcel. It dangled in the air, its brown wrapping soiled underneath with a coating of dark red. Carefully, Severus set it down on the floor near the bench. At the bottom of the carriage was a small, cloth-covered bundle. The top was yellowed in places, but beneath it was a pool of blood. The offending material streamed out into the base of the buggy from the wrapped bundle, soaking the entire contents.

Severus leaned over to examine it closely. Using his wand again, he lifted it slightly to expose the sides. There was no hint as to what it contained, and no markings appeared on the sides except for three letters: WFW.

"What is it? What does it mean?" Andrea asked before adding, "Wait, I think I remember."

"I'm sure you do. How could you forget?" he said wryly. "Wizards for a Free World. We've been monitoring their activities, and it appears they have found a new target."

"Eileen …" Andrea whispered. Subconsciously, her hand covered her mouth, just in case a stray scream might erupt from her throat.

"Yes, they are getting angry at the Ministry's lack of action. They want the Dark Lord stopped, and they care not how they get it done. Bending the law is part of their strategy." Using his wand, Severus began to loosen the ties on the top of the parcel.

"Maybe we shouldn't be opening it in here," Andrea's shaking voice warned. "It could be cursed."

"If we are careful and observant …" He paused, drawing his lips into a thin line as he concentrated. "It should be safe. Just do not touch it."

Peeling down the covering, a terrifying sight was revealed under the faded cloth. Inside were two dolls: one with blond hair and the other with black hair. Each doll had the letter 'E' marked boldly on its forehead. Next to the blood-soaked figures was a note. Together they read the words.

To the mother of the Heirs of Slytherin:

It is only a matter of time.

Your missing parcel must be destroyed.

Soon we can eliminate the other.

If you help us, we will be merciful.

We can kill without pain.

But it is your choice.

Your husband is the key.

He must come to the western gate,

Tonight at midnight.

Death to the Slytherin Heirs.

Life to the Wizarding World.

"Look," Andrea said with a gasp. "The handwriting – it's written in the same red ink. It's identical to the two letters we received last year before the twins were born. And the blood. It's happening all over again."

"I agree. There are too many similarities," Severus said cautiously. "Remember how Dumbledore thought those original letters were from the Dark Lord? It would appear that he was wrong."

"And now they want you, too."

"It appears I'm on their list of suspected Death Eaters. They want to lure me into an obvious trap. It would be a suicide mission."

"What are we going to do?"

"Call Dumbledore, and ask him to come. He needs to see this. Perhaps he has some ideas for a plan, but as I see it now, I have only one option. I'll have to meet them."

A/N: Thanks to all that have added this story to your favorites or alerts. My last chapter had no reviews. BOOO - Come on, it's easy – just click on the link below. I would be very grateful. As always, thanks to my beta Fainting Fancies.