Chapter 45 – Past, Present, Future


Osiris was shocked whenever Professor Snape went into the castle without him.

It must have shown on his face, because Tonks giggled at him. Or maybe at the professor. It was hard to tell. He quietly cast a quick warming spell on his coat and then put his hands in his pockets.

He raised a brow as she moved her wand over him and took a good look at his face.

She held her wand up a little higher again and said, "Sorry, I'm just a bit surprised you look as well as you do. You were in pretty bad shape that night. I just want to get a good look." Well, he was rather fit, if a bit thin. Without the ghastly face and with a healthy coating of stubble, he looked older than he was too.

He shrugged, "No need to apologize. I must have looked half-dead-."

"Three-quarters dead at least," she cut in.

"Three-quarters then," he amended. "Professor Snape is very used to dealing with such things, thankfully. It just took some time." It was an easy lie, because it was also very true.

"I'm glad you are doing better. Or I'd be back to being pretty much the only young Order member."

"I think I'm more of an accessory than a member," he replied, coolly. Could she really blame him after the reception he had received? Her fellow Auror had attacked him at the meeting, reopening his clearly quite fresh wounds, and most of the rest of them had not wanted him there either it had seemed.

And all that while he had looked three-quarters dead. Very kind-hearted bunch.

And he'd hardly signed up for any of it. He had signed up for a Potions apprenticeship.

His cold dislike for the Order part of it all was hardly his fault. To them, his only use had been in being the catalyst for Professor Snape to continuing his work spying. Tonks had been the only welcoming one who seemed to care he'd just faced the Dark Lord.

"You are a member," she said. "You're not an accessory."

He ran his lips together. That did not matter to him, really, but he liked that she said it anyway.

She sense his unease and added, "Kingsley was concerned only because it is two people who have to keep Him out of our meetings in their head instead of one, less exposure. He was in Slytherin, like you."

"Thanks," he said to her saying he was also a member and providing something of an excuse for one Auror's reaction to him. "And thank you for patching me up that night so that the professor could give his report." Nobody else had stepped up to help him.

Apparently their (now former) DADA professor did not want to try his hand at healing curse wounds. Or did not know how well enough. Not that Tonks had fared much better, but she had at least gotten the bleeding to stop again and was half Lupin's age.

"You're welcome." She grinned. "Anytime," she added. Then she realized what she said, blushed, and explained, "Not that I want you to get hurt again. I mean. I just know it's likely you will. Forget I said anything."

Osiris chuckled and shook his head, happy to just talk to someone his own age, "Look, I am well-aware that I'm going to get the piss magically kicked out of me again, sooner rather than later, or worse. You don't need to beat around the bush about it. That's reality." He was far beyond that. If he simply survived this on the right end of things, he'd be content. Other than that, he was – provenly – quite tough.

For a moment, his hazel eyes cast toward the door. He wondered how long was implied by the directive not to be long. For once, he was actually enjoying a conversation. Or maybe it was just talking to someone he was more on equal terms with. He had not really made any friends at Hogwarts. He could not speak to the adult adults in the same candid way.

"You know I've seen you in Hogsmeade before, picking up things. I'm not on duty all the time, and I'm staying at the Three Broomsticks for the rest of the year. Stop by if you want. It gets a bit boring."

He smiled.

She quickly corrected, "Not that I'm asking because I'm bored, but I do have to be careful." And if he was trustworthy enough for the headmaster and Professor Snape, he was safe enough for her.

"I would if I could, but I'm still a student, remember? At least, I am until the headmaster returns, but Professor Snape thinks that might be short-lived. At any rate, he's expressly prohibited side-trips, because it's generally the professor who sends me. With his subject changing we're losing a lot of time for my apprenticeship already. Not to mention all this. It's just not likely he'd allow it." And Osiris found himself distinctly put out by that, but it was what it was.

He was also beyond sneaking out now. Life had moved on.

She nodded, "I should have thought of that. Professor Snape is quite the task master, but you do learn a lot. We weren't allowed to mess around at all when I did my Auror training or when we're on duty either. I get it." She nodded. "You're training for two tough things. Mad respect for that."

Osiris was not entirely sure he knew what that meant, but it was clearly a good thing. "Speaking of, I shouldn't distract you anymore." He winked. If you could not carry on amidst a simple distraction, he doubted you had much business being an Auror. "Nor tempt the fate of Professor Snape's warning not to be long, or I'll be scrubbing the floor of the dungeon without magic."

Putting a hand to her mouth, Tonks laughed at the image. "Sorry."

"Stop saying sorry. It's fine. I'm sure you cleaned a cauldron or two in your Hogwarts years."

With a snort, she nodded, "Well, I was petrified of Professor Snape for the first few years, but I think it's a Hogwarts right of passage to get some gross detentions with Professor Snape…"

He chuckled, "I can imagine. I broke Draco Malfoy's nose our first night and gave some big sods a black eye and split lip." He shrugged. He didn't bother hiding a satisfied smile. Really, he did not feel bad about breaking Malfoy's nose. He only felt guilt over disappointing the professor. He'd enjoyed breaking the git's nose.

"You did not?!" She let out burst of a laugh. "Sweet Merlin, what did he do to you?" She tried not to be amused. It had to have been awful.

"Lost my privileges for the entire term and got a month's worth of daily detentions preparing ingredients, disemboweling things, and searching books for him," he replied.

"On the first day?!" She giggled more. "You're one of those bad kids." She shook a finger at him.

"I was an idiot," he replied. "I know I was an idiot, but Little Malfoy is a shit."

"How did you get him to apprentice you after that? You must be really, really skilled at preparing ingredients and disemboweling things."

"I guess I am." He chuckled more, "Those must be my merits and redeeming qualities he speaks of."

"And here you are distracting me."

He smiled, "I did say I was going in, didn't I. Suppose I should."

"Yeah, I suppose you should. I guess…well, I'll see you around." She smiled. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he replied. Then he added in a cheeky whisper as he walked through the door, "I'll sleep better knowing you're out here protecting us." He chuckled and closed it, taking the steps down to the dungeon two at a time.


He found Professor Snape in the corridor talking sharply to a pair of 2nd years, who he had clearly caught doing something. The professor shook his head as they scurried away and then turned, nodding as he noticed Osiris standing there.

"That was a very considerable thank you for how long it took," the professor commented, without any bite, raising a brow.

"Is that what I was supposed to be doing, master? I was wondering why you so pointedly left me out there."

The cheekiness of it was ignored, but not unobserved, "Come. Before any other rule-breakers make this day longer." His quarters would be a welcomed retreat after the sheer amount of experience and information he had taken in that day. He was used to the stress of spying, but there were many more things than simply spying occupying his mind these days. He just needed some quiet, some reflection with his own thoughts, and Osiris was supposed to rest for a few days to finish the healing process.

Once inside, the Potions master then added, "You are to be resting." He pointed to the couch in front of the fire. "I expect you to take a mild sleeping potion tonight. As soon as you are well, we will have to continue with your training as we were before. It is only a matter of time before I get another summons."

Osiris sat and nodded, "Yes, sir." He'd survived the first bit, but he'd have to survive proving himself too.

The professor sat in the leather chair facing him. "And I left you out there because I know you well enough to know you would thank her. Whether you've thought about it or not, it would behoove you to have someone that can believe your sincerity. Especially an Auror." Though he was not a blind idiot and noticed, at the very least, Miss Tonks found his apprentice interesting. And judging by her slight girlishness at the meeting over mention of Osiris' trousers, it was not just a platonic sort of interesting either.

Frowning slightly in confusion, Osiris finally just said, "Sir?"

"That Mark on your arm is a death sentence in the wrong circumstances," he said plainly, surprised the boy had not thought thoroughly of all those potential conclusions, but just surviving the Dark Lord had likely been the boy's only immediate focus and rightly so. Immediate survival had to come before long term survival.

Severus had somewhat forgotten what it was like to be on such a steep learning curve. He had been doing this a very long time. There was no manual for what he had asked Osiris to do and his own learning had been in the moment – and also a product of being on guard an entire childhood. It had not been taught to him.

He continued, "Professor Dumbledore's testimony saved me from life in Azkaban the first time." There was a pause. "The headmaster is not going to survive this time. You have seen the curse on his hand. You will need someone who knows you enough to swear you were truly working on the right side if you survive and they prevail."

Osiris' brow furrowed more. "Well, then you will too, master…"

The professor had been contemplating this since Dumbledore's reaction to Osiris' injuries and inclusion as well as the Order's general reaction. He had already taken it as his concern to try to see Osiris through this alive, which he had already long ago written off for himself. For now a half-truth would have to do.

"You will be mine, Osiris."

"Why should I have to? You've sacrificed more than almost any of them and Dumbledore already vouched for you. Why wouldn't they believe what we're doing when it's what you've been doing?"

The professor sighed. There was so much shielding going on. He now felt something like a pawn with a pawn. There was more of his heart left than he thought and the queasiness in his stomach just then would not let him forget its presence.

"I have done things in the past, and there will be things I must do in the future that are horrific. And you will too. There may be a time when you will have to fire on someone in that meeting or stand by and watch them die or get tortured or both; you may be asked to do it. Refusing would not help anyone." He looked Osiris in the eye, "And even knowing that and knowing what you are doing, they would always wonder if you did not help because you were always against them. Or just playing both sides."

Osiris looked back, his lower lids twitching up a hair. "And…that is what they think of you, sir?"


AN - If anyone has any thoughts on how Osiris had evolved over the course of the story, I'd love to hear them! He's definitely experienced a lot of change and growth. Always nice to have a reader perspective.

As always, I appreciate those of you who take the time to leave me a little review for my hard work! Muses like feeding! Thank you!