A/N: I'm moving the mass breakout from Azkaban to Halloween mainly just to keep this fic from getting really long and to help with my timeline. It shouldn't change much though.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

After telling Dumbledore of the Dark Lord's plans to break his followers out of Azkaban, Snape found himself pausing by where he knew the history professor's quarters to be. He really could use a pain potion, and he had just sent his last batch to Pomfrey that morning. He didn't know why he hadn't told Dumbledore that his newest professor was a Death Eater, probably because he couldn't figure the man out. He wanted to know what the man's goal was before turning him in as something about him told Severus he was worth figuring out. Was he there to spy on Snape? Why was he protecting Potter? The man confused him to no end.

That's why Severus found himself standing in front of the portrait of an irritated-looking old man at 1am wondering if he should knock. "You're the Potions Professor, right?" The old man asked him.

Severus didn't recognize the portrait, and it didn't have a name on the frame, so he just nodded. "No use knocking," the man told him. "The boy takes Dreamless Sleep every night. He said to just let you in if you stopped by. The potion is on the kitchen table. Why he's giving potions to a potions master is beyond me though," the man continued to grumble as he swung the portrait open.

Shocked at being let into his sleeping colleague's quarters, Snape entered the bare sitting room. It didn't look like Dobbins had added any personal possessions at all to the furnished space. Everything was standard Hogwarts furniture and supplies with no decorations and no knickknacks or anything. Passing the mantle, Severus paused. There was one picture on it. The only decoration in the entire flat it seemed. Taking a closer look, it was of three people. One seemed to be a younger version of Dobbins who still had that haunted look in his eyes and the scar down his face, but his eyes did look much more alive. He had his arms around the other two people, a redheaded male who was tall, burly, and who looked like a fighter who had fought one too many fights. The other was a woman with her hair pulled into a fierce bun and a large burn across the left side of her face and neck. They all looked like they had been in a war, and they weren't winning. They obviously cared for each other though, that was evident from the glances they shot each other in the picture and how the woman squeezed Dobbins's hand.

Gleaning no more information from the picture, Severus made his way to the kitchen table where a small vial of pain potion was waiting for him. He lifted it and looked at it up close then unstoppered it and sniffed it. It seemed to be brewed perfectly. Finally downing the potion, he instantly began to feel better. The Dark Lord was liberal with his curses, but Snape hadn't angered him much beyond being a little too late, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Placing the empty vial back on the table, Severus looked once more around the bare flat before starting to leave. Two steps from the door and he heard noises of someone in pain. He stopped and listened closer. The person was crying and screaming out in agony. Realizing the Dreamless Sleep must no longer be as effective for the addict, Snape rushed to where the bedroom should be and pushed open the door.

"Dobbins!" Snape called out, trying to wake the man.

When that did nothing, Snape slowly walked into the room that was just as empty as the rest of the flat save the four-poster bed with the thrashing man on it. Seriously considering just leaving, Snape instead braced himself knowing this would probably end up badly for him before reaching out a hand to shake the professor's shoulder.

"Dobbins, wake up!" He said, giving the shoulder a good shake.

He remembered he had been standing and leaning over the bed; that much was true. How he ended up laying in the bed with a wand pointed at his throat and a dagger digging into his side was beyond him though. It had all happened so fast he was positive he would have been dead before realizing what had happened except there was a spark of recognition in the dead green eyes staring into his own from the man pinning him down. "Snape?" He asked questioningly.

Snape awkwardly blinked at the other man in confusion. "I…came for the potion. You were having a nightmare," he said in as much explanation as he could muster.

The wand and dagger both seemed to disappear instantly, to where Severus could not tell. "I'm sorry, sir," Dobbins said tiredly. The potions master's confusion increased at the slip of the "sir."

Checking himself for injuries and finding none, Severus slowly stood again. "No harm done. You really should back off the Dreamless Sleep some if it isn't stopping your nightmares anymore."

Dobbins just waved off his concern before running a hand through his short-cropped hair again in some kind of nervous habit. Severus's eyes narrowed at the very clear, but also expected, image of the Dark Mark on Dobbin's left forearm. The man slept in sleep pants and a t-shirt. The t-shirt left his arms bare which seemed to be littered with scars, some tiny and some he would have been lucky to have lived through. "It never really took away all the nightmares, but at least it does get me to sleep somewhat," was the man's only explanation. "Thank you for waking me though. That one was one of the worst."

Severus inclined in head in a short nod. "It was nothing."

Dobbins pulled his legs up to sit cross-legged and get more comfortable. "So, how was Snake-Face and his minions? What earned you a crucio this time? Breathing?"

"You have to be the worst Death Eater I've ever encountered," Snape looked at him in bemusement. "Even forgetting the disrespect you just spewed, why do you use his name all the time? Doesn't it cause you pain?"

"Thank you, and of course," Dobbins chuckled. "I'm not going to let that monster dictate what I can and cannot say, no matter the consequences. I believe I made my feelings on that clear at our first staff meeting."

Seeing that Dobbins made no move to return to sleep or ask him to leave, Snape decided to take the opportunity to get some answers and conjured a chair to sit in since the other man had no furniture. "You know you can add more furnishings," he said as he settled in the less than comfortable chair. He was never as good as Dumbledore at conjuring for comfort.

The man looked around the room in confusion and then shrugged. "This is the nicest place I've ever lived. I didn't really even consider adding things."

Snape raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "Where did you live, a monastery?"

Dobbins gave him a wry grin. "A cupboard, but I guess there is some overlap with the spartan nature, huh?"

"A cupboard?" Snape asked in revulsion at whoever would make someone live in a cupboard.

Dobbins just shrugged. "My relatives hated magic. Besides, it was good training for having less than nothing later in life. So, these chambers are pretty much a palace to me. Now, tell me about the meeting. What did I miss? Why did you get crucio'd?"

"The Death Eater meeting?" Snape asked, pushing for clarification. "You are confirming that you're a Death Eater?"

Dobbins rubbed the Dark Mark on his arm like he was angry at it. "Let's just say I'm really, really not in good standing," he said evasively. "You haven't answered my question."

"I was late," Snape said simply. "If I told the Dark Lord you are here, what would he say?"

Dobbins shrugged and gave Snape a mischievous grin. "You really can't predict what insane people will say or do. He'd probably want you to bring me in though. I'd prefer you didn't, really."

Looking into the man's eyes, Snape nonverbally sent a Legilimens his direction. The man's mind was completely closed as if wrapped in iron. Dobbins smirked, seeming to have caught what Snape was doing, but he said nothing. Now, even more concerned, Severus glared at him for a minute. "If I told Dumbledore about you, what would he say?"

"Ah, now that's the question," Dobbins considered. "I don't really know. He'd probably pump me full of Veritaserum and try to get all my secrets out of me. Wouldn't work though."

Severus frowned. There was no known way to avoid telling the truth under Veritaserum. "You've developed an antidote?"

The man shook his head sadly. "Nope, but I have been given a potion that interacts with Veritaserum. The resulting combination wouldn't be good for my health, if you know what I mean."

Now this potion Snape had heard of. Specifically, the Dark Lord had asked him to develop it. He had not made much headway, mainly because he didn't want to. Willingly or not, taking a potion that would kill you if you were given a truth serum was beyond inhumane. "I don't believe that potion exists yet," Snape crossed his arms and frowned.

Dobbins laughed. "Because you know of every single potion in existence in every country? Wow, you're full of surprises, Snape."

Severus glared at him. He had a point, but the potions master would never admit it. "Anyway," Dobbins continued. "My turn for a question."

"I didn't know we were taking turns," Snape drawled.

Dobbins smirked at him. "My question is, why are you here? You're a potions master. I know I offered the pain potion, but I didn't actually expect you to take me up on it. Why are you out of potions?"

Snape glared at him. "I'm not really out. I sent my latest batch to Pomfrey and didn't want to have to deal with her mothering right now."

The infuriating man chuckled then waved his hand dismissively. "Ok, well, off with you now. You've gotten your potion and saved the poor professor-in-distress. If you don't go to sleep now, Gryffindor will lose so many points tomorrow they'll be completely out of the running for the house cup."

Severus stood and walked to the door but stopped before leaving. "I don't know what your end-game is, Dobbins. I don't know if I can trust you with the children at this school."

"I'm not the only one with an unfortunate tattoo on my arm in Hogwarts," Dobbins answered as he fluffed his pillow to lay back down. "I think Umbridge is more of a problem than me right now. She might not be a Death Eater, but she has definitively proven she should not be trusted around children."

"As you say," Snape agreed. "I'll help you keep an eye on the professor's book," he offered as he finally left the bedroom and headed out of the chambers to go to his own. Every time he talked to the history professor, he left with more questions than he started with. The man was obviously a Death Eater but did actually seem to care for the students. He didn't attend the meetings and seemed to have strong disdain for the Dark Lord if not hatred. It didn't make sense, and Severus Snape hated when things didn't make sense.

Severus was relieved he hadn't been asked to help in the Azkaban prison break. Dumbledore hadn't been able to muster up a force that could stop it, so they had to concede this battle in the war. It was a major loss to their side though. Bellatrix alone would be able to wreak havoc unchecked on the populace, let alone all the other Death Eaters. So, it was with dread that Severus took his copy of the Daily Prophet from the owl in the Great Hall at breakfast. He was already hearing gasps from those who had gotten their copy more quickly.

Mass Breakout from Azkaban

Was emblazoned across the front. Reading further, it seemed that, unfortunately, the Dark Lord's plans had gone off without a hitch. Except…why did it say Bellatrix Lestrange was found brutally murdered in her cell?! The Dark Lord wouldn't have killed his most loyal, and insane, follower. He continued to read and was shocked to note that investigators had determined that she had been dead for several days, and it could not have been connected to the breakout.

What in Merlin's name?! Snape thought as he finished reading. He glanced over at the history professor who was also reading the paper with a completely blank expression on his face. Dobbins had a mysterious gash on his leg around the same time Bellatrix was supposedly murdered…could he have…?

Attempting to organize his thoughts, Severus looked back on all his interactions and impressions of the new professor. He carried himself as a soldier, obviously had seen too much, was highly trained, was skilled enough to get the drop on Severus in his room that night, had impenetrable Occlumency shields, had taken a potion to kill himself if he were ever administered Veritaserum, was a Death Eater but not in good standing, was not in good standing but was still alive, seemingly cared for the students, and mysteriously teaching history of all things… The only way Snape could see it was that the man was either too important of an asset to the Dark Lord for him to murder the man even with his impertinent attitude, or he was just so good the Dark Lord couldn't murder him. Coming to a surprising, but very fitting conclusion, Severus was forced to admit the man must be an assassin. Working for who though? That was the question. Was he freelance? But why did he have a Dark Mark? And who was he targeting at the school? Not Potter or the child would already be dead surely. Resolving that he would answer the mystery of what happened to Bellatrix Lestrange and who this new professor really was, Severus took up his paper once more and continued to read as he ate.

Dobbins continued to be a teacher beyond reproach. Umbridge couldn't even find any fault with his teaching, Snape thought with amusement. He obviously knew his subject exceptionally well and succeeded in getting the students interested in something they had all dreaded in the past. If he wasn't positive at this point that the man was a professional killer, he'd swear teaching was Dobbins's one passion and calling. He still had no clue what to do about the man. He figured he should tell Dumbledore, but something was holding him back. He didn't know if it was instinct, or if he just really wanted to solve the mystery of the man before turning him over. He was definitely not going to mention Dobbins to the Dark Lord. He was sure it would either get Dobbins killed or himself. He didn't want to find out which.

To his amusement, the rumors turned to there being a secret defense club going on behind Umbridge's back. As Snape saw Dobbins escorting Potter occasionally some place in the evenings when he should be in detention with the man, Snape was positive the history professor was in on it. He really hoped an assassin wasn't helping teach it though, that may end badly for all of them.

The more confusing rumor that had surfaced recently was that there may be some kind of friendship brewing between one Gryffindor Golden Boy and the Slytherin Prince. How in Merlin's name Potter and Malfoy were working through their years of animosity was beyond Snape's comprehension. He assumed this rumor must be a false one. There was no way in any reality those two could become friends. Also, they didn't seem to be behaving much differently towards one another in class. There hadn't been any fights recently, but there were still insults thrown and sneers given.

It was just before Christmas break and Severus was yearning for it all to end and the students to leave for a blissful two weeks of quiet. On a side note, he heard Dobbins say he planned to remain at the castle. That would give Severus two weeks to figure out the man more without the distraction of insufferable dunderheads and exploding cauldrons. With these thoughts, he was relaxing into his armchair with a good book late into the night when the headmaster's head appeared in the flames of his floo, just about giving him a heart attack.

"Albus! What in Merlin's name are you doing at this time of night in my floo?" Snape asked, cleaning the tea he had spilt off his robes from when he jumped.

"I need you to come to my office directly, my boy," Dumbledore said seriously.

"Is something wrong, Headmaster?" Snape asked, now worried the Order had suffered a major loss.

"Arthur Weasley was attacked on guard duty," Dumbledore said regretfully, the twinkle missing from his eye. "I'll explain more when you arrive."

Severus threw on his teaching robes again once the flames died down and quickly exited his rooms in a billow of dark robes. He stifled a look of concern when he passed the upset group of Weasleys following a tartan clad McGonagall. He might feel concern, but there was no way he would show it to a group of Weasleys, no matter what had happened.

After giving the password, some ridiculous sweet, to the gargoyle, he hurried up the revolving stairway and pushed into the headmaster's office. Snape blinked, the only sign of his surprise, when he looked on a distressed Harry Potter sitting in the chair across from Dumbledore who was refusing to look the boy in the eye. "Headmaster, you wished to see me?" He asked, really hoping for a straightforward explanation instead of what the headmaster usually told him.

"Ah, Severus. It seems we have a bit of a problem," Dumbledore started with a quick glance to where Potter was sitting. "I think it's imperative that you start to teach Harry here Occlumency as soon as possible. I fear we'll all be in danger if you don't."

"Headmaster, surely there's someone else…anyone," he protested. Whatever Potter had done must have been idiotic and terrifying for the headmaster to have asked this of his spy. If the Dark Lord saw he was giving these lessons to the boy…that would be the end of his usefulness. "You realize…"

"There's no one else," Dumbledore insisted. "You must teach him to guard his mind."

"Erm…" Potter cut in tentatively. "Actually, Headmaster, I don't think that's necessary."

Snape sneered at him. "You don't think it's necessary to protect your mind from invasion from the Dark Lord? Are you mentally challenged or just an idiot?"

"Now Severus," Dumbledore stopped his rant. "Maybe if we explain more to Harry…"

"Actually, Headmaster, I know exactly what Occlumency and Legilimency are," Harry interrupted. "What I meant was that it isn't necessary for Professor Snape to teach me because I already know Occlumency."

Both men stared at the boy, Dumbledore even forgetting he was trying to avoid eye contact. "What do you mean you already know it?" Snape growled.

Harry looked between them. "I think my statement was very clear. I already know Occlumency. My link with Voldemort is one way. My shields are strong enough to keep any visions out that he may intentionally send me, but when I have a vision of what he's doing, it's because I'm employing a mild form of Legilimency sub-consciously in my sleep. I do not know how to stop doing that. I am asleep after all."

Snape stared into the boy's eyes, "Legilimens," he incanted. Instead of being swept up into a swirl of schoolboy thoughts, he met a solid barrier. He probed the barrier for a long moment finding no weak spots anywhere to get purchase in. The brat's shields were almost as strong as his own. Finally, he pulled away. "He's not lying, Headmaster," Snape reluctantly admitted. "I can gain no access to his mind."

"Where did you learn this, my boy? And how did you learn about your link with Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked, actually making eye contact with Potter now.

"Professor Dobbins taught me Occlumency," Harry responded, seeming relieved the headmaster would look him in the eye again, and that he didn't have to do extra lessons with his least favorite professor. "That's what we've been doing every night in my detentions. He also came up with the theory about the link."

There was a beat as Dumbledore and Snape looked at each other in shock and a bit of fear. Eventually, Dumbledore turned back to his floo and once more summoned a professor to his office at an ungodly hour. It only took a few minutes before the scarred and weathered history professor pushed through the door into Dumbledore's office.

"Dumbledore, Snape, Harry…what can I help you all with?" Dobbins asked, good-naturedly greeting all of them. He was still dressed for the day and didn't seem to have been woken up for the meeting. Judging by his addiction, he probably wouldn't have responded so quickly to Dumbledore's floo call if he had been asleep, Severus noted. The history professor joined Harry in sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk while Snape remained pacing.

"Harry was just telling us how you taught him Occlumency," Dumbledore remarked to his professor. "May I ask why?"

Dobbins looked between them all with a shrug. "I had to fill the detention time somehow. Everyone knows Harry's had problems with his scar, and he confirmed he had bad dreams when I asked, so it only made sense to teach him to protect his mind."

"We don't normally teach mind magic here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore chided him. "It's not the lightest of fields."

"But Headmaster, you just said you wanted Snape to teach me," Potter asked in confusion.

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected. "I know Severus's abilities better than Professor Dobbins here."

"But Professor Snape couldn't get in my mind when he tried," Potter continued to protest, raising a good point, but still being impertinent about it.

Dobbins seemed to find all this very amusing for some reason as he watched the interaction. Severus decided that he couldn't in good conscience avoid saying anything anymore. The man was messing around in Potter's mind for Merlin's sake. Even if Voldemort had sent him to spy on Severus, he couldn't let him muck around the boy's thoughts. He knew too much about the Order and Severus already. Dumbledore needed to know. "Albus, I think you are missing the bigger issue here."

"And what is that, my boy?" Dumbledore looked at him with innocent confusion on his face. No, he didn't know already.

"Dobbins is a Death Eater…and, probably an assassin," Snape said with a cross of his arms and a look at Dobbins, daring him to deny it.

Dumbledore and Snape both looked on in surprise when Harry Potter reached over and patted Dobbins's arm comfortingly. The professor took Potter's hand in his and gave it a grateful squeeze. "You are partially correct, Snape," Dobbins agreed to Dumbledore's horror since both guesses were basically just as bad as each other. "I am not, nor have I ever been, a Death Eater," Dobbins said confidently. He rolled up his left sleeve clearly showing the Dark Mark.

"Yes, well, it may be best if you explain that then," Dumbledore cleared his throat, obviously at a loss as to how he had missed so much.

Still holding onto Potter's hand like a lifeline, Dobbins answered, and his answer both cleared up so many of Snape's questions and created so many more. "Well, Headmaster, after being held captive by Voldemort (he and Snape both winced slightly) for about three months, he gets more creative in his torture. He got some perverse and insane pleasure out of branding me," Dobbins said with a haunted look in his eye.

Silence fell in the room. It was a minute before Snape and Dumbledore both seemed to realize that Dobbins hadn't disagreed with Snape's second claim. They turned to the man who nodded at them. "Yes, I am an assassin," he agreed simply to their surprise. "Also, to answer your next question, yes, I'm here on a contract, but it is not for any student or staff member at the school, so you have nothing to fear for any murders being committed in these halls by my hand."

"You just tell us this, why?" Snape narrowed his eyes and glanced to Potter who didn't seem fazed or even surprised by this admission.

"What are you going to do?" Dobbins shrugged dismissively. "I'm on contract with the school as a teacher for the year. To fire me, Dumbledore will have to go through the Board of Governors with an excuse, and his word isn't so good right now. The same applies for if he tries to turn me into the ministry. If you tell Snake-Face, then he'll probably just ask my going rate. As much as he wants me dead, I've changed enough that he won't recognize my face or my name."

"Harry, move away from the man, please," Dumbledore turned fear-filled eyes to his Golden Boy.

"I don't think I will, with all due respect, Headmaster," Potter answered him as he still held onto Dobbins's hand. "You see, I trust the professor with my life," Potter smirked a little at that, finding it funny for some reason. Dobbins showed no emotion beyond giving Potter's hand another squeeze. "Besides, every DADA professor up to and including this year has either tried to kill me or cause me serious harm. At least Professor Dobbins is being up front with his job and his motivations. If we aren't his contract, he has no reason to kill us."

"But, Harry, child, doesn't it bother you that he is planning on killing someone?" Dumbledore asked him, shocked.

"Actually, it's more like some people; my contract is for multiples this time," Dobbins clarified with no emotion coloring the words.

"Did you murder Bellatrix Lestrange?" Snape asked, finally wanting a straight answer to the question.

"Without a doubt," Dobbins smiled at him malevolently. "And without remorse."

Potter did shiver a bit at this. It seemed that the boy wasn't as on board with Dobbins as he was leading them to believe. "Professor, why don't you just tell them who your contract is for. That will surely ease some of their fears," Potter said to Snape's surprise. Had the man really told the child who he was contracted to kill.

"Ah, yes, that might be smart of me. My contract is for Bellatrix Lestrange, Augustus Rookwood, Fenrir Greyback, and Tom Riddle," Dobbins finally let go of Potter's hand and crossed his arms, leaning back into the armchair.

It seems the man could still shock them, though Severus had thought nothing could at this point. "Um, Fred…may I call you Fred?" Dumbledore asked. Dobbins inclined his head in assent. "You do know who Tom Riddle is, do you not?"

"Of course. Tom Riddle is Lord Voldemort," Dobbins smiled a feral grin. If Dobbins said that name one more time, assassin or not, Snape mentally promised to curse him. The irritating man continued though. "It will be my pleasure to carry out this contract. I have never had one I looked forward to quite as much."

"Who took out this contract?" Snape shook his head wondering at the audacity, and maybe the wisdom, of whoever it was that took out an assassin's contract on the Dark Lord.

"Two someone's actually, but I cannot betray their identities. I can however tell you how much my paid me," Dobbins grinned widely and pinned Snape with the glare. "One galleon each."

"One galleon each!" Snape's eyes widened, shocked yet again.

"I told you, this contract was one I quite enjoyed taking. They offered my going rate, but I talked them down quite easily," Dobbins continued with the cold grin and dead eyes still focused on Snape.

"Why are you at my school?" Dumbledore still looked on the assassin in anger. "Why not join the Death Eaters since you said Voldemort wouldn't recognize you? That would put you closer to your...targets."

"To protect me, of course," Potter responded for him as if it were the simplest answer. "The best way to get at Voldemort or any of his Death Eaters is to stand right beside me."

"The boy does have a point," Severus actually had to hold back a snort of laughter.

Dobbins frowned at Dumbledore and Snape. "I realize I may be a little behind in interacting with normal people," he admitted with a little confusion. "You seem to be under the impression that I would kill indescriminantly. I am a bad person…but circumstances out of my control are what have led me here. I take no contracts for innocents, and I have never taken joy in a death. Though, Bellatrix came very close, and I may have to amend that statement after Riddle."

"You say you don't kill indiscriminately, but have you killed anyone outside of a contract?" Severus asked with a raise of his eyebrow. Dobbins did seem maybe a bit out of touch with normal people if he thought being an assassin wasn't something that the leader of the light would look down upon.

Dobbins thought for a minute. "Yes, I have, and it's possible I may again. I've been debating adding Peter Pettrigrew to the list even though he wasn't on the contract. I haven't quite decided yet."

"I'd prefer you not kill anyone," Potter said quietly.

"Besides Riddle?" Dobbins asked in clarification.

"I'd prefer you to not have to kill anyone, but I know he at least is probably necessary," Potter said, just as quietly.

"I will leave Pettigrew alone then, unless someone takes out a contract on him," Dobbins nodded in decision.

Potter sighed. Severus knew that sigh, it was one of frustration and resignation. This must have been an argument that had been had before. Frankly, Snape was wondering if Dobbins knew about Black or Lupin. He was certain they could muster up a galleon and would have less compunction than Potter at the offer. "I do not like this one bit," Dumbledore grumbled, the twinkle far from his eyes.

"Aren't I serving the purpose of your Order of the Phoenix in my goals?" Dobbins asked, again seeming confused that they were concerned.

"We work for justice…" Dumbledore started.

"So, you plan to arrest Riddle?" Dobbins interrupted in sheer disbelief.

"I fear it will be more difficult than sneaking up on the man and killing him," Dumbledore finally sighed, giving in that, yes, the Dark Lord would eventually have to die. Snape knew it had something to do with the prophesy they were all protecting in the ministry, but what it was, Dumbledore had yet to share with anyone.

"Oh, most definitely," Dobbins agreed. "I'm already working on it though. Now, if you will excuse me…Obliviate!"

Snape stared in shocked horror as Dobbins obliviated the most powerful wizard in the world, something that should be completely impossible. "Harry learned Occlumency from me as part of our detentions. I had his best interests at heart, even if my methods were a little misguided. I seemed contrite that I had broken some rules, but unrepentant that I helped Harry."

Sitting back down, Dobbins grinned at Harry and at Severus as Dumbledore blinked a couple times. Potter punched the assassin in the arm hard. "You didn't have to do that!" He hissed as they all waited for Dumbledore to come back to them.

"No, but I don't want to have to deal with the headache he'd cause me," Dobbins said under his breath so that only Harry and Severus heard him.

"What about him?" Potter motioned to Severus who backed up closer to the door, ready to make a run for it, though he assumed he wouldn't be fast enough for the assassin.

Dobbins looked at him and shook his head. "Nah, he'll be all right about it. He's probably already trying to figure out a way to get Sirius and Remus to take out a contract on Pettigrew."

Potter groaned and Snape looked on in shocked awe since that had actually been a thought he had. How did this man read him so well? "Well, please refrain from any gray, and especially dark, magics in the future, Fred," Dumbledore remarked as he came back to reality.

"Of course, Headmaster," Dobbins said with an ashamed glance down that was extremely believable. "I apologize for overstepping my bounds."

"At least it all worked out for the good this time," Dumbledore nodded with a smile and a twinkle at them all.

Severus was confused, horrified, and in awe of the power and the acting that had just manipulated a master manipulator. This fact alone led Snape to believe that the Dark Lord may not be as safe as he believed himself to be at this time. "Headmaster, I'm very tired," Potter spoke up. Another person who surprised Snape with his acting ability. "May I go back to bed now?"

"Of course, my boy. I think we should all turn in. Arthur should be well taken care of at St. Mungos by now," Dumbledore stood and motioned them towards the door.

Once down the stairway and out in the corridor, Snape turned to Dobbins. The infuriating man held a hand up. "The portraits have ears," he reminded. "I cast a silencing charm when I entered around the ones in the headmaster's office, but now is not the time to discuss this in the hallway."

Severus looked around, noting the many portraits and agreeing silently. "Potter, hurry back to the tower," he growled at the boy.

"Actually, Harry, I'll walk you back," Dobbins offered. "I don't want you to accidentally run into Umbridge."

Potter shivered at that thought and nodded in agreement. Snape hesitated. He shouldn't let the child walk the hallways alone with an assassin, but he'd been in detention every night for months with the man and come out unharmed. As he stood there in indecision, he felt a wave of magic as a silencing ward went up. "Fine, if I must," Dobbins said as he took out his wand and held it in front of him. "I, the unnamed, use my magic to bind myself. I swear to never knowingly seek to physically harm or kill this particular teen standing in front of me."

A flare of magic bound the man. Snape narrowed his eyes. "That was a very oddly specific vow…and now I know your name is obviously not Fred Dobbins."

Dobbins raised an eyebrow. "Of course, it isn't. Why would I give my real name?"

"I would have preferred if you said you weren't going to harm or kill Harry Potter," the boy grumbled, causing Snape to reevaluate the vow. Why did that make a difference…especially to Potter? He was protected either way.

"Well, we can't have everything," Dobbins said wryly as he lowered the ward. "Now, bed. You need to get ready to head to see Sirius. I'll see you tomorrow, Snape," he added as they walked towards Gryffindor Tower together.

Snape wondered why he had the feeling that Dobbins really hadn't told him half of what was going on. And what was up with Potter acting Slytherin instead of the quintessential Gryffindor? He sighed in frustration. At this point, he just needed a shower, a drink, and bed…maybe not in that order.