Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling is the greatest, this is her world and these her character. I am just borrowing them.

Chapter One

Snape swept through the wide corridor, his lank hair shifting in the breeze his long stride created. His pace was quick and without pause, had he still worn teaching robes they too would have billowed behind him. Though he had been exonerated of the heinous crimes he had committed when posing as one of Voldemort's Death Eaters and playing spy for Dumbledore, he was disinclined to prolong any time he spent within the Ministry of Magic, particularly when visiting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Making his way past the Improper Use of Magic Office, Snape considered the meeting request he had received from one of the departments newest recruits, Auror Potter.

Earlier that very morning, the consumption of his first cup of strong black tea had been interrupted by a tapping at his kitchen window at Spinners End. Glancing up from the copy of the Potionteer Weekly he had been reading he raised a brow at the tawny screech owl staring at him importantly through the glass, an envelope clutched in its beak. He flicked his wand at the window, causing it to creak open a few inches, allowing the bird access to his home. The owl appeared perturbed at this lack-luster greeting, though it nudged the window open further and swooped inside, dropping the envelope in front of the wizard and landing on the back of the chair across from him. Snape took another drag from his morning brew, tossed the bird a crust of his toast, and peered at the green wax seal on the back of the correspondence, depicting the Ministry of Magic's seal. Sliding one long finger under the wax he opened the envelope and pulled out the rather short letter.

Mister Snape,

Your expertise in the subjects of: The Dark Arts is requested in response to a recent crime and/or arrest. Your presence is requested by Auror Harry J. Potter, at the Auror Headquarters today, Friday the 7th of September 2001 at 3:00 in the afternoon. Your knowledge of the above-mentioned subject(s) would be most helpful in assisting the Department of Magical Law Enforcement with a swift prosecution. The Auror Headquarters is located within the Department of Magical Law Enforcement on the second floor of the Ministry of Magic in London.

Sincerely,

Victoria Krunkle

Undersecretary to Minister Shacklebolt

Snape paused as he reached the cubicles that made up the Auror Headquarters, denoted by a lopsided sign, and scanned the heads that were visible above the short walls. His lip curled into a sneer as he recognized Neville Longbottom chatting with a middle-aged man dressed in red robes and sporting a long ponytail by a wall depicting posters of wanted dark wizards. Though he had indeed been the one to kill the horrid snake Nagini, Snape held in the shudder that always passed through him when his mind strayed to that monstrous animal, he still held little respect for the young wizard. Continuing his appraisal of the space, Snape noted the unmistakable Weasley hair atop Ronald Weasley's head as he was bent over his desk, scribbling away at one form or another. Snape held in a snort of amusement as he recalled how horrible the boy's handwriting had been in his school days, expecting that his superiors were as exasperated as he had been when trying to decipher it. Moving his eyes further across the room, his eyes narrowed as he did not see the head of messy black hair he was seeking. The hairs on the back of Snape's neck prickled as he sensed someone slowly approaching him from behind, "Professor Snape?" a familiar voice asked. Tensing his shoulders and jerking around brought him face-to-face with the very wizard he had been searching for.

Harry Potter had not changed much in the year-and-a-half since Snape had last seen him. His hair still refused to be tamed and his green eyes, Lilly's eyes, still peered through round black glasses. He was carrying a stack of papers and files but shifted them to the crook of his left arm and cautiously held out his right hand, "Glad to see you sir." Snape peered down his nose at the young wizard's offered hand, quirking an eyebrow in a display of arrogance. Potter furrowed his brow and withdrew the offered hand. "Right," he muttered with a nod. "If you would follow me then," he said with more force as he brushed passed his previous potions professor and made his way through the cubicles, toward a door labeled Interview Room. Snape silently followed the boy-who-lived through the loud, bustling open office and was relieved when the door of the room Potter had lead him to shut and cast them into silence. Potter ignored the imposing wizard as he set his load on the polished table and pushed his shaggy black hair out of his face. Snape moved around the table and was about to seat himself when Harry pulled his wand from his arm holster where it had been concealed. The quick movement, along with decades of built-in self-preservation caused Snape to react by drawing his wand on the auror with menace. Surprisingly Harry remained calm, even smiled a bit, as he cautiously held up his hands. "Just calling Ron in for the interview." Snape lowered his wand, but did not return it to his jacket, and nodded. With a whispered Expecto Patronum Harry's silvery stag sprung from the tip of his wand. "Ron, we're in the interview room," he relayed to the patronus before waving his wand, causing the deer to leap through the wall. Potter slipped his wand back in its holster and took a seat at the table, looking up at Snape who still held his wand in his hand, looking uneasy. "Old habits die hard," Harry said with a nod toward the black wand held tightly by the man before him. Choosing not to reply, Snape slid his wand back in his jacket sleeve and gingerly sat in the chair across from him.

The silence between the two men was broken when the door flew open and Ron Weasley rushed into the room. "Sorry Harry! I didn't see you come back, I was finishing my report on…" The redhead trailed off as his gaze landed on the wizard seated at the table with his partner. "Professor," he greeted Snape with a nod before sitting in the chair next to Harry. "I am no longer your professor Mr. Weasley." Snape responded in his typical drawl. Ron reddened slightly and began to backpedal "Right… Sorry Snape…. Er… Sir." Harry loudly cleared his throat, halting his friend's stuttering and fixed Snape with a hard look. "Sir, we have asked you here as you are a forefront authority the Dark Arts and their uses." He withdrew a photo from the pile of papers on the table and handed it to Snape. Glancing at the moving black and white image Snape's eyes narrowed, he looked back up at the young aurors seated across from him, "Explain."

Harry shuffled a few papers in front of him before selecting one and placing it on top. Looking up at Snape he began, "A little more than one month ago we began receiving reports of muggle-born witches and wizards disappearing from different areas, though specifically Knockturn Alley, and reappearing hours later with no recollection of the time that had passed or of what had happened to them." Snape raised his brows but kept silent, allowing the wizard to continue. "There really wasn't much to go on. Healers checked them and none of them showed signs of being obliviated, they just didn't have the memories, but were otherwise healthy. However," Harry sighed, "When one of the wizards who had experienced this memory loss went to visit his parents over this past weekend they immediately became ill when they came into physical contact with him. They are currently at St. Mungo's, but healers are unable to determine what it is they are suffering from as their son does not show symptoms."

Snape drummed his pointer and middle finger on the table as he looked back at the image Potter had handed him. Within the frame was a hospital bed, housing a petite woman in her mid-sixties with a short bob. However, what was significant was the way the woman flailed around, as though she was possessed and how her mouth remained open in a silent scream, a black tongue visible in her mouth. "It is known as Silent Pain, a common torture method used by Death Eaters during both wars." Snape explained, "Though I am uncertain how the curse has been converted so that someone could become a carrier and transfer it to muggles without themselves being affected."

"Exactly," Harry leaned forward, "It's almost acting like a virus." Ron nodded, speaking for the first time, "Yeah, like someone has learned how to control it or has changed it somehow." Snape flicked his black eyes between the two boys, "And you've asked me here because…" Harry opened his mouth to speak but Ron was quicker. "Because, you know all about the Dark Arts, don't ya? Used all sorts of evil curses and such when you were a Death Eater and tortured and killed all those people, yeah?" Harry winced at the dark look that came over Snape's face as Ron spoke. "If anyone has any idea how this evil arsehole is doing this it would be one of his own." Ron continued, either oblivious or purposefully goading the wizard, Harry guessed the latter. "Ron!" Harry cut him off sharply, "Can I talk to you outside for a moment?" he asked, his gaze hard on his friend as he quickly stood and placed a hand on the back of Ron's chair. Ron looked about ready to argue when a tense voice cut through the air. "Thank you, Mr. Potter, but that is not necessary." Snape stated tersely, his knuckles white where his hands gripped the edge of the table. Black eyes snapped to blue ones as he continued, "As I stated, the curse the woman in the image is suffering from is referred to as Silent Pain. I am unaware of it being transferred from wizard to muggle. I do not know how such a feat would be achieved." Snape stared at Ron silently for a few seconds longer before breaking eye contact and flicking his eyes to Harry. "If that is all…" he stood and smoothed his frock coat. Ron scrambled up from the table, sputtering "That's it!? That's all you're going to give us?!" Harry shot the redhead a glare and swept all the papers up from the table as he stood and addressed Snape. "Yes, I think that will be all Sir. You have been most helpful." Ignoring the fuming Ron behind him Harry opened the door and held it open for the other wizard, "If you would just follow me to my desk so I can have you sign a statement regarding the information you have provided, we will be all set."

Leaving behind the angry Weasley, who's face was now nearly as red as his iconic hair, Snape again followed Auror Potter through the cubicles of the Auror Headquarters. This time Neville Longbottom caught the eye of his previous potions professor, though he quickly turned and walked the other way. Weaving toward the rear left corner of the open office Harry stopped at a rather cluttered, messy desk and dropped the papers on top of it. "I'll just need to draw up the statement," Harry addressed Snape as he sat at his desk and pulled a tattered quill and a fresh roll of parchment from one of the drawers. He absentmindedly gestured to a spindly chair placed next to the desk facing him with his left hand as he began to write, "You're welcome to take a seat." Snape arched a brow in his customary manner, but Potter was focused on the parchment in front of him. Glancing around the room through his lank hair Snape caught sight of Mr. Weasley glaring at him from across the office space, along with another half dozen aurors. Snape silently settled into the offered chair, as the wall it was placed against protected his back from unexpected attack and kept a vigilant eye on his surroundings. The minutes ticked by and Potter's quill continued to scratch away. Once Weasley and his fan club had dispersed he relaxed in the slightest and chose instead to observe the memorabilia decorating Potter's cubicle.

The desk it's self was covered in piles of parchment, files and books. Though it appeared, at least to Snape to be complete chaos, Harry did not appear to mind. The walls of the space were covered in photos and the such. Snape's breath hitched when his eyes landed on a photo of Lilly, beautiful as ever, though she was being twirled around by the insipid James Potter. Snape quickly moved his gaze along, passing a photo of the original Order members, to one of the Weasley family at what appeared to be Bill's wedding. Snape's eyes landed on the laughing faces of the twins. Though he would never admit it, he had been a fan of Fred and George's shenanigans and had been sorry to hear of the loss of Fred at the Battle of Hogwarts. He looked next to an image of the youngest Weasley, confidently posing for the camera and blowing a kiss, of course Potter would have fallen for a redhead, together they would look so much like Lilly and James Snape thought with heavy feeling in his chest. His eyes moved to the next image and he smirked, it was a picture of the golden trio. Harry stood to the left and Weasley to the right, both had an arm thrown over the shoulders of the third member of their trio who stood in the middle, Hermione Granger. Brightest witch of her age, in the photo she appeared like any other young woman, happy, laughing and carefree. Her brown eyes sparkled, and her brown curls shone with strands of honey from the sun not seen in the photo. The day it had been taken must have been windy because her hair kept blowing in her face and she kept hooking it back behind her ear with an inaudible giggle. Ignoring the remaining heavy feeling in his chest Snape slid his eyes to the next photo, this one of a toddler with bright turquoise hair who was being swung up into the air by none other than Harry himself, Teddy Lupin he could only presume. Flicking his eyes past more photos, one of Hagrid, another of Ginny Weasley flying in her Holyhead Harpies uniform, Snape's gaze suddenly froze on one photo in particular, a cold feeling spreading in his chest and plummeting into his stomach, the air in his lungs getting sucked out.

In the photo a woman of twenty or so waved at the camera, her smile beaming, as she held an infant, no more than a few months old who she helped to also wave at the camera by taking his little chubby hand and moving it in a waving motion. It was obvious they were laughing together. The baby had the same color hair as the woman though, where hers was full and curly, his was super fine and looked feather soft. They also had the same nose, almost button-like in shape. The infant's eyes were big and shining like the woman's, but where hers were a warm chocolate brown the baby's were very dark. Snape stared, unable to tear his eyes away from the photo of a sublimely happy Hermione Granger holding a little baby boy who was giggling at her. He was so transfixed that he didn't even realize Potter had finished writing and was speaking to him until he felt a parchment brush his hand which was gripping the edge of the desk as Potter slid it over for him to sign. "… just a brief overview of the interview. I didn't find it necessary to include Ron's… uh… comments. If you would just sign at the bottom, confirming that you provided the Auror Department with this information, then you are free to go Sir." Harry paused but Snape did not pick up the quill or respond to him. "Sir?" Harry asked, questioningly. "Are you alright?"

Snape's eyes did not leave the photo, "Who. Is. That?" he asked the young auror. Harry frowned and looked over the edge of his cubicle, uncertain of who Snape was speaking. "Who?" Snape growled and moved faster than most would think humanly possible, ripping the photo from where it was tacked up to the wall and slammed it down on the desk in front of Potter. "THIS!" he hissed jabbing a finger at the baby in the photo. Harry's face went white and he tried to tug the photo from under Snape's finger, but Snape slapped his palm down on it and leaned closer to Harry's face. "Whose child is this, Potter?" Harry drew a deep breath and met the imposing wizard's gaze and calmly stated, "That is Hermione's son, sir." He couldn't breathe, it was like he was under the cruciatus but without the actual pain. "She…" he paused, for once his mind not working with his mouth quickly enough for speech. Potter was watching him with a concerned look. Trying to regain control of himself, Snape cleared his throat and sat back from the desk, removing his hand from the photo. "I was unaware that Miss Granger had married," he stated dryly. Potter's eyes narrowed on the wizard as he reclaimed the photo and harshly responded "She's not married." Snape's eyes snapped up to Potter's green ones, and without thinking he asked, "Who's is it then?" Harry openly glared at Snape as he tucked the photo in the pocket of his robes, "That's none of your business."

Snape abruptly stood and looked down at the boy he had nearly died to help with his mission to defeat the Dark Lord. In a low, menacing voice he hissed out, "Don't. Lie. To Me." Harry also stood and bravely confronted the dark wizard, "It's not my story to tell. Why don't you ask her yourself?... Sir." Snape paused and searched the boy's face, he knew. Potter knew what Snape himself had only just realized moments ago. Potter knew that Hermione Granger had a son. Potter knew that Hermione Granger was a mother. Potter knew that Hermione Granger was the mother of HIS son. Snape stepped back, bent down and quickly signed the paper Potter had presented him regarding his interview, before raising himself to his full height and piercing the young man with a threatening look. "Take me to her, NOW."