For the Best
By Mordra
Everyone and everything belongs to J.K.Rowling (except Scotland, which belongs, on the whole to Scottish people). May she and her lawyers not descend upon me.
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Her grey eyes stared glassily at him as he watched her face for a flicker of recognition; as usual none came. He expected that but he always visite` with the smallest hope that just once her face would light with a smile at the sight of him, or darken as she screamed and cursed at him. Anything would be better than this deadened gaze.
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What have I done, Snape thought staring into the flames where the face had been less that a minute ago. Then his head jerked up guiltily as the door was flung open creaking nastily on its hinges. A figure shrouded in black burst into the room. It gazed at him and he started as the full moon caught the white expressionless mask hidden in the shadows of its hood.
'It's him, he knows.' a small voice in his head said, and he felt his skin shudder as a cold sweat spread over it.
Then the cloak was flung back revealing a cascade of golden hair and the mask removed leaving a face just as pale in which grey eyes flashed and whose mouth pouted amusedly.
'Severus what are you doing sulking here next to a fire in the middle of summer?'
'It's you.' he said relieved.
'Well who else would it be, are you expecting someone?' she looked quizzically at him and he scowled and shook his head, inwardly cursing himself for not putting out the fire. 'Are you just feeling jumpy then?' her voice softened slightly 'I understand, none of us expected Rosier to go down like that, but we're safe, that auror Moody killed him outright, he didn't have the chance to betray us.'
A young and relatively innocent image of Evan Rosier during their school days flashed through his mind, he pushed it away and decided to change the subject.
'And where have you been dearest?' he asked.
'With Travers and cousin Lucius.' she smiled. 'We were trying to persuade the McKinnons where their best interests lay, but...' She shrugged. 'They wouldn't be persuaded so we dealt with them,' she sneered, 'and a stupid muggle who got in the way.'
'Well then,' he said keeping his voice light, ignoring the sick taste in the back of his throat, 'we have a reason to celebrate.'
'Do we?' she smiled a faint twisted smile. 'For me to destroy a pureblood, no matter how deluded can never be a true victory.' Her face softened slightly for a fleeting instant, and then it twisted up again as she stamped her foot. 'Why can't they realise that Voldemort is the only one who can offer us the power we deserve. Wizards shouldn't fight each other, they should rule!'
'Even mudbloods?' he questioned
'Severus darling,' she leaned towards him talking feverently, 'when the Dark Lord rules supreme there will be no muggles, so how can there be mudbloods?
'If there are no muggles or mudbloods who are we to rule?' he asked idly. Looking at her, willing her to make sense, so he could ignore the doubts that had been plaguing him.
'Elves, goblins, dwarves, giants...but that's not what you meant is it? She smiled a brilliant flash that lit the room more brightly than the fire. ' Severus you ponder things far too much.' She reached for his left arm and held it with one hand then pulled up its sleeve. 'Our master,' she said touching the skull imprinted on his arm, 'thinks, knows and decides. It's not our place to question him.' Her face creased into a frown. 'Please don't Severus, it's dangerous, and I want you here with me.'
He looked up at her and pushed everything, his worries, his doubts out of his mind, they could wait for now. He whispered, 'I want to be here with you too.' Smiling he pulled her towards him.
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A week later he stood in a deserted corner of Northern Scotland surveying a seemingly endless moor, which dappled different shades of green under the afternoon sun.
A figure apparated beside him. 'Hello Severus.' said Albus Dumbledore staring at Snape with eyes that matched the deep blue of the sky.
'Professor.' Snape replied, then inwardly thought I'm not at school anymore.
'You contacted me and said you wished to speak privately. Well Severus what do you have to say?' Snape breathed in deeply.
' I realise, Professor, that I have made a terrible mistake...Voldemort is evil beyond belief...The things he has made us do...I want to be rid of him.' He breathed again and met Dumbledore's eyes 'I think this puts us on the same side.'
'A well placed spy would indeed be useful.' Dumbledore mused staring at the moor. 'But why should I believe you? His eyes flicked up and bored into Snapes.
'I can give you names.' he stammered.
'Your old school friends? Not hard to guess Mr Snape.'
'Even...' he spoke her name quietly.
Dumbledore stared at him holding his gaze uncomfortably. 'You would betray her. Why?'
Snape broke eye contact and swallowed his throat dry. 'She...' he said and stopped. 'She believes in Voldemort wholeheartedly... I can't dissuade her...' he looked up. 'I don't want her to get hurt, and yet if she remains a death eater she will.'
'I can't promise her safety either,' Dumbledore said 'not if she fights the aurors.'
'I've considered that,' Snape said slowly, 'but I'll need your help.'
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Her skirts swished as she dismounted her broom, he sauntered out of the shadows.
'Severus, why did you want me to meet you here?
He forced himself to grin, 'Why not?'
'Hogwarts! Dumbledore! It's dangerous... and why couldn't I tell anyone where I was going?
'You didn't. Did you?' she merrily shook her head. 'Good I didn't want your relations appearing, Narcissa bores me to tears. And it's hardly dangerous; it's the summer holidays. No one's here.'
'And it must be a special occasion.' she smiled wickedly. 'You've washed your hair.'
He returned her smile and put an arm around her murmuring 'Let's go for a walk.'
They strolled in silence through the grounds skirting the forest and gazing at the lake as it reflected the half moon, coming to a stop by the greenhouses.
She turned to face him, drew herself close stared into his black eyes and smiled. 'I remember here.' she whispered her mouth an inch away from his. 'We used to meet here at lunch time...Until that Jorkins girl followed you...But she never did again...Not after that hex you put on her.'
'That doesn't matter now.' Snape said softly. He tilted her chin up and ran his eyes over her face trying to burn it into his memory this way, those grey eyes, the sharp yet soft features, a perfect rosebud mouth and a cloud of burnished golden hair, stray strands glinting and blowing in his face.
He wrapped his arms around her, resting his face against her hair so she couldn't see the tears forming in his eyes. Breathed in her scent then whispered 'I love you.'
'Well done Severus,' came a voice directly beside them and Albus Dumbledore appeared.
Snape tightened his grip around her expecting her to fight, strangely disappointed that she didn't, feeling her grow rigid and cold in his arms.
Dumbledore produced ropes from the tip of his wand and Snape released her. She stumbled backwards out of his reach, deathly pale eyes downcast.
'Florence.' he heard himself say as she turned away from him. He wanted her to scream at him, curse him, throw hexes at him, instead she closed up, her features became numb and expressionless.
'Florence.' he said again. 'I meant what I just said, but I couldn't...He would have destroyed you...This is for the best.' And then wondered whom he was trying to convince.
Dumbledore turned towards him 'Does anyone else know you're here Severus.'
'No.' he said dumbly staring at her.
'Then go back and do as we discussed.' Snape nodded, then asked.
'What will you do?'
'Take her to the ministry'
'They'll send her to Azkaban.'
'But what else can be done.' Dumbledore said gently.
Snape wrenched his eyes away from her and looked at Dumbledore. 'I'll do as we discussed but this can't be mentioned to anyone...he has spies too.'
'I will not reveal your secrets Severus, but you must go back now.'
Snape forced himself to turn around and trudged towards the clearing where he had left his broom. He glanced back one last time, but while the moon lit her hair with a silvery light her face was bathed in darkness.
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'Mr Snape.' The doctor said shaking him out of his reverie, Snape glared down at him. 'It's good to see you,' the doctor continued, 'I think it's very noble of you to visit your friend...considering what she was...'
'And what she no longer is?' Snape snapped.
'Indeed,' said the doctor avoiding his gaze, 'she has been nothing ever since she was kissed by a dementor. It puzzles me...What do you come to see?'
'That,' said Snape curtly, 'is none of your business.' Her gazed at her for one last moment then abruptly swept out of the ward.
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He rummaged in his desk angrily looking for that afternoon's lesson plans.
'Hello Severus' Albus Dumbledore stood in the doorway gazing frankly at his potions master.
'Professor.' Snape said quietly.
'How was St Mungo's?'
'The same.'
'I'm sorry Severus, but you do realise...'
'Yes headmaster...it was for the best.'
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