Akel Dama was one of those places, Gideon was sure had a life of it's own. It wasn't a welcoming place in the night when the moon bathed the entire manor in an unearthly gray, but it wasn't totally sinister. There was an iron gate guarded by gargoyles but the garden leading up to the house was filled with flora of every kind, magical and not. The house was large and gothic but at the same time attractive and warm. Remus joked about something called "The Twilight Zone" but Gideon silenced him.

They stopped in front of the two huge doors with silver family crests on the entrance. The family crest was of a wolf devouring a serpent with the words in Latin 'No one assails me with impunity' surrounding the outside. The wolf's hind leg appeared wounded.

"Is he a Lycanthrope?" Remus asked casually.

Gideon smirked. "Not exactly..." He then turned to the door with the password. "Dora."

Inside gave the impression of warmth just barely returning to the house. It had shadows of coldness and a miser lifestyle that appeared have recently been destroyed. Gideon and Remus stood in the grand hall, staring at the main stairway waiting for a host.

After a short wait, a hooded figure appeared at the top. The cloak was alabaster white Remus, the purest he had every seen. It had a laced design with threads of baby blue adding the only color to the garment. As the figure drew closer, he was greeted with the smell of midnight flowers. He smiled despite himself. At the foot of the stairs, the girl lifted her gloved hands over her face and pulled the hood away.

Remus had a habit of studying new people he met so he could match the scent to the person. This girl couldn't be more then eighteen yet her eyes held a deep sadness to them. They were pale gray. She had black hair (but dyed it auburn) and her skin was pale brown. She was dressed in a tunic and trouser set of midnight blue. She smiled at him then bursted into laughter.

"Gideon!" She cried, throwing her arms around him.

Gideon twirled her around. "Hello Darling."

She slipped out his arms and bowed to Remus. "I'm so sorry. He is always getting on to me about not acting properly. I am Kaiya Akemi Snape but please call me Alchemy."

Remus staggered. "I'm sorry what was your last name?"

A silky voice answered from the top of the stairs. "Her name is Snape, Lupin."

"Ah. Hello Severus." Remus greeted cooly. "Lets hope there is nothing in heredity."

As Severus Snape descended the stairs, Remus noted he appeared worn out. He also noticed his old adversary usual neat and ordered black robes were torn, disheveled and had dark stains. Snape looked not only pale but sick. He was limping. Instead of his sneering demeanor, he only managed a slow smile.

"You alright Severus?" Remus asked, concerned.

"An old employer of mine wanted me to run some errands for him tonight." Snape looked like he was straining to say each word. "It was quite...stressful."

"I can understand how working for You-Know-Who would be stressful."

Snape looked both alarmed and scared.

Remus offered his hand to the Potions Master. "Dumbledore told me."

"Hasn't he been a busy man?" Snape replied moodily.

"I trust you, Severus. Why don't allow me the chance to earn yours?"

Snape looked down at the hand and took it. He looked up and nodded. Remus could see Snape was grateful for allies now. He let his hand linger in Remus' for a few minutes before pulling away and entering a parlor.

A house elf was already preparing the room for guests. He had set the main table with tea and food before leaving to a corner of the room to open a liquor closet. Remus saw the elf was dressed in a dark blue blanket cut to be a tunic. It was clean and new and caught Remus off-guard. Snape never struck him as one to be kind to the help. Yet as the elf brought his a cup of tea laced with brandy, Severus bowed his head in thanks. "Thank you, Babbitt."

Babbitt bowed back. "Aye Master...will you be wantin anything else?"

"I don't believe so, Babbitt but if we do, we'll call."

Babbitt nodded again and disappeared. Severus watched him leave before turning back to the others in the room,(whom Babbitt had already served.) "What can I do for you?"

"There was a killing tonight." Gideon began. "A woman named Sara Austin. Where were you tonight?"

"Are you accusing me of something?"

"Do I need to?"

Severus drank from his cup and looked up. "We were tying up lose ends."

Gideon looked at him carefully. "Was Sara involved?"

"I don't know a Sara Austin."

"What were your lose ends?"

"I was consolidating my old power."

"I need an answer."

"You have one."

"And you know nothing of Sara?"

Severus closed his eyes. He wrinkled his brow, muttering to himself. It was a habit he had since he was a child. "Austin, you said?"

"Yes."

"Was she married?"

"Widowed. She married Brent Austin and had a child. A baby girl, if I recall. Before that she was Sara-"

Severus' eyes snapped opened. "Crosse.."

"That's right."

"My God," Severus said slowly. "They were after the Tear."

"The Tear?" Remus asked.

Gideon was shaking his head. "The Unicorn's Tear doesn't exist anymore."

"Why do you say that? It was never found."

Kaiya looked at the three men bickered and when it became clear that they weren't going to explain themselves, she raised her hand. "Question."

"What is it?"

"What is the Unicorn's Tear?"

"It is a Sorcerer's Stone and at the beginning of the century it was one of only two in existence-both belonging to Nicolas Flamel." Severus smirked. "There was a rhyme about them." He cleared his voice and spoke,

"Two stones were made, one of light and one of shade.

And they led down different roads, just like the quests of old.

One brought pain, the other promised gain-

And while both prolonged life, one delivered with strife.

The one to wealth and Art was called the Dragon's Heart.

But the one to fear was known as the Unicorn's Tear."

Gideon was reciting the verse about the stones with him as he spoke, then he looked to Kaiya seriously. "The Dragon's Heart was the ruby Lord Voldemort sought after during Potter's first year but the Tear was by far more powerful. It was a sapphire that..." Gideon paused and shivered. "The Sapphire wasn't created by Nicolas. It was created by Grindelwald, a Dark Wizard. It was forged using the blood of Unicorn and dark magic. From it came the Elixir of Life but it was poisoned and those who drank of it were corrupted because of the Tear. Those who drank of suffered it's effects, if it touched the lips of an good Wizard, they became evil. But those who were already tainted, their power could increase a hundred fold."

"Years before Harry was born, when I was still loyal, Voldemort heard of the Tear and sent his best Death Eaters to search it out." Severus was speaking again but his information was for Gideon. "I remember we had to search day and night for them, he even had the Dark Prince pursuing it."

"Another Question." Kaiya said.

He smiled. "Who was the Dark Prince?"

She nodded.

"He was a Death Eater. The Death Eater. He was called the Prince because he was You-Know-Who's heir apparent. He was the most ruthless and elusive of the followers. Perhaps part of the myth about the Prince being so evil and sinister was because he didn't have a face. He was worst then most of his fellow Death Eaters because he didn't have something tangible like a voice or walk. He was just a demon that didn't even boast about his power. Whereas most would shoot the horrible sign up into the air for all to see, he slid in and then disappeared without a sign. His victims would go weeks without being discovered and when they were discovered it was always clear he didn't believe in mercy. There were terrible things he did."

The three men that had lived through the Dark Times grew silent, quietly paying homage to lost friends of that time. Remus had his head bowed, Gideon's eyes were watering and Severus stood to pace the room. Then Gideon spoke again. "But he was never found."

"Could it have been him?"

Severus Snape had rose and was staring into the moonlight. He was searching the terrain with his dark, brooding black eyes. His face was as cold and cynical as always and he stood in the pale gray light as steady but as heartless as a vampire.

"Severus?" Kaiya asked cautiously "Are you alright?"

"Just remembering the Dark Prince." He spoke in a low, wavering voice that was nothing like him and could be described as hurting. "He wanted for nothing: power, status or anything else he wanted he had." Snape closed his eyes. "I hated him."

Gideon stood, finished his drink and sighed. "I will find him if this was him."

"It wasn't him." Severus half turned towards him. "But be wary of what you do find."