A/N: Ooh, such lovely reviews! Hey, "Finding Him" now has 200 reviews! Woo Hoo. So thanks to all my supporters. This chapter, we finally get the plot line…more or less. This chapter would have been up a whole lot sooner, but school happened. Thanks to my Beta, Anna. I kind of went over her head and uploaded the first chapter without her. Sorry Anna. Oh, and Merlin is the name of the brush. Yes, she named it…just like I do.
Chapter 2: Tensions
Severus entered the warm, familiar office of Albus Dumbledore. The old wizard sat behind his desk with Fawkes perched on his shoulder. He seemed rather relaxed for a man facing a crisis. "Good morning, Severus. Back early, I see. Ireland not end up being your cup of tea?"
"I think you know why I came back so soon," he said, trying not to show his annoyance at Dumbledore's game of pleasantries. From inside his robe, he removed the copy of The Daily Prophet.
"Ah yes," Dumbledore took the paper out of Severus' hand. "Every prisoner escaped, all the Dementors have gone missing. Terrible business. Puts a damper on your spy duties, doesn't it?"
Severus grimaced. "Yes. With the real Cornelius Tucker out and about it won't take too long figure out that an impostor has been in their midst. And shortly after that they'll work out whom."
"Ah well," Dumbledore sighed, "doesn't matter. I'd prefer it if you'd remain at the school instead of going off God knows where."
Snape raised an eyebrow. "Do you feel you have to protect me?"
"Oh, of course not. That isn't what I meant. I'd rather have as many of my personnel as possible keeping their attentions on the safety here. Voldemort is building an army, and there was never a doubt in my mind that Hogwarts is his ultimate target."
Severus didn't have to be told that. He'd been sure of that himself all along. Anyone could see that unless they were a simpleton. He just would feel better being out there doing something instead of babysitting. He was about to voice the complaint until he looked at the wizened wizard staring intently at him. Severus owed more to that man than to anyone else. He was more ready to accept and obey an order from him at any moment necessary. "As you wish." Then he had a second thought. "What about Mallory?"
Dumbledore steepled his fingers and milled the subject over. "It is my understanding that she was called to service by the Ministry for one year only. That time has expired. The rest is up to her; she can still continue doing as she wishes. I just hope whatever she chooses, it will still involves her teaching our Defense class. Lord knows we need someone to break this dreadful curse.
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Mallory sat in Severus' chambers, still upset with his recent attitude. Sure, the Azkaban incident was major, but there was no reason to be so grumpy with everything else as well. She stopped brushing her hair for a moment to recall who it was exactly she was getting frustrated with: Severus Snape, the gloomiest bastard this side of the Pond. She hoped her love for him wasn't blinding her of all his defaults and real personality. Still, she had every right to be angry with him nonetheless. "I haven't seen those people in a decade," she grumbled to herself, "and he yanks me away because he felt threatened by bloody Kiernan of all people!"
She dropped Merlin and began twisting her hair into a braid. Finishing it off with a blue hair-tie, she grabbed her necklace off the nightstand. She looked at the silver chain and Celtic love-knot attached to it. How could she stay mad at the man who had given that to her without even knowing the romantic symbolism involved?
"What are you doing in here?"
Very easily.
"Getting dressed, what does it look like?"
"You have your own room you know."
She stood, turned to face him with a glare and stuck her hands on her hips. "Hmm…first you can't handle other people talking to or touching me, now even you have no care to be around me! What do you want me to do? Crawl in a little box so that whenever you feel like it, open it up and use me to your discretion?"
"Mally, will you stop!? I've had a lot on my mind, and you're not helping." He brought his hands to his face and began massaging his temples.
Mallory, being defiant, crossed her arms and sat on the bed. Without looking at him, she continued the conversation painstakingly cordially. "So, what did Dumbledore have to say?"
"I'm not at liberty to say."
"Like bollocks you are!" She got up and pushed him out of the way of the door. "I think I'll just go speak to him myself if you don't mind." She tossed her head and stomped out of the room.
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She found Severus waiting for her outside of Dumbledore's office. "For a man so unwilling to divulge information, you're rather eager to receive it."
He shrugged his slender shoulders. "I do not doubt much of what he had to say to you was no different from what he told me."
"Yes, his desire to put all the focus on the school security."
"And you?"
"What about me?"
"You never told me if the Ministry still requires your services."
Her lip twitched for a moment and she grimaced. "I have no desire to go back in the field. I want to stay here. But… If I am to take a strictly civilian role, I have to put my name on the Animagi registry."
There was a pause in the conversation. Their rather businesslike discussion shifted. "Damn it, why not walk up to a group of Death Eaters and say, 'Here I am!'?"
She bit her lip and started walking aimlessly down the hall with Severus following. "Not necessarily. I mean, how many of those dolts even noticed the white bird frequenting their get-togethers? "
Severus snorted. "I noticed."
"Severus, I'm no longer doing spy work. I'll have to register. If anyone else even bothers to check it, how many of them do you really think could put two and two together?"
"Some are quicker than the others, and those are the most dangerous ones."
Mallory stopped and rubbed her eyes. "I'll think about it, alright? Maybe Dumbledore can help convince them to keep me off, at least until we're out of danger."
He smiled weakly at her, still not used to the action. "We can only hope." He stopped her from leaving, placing his hands on her shoulders. "Look, I have to go to London and pick up some supplies, never to early to prepare you know. I'll meet you at the Three Broomsticks around sevenish and we can both bitch about how mightily our position in life sucks."
"Sucks? What a crude word coming from you."
"And nonetheless appropriate."
For the first time that day, she smiled. "Sevenish, alright."
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Why is he always late to engagements he plans?! Past 7:30, I no longer consider it "sevenish".
Mallory slumped in her chair and ran her finger across the rim of her glass, causing high pitches to emanate from it and bother the other patrons. Noticing the dirty looks, she stopped. He always seemed too punctual for everything and everyone except her. She even went through the trouble to order his favourite drink already, but the glass of brandy sitting across from her remained full. Not that she thought of drinking it herself, she wanted to be optimistic that he would come.
Finally getting frustrated, she got up to leave. Just then, a searing pain sprung on to her chest, focusing on her pentacle shaped birthmark. Gasping, she fell against the table, knocking over the glasses. Rosmerta rushed over. "You alright, darlin'?"
Mallory couldn't answer. The pain restricted her breathing, tears welled in her eyes, and blood pounded through her brain. Take him…Do it now! Screams…screams…screams of pain…her own screams of pain…blackness…blackness…
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Mallory awoke with a jolt, startling poor Madam Pomfrey who was checking her pulse rate. Dumbledore, and McGonnagal were in the room as well. "Mally," the kind older witch stood, "what happened?"
Mallory swallowed, finding her voice. "He's gone. They've taken him."
"Who's been taking, Mallory?"
"Severus," Mallory breathed. "Pain…"