There were two more attacks before morning, all appearing to be random and unconnected. It did look like the Death Eaters were out for blood.

Hogsmeade was a village besieged. By the time the morning sun peered over the horizon, most of the town was afraid to think what was due for them next. Mad Eye had gone to the Ministry to see if he could open an investigation but his hands had been tied. Fudge had wanted nothing to do with what he labeled, "Dumbledore's vain imaginings and wild ideas." Desmond and Gideon were scouring the village looking for witnesses. Remus had returned to Akel Dama with Babbitt to look for anything that might help in looking for Snape.

Desmond and Gideon had never seen the town so frightened. It was like a deep shroud had been thrown over the town. Desmond was smoking and muttering under his breath. "Why did you join the Aurors?" He asked.

Gideon smiled. "I wanted to be a good guy. I thought I would be able to do some good in the world. It wasn't until I became an Auror did I realize all the damn tossers that were in control." He leaned over and stole Desmond's cigarette. "What about you?"

"Me dad always wanted me to be one, mum wasn't a big fan but pop was a hero." Desmond looked over at Gideon. He pulled out another cigarette and laughed sheepishly. "Plus girls dig the uniform."

"What do you think about all this?"

"I don't know. You and my father dealt with things like this when I was just a ruddy, snot nosed little boy who was worried about my finals." Desmond took a long drag and blew the smoke into the air. "I've never dealt with anything remotely like this."

"Have you ever killed a man?"

"No."

"When it comes the time... will you be ready?" He stopped and looked into Desmond's face. "Will you be willing to look into the face of man you knew, you laughed with and got drunk with- will you be able to kill that man?"

Desmond was silent. He dropped his smoke and crushed it with his heel. He shook his head no.

Gideon did the same. "You'll learn."

"Learning to kill in cold blood." A voice called from behind them. The two Aurors swung about. It was a man, a little older then Gideon. "My, such lofty goals for the Ministry."

"And you are?" Desmond asked.

"Lewis." The man offered his hand. "Lewis Llewellyn, Daily Prophet.

"Ah," Gideon countered coolly. "No comment." He motioned for Desmond to follow.

"Goodbye." Desmond offered before catching up to Gideon.

But Lewis wasn't deterred. "You don't even know what I was going to ask!"

"Don't need too, bye!"

"How about something to eat? My treat?"

Gideon and Desmond both stopped and turned slightly. They looked at each other and nodded. Gideon doubled back. "Alright. You pay."

The food was a simple fare, roasted beef and twice re-heated mash potatoes served by a elderly woman named Martha who seemed kind, until she recognized Lewis. Then she just keep stealing fugitive glances at the reporter. She kept scowling at Lewis who just smiled at her kindly.

"Okay, so I don't suppose I could get a couple of questions answered?"

Desmond chuckled between mouthfuls. "I'll answer that one. No."

"Just three questions?"

"You really don't quit, do you?"

"First rule of being a reporter."

Alright." Gideon said, leaning back. "Three. I'll blame it on my hangover."

"Fine." Lewis leaned forward. "How many dead?"

"36 is the latest number I received. Des's number is a little less but around the same."

"Dark Wizards?"

"Yes. That's two."

"You-Know-Who's handy work?"

"Him personally? Of course not. The official status of the Ministry is the person in question does not exist anymore. He's a rumor."

"And you think?"

"Oh no, that's four questions."

"Come on!" Lewis pleaded. But the two wouldn't have any. Lewis nodded. "Alright. My turn- I'll tell you what I think happened. This is backed up by witnesses, mind you. They tell me a lot more then they do you."

"Why is that?" Desmond asked.

"Cuz they know Minister Fudge has turned his back on them and the only thing between them and You Know Who is the press."

"My hero." Gideon mused.

"You know as well as I, that if someone like Skeeter wrote up a story about these attacks Fudge would have to respond. Aurors follow his word like gospel, hence your little 'rumor' excuse a moment ago." The reporter took a long drink. "But, you Navy cloaks know who did this. It reeks of him."

"Be that as it may," Gideon knew he had to trend lightly. "There is no way to say for certain it was the work of his followers or copy cats."

"See now usually I would take that." Lewis answered. "Except one thing."

"What's that."

"You Navies missed one crime scene."

Desmond choked. "What? There was another?"

"Not in the sense as there are more bodies to be found no. But yes, those people who did the attacks visited one more house last night."

"How did you find this out?"

"I have my sources."

"Alright Mr. Llewellyn. You have my attention." Gideon said calmly although he felt none of the confidence he had in his voice. "Keep going."

"The house belonged to a family. Bones is the name, decent folks really, father runs a the tailor shop his wife works at. They have a daughter at the school, same year as Potter. They're names are Nicholas and Kathleen Bones, daughter's name is Susan." Lewis paused flipping through his notes. "He says 'I never heard them come in but it was like the air in the house suddenly turned to ice. It was a woman first, clothed in the deepest black you ever saw. Raven hair of the same color. She had the prowl when she came in. And the most beautiful face you ever saw, cold, violent eyes the color of a fine wine- she was smiling this cruel smile. The kind that makes you know for certain you going to die. A man entered from next. Calmer, more casual but just as sinister. He was wearing the same ebony robes but his face was covered. He wore a mask of the perfect white and three lines trailing through the eye. The lines were made of the purest gold I ever saw. My parents died during the Dark Times and I can tell you this- watching as those two stalked in, I was sure I was looking at their killer.

"The woman spoke first. She demanded I call my family down. I'm not a hero, I did what she said. My wife came down first, wondering why I was calling at such a late hour. Kathy took one look and began to plead for her babe's life. The man started to laugh, "Come here child!" He called, as he made his way to the stairs. "Come out, and say hello to your guests.'"

Lewis paused from reading and glanced up. "I swear to you this is true. You can ask Bones yourself."

"Go on."

Lewis obeyed. "My daughter called down, she'd be down as soon as she dressed. The man did something strange then. He kinda took a step back from the stairs when he heard her voice. He glanced at us and demanded our names. I told him and suddenly he paused, like if something had spooked him. He whispered my daughter's name under the mask and then he..." Lewis stopped. "Now if I tell you this part, I want a story."

"Or I can take you down to Azkaban and let the Dementors find it out for me." Gideon announced coolly.

"Right well," He placed his notebook back in his coat pocket. "He muttered the words 'little day' and then told his partner to leave them alone."

Desmond frowned. "Little Day?"

"The dad was stumped too. The woman was a little angry but the man demanded that they leave. She obeyed too. They both just walked out. The girl comes down to find her dad and mom crying and hugging." The reporter leaned back. "I figured it would make a nice story. A survivors tale."

"Don't print that." Gideon said, raising. "That could help us, I'll be needing that notebook."

"Hey now! What am I going to get for this? I've been out here getting info as long as you guys."

"You'll get the thanks of a grateful nation. Desmond, get the book." Gideon was slipping his cloak on. "Meet me at the Bones."

"That thanks won't get me a by-line." Lewis muttered as he handed over the book.

Desmond smiled sympathically. "Thanks for the meal too." He stepped out into the main square and walked towards Gideon. "What do you think Mallory?"

"I don't know, but that girl Susan might. Little Day sounds like a nickname. Maybe she can tell us who calls her that." He rubbed his eyes tiredly and kept walking.

He couldn't tell Desmond about what he feared. How could he explain? Snape, with all his shady loyalties and secrets, was his friend. As much as Gideon hated to admit it, Snape and him were bound by the same murky code of ethics that applied to all "pure bloods." He shook his head. What was worst, he thought bitterly, was how what was he going to do if the worst happened. What would he do if he had to kill Severus? He prayed it wouldn't be so, even as everything in his body screamed it was too much to hope for. He would have to wait for Remus to contact him with the truth. Till then, he would focus on the investagation. It was all he could do.

As Remus walked up the main staircases, he tried desperately to fight the uneasiness that was in the pit of his stomach. He crept into a bedroom on Babbitt's biding. Right off he could tell this was the room Severus had been brought to.

"Come on, old boy..." Remus muttered. "Please let me be wrong...please"

The wardrobe was opened and the clothing tossed about as if Snape had packed and left in a hurry. He walked over to the bed and leaned his palms against it. The bed was still damp with blood. He removed his hand quickly and used one of the discarded towels to wipe his hands clean. The room reeked of fear and death. Then something caught his eye from under the cover. Pulling it away, Remus saw the remains of a rosewood box. He turned around and searched the floor.

An empty goblet lay on the floor next to the bed. Remus dropped to his knees and searched every where. The fear in his stomach had become a deep seated panicked now. If Voldemort had the Tear...

He reached under the bed and groped for the stone in the dark. For a few, tense moments he prayed to whoever was listening to find the Tear. Finally his fingers curled around the stone's jagged edges. Relieved, Remus pulled it out and sat against the bed post. The pieces were beginning to fall into place and the missing moments between Snape's injury and the attacks at Hogsmeade were beginning to appear. He sighed as the gravity of the truth sunk in. Snape had tasted the Exilir of Life and the worst thing imaginable had occurred. The Dark Prince had returned to claim his crown.

"Babbitt, contact Dumbledore and the others. Tell them everything, including about the Unicorn's Tear." He sighed heavily. "And tell them, Snape had returned to the Dark Side."