"I bring you a gift, my Lord!"

Lord Voldemort watched with ill-concealed glee as one of his Death Eaters swoop into the room with a man writhing in his grip. The Death Eater had his victim by his short white hair. The victim looked pale and ragged and was pleading for his life. Voldemort's followers laughed as they watched their brother pull the victim to his full height then toss him unceremoniously at Voldemort's feet.

The Death Eater pulled off his hood to reveal a pristine ivory mask marred only by a slender trio of pure gold lines that sliced through one of the eyes. Severus Snape slid the mask off his face and bowed. "My Lord- Igor Karkaroff, fresh from the Balkans." Snape said with the same distaste he would have announced road kill with. "I found him trying to pass himself off as a Muggle in Kosovo."

Karkaroff took one look at Snape and fell prostrate before Voldemort. "Master! It is a traitor you are looking at!" He shouted.


Voldemort sneered. "Yes, Karkaroff I noticed."

"Not me milord but him!" He pointed his quivering hand at Severus. "Master he is a traitor- a spy!"

The Dark Lord's blazing reds eyes passed from Karkaroff to Snape. "Well?"

Snape didn't flinch. "My Lord it is all true. I reported your activities and that of my brethren to Albus Dumbledore, who in turn reported them to the Ministry. I went to great lengths ensuring your lordship did not injure the young Harry Potter during his first year at school. I'm as much responsible for many of the prisoners of Azkaban as Mad Eye Moody." Snape's mouth twisted into a cruel sneer. "And according to rumors at Hogwarts, I look good wearing a hat belonging to Neville Longbottom's grandmother."

The room erupted into laughter. Karkaroff shuttered and glance curiously around the room, meeting the faces of men and women who hated him. He met the cold, violent purple eyes of Jacqueline Eames. The woman had her mane of black hair rolling down her shoulders and covering much of what her slim black vest wasn't. Fine tailored pants and high polished boots molded to the contours of her shapely body and the dim light glinted off of sliver rings and chrome daggers hidden underneath her emerald robe.

Karkaroff shivered as he watched the demoness smile and silk over to Voldemort's side. She sat down and rested her head and his knee. "Will my Lord grant Severus' the pleasure of killing your enemy?"

"Oh no, my Lord, I beg of you to allow me." Said a voice stepping into the clearing. It was Augustus Rookwood. "This man damned me to Azkaban for his cowardice." Rookwood looked up at Voldemort with his cold, sightless eyes. "I paid with blood and my sight for his villainy."

Voldemort assured Rookwood that his wrongs would be redressed. "But, if I know Severus, he has greater plans for the Durmstang headmaster."

Snape bowed deeply. "My Lord knows his servant. Yes Lord, I do have a plan."

"Then take your quarry, my Prince. I await the outcome."

Snape smiled at Jacqueline before forcing Karkaroff to his feet and exiting. A Death Eater peeled off the throngs and followed. He exited the room and crept towards the retreating footsteps.

"Shut up, Igor! I'm here to save your life!" Snape hissed.

The man was trembling but he looked up with mournful, terrified eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"Do you really think you could have escaped?" Snape asked. "You're more of an idiot then I imagined." He kneeled down and tore a piece of his silk robe off and began to wipe the spittle from Karkaroff's mouth. "Now bear up! I had to find you, Albus didn't trust you to find your own way. He told me to find you at all cost."

"You're...you're still...working for him?"

Severus' eyes flashed angrily. "He saved me from the Dementors. Do you think me so base I would throw that away so easily?"

The Death Eater leaned against the brick wall and strained to hear the rest of the conversation but the former headmaster had begun to mumble and Snape was forced to tend to him. Severus forced him to his weak legs and moved out of sight.

"Curiosity killed the cat, Lucius."

Lucius Malfoy smiled easily as he pulled off his mask. "Yes Jackie, the cat- not the snake."

Jacqueline stepped closer to Malfoy. "Is there a reason you were slithering after Severus like some vermin?"


"The same reason you are spying on him. He's a master performer, and why shouldn't he be? Snape has spent years alive and out of prison by saying the words that needs to be said or playing a part." Jacqueline began to speak but Lucius rose a bejeweled hand. "Oh spare me the hurt lover routine Jackie, it doesn't suit you. The only reason why you are so supportive of the dear Prince is because you need him." Jacqueline's eyes flashed dangerously. "You need him to overthrow the Dark Lord."

"Voldemort has given me power beyond words, why would I betray him?"

"You have a better reason then most." He enjoyed the look of utter shock on her face. "Oh yes, I do know you little secret, the secret you keep in hiding somewhere." Lucius sneered at her. "You need Severus to kill off Voldemort because he's the only man alive who has the cunning to. But you are willing to have him murdered in turn by a display of dramatic irony. I feel the need to warn you though, Jackie. Snape's always one step ahead, it's a very annoying habit of his."

Jacqueline stayed silent for a moment, then her full lips curled into an seductive smile. "Now, you know everything." She whispered, lifting up a finger and tracing her collarbone. "I think I allied myself with the wrong man." She crept over to him and place her left arm lazily around his neck. She tilted her head. "So why don't we discuss...a partnership."

Her right hand was winding up his leg, to his groin and to his belly. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her belly. Her hand moved unto her own body and to her back. But Lucius was quicker, with a swift move his hand swept to the dagger concealed at the small of her back, where she was reaching for. He swung her around and pushed the chrome blade to her pale throat. "Or I could just kill you now. You're playing a dangerous game, Jacqueline. How long do you think you can fool Severus." He smiled. "I wonder what he'd do to you if he knew."

"No more then I would do to you now." Snape had his wand poised on Lucius. The blond's movements falter and he glanced over. Snape regarded him coldly. "Give me reason, Lucius. Hell, I'd even take a whisper of one."

Lucius swallowed hard. He leaned over and whispered into Jackie's ear. "Its not over, bitch. Even he won't try and save you if he knew." He released her and threw the blade at Snape's feet. He bowed. "Forgive me, my Prince I was just leaving." He disappeared.

"How much have you heard?" She asked long after Lucius had disappeared back under some rock.

Severus shook his head. "Not a damn word, but when you have a knife to my lover's neck I might have something to say about it."

Jacqueline ran to him and hugged him. He smiled and returned the hug. "What's all this about, Jackie?"

"Nothing my Prince. Nothing at all." She wrapped her arm around his and smiled. Together they walked. He took her out into the open air, where everything was crisp and welcoming. He leaned down and kissed her. Overhead, a raven cried out. "Now, of Karkaroff?"

"I have plans for him." Severus allowed, "But I hesitate to share them with you."

"Why?"

"My nature for one thing. My plans for another but mostly." He turned to her. "I just don't trust you."

Jacqueline stopped. "Haven't I been good to you, Severus? Haven't I been faithful always..." She moved forward to kiss him, her hand already undoing his trousers.

Snape smiled and stepped back from her. He glanced up and she followed his line of sight to the large raven that sat perched on a branch, staring intently at them. "Remember." Snape said in a calculated, dangerous voice. "There's always someone watching." He bowed slightly and kissed her goodnight.


Jacqueline wrapped her ebony cloak around her frame as she watched Severus fade into the dark night. She felt something brush her cheek, she slid her eyes close and held out a hand. The object that had kissed her cheek fell into her hand. She opened her eyes and twirled the black feather over in her fingers. She wondered briefly about Severus had just said to her. She didn't know how much he knew or how much Lucius knew. Both could be dangerous. She had come to far to be spoiled now. Bringing up the feather again, she brushed the edge of his chin, considering.

Somewhere overhead the bird cried again as if to warn Jacqueline about the chill in the air. She smiled gratefully and resolved to keep up her pondering inside the house. Turning, she retreated into the safe halls of the Death Eater's ancient castle.