Disclaimers as always.

I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed and I'm sorry about the cliff-hangers, it wasn't intended just the way it happened. But I assure you there are no cliff-hangers in this chapter. This chapter will probably clarify a few things but there is still more to come.

Thanks again to Starlight for being such a faithful reviewer and her kind words, Silver*Chime, how you had a great time at the salsa dance, little minx69, Jess, geofan, vandaluzija and Caya for sending me an email.

Chapter 17

Snape stared at the closed door, wondering if he had imagined the knock. He listened for a moment but except for a slight draught he heard nothing. Exhaustion he thought wryly.

But then as he turned back to his notes, there was another knock. And this time the knock was louder.

Filch he grimaced. It had to be Filch. Probably caught some hapless student wandering the corridors.

'Yes, come in,' Snape called out irritably not bothering to take his eyes away from his notes. He heard the door slowly open. 'Well Filch,' he said, 'what is it this time?'

'Umm Professor Snape,' said quiet, familiar voice.

Snape's head jerked up. When he saw who it was, he slammed his hand on the desk.

'Miss Devon! What are you doing here? Do you realise how late it is? Does Madam Pomfrey… no I suppose she doesn't. Do you know what's going to happen when she discovers you missing?'

He advanced towards Eleni, till they were almost noses apart. His eyes were dilated, making his eyes even blacker than usual. 'You're supposed to be in bed, not wandering Hogwarts at this ungodly hour.'

Eleni shrank into herself but refused to back away. She wasn't going anywhere till she talked to him.

'Madam Pomfrey said she was going to bed,' she said, 'so she won't know I'm missing.'

'Oh really,' he sneered. 'Well for your information I know that she habitually gets up during the night to check on her patients. You're supposed to be resting,' he ranted. 'Do you know how hard we worked to bring you back safely? The least you can do is follow orders. It appears that your friends, Potter, Weasley and Granger have had a bad influence on your attitude. Like them you believe you're above the rules, that you can do as you please, well let me inform you now that this little antic of yours is going to cost Gryffindor big points.'

Eleni leant against the doorframe, trying to steady her weakening legs.

'Professor Snape, she said quickly before he began on another tirade, 'I'm sorry, I know I'm breaking the rules but I had to see you tonight, I had to speak to you.'

'Why?' he barked. 'You had your chance earlier or is it you want to inundate me with more mindless self-pity.'

'No and I'm sorry about before,' she said hesitantly, 'but there's something I need to ask you, something I need to know.'

'Well,' he said, when she showed no sign of continuing, 'come on spit it out before I send you back to the hospital wing.'

'Umm, well you see, I… Professor Snape was it you that night?'

The intensity in Snape's eyes increased but he remained silent.

'When the man was going to kill me,' she continued, 'someone pushed me out of the way. I want to know if it was you?'

Snape stepped back and retreated to his desk. 'Perhaps it's best you come in,' he said.

Eleni stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. Snape drummed his hand on the desk for a moment before answering. 'Yes it was me,' he said raising his head but not looking at her.

Eleni grabbed one of the student desks for support. Expecting the affirmative was one thing but hearing it was another.

'So it really was you,' she said, needing to hear it again.

'Yes,' he said. The anger had left his body and replaced by something identifiable. His shoulders while remaining tense, had dropped somewhat and his head bowed forward, his chin almost touching his chest.

'Professor Snape?' she asked tentatively.

'This is not the right place for this conversation,' he said. 'But if you give me a moment to pack up, we'll go to my quarters.'

Eleni sat silently on one of the chairs, not daring to speak, not daring to break the mood. She marvelled at how volatile and changeable his moods were. Only a moment ago he was ready to breathe fire on her but now he had calmed down sufficiently and acquired a civil tone.

'All right,' he said, when the cauldron had been packed away and he had gathered his notes. 'Follow me, we'll leave through my office.'

Eleni kept a safe distance between them, as she followed him out of the classroom and through his office. She waited as he locked the door and cast several charms to ward off any unwelcome intruders. He abruptly turned and led her deep into the dungeons. It was dark and when it was apparent that Snape knew his way in the dark and had no intention of lighting a path for her she asked him to light the way for her.

'Very well,' he said before muttering "Lumos" to his wand.

After another flight of steps down and another temperature drop, Snape finally stopped in front of a heavy wooden door.

'Alohomora,' he said.

Eleni heard the lock click open. Snape pushed open the door and switched on the lights with a flick of his wand.

'After you,' he said, standing back.

Eleni squeezed though sideways, careful not to touch him.

Snape's quarters were spacious but sparsely furnished. Most of the wall space was covered by floor to ceiling bookshelves. A table and six chairs stood to one corner and in the other a substantial fireplace. Two leather chairs were on an angle in front of the fireplace with a simple brown rug between them.

Eleni breathed in cold air as she spotted several closed doors that she guessed led to the bedrooms.

'Sit,' he said to her, his head inclining to one of the leather chairs. He moved his hand and instantly the fireplace lit up with orange and blue flames, which spread some badly needed warmth through the icy cold room.

'I'll need to let Madam Pomfrey know you're here,' he said as she sat down in the worn but comfortable armchair.

'I did bunch up a couple of pillows under the covers to make it appear like I'm sleeping,' said Eleni. 'So even if she checks she might not realise I'm not there.'

Snape's mouth flinched, half in annoyance, half in amusement. 'Sometimes I think you would have made a better Slytherin than Gryffindor,' he said. 'But one thing you should never do is underestimate Madam Pomfrey. Because it will be worse for you if she discovers that you're missing. Excuse me for a moment.' Snape threw powder into the fire and disappeared.

Eleni sat back grateful for the warmth that the fire was giving but not pleased about his jibe about making a better Slytherin than Gryffindor. It certainly contradicted the reassuring words that Ron had said earlier.

Snape reappeared minutes later, brushing dust off his pants. 'Count yourself lucky,' he drawled in his silky voice, 'she told me she was planning to check on you. And I have no doubt she would have seen through your attempted ruse.'

He moved to the wooden mantelpiece adorning the fireplace and gazed contemplatively into the fire.

He suddenly turned to face her.

'How did you guess it was me?' he asked.

Eleni's gaze met his for a moment before she looked away. 'I think I've known for awhile,' she said. 'That time I had detention in your office right before I fainted, I smelt those herbs you had hanging and I knew I had smelt them before. And then in the Forbidden Forest when we were attacked by the "Vampirimots" and you pushed me out of the way. It was the way you spoke to me, it reminded me of something and even though I never saw your face that time, I just put it together.'

'I see,' he said.

'But why didn't you tell me? You knew all along and you didn't tell me.'

'We thought it best to wait till you remembered of your own accord.'

'So you saw what happened?' she asked.

'I saw the aftermath,' he said. 'You see I was detained that night and unfortunately arrived late. Your father had wanted me there because he knew the Ministry wouldn't believe him about the names. You see I was the defector that gave him the list of death eaters. The truth is I have been a defector for years but only Professor Dumbledore and your father knew. But I was to attend the meeting under another guise because even if it was people from the Ministry attending we thought it best that they were unaware it was me.'

'So you're like a double agent, pretending to be working for Voldemort?'

'Yes,' he said, eyeing her closely. 'And I don't have to remind you how important it is that you keep that information to yourself.'

Eleni nodded. 'I promise I won't tell anyone.'

Snape's face soured. 'By confidentiality, I also mean Potter and his friends, even if I know they suspect the truth.'

Eleni's eyes were clear and honest as she looked at him. 'Professor Snape I give you my word, I won't say anything to anyone.'

'Good,' he said, 'because it would be most unfortunate if you didn't keep your word.' Snape tapped his hand against the mantelpiece before going to sit in the other armchair.

He looked at Eleni before taking a deep breath and began.

'I knew something was wrong the moment I arrived at the house. For one the passwords were not in place and not to mention the electrical storm on a rampage above the house. I first summoned help before apparating into the room where I knew the meeting was being held.'

'And you arrived,' she said, 'just as the man was pointing his wand at my chest.'

'Correct,' said Snape. 'Fortunately I apparated beside you. Another second and it would have been too late. But he got away, they all got away.'

'I remember landing in a corner and screaming,' whispered Eleni as she stared into space. 'I couldn't stop screaming.'

'That's right,' he said, 'but fortunately I always carry a selection of potions. I was able to give you a sedative that calmed you down somewhat. But then reinforcements from the Ministry arrived, including Professor Dumbledore, which meant I had to leave. Professor Dumbledore and I agreed that it was best no one knew I was there. But I was there long enough to hear Cornelius Fudge berate you and tell everyone how you betrayed your family. He had heard the conversation between yourself, your father and that man. And before Professor Dumbledore could do anything they had spirited you away. He didn't find out for years where you were, no one from the Ministry would tell him. The only reason they didn't send you to "Azkaban" was because of your age.'

'So they blamed me for what happened?' she asked evenly, careful to keep the hurt and self-pity out of her voice.

'Yes,' said Snape. 'Completely inane and foolish really but Fudge wanted to make an example of you.'

Snape and Eleni's eyes met for a moment before they both looked away. Eleni felt a pain in her chest yet despite her emotional pain, there was clarity, pictures that were coming into focus like a life size jigsaw. She felt a stirring deep inside like dying embers coming to life.

She looked at Snape who was still staring into the fire, his face lost in thought. Eleni thought about how he had been there, how he had seen what her foolishness had caused yet not once had she seen a flicker of judgement in his eyes.

True that he was evil tempered, sarcastic and sometimes even cruel, yet the Ministry had wanted to punish her, he hadn't. And neither had Professor Dumbledore.

Something bordering on respect and perhaps admiration filled her, as she thought about him. But there was something else she needed to know.

'Professor Snape,' she began again.

'I'm permitting only one more question,' he said. 'It's late and time we call it a night.'

Eleni nodded in agreement.

'So what is it?' he asked a little sharply.

'Did you know my father well?'

'Actually I knew both your parents. Powerful Aurors both of them, outstanding scholars, your mother especially had a brilliant mind. She was my Potions Master at the Wizard University.'

'My mother was a Potion's Master?'

'Yes and a talented one. Both your parents were university professors before they became Aurors. It was she that introduced me to your father. And having no parents of my own, he became my mentor and friend.' Snape cleared his throat. 'I'll spare you the details but it was after I completed my University studies that I was lured to the dark side. And it was during this time that Voldemort rose. To make himself appear powerful to the Wizarding world, he systematically began kidnapping those of intellectual standing. I believe that he got the idea from studying certain dictatorships in the Muggle world, where certain classes were wiped out so as to bring in line the rest of the population. He captured these Wizards and methodically destroyed their minds by killing off their brain cells and when he was satisfied that they were helpless as children, he'd kill them. But before they were murdered, he'd parade them in front of the death eaters, as if it was a circus, humiliating them, treating them worse than what he would an animal.'

'That's terrible and eveil,' she said, unable to contain herself.

But Snape hardly paused in his recollection.  'Then Voldemort captured your father and I knew that he was looking forward to destroying your father's mind. When your father was brought before Voldemort, wrapped in chains, I knew I could no longer remain a death eater. For that and other reasons. And so I went to see your father. He was being held in a rat-infested cell and after talking at length, we struck a bargain. I'd help him escape and he'd take me to Professor Dumbledore, where I'd renounce Voldemort and the dark side. The rest I'm sure you know. Not long after that Voldemort attacked and killed Potter's parents and of course Harry Potter survived the curse. Voldemort was temporarily destroyed and the dark side decimated.'

'I never knew any of this,' said Eleni. 'My father never told me. I didn't know he had been captured by Voldemort and almost killed.'

'I don't think it was something he talked about and remember it happened before you were born.'

'I appreciate you telling me all this,' she said.

'I would never normally talk like this and as I said before,' said Snape giving her a piercing look, 'I'm entrusting you with confidential information. It must not go beyond this room. But it was time you knew who your parents were, their background and how I came to know them.'

Eleni nodded. 'Thank you.'

'And now it's time you rest,' said Snape, standing up and suddenly looking tired, as if the talk had drained him. 'I'm going to do what I've never done with any student and allow you to stay here the night. You're too tired for the "Floo" Powder to work and I doubt your legs have the strength to carry you back to the hospital wing.'

'But Madam Pomfrey.'

'I had already advised her of my intention when I spoke to her,' he said, tapping her chair with his wand. Instantly the chair lengthened and became a couch. 'Wait here while I get blankets and a pillow.'

Eleni watched him go and shook her head in shock and disbelief at what Snape had told her. Her parents had had such a history and she had known nothing about it. And Snape had been incredible. She could never have believed he'd be able to talk so openly. And to think he knew her parents. That he and her father had been friends that they had been working together. And what about her mother being a Potion Master? There was so much to think about but suddenly she was tired and couldn't stop yawning.

Snape returned and handed over a pillow and two blankets. He then took out a vial. 'This time,' he said, as she arranged the blankets and pillow, 'you will take the "dreamless sleep" potion and I don't want to hear you stir for the next ten hours.'

'Okay,' she said, taking off her shoes and socks before crawling under the blankets.

Snape stood over her. 'There's another reason,' he said, 'that I wanted to tell you about your parents. Now that you know who they were, the veil has lifted for your own life. There is no reason why you shouldn't excel in your studies. I certainly have seen your parent's intelligence in you but you hold it back, perhaps because up to now you've been aware of it. Now it's time to begin to work to the best of your abilities. It's what they would have wanted and it's what I expect.'

Eleni nodded not daring to speak because of the emotion that was welling up in her chest and throat. She didn't want to cry in front of him and she knew that she was close. She silently took the vial that he handed her and drank the contents.

'Remember that you're not a bad person,' he said. 'Your parents would not have wanted for you to go on blaming yourself. As I said earlier this evening, what happened, happened and it is now time to plan for the future.'

The potion had barely reached the bottom of her throat when Eleni felt a sweet drowsiness permeate down her arms and legs, up through her back relaxing her limbs and muscles. She closed her eyes and snuggled under the blankets and fell instantly asleep.

Snape watched her for a moment before turning to the fire. He murmured several words to it and watched as it slowly died down. But the spell he cast allowed it to continue burning, giving out as much heat as was needed. He wanted the room to remain warm for her. He looked at her once more before leaving for his own room.

(end of chapter)

Snape was somewhat nice in this chapter but I think his connection with Eleni's family softened him. Well for the moment. Hope this chapter is believable.

And please I welcome all reviews and opinions.