"Harry?" Harry turned around, and nodded at Albus Dumbledore. He had told him everything, from what he had overheard in Snape's rooms to the encounter in the hall and he felt numb all over. It took him a moment to remember where he was. He was in Dumbledore's office, waiting with Snape for news to arrive. The Potions Master was staring into the fireplace, watching the flames as they danced across the retreating night. He hadn't spoken at all.

"Harry?" Dumbledore whispered, walking towards him. He sat beside him. "Are you alright?"

"I can't believe it about Ron. I refuse to believe it."

"Good." The Headmaster said softly. "Because those we love can never truly be lost if we still believe in them."

"Did my father believe in him?" Harry asked, motioning to Snape.

"Till the day he died. He never believed that Snape could be anything less than a hero. He was born to become an Auror, it was part of his legacy, and James believed, even if Severus didn't, that he would have been a great one. Underneath Severus' coldness is an Auror's heart. He can't fight that. James saw that before anyone else did."

"He was an Auror then?"

"One of the best. But he lost his family, and his friends to a traitor. He took it hard, like most would…I think Professor Snape believed if he could stop feeling the pain, things would be like they were before. They never were, of course, and he woke up one day seeing, at least in his own eyes, that he had become what he hated most. He could never come to grips with what he became because of his pain. That's why it was so easy for him and the others to separate what he was before and what he was after: Alex and Severus. I think it made it easier for him."

"Now what happens?"

"Now, he will discover what he probably already knows…that he can't divide who he is into shades of black and white nor that his intentions be gray anymore. He has to pick a side."

Harry was about to say something when the door to his office opened, admitting Choice and Kaiya. Choice was standing tall and composed. He glanced at Snape, who nodded and stood. "You bring news?"

"Mordred has agreed to meet with you tonight." Choice nodded, he turned to Harry. "Ron will be there."

"I'm going." Harry said, walking to stand at Snape's side.

Snape glanced at him, searching but said nothing. "Show me where, Choice."

"I'm going too."

"Is this a free for all, now?" Snape looked up and met Kaiya's eyes. "No, you are not."

"I have a right to be there. You're going to meet the man behind all this." Kaiya said. " And you're going to kill him, aren't you?"

"No…" Severus said softly.

"But I don't understand." Kaiya frowned.

Choice understood. "You can't mean…"

"I can and do." He answered.

"No!" She ran to him. "You can't! Fight him!'"

"I wouldn't win against him. I can't win against him."

"Why not? You are Severus Snape! You are the great spy! Who is Mordred to you?!" Kaiya shouted. "Who is he? Why would he have such power over you!"

"You don't understand Kaiya. You can't understand."

"Why not! Do you think you are the only one afraid?"

"I am not afraid!" Snape shouted. He was dangerously close to losing his temper. His entire body shook with rage and Harry could only wish he knew what was going on in Snape's mind.

"Then tell me who is Mordred and why he has such power over you? Tell me why he wants to destroy you! Tell me! I am your daughter I have a right to know!"

"You are not my daughter!" Snape broke. "You are not my daughter! You are the bastard child of Malfoy blood!"

There was a long silence. Snape seemed to come to his senses a moment too late. He paled. "Kaiya, I…"

"No." She said slowly. "You're right. I am not your daughter. And I don't want to be your daughter. You are a cold, lonely and unforgiving man. You don't know how to love or feel anything outside of what you need for personal gain. There were times when you needed to feel human and that's when I came in handy. But now, you have your purpose. A whole war to fight and win."

She turned slowly to leave but Snape grasped her arm and held her. He closed his eyes. He was losing, slipping, and that was dangerous. Jackie was right; everything was spinning out of control. This couldn't be. She had said that now would be the time where he was tested and forced to choose a side. That time was now. He inhaled and pushed his nose into her hair. "He's your brother, Kaiya."

She looked up and met his eyes. "What?"

"Mordred is my son."

Her eyes were searching his and she clung a little tighter to him. "What does that mean?"

"It means that I can't beat him. I can't fight him and I won't. I can't kill him."

"But…but he'll kill you!"

"If that must be," He nodded. He turned away and began to slip on his robe. He could feel Kaiya staring at him but he didn't have the strength to meet her eyes. He felt very tired suddenly. He was losing and he knew it. No matter the outcome of this one battle, he knew it was going to be his last. "So be it."

"What? No! It can't end like this…" Kaiya exclaimed, running to him. "Father, it can't be this way."

"It has to be. I have to meet Mordred, for the same reason Harry has to. This needs to end. Now." He was holding her, and begging to her to understand what he couldn't say to her. "Kaiya please."

"I can't let you do this…" She moaned.

He allowed a small, fatherly grin. "It's not like you have much of a choice."

"Yes, I do." She said, firmly. "I'm going with you."

He inhaled deeply but nodded. "Come on."

Choice began to lead Harry and Kaiya out, Snape stayed behind for Dumbledore. He walked over to him, meeting his eyes. "Albus, I owe you so much. I just wish I could have…"

"Be safe, Severus, and return to us."

Snape smiled softly. "You're always saying I can't hide the good in me…maybe there is still something human left inside of me, eh?" He turned and walked out.

Albus watched him leave, before nodding slowly. "Be safe, Alexander."

The Coven House had remained untouched by time and walking toward it, Severus could still feel the evil that surrounded the house. It came out of nowhere, the forest that hid it was too afraid of its evil to try and claim it in the years it had remained dormant. Paint peeled from the off-white walls and the grass seemed forever a shade of yellow.

"What is this place?" Harry asked, softly.

"This is hell." Choice glanced at him.

Kaiya was looking at the house. "It's home, Harry."

"Let's have a look inside." Severus said, pushing open the door.

There was a fire in the parlor and the whispers of the long dead came back to Snape, warning him to leave and now. He thought he heard Drucilla's voice. Turning, he could swear he saw the children playing on the floor with invisible toys. He could hear the laughter of the Coven Sires waft through the air, coming to greet their prodigal daughter. The sharp, cold, calculating eyes of the Coven Nurses bore into Snape from their decade old graves.

The Coven was still alive, and now they were waiting.

"Welcome home, little sister, little brother." Mayon said, from the head of the stairs. Radella waited beside him. She smiled at them both. "Welcome home."

"Where's Mordred?" Snape demanded. He had no time for games.

Radella's smile stayed. "This way, he's waiting for you."

They followed the twins up the stairs and into a large parlor. Snape looked around but already knew the contents of the room. This had been Alistair's favorite room and the one that had been the setting for all of the Coven's magic. The Aett magic was still strong here; even now he could feel it through his own rudimentary skills in it. He felt Kaiya and Choice shift uncomfortably. They were having a harder time resisting the magic they had been trained to obey since birth. Even Harry seemed affected by the thickness of the evil in the room.

Another fire was blazing; this one had a large chair facing it. Standing beside it on one side was Jacqueline, on the other, Ron. Harry's eyes were glued to his best friend, waiting. Radella and Mayon were near the exit, flanking either side of it. All eyes were on the chair, where the man that was seated was finishing his drink. The glass disappeared and reappeared a moment later, empty. The man rose and turned slowly, meeting Snape's eyes with a soft, teasing smile.

"Hello father." Mordred said. "So nice of you to come willing to your death."

"Enough of these games, Mordred." Snape said. "It's time to end this."

"Never was a truer word spoken." The young man said, pulling out his wand and motioning for the others do so as well. "Let's end this act."

"Crucio!" Shouted Mayon, his wand poised on Choice.

Choice fell to his knees, recovering before motioning with his finger. He pushed away a strain of his hair and made the sign of protection. Mayon fell back from the Aett's magic. He swung around, replacing his wand and poising his fingers in the sign of another battle skill.

The Aett mages went at each other, sign against sign and will against will. Kaiya pulled her wand forcing Radella to take a defensive stance. Snape threw Harry to one side of the room, away from Mordred's first curse. "Avada Kedavra."

Snape could feel the curse as it brushed pass him, he was thrown slightly by the curse, and weakened. "Shit."

"Professor?" Harry whispered softly.

"Stay here!" Snape shouted. "Stay here, or I'll kill you myself."

"Come on daddy." Mordred said. "Let the little boy have some fun. I know Ron is begging to get at him. I mean after all…what are best friends for?"

"Expelliarmus!" Snape shouted.

Mordred deflected it and smirked. "Come now, surely the Dark Prince has something with more bite! Crucio!"

Snape gritted against the pain.

"Now, that must really hurt." Ron commented lazily, his wand out and tapping against his chin, keeping tempo to the macabre dance. He turned his attention to Harry and smiled. "Is this an amazing little turn of events?"

"Ron, please…"

"Do you trust me?"

"What?"

Ron was smiling again. "I asked if you trusted me…"

"I did."

"I'll never know why…" The smile was fading, and Ron was backing away slowly.

"Because we're friends, Ron. Now and always!"

"But I've betrayed you…"

Harry glanced back at Snape, then to Ron and shook his head. "There's a lot of that going around…too bad my father and I never quite grasped the meaning it of it."

"Look around you, Potter." Ron shouted. "Brother against brother! Father against son!" His voice turned softer, as he crept towards Harry. "Friend against friend…why, history does repeat itself doesn't it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Harry," Ron's voice was different, darker and forceful, and his eyes never leaving Harry's. "It's been done before, hasn't it?"

Harry glanced around him and suddenly understood what Ron was talking about. Today would draw the battle lines for the last, great battle and Harry knew each side had already staked their claim. This was the calm before the storm.

But before the war could be finished, loyalties had to be defined.

And this was about friends. The two friends, best friends, so close they could be called brothers. One ever in the shadow, and one always in the light yet both bound to each other. It followed like night and day.

"This is about Snape isn't it?" Harry whispered. "Snape and my father…"

Ron nodded slowly. "In the days to come, there can't be anymore shades of gray Harry. This war was fought by strings of betrayals…some intentional, most not. Are you ready for it? Are you ready to stand alone if needed? More importantly…are you willing to be betrayed?"

"I think I already have been." Harry said softly. He looked up. "And I'm still standing…"

Ron smiled at him. He lifted his wand, shaking his head. "Good on you, Harry. You are your father's son." Swinging about face, Ron slammed Radella. Radella swung about to face him but Kaiya took that moment to recoup, before confronting her again. Harry stared at him opened mouth.

Ron pulled up his left sleeve and revealed an unmarred forearm; he looked up, eyes twinkling. "Surely you didn't think I could ever betray you, Harry? We're friends."

"Brothers." Harry said, pulling him nearer, into an embrace.

"Looks like your game misfired," Kaiya called. "Your betrayal failed."

"Rotten luck, old sport." Ron smiled.

"Touching, child, touching." Mordred inhaled and sneered. Jackie's eyes darted from Ron to Mordred. He motioned for Jacqueline to move and she did, raising up, and sending Ron flying back. Harry tried to intervene but Ron was quicker, throwing him back and shouting a counter-curse.

"Come now father!" Mordred shouted over the din. "End this! Where is the man who made the nations tremble?"

"I will not fight you, Mordred!" Snape shouted. He pulled himself to full length and met the violent wine eyes of his son. He swallowed hard. "But you're right, this ends now."

Mordred frowned, watching Snape. He glanced at Ron, who was standing in front of Harry. Mayon still had Choice backed into a corner, while Radella stood between Kaiya and Jackie. He studied the room for a moment, his thin lips curling into a smile. "Yes, father. This ends now…Mayon! Kill him!"

Ron pulled his wand and aimed it at Mayon. "Try it."

Kaiya poised her wand on Jackie's neck. Radella's wand was aimed at Kaiya. Mayon had his on Choice, who was pressed against the wall to remain standing. Ron's wand was on Mayon with Mordred poised lazily over Snape's heart. Only Snape had yet to draw his own weapon. Mordred turned back, "This is quite the standoff isn't it? Wonder whose going to blink first."

"You've already lost, Mordred." Snape whispered. "You wanted to prove that Ron could betray Harry, like I betrayed James. You were wrong…"

"It appears that Ron is a better man than you but that's not saying much." Mordred said, after a few moments of silence. "But that doesn't negate your betrayal- your sins."

"If this is about you and me, Mordred, fine. Let them go."

"Now that was cliché, daddy and just like you, too. Are we trying to be the great hero again? Save those you couldn't? You couldn't save your own Auror squad from a betrayer and what was your beautiful answer to that? To become what you hate…is that how you betrayed James? Betrayed them all?" Mordred stalked toward Snape and blasted him with the Crucio again. "Not that what you gained from leaving the Aurors was anything to laugh about. You became a Prince! Power! Prestige! You had it all! Everything! You had the world and you threw it away! For what? That?"

Mordred motioned to Kaiya angrily. He stalked toward her, his eyes blazing with hatred and rage. He glanced back at Snape. "What is she to you? She's a bitch, bore out of a rape, yet you gave up everything for her! You left me, my mother…the kingdom you had spawned, you betrayed that all for her!"

"She's my daughter."

"Are we trying for tragic hero now, daddy?" Mordred sneered, looking back at Kaiya. "I'll make you a deal, Dark Prince. Fight me…or they die." Snape's eyes gazed over the people assembled. Mordred smiled, "Starting with…him." Choice fell under the Crucio curse. Mordred turned and waited.

Snape crossed to Mordred, his wand out. He met the boy's eyes, and raised his wand, dropping it at Mordred's feet. He positioned his body in such a way that Mordred's wand was poised again over his heart. "You're right, Mordred. I did betray everything I cared about…and it's this moment that I make it right."

"By dying?" Mordred exclaimed. He stared at him, "You can't…"

"I can, and there's your first marvel that I can." He said, in a strained voice, but he was smiling. "You wanted me human, and I think you've gotten your wish, for I see some shred of humanity, I thought was lost. It's not enough for most but enough for me, for now. Today, I die a man, on my feet, like James did."

Mordred's eyes were dark with hate. "So be it…Mayon! Radella, kill them all. But he dies first!" He glanced back. "You will die first, father. Then these behind you, that you try to save…they will die slowly and painfully. Ending lastly with the Boy Who Lived!"

"Avada Kedavra!"