Hermione gently rocked her husband, trying very hard to ignore the stench of death and vomit that was wafting up from his robes. Since he had entered the dungeons at a dead run moments ago upon returning from the Death Eaters meeting, she had been attempting to control her urge to vomit herself, while she surreptitiously examined Snape for injuries. It appeared that the blood that was splattered over him was not his own. She breathed a sigh of partial relief and muttered useless words of comfort while she gently stroked his head as it lay on her chest, his hands clutching desperately at her clothing.

"She looked like you," Snape repeated over and over as he sobbed. "Gods, Hermione, she looked like you and they killed her. I couldn't stop it. She looked like you."

Their usual support group had gathered in Snape's absence and after a moment or two of shock, the group was able to interpret his incoherent ramblings and put together a picture of the horrors Snape had witnessed. A child that resembled Hermione had been tortured and killed while Snape was hexed and forced to watch - helpless.

The horror of it stunned in them into silence before they all fell to work. Bathrobe-clad Molly set off to the couple's quarters to find a fresh set of robes for him. Ron, in his pajamas and a Weasley sweater, began digging through the potions cabinet for soothing draughts and dreamless sleep potions - enough for everyone in the room. Lupin and Dumbledore quickly bent over parchment at Snape's desk, composing letters to Aurors and others in their elite resistance cell. Ginny, still in her nightgown, attempted to follow her mother, but instead dashed to the nearest lavatory, retching - a worried Harry Potter in tow.

By the time Snape was able to calm down, it was nearly dawn and the group was quietly sitting, supportive and waiting. He stood up and took the robes Molly was offering and walked, without a word, to the bathroom. Ginny hadn't made it far once she finished being sick; she and Harry were a mass of tangled legs, arms and wild hair slumped against the wall beside the door. Snape reached down to gently brush her hair from her tearful eyes and give her a sympathetic, soft smile before entering and closing the door behind him.

Hermione sat still as Molly moved to her, handing her a handkerchief and waving her wand to clean her robes. Ron silently handed her a bottle of soothing potion, which she took without words before allowing Ron to take her into a tight hug. Moments later, a much cleaner and composed Snape re- entered the classroom and without a second's hesitation, walked straight into the open arms of Molly Weasley.

A motherly hug and a few encouraging whispers later, Snape resumed his seat next to Hermione and took her hand. No one seemed to be able to break the silence that had descended over the classroom. The only noise was the hitching breaths being taken by Ginny as she attempted to stop crying and the scritch-scratch of Lupin and Dumbledore's quills on parchment. To break the silence with mere talking seemed a sacrilege, an insult to the memory of the child that was lost.

Then suddenly, the calm was shattered as a masked Death Eater tore into the classroom at breakneck speed.

"Snape!" he cried, and was subsequently hit by a variety of curses as everyone in the room brandished their wands.

The body-bound, petrified, disarmed, jelly-legged man was soon lying helpless on the cold stone floor. Snape began to advance on him, but Dumbledore held up his hand to stop him. Acquiescing to the older and more powerful wizard, Snape stood back and let the Headmaster move to unmask the dark wizard.

It was Draco Malfoy.

Dumbledore removed enough of the curses to allow him to speak.

"Snape," said Draco, his eyes moving wildly in his immobile head as he attempted to find his potions teacher. "Snape, are you all right? My father -"

"Your father is a monster," spat Snape.

"I know. Professor, I can't do this, it's too much. Help me, please," Draco said, breathing heavily. "I'll take Veritaserum - hell, I'll take my own life if I have to. Please Professor, Please. Make him stop."

With a swish of his wand, Dumbledore released the hexes on Draco. As he stood, the old wizard clamped one hand down on his shoulder.

"Ron, will you please see if you can find Severus' supply of Veritaserum?" he asked, in a tone that would have sounded more appropriate at the table asking for the salt. "I believe we have some questions for our young Mr. Malfoy."

And so, Draco was maneuvered into a desk, the truth potion was administered and the questioning begun.

"Are you a Death Eater, Draco?" began Snape. "Have you taken the Mark?"

"No, but I will have to soon," Draco replied in the monotone voice that was the hallmark of someone under the potion's influence. "I have managed to put it off. When my father told me you were coming back, I said I wanted to wait until you could be there for my initiation as you were my mentor. I knew with you being married to Granger now, there was no way you'd return willingly, so I hoped to put it off for quite some time."

"Were you there this evening?" asked Dumbledore.

"Yes."

"Did you participate?" asked Snape, his grip flexing on his wand.

"No. Father had me watching from the bar area the whole time."

"Draco, do you want to be a Death Eater?" asked Molly Weasley, kindly.

"No. I want to finish my NEWTS and go to Oxford and study potions, perhaps go into research. I don't want to kill and I don't need any more money and power than I already have. I couldn't do what they did to that girl tonight and then -" he paused, controlling his shaking voice.

"Yes, Draco, go on," said Molly.

"I couldn't rape someone and then go home to my wife and children as if I'd been out with the boys just playing chess or something. You know, some of them were planning to have sex with their wives when they got home and were bragging about it all." Draco shook his head and looked pleadingly at Dumbledore. "I never had a normal home life, Headmaster. I want one when I'm married. Being a Death Eater isn't a part of that life."

"A wise choice, Draco," said Snape. "How did your father come to lead the new Death Eaters? Pettigrew and I were Voldemort's next in command."

"And you weren't around anymore," said Draco, simply. "Besides, our estate had been host to most of Voldemort's meetings and was Voldemort's hideout for many years. Where do you think all of his things were? His diary? His wand? His books and records? It was easy for my father to assume command - especially once he figured out how the Dark Mark worked."

Silence once again ruled the dungeon classroom as the members of the group exchanged hopeful glances. Snape cleared his throat.

"Draco," Snape said.

"Yes, Professor."

"Draco, do *you* know how the Dark Mark works?"

"No, I don't." Draco paused and looked around at the faces of the unlikely group, as the light dawned. "You're trying to get rid of Professor Snape's Mark, aren't you?"

No one answered, but Dumbledore nodded slowly. Draco turned to face Snape.

"Help me get away from my father and I will bring you all the information he has on the Dark Mark," he said.

Snape stood still for a moment before advancing on Draco. He swiftly stashed his wand away and stuck his hand out in front of Draco. The teenager stood, came around the desk, and took it. They shook briefly before Snape pulled Draco into a fierce, fatherly hug - and let the boy cry.

"See, Severus," said Dumbledore. "I told you that you wouldn't lose all of your Slytherins. You're work with them is paying off."

Snape looked up, once more with tears in his eyes, and smiled shakily at his friends over Draco's head.

And with that smile, another person was officially added to their motley group dedicated to the eradication of the Mark and the Death Eaters.