March was a difficult month for them all - most of all for Harry and Ginny.
Snape and Harry had purchased the ring, as planned, and later that night in
the potions classroom, Harry proposed in front of everyone. Tears of
happiness turned to disappointment for Molly and Ron as they discovered the
reason for the premature engagement, but Snape managed to head off a full-
scale Weasley war with a simple statement.
"Regardless of the fact that they were irresponsible, Molly," he said quietly. "They have both been through much due to these battles - and they deserve some happiness. We all do."
Molly visibly softened and pulled her daughter into a hug. Snape, never one to resist an opening, wickedly grinned at Molly over Ginny's bright hair.
"Besides, I would think you would be happy about this turn of events -- *grandma,*" he sneered, and ignored the dagger stare from the Weasley camp.
"Just remember, I'm only three years older than you," Molly retorted. "When all of my children are gone and gracing me with grandkids - you will still be changing nappies and getting up for three a.m. feedings. I'll make damn sure to rub that in, in a few years, too."
The group laughed, tension was broken, and they all turned their attention back to the matter at hand. If they didn't find the solution to the Dark Mark problem, pregnancies, nappies and weddings would be irrelevant, thought Snape grimly. He joined his wife and Draco at a worktable where they were going over some notes the younger Malfoy made after talking to his father.
"So, you're telling me that your father doesn't really understand the Mark, himself?" said Hermione.
"Exactly," replied Draco. "From what I gather, he barely understood how to activate the Mark, but accidentally found this incantation that gave him control. From that point, it's basically wandless magic-he just mentally calls the Death Eaters to him. And he can mentally decide on the level of 'punishment' or pain they receive. But he doesn't completely understand the texts Voldemort left behind."
Snape sighed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"Not to completely insult your genetic makeup, Draco," he drawled. "But your father is an idiot. An idiot with good luck and more balls than brains. We're going to have to convince him that it is in his best interest to give us the information. I just don't know how."
"Can we convince him that you've developed a potion that will enhance it?" asked Draco.
Hermione knit her brow for a moment before speaking up.
"What if he thinks we've developed a potion that will allow him to channel the power of those who wear the Mark?" she said. Draco and Snape looked at her with interest. "He's power-hungry, so if he thought he could have access to hundreds of wizards' power and thus become more powerful than Dumbledore or Voldemort - he might be willing to turn the information over for our 'research.'"
Harry had been eavesdropping and now joined the group. Ginny watched him worriedly for a moment before returning to her stack of books with Ron.
"Severus, is there a potion that enhances a wizards power? Seems like we talked about one in class -" Harry began.
Snape smirked. "You were actually listening? I'm impressed, here I thought all you had done this year was snog Ginny Weasley in dark corners. Among other things."
"Well, that and I helped my potions master defeat Voldemort," grinned Harry. "But in between the snogging and saving the world, I managed to keep up on my potions homework."
"How I miss the days when you all feared me," sighed Snape. "But, yes, there is a potion that will enhance a wizards potential magical output. It isn't exactly illegal, but the ingredients are difficult to obtain, and very expensive. But Lucius has studied potions himself, I think he would recognize a simple enhancement potion if we took it to him."
"What if we 'spike' it with a narcotic?" suggested Draco. "We make the simple potion, spike it, then we tell him it is a prototype of a potion that will allow the Death Eaters Marks to channel power to him. Say it's channeling Snape's power or mine to him - or Harry's. He'll be high and won't notice that it's a simple enhancement of his own powers, instead. And if all three of us are there, he'll be gloating and so excited anyway, that he'll be fairly oblivious with pride."
Hermione's gaze darkened. Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"I thought we agreed that Severus and Harry wouldn't be going on this particular mission," she said calmly.
Silence followed her statement. She stood. Snape grabbed her arm.
"We have yet to decide anything, Hermione," he said softly.
She nodded, left the table and the classroom. Before he could wrap up the discussion and follow her to their quarters for what promised to be a rousing fight, Snape's Dark Mark began burning. He quickly borrowed Lupin's winter cloak and nodded at Draco. Together they prepared to leave the classroom.
"Tell Hermione where I have gone," Snape said, looking at Harry. "And, if anything happens to me -"
Harry looked at the man he used to loathe and clapped a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"If anything happens to you, Hermione and the baby will be taken care of. I promise," said Harry. "They are already like family to us. You'll come back, though, I know it. Because, we have two little girls to meet in a few months, don't we?"
Draco and Snape were soon apparating to Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters were gathered outside this time.
"Field trip," muttered Snape, under his breath.
"What?" said Draco.
"Field trip. We're meeting outside, which means we'll be apparating somewhere and most likely 'enjoying' a little bloodsport," said Snape, grimly. "There will be a Dark Mark hovering over the home of a mudblood by morning."
"Regardless of the fact that they were irresponsible, Molly," he said quietly. "They have both been through much due to these battles - and they deserve some happiness. We all do."
Molly visibly softened and pulled her daughter into a hug. Snape, never one to resist an opening, wickedly grinned at Molly over Ginny's bright hair.
"Besides, I would think you would be happy about this turn of events -- *grandma,*" he sneered, and ignored the dagger stare from the Weasley camp.
"Just remember, I'm only three years older than you," Molly retorted. "When all of my children are gone and gracing me with grandkids - you will still be changing nappies and getting up for three a.m. feedings. I'll make damn sure to rub that in, in a few years, too."
The group laughed, tension was broken, and they all turned their attention back to the matter at hand. If they didn't find the solution to the Dark Mark problem, pregnancies, nappies and weddings would be irrelevant, thought Snape grimly. He joined his wife and Draco at a worktable where they were going over some notes the younger Malfoy made after talking to his father.
"So, you're telling me that your father doesn't really understand the Mark, himself?" said Hermione.
"Exactly," replied Draco. "From what I gather, he barely understood how to activate the Mark, but accidentally found this incantation that gave him control. From that point, it's basically wandless magic-he just mentally calls the Death Eaters to him. And he can mentally decide on the level of 'punishment' or pain they receive. But he doesn't completely understand the texts Voldemort left behind."
Snape sighed and ran his hands through his hair in frustration.
"Not to completely insult your genetic makeup, Draco," he drawled. "But your father is an idiot. An idiot with good luck and more balls than brains. We're going to have to convince him that it is in his best interest to give us the information. I just don't know how."
"Can we convince him that you've developed a potion that will enhance it?" asked Draco.
Hermione knit her brow for a moment before speaking up.
"What if he thinks we've developed a potion that will allow him to channel the power of those who wear the Mark?" she said. Draco and Snape looked at her with interest. "He's power-hungry, so if he thought he could have access to hundreds of wizards' power and thus become more powerful than Dumbledore or Voldemort - he might be willing to turn the information over for our 'research.'"
Harry had been eavesdropping and now joined the group. Ginny watched him worriedly for a moment before returning to her stack of books with Ron.
"Severus, is there a potion that enhances a wizards power? Seems like we talked about one in class -" Harry began.
Snape smirked. "You were actually listening? I'm impressed, here I thought all you had done this year was snog Ginny Weasley in dark corners. Among other things."
"Well, that and I helped my potions master defeat Voldemort," grinned Harry. "But in between the snogging and saving the world, I managed to keep up on my potions homework."
"How I miss the days when you all feared me," sighed Snape. "But, yes, there is a potion that will enhance a wizards potential magical output. It isn't exactly illegal, but the ingredients are difficult to obtain, and very expensive. But Lucius has studied potions himself, I think he would recognize a simple enhancement potion if we took it to him."
"What if we 'spike' it with a narcotic?" suggested Draco. "We make the simple potion, spike it, then we tell him it is a prototype of a potion that will allow the Death Eaters Marks to channel power to him. Say it's channeling Snape's power or mine to him - or Harry's. He'll be high and won't notice that it's a simple enhancement of his own powers, instead. And if all three of us are there, he'll be gloating and so excited anyway, that he'll be fairly oblivious with pride."
Hermione's gaze darkened. Snape shifted uncomfortably in his seat.
"I thought we agreed that Severus and Harry wouldn't be going on this particular mission," she said calmly.
Silence followed her statement. She stood. Snape grabbed her arm.
"We have yet to decide anything, Hermione," he said softly.
She nodded, left the table and the classroom. Before he could wrap up the discussion and follow her to their quarters for what promised to be a rousing fight, Snape's Dark Mark began burning. He quickly borrowed Lupin's winter cloak and nodded at Draco. Together they prepared to leave the classroom.
"Tell Hermione where I have gone," Snape said, looking at Harry. "And, if anything happens to me -"
Harry looked at the man he used to loathe and clapped a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"If anything happens to you, Hermione and the baby will be taken care of. I promise," said Harry. "They are already like family to us. You'll come back, though, I know it. Because, we have two little girls to meet in a few months, don't we?"
Draco and Snape were soon apparating to Malfoy Manor. The Death Eaters were gathered outside this time.
"Field trip," muttered Snape, under his breath.
"What?" said Draco.
"Field trip. We're meeting outside, which means we'll be apparating somewhere and most likely 'enjoying' a little bloodsport," said Snape, grimly. "There will be a Dark Mark hovering over the home of a mudblood by morning."