Chapter Five: Now and Then

With another password, Ciera gained entry into Dumbledore's office. He wouldn't be back from the Sorting Ceremony feast yet, but she needed... something. She needed to be alone almost as much as she needed to talk to the headmaster. And his office seemed the only place she would be able to find her required peace. Her rooms were out, as Snape would most likely be skulking around them, and everyone knew that she was supposed to be up in the Astrology Tower. Go anywhere else, and she risked running into Moody.

She closed the door behind her and immediately felt the eyes of the painted former professors on her. She almost felt the urge to apologize for disturbing them.

A soft croon welcomed her and she glanced up to see the red Phoenix staring at her from his perch across the room. "Hello, Fawkes," she said softly, crossing to stand by him. She ran her hand over his feathered head. Strange. It seemed like mere days ago that she had entered Dumbledore's office for the first time. She and Snape had just been married that morning, and Albus had whisked them off to Hogwarts immediately afterwards.

What a honeymoon.

"Have a seat, Ciera, make yourself at home. Sugar Quill?"

She shook her head, her hands folded stiffly on her lap. "No."

He raised a bushy eyebrow and bit off the end of the proffered treat. "No need to get snappish, my dear."

"I just married.... him for reasons I still fail to understand. That means that I am forced to spend the rest of my life with a miserable bastard I cannot stand."

"I'm sure the feeling is quite mutual," he added cheerily. "Now down to business. There is much we must discuss.

"Such as why the hell I'm here?"

He chewed thoughtfully on the Sugar Quill before responded. "Yes, that would be one of my main points. I'm going to explain everything. As you now know, Severus has been spying for us for several years, with my promise that he would be kept from Azkaban."

"So what? You want me to spy? Not likely. I ran away from my duty once. If I went back, He'd kill me. Besides, Ciera Lanen is dead to him. I don't exist anymore."

He pointed the end of the sugar snack at her, a delighted expression on his face. "Exactly! Since he believes you dead, you need not fear retribution for your actions."

Now she was suspicious. "What... actions?"

He leaned over the desk, his blue eyes staring into hers. "Severus is indeed a spy. But he is not in Voldemort's Inner Circle." He paused, regarding her quite seriously. "You were."

She stood abruptly, a mixture of anger and fear rising to her eyes. "No. No. I am not feeding you information. I'm not that stupid. If He found out... He'd kill me."

Dumbledore's voice was calm. "But you're already dead." She froze, staring back at him, looking very much like the young woman he had seen the first day in her prison cell. Over the past few days, her wildness had been steadily fading. Now it was back. Her eyes were wide and she had paled, blood draining from even her lips. "Ciera, sit." Slowly, she lowered herself once again into the chair, her entire body tensed to retreat again. "Listen to me, Ciera. I would not ask you to do this unless I was entirely certain that you were free from harm."

"Is that what you told Snape? Cause let me tell you what Voldemort would do if He found out that Snape was a spy. It wouldn't be very safe."

A frown creased Dumbledore's face, and he suddenly looked very old. "Severus makes his own choices," he responded softly. "I cannot ask him to do otherwise. But that is not the point. The point is that we need your help, and I believe that you have the means to provide it."

Color returned to her face in a moment. "Is that why you dragged me out of Azkaban? To do your dirty work? To save your arses when your precious Potions Master couldn't?"

"Were you expecting a more noble reason, Ciera Lanen?"

She bowed her head and leaned back in the chair, chastised. He was right, of course. She deserved nothing more than to rot in Azkaban, she supposed. The headmaster didn't have to have stepped in and saved her neck. But he had, no matter what his reasons. She had merely disillusioned herself into thinking that she was somehow worth rescuing.

"Forgive me my selfishness, Ciera, but you are here for a reason... not merely to keep Severus company," he added with a smile. "As I was saying, you were in the Inner Circle, were you not?" She nodded, unable to find her voice. "I'm sure there is much information you could provide us with, but for the time being I must know one thing... what do you know of the Potters?"

She looked up suddenly. "Lily and James?"

"The very same."

"They're the ones... the ones in the Prophecy."

Dumbledore stood up suddenly, his hand gripping the edge of the desk. "What did you say?"

She swallowed. "The Prophecy. Professor Trelawney... apparently it was real. I'm not quite sure what it means, but they know."

He was all but trembling now, his eyes boring into her. "How did it go?"

"Beware, Darkness," she began, staring at her hands in an attempt to remember the words. "The child of... of... of fire and..."

"The child of fire and stag," intoned Dumbledore, "will be enough to fell thee."

Staring up at him, she nodded. "Yes, that's it."

He sunk back down in his chair. "That is what I was afraid of."

"I don't understand.... what does it have to do with the Potters?"

"Fire is for Lily... her hair is quite red, you know, like flames. She was known for it here. And the stag is James. He is... and here I must bind you to secrecy... he is an Animagnus. He can turn into a stag." He shook his head once more. "No one but James and Lily were to know of it. I told them not to even tell their most sacred friends. No one should know."

"Well, someone knows. I don't know who... but someone told Him. He knows and he wants to... kill the child. He is already planning it. I never saw Him so frightened as he is of that babe. Has it been born?"

"Not yet. But soon." He stood again. "I'm sorry, but I must leave you now. I have much to do."

Behind her, the door opened. "Oh! Ciera, I was not expecting you."

She turned with a start. "I'm sorry."

He looked at her over his half-moon glasses. "Something bothering you?"

"Actually, yes. I didn't want to bother you, but... I felt it couldn't wait. I just... I hope you aren't busy."

He only smiled and held out a glass container. "Everlasting Gobstopper?"

With a sigh, she shook her head. Honestly... the man's addiction to candy was very near disturbing. "No, thank you."

He took one for himself and replaced the container in one of the desk drawers. "Do sit." She perched tensely on the edge of the chair in front of his desk. "Now, what seems to be the problem?"

She bit her lip in thought. "I know this may sound... odd... but it's Moody."

"Oh, I know having an ex-Auror might be a bit odd for the children, along with the fact that he is sadly missing half of his face. But I'm quite sure they'll adjust. After all, most of them have survived years of Severus' class and remained intact."

"It's not the children. He... spoke with me after dinner. It was strange, but he made it sound like he knew something. It almost seemed like he knew who I really was."

"Impossible. You know that Alastor was not in attendance at your trial. He would know nothing of your case and probably would not even know that you had been accused of a crime in your life."

"Then why would he... Merlin, I don't even know how to describe it. He made me feel... guilty."

"Well, he was an ex-Auror, Ciera. It's only natural that you would feel so around him."

"I suppose..."

"And even if he does bear ill-will towards you, it is only because you are married to Severus. Alastor despises him, thinks that he got off too easily." He stood and came around to lay his hand on her shoulder. "Everything will be fine, Ciera. You shouldn't worry so much."

She sighed. "I suppose I'm just used to it."

He squeezed her shoulder in a fatherly manner. "Go to bed, Ciera. Get some sleep. You'll feel better tomorrow."

She stood and headed towards the door. "I hope so." She made her way quickly through the halls down to the dungeon, where she shared quarters with Snape. Removing her wand, she began to undo the wards on the door. Once finished, she reached for the handle, only to jump back with a shout of pain when the doorknob bit her. "For fuck's sake, Snape!" she screamed, pressing the wound to her mouth as it began to bleed. "Open the damn door!"

A minute later, she heard an incantation from the other side of the door, and it swung open good-naturedly, revealing her husband. "Oh. Didn't I tell you about the new spell? I must have forgotten." He stepped backwards to allow her passage, a deep scowl on his face.

"Bastard," she shot at him, pointing her wand at her hand and muttering a healing spell. When he didn't respond to the insult, she looked up. He did not look happy. Not that he ever did... but he hadn't looked this sour since he had said "I do" at their mockery of a wedding.

She glared at him. "What, you had a bad day so you decided to retaliate by mauling me with a door?"

He ignored the remark, turning to go into the main room. "We need to talk."

Those were four words that she had never heard come from his mouth before. They usually avoided exchanging words, except those that were derogatory. Now he was actually suggesting that they sit down and have a conversation.

... Something was wrong.

END CHAPTER FIVE