Don't own anything recognisable from JK Rowling's Harry Potter books
Chapter 10
The Mask.
Severus found himself in the same house that had been used before. Albus had informed him that it was magically protected, so he hadn't and wouldn't be able to trace him. This time, however Severus was on a mission. He was determined to find out who the masked Death Eater was, and nothing was about to stop him.
After searching a couple of rooms he finally found it, standing by itself in the corner of one of the rooms. He decided to approach them casually.
"I don't believe we have been introduced." Severus asked firmly. "Severus Snape. And you are?"
The hood waved about as if to try and find a way of escaping the interrogation.
Severus looked at the Death Eater while keeping them securely stuck in the corner. "Well…"? He asked.
The Death Eater brushed past Severus powerfully, but as they did a scent caught Severus' nose. He grasped the Death Eater's arm firmly, and practically dragged them to the hallway. Finding it full of Death Eaters he yanked it into another room and into a large closet. Shutting the door behind them Severus turned to the Death Eater. It struggled from his grip and tried to open the closet door, but Severus grasped their arm again. This time he ripped the sleeve on their left arm, revealing the dark mark. A struggle ensued, Severus wrapped his arms around the Death Eater's body and removed their hood...
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
Hermione stood beside the bubbling cauldron adding small parts of ingredients and muttering.
It had taken Harry a couple of nights hidden underneath his cloak of invisibility, but eventually he found the room Egan Parsifal had used to hide from Pat and Sirius without going through Severus' classroom. He was pleased to discover that they had left the cauldron and the fireplace there. All they would have to do was smuggle the ingredients through the secret tunnels and complete the spell.
Ron was stood beside the ingredients giving them to Hermione as she called for them, while Harry performed a spell on the room to prevent them from being caught.
"The dried… the blue one Ron, not this!" Hermione said patronisingly.
Ron mimicked her stance and waggled his finger to the air mouthing "Naughty naughty!"
Harry grinned at the scene but Hermione glared at them. "Come on!"
Ron rolled his eyes and gave her the jar she requested.
"Almost ready Harry." Hermione said, and Harry joined them over by the cauldron.
"Show me the past!" They chanted in unison, and Hermione dropped in the last two ingredients, the earring and the hairs.
There was a sudden blast of cold air going around the room, and Ron had to spit out the strands of Hermione's hair that had hit him in the face.
As swiftly as it had started the wind stopped, and the room was silent.
"Right… What now?" Ron asked Hermione.
"Shhh!" She said and approached the cauldron.
There they could see a fluttering of images appearing on the top of the solution.
"Just watch…" Hermione said distractedly her attention caught by the colours moving around the cauldron.
"Fay!!"
Evaristus Devlin appeared on the surface of the cauldron.
"Yes Father?" A young girl answered, she had black hair and green eyes, she ran to the man and stood still, her hands clasped behind her back. Her shoes were immaculately polished, and there wasn't a crease on her dress.
Evaristus assessed her appearance critically. "Your hair is a mess. The next time I see you I want it tidy."
The child bowed her head. "Yes Father."
"Good. I can't have a child of mine looking like a state! I should have had a boy." His gaze flickered accusingly in to his wife stood behind the girl, then returned to the girl. "I'm sending you to Durmstrang. I do not want a child of mine going to that mud-blood loving school. Hogwarts, pah!"
Fay bent her head in submission.
"When you complete your studies I shall present you to Lord Voldemort, who will make you one of us…" He held out his arm where the black mark had been burnt into it. "… and then you shall become a trophy wife to the highest bidder."
The image in the cauldron flickered and Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other.
"Are you sure you did the right spell?" Ron asked cautiously.
Hermione looked at him haughtily. "Of course it was the right spell. Would I …"
"Hush!" Harry silenced the other two. "Something's happening."
They turned their gaze back to the cauldron which was bubbling furiously. It suddenly quietened, and an image formed on the surface.
A face appeared on the surface of the spell, it was a young woman. She had long dark black hair and green eyes like the young girl in the images before. This time she was gazing into a mirror in a highly furnished room. It was like a show home's room, completely unwelcoming and fake in appearance. The woman was biting her lower lip, something she did in stressful situations.
"I'm going to be in so much trouble." She whispered to her mirror.
It was Fay Devlin, after her meeting with Severus Snape in the study. She had discarded the red dress on a chair in the corner of her room, and was now wearing a long white nightgown.
She sat on her bed, her back held rigidly straight (something she had been taught at Durmstrang) and prepared herself for the punishment that was due to come.
She knew that Severus wouldn't wait to go and bawl out her father for preparing her like a sacrificial lamb.
A loud knock at her door startled her from her thoughts. She frowned. Neither of her parents knocked before entering her room.
Making no noise as she walked, she made her way to the door and opened it a little.
"What…"? She started, but stopped as she was roughly pushed away from the door.
The only sound that was heard was the click of the lock as Severus shut and locked the door behind him.
"Severus?" Fay asked breathlessly.
A despicable grin appeared on Severus' face.
"What are you doing here?" Fay asked when her tongue began to work again, she bit her lip again.
"So you think you can buy me off with your body do you?" His harsh drawl made her stiffen.
"No. That's my..."
"I don't want to hear it." He cut her off abruptly. His black eyes travelled up and down her body. "Even I must admit that you are beautiful."
She gasped at the look in his eyes. "Severus?" She asked pleadingly. "What are you going to do?"
"What you wanted me to do in the study." He said bitterly, making his way towards her purposefully. "Although I much prefer this dress. It seems more suitable, almost sacrificial."
He grabbed hold of her.
Hermione grabbed a long wooden stick and started to stir away the image of Severus and Fay kissing.
Ron looked almost green.
"Well that explains it." Hermione muttered.
"Explains what?" Ron asked, after swallowing deeply.
"The picture you idiot."
"What picture??" Ron asked puzzled.
"The one we found in her box!" Hermione answered hurriedly.
Harry was white with horror. "She's a Death Eater." He said hollowly.
"Harry…" Hermione – for once – could say nothing.
~ ~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~ ~
"So. You're the masked Death Eater then?" Severus asked.
Katrina struggled free from his grip and looked at her left arm where he had ripped her sleeve, the dark mark was grey in appearance, but she knew it would go black when Voldemort called. She looked Severus straight in the eye.
"Yes I am." She said bluntly.
His eyebrow twitched. "Well? What do you expect me to do?"
"Huh?" Her mouth dropped open in shock. "I'm sorry, what did you say?"
He decided to humour her. "You are a Death Eater. True or false." He said in his deadpan voice.
"Ummm…" Her shoulders dropped. "Yes and no."
He looked at her disbelievingly. 'This is like trying to get an answer out of a first year Gryffindor.' He thought.
"Its not a trick question. You are or you aren't."
She frowned for a moment. "Okay. Are you a Death Eater?"
He narrowed his eyes at her. "What do you mean?"
"Well… I'm like you. I am technically a Death Eater. But I am not a Death Eater at heart."
Severus decided at that moment that she was a spy sent from Voldemort to test him.
"You aren't at heart?" He asked smoothly.
"No."
"The Dark Lord will hear about this." He said, and started to storm from the closet.
"No! Wait!" She cried, her voice was full of desperation. She grasped his cloak and pulled him back towards her. Through her heightened emotion she misjudged her strength and pulled him so hard that he hurtled into her.
He looked at her; her eyes were full of fear. 'This is no trick.' He thought.
"No." She said softly. "You can't."
"What's going on?" He asked, aware that they were in a house full of Death Eaters and if they were found…
She looked around desperately. "Har... Someone told me you were a Death Eater. I had to make sure you weren't spying for both sides. So I followed…"
He lunged for her, his lips crushing hers. His hands gripped her wrists in his and brought them around to his waist. He could tell she was stunned.
"...in here. Oh!!!" The sudden light shining in from the hallway made Severus screw his eyes up. The startled voice of Avery made Katrina stiffen in his grasp.
Severus pulled away from Katrina and looked at Avery.
"Snape! You dark horse!" Avery leered, his neck craning to discover who was with Severus.
"If you don't mind Avery." Severus said firmly shutting the door in his face. He looked at the door for a moment and every thing was still.
All Severus could hear was the loud beating of his heart. After hearing Avery and his companion's footsteps going down the hall he turned back to Katrina.
She was as white as a sheet.
Severus frowned. 'How did she ever get to be a Death Eater if Avery opening a door scares her?'
She looked up at him and a slight flush of colour escaped across her cheeks. "Severus… I have something to tell you."
"Shhh…" He silenced her briskly, hearing footsteps down the corridor. "This is no time to talk. We have to go."
She nodded mutely, and followed him out of the cupboard when he left, replacing her hood as she did so.
A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed!!
FaIrY ASpHoDeL I have copied your story and will work my way through ASAP! (I like to check out the stories of the people who review my work!!!), but it may take me a while to review!! Bear with me!!
Love Krusty.