*A/N* Thank you all for reviewing my story! I really never expected such good reviews- you guys are wonderful. Thanks again. It makes me feel really good and gives me drive to continue. One of you asked for me to update hourly…LOL, I would like to but I have a job and life you know J. Anyway, each chapter takes me about 3 hours to write, yes I am a painfully slow writer. Please read and review more- the comments have been really helpful! Enjoy! Much more to come!

Chapter 11: Imploratio

            It was a winter's afternoon and a tall blonde man wrapped in a black cloak walked swiftly through the snowdrifts. His dragonskin boots crunched deliberately through the snow, their slight heel sinking into the snow at each step. The man's features were fine and handsome but today, his beauty was rather unsettled by his lips which were set in a thin line and his gray eyes which were stormy.

            As he reached the gates of Hogwarts castle, Draco Malfoy's first instinct was to run the rest of the way in, straight into the warm arms of Hermione Granger. Something stopped him however, and he walked slowly down the driveway and entered through a side-door which led directly into the Professor's wing.

            He walked down the hallways, which were deserted at the moment, in search of a particular room. He eventually found it and paused outside a slim, polished oak door which read "Professor S. Snape". He knocked once.

            "Enter." Came a voice from within.

            Draco let himself into the room and shut the door.

            Professor Snape, the head of Slytherin house, was sitting in an armchair in front of the fire, a bottle of brandy on the table next to him, and a large book open in his lap. There was a small pile of wrapping paper to the side of the fireplace and a few colourful ribbons lay scattered around the floor.

            "To what do I owe the honour of this visit, Mr Malfoy?" asked the Professor. He couldn't help but feel slightly relieved that Draco had apparently returned from Malfoy manor without injury.

            "Professor Snape…I need someone to talk to."

            "I'm all ears, Mr Malfoy. Do have a seat."

            Draco nodded and sank into an armchair.

            "Professor…I don't know why, but you have always been very…kind…fair towards me. My mother told me it would be so, but she never told me why either. However, things being as they are…and me never having troubled you before during all my years here, I wonder if…that is, I mean I hope that…you could assist me on one very important matter."

            Professor Snape shut his book and put it down. The professor was a sallow faced man with lank black hair and a hooked nose. He had fiery black eyes and thin lips and most of the students in Hogwarts lived in constant fear of his biting sarcasm and freely handed out detentions.

All except one- Draco Malfoy- who had always been, strangely, the Professor's favourite student (much like Hermione Granger was one of Professsor McGonagall's favourites). Many put it down to Draco's skill and passion for Potions, but Draco's talent had only shown itself in the Fourth Year and Snape had favoured Draco since the First Year.

"I wonder if this has anything to do with what your father told you back in Malfoy manor today?"

"Yes sir."

"And what makes you think I will help you?"

"A feeling, sir."

"And even if your feeling is right, what makes you think I can help you?"

"Because you helped yourself, sir. You managed to conquer being a Death Eater."

Snape started when Draco spoke those words. Both men couldn't help but have their eyes dart down to Snape's left forearm where, under the soft material of his shirt, they knew resided the black skull burned onto the skin that was the Dark Mark of Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters.

"Mr Malfoy, you and I are very different. I was recruited…seduced…rather, by Voldemort…" Both men flinched at the name spoken aloud but Draco knew that Snape spoke it to show he did not fear it. Fear of the name only increased fear of the thing itself. "…but you Mr Malfoy…you were born into his service. Your whole life was created for this purpose. I am sure your father has told you of this many times. From such a destiny, there is no chance of escape."

"I cannot accept that."

            The two men's eyes met. Snape's black eyes searched Draco's grey ones for signs of fear or irrationality but found nothing, only determination.

            "Why do you resist your father's will?"

            "Because he is wrong." Said Draco calmly.

            "And what of the Malfoy family honour? What your family has worked for so long to achieve? I would have thought that Lucius' son would have proudly carried on the tradition as Lucius' did Ladon's work." Snape deliberately provoked Draco Malfoy, testing the boy's limits and logic.

            "The Malfoys work only to their own advantage but what Lucius is doing is harming the Malfoy name and honour. I do not intend to follow that path. I want to restore it to a name that is spoken of with respect and awe, not fear and loathing."

            "Very admirable, Mr Malfoy." Said Snape, secretly pleased that Draco seemed to have grown up and knew his own mind at last. "But I cannot help you, Mr Malfoy. It is too dangerous, too hopeless."

            Draco stood up angrily. "Then my mother was wrong about you helping me in my moment of greatest need! I will have to go directly to Dumbledore. Good day."

            The mention of his mother seemed to jolt Snape out of his provoking mood. The dark professor sprang to his feet as well. The two men faced each other, Draco was a good four inches taller than Snape but he felt that he older man had some power, some force of will that he did not have, yet.

            "Mr Malfoy, sit down. I was only testing you." Snape admitted finally.

            Draco sat down again gingerly, gray eyes stormy.

            Snape sat down as well and leaned back in his chair. To Draco's surprise, the older man put his head down onto his hands for a whole minute. There was an awkward silence in the room as he waited for Snape to look up again. After a while, Draco got impatient…

            "Professor? Are you all right?"

            Snape looked up at Draco. Saw the blonde hair and handsome features…so much like Lucius', yet, possessing a sensitivity and pride that was so much more like…

            "Mr Malfoy, before I can help you, you must learn something about the circumstances surrounding your birth. It will help you understand the path that you must take to free yourself of this destiny."

            Draco nodded.

            "It all began thirty years ago when your mother and I were best friends…" Professor Snape's eyes glowed fiercely as he told of how Draco's mother and he had been the best of friends. How they had stumbled upon the prophesy of Narcissa's son one day during Divination and how the two of them being the top students in Hogwarts had tried to find ways to resist it. They had even gone to Dumbledore. Dumbledore and Snape had tried to save her from her marriage with Lucius but to no avail, there was Dark Magic at work there.

Eventually, he, Snape, had lost hope in the power of good magic and had allowed himself to be recruited by the Dark Lord, who fed off his bitterness and regret. Fortunately, time and Dumbledore had helped him see sense and Narcissa's only son, Draco, was sent to Hogwarts and put under his special protection while he acted as a double-agent.

It was a lot for Draco to process even though Snape told the tale in his characteristically clipped manner, wasting no words or emotions at all.

"Professor…can I ask you a personal question?"

Snape nodded.

"Were you in love my mother?"

Snape shook his head. "No Draco. She was a very good friend, we were much like Potter and Granger."

Draco nodded. "Can I ask you one final question?"

Snape sighed. "Well, go on."

"Why couldn't you and Dumbledore save her from being married to Lucius? I thought that Dumbledore could do just about anything."

Here, he thought he saw Snape swallow before he spoke. "I already told you it was all a prophesy, Malfoy…and prophesies are hard to resist, even with the strongest magic. And, while we did learn of something that could overcome the prophesy, we could never get our hands on it to fight the Dark Magic."

"And what is that?"

"Here is where I think we need to see your headmaster" said Snape, standing up and  ushering Draco out of the room.

******************************************

"Queen to E6" said Hermione calmly. "Check."

            Beads of sweat broke out on Ron's forehead. They were playing wizard's chess in the Gryffindor common room after a huge Christmas lunch. Most of the other Gryffindors were just lying around listening to music or reading…they were all tired after the big snowball fight against the Hufflepuff's after lunch. Unfortunately for the Gryffindors, the Hufflepuff's had more students staying over the Christmas holiday than they had so they had been severely beaten.

            Ron couldn't understand how Hermione had become so good at Wizard's chess. She had always been rotten at the game before.

Actually, Hermione wasn't even really concentrating on the game. It was already 4pm and Draco should be back already yet she had not seen anything of him, even though she made it a point to keep walking past the Slytherin common rooms every few minutes on the pretence of going to the toilets. She hoped he was all right. What if he didn't come back? She had a horrible image of him lying bruised and beaten in front of their fireplace again.

"Bishop to F8" said Ron, hoarsely. Hermione allowed herself a grin of triumph. "Queen to…" she was just going to make the final move when suddenly, she was distracted by Louisa Clearwater, a shy fourth year, tapping her on the shoulder.

            "Oh hi, Louisa. What's up?"

            "Professor Snape said to give you this." Said Louisa, handing Hermione a small, sealed envelope.

            "Thanks Louisa" said Hermione, tearing open the envelope.

Miss Granger,

Your presence in the headmaster's office is required immediately.

Professor S. Snape

            "Hermione, you okay?" asked Ron. His friend had suddenly turned white.

            Hermione got up quickly. "Er, yes Ron,…have to go see Dumbledore about Head stuff."

            "Are you sure that's all, you look like you had some bad news."

            "No, nothing. Just too many turkey sandwiches…hey, tell you what, we won't count that game, okay?"

            Ron brightened. "Yeah, sure! I'll get you then!"

            She smiled and waved at Ron as she left the common room through the portrait hole.

            Once outside, Hermione Granger picked up her robes and ran as fast as she could towards the Headmaster's office.