Disclaimer: The setting of this story, and most of the characters are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling, I lay no claim to them. However the characters of Malana Avonell and Schön are of my own creation and to these two, I do claim rights.

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Avonell wasn't seen outside of her classroom or office for the remainder of the day, due only to her workload, this much to the annoyance of Snape. By evening he had decided to force the issue.

Avonell stepped back from the blackboard and checked her notes again.  She had been transcribing a particularly difficult bit of text in preparation for her first class the next morning.

Snape glided into the room and made his way to the front.

"What are you doing here?" she asked sharply as he approached her.

"You left me the ring, this morning at breakfast," he said silkily.

She scowled.

"Wasn't it an invitation" he hissed, "to resume my studies?"

"If you want to resume studying the Technique, I'm willing to teach you, but I didn't give you the ring this time.  Dumbledore never gave it back to me," she informed him glancing up at him quickly before looking back at her notes again.

"So you are willing to teach me?" Snape almost purred.

"I'm busy right now," she responded flatly, moving back to the board.

"It seems you've been busy quite a lot lately," he returned evenly, moving a little closer.

Avonell stopped her writing and turned to face him.

"Yes," she returned in a cool voice, "With classes, instructing four students in the Technique and counseling a number of others, yes I've been busy."

She turned back to her work on the board.  Snape stepped in behind her, encircling her waist with his arms and buried his face in the side of her neck.  He was determined to make the best of the opportunity to make known what he'd been wishing to tell her for so long now.

"Just what do you think you are doing?" she said curtly. Trying to move away from him, but he held her tightly.  He kissed her neck then her earlobe, eliciting a shiver from her as she fought back the thrill his breath in her ear had just caused.

"I love you," he breathed, "I have always loved you."

She pulled away from him abruptly.

"I don't respond to lines like that," she sneered, taking another step away from him.

"And I don't need to use 'lines'," he retorted hotly, moving after her.

"Could have fooled me," Avonell muttered under her breath.

Snape move to face her, "Malana, I've been in love with you since . . ."

"Oh don't be so foolish," she snapped, "you are mistaking a childhood crush for love!"  She turned and started for the door to her office.

"I am not a child!" he roared catching up to her at the back of the classroom. He grabbed her by the wrist and turned her back to face him.

"Well, you are certainly acting like one!" she laughed.

He pushed her against the wall roughly, holding her by the wrists and using his body to pin her where she was.

"Tell me you feel nothing," he demanded angrily, "look me in the eyes and tell me that you feel nothing, that you weren't just aroused!"

He knew he was taking a risk, getting physically rough with her the way he was.  If she had a mind to, she could easily beat him in a fair fight.  She was deceptively strong, incredibly agile, and lightening fast.  But he was relying on the fact that, in the past, she had always taken a passive tact with him.

Avonell knew she was trapped, that he could Truth Read her, she had taught him that, years ago.  And even though he had never perfected the technique with anyone else, it didn't matter, he would know if she tried to lie to him.  And she wasn't in the mood to face her own denial. She tried to turn her face away from him, but only drew her arms over her head restricting her movements still further.

"Tell me!" demanded Snape again, his voice an octave lower then normal, making the words sound more like an animal's growl then speech.

Wrenching her hands free from his grip, she pushed him back roughly, sending him sprawling into the desks.

"There's a hell of a big difference between arousal and love, Severus," she shouted at him as he scrambled back to his feet.

"Then tell me that!  Tell me it was only lust and nothing else!"

"Stop it!"  She banged the door to her office open and stormed inside.

Snape followed, slamming the door closed behind him.

"You can't do it, can you?" he growled, "You can't lie to me, can you?"

"No!" she shouted whipping around to face him. "I . . . I mean yes . . . I mean . . . Damn you, stop this!" Her eyes were blazing, but not with just anger, there was something else there, but he couldn't quite make out what it was.

He approached her slowly, "Tell me the truth!" he said silkily, "tell me you feel nothing for me."

"I can't!" she spat, clinching her fists, and glaring with an intensity that would have made most men squirm.

"You can't or you won't?" he snarled back at her.  "Just what the in the name of Merlin, is going on?  One minute you gave me the impression you are interested," he held her gaze, searching her eyes for a hint of what had alluded him before,  "the next, you push me away . . ."

She tore her eyes from his, but in that one brief moment before she had looked away, he had seen it plainly.

"You're afraid," his voice betraying his astonishment though he hadn't meant it to, "Afraid of what?  Me?"

She huffed and rolled her eyes, as she leaned back against her desk, crossing her arms in front of her,  "Please!  Do you really think you can take me?" she said sarcastically.

Snape tensed, "Don't taunt me like that," he warned dangerously taking a threatening step towards her.

"You really are a piece of work Severus," she sighed, shaking her head. She narrowed her eyes at him, "Afraid of you?  Don't be a fool."

Snape would never truly remember how he had managed to out maneuver her.  The next thing he knew he had her flat on the top of her desk, her arms pined behind her, his body on top of hers holding her down, his mouth clamped tightly over hers, trying desperately to force her jaws open.  She struggled, trying to escape, but her efforts were only serving to excite him.  He ended his attempt to kiss her.

"I could take you right here, right now," he told her in a deep threatening tone, thrusting his hips into hers.  Then just as suddenly he had attached her, he let her go, moving to stand before the fireplace.

"So, what stopped you?" she growled. "Why not just take what you want and be done with it?"

"For the love of Merlin, woman!" he groaned, "I want to make love to you, not rape you."  He stood there staring into the fire for a long moment.  "Why do you deny what I can plainly see in you?"

"What makes you think . . ." she started angrily.

"I can see it in your eyes!" he rounded on her, his anger returning. "I can feel in you presence. You taught me see that, or don't you remember?  Why do you deny the truth of what's inside you?"

"Damn you, Severus!  Because it's one of the conditions the Ministry placed on me after Basil died!" she said heavily, "I've given my word that I would never again become involved with another Wizard."

He only stared at her, wanting her more then he had ever wanted anyone before in his life, but unwilling to take her by force.

"The truth?  You want the truth?"  She began to pace the office, "well here's the bloody truth for you!  As a youth you proved to be a good friend and a gifted student, but that was all!  But they thought it was more.  One kiss, one tentative inexperienced awkward kiss form you in a moment of my weakness, and they accused me of . . .of . . ." she made a growling noise like that of a mad dog, "They wouldn't listen to the truth, and I was exiled for their misconceptions.

"Then – then I come back – what – twenty years latter and … you're an adult, and yes damn it, for some ungodly reason I find you attractive.  I'm drawn to you.  Hell, I might even be in love with you. I DON'T KNOW!  But they are still holding me to those damnable concessions.   Still demanding that I abide by my word.  Reminding me, warning me, telling me to watch my step!"  She drew a sharp breath and continued in a softer, mistier tone, "You haunt my dreams, Severus.  I thrill at your slightest touch, my pulse quickens at just the nearness of you.  And when you smile at me . . . Oh God, I am nearly lost.  I'm not use to being vulnerable like that, and I don't know what to do."

He looked at her, she was breathing hard.  So was he, but was if for the same reason, he wondered, his desire for her swelling uncontrollably.

She stopped her pacing and hugged herself as if suddenly chilled.  "Sometimes I think Dumbledore had it planed this way.  To make sure I had a reason, a motivation, to say and fight.  As if Harry wasn't going to be enough," she turned to meet is gaze, and she said slowly, "I think he wanted me to fall in love with you."

"Is that so bad?" he asked quietly.

She laughed openly, "haven't you been listing to me?  The Ministry will have me out on my ear if . . ."

"To hell, with the Ministry," he whispered, closing the distance between them before she had a chance to react. He slid his hands around her waist and drew her into him. "To hell with all of them!"

He kissed her tenderly.  She tried to push him away, but he held on to her.  He brushed his tongue against her lips and they parted.  He moaned softly as he pushed his tongue into her mouth, playing gently against her tongue, and felt her resistance begin to relax. She slid her arms around his neck, allowing herself to be pulled even tighter into him.  He kissed her cheek, the turn of her jaw, the side of her neck.  She sighed with pleasure and arched her back slightly as he kissed the base of her throat.

"I love you Malana," he whispered, moving his kisses softly down her chest.

She bent her head and whispered into his ear, "I love you," but her words were barely audible.

He straightened up and looked at her, meeting her eyes with his, "tell me again," he breathed, keeping her as tight against him as he could and still gaze into her eyes.

She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly.  When she opened them again she met his gaze directly and openly  "I love you, Severus."

He smiled down at her knowing the depth of her words, that glimmer in her eyes, the epitome of the truth in those amazing blue eyes, told him everything he needed to know, he could feel it.  He sought her mouth hungrily with his, and found it willingly open to him.

***

Near morning, the call of nature worried her awake.  She was lying on her side; Severus spooned up tightly behind her, his arm around her waist.  Slowly, carefully she slipped out of his embrace and the bed, and crept silently to the bathroom, closing the door softly.

After answering the call that had awoken her, she stood starring at her reflection in the bathroom mirror.  There was a dark smudge on the side of her neck where he had been a bit too zealous.  No matter, it could remove it latter, for now it was fine just as it was.

She smiled sadly.  Her denial now behind her, she had but one more secret she had to keep, and from far more then just Harry this time.

To every act there is a consequence, a voice whispered in her head.  It was the telepathic link she shared with the computer.  You do realize that your timing on this little affair could not have been worse.

We've only made love once, she thought back forcefully.

But it has been over four hours, and less then twenty-four, CIM warned.

"Malana?'  His call, although not loud, was tainted with a hint of panic.

She opened the door and stepped out.

 "I'm right here, Severus," she called softly back to him.

Think of the consequences! CIM's warning voice echoed inside her mind as she crossed to the bed.

Oh, do be quiet, she retorted, you are becoming tiresome.

Snape smiled at her as he drew back the sheets.  Avonell smiled in return and shut down the link to the computer as she slipped back into bed, and the arms of her lover.

***

Professor Avonell leaned on her desk, fighting back the wave nausea that had just washed through her.

"Feeling a bit queasy are you?" CIM's voice chided.

Avonell rolled her eyes, "Shut up!" she snapped.  "Any word on Nefra?"

"Last confirmed sighting was in the Traygeon System four days ago," the computer reported.

"That's still too far out to be of any concern," muttered Avonell as she straightened up brushing her bangs out of her eyes.  "Keep looking, I need to know if he gets anywhere near Earth's jump gate."

She sank into the chair as a rush of lightheadedness made her unsteady on her feet.

"Are you all right?" CIM asked scanning Avonell for any abnormal signs.

"Huh? Oh, yeah," she sighed "this will all be over with in a minute or two."

She could hear the students drifting into the classroom and knew she had to regain control if she was going to teach that morning.  She was grateful that Snape had left well before any of this had started.  Pulling her self back to her feet and gathered up the stack of homework she wondered if she was going to have to resort to seeing Poppy about this.  The last thing she need right now was to get sick, and at times the Medi Witch's curs were worse then the illnesses themselves.

She took a deep breath, letting out slowly, before making her way to the classroom.

By the time class was let out, Avonell was feeling better.  Smiling to herself she straightened up her table and with a wave of her hand, whipping the backboard clean.  She then retreated back to her office.

She was taken aback when she opened the office door, to find Professor Snape standing in the middle of the room.  Surely he didn't . . . 

"Izzy said you were ill," he said before she had a chance to question his presence in her office.

"I'm fine," she smiled, closing the door behind her, "I was just – well, tired,"

Snape smiled, "Why would you be tired?" he asked as she approached him.

"I didn't get a whole lot of sleep last night," answered Avonell coyly.

Drawing her into his arms he smiled back, "and you won't again tonight either."

"You think not?" she retorted playfully, just before their lips met.

"I guarantee it," he chuckled between kisses.

***

"Malana, you have a staff meeting in ten minutes," CIM reminded Professor Avonell.

"I'm sorry, what?" she asked looking up from the student's homework she was grading.

"It's Friday, you have a staff meeting in ten minutes," the computer repeated tonelessly.

Avonell dropped the quill into its holder and let out a long exasperated breath.  She hated staff meetings, even when she had been a Professor of Psychology at the University in the US she had hated staff meetings.

"Don't I have a student coming?" she asked hopefully.

"No," it was the answer she hadn't wanted.

"Oh well," she sighed, "guess I can't get out of it."

"You need to talk to the Headmaster anyway," CIM reminded her, "about someone to assist you in teaching deflection."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," she muttered under her breath.

Resigning herself to the inevitable, she put away the homework papers and left for the staff room.

The meeting was arduous as usual.  Snape had hardly looked at her the whole meeting and had beaten a hasty retreat as soon as it had ended.  Trelawney kept staring at her, her lower lip trembling slightly, and McGonagall had kept nudging her every time her mind had started to drift.  Thankfully, Dumbledore had kept it short, only forty-five minutes.

Avonell stretched her back, trying to work out the kinks as the teachers straggled out of the room.

"It's been a long week," she whispered to McGonagall, who smiled back at her without saying a word.  "Professor Dumbledore," she called his attention, "could I have a word with you?"

"Of course Professor Avonell," he answered, giving McGonagall a quick nod.

McGonagall moved off giving them some privacy.

"I'm going to need someone to assist me within the next week or two," she started.

"Assist you in what?" asked Dumbledore calmly.

"I'll need someone who can cast spells," she replied wearily, "Harry's next phase will be in deflection and I need someone who can use a wand."

"Oh," he said understanding now, "can't Severus help with that?  I was under the understanding that he had resumed his studies."

"We haven't actually started that yet," she informed him giving him a harsh look, "and you could have warned me about that, you know."  Dumbledore only smiled at this.

"Besides," she continued, "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with putting the two of them in the same room and telling them to cast spells at each other."

Dumbledore chuckled at this.  "I suppose you are right," he said.  "I'll see if I can find you a volunteer," he then turned his attention to Professor Vector who was waiting patently for Dumbledore.

Avonell joined McGonagall at the door to the staff room and together the two women walked into the hallway.

"Do you have any idea why Sybil keeps looking at you like she's never going to see you again?" McGonagall asked as the walked.

"Oh she predicted that something horrible is going to happen to me," sighed Avonell.

"Did she now?" McGonagall said skeptically. 

"Now Minerva," Avonell scorned.

"And what has she predicted this time?"

"She's never really said," Avonell answered wistfully, "just kept talking in vague allusions."

"I'm sure," the older woman snickered.

"Well, I've been urged to take her seriously," Avonell added knowing that the Transfiguration had no tolerance for divination.  

There was a long silence as the made there way towards the Great Hall for dinner.

"Ok Minerva," Avonell broke the silence, "you're dying to ask me something, and don't bother denying it, I can tell."

McGonagall stopped and glanced around.  "Well, it's just that Severus hardly looked at you," she said softly so that only Avonell could hear. "Yet wasn't he wearing the ring?"

Avonell blushed.  "Yes, I think I do remember noticing he had the ring on, why?"

McGonagall raised an eyebrow, "you think you noticed?"

"Dumbledore didn't give that ring back to me," Avonell protested, "he did, it seems, give it back to Severus." She started walking again.

"Well, has he resumed . . ."

"Oh, I suppose we'll get to that, eventually," Avonell blushed again.

McGonagall raised and eyebrow, "are you saying . . ." she trailed off.

"I'm not saying anything, but if you do, remember I'm and expert in plausible deniability."

"Yes," the Transfiguration teacher replied, "but is Severus?"

***

Avonell lay with her head against his chest, listing to the sound of his heartbeat, feeling the rhythmic rise and fall of his breathing, one arm wrapped around his waist, and one leg entwined with his.  Snape, on his back, his arm around her shoulders, stroked his fingers up and down lightly along her upper arm.  The repetitive sound and sensation was lulling her closer and closer to sleep.  She sighed lightly; she could remain like this for the rest of the night, warm and content.

"Are you sill awake?" he asked very softly.

"Hmm, barley," she whispered, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," he replied quietly.

She drew a deep breath and raised herself to look at him.

"Ok, let me rephrase the question," she smiled warmly, "what's on your mind?"

Snape turned onto his side to face her, drawing her into a soft embrace.  He raised his head and moved to kiss her breathing "marry me," just before their lips met.

Avonell pulled back, "sorry, what did you say?"

The smile that had played on his face faded as he repeated himself, "marry me."

She blew out a long breath dropping to her back, and starred at the ceiling watching the flickering shadows cast by the fire.  She remained silent for a long time.

"Severus, I love you, never doubt that," she said at long last, "but marriage?  It would never be permitted, you know that," she turned her head to look at him, "I'm amazed we've gotten away with our affair for these last three days.  They'll exile me again."

"Then I'll leave with you this time," he told her resolutely raising himself onto his elbow.

She smiled and sighed, "who'd of thought you to be a romantic?"

He scowled at her, "you haven't given me an answer," he pointed out.

She gazed deeply into his dark fathomless eyes, the firelight reflecting in them, making his eyes seem softer then the truly were.  He smiled hopefully, at her.  She reached up and caressed his check, and then pulling him down to her, she replied softly, "Yes Severus."

He embraced her tenderly, before reaching behind him to the bedside table and retrieving something.  Turning back to her he slid a ring onto her left hand.

"This was my grandmother's," he whispered, "and now it is yours."

He drew her back into the same position they had been in before they had started this conversation. Sleep resumed its campaign to take her over, so that within a minute or two, Avonell wasn't sure if she had just dreamed the last 10 minutes, or if they had actually taken place.  Surreptitiously she moved her left hand to gaze at the ring now encircling her finger.  She felt and heard him chuckle softly beneath her.  Slowly she let out a soft sigh and permitted sleep to win its battle.

***

Halloween morning dawned gray and misty with a foreboding air.  Avonell awoke to find Snape fully dressed, standing before the fire, staring into the dancing flames.

"Something's wrong," she said pulling on her robe, "what is it?"

Snape didn't answer, he just continued to stair into the fire.  She approached him, not sure what of what would cause him to be so somber, and perceiving a sense of great sorrow and apprehension from him.  She swallowed hard.

"Severus?" she whispered.

"I have to go, Malana," his voice was grave and not much more then a whisper.

"Go? Go where?"

He turned to face her drawing the sleeve of his left arm up to reveal the Dark Mark that was blazoned there.

"It rose an hour ago," he told her.

"Oh," she replied not able to tear eyes away from the hideous mark marring his other wise unmarked skin.  "Then I . . . guess . . ." she looked up into his face with a wily sort of smile. "What sort of familiar would you like, a dog?  A cat?" her smile became almost wicked, "I know, a hawk."

"No," he shook his head, pushing the sleeve back down over his forearm, "I'm not going to risk taking you with me."

"Be careful, Severus," she said moving to him.

"I will," he breathed embracing her warmly, "we've only just found each other.  I'm in no hurry to have it end."

He kissed her passionately, not wanting to leave, but knowing that he had too. In his mind, he cursed Dumbledore for asking, cursed himself for accepting, the role of spy.

"I must go," he groaned pulling away from her embrace and without looking back, he left the room.

Avonell stood there numb with fear.  The last time Snape had been called by the Dark Lord, he had been tortured to near death.

"Is Miss Malana alright?"

The voice had startled her, making her jump.  She turned to see the house elf emerging from the hidden panel beside the fireplace.

"Oh Izzy," she sighed sinking into the chair, "I'm truly frightened for him."

The elf approached, extending a steaming mug of coffee to her, her large amber eyes fixed on her mistress.

"Should Izzy follow Professor Snape?"

"No," Avonell whispered accepting the mug, "no, if you were discovered, it might make things worse, for both of you."

"Is there anything Izzy can do for Miss Malana?" she asked timidly.

Avonell smiled down at the little house elf and felt true gratitude.  Dumbledore had assigned this small caring creature to see to her every whim, her every need.  Izzy had no other duties in the Castle, which gave her plenty of time to dote on her charge.  She had even kept Avonell and Snape's affair secret, finding ways of letting them know if they were in danger of being found out. 

Izzy was smaller, and darker skinned then the rest of the Hogwarts house elves and Avonell often wondered if Izzy was as much of an outcast she herself was.

"No Izzy," she sighed, "I think I'll put in an appearance at breakfast this morning.  It's been a while since I've done so."

"Izzy understands," she replied, "mustn't give rumors a chance to start."

"I'm sure they already have," Avonell sighed, sipping her coffee.

"Oh, no mistress," the elf said quietly, moving closer, "Izzy's made sure that no one knows and no rumors have come to Izzy's ears."

"Izzy," Avonell said leaning forward, "what would I do without you?"

Izzy giggled and averted her eyes.

***

Harry crouched in the shadows behind a suit of armor.  The exercise was simple; get from point A to point B without being caught.  He and Professor Avonell had played this before, this time he was the quarry and she the predator.  Since the computer had selected the starting and ending locations, only he knew where he was going.  The whole idea was to learn stealth and hone his abilities to extend his senses. 

He was more then half way there, and had already managed to elude her on three separate occasions.  It was going much easier this time, but she was far more skilled then he, and he expected her to find him at any moment.

Drawing a deep breath, he centered his mind, and moved his hearing beyond himself.  Nothing, only the sound of a couple of students chattering their way to who knew where, came to him.  He moved out of his hiding place and crept down the hall to the next intersection.

It was really rather fun, this game, and Harry's heart pounded with excitement.  Would he make it this time?  He moved off again, only two more hallways, one flight of stairs and he'd have made it.

A few minutes latter Harry reached the statue of the one eyed witch.  He had done it.  He sat down of the base of the statue and waited.  Several minutes latter he glanced at his watch, only 20 minutes before the Halloween banquet started.

This is odd, he thought to himself, where is Professor Avonell?

"Meow," Schön bounded up to him.

"Oh, hello Schön," he greeted the cat, looking past him for any sign of the Professor.

Schön let out a very long, very loud cry, and pranced in circles.

"What's wrong?" but no sooner then he had asked the question, he felt a pinprick behind his left ear, and at the same time his scar seared with pain.

***

Avonell stood at the bottom of the steps leading to the third floor.  She knew Harry was only a hallway away, she could hear him, she could smell his sent, she could sense his presence.  As she waited for him to move closer, something intruded on her senses, a familiar presence, one that she had been spending all too much time with lately.  He was moving closer, and if she didn't move soon he would be upon her in a minute to two.

Then something else came to her, a feeling of apprehension, regret, fear, indecision, betrayal, shame and a faint lingering sent of alcohol. Puzzled as to why she would be preserving this from Professor Snape, she turned her attention way from the game she and Harry had been playing, and moved towards the stairs leading down to the first floor.

Snape was coming up the steps looking rather grim.

"Professor?" she called softly.

Snape looked up and smiled, but his smile faded quickly into an expression of uneasiness.  He said nothing as he approached, stopping on the step below her.  He reached out and cupped her check in his hand, leaning forward to kiss her.

"Someone will see," she protested in a whisper pulling back slightly.

Snape slipped his hand behind her neck and pulled her into a brief kiss.

"We need to talk," he told her in a serious voice, and taking her by the arm, drew her down the hallway in the direction of her office.

***

Hermione reached the intersection just as she heard Professor Avonell call softly, "Professor?"

She stopped and peeked around the corner, not wanting to be seen.  Professor Snape had stopped on the last step, his demeanor unlike any she had ever seen in the Potions Master before.  She watched as he raised his hand to Avonell's check and lean towards her.  Avonell pulled back saying something Hermione could not hear.  In the month she had been studying with Professor Avonell, she had only managed the feeblest of lights within her crystal, she was nowhere near being able to extend her senses, and so she strained to try to hear what was being said.

Hermione's mouth fell open and she nearly gasped aloud as Snape drew Avonell's face towards his and kissed her.  He said something to the Rune Teacher then swept her down the hallway and out of sight.

Hermione leaned against the wall, clutching her book to her chest.  Had she really seen what she thought she had seen?  It couldn't be, Snape and – Avonell?  No, she must have imagined it.  Avonell was supposed to be with Harry, why would she then be in the second floor hallway?  Yes she had only imagined seeing Snape kissing Avonell; it had never really happened she decided.

She stepped out into the hallway and made her way back to Gryffindor tower, giving the incident no further thought.

***

Only once they had entered Avonell's office and the door was securely closed behind them, did Snape speak again.

"Malana," he started, but paused turning away, "there's been a new development."

"And that is?" she asked cautiously, trying to keep the strong feeling of doom out of her voice.

Snape sighed deeply, "I've been ordered to bring you before Voldemort – now."

"Oh," she replied in a small voice, her blood running cold in her veins, "surely he doesn't think I'll come willingly."

Snape shook his head as he removed a small glass veil from a pocket in his robes.

"He knows better then that," he said turning back to face her and showing her the veil's contents.  It contained a singe slender silver needle.

"Kurr," she breathed, an icy sick feeling clutching at her chest. "How?"

"You were right, the message was replaced," he told her gloomily, "I've been given a hie'yel address and instructed on how to operate the port here at Hogwarts."

"Then you'll need this," she said, removing the necklace with the hie'yel key.  She handed it to him and then moved to the bookcase.

"Malana, I'm not . . ." he started miserably.

"You have to," she cut him off, "if you don't he will kill you."

The bookcase slid open and she stepped inside, Snape following after her.

"The first few minutes will be the worse," she said walking to stand before the mirror.

"I know," Snape replied remembering his own experience with the drug, "It's a larger dose, you're meant to pass out."

"It will be easier for you to control me that way," she said heavily, as he came to stand beside her.  She took back the key and pressed it into place.  Snape proceeded to press the required sequence of symbols and the room filled with the soft hum of the device, the mirror's surface shimmered to life.

"It's most effective if administered just behind the left ear," she instructed him, pulling her hair away from her neck and tipping her head to expose the desired spot. 

Carefully, he removed the needle and poised it over her skin.

"Forgive me," he pleaded softly.

"You're already forgiven, what ever happens," she reassured him quietly.

Avonell felt the pinprick as the needle penetrated her skin; white-hot fire spread throughout her body from the point of the needle and the world began to spin.  She swayed on her feet and then collapsed into his arms.

Snape scooped her limp body into his arms and taking a deep breath, stepped into the mirror.

***

"Something is wrong," Harry told Ron and Hermione as they made there way to the Great Hall for the Halloween feast, "something is terribly wrong.  Professor Avonell and I were working on my sensory extension, and she just never showed up."

"Maybe we should tell Dumbledore," Ron urged as they approached the Gryffindor house table.

"I already have, but he told me that without more information, there's nothing he can do," he told them.

Hermione gulped as she realized that both Professor Snape and Professor Avonell's seats were empty.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked as they seated themselves.

"Nothing, nothing," she replied hoarsely.

Harry knew that wasn't the truth, but remembered Avonell telling him he should not always act on that knowledge.

Hermione looked from Snape's empty chair, to Avonell's, taking note of the worried expressions Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore wore.

Harry and Ron took note of this as well.

"If Professor Avonell doesn't show up by the time we've finished eating," Harry muttered to his friends, "I'm going to look for her."