Author's Note: Since the replies were overwhelming and in Saerry's case, a little scary, I've figured out it's in my best interest to complete this story. Frankly I fear for my life if I don't, Saerry Snape scares me. So without further adieu the story which I hope to complete within the next week or so. Please Read and Review.

"Charmed." Jacqueline said, extending her hand. It took Severus a moment to recover and he did so messily, bumbling over his words and making her smile. She took him by the arm and winked at Silas. "I'm kidnapping your friend, Malfoy and if I'm lucky." Another teasing wink. "Don't wait up." She led him to the food. "So…you're an Auror?"

"That's the rumor." He responded as he served her a glass. "And you?"
She favored him with a cool smile. "I work for a private employer."

"Ah," He said dryly. "The infamous private employer. He seems to like secrets doesn't he?"

"He's a generous boss. He's gives everything he promises and more. In return we select few who have the honor of his employment protect his identity with our loyalty."

"Is he a squid?"

"Far from it. He's from a very old family through his mother."

"Ah." He said again, rather dully.

"You're not a fan of the game are you?"

"No, I'm afraid I'm not."

"Good." Jacqueline said. "Neither am I."

He found himself smiling at her, "Thank you Miss Eames."

"Call me Jackie." She said. "Or Jack."

"Alright Jackie, so what do you do for this employer?"

"I clean up after various tasks and I'm in charge of recruiting personnel."

"For what purposes?"

"Always the Auror, Mr. Snape?" She said softly. "For our own interests."

"Fair enough and call me Severus."

Those fine wine colored eyes narrowed and her lips curled into a smile. Severus felt a rush of warmth flow through his body at the sight of her smile. He felt himself smiling too and when she took his arm a second time, it was a tenderness he had never known from a woman.

Morning peered through the windows and Severus shifted under the covers. The touch of silk on his bare skin filled his body with sheer delight and he opened his eyes carefully and moved slightly. An explosion of ecstasy erupted somewhere between his knees and his navel and he turned on side.

And he met those wine colored eyes from the night before. Jacqueline smiled at him and traced his cheekbone with a delicate finger. He sighed happily before realization hit him. He scrambled to cover his naked body and asked the time.

"Around three in the afternoon." She said, resting on an elbow and smiling at him through her thick raven mane.

He sat up, red sheets covering him and began searching for his clothing. "My god, I have work."

"You called in." She answered, with a wicked twinkle to her eyes. "Or at least Silas did on your behave." She moved towards his back and began to work the muscles gently.

He stretched his shoulders and moaned. "I should get to work."

Her arms circled around his waist and pulled onto her. She looked up into her eyes and that same secretive smile bore into his soul. "Or not."

"Or not." He agreed. He stood and dressed in some of Silas' clothing, including a dark high collar jacket and outer robe. She told him he looked good in black.

Jacqueline led Severus downstairs to the dining room where Silas was playing pool with his brother Lucius. Both men looked Severus knowingly and Silas even clapped. "Hungry?"

"Very."

"Rat." Silas called and a small pitiful creature dressed in a tea towel emerged with a tray of food. Severus leaned down and took the tray from Dobby as the Malfoy brothers and Eames watched with an odd sense of curiosity and amusement. Dobby bowed his head and began to bang it on a table (for making a Wizard do menial chores.)

"It's no use trying to stop him." Lucius said lazily. "He'll do that till he looses consciousness and then he'll be okay."

"If you're certain." Snape said as he placed the tray down. He grabbed a sandwich from the plate and sat down, watching them.

Lucius twirled his cue between his hands. "Rank em, wanna play Severus?"

He glanced at Jackie and smiled. "I'll break." He grabbed a cue to his liking and leaned downed and made his move. Then it was Lucius' turn and the gamed began. Fifteen minutes into the game: they were laughing and not paying much attention to the game before them. Silas was sitting on the table with his legs swinging over the edge.

"So Severus, never one to refuse a challenge, agrees to play shots with Sirius. Around one in the morning, these two yahoos have finally run out of liquor from both Gryffindor and Slytherin Houses. So onward towards Hogsmeade." Silas was overcome by a laughing fit. "Long story short: Melanie and Scarlett find their beloved boyfriends in each other's arms in all their drunken stupor sleeping together on the stairs of Hogwarts! Now some pictures of this lovely union were taken and were soon circling around the school! I'm sure I have my copies around somewhere."

Severus had turned his attention to chalking his cue and had a small begrudged grin on his face. "We united for a brief time to find and destroy those photos."

"Tell Jackie about the Quidditch match!" Lucius grinned.

"Sev was playing Seeker. It was the Gryffindor/Slytherin game…"

It was near midnight when Severus finally walked up the stairs to his home. He stood on the stoop and studied the grains of the door. It had been nearly midnight before he decided to leave the Malfoy home and return. Jacqueline had seen him to the door and told him she had enjoyed their day together. He admitted he had enjoyed himself too.

And he had. Being with Lucius and Silas had brought back happier times and times of power, prestige and fun. He remembered times when he had been the Heir of Akel Dama, a prince of England and the son of the morning. Now who was he? Alex, the Auror, married to a woman who didn't love him, tending to a child that wasn't his and following a code he didn't agree with?

Severus wiped his brow and stared at the door before turning around and returning to Silas' never ending party.

"Morning." Sydney said, looking a surprised when Severus walked through the door the next morning. "You alright?"

"Fine." He lied, rubbing eyes too red and trying to overcome a headache from the alcohol and two day long party he had enjoyed with the Malfoy brothers and the intoxicating Jacqueline.

"Well, come then." Sydney said as he straightened his uniform: a long navy coat with a high collar that was slim and finely tailored. He was wearing tall black riding boots over navy trousers. He slipped on his black gloves and brushed the lint from his rank insignia. Two gray and one black line adorned his cuffs.

Severus was wearing the same style uniform with two gray lines on each cuff: signaling his status as Master Apprentice. Billy had one gray line showing he was still an Apprentice. He came out of the back room and Severus helped him straighten his shoulders. "Let's do this."

They walked outside into a fierce summer sun and the funerals of the fallen Aurors. There weren't words to describe the funerals. An Auror's funeral was unique and stoic: as calm and impassive as the Auror lifestyle itself.

"They met their fate like Aurors." Malachi said to the assembled. "And peace be with them as they go."

"May the wind be ever at your back, dear hearts." Murmured an Auror besides Severus.

Another spoke in Spanish. "Vaya con Dios."

One, the fiancé of one of the fallen, struggled to maintain control as the coffins were lowered into the ground. Severus made his way towards the man who he knew as Chris and shook his hand. "She was an good woman." He offered.

Chris raised his eyes to Severus and smiled. "Yeah, Sophie was wasn't she?"

Severus looked uneasily when he mentioned one of the fallen Aurors by name. That wasn't done among Aurors. Once someone died they ceased to exist outside of private memories. Their names weren't spoken again. He met Chris' eyes. "I don't know who you're talking about."

Chris looked hurt but nodded. "Right. That's not how we play this game.

Severus nodded and excused himself but not before adding. "We'll get who killed Sophie, Chris. We'll get him."

Chris nodded. "I believe you."

Jude was waiting for Severus. They fell into step together and Jude put an arm around Severus' shoulder. "I got some news for you."

"What?"

"We've found Daniel." Time slowed to a grueling pace as Jude waited for an acknowledgement. None came. "He's here in America and we got a lead on the Dark Wizards here that support Voldemort. You have to choose which one to tackle first."

"I've spent most of my life studying Daniel, he'll stay put for a while. Who's the contact for Voldemort?"

Jude seemed to pause again. "We have reason to believe it's a group of British nationals that have settled here recently."

"Names?"

"Silas and Lucius Malfoy, Darien Avery, Evan Rosier and Reese Wilkes."

Severus stopped in his tracks. "You're accusing the Illuminatti?"