The room had a certain chill to it and the unlit fireplace looked very unwelcoming. Severus pulled out his wand and lit the fire place while muttering under his breath. "I can't believe that Sheyliegh's making me do this. I just don't see how the two of us can work out our differences. It's been like this ever since we were in school together."

The door to his left cracked open and Sheyliegh entered followed by a very relentless Sirius Black. She took a seat and indicated that Sirius do the same. Severus remained standing refusing to sit down at the table as long as Sirius was there.

"Well, of course I've talked to the two of you and you both know my reasoning for wanting you to make up." Neither one of the men looked at her as she said this. "Okay, both of you are being so silly about all of this. As long as I am to be married to you Severus, and friends with you Sirius, you two are going to have to accept that."

"I can deal with the fact that you two are friends. But why does that mean that I have to be friends with him too?" Severus had finally turned from warming his hands up by the fire, to look at his wife.

"I never said you two had to be friends. I said that I just don't want the two of you fighting. So here's the deal. Severus whenever I'm with you, you can't be talking bad about Sirius. And Sirius, no talking bad about Severus. The thing is I just can't choose between the two of you. So both swear to me that yuo will do me this little favor."

"As long as he doesn't kiss you anymore." Severus shot a threatening look at Sirius.

But Sirius returned the same look of hatred. "Oh god damn it. Severus let's not get started with that again."

"Why not? Too afraid I may hex you again?"

"I never have been afraid of you and I never will, Snivelus."

But before anything else could be said Sheyliegh stepped back in. "Now come on! You two both work for Dumbledore, are on the same said when it comes to fighting for our community, can't you two just get along?"

"How do we know that he's really on our side? How do we know that he's not still going and giving information to Voldemort?!"

"Sirius that's enough. Bow both of you, swear to me that you will do what I want."

"Yeah, ok. I'll do it just as long as I don't have to talk to this scum ever again."

"Yeah, whatever," muttered Severus.

"Good then."

***

The Order were meeting at least three times a week. They hadn't gotten any tip-offs to what Voldemort could be doing or getting ready to do. All they had to go one was the burning of Severus' and Karkaroff's dark marks.

"We need to find out what is going on. We need to at least have some kind of idea." Albus' voice was soft yet concerned.

Everyone was quiet. Severus looked down into his lap. He lifted the sleeve of his robe to look at the mark carved there. His mind was racing to say what he knew he had to. But it was so hard to actually say it. "Albus." Everyone turned to look at him. "I'm going."

"What? No, you can't! There has to be a better way!"

"Sheyliegh, this could depend on whether or not the wizarding world remains. I have to go. There's no other way to prepare ourselves." He looked up into his wifes tear filled eyes.

So it was decided that night that the next time the dark lord beckoned his followers, Severus would be joining them once again.

***

The night air was quiet and still. The moon outside was full. Severus sat on his bed looking out. He had dropped the quill that he was using to grade the second years' papers onto the bed, and was looking out into the night. He chuckled to himself as he looked at the moon. He knew that Remus was at the Shrieking Shack right now transforming.

Sheyliegh looked up from her pile of papers to see her husband like this. "Sev, what's wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. Just thinking."

"Well I'll tell you what I'm thinking. I'm thinking of crawling up in this comforter and going to sleep." As she finished saying this she let out a long yawn.

"Yeah, these papers can wait for tomorrow." With a wave of his wand, the papers and quills zoomed over to the table on the other side of the room, and the lights went off.

Just as he was settling down into the black, warm comforter, there was a familiar tingling in his fore arm. He sat straight up. "Damn it!!"

"What is it?" asked Sheyliegh alarmed.

"Nothing. I just... remembered something. I'll be back. Stay here, I need to go talk to Albus." He leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, and then looked into her eyes. The thought that this could be the last time he saw her almost killed him. "I love you."

But before she could reply he was on his way out th door. His brisk pace and long strides echoed through the hallways. He found Albus sitting at his desk. 'God doesn't this man ever sleep?' thought Severus.

"Albus..."

"Go. You need to. But please son, be careful." It shocked Severus that he knew what he was talking about. But he wasted no time. He headed out the door, and then made his way out of the castle.

Walking through the forest he stopped at a familiar place. By his feet stood a tree stump. He got onto his knees and knelt beside it. He rummaged inside like he was looking for something. "Good it's still here," he whispered to himself. He pulled out a black robe and a mask that would completely hide his identity.

It had been years since he had seen these items. But it seemed like it was just yesterday that he was a teenager pulling on the robe and mask to go and serve his master. After he had both on, he walked a little farther until he was off of school grounds. Then within a second's time he disapeared.

Next thing he knew he was somewhere that he had never been before. It seemed to be a church yard. Down the hill that he was standing on he could see a graveyeard. There were figures down below formed into a circle. He was unable to make out who they were because of the masks that they wore on their faces. There were spaces in the circle from where former death eaters had left the group. He went down the hill and placed himself in an open space in the circle. Non of the masked figures turned to look at him. So he continued to stare off into space.

He could feel the nervousness within him rise. But before he could think any farther, there was a loud pop and the most imprtant person in this group appeared. He looked around and seemed as f he was counting the number of his followers.

"Well, well," hissed a too familiar voice. "Seems as if we have an outsider, a trader with us tonight." He walked around the inside of the circle. He looked at each masked face. During his second time around he stopped right in front of Severus.

"Sssseverusss... long time no sssee." His hand reached out and removed the mask from Severus' face. The cold wind was blowing and was beating against his face. Voldemort then took his hand and ran it over Severus' cheek. "Tell me, how isss your dear friend Albusss?"

"Scum. Just as he always has been. I've come to my senses. I am ready to give myself to you once again, and serve you my lord." Severus bent to get on his knees and then began to kiss the bottom of Voldemort's robes. But before he could react at all, Voldemort kicked his foot, hitting Severus in the stomach.

"Liar. I know better than that. Surly you can not make me out to be that big of a fool? You had ssserved with me sssso long. I thought that you would know better than that by now?"

Severus who now laid on his back was holding his stomach in pain. He managed to sit up and look at Voldemort. He dared not to speak, for it could cost him his life. Finding his balance he got up onto his feet. Looking Voldemort straight in the eyes, he felt a pain in his forearm like he hadn't felt since... since, he was with him before. Since he had been stupid enough o do what he did. The pain from the memory was harsh but it was no where close to the pain he felt next.

He wasn't sure what spell he had been hit with. But he knew it must have been powerful because he found himself lying on his stomach with his face pressed down into the grass. His head lifted and he found a gravemarker before him. The name read the name of a wizard that he had never known or heard of. But soon enough it did. Voldemort had jinxed it to change so that it read Severus Snape.

'This is it,' thought Severus. 'I'll never again get to see Sheyliegh, I'll never get to have kids and see them grow up. This is the end of the line.' He closed his eyes waiting to be killed by Voldemort's next spell. But it never came. He turned around to find Albus standing in front of him.

"Albusss old man. What bringsss you hear? Feel like trying to sssave your dear potionsss massster?" Severus knew that he was trying to put on a show, but he could hear a quiver of fear in Voldemorts voice.

"Severus is more to me then a potions master. Severus is my son. I have compassion for him as you don't. When younger, he was willing to give his life to you, and this is how you reward him. Pitty, pity."

Spells were thrown in all directions. But Voldemort and his death eaters must have gotten afraid because before he knew it they had disappeared. Severus and Albus were the only ones left in the graveyard. A sickness in Severus' stomach began to pull at him. He leaned over and felt a rush of fluid come up to his mouth. He began to throw up blood.

Albus made his way over to him, and knelt beside him. "Does Sheyliegh know that I came?" The old man merely nodded. Then he took his hand and wiped a trace of blood from Severus' chin.

"Come on. Let's get you up to Poppy."

Severus was too weak to apperate back to the forest so Albus conjured a stretcher for Severus to lay on, and then jinxed it to follow him back up to Hogwarts. The trip back to Hogwarts was too long, and before they could make it, Severus had blacked out.

***

Sunlight made it's way across the hospital wing. Severus' eyes flickered open and he found his wife at his side. She had been sitting in a chair and had fallen asleep with her head laying on the bed. He took his hands and put his hand through her hair. She suddenly jerked awake. A look of relief crossed her face.

She stood up and hugged Severus in such a tight squeeze that he thought that she would never let go. she then began to sob.

"Shh, shh. It's alright. What are you getting so upset about?" He held her at arms lenghth and looked at her. Tears showed their presence in her eyes.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

Severus sighed and looked down away from his wife. "I didn't want you to worry. I didn't want you to know."

She laid her head down onto the bed and stayed there as Severus stroked her soft, brown hair.