Chapter 19

Severus Snape walked slowly through the halls of Hogwarts barely seeing anything and hearing even less. He was at a loss for what he was going to do. Voldemort wanted his Ann. Part of him wanted to shake her for being so stupid, but the other part, the father part, just wanted to hold her and protect her.

Without realizing where he was heading, he found himself in front of Lupin's office. Though it pained him to admit it, Lupin had been helpful with Ann earlier.

Snape hoped, as he pushed the door to Lupin's office open, that he wasn't making a mistake.

"Severus," said Lupin in surprise. "You're back sooner than expected. Dumbledore and I assumed you would be gone for hours."

"As it turns out," said Snape bitterly. "The Dark Lord was very to the point with what he wanted."

Lupin raised his eyes. "And that is?"

"Ann," said Snape disheartened.

"You can't be serious," said Lupin standing. "Why? She's nothing but a child. What could he possibly want with her?"

"He believes she can deliver Potter to him."

"Harry," said Lupin softly, with a touch of fear in his voice.

"You needn't be frightened for Potter. He is perfectly safe. Despite all the hysteria, he is always perfectly safe. Except of course when he puts himself in danger," finished Snape snidely.

"Now listen hear, Severus," began Lupin.

"I don't need to hear you defend Potter, Lupin. I need your help with Ann."

Lupin bit back the response on the edge of his tongue. 'Ann,' he thought. She really was their main concern now. Snape was right. Harry was perfectly safe.

"What do you need," said Lupin seriously.

"I need you to take her away."

"Away? Where?"

"I don't know, but somewhere far. The farther away she is, the safer she'll be."

"That may be a problem, Severus. Ann isn't the type of person to run away. She'll see it as cowardice."

"I don't care. I am her father and she will do as I say."

"Yes, because that has worked so well in the past," said Lupin not bothering to mask his irritation. "When are you going to learn from your mistakes? You act impulsively. You always have. We need to think this through."

"We," Snape emphasized, "do not need to think anything through. 'I' have made a decision and 'You' will either help me or not. I do not need your input."

"Typical," muttered Lupin angrily.

Snape glared down his hook nose at Lupin.

"You're going to make the same mistakes with Ann that you made with Mary."

"How dare you," hissed Snape. "How dare you speak to me of Mary? Had it not been for you and your interference, we would still have been married."

"My interference," countered Lupin. "I believe you were the one to check out of your marriage by becoming a Death Eater. I certainly had nothing to do with that. You ruined your life and Mary's all on your own."

Snape took a step toward Lupin and said in a very low voice that barely contained his rage. "Had you not come to our home and confessed your love to my wife, I would have never done what I did. Do not make the mistake of believing yourself blameless."

Lupin couldn't contain his shock. "You knew I came to see her," he said in barely a whisper.

Snape turned away, disliking very much the direction the conversation was taking.

"Severus," began Lupin, more quietly this time.

Snape would have preferred if Lupin had continued to rail. The almost sympathetic tone in his voice was more than he could stand. "I heard her tell you that she loved you." Snape turned back to Lupin. "You see, I foolishly believed that Mary was happy with me, happy that we were having a child together, that we were making a family of our own. Little did I suspect that she was still harboring her feelings for you."

Lupin opened his mouth to speak, but Snape cut him off. Now that he was finally saying all the things he had always wanted to say, he'd be damned if Lupin interrupted him.

"You pretended to be so noble back in school. You had the Dumbledore and the faculty convinced, but I always knew there was something more to you. And then when I discovered that you were a werewolf, you even managed to turn that into a positive trait. Poor, suffering, stoic, Lupin, everyone's favorite."

"Hardly," muttered Lupin.

Snape ignored him. "Then you win the affection of perhaps the most brilliant and intriguing witch of our year, but you were too good for her. That's what you thought."

"I certainly never thought that," said Lupin angrily. "I loved her. I never believed I was good enough for her."

Snape smirked derisively. "You weren't."

"Don't look so smug," shot Lupin. "As it turned out, I was ten times better for her than you were."

The smirk immediately disappeared from Snape's face. "What I can't understand," continued Snape. "Is why you let her go?"

Lupin studied him carefully. "That really isn't any of your business."

"It became my business when you tried to win her back. Tell me, Lupin. Did you want her back because you realized what a horrible mistake you made, or could you just not stand to see her happy with someone who wouldn't make the mistake of taking her for granted."

Lupin, no longer able to contain his anger and afraid of what he might do if he stayed, stalked angrily toward the door, but Snape pulled out his wand and shut the door before he could reach it. Lupin, in turn, also pulled out his wand. "We are too old for these games, Severus."

"This is no game," said Snape seriously. "I have waited for over fifteen years for an answer to that question. Why did you come back into her life?"

"Because I loved her," shouted Lupin angrily.

"She was my wife."

"But she should have been mine."

Both men went silent. Snape was the first to speak. "She would have been had you not thrown her away. I imagine she would have been if she hadn't gotten pregnant."

Lupin shook his head. "No," he said quietly. "She wouldn't have."

Snape rolled his eyes, unwilling to argue.

Lupin continued. "She turned me down that day."

Snape watched him carefully, uncertain where Lupin was going with the conversation.

"That day, I told her that I loved her and she said she loved me too. I asked her to come away with me. I told her that I would do anything to make it all up to her." Lupin took a deep breath. "I told her that if the only thing preventing the two of us from being together was her pregnancy, then we could have it taken care of."

Snape seethed with rage as he listened to Lupin's confession.

"She just smiled at me, kind of sadly. She told me that she could never do that." Lupin looked up and met Snape's eyes. "She said that when she married you she meant the vows she took. She said that even though she loved me, she loved you as well." Lupin sighed. "And that when it came down to it, she knew that you would never hurt her the way I had."

Involuntarily, tears sprang into the corners of Snape's eyes. He turned away, angry at himself for displaying his emotions in front of Lupin. It was just that he was hearing the thing he had been too afraid to hope for all the years of his life. Mary had loved him. No matter what had become of them, he at least finally knew that at some time in his life he had excited love in another.

"So you see," continued Lupin. "Despite what you've believed all these years, Mary didn't settle for you. She chose you."

Snape cleared his throat. "I think we've strayed far enough, Lupin. Can we get back to the important issue?"

Lupin rolled his eyes, but didn't continue.

"If you would, take Ann to your home for the time being. No one should look for her there. That is until I've worked out a better place to send her."

"Do you want to talk to her? Explain what's going on?" Asked Lupin.

"No," said Snape quietly. "You were right. If she knows what's going on, she'll refuse to go. She is the most stubborn child that ever existed."

Lupin smiled involuntarily. "Very well," he said and he went to the door. "Do you mind opening this now?"

Snape smirked and waved his wand, opening the door.

"Severus," said Lupin seriously. "Are you sure you don't want to see Ann before I take her away? If things go badly…" Lupin trailed off, unable to finish the sentence.

"If I can," returned Snape. "I will come and see her once I've arranged things."

Lupin nodded and left, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Lupin entered the Slytherin common room and ignored the stares of the students. Ann was sitting alone near the fire reading. Lupin walked up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

Ann looked up in surprise. "Did you need something, Professor?"

"I need you to come with me, please," he said quietly.

Ann looked around the common room and saw Draco staring at her. She looked away quickly. She made a show of stowing her book in her bag and said as quietly as she could, without moving her lips. "I haven't had a chance to speak with Draco yet. He will be suspicious."

Lupin considered this. He decided he better put on a show. "Now, Miss Snape," he said loudly straightening his shoulders.

Ann looked at him and could see the warning in his eyes. "I don't see why you need to see me," she said matching the volume of his voice.

"It's enough that I do," said Lupin, moving to the entranceway to the common room and giving her a penetrating stare.

Ann made her irritation obvious and just before leaving, shot Draco what she hoped was a meaningful look. His expression remained unreadable and Ann couldn't tell if he had bought into her and Lupin's little play.

When they were clear of the Slytherin common room and out of ear shot of any passing students, Lupin pulled Ann into an empty classroom.

"Is my father back," said Ann trying to control her anxiety.

Lupin nodded. "Just a few minutes ago."

Ann sighed with relief. "Can I go see him?"

"No," said Lupin quickly. "He's speaking with Dumbledore," he lied.

"Then why did you need me?"

Lupin hesitated. "Ann," he began slowly. "I hope now, that you trust me."

Ann nodded. "I do," she said softly. "Unlike me, you've never really given me a reason to distrust you."

He smiled. "Good, then I hope that you'll trust me now. I need you to come with me and not ask any questions. Can you do that?"

Ann hesitated. "Does my father know about this?"

Lupin nodded. "He does. He's the one who's asked me to look after you."

Ann took a step away from him, suddenly feeling frightened. "Why? What's going on?"

Lupin stepped forward. "Please Ann, no questions yet. Just do what you're asked for once."

"I want to see my father first."

"You can't," said Lupin firmly. "I'm sorry. You're just going to have to trust us."

Ann shook her head. "I don't like this. Something's not right."

"I know, Ann. But sometimes we're asked to do things we don't like," he said taking her arm gently.

Ann didn't resist. She allowed him to pull her along and when he dropped her arm, she continued to follow. Lupin led her to a fireplace and threw some floo powder into it.

He gave Ann a small prod in the back. "But where are we going?" She asked.

"My home, One Marauders Way," he said with a small smile. "Go ahead. I'll be right behind you."

Ann nodded and said clearly. "One Marauders Way." With a whoosh, she was gone. Lupin quickly threw in some more floo powder and followed, all the while hoping Snape wouldn't take too long in joining them.