Severus waited impatiently. Morgan had more or less commanded him to take the children to Diagon Alley to get their school supplies, she claimed she had other plans for the day, but he knew she just wanted a day alone in the house without interruption.
He glanced at the clock again. Serena and Kamen were ready to leave and he had sent Nimue to get Dierna, hopefully this trip would get underway quickly. What could be taking them so long? It was completely beyond Severus why it could take his daughters so long to get ready sometimes.
Finally. Severus watched as Nimue and Dierna came down the stairs. His impatience turned to concern as he watched Dierna. She looked pale and it appeared as though what little sleep she had gotten had been restless. He would have to make sure to give her something to help her sleep tonight. "Dierna, are you alright?"
Dierna saw the look of concern on her father's face and managed a small smile, hoping it was believable, "I'm fine Dad." He didn't look convinced. "Really, I'm fine." Although she felt completely drained Nimue's assertion that everything would work out had improved Dierna's outlook on the situation. She would just have to believe that Stefan would come back to her.
Severus considered his daughter carefully, she did not look as well as she claimed to be. He was definitely going to keep a close eye on her today. Nimue had already started down the hall towards his study where Kamen and Serena were waiting. Severus gently placed a hand on Dierna's shoulder; "are you sure..." his voice was edged with concern.
Dierna rolled her eyes and cut him off, "don't worry about me, I am fine." She was starting to get annoyed; she hoped her parents weren't going to keep bugging her about this.
"It is my job as a parent to worry about you."
Dierna narrowed her eyes, "well you don't always have to do such a good job of it."
Severus' eyebrows shot up at that response, "I wouldn't count on that if I were you. Now, are you ready to leave?"
Dierna sighed exasperatedly as she rolled her eyes again and walked towards the study. Honestly, she just wanted to be left alone sometimes.
Severus almost smiled at the way she acted. He saw so much of himself in his daughter. Unfortunately, their similarities often caused them to end up at odds with each other.
He followed Dierna as they made their way to his study. Severus removed a jar of floo powder from the shelf over the fireplace and held it out. He watched as one by one his children took a pinch of the floo powder and used it to transport themselves to Diagon Alley. He desperately hoped that this trip would be as uneventful as possible.
Severus followed his children through using the floo powder and came out at the floo station in Diagon Alley. Wonderful, his children had already left the building. Why couldn't they stay in one place for five minutes?
He walked out into the street. Kamen, the twins, and Nimue were standing in front of the building; at least they hadn't gone far. He was also relieved that the street was fairly empty. The rest of the students would not be getting their school supplies till closer to the start of term. That would make it much easier for him to keep an eye on his own children today.
"Dad, can we look at quidditch supplies for awhile? I'm sure you have other stuff you need to do that we don't have to tag along for." Kamen tried to be optimistic as he waited for a response.
"If I remember correctly you are grounded, so what makes you think I would agree to that?"
"Come on Dad! We won't get into any trouble, I promise. We'll take Nimue with us; she'll keep us in line." Kamen grabbed his littlest sister and quickly pulled her close to him. He hoped the ploy would work.
Severus sighed, either he let them go, or he wasn't going to get a moment of peace, "Fine, you can go, but I will meet you at Flourish and Blotts in one hour."
"Great! Thanks Dad!" Kamen started to move off quickly, he wanted to leave before his dad could change his mind.
"One hour! Remember that, not one minute late. Dierna, I want you to come with me."
Dierna opened her mouth to protest as she watched Kamen, Serena, and Nimue leaving. She looked at her father with irritation. She snapped her mouth shut again. Everything she wanted to say to him at the moment would probably get her grounded for a least a month.
"Are you mad at me or at some situation, which is completely out of your control?" Severus looked down at Dierna as they started walking, taking in her aggravated expression.
Dierna didn't answer. Instead, she took a sudden interest in watching the ground in front of her. She had to forcefully keep silent. Anything she could say to that would not be pleasant.
"You have a tendency to cover most of your emotions with anger. You use that anger to build a wall around yourself in an attempt to shut everyone out. I want you to drop that act right now, it will not work on me." Severus kept his voice low and composed. Morgan had accused him of doing the same thing on numerous occasions and he could see how this sort of behavior worried her. It concerned him to see the same emotional fronts being used by his daughter.
Dierna watched the shadows the clouds made as they raced across the sky. Her mind was racing; she was sure that if her thoughts were flung out into the open they would travel faster than the very wind. But, her heart had managed to calm down a great deal since last night. In her heart Dierna truly believed that Stefan would return to her, but her mind wasn't listening very well. It made everything seem confused, and when Dierna felt out of control like that she knew that it was usually expressed in her anger.
"Dierna..."
"Dad, I just need time to work some stuff out on my own. Will you just drop this for now?" Dierna tried to keep the hints of frustration out of her voice, but wasn't sure about how well she had succeeded. A sudden thought occurred to her, "Did you make me come with you just because you were worrying about me?"
A smile played at the corner of Severus' mouth. He had been found out. "Partly..."
"Then what is the rest of the reason?" She highly doubted there was another reason. Her father was just overprotective and didn't want to admit it.
"To make sure you stay out of trouble, I can't very well let you go off unsupervised; I can only imagine what you would get yourself into if I let you go off without adult supervision."
Dierna smiled and bit her lip at her father's dry tone. At least he was in a good mood today; it wouldn't be so horrible being dragged around with him. Besides, when they were actually getting along she almost enjoyed his company.
Severus felt a wave of relief; at least his daughter was smiling. He had been worried that Stefan's abrupt departure would leave her utterly devastated. But, it seemed as though she was going to be fine.
I have to order more supplies for my classes, it shouldn't take too long." Severus held the door for Dierna as they entered the apothecary, "Do not touch anything and stay close to me."
Dierna shook her head in exasperation; honestly, he still treated her like she was five. As her eyes adjusted to the dark interior of the store she moved between the shelves, taking everything in. She didn't mind the strange mixture of aromas that blended together, a product of the hundreds of jars that lined the shelves. They were fascinating.
As much as she hated to admit it potions was her best class, and her favorite. She loved all of the different supplies and ingredients and the way they could be blended together so perfectly, it was enthralling. She paused in front of a display of imported Mediterranean products. Intent on reading the labels she jumped slightly when someone grabbed her around the waist.
"Hello beautiful, when are you going to forget about your little lover boy and let me show you how you deserve to be treated?"
She hated that voice, almost as much as she hated its owner, "Connor, if you don't let go of me now I won't be responsible for what I do to you."
"Ahhhh... I like a girl with spirit, and I'd love a chance to try and harness your wild side."
Dierna quickly extracted herself form the unwanted embrace. To her mind Connor was a complete creep, and she thought that he bared a great resemblance to a sewer rat. "Leave me alone," her voice was cold and filled with suppressed rage.
"But I don't want to leave you alone, and I don't think that's really what you want either." Connor Macnair smoothed back his hair as he reached for Dierna again.
"Dierna!"
Thank goodness, her dad was calling her. Dierna pushed her way around Connor, trying desperately not to touch him in the process, and made her way to the front of the store where her father was waiting.
"Are you ready to go?"
Dierna simply nodded her head; she was too disgusted by Connor's behavior to trust her own voice.
As they moved toward the exit two dark figures entered the store, blocking the way out.
"Professor, imagine running into you here, how... unexpected."
"Mr. Malfoy, what a... pleasant surprise," Severus' voice was hard and cold as he slid a protective arm around Dierna's shoulders, pulling her closer to him. He did not trust his former student at all of late, something that hurt more than he cared to admit
Severus highly doubted that this was an unplanned meeting. He suspected Malfoy of being involved in a new round of dark forces. I was just too bad he couldn't prove it. He would like nothing better than to make sure Draco spent the rest of his life rotting in Azkaban.
"There are such interesting rumors going around about the movement of a new dark league, what do you make of it?" Draco's look was one of ill concealed malice as he questioned the potions master.
"I would say that if those forces are planning an attack on Hogwarts they had better rethink their strategy as the school is very well protected."
Dierna watched as Connor shuffled into her line of vision as he joined his father. He winked at her. She found it absolutely repulsive.
"I have other obligations to attend to Mr. Malfoy, if you would be so kind as to remove yourself from the doorway..." Severus' voice was dangerously low. He would never trust Malfoy again, he had too much of a dark presence lingering about him. And he undoubtedly still carried a deep feeling of resentment concerning the death of Lucius.
"Of course, I wouldn't want to keep you from whatever it is you find to be so important." Draco stepped back and smiled, his eyes glowing with rage.
Dierna squinted her eyes against the glare of the sunlight as they stepped back out into the street. She felt as though everything should feel right again out in the sunlight, as though the darkness she had felt in the apothecary should fade away. But it hadn't. Something still didn't feel quite right.
Severus had a very bad feeling about the confrontation in the apothecary. He didn't trust Malfoy and he didn't trust Macnair. He also had some suspicions that young Macnair might be involved somehow too. The thought of Connor Macnair brought something else to his attention, "I saw Connor watching you, has he ever tried anything?"
Dierna sighed, this was a sore subject, "Well... he has never done anything that has been enough to scare me. And, he does have a tendency to follow me around, but he's mostly talk." Dierna felt disgusted with herself, she almost sounded like she was defending his actions. But, he hadn't done anything to hurt her... at least not physically.
"Never let anyone treat you as though you are merely an object. You are better than that." Severus had often seen the way Connor, who would be a seventh year Slytherin, treated members of the opposite sex. It was obvious that the boy was only intent on using them for his own personal gain. Severus found that behavior abhorrent, especially when those attentions were directed at his daughter.
"Dad, do you really think that there will be an attack on Hogwarts?"
"This is neither the time nor the place to discuss that issue, and I really do not feel the need to talk about it with you."
"You know, instead of avoiding my question you could just try giving me an honest answer."
Severus considered his options in this situation, Dierna could read him nearly as well as Morgan could, plus she had his stubborn nature. It was obvious that she wouldn't give up until she got a real answer, "I don't know, but it seems likely that there might be an attempted attack, although for what specific reason I am not sure. Do not feel free to mention this to your siblings."
Nimue held her breath. They were here. She knew it had to be the same group of men that she had seen in Hogsmead, but she still couldn't tell who they were. Even though it was late summer they were wrapped in long dark cloaks, effectively hiding their faces.
The last time she had seen these figures she had overheard part of their conversation. They wanted revenge. She strained to hear them now, but was able to pick up only fragments of their hushed whispers. But one word kept coming up, 'traitors'.
Nimue felt as though an icy hand had gripped her heart. Revenge, traitors, death, destruction, weak spot, overthrow, domination. The haunting words of the dark figures tumbled over each other in her mind. Her head began to throb as the meaning of the bits of conversation she had overheard began to sink in. She inched further along the wall, staying in the shadows; maybe they would say something else. Something that would tell her what they were planning.
"Taking Hogwarts should not prove difficult, especially since we have someone on the inside. The ministry will also crumble easily; our forces have already established themselves there."
Nimue sucked in her breath; she wished she hadn't overheard that last part. An aura of darkness seemed to linger in the air. She had to get away from that spot.
As she started to move away her vision became clouded, and yet everything seemed remarkably clear. Nimue rubbed at her eyes, it was like trying to look at an image through a veil, the images kept blurring together. A rushing noise filled her ears as the images became clearer, the ground felt as though it were spinning beneath her. She saw fire and destruction for a fleeting moment, and then the image instantly shifted back to the calm radiance of the late summer day. But it almost seemed as though both apparitions were happening at the same time, they melted together, becoming one.
Nimue shivered, she felt so cold even though the day was hot. She shook her head, trying to clear the visions and took several deep breaths. Had she seen something that was going to happen or something that might happen? Or had it only been an illusion...
Stefan looked around the room with interest. He had taken a portkey from the office of his supervisor at the Ministry, but he now had no idea where he was. The room lacked windows and had a slight musty odor. And the walls were slightly discolored from water damage, but at least the walls were dry now. He had the feeling that the room was located someplace far underground.
He took a moment to glance over his assignment papers. They gave him no clue as to where he was, or why he was there. In fact, all the information he had received for this assignment had been rather cryptic. He had been hoping that the paper work might give him some clue as to what he was in for. But they had the unsettling words "top secret" and "high priority" emblazoned all over them in bright red. Stefan's small amount of experience at the Ministry had taught him that those words usually did not portend well for their recipients.
Stefan glanced at the accommodations the room possessed. A bed with a patchwork quilt and two overstuffed chairs at a rather rickety looking table. Not exactly high class, but he had encountered worse on previous assignments. And, he reflected grimly, there was probably much worse to come from this assignment as well.
He sank down into one of the chairs at the table. He smiled to himself. Even though the furnishings were sparse at least they were comfortable. He made himself more comfortable. He had been instructed to wait where the portkey had left him, a Ministry member would come to him and brief him on this assignment.
His mind worked fast as he tried to figure out why he was here. He felt a slight touch of apprehension, this could be a trap. But he doubted it. But, Stefan did decide on the fact that any Ministry assignment that landed him here was probably not good.
He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes, wondering how long of a wait he was in for. Considering this was a Ministry assignment he figured he would be there for awhile, the Ministry had a tendency to never run on time, so he was surprised to hear the door creak open just a few moments later.
Stefan quickly stood up, hand brushing against his wand, just in case. He had no intention of taking any unnecessary risks when he wasn't even sure of where he was. As far as he knew some vindictive person could be waiting to hex him to pieces. He grinned with relief and surprise, however, when another Ministry member entered the room, in fact, it was probably his favorite Ministry member from his department, because it was the one person he was sure he could trust without question, "Viviane, I hadn't expected to see you here."
Viviane grinned back at him; she liked her sister's tall dark haired boyfriend, "you may not be so happy to see me after I've given you your assignment. But first, how is Dierna? I missed seeing her the last time I was home."
"She was a little shook up when I left, but she's a very strong woman. I think she'll be fine." Stefan reached for Viviane's left hand and gently held it, turning it slightly so that her ring glittered in the dim light, "And how is Colin?"
Viviane blushed, "he's doing fine."
"And when did you acquire this lovely ring? I'm assuming it's from that worthy gentleman." His eyes gleamed roguishly.
Viviane rolled her eyes, "that is none of your business Stefan MacNeill. But, he asked me early this morning before I had to come here." She grinned mischievously, "When are you going to ask Dierna to marry you?"
"As soon as I can figure out how to ask her without your father deciding to kill me before I have a chance to follow through on that sacred question."
Viviane winked at him, "in that case you'll probably have to wait another ten years at least. Now, as pleasant as this conversation is I think we need to get down to business."
Stefan resumed his seat as Viviane took the chair across the table from him. "So, what do the gods of the Ministry world have planned for me this time?"
"Well, I have in my records that you were contacted two weeks ago by a certain Mr. Macnair for reasons concerning an underground uprising, mainly citing that you are a pure blood wizard and that should equal loyalty to the suppressed forces of Voldemort. You immediately filed a report of that incident that went directly to the head of department. And after an inquiry..."
"Viviane, I know what happened already, care to tell me what is going to happen?"
She sighed, and regained her business like composure, "This is not going to be pleasant Stefan, and I hope you're ready for it." She paused a moment, "The ministry wants you to act as a spy. You are to contact Macnair and express an interest in his proposition. To help insure your personal safety you will be given false work orders to keep on your person. The only written copy of the real work order will be kept by the Minister of Magic. You will also be supplied with one dose of a fast acting poison, just in case things get... complicated. This is common procedure with this type of mission, sometimes things get out of control and it might be preferable to end your own life quickly than to be tortured to death, as has happened in some instances." Viviane said the last part in a rush, this was the last thing she wanted to say to the man who held her little sister's heart so firmly in his grasp.
"It's as bad as that?" Stefan let out a low whistle, "damn, I thought I had prepared myself for the worst, but this surpasses even that."
"It is also essential to this mission that you have no contact with the outside world. You absolutely cannot use owls to correspond with anyone. You will convey all information about the mission directly to me in verbal form. If any record of this mission gets out it could be devastating to the department. This new force will likely have no problems with using family or loved ones against you, don't give them any names or connections that aren't absolutely necessary to gain their trust."
"If I don't come back," Stefan found that the prospect of dying on this mission was harder to accept now that he was closer to the situation, "if anything happens to me, I want you to let Dierna know, but make sure you spare her any details. I don't want her to know how any of this came about. I especially don't want her to know if it becomes necessary for me to take my own life."
Viviane felt a wave of compassion well up inside her, she had to be separated from her darling Colin, but at least she could communicate with him. An idea presented itself to her, "Stefan, you aren't allowed to have any outside communication, but I am. I can keep Dierna updated on how you're doing, and you might be able to get an occasional message to her through me. You'll just have to keep in mind that anything I send out will be read several times by higher Ministry officials to check for information leaks."
Stefan smiled, "thank you, you don't know how much that means to me."
"I think I do, I wouldn't be able to stand it if I was completely cut off from my Colin."
"Then I stand corrected." Stefan admitted sheepishly.
"You most certainly do." Viviane held her head high; she was never one to back down in the face of a challenge.
"I'm glad that I'm working with you on this one. Having a familiar face around is going to make a world of difference on this assignment." Stefan's look turned serious as they focused their attention back to the task at hand.