"You!" Snape hissed from where he appeared beside her.
"Snape? You're a Death Eater!"
"Does Dumbledore know about you? " the man spoke in hushed tones of fury.
"Does he know about you?" she responded in kind.
This was a no win situation, Snape thought. If she is by some chance working for Dumbledore she can't tell me and I can't confess that I'm a double agent for the same reason. Ye gods if Dumbledore brought another Death Eater into the school and didn't tell me I'll ring his bloody neck! If this woman thinks she's going to walk in and undo everything I've worked for I'll ring 'her' bloody neck! Angry recrimination seeped from him as they walked into the gathering.
"Finally answering the summons are we Severus?"
"Malfoy, you know I have duties at the school that prevent me from leaving at will."
Morgan turned her eyes to the attractive man as they spoke, his pale blond hair setting off the arrogant face to a tee.
"And look who we have here? If it isn't the Black Witch back from, where was it you were off to?"
Morgan thought the fair man's smile might actually be charming if it wasn't backed by sarcasm and degradation. "Hell," she responded. She stared him in the face and graced him with a slight smile "or was it detention with your son? Both were equally painful."
"Quite charming company you keep Severus."
The room became silent and everyone bowed deeply as Lord Voldemort came forth, settling himself down in chair set up like an elaborate thrown on the dias. Cloaked in a black hood his red eyes bore into the group as he spoke, "Snape, Rheged, I would speak with you. The rest of you are free for now."
They moved forward and Snape watched as the Dark Lord's snake slithered around his chair. It reared up several feet in the air and stared at them from behind it's forked tongue as it hissed. The Potions Master narrowed his eyes at the woman beside him as he listened.
"Treyhaasssssa heessshh hasssah, "as Morgan spoke in Parseltongue the snake turned it's head and hissed again, "ssssiiahasietthh."
"Nagini has missed you Morgan. I am very pleased that you have infiltrated Hogwarts my dear. Now there are two of my best to set mischief afoot under that roof."
"Thank you my lord," she said bowing slightly, "I was quite surprised to find another of us there as well."
"Ah, yes, Snape." Red eyes roamed over the Potions Master briefly, " the deeper I can ingrain my following into Hogwarts the better. Dumbledore will fall one day. Keep an eye on him the both of you and report back to me." He paused once again, breathing deep as if weary. That the Dark Lord had not yet regained his full strength was obvious. "You have come far my Black Witch, more so that I've ever expected and I can see it's taken a toll on you. Such a powerful witch, it's a pity. There are many whom would take you to mate if you took better care of yourself. Your Ragged robes and dirty hair disgrace me and I expect you to clean yourself up before presenting yourself to me again. Dismissed"
As they made their way to the door Lucius Malfoy grabbed her arm, "yes I agree with our lord completely. You do make a disgraceful woman don't you. Despite your pureblood pedigree no man will have you eh? Maybe you're not a woman at all under those robes," his fingers grabbed the hem of her cloak and then he wiped them on his own garments as if to rid them of filth. He leaned forward and looked closely in her face as he turned his head from side to side, "I really don't see anything feminine in you at all."
"Perhaps I can borrow some of your femininity Malfoy, you seem to have an over abundance." Raising her chin Morgan headed to the entry and Apparated back to the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the tell-tale crack of Snape's Reapparating soon followed.
The two walked swiftly and silently back to Hogwarts, both consumed in thought. Upon entering the hall they paused and without bothering to look at each other headed to each's own rooms.
Morgan's thoughts were garbled and she splashed water on her face as she tried to sort things out. It shouldn't surprise me that he's a follower of the Dark Lord, she mused. Pity, much as I try to hold onto my grudge, the man can be tolerable at times.
Deciding there was only one option Morgan went to Dumbledore's office. "Lemon pudding," she breathed out the password and climbed the stairs only to see the Potions Master was already there. Unsure what that meant the two glowered at each other in silence, Morgan pacing, Snape standing still, seething with his arms crossed over his chest.
"Ah, Professor Rheged come in, come in. I believe I have some explaining to do," the Headmaster started. "Let me start by saying we are all on the same side so if you would please sit down and relax."
Morgan sat down on the opposite side of the couch from the dark man, "and will you kindly stop picking at your fingernails," he hissed softly.
"Since it bothers you so much I'll be sure to do it more often."
"I had debated on wether to inform the two of you or not and decided it best not to. I didn't think any harm would be done if you two found out naturally in the course of things, that way you wouldn't have anything to feign should it come up. It was my decision and one I stand by." The Headmaster paused to let this information sink in before he continued, "you have both been working for our side since before Voldemort's last fall and each of you has my explicit trust. Severus the Dark Lord had been sending Morgan out on more and more dangerous missions. As the risk to her life became far greater than the benefit of Voldemort's favor I decided Hogwarts would give her a measure of safety, as it does you. I would ask that the both you work together in any way possible and as always bring back as much information as you can gather."
Morgan absently strode over to where Fawkes sat on his perch and looked the creature in the eye.
The Pheonix uttered an ear piercing cry forcing the trio to cover their ears. "Damn bird never did like me," Morgan said as she stepped back.
"No and yet still you provoke it don't you? If you would kindly refrain from bothering my old friend professor?" Dumbledore cautioned her. "Very well then goodnight," he said in dismissal.
Severus who was notably more relaxed after finding that she was also acting as a double agent, followed Morgan to her rooms. The woman paused at the door, "I find myself in need of some wine, you are welcome to a glass if you like?"
The Potions Master followed her inside, the room brightly lit and sparsely furnished in browns and reds. Taking the offered glass he settled into an armchair. His mind was moving in many directions and he tried to slow it down as he sipped the fruity drink. Snape watched her as they sat in silence, legs folded underneath her on the couch, delicate fingers grasp the stem of the glass tightly as it rest on the arm. There was much he wanted to know, to learn about the woman yet he didn't want to press too hard for those answers. "I've heard of the Black Witch."
Large green eyes locked onto his as she spoke, "the stories you have heard are greatly exaggerated." Her head bowed as Morgan stared into her swirling wine, "it's true the Dark Lord has sent me into many dangerous situations, battles. My stomach churns every time I think of the horrors I've seen. I did as much as possible without giving myself away and I have killed many other Death Eaters in doing so. I fabricated some stories to cover their deaths. Once I even cursed myself to make it seem more realistic. My duality was discovered a few months ago as I was trying to save a family from massacre. Someone saw me kill one of our own and came very close to killing me in kind."
"You did escape though."
"I have a talent for hiding. While the man was looking to destroy me I destroyed him. Needless to say I was quite shaken."
"And Dumbledore brought you here?"
"Yes."
Death, destruction, torture and bloodshed flashed through Snape's mind. Those were not easy things to deal with and yet this woman hid it well. As he watched her the dark man touched her mind. He used his Legilimency as a way to get the answers he sought and what he found was not what he had expected.
The Potions Master stood in a small village, high mountain peeks covered in snow surrounded him. A crisp breeze stirred the blossoms on the trees and they swirled around him like butterflies. The buildings were wooden, the roofs the tall curving signature of Asian design. She was sitting on a covered porch, legs crossed, her hands resting on her knees. His shoes crunched softly on the dusty path as he made his way to the girl. A soft gong sounded in the distance and the rhythmical chanting began, dozens of voices rising as one.
"It is nice that you could join me professor. Please sit."
Snape sat next to her on a knotted bamboo mat and looked out over the distant land. "This place is wondrous."
"Tibet. I spend many years here after his first fall and I'd be here still if the Headmaster hadn't called me back."
"Why here? Why among these people?"
"Several fold. I am an anxious creature by nature and here I find the calm, the strength of mind to accept myself, to know myself and my karma. I knew the Dark Lord would come back one day and the monks helped me explore my mind and it's capabilities. Never before have I seen such control and power over the mind and body as that which these gentle souls possess. They have helped me strengthen my own mind, my Occlumency and Legilimency. Years of meditation and training have done me well professor. Buddhist Tantrism is spliced with magic and spirituality and while I am not truly a Buddhist, I found acceptance here."
"That's how you managed to bring me here? I am a strong Legilimens." Her green eyes turned to look at him as a small man approached. His head freshly shaven the man wore rust colored robes draped around him, his feet bare upon the cold wood. Professor Rheged rose as the man approached and they bowed to each other in turn.
"Professor, this is Guanyan. He is my teacher and Bodhisattvas or spiritual disciple of the Shingon Sect. Master may I introduce you to Professor Snape ." The small man bowed before he sat and Severus followed Morgan's lead and bowed his own head slightly."
"Peace, knowledge and understanding my children."
"Is he really here or are you projecting this?"
"Heh, heh," the monk laughed, "yes dark man I am here. My spiritual body is not held down by the physical. I roam where I will. I have magic in me just as you have magic in you," he pointed his brown finger at Snape as he spoke. "This one suffers I see, perhaps Mistress Morgan you will bring him back to stay for a while? It will do this black soul well I think. I will give some advise for you Master Snape. These are the Four Noble Truths, listen and you will be enlightened.
One, life is suffering. By it's very nature human existence is essentially painful from the moment of birth to the moment of death. Even death will not bring you release, your karma will be reborn and with it carry on the goodness and the badness within.
Two, All suffering is caused by ignorance of the nature of reality and the craving, the grasping and seeking that results from such ignorance.
Three, Suffering can be ended by overcoming that very ignorance, that need to seek what you do not understand.
Four, to find the suppression of suffering you must follow a path. A path paved in morality, wisdom and concentration."
Snape and Morgan returned the old man's bow as he considered the words, the meaning of them.
"What brings you here master?"
"I sought you my child, the serpent lies anxious coiled in his den. Eyes like rubies I see in my sleep and for you I worry."
"I worry as well yet I must follow the path master."
"Yes, the path you must follow, but a wise person is always careful not to trip over a lose stone."
"I will keep that in mind."
The old man rose and bowed once again before he headed back to the temple.
"Is all of this in your mind?" he said with a sweep of his hand. Sheep in a corral munched on green grass, the bells around their necks gently chiming. Puffs of smoke rose from scattered chimneys. He could smell the sweet fragrance of cherry blossoms and hear children playing in the distance.
"Yes, I am a bit to high strung, so the master says, to block my mind against invasion and so I mask it. You see what I want you to see."
The scenery around the Potions Master began to fade, replaced by a white sandy beach and a sunrise of apricot hews. He could feel the rough sand between his fingers and smell the salt of the sea as it washed over the rocky shore in waves.
"Do you think it wise to let them know you're a witch?"
"The Shingon hold magic in high respect. They honor and acknowledge us and the mystical abilities we possess. Witches and wizards can come out of any community professor. Guanyan himself is a trained wizard, he attended Hogwarts with my aunt. Dumbledore spent several years with them himself and he's the one who brought me there when I was in need. There are many abilities beyond Occlumency that a wizard could nurture and strengthen here with the patience and determination these people possess. "
Severus watched the woman stand and brush the sand from her robes.
"Shall we go?"
As she spoke Snape found himself back in her rooms, wine glass in hand.
"Something else Guanyan taught me is something few wizards know. Legilimency is a communion of minds so to speak, a joining, a swinging door if you will. When you enter my mind you leave yours open," she sat down on the chair next to his and leaned over, "had I wanted to, I could have taken a nice leisurely stroll down your memory lane."
Snape's blood ran cold as his gaze remained fixed on hers. The enormity of what she'd just said was not comprehendible, "and did you use that to your advantage madam?"
"No, I did not, but take any future possibilities to heed Snape. Not to long ago you warned me to watch my back, and now I warn you."
"If that's not a threat then why tell me this now?"
"I'm not threatening you by any means., I'm merely advising you of it's existence. It appears that we're on the same side after all. One never knows what the future holds, and I have put my skill to great use in the past. You might be by my side quite often Snape, you need to know. That's one of the reasons I benefit Dumbledore and the Order. The Headmaster also has this skill but not the ability to get close to the Dark Lord. Dumbledore, you and I are the only ones outside Tibet who know this."
"The Dark Lord is a very strong Legilimens."
"Yes, he is and he has seen my valiant efforts. That's why he values me so highly, he's seen the battles I have fought for him as I want him to see them and in return I have walked through the gates of hell. He's more demon than man our lord and you have no idea of the horrors that man is capable of."
"If you can get into his mind why don't you just gather the information we need?"
"Does your Legilimacy work like that? It's not like I can dig through a file cabinet and search for 'How I'm Going to Kill Harry Potter.' There are empty spaces, Dead Zones that I can't get into at all. I think they might be memories he's stored in a Pensieve but I can't be sure. He's a wary man and it wouldn't surprise me if he's found a way to block them securely," she shrugged her shoulders.
"You're a Parselmouth. That's a very rare talent, nay idea where you got if from."
"No. It must have been a distant ancestor. Much more befitting a Slytherin than a Gryffindor isn't it?"
"That it is madam, that it is." Snape looked at her for a long moment. It was interesting that she was in his own house at school and he supposed she was not the only Slytherin he wouldn't recognize after all these years. He made a mental note to go to the library and look her up, "is there anything else about you that I should know about."
Morgan stared back at him, her face impasse, something inside of her yearned to be honest with this man, yet she'd made a pledge of silence to Dumbldore, "I can't make a potion worth a damn." She watched the hard lines of his face soften into a slight grin before Snape covered his mouth with his hand to muffle the quiet laugh that escaped. It was a fitting end to a very long day.
Taking the last drink from his cup Severus rose to his feet. "I have much to think about this night professor. Tonight has been very, enlightening." He looked down into her face once more before he left to retire to his own thoughts in the dungeon.
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Thanks to Redlady27, I'm always glad to make you laugh.
SnapeLady, Thanks as always and yes I do have to give it time to build...
NativeMoon, glad to have you reading and enjoying.