"I'm dead if I leave, dead if I stay."

"It won't be like that."

"You heard what the Minister said, after all this is over unlike last time anyone who is convicted of being involved with the Dark Arts will be executed."

"You don't know you'll be convicted."

"But my name will come up. Albus covered my back the first time, he'll have to act if my name comes up a second time."

"He won't hand you over."

"He'd have to, imagine what parents would say if they discovered that a... that I was teaching their children?" He took her by the arms: "please understand."

"But they'll find you."

He turned to face her, "Hermione you need to understand something. My daughter is a squib, the Dark Lord knows about her. He once said to me that the only reason he tolerates her existence is because I am his greatest asset. Do you understand?"

Hermione hesitated before replying, "you helped him come back."

"Yes. I made him a potion that would prevent his mind from dying should his body."

"Did you know he could come back?"

"No... I didn't think he was mad enough."

"What?"

"He came to see me with this crackpot prophecy, I was scared so I agreed to make him the potion. After he left I called Lily but James wouldn't listen to me, I went to see Albus and he said that he knew about the prophecy." He sat down; "the potion I made for him is an ancient one that Merlyn supposedly made for Arthur. There was a... recipe for full re-fusion of mind and body but you would have had to have been a mad man to try it."

"That's exactly what he is, a mad man."

"I didn't realise at the time."

"What would he do to you if he found you?"

Snape shrugged, "he won't kill me instantly, that's too merciful in his eyes."

"Doesn't that frighten you?"

"Of course it fucking does!" He ran his fingers through his hair. "Do you understand why Sirius Black never wanted to trust me?"

"Because you're the only person who knows how to stop him."

"Exactly."

Hermione stared at him for a moment; "how did Harry survive the curse?"

"Exactly the way that Albus explained."

"No, that can't be right. I know that Lily Potter was a powerful witch, but..."

"I slipped a potion into her drink. Something the Dark Lord never understood was love, he couldn't understand how you could love someone, I took advantage of that failing. I knew that Lily loved her child, you may have never been told but love is the greatest saviour."

"So the potion made Lily's love act like a barrier?"

"In a manner. It caused the curse to backfire..."

"So Harry isn't a powerful wizard?"

"Oh he is. Immensely powerful, his powers could rival that of the Dark Lord."

Hermione thought for a moment, "you know I always though that Dumbledore was one of the greatest minds on the planet." She realised something; "that's why you're still alive, Dumbledore is afraid of you."