Disclaimer: Dear J.K. and the honourable board members of Warner Bros. I am a student currently living on $5 a day. I cannot afford to buy shoes. Do you really think I'm going to steal characters that have become famous worldwide, pretending that the work of an English writer and mother is my own? Your brain may work that way, but mine does not. I know a hopeless cause. Sincerely, clarity.



Chapter Ten



Sirius had fixed it with Snape that they should have their chat with Ailie before dinner. Somehow, he had to get Ailie along to Dumbledore's office without telling her his purpose- as Snape had pointed out, if the girl realised she was in for a cosy chat with the man she hated, she would never come along quietly. Somehow, Sirius had to get her there, and keep her there long enough for her to open up a bit.

The opportunity came when Dumbledore, strolling past with McGonagall, mentioned that he wanted to donate some sweets to the evening's party. Seeing the twinkle in the old man's eye, Sirius had volunteered to fetch them for him, and the old man had agreed most amiably, turning to Ailie and suggesting, as she had yet to see the headmaster's office, that she accompany Sirius.

Sirius silently thanked his old headmaster's omnipotence as he led Ailie through the corridors. Sensing that it would be best to get the topic on its way before they reached the rendezvous, he searched for a good opening.

Finally, he asked, 'So, looking forward to Christmas? It's an important time for Wiccans, I hear.' He was satisfied, though not pleased, to see a sad look cross his young companion's face.

'Yes, it was.' She sighed. 'I'll have to perform the rituals by myself, this year.'

Sirius nodded his head. 'Hermione told me a little about what happened, Ailie,' he lied. The only story he had heard was from Severus. 'I'm very sorry for your loss.'

Ailie shook her head, her chin coming up obstinately. 'It is the natural scheme of things. We all die. Our spirits need the release.'

Sirius took a deep breath, glad to note that they had reached the stone gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's doorway. This was not going to be easy.

'Squidgy quidgeleys,' he said, using the password the old wizard had given him. The gargoyle stepped aside, and Sirius motioned for Ailie to precede him up the stairway. He felt the stairs moved and smiled. He hadn't lost his fascination for the charming magic of his childhood.

He reached around Ailie and opened the door when they reached the Headmaster's office, thankful he was blocking her path as she spied Snape seated within.

'You,' she gasped, half-turning back, but prevented by Sirius' bulk in the doorway.

'We need to have a bit of a talk, Ailie,' Sirius said, trying to keep his tone light. He winced as the young girl's face paled.

Snape noticed her reaction, and shook his head. 'Tactful as ever, Black. Why don't you give our young guest a seat?'

Sirius ushered Ailie into a chair, pulling another up next to her and seating himself. A fire danced in the grate, he noticed. It was uncharacteristically thoughtful for Snape to have added such a cosy touch.

Ailie looked to each of the men, her gaze wary. Snape sat forward.

'Ailie,' he began, his voice uncommonly soft, 'the reason Sirius brought you up here is so that you could have a chance to talk, if you wanted to, about what has happened to you.'

Her face soured. 'You think I would want to talk to you?'

Snape sat back, and shook his head, unaffected by the insult. 'No. I know you don't. But as we are blood-bound it is my responsibility to make sure you are happy and well. Hermione informs us that you have not grieved for your parents, and that you refuse to talk when questioned. We simply thought that it might be beneficial for you to have a chance to talk, with people who might understand.'

Sirius leant toward her. 'Ailie, I know this seems like an ambush, but all we want to do is be here for you; really. You have gone through a tough time, and you should talk about it.'

Ailie's expression remained mulish. 'I have nothing to talk about. Hermione had no right to tell you.'

The men exchanged a look, an unspoken communication passing between them.

'Ailie,' Sirius began. 'Has anyone told you about the things that have been happening in the wizarding world? How people have been harmed?'

Ailie softened a little. 'Hermione told me that Harry's parents had died, and that someone had killed people when she was in school. She didn't like to talk about it.'

Sirius nodded. 'These things have happened because a dark wizard, a very powerful one, has been threatening the safety of our world for these last years. Lord Vol- Vo-' Sirius' face went pale, the tide of memories washing over him.

'Voldemort,' Snape finished for him, his voice untinged with emotion. 'And he is not worthy of the title, 'Lord.' He is an evil force that has been attempting to take over and rule this earth for the last twenty years. His followers maim, rape and kill wherever they can, and are particularly cruel to what they perceive as tainted blood, muggles, half-bloods or other magical peoples. Like you.'

Comprehension slowly dawned on Ailie's face, but she remained silent.

Snape nodded at her. 'Yes, child, you guess correctly. The men that took your family follow the Dark Lord. Particularly pathetic specimens of a group of people who call themselves 'Death Eaters', and I am one of them.' A sneer of self-disgust marred his face, and Sirius felt he should take over.

'Many horrible things have happened in this world in the last years,' he said, his face saddened. 'Friendships have come to mean everything, or nothing. I knew Harry's parents, went to school with them just like Hermione went to school with Harry. We-' he broke off, swallowing, 'we were the best of friends, a group of us. James, Harry's father, Remus, myself... and Peter. Just after Harry was born, we learnt that He-Who-Must-Not-Be- Named had plans for James and Lily. They were put in a safe place, and only one person- me- was supposed to know where they were.' Sirius took a deep breath. 'I was supposed to be their secret-keeper,' he went on, looking at Ailie through teary eyes. 'The secret keeper is the person who holds their location. No-one else knows. I was supposed to do that for them.' The story he told brought back once more the horror of that time, that night when he had found James and Lily dead, and had known who had betrayed them. 'I convinced them to use our friend Peter, instead. No-one would have suspected him for their secret-keeper. No-one expected that he was a Death Eater as well.' A slice of pain ran through Sirius' heart at the words, and he took another breath to steady himself. In a dead voice, he continued, 'He betrayed them. He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named went to their house, and killed James, and then killed Lily- killed Lily while she protected Harry. While she protected her son.' A silent tear ran down Sirius' cheek. There had been so many years that he had been unable to grieve for his friends, and now, since his release, it seemed as though the wound had been caused only yesterday, so fresh felt his grief.

He steadied himself once more, and looked up at Ailie. He could feel Snape's steady gaze on him, but knew the other man would not deride him for his display of emotion. There was that shared generosity between them, at least.

'Everyone thought I had been the one, the secret-keeper to give them away. They tracked me down, but not before I got to Peter. He and I had a fight in the open streets- he killed people, innocents just standing around. In my counter-curse he vanished, as though dead. They took me and put me in Azkaban, but I didn't care.'

'Azkaban?' Ailie interrupted, looking to Snape for an answer.

'A wizard gaol. Run by beings who feed off the souls of humans, sapping their strength. Death is preferable.' Snape finished his matter-of- fact answer and nodded back to Sirius, knowing there was more to come.

Sirius accepted his silent support. 'But Peter wasn't dead. Ever since we were children, the four of us could change into animals. We all wanted to help Remus-' he paused, knowing it wasn't his secret to tell. 'Well, anyway, Peter had merely transformed, escaping as the rat he was. I didn't know he was alive until I saw a picture of him with Ron's family, sitting on poor Ron's shoulder like any faithful pet. I escaped, and came to Hogwarts, hoping to warn Harry. Unfortunately,' he added with a wry look to Snape, 'Peter got away.'

Snape's answer was a frown.

Ailie sat back, obviously taking the story in. 'And Azkaban? You had to go back there?'

Sirius smiled for the first time during his recollection. 'No, thank Merlin. I have many faithful friends here at Hogwarts, and was able to elude the Dementors until such time as my pardon came through.'

Ailie nodded, and looked at Snape. He raised an eyebrow, but softened his harsh expression as the girl again became withdrawn.

'I know you will want to hear my story, but I am afraid that it has far less detail, and far less heroism than my companion's.' Snape leant back in his chair and stared into the fire, his fingers steepled. Sirius knew that Snape's story would be harder for the man to tell.

'I became a Death Eater in my final year of schooling, and of my own free will,' he began. He seemed to feel Ailie's indrawn breath as much as Sirius did, because he became, if possible, even more drawn into himself. 'I was a highly intelligent, but nonetheless stupid and ignorant boy, and there can be no excuses for the things I have done. I stayed with my Lord Voldemort-' Sirius flinched, but Snape continued on without reaction '- until my twenty-first year, by which time I realised the full stupidity of my earlier choice. This was not before I had done several acts of which I will be most hideously reviled for the rest of my life.' Here, Snape swallowed, but continued almost without pause. 'I came to Dumbledore, reckoning the man who had given me most of the goodness in life should be the one to strike out the evil I had incarnated in myself. I offered him,' Snape said, tracing designs on the leather of his seat, 'my head as bounty for the Ministry of Magic. I thought it would at least expunge any doubts the Ministry had about Dumbledore's affiliations, having heard the rumours that so many graduates of Hogwarts turning to the dark had created. Dumbledore, being none other than what he is, refused. I have been cursing him for it ever since.'

Snape paused for a minute, looking into the fire.

Ailie stared at him firmly. 'You don't believe that.'

Both Snape and Sirius looked up in surprise. Snape raised an eyebrow, and Ailie continued, 'You love Dumbledore. You would gladly lay your life at his feet, if he asked it, and you think that what he has asked of you over the years is more than reasonable.' At Snape's continued stare, Ailie added, 'I'm in your blood, Severus. Don't think you can fool me.'

Sirius took this revelation in with surprise, and some puzzlement. He wondered what it could mean.

Snape made no move to explain. 'I don't know why I bother telling you things,' he said, his eyes still on Ailie.

Ailie smiled. 'I can't read thoughts, you know. Not unless they're really strong, anyway. Besides, you need to tell me. It's like a- like a-' She frowned.

'Healing process,' Sirius finished for her. 'We talk, and we heal, Ailie. That's what we're really trying to share with you.'

An obstinate look came over Ailie's face once more. 'Snape hasn't finished his story,' she said.

Snape nodded. 'You're right. I would lay down my life for Albus Dumbledore; it's a particular quality he has. I'm certain, if he had been born some centuries ago, both Merlin and Arthur would have had some serious competition.' He glanced down for a moment, then, apparently steeled, looked back up into Ailie's eyes. 'I became a spy for the Ministry. Until the death of James and Lily Potter, when the Dark Lord was beaten by a child, I continued in my place as a Death Eater, collecting information on Voldemort's movements and preventing what harm I could. Several years ago, when the Dark Lord again rose, I was called back to his side, and my work has since continued. But I am no hero, child, and no suffering angel. I have prevented what I could, but I have not done so when my position would be threatened. I have not 'saved the day,' as so many fairytale characters do.' He stared at Ailie intensely, as if daring her to contradict him.

Ailie met his stare, but shivered. 'You're so cold,' she said. Sirius reached up to lay a comforting hand on her arm, and was startled to find it shaking.

Snape nodded slowly.

Ailie looked away for a second, looking back when tears no longer clouded her eyes. 'Are you saying that my parents- that with my parents-'

'I am saying that had I been there from your abduction, I would not have prevented your parents' death. It was by a small miracle only that I could prevent yours.'

Tears spilled from Ailie's eyes, and she darted from her chair, so quickly that Sirius could not hold her. In a desperate rage, Ailie tried to harm Snape in any way she could, the older man easily preventing her blows from doing any harm. Sirius quickly knelt by Ailie's side, trying to calm her down.

Eventually, the girl's blows stopped, and her breath broke into sobs. Sirius looked on in amazement as Snape enfolded the young girl in his arms, stroking her hair and murmuring soothing words. The best Sirius could do was pat Ailie repeatedly on the shoulder.

Slowly, words began to break through the sobs, and Ailie's voice gradually told the story of her parents, her face muffled in Snape's shoulder. The men let her talk it out, listening to her words without interruption. In time, Ailie relaxed more, slumping on the floor and telling of her fears about her coven. Her arm still rested on Snape's knee as she sat at his feet, and Sirius noted that, though uncomfortable, Snape was unwilling to disturb the young girl. Sirius, sitting on the floor beside her, did the best he could by patting her hand now and then.

'There is no other reason for them not to come and find me,' Ailie was saying, tears once again streaming down her face. 'My coven would find me if they could, wouldn't they? They must have expelled me. I can't- I can't believe that they are dead too. Oh-' she descended into Gaelic, her resource when overcome.

Sirius squeezed her hand. 'We don't know the worst yet, Ailie,' he said in as comforting a voice as he could muster. 'There could be any number of reasons that have prevented their coming.' He looked to Snape for help.

The other man smoothed the sobbing girl's hair at his knee, an unreadable expression on his face. 'It is best to face the worst, but only when the time is right. Grieving for your coven now would be wasted energy. As my associate here,' he added, with a nod to Sirius, 'pointed out so aptly, we do not know what has happened. You waste time grieving for something that may not be.'

'You're still grieving your parents, Ailie,' Sirius added softly. 'You've not the strength for wonderings about something you cannot change right now.'

Ailie sniffed, attempting to calm down. 'But I have not even performed releasing rituals for my parents. The others- they may not have done it, in case we were all right. It needs to be done- otherwise they are trapped-'

Sirius took his turn at comforting the girl, putting an arm around her and pushing her hair out of her face. He accepted the handkerchief handed silently down from the chair with a grateful smile. 'Is there not anything we can do here? I know it's a bit of a stretch, but you should think of us here as your temporary coven, for now.'

Ailie, her face buried in the handkerchief, nodded. 'I suppose it can be done. I just need to-' After a few attempts to get the sentence out, Ailie let the sobs come forth again, leaning into Sirius.

'I want my mother!' she sobbed into his shirt, her body rocking with great sobs. Sirius smoothed her hair and let her cry, knowing that it needed to be done. He was surprised when Snape's hand came down and took one of Ailie's hands, the young girl grasping on to it like a lifeline.

After Ailie's sobs had subsided once more, Severus presented another clean handkerchief. Sirius looked at him questioningly. Snape shrugged; obviously he had known to come prepared.

Ailie dried her face and took a deep breath, and Sirius felt it was okay to let go of her. With relief, he moved back onto his chair, noting with displeasure that his knees were not what they used to be.

Snape looked around the room as Ailie straightened herself, and raised his eyebrows. Sirius followed his gaze to the desk, whereupon sat a steaming tea-tray.

'Dumbledore really does know everything, doesn't he?' Sirius asked in amazement.

Snape glanced up at the clock. 'An hour and a half precisely since we entered the room. The man merely has a good sense of timing.' He looked over at Ailie, who was now seated, but rubbing her head. 'Are you well?'

Ailie shook her head, then winced. 'Crying always gives me a headache,' she said, with a small smile.

'A headache potion?' Snape asked, half-rising. Ailie again shook her head, this time more timidly.

'No, I think I could be all right if I could just have some tea?' She looked at Sirius pleadingly.

'I'll be mother, then. shall I?' Sirius said, getting up and walking over to the desk. 'How do you have it?'

'Black, two sugars, please,' Ailie said behind him.

'Severus?' he asked. Pouring tea gave him an unusually chipper feeling.

'The same, if you please,' the other man replied.

With a raised eyebrow, Sirius poured the teas, placing biscuits from the tray on each saucer. A sugar rush would do them all good.

They drank in silence for a while, each concerned with their own thoughts. When the tea had gone cold, Sirius shook himself free from his contemplation.

'How's your headache now?' he asked Ailie.

She gave him a small smile. 'Much better, thank you.' Out of the corner of his eye, Sirius perceived a pleased look on Severus' face.

Silence again descended on the group, as the fire crackled in the hearth.

'I still hate you, you know,' Ailie suddenly said. Sirius started. It took a few seconds for it to penetrate that the remark was not directed at him.

On the other side of the fire, Severus inclined his head, but remained silent. Sirius drew further back into his chair, aware that he was privy to a conversation in which he had no part.

'You are aware we will have to deal with each other,' Snape added, breaking the silence.

Ailie nodded in turn. 'I guess we can't completely ignore each other,' she agreed.

'If only it were possible,' Snape muttered, apparently to himself.

'Well, it's not as if I like stalking around like some great daft bat,' Ailie said, angered. 'It disturbs Hermione no end, and it makes me tired!'

'No, we must not disturb the inestimable Miss Granger,' Snape muttered, low enough for Sirius to have trouble catching it. As he did, he smiled. 'And the urge to perform the Sun Ritual- something I would be ignorant of how to do- is supposed to bring me sublime pleasure, coming as it does three times a day?' Snape added, his voice deceptively silky. Sirius was familiar with that tone- it spoke volumes far beyond what he actually said. Failing, as he did, to understand the conversation, Sirius felt as if he was refereeing a strange sort of tennis match.

'Fine,' Ailie said, with a tone that crossed its arms in defiance.

Silence reigned in the room for a few minutes. Just as Sirius felt he should do something to smooth things over, Snape again spoke.

'But we do have to deal together,' he said, in a tone remarkably soft. 'At least until some remedy can be found.'

'If one can be found at all,' Ailie admitted, her tone also softening. 'So, what do we do? Happy thoughts?'

'Perhaps,' Snape replied, 'a truce. We leave each other alone, as far as possible. We...' here, Sirius heard his old enemy take a deep breath, 'take care to govern our thoughts, and actions, toward each other.'

'Perhaps you both should try looking out for each other,' Sirius ventured, silenced by the startled glares from the two other chairs. He raised his hands in supplicance. 'Hey, it was just a suggestion. I'll- I'll just clear up the tea things, shall I?' he added, at their continued glares.

Making as much clatter as he could, Sirius collected the cups and saucers and settled them on the tray, doing his best not to listen to the conversation behind him. After a while, having done all he could do, he settled down his noise, catching the last of the conversation.

'So you suggest we resist- provoking each other? We just get along?' Ailie was asking, somewhat incredulously.

'It is our only option,' Snape agreed, his own tone reflecting Ailie's doubt. Sirius heard Ailie sigh, and felt able to turn and rejoin the conversation.

'Well, it will be dinner soon,' he said brightly. 'Shall we all go and prepare?' Ailie nodded, and Sirius gave her his arm. He had expected Snape to remain where he was, and was surprised to see him rise and follow them.

The three managed some pleasant conversation on the way to Hermione's and Ailie's rooms, where Snape, with a slight bow, made to leave them. Ailie halted him with a word.

'Snape,' she called as he walked down the corridor. 'Thank you.'

The older man acknowledged her thanks with a nod, and left without a word. Sirius smiled and turned to Ailie.

'Better now?' he asked, noting Ailie's slightly changed mood. The girl nodded.

'Thank you, Sirius. You are a good friend.'

Sirius nodded, then looked at her. He had been patient, but he couldn't hold his curiosity back any longer.

'What the hell were you and Snape talking about back there?' he asked.

Ailie laughed, her eyes cheerful once more. 'There are some things that do not concern you,' she said.

'If you don't tell me, I can only conclude that you and Severus are the divorced couple that you sounded like back there,' Sirius warned, hoping to tease the answer out of her.

'Nothing so simple, unfortunately,' Ailie replied with a sigh. 'Be satisfied by knowing that, like you, Snape and I are forced to know each other, and, though we dislike each other intensely, will do the best we can to get along civilly, for our mutual comfort.'

Sirius nodded. His curiosity was not satisfied, but he could see he would get no straight answer. With a shrug, he bowed and left Ailie to her preparations. He could always ask Hermione- she was sure to know everything.

Walking back to his quarters, he caught up to Severus, and decided to do a little teasing.

'Hey, Sev,' he called, knowing that the shortening of his name would annoy the man no end. Snape merely turned and raised an eyebrow.

'You coming to our little shindig tonight?' Sirius asked.

'No. I believe I will give your little 'shindig' a miss, if I may,' the other man answered with a sneer.

'Oh, what a shame. You will be missed,' said Sirius, leaning casually on a nearby gargoyle. He smiled as a spark of interested darted through his old enemy's eyes.

'I doubt it. But tell me,' said Snape, strolling closer. 'What prompts your interest about my plans?'

'Oh, I just wanted to check.' Sirius delicately cleaned a nail, being pointedly casual. 'For Hermione, you see. What with the way you've been treating her lately, I think she'd be uncomfortable if you came. It's in her rooms, you know. I just wanted to make sure.'

Snape controlled a twitch of his lip with an effort. 'If Miss Granger had wished to exclude me from the invitation, I am certain that she would have had little difficulty.'

'Oh, I know,' Sirius replied. 'I would just hate to have her made uncomfortable.' A muffled snort erupted from Snape, and Sirius raised an eyebrow.

'My experiences of the past several days have taught me Hermione Granger has the tongue of a harpy,' said Snape. 'The wench can take care of herself if in discomfort, be assured.' Sirius merely remained, with eyebrow raised, and Snape sent him a glare. 'It strikes me, Black, that your concerns are more with your 'Hermione' than with me. Perhaps you should run along and entertain her.'

Sirius knew the remark was designed to provoke him, but was too amused by the sight of a jealous Snape to be annoyed. 'Perhaps I shall,' he said, with a sly smile, and strolled off, aware of Snape's stare still fixed to his back.

This was beginning to be very amusing.