"When in the hell were you planning to tell me?"

Severus woke up on the floor, stretched out alongside a couch, listening to Desi's thunderous shouting. The woman had no concept of volume control, did she? He opened his eyes slowly, only to find her facing her fireplace, spewing her temper on the floating head of Remus Lupin, of all people. "When? How? Is he...?"

"He's still alive, Des. You don't need to yell. Yesterday he just began screaming and passed out. None of us were in there at the time; we heard him scream, then there was silence, and when we looked in, he was unconscious. Tonks thought he was faking it until Moody reminded her of Snape's episode a while back. Looks like the love of your life isn't the only one you-know-who's pissed at these days, hun."

"It's VOLDEMORT, you moron!" Desi screeched at the head in the fireplace. "And since when is my love life common knowledge amongst the Order?"

Lupin laughed. "Your grandfather let it slip to me a few weeks ago when he was down for the last meeting. Seemed he thought I'd like to know things turned out alright in the end; wonder where he got the idea I'd be interested. Don't worry; it's not as common of knowledge as it sounds; I think I'm the only one who knows for sure, although Moody suspected it when he picked Malfoy up from you. As to when we were going to tell you about Sleeping Ugly over here, we didn't think about it until a few minutes ago. Since I knew you'd probably concoct a way to permanently keep the full moon in the sky if I didn't tell you immediately, I thought I'd see if you were near the fireplace."

Desi exhaled deeply. This really threw a wrench in her plans; on the other hand, it opened some doors for her. Damn. Why today? She had double-Potions to teach. "I'll be over there as soon as I can. I have the feeling that dear Alastor hasn't gotten everything out of that lowlife yet. Besides, dear Lucius is very temperamental when it comes to sharing his wisdom. This may need a woman's delicate touch."

Lupin snorted. "If what you did is delicate, Des, I'd hate to see painful. I'll see you when you get here. It'll be nice to see you again. It's been a few years."

Her expression grew wistful. "I know, Remus. I've missed you too. Now go back and reassure the Weasleys their son won't fail his classes like I know they do, and get back to work."

The head disappeared with a pop.

Severus struggled to get up into a sitting position. "What the hell's going on? Why are you going to the Order? And how do you and Lupin know each other so well?" Accusation and scorn dripped from his words.

Without turning her head, she knew this wasn't going to be a good conversation. One hell of a way for him to find out her best friend was one of the people on the planet he hated passionately. No, not good.

"Well, good morning to you too, darling." She turned to face him, staring across the room straight into his narrowed black eyes. "I'm going to the Order because it appears that Voldemort used the Caderminus Curse on Malfoy yesterday. And he barely survived it." She heard him suck in his breath. "So, I need to go and question him about the mark. Since you've been out of the circle for a while, Voldemort may have dropped a little more wisdom into his lackeys' laps.

"And as to the other question," she braced herself, "I've been friends with Remus Lupin since school. Papa suggested I go to him for help in transfiguration class, since I'm so retched with that subject, and after a few years of tutoring, we were close friends. Later, he came to stay for a while when I was in America before coming to teach here. Seems werewolves aren't always welcome wherever they go, and someone needed to make the wolfsbane potion for him on a regular basis." His eyes glazed over like black ice; she could see them from twenty feet away. Yeah, not good. "There never was anything more between us than that, Sev. He's a friend, and the closest thing to a sibling I ever had. So you can do both of us a favor and back down from the jealous tone you were about to take and just calm your ass down, because I will not tolerate the two of you picking at each other in front of me."

Desi rose from her knees where she'd knelt talking to her old friend in the flames, and walked towards her bedroom to change before she reconsidered her decision. She didn't think the Order would appreciate her showing up in her present attire, although it might finally make Moody blush. The mental image made her smile wickedly.

She left Severus on the floor beside the couch alone to ponder her words, where he'd fallen asleep after evidently wandering out to look for her. Waking up to find him curled on the floor next to her had been oddly touching, until she realized that the sound that had woken her up had been Remus Lupin's voice calling for her. Then the mental voice that spoke to her from time to time began raining obscenities at her. Seconds after that, she began praying that Sev slept through their conversation.

Obviously, the gods hadn't heard them.

She sauntered out a few minutes later in jeans and a sweater, and grinned as she watched his face curl in disgust at the outfit. "I like Muggle clothes, and that's not changing anytime soon so you can learn to cope. Besides, what does it matter to you what I wear under robes?"

He ignored the comment about her attire. "You're not going alone." The almost-petulant tone he took with her amused Desi to no end, but she bit back the amused laugh that desperately wanted to slip out.

"Then get dressed, silly. I'm leaving as soon as I get something to eat." She bent down and laid a kiss on Severus' lips before walking toward her door. "I'm going to fetch something from the kitchens. The house-elves still love me, so it's open season on meals. Want anything in particular?"

The pair dusted themselves off as they stepped through the fire and into the front Hall of the Order headquarters. Facing them were Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin; the former looked dark and brooding, the latter looked chipper and well-rested. It was the chipper one who then grabbed Desi in a bear hug, swung her around, and kissed her cheek. "Damn, Des, when you said you were getting here soon, I didn't think it would be in less than an hour."

Desi smiled at her best friend and drew him in for a more relaxed hug. It felt like years since the last time they'd been in a room together. Just knowing she had a friend nearby again made her calmer; yes, she had Sev behind her, but she couldn't count on him being calm and rational and, judging by the death glare she caught from the corner of her eye, civil. "You look a sight better than the last time I saw you. Of course, the last time I saw you, you were scratching for fleas and howling. I think I like you better like this."

"I hope you do. You yelled at me to quit shedding all over your furniture then!"

The banter likely would have continued for another hour, but a less-than-discrete cough behind her reminded her she wasn't here for a social visit. Yeah, civility wasn't going to be one of Sev's strengths today, was it? With a resigned groan, she turned to Moody, all signs of her relaxed posture gone. "Alright, where is our dear guest of honor?"

"This way, Ms. Dumbledore." As Moody directed Desi out of the front hall and towards the room they were using to house Malfoy, Lupin stopped Snape from following her. "I think you and I may need to have a bit of a chat, Severus."

Snape leered at him. "I doubt you and I have much to say to each other, Lupin."

Lupin sighed, pulled out a wand, and cast an Imperturbable spell on the room. "Well then, fine. You don't need to talk. Just listen. I know that you and Des have rekindled whatever was going on with you back at school, and frankly, although I wonder about the logic of it and whether or not she's thinking clearly, I am actually thrilled for you both. She's been my little Des since her first year at Hogwarts, and the years haven't changed that in the least. I'm the closest thing she's had to a big brother her whole life, and that relationship continues to this very minute. She's been a little sister to me for years, and while I don't think you deserve her, I know she gave her heart to you years ago. As much as I may not like it, I accept it."

Snape glowered at the werewolf before him, who stood his ground and returned the cold stare and continued unabated. "I know you didn't know then that we were friends because Des was hell-bent on keeping that from you back then for whatever reason. And from the look on your face, you didn't know about our friendship until very recently. We're friends, Severus, nothing more, so you can stop looking at me as if you want to rip me apart limb by limb. I just wanted to make that clear to you, since that look you shot me a moment ago wasn't exactly the warm and friendly Severus Snape I know."

"So what? I'm supposed to be good buddies with you now just because Desi had the misfortune to make friends with you years ago?"

His attempt at a joke failed miserably. He hadn't expected it to do anything else. Snape's sense of humor had always seemed lacking. "No. But you should probably tone down the open animosity, since I know all it'll do is put more stress on Des than she needs right now. So, as her honorary big brother, I'm asking for a cease fire between the two of us, at least as long as she's around either of us. It's clear we both care about her, and knowing Des, she's not going to step into the middle of our feud, no matter how much it tears her apart. So, do you think the two of us are mature enough to keep the hate down to a minimum? For her sake?" Waiting for disagreement, Remus was shocked when the man before him actually deigned to nod his head slightly.

Well, hell truly could freeze over, after all.

Remus didn't bother holding out his hand; he knew Snape well enough to know he wouldn't take it. "And as her honorary big brother, just let me say this last thing, Severus. Treat her well. Treat her very well. Because, if you don't and I find out about it, the first chance I get I'll bite you under a full moon. Do I make myself clear?"

Snape continued to glare at the man. "I've never liked you, Lupin..."

"Well, that makes two of us, Severus. But for the record, I tried to get Sirius and James to leave you alone that last year or so in school. Now you know why. Think on that the next time you want to give me the evil eye." Lupin took the spell off the room and held the door open. "Shall we?"

Moody led Desi silently through dark hallways and minimal lighting until they finally reached one door, set off from the others in the walkway, which possessed more locks on it, magical and non-magical alike, that she'd ever seen. After they'd all finally been undone, a process which took far too long in Desi's mind, she stepped inside and found Lucius Malfoy huddled in a corner behind a bed. All trace of the cold, calculating, polished man was gone; instead, he was a frightened, skittish thing with eyes wide as saucers and shaking hands. Desi gaped at him in complete disbelief.

Moody grunted. "I thought Remus told you how bad-off he was. Bloke's been like this ever since he woke up. There's nothing wrong with him we can fix; tried all the healing charms and what-have you. Your grandfather even looked at him; couldn't see anything he could do." He then quietly assumed a position in the corner. "Constant vigilance, Ms. Dumbledore. As always."

Desi swallowed hard. She'd been prepared for anger, ire, accusation, fear, even pleading; not for this simpering animal curled in on himself. What in hell had happened? "Lucius? I need to talk to you."

Malfoy jerked as if startled. "He's coming for me...he knows they captured me...he'll kill me soon..."

Desi knelt down by him, trying to get him to look her in the eye. "It doesn't have to be that way. There may be a way to stop that. But if you want to live, I need your help."

There was nothing sane in his eyes. Grey pools of emotion looked through her, as if she were made of glass. "No way to stop him...he'll have his way..."

This wasn't exactly making Desdemona's day. Somehow she needed to snap him out of himself; give him something else to focus his mind on instead of his fear. "You tried everything? Every sanity charm and healing spell?" At Moody's nod, and with an annoyed look on her face, she conjured up a bucket of ice water. "Well, let's see if this does the trick." Moody stood back and watched, confused, as she picked it up and heaved the water all over Malfoy, who began sputtering, shaking, and screaming obscenities at Desi's head. In return, she smiled as the formerly-mad Death Eater came back to reality.

"When magic fails, turn to Muggles to solve your problems, Moody. Well then, since it looks like Mr. Malfoy's regained his sanity for the moment, perhaps he'd like to talk to us?" With his hair hanging in a wet curtain over his irate face and chiseled features, he shot her a look that could have frozen the water that dripped from him. She knelt before him, her blue eyes equally chilled, her jaw set in determination. "Tell me everything you know about the Dark Mark and the Caderminus Curse."

An hour later, she had gotten all the information on the mark and curse that she needed. Moody had gotten all the intelligence he'd been expecting and more. Evidently the water did the trick; Malfoy had the presence of mind to bargain his knowledge, and had gotten a promise from Desi. In exchange for his telling her everything he knew she'd perform the Mutopriopro spell on him as well, so at least Voldemort couldn't torture him further, or finally kill him.

Desi had also gotten more than she'd bargained for; seething with anger, she was ready to go back on her promise. What the Dementors did to him was out of her hands. But now knowing she had a living, breathing test subject for the Mutopriopro spell made her feel somewhat better. At least this way, if something went wrong it wouldn't happen to Sev.

Knowing the pain he'd go through to be that test subject took the edge off her anger. Only the edge. Inside the sanctity of her mind, she calmed the beast that was her ire, willing herself to not lose her self-control again.

Moody escorted her out, locked the room again, and led her down the same dark hallways to the fireplace she'd used to get there. Where she'd left Severus and Remus, other figures surrounded the fire: Arthur Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks, and a not-exactly-happy-to-see-her Albus Dumbledore, who looked as if he'd just arrived as well.

"The next time, Desdemona, that you decide to enjoy a cozy day by the fire instead of showing up to teach your class, I'd appreciate a little warning. As it is, the students were elated to find their double Potions class had been inexplicably cancelled." Desi turned red at her grandfather's admonishment and suddenly discovered how riveting her boots really were. "And as for you, Severus, you've been a professor long enough that I shouldn't have to reprimand you. As it was, the only way I discovered your whereabouts was due in thanks to a rather curious and outgoing house-elf, who overheard your plans when he brought a tray of food for the two of you to Desdemona's apartments. He seemed to think that the professors should not have been neglecting their students, as he is overly-fond of a particular student you both teach. So not only did I discover the two of you had left Hogwarts without permission, but I find myself minus a pair of my favorite socks." Dumbledore finished his lecture by accosting the most comfortable chair by the fire. "That being said, I assume the lecture pales in comparison to what you would like to share."

Everyone sat in different chairs, except for Snape, who preferred standing in the corner where he could keep a sharp eye on both the circle of people around the fire and the doorway behind them. Tonks conjured up a tea service and began offering cups of warm liquid to the group, only dropping a pair of them in the process.

Desi took a deep breath. Getting her emotions in check, she began to inform the rest of the group what she'd learned upstairs. "I think it does. First of all, Malfoy was able to offer explanations as to the workings of the Caderminus curse and the Dark Mark that we didn't know before. First of all, the mark is a two-way street." Seeing confusion sweep across the room at the use of a Muggle-metaphor, she rolled her eyes. It was hard for her to stop using twenty-odd years of Muggle social constructs. "It works in both directions. Just as Voldemort can affect his Death Eaters through the mark, so too does it affect him. That's part of the reason why he hasn't gone after Severus again. After the first time didn't kill him, he knew he'd have to put more effort into the curse. However, using the curse weakened Voldemort. It wasn't to the same degree as its effects on Sev, but it drained him. Malfoy said it took him a week to regain all of his strength after trying to kill him. If that's true, he's holed up somewhere going through that experience again after trying to kill Malfoy. We're not likely to hear from him for a few days at least."

"So, he curses his target, but it affects him?" Arthur was completely lost.

"Sort of. The mark connects the Death Eaters to him, so whatever affects them will also affect him. That's how he was so sure, when he returned, which of the Death Eaters had betrayed him and which hadn't. It helps him keep control over who is loyal and who isn't. Because he's causing extreme pain and torment, he's going to experience some of that himself. From what Malfoy said, it was a side-effect he didn't anticipate at first." A cold chill shot through Desi at the memory of the curse's effects, even though she was closest to the fire. "The way that Malfoy described the process of receiving the Mark sounds similar to the Mutopriopro transfiguration, which given Voldemort's talents in that subject area, shouldn't be a surprise. He intended for the Mark to be permanent. This is going to make undoing it complicated."

"But not impossible?" A voice muttered from the shadows.

Desi stared into the corner, not quite able to see the man standing there. She really needed to talk to him about the all-black-attire thing. Color, just once in a while, was a wonderful thing. Not something garish, like turquoise, but something less stark. Pushing the ridiculous fleeting thought out of her mind, she replied in a low tone. "No, Sev, not impossible."

The hiss of a held breath escaping echoed off the walls in the silent room.

"As for Voldemort's plans, I didn't understand what Malfoy was saying, but Moody seemed to follow it all. He should explain." Still shivering, Desi rubbed her arms while Alastor Moody began laying out for the members that surrounded the fire the basic structure of Voldemort's strategy. From Malfoy, they learned who within the Ministry of Magic's legal council persuaded the court to release some members of the Death Eaters for the time being, as well as his current hideaway, tucked away on a little island in the Baltic Sea. Details about strikes and gatherings, plans and spying, all seemed to grasp the attention of everyone else in the room.

Desi only paid interest intermittently, her thoughts on the work that lay before her, staring into the fire as if answers would come. She'd come to Hogwarts to teach a class, a simple little one-year class. She did not plan to rekindle a dead romance and discover the secret for undoing a complicated piece of Dark Art work. She was supposed to encourage students from following Voldemort and to work with the Order in preventing his return from being as catastrophic as his first call to power, not get caught up in the conflict herself.

And she sure as hell didn't come back here to be reminded of events she tried daily to forget.

She thought the past was behind her. She thought she'd finally closed the door on that memory. She thought she could finally move on. With one comment, Lucius Malfoy had proven her wrong.

How was it she found herself following a different path than the one she'd begun walking?

With a start, she realized that the meeting seemed to be over. Arthur was waiting to shake her hand in gratitude for coaxing Malfoy to say his piece, and to give her Molly's love, which she'd sent in absentia. Tonks was busy looking for her wand, which she'd just been twirling absent-mindedly for an hour but had misplaced within seconds. Her grandfather was leaving the room with Moody, most likely to begin working on some strategy or another on how to use this information to the best of their ability.

Lupin and Snape watched her from opposite ends of the room, anticipating her next move. Shivering for yet another moment, she rose from the comfortable chair and stretched. "Well, I should pay Malfoy another visit, shouldn't I?"

Remus seemed to look through her, as if measuring her in some way. "Des, this doesn't have to happen today. You can come back another time. Or I could take care of this for you, if you're tired or unsure..."

Auburn hair flew as she shook her head emphatically. "No, Remus. This hasn't been an easy spell to master, and gifted with transfiguration you are, it's my responsibility, not yours. Let's get this over with. If it works on Malfoy, I don't want to waste another moment. Besides, I'm already here, so there's no point in squandering time on a return trip." With a heavy sigh, she rubbed her face with her hands, smoothed her hair and robes, and headed out the door, leaving both men to follow in her wake.

This time it was Lupin who was kind enough to unlatch the door and lead her inside. Lucius Malfoy sat in a corner, still damp from the unexpected bath Desi had bestowed upon him. "Are you ready?" The words came out in a tone laced with loathing and deep contempt, shocking both men behind her and causing them to exchange looks of concern. Malfoy nodded at the petite woman in front of him, wisely keeping his tongue safely behind his teeth after taking one look at his former protégé and the werewolf who'd helped keep him captive. At a nod from her, he rolled up his sleeves, exposing the Dark Mark for the three of them to see. With a huge inhalation and a prayer on her lips, she tapped Malfoy's upper left arm three times before uttering a single word.

"Mutopriopro."

White light poured from the wand, centering itself on the site Desi had tapped. Malfoy screamed in agony and collapsed on the floor, and the sound of tearing rang through the room between the cries, as if someone was pulling a stitch in fabric. Finally, the screams ceased and the white light faded. The room was silent. Malfoy was unconscious, his hair spilling all around him.

Desi couldn't bring herself to move. Instead, she stood in one place, shaking, her wand eventually slipping from her hands to clatter on the stone floor. It fell to Lupin to step around her and over Lucius Malfoy's prostrate body to pull his arm free from under him.

The Mark was gone.

"It...it...it worked." Desi still swayed on her feet in surprise, Severus stepping right behind her with a similar look blanching color from his already-pale features. "It worked."

Lupin checked Malfoy's pulse. "He's still alive. Any idea how long he'll be unconscious, Des?" At her head shaking in denial, he whistled through his teeth. "Damn. Well, we can't leave him like this." A wave of the wand levitated Malfoy onto the bed, with another conjuring rope to secure him in case he tried to escape. "I'll send someone up later to make sure he's still alive. How sure are you that healing charms don't work?"

"Very sure. It'll just undo the spell. The body has to accept the new transfigured flesh. Healing charms will only prevent that from happening." Desi had finally stopped swaying and was regaining composure. "With some things, magic is more harmful than helpful. Sometimes, things need to take their own course."

Remus swooped down, retrieved her wand, and presented it to her. "Well, I assume you two are going to want to get back to the school and try this little trick a second time. I won't keep you."

Her words were as resolute as stone or steel. "We're not trying this little trick again for a while."

Both men jerked their heads to gape at the woman. "What?" The near-whisper tore through the room like a shout, as Severus's eyes grew small and cold. "What did you just say?"

Desi's blue eyes burned like flames. "Until Lucius Malfoy wakes up, and I know damned good and well this worked, I will not be risking your life. You've born that repulsive mark for twenty-five years; you can bear it a few days longer."

"Who in the hell do you think you are to decide what risk I will or will not take? You arrogant, stubborn, determined, self-righteous..."

A click from behind them stopped Severus's rant. Remus Lupin looked knowingly at the pair, his eyes trained right on the man, his teeth bared, and an amused gleam in his eyes. Severus stopped ranting and, in a silent rage, stormed from the room.

"What did I miss just then?"

Remus laughed. "Nothing, Des. Nothing at all."

She stared at the man who'd been like a brother to her for most of her life. "Why do I have a hard time believing you?"

"Simple. You're part-Slytherin. They wouldn't trust someone who'd just taken veritaserum!" Finding Snape pacing outside the door, Remus led the pair from the room where Lucius Malfoy slept, unconscious, back to the foyer where they'd first arrived.

"You'll contact me as soon as he's conscious? And if anything happens?" Desi asked for the tenth time in the short trip back to the fireplace.

Remus rolled his eyes. "Yes, Des. Regardless of what hour of the night, I will pop into your fireplace to deliver this ever-so-important message." A warning glance from familiar blue eyes made him chuckle. "Well, not any hour." She cuffed him.

He bestowed a last kiss on the cheek to Desi, and then turned and, in an inexplicable and almost inaudible whisper, said to Severus, "twelve days, fourteen hours, twenty-six minutes..." With a final snap of his jaw to the glowering man and a wink and a smile to Desi, Lupin said goodbye to the pair as they climbed into the fireplace to return to Hogwarts.