Chapter Eight
Rayna Dumbledore stepped into the Three Broomsticks for two butterbeers on the way to the Shrieking Shack.
"Hullo, Rosmerta!" she said cheerfully, shaking snow from her hair.
"Rayna!" The barmistress cried. Her sparkling heels clicked as she pranced out from behind the bar to hug her old friend. "What do you need?"
"Just two butterbeers."
The barmistress got a calculating glint in her eyes. "Rumor has it," she began, "That you and Severus broke off your engagement this afternoon. Who might you be sharing these with?"
Rayna only apologized with a mischievious smile. "Thank you, Rose."
As she was on her way out, an oily voice behind her mad her retrieve her wand and slip it into it's easily accessible pocket inside the sleeve of her robes.
"Rayna. Good Evening."
She turned around slowly. "I'm just on my way out, Lusicius. Unless, of course, you're volunteering to be arrested. But, no, that's never been the case."
"Come here. I'll buy you a drink."
"Thank you, but no." With a curt nod, she turned and walked out of the pub. Lucius Malfoy turned and poured the remainder of his brandy down his throat. He dropped two sickles on the bar and followed Rayna out.
*
He knew she could tell he was following her. His options, however, were limited. Catch her or be killed when he returned empty-handed. He was getting too close now. She had to be able to feel his breath on her neck.
Wait, he told himself, you've done this a hundred times. Just get her.
He crept up, even closer, and slipped an arm around her neck. She whipped her arm up., pointing her wand behind her. Prepared, he grabbed her wrist savagely. She dropped her wand. A quick, whispered "Immobulius" and she was helpless. There was not a long way to go.
*
Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the Shrieking Shack, chuckling heartily. He had just given Sirius the news of Rayna and Severus' breakup. The man was as giddy as a schoolboy and his usually gaunt face was alight.
After walking merrily for several moments, Dumbledore froze dead in his tracks. Rayna would never leave her wand anywhere, much less in the middle of a street. He apparated back to Hogwarts.
*
Pounding at the door awoke Snape and Hermione that night. With a whispered "stay here" to his student, Snape poked his head around the door. Seeing the headmaster, he slipped through the opening, closing it behind him, still tying his robe.
Wordlessly, Dumbledore held up the wand. Snape stared.
"Where?" he spat.
"Hogsmeade."
Snape had regained his composure. "And how does this concern me?"
"Severus!" bellowed the headmaster. "My daughter may have broken her engagement to you, but you are still a spy. You are still the only person on our side who can go to Voldemort in even remote safety."
TBC
A/N- Okydoky guys, here's the deal. First of all, thank you so much to all of you who responded to my note! As you can probably see, I will continue this story as planned. However, I will also begin a rewrite, replacing Sirius with Lupin. (Tomzgurl77-Great Idea!! That will be my basic plot!) That story will be under (hopefully) Snape's Choice II. If not, I'll let you know with the next update. That story should begin, at the latest, in the next few days!
Rayna Dumbledore stepped into the Three Broomsticks for two butterbeers on the way to the Shrieking Shack.
"Hullo, Rosmerta!" she said cheerfully, shaking snow from her hair.
"Rayna!" The barmistress cried. Her sparkling heels clicked as she pranced out from behind the bar to hug her old friend. "What do you need?"
"Just two butterbeers."
The barmistress got a calculating glint in her eyes. "Rumor has it," she began, "That you and Severus broke off your engagement this afternoon. Who might you be sharing these with?"
Rayna only apologized with a mischievious smile. "Thank you, Rose."
As she was on her way out, an oily voice behind her mad her retrieve her wand and slip it into it's easily accessible pocket inside the sleeve of her robes.
"Rayna. Good Evening."
She turned around slowly. "I'm just on my way out, Lusicius. Unless, of course, you're volunteering to be arrested. But, no, that's never been the case."
"Come here. I'll buy you a drink."
"Thank you, but no." With a curt nod, she turned and walked out of the pub. Lucius Malfoy turned and poured the remainder of his brandy down his throat. He dropped two sickles on the bar and followed Rayna out.
*
He knew she could tell he was following her. His options, however, were limited. Catch her or be killed when he returned empty-handed. He was getting too close now. She had to be able to feel his breath on her neck.
Wait, he told himself, you've done this a hundred times. Just get her.
He crept up, even closer, and slipped an arm around her neck. She whipped her arm up., pointing her wand behind her. Prepared, he grabbed her wrist savagely. She dropped her wand. A quick, whispered "Immobulius" and she was helpless. There was not a long way to go.
*
Albus Dumbledore stepped out of the Shrieking Shack, chuckling heartily. He had just given Sirius the news of Rayna and Severus' breakup. The man was as giddy as a schoolboy and his usually gaunt face was alight.
After walking merrily for several moments, Dumbledore froze dead in his tracks. Rayna would never leave her wand anywhere, much less in the middle of a street. He apparated back to Hogwarts.
*
Pounding at the door awoke Snape and Hermione that night. With a whispered "stay here" to his student, Snape poked his head around the door. Seeing the headmaster, he slipped through the opening, closing it behind him, still tying his robe.
Wordlessly, Dumbledore held up the wand. Snape stared.
"Where?" he spat.
"Hogsmeade."
Snape had regained his composure. "And how does this concern me?"
"Severus!" bellowed the headmaster. "My daughter may have broken her engagement to you, but you are still a spy. You are still the only person on our side who can go to Voldemort in even remote safety."
TBC
A/N- Okydoky guys, here's the deal. First of all, thank you so much to all of you who responded to my note! As you can probably see, I will continue this story as planned. However, I will also begin a rewrite, replacing Sirius with Lupin. (Tomzgurl77-Great Idea!! That will be my basic plot!) That story will be under (hopefully) Snape's Choice II. If not, I'll let you know with the next update. That story should begin, at the latest, in the next few days!