Disclaimer: If I were JK, do you really think I'd be writing fanfics instead of finishing Book 6? I don't think so. Any discernible plot and OCs (Juliette and Cheyne (pronounced Shane) McClaggan) are courtesy of my twisted imagination. The rest is JK's.

Warning: There is some character death, though it is implied not actually written. For those wanting a fic to make you all warm and fuzzy inside, I suggest you find another fic to read. This one is not going to make you go 'Awwww ... Ain't that sweet!' ...You have been warned...

A/N: Please review, I really value your opinions. And if you review me, I make sure to review at least one of your fics in return. Sorry about the delay with the chapter, it took me a while to get it to flow properly. Anyway, the next chapter might have a bit of a wait, my final exams for the semester start on Tuesday and I have all 4 in the space of about a week. After that, though, I'm free!!! So I will (hopefully) update more regularly, but I'm also working on another fic, which I won't be posting until I've written a lot more, so that also takes up a fair bit of my time. Oh, now I'm rambling. I'll let you read the latest chapter of Behind the Façade and please, please, please review!! Thanks and I love you all!!!

Behind the Façade

By Ammarine

Chapter 6 – Painful Memories

Harry looked at the surroundings; it appeared to be a clearing somewhere with a small creek passing through nearby. He saw a younger, yet just as determined Snape, dressed in his black regalia, being restrained by what looked like an older version of Goyle. Must be Goyle Senior, Harry thought off-handedly. It was a moment before Harry realised that there were others in this memory, and he gasped as he saw Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange and Dolohov standing near a small fire, oh how he despised that man for what he did to Hermione. Behind the three of them was what looked like Crabbe Snr, who was crouched over, restraining a struggling something, Harry couldn't make out what.

"Snape," Bellatrix purred, causing rather unpleasant shivers to travel down Harry's spine. "I hope you thought about our proposal. Our Lord needs an answer from you, tonight."

"You know my answer. It has been the same answer that I have given you the past 3 times that you have asked me this irrefutably ridiculous question. No. I will not join you. I have no desire to bend to every whim of a madman. End of discussion."

There was a moment of silence, except for the muffled whimpers from the dark shape restrained by Crabbe Snr.

It was Lucius who broke the silence. "If that is your decision, we may have something to allow you to reconsider." He drawled, waving a hand in Crabbe Snr's direction as he was finishing. Crabbe Snr dragged the dark whimpering figure forward into the firelight. As he recognised the figure, Snape gasped and started struggling against his Goyle Snr.

"Juliette," Snape breathed. The figure must have heard their name, as they stopped writhing and lifted their head slightly to look for its source. As the figure looked around, Harry saw the face of Crabbe Snr's captive. It was a girl, about his age, with dark hair that fell about half way down her back. Her eyes were sunk and the right was swollen and surrounded by heavy bruising, stopping her from opening it properly. Her cheeks were covered in scratches, some having drawn blood and her bottom lip was split, bleeding profusely down her chin.

Harry instantly tried to go and help her, but couldn't move his feet. It took him a moment to remember it was a memory.

"Wh-who's there?" she asked in a soft, trembling voice. "Pl-please, someone, an-anyone, help me!"

"Shut up, bitch." Crabbe Snr grunted, slapping her across her face, leaving a bright red mark on her cheek. With a small cry, Juliette curled protectively, hoping to stop the pain.

"Juliette!" Snape cried, straining to free himself from Goyle's unmoving grip. "Let her go Lucius, she has nothing to do with this," he snarled, his voice hardening.

"But she has everything to do with this, my friend," Lucius drawled contemptuously at Snape. "You see, Our Lord and Master consented to my," he continued after a moment, waving a hand at the others, "associates and I using any means at our disposal to have you understand our point of view."

"So, if I join with your Lord," Snape spat derisively, "you will heal and free Juliette and leave the rest of my family alone? Somehow I doubt it."

"Do you have such little faith, my friend?" Harry heard Lucius ask. "Once you are one of us, she will be in no more pain from us. Though I do not understand why Our Lord and Master is so determined for you to be with us," Lucius added in a softer, but clearly audible, voice to himself.

"Join us Severus," Bellatrix purred dangerously as she approached Snape, who was bristling from Lucius' comments, a smile teasing the edges of her mouth. "He can show you real power and give you the recognition you know you deserve. Besides, I've always had a soft spot for dark and dangerous men. The others," she murmured, glancing across at them from under her heavily lidded eyes and bringing her mouth closer to his, "are no more than boys in a man's world. Your world. What do you say?"

"If I join, Juliette is to be freed and you will leave my family alone." Bellatrix nodded at his request. "Very well," Snape said after a few moments, "I will join you. Now free my sister, Marcus!"

Marcus Crabbe looked uncertain for a moment, but before he could say a word Lucius turned to him and drawled in a low voice, his eyes glittering dangerously, "Marcus, free her. Free her, from the binding of life."

Harry felt himself being drawn back to the sitting room as he saw an image of a dagger in Crabbe Snr's hand, glinting ominously in the firelight and heard a detached, anguished scream. However, instead of seeing the sitting room he saw only a confining blackness and felt happy to let himself drift mindlessly. The next thing Harry remembered was feeling his head being roughly tipped up and something disgustingly pungent shoved under his nose. With a groan, Harry slowly opened his eyes, having to blink a few times to adjust to the light. He felt the hand holding his head remove itself and a confused voice ask, "What did you do, Potter? What in Merlin's name did you do?"

"I-I don't know," Harry rasped, his throat sore as though he had been screaming. Remembering where he was, he asked, "I d-don't feel very well, c-could we finish the lesson for tonight? S-sir?" He added as an afterthought

"Go on. You are cooking breakfast in the morning, but I daresay neither of us will feel so inclined," Snape said. It was a measure to Harry, as he left for his bedroom, of how shaken up he was, the older man didn't snap at him.

After the boy left, Severus felt himself sink into his armchair by the fire. It had been years since he had recalled that horrible memory of his sister. It was then that he knew Lucius and the rest of his school friends-turned-Death Eaters wouldn't give a toss about him, they would kill if it meant saving their worthless hides. Even after his initiation, he found that he was still snubbed and treated like something dirty on the bottom of someone's shoe, but he didn't care. He didn't care to socialise with his sister's murderers.

It wasn't long after his initiation that he himself shed his first blood. It was another painful memory that he was glad hadn't been dredged up by Potter and his accidental magic.

He still felt the twinge of regret and self-hatred that came with both of the memories. His sister had been his closest confidant in his youth and the main reason he defied joining the Dark Lord for so long. To have her murdered in front of him, despite his decision, meant that Voldemort never truly had his respect, though thankfully for Occlumency, He couldn't see Severus' true feelings. He could barely tolerate the monster when He managed to procure a position teaching Potions at Hogwarts for him. That was his first spying role, though very few knew of it.

Hogwarts was his home. He had lived there for the past 20 years, 21 at the beginning of the spring term. He knew the secret passageways and hidden nooks and crannies as well as did Filch, the caretaker, and Dumbledore himself.

He came back from one of the meetings where everyone turned up to rape and kill innocent muggles and fawn all over the Dark Lord, increasing his already too large ego. It was shortly after Juliette's murder, and this event had caused him to see all the muggles as Juliette. Moments after his return, Dumbledore entered his chambers. Within minutes, Severus broke down and confessed everything to the greying old wizard. He knew he wouldn't be able to spy on Dumbledore and remain 'faithful' to the Dark Lord. Dumbledore provided him the opportunity to work with his heart against the Dark Lord by becoming a spy for the Order and feeding false information to the Dark Lord and his minions.

He sunk even further into his chair, after warding the room with a flick of his hand, and downed the glass of Peterson's Scorching Scotch sitting on the end table. It wasn't as 'delicate' as Old Ogden's by a long shot, but it was what would do the job. The job of washing away his pain-filled past and getting him absolutely smashing drunk in the process.

Closing the door to his bedroom, Harry let out a shaky breath. It had never occurred to him that Snape could have despised Voldemort as much as he did, or that he even had a family. It just never occurred to him that teachers were more than just that, teachers. Inside of him he felt the walls around his heart begin to crumble. They had been put there once he realised Sirius was never going to come back, what's the point of being a hero if you're too emotional to do your job? Harry figured. It had never occurred to him that Voldemort would have used those tactics to gain Death Eaters. Surprised him, no, but it most certainly repulsed him.

He changed into his pyjamas, but not really paying attention he had to rebutton his shirt a couple of times. Muttering goodnight to Hedwig absently, Harry flopped onto his bed, not bothering with his covers, and fell into a restless sleep of fires, spells, daggers and veils.

Severus awoke early the next morning with a rather painful kink in his neck. Why did I fall asleep in the sitting room? Oh, he recalled, yes. Now I remember. Damn Potter. Obviously I didn't drink enough, I still feel human, unfortunately.

Grumbling to himself about the horrible taste of hang-over potions and rubbing his neck as he entered the kitchen, his nose was assaulted by a barrage of scents. There was bacon, scrambled eggs and grilled tomatoes on a platter on the dining table, and the smell of pancakes emanating from the stove where Harry was busy cooking, his back facing Severus.

Hearing the mumblings from behind him, Harry said over his shoulder, "Morning, sir. I wasn't sure what you ate for breakfast, so I just cooked up some bits and pieces. The kettle's just boiled if you would like your tea."

Slightly confused at the lack of hostility, or pity, from the boy, Severus mumbled his thanks and made himself a cup of tea. Halfway through his tea a rolled up parchment and letter arrived in the middle of the kitchen with a flash of flame and a single golden feather. Dumbledore's phoenix. The man picked up the delivery and examined the name on the letter, it was his name inscribed by Dumbledore's flowery writing.

Severus,

I will be over at noon to help with you with your rather unusual request, providing I see that the two of you are tolerating each other. I will need to have a few moments with you in private to discuss some affairs of business.

Please pass on my regards,

Albus.

P.S. Read the magazine, Severus, it may very well be an interesting read.

Incinerating the note with his wand, Snape unfurled the parchment still sitting beside his plate. It was a copy of the current issue of the Quibbler, Fudge Forced to Flee: Minister for Magic Chased from Office, with a caricature of the portly old man running from charmed pitchforks, decorated the front page. Flipping through to the article, a smirking Snape began sipping his tea as he read. At one point, he almost spluttered on his tea as he read a particularly accurate portion of the interview with Cheyne McClaggan, the Head of the Department for Magical Regulation and, temporarily, Acting Minister for Magic.

With Fudge as Minister, he read, V-------t would have had free reign over our magical community in no time. In fact, it's surprising that it hasn't already occurred, if we believe, as I do, the words of Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.

Severus raised an eyebrow in mild disbelief. Well, Severus thought, isn't this a surprise. A decent Minister for once, even if he's only temporary. Though somehow I don't think he'll be on the Dark Lord's Christmas card list...

Hope you liked the chapter, but please review (hint: press the button in the bottom left corner!!). ;-) Many kudos to Green Giraffe, the Super-beta!! Love you all!!