Chapter 6: Never Doubt A Spy

Still somewhat hurt, Severus let his young wife work out her problems in the following days after the "talk" by herself; she was long overdue. It grieved him that she couldn't consult with him, so he had no choice but to request Harry's assistance, much to his own displeasure. But then again, Harry had been a close and inseparable friend of hers since her first year at Hogwarts, while he had been positively ruthless to her until her sixth year, when for some reason still unknown to him to this day, began to fall for her, and she for him. He could never be Harry to her, not that he wanted to be.

Despite her protests, he felt it was for her own good that she remained at the Snape Mansion until further notice. Her begging and convincing tactics were quite advanced, but his stubbornness equaled hers; he was not to be swayed until he allowed her. This thought caused his lips to curl into his famous smirk. Until he allowed her. With any of their arguments, he permitted her to win a few of them, just so she'd feel like she had her way every once in awhile.

This time, he could not have her wandering around, especially with the previous activities of hers: meeting with strangers in strange alleys, lying about going to the university, and the strange object the stranger had given Hermione. And, with the, uh, extraordinary situation with the Death Eaters, he had no reason to allow her to.

His thoughts were interrupted as other Phoenix members entered the study, which he suddenly remembered was the location of the meeting. Closing his forgotten open book on his lap hurriedly, he lifted his eyes to see everyone looking at him from their positions in the numerous squishy sofas and chairs scattered around the study.

"Yes?" he grumbled, not appreciating everyone's eyes boring down on him. Nobody said anything at first, and then there was some uncomfortable shifting to his right. He snatched a glance in the direction of the intruding noise, and found the werewolf looking back at him, clearing his throat as if he was about to speak, but didn't.

"You are trying my patience, werewolf," Snape snapped again. Lupin sighed.

"Alright, Severus. We don't want to keep this from you any longer. But before I tell you what we decided, I will have to warn you not to explode or yell at us, no matter what."

What sort of warning was this? Already his spy instincts were kicking in, telling him that this was not going to be something he wanted to hear.

"The rest of the Order, including Dumbledore, have decided that your position and state of mind is much to compromised to continue spying and participating in your previous tasks against You-Know-Who," Lupin explained, his face seemingly creasing as if he was about to be struck at any second. Snape just simply sat there, wondering if his sharp ears heard that properly.

"I'm sorry, could you run that by me again?" he replied coolly, causing Lupin to grimace.

"I said, we think that because of what happened to Hermione, it is much too dangerous to have you participating in the Order's activities at this time," he repeated, and then added, "In other words, you're out, Severus, at least for the time being."

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THIS!" Snape bellowed, standing up and looking angrily at all their faces, which were trying hard to not look guilty.

"Severus, we did say not to yell at us," Dumbledore said calmly, polishing his half-moon glasses absentmindedly.

"I AM NOT YELLING!" Snape retorted furiously.

"I believe you are," chimed in Harry, surprising everyone. Snape's eyes snapped over towards the cheeky culprit, glaring at him with utmost annoyance, but some could hardly help but notice the slightest curling of a smirk, almost satisfied.

"I see you have developed a stronger opinion of me, have you, Harry?" he answered coolly. No one knew why he called him Harry or why this answer seemed almost fatherly, a mocking argument between father and son, as crazy as it seemed to everyone.

"It was my idea in the first place, Severus," Harry explained, and this really caused everyone to do a double take. Why were they calling each other by their surnames? The whole situation was mind-boggling. "After my talk with Hermione and our previous, discussion, that it would be best if you had a break." Harry was now standing also.

"You do realize that I exceed all of you in my ability as a spy, even if my eyes were blindfolded and my hands tied," Severus pointed out, composed now, but still furious.

"I do, Severus, and I don't doubt you for a second, but I believe that Lupin and myself-" Harry hesitated to glance at Lupin for confirmation, who nodded for him to continue, "-have a, different, job for you to help us with in the meantime."

Severus considered this. It angered that they were insulting and doubting him in such a way as to say he wasn't allowed to do what he'd been doing for years, (better than any of them), against the plans of Voldemort. But he couldn't help but be both curious and suspicious (as any die-hard spy can be) about this supposedly "different job" they had in store for him. He really had no choice unless he wanted to sit around doing nothing.

"If I accept this, other job…"

"Don't worry, you will know all the details later," Lupin said reassuringly. Snape looked from Harry to Lupin, realizing he would now have to work with two of his least favorite people of the Light, but what can be done about that? Fate really must not like him, or just felt like playing around with his life and destiny to make it as miserable or unbearable as possible. But who said he believed in Fate or Destiny? No one had, least of all himself.

-

"Hermione, I'm home," Severus called, knowing she wouldn't know he was even back until he yelled. He was back much earlier than he usually was, which was usually long after dark. At the moment the low winter sun sent glaring rays through the windows of the magnificent entryway of the Snape Mansion, not that Severus really cared. He received no answer, so he went to the most logical place: the study.

Once in the hallway leading to the study, his good ears picked up Hermione's pretty voice, but suddenly he heard another voice, that of a man's. He began to tread carefully, not wanting to betray his presence. Apparently Hermione and the other voice had met when they had expected Severus to not be anywhere near. How wrong they were; how stupid. There were no anti-eavesdropping spells of any kind, and they were talking loud enough to be heard from halfway down the hall, where Severus stood.

Moving quietly, he came upon the door, and, withdrawing his wand, mouthed a spell to make their voices clearer, so he pick what they were saying. They were still talking, and he was contemplating whether he should just listen, or at some point storm in and put an end to this secret business his wife had been conducting for quite some time.

Quite rapidly, something clicked in his brain. He knew he had heard that voice before, but where? Then he knew. It was the same masked and cloaked figure he had seen Hermione talking to when he had followed her that one day to the alley in London.

That voice. So familiar. But why was it familiar? The only way he'd know is if he started to listen to their conversation. Without much further ado, he put his face as close to the door as he couldand began to do what he did best: spy.