Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter universe. Weep.

Author's Notes: Ok, well I now have some time to finish the 'her
sacrifice' chapter so here it is. I'm really sorry that it has
taken so long but I had a death in the family and on top of work and
finals everything just came crashing down on me. So, here is the
chapter. I really hope that you guys like it, because I worked really
hard on it.

"It seems like the only times I get to see you are when I'm healing you," Rinoa sighed as she approached the bed where Snape was lying. Neither one spoke for another hour until Harry finally heard her soft voice again.

"I thought you weren't coming," Snape sighed as she treated the wounds on his chest and arms.

"I wasn't, but I needed to report about the capture."

"You expect me to believe that you risked your life just to come and tell Sirius Black that he was free? From what I've heard you would have just let him find out tomorrow. Why did you come Severus?"

"You know why."

They didn't speak for a long time, which gave Harry a chance to think on the situation. What did Snape mean? Why did he come back to Grimmauld Place and risk his health? This was Snape! Of all of the people on Earth, Rinoa had to go out and choose Snape! He was twenty years older than her, and a greasy, overgrown bat. What made the situation worse was that they were in Sirius' house. It had to be the night they all had been inducted into the Order, Dumbledore had sent her down to tend to Snape. This happened right under his nose! Why hadn't he or anyone noticed?

Harry would have continued to think about how morally indecent the whole situation was, but the two continued their conversation.

"I'm proud of you, you know," Snape said in a very raspy whisper.

"Why?" from the tone of her voice Rinoa seemed to have trouble believing anyone would be proud of her for anything.

"You've done well Rinoa. I wish I'd had the conviction you do when I was your age. Maybe I wouldn't have turned to the dark arts if I had." A quiet 'Thank You' was all that he received. Harry had a feeling that the topic of Snape's death eater days had not yet been breached between the two.

An hour later Snape had gone to sleep and Rinoa was seated in a squashy armchair by the bed, when she suddenly turned and looked right into Harry's eyes. Blue met green and Harry knew, she was showing him these things, these deeply personal moments. But why?

"Because I wanted you to find out from me, not some second hand source."

He knew he had not said it out loud, but before he could question her the fog had come. Harry found himself in the library of Grimmauld Place. It was dark outside and only a few candles were lit, but Harry could clearly see the figures of Snape and Rinoa on the windowsill. Snape was speaking softly to her and had an ornate wooden box with serpentine decorations lying in his lap.

"I want you to know something before you open this, and I want you to promise me you will listen."

"I promise."

"We are who we are, that cannot be changed no matter how hard we may try. Do not let the actions of those who came before you influence your life now. You are not evil Rinoa, you never will be."

Rinoa seemed to take in his words but really had no idea what he meant by them. Snape continued, despite her apparent confusion.

"There is something I need to tell you..." he paused and looked like he was trying to get the courage to continue. "When the founders were given their power four families were appointed to guard them, one family for each founder. They were called the stewards and they were to keep the founding families secrets for all eternity."

Rinoa's eyebrows creased at his words, it looked like she was trying to figure Snape out.

"My family is steward to the Slytherin line."

"Is that why you joined him?" she didn't say his name, but all present knew who she was speaking of.

"No, but I promise we will speak of that at another time. My cousin was the acting keeper until she died last month and my mother felt she was to old for this kind of responsibility," he paused and Harry could honestly say he had never seen Snape behave like this before.

"You're the steward aren't you?" she asked quietly.

"yes."

"Does that mean your bound to him? That you must keep his secrets?"

"No. There are two heirs and only one is worthy of the title. I am only bound to the honorable one."

"Do you know who it is?"

Rinoa looked confused again, but Harry was confused as well so it went unnoticed by the boy.

"Yes."

Neither spoke for a long time, and from what he had heard Harry concluded that Snape was unable to tell Rhin who the heir was. Finally Snape broke the silence.

"This is yours Rinoa, but when you've seen what's inside I want you to remember what I said earlier," and with that said Snape handed her the box and left the room.

Once the door closed shut Rinoa spoke again.

"Come here Harry," she said gently.

Harry walked slowly towards the windowsill where Rhin was seated, still unsure what to think of the situation. When he reached her she patted the seat next to her and handed him the box.

"What is this?" Harry asked

"It's a box Harry."

He rolled his eyes at his friend's sarcasm. "No Rhin, this place. Is it a dream? Are these scenes real?"

"They really happened if that's what you're asking. It's a bit like a pensive except I'm monitoring what you see. Think of it like you're at the cinema."

Harry didn't want to address her relationship with Snape at the moment so he changed the subject.

"What's in the box?"

"My life."

"Thanks that was descriptive."

"Open it, read it, then you can speak."

Harry tried to open the box, but the lid seemed to be welded shut. Rhin reached over and gently pulled up the lid, with seemingly no effort. When he looked up at her she just grinned at him. Inside the box were a pair of sais inside a black velvet pouch, the weapons were strikingly similar to the sword the order had given the girl late in the summer. Under the pouch were a letter, a scroll of parchment, and a very worn book. The letter had Rinoa's name on it, but the last name was not Edwards it was Hisster. Harry put the letter aside and opened the old scroll of parchment. He found a very elaborate family tree starting with Salazar Slytherin and two branches leading down opposite sides of the paper, at one end he found the name Tom Riddle and another name on the other. The other Slytherin heir. Rinoa Hisster. Harry looked up at his friend and caught the sad look on her face.

"You're the heir of Slytherin." It wasn't a question, merely a statement of the obvious.

"Read the letter Harry."

Harry opened the letter and read through its contents.

To my dearest daughter,

I am writing this to you now because I fear I will not be able to tell you of it when you are of age. Our world is at war and your father and I are fighting for a better life for you. Our family is in danger Rinoa. I am entrusting this letter to the keeper of secrets to our noble line. She is a steward and therefore you will share a special connection with her. You are a Slytherin my child, do not be ashamed of it. Many things in this world are not as they seem, the Slytherin line is one of those. Salazar hated muggle borns, this is true. But, what most do not know is that his line is packed with them. Your father is one of many who have married into our family. I hope my dear friend Melissa can explain this to you further. In this box you will find our family tree, the only one in existence and I expect you to keep it safe along with the heirlooms passed down through our generations.
There is a man named Tom Riddle who is also an heir of Slytherin, he will come after you if he discovers your existence. Do not fear him my daughter, I know you can do this. It is your destiny, I can feel it. You will need help, of this I can assure you, but do not give up hope. Take care of yourself my dear, I sense many trials awaiting you. The one bit of advice that I can give you is this...listen to your heart. You will be faced with a trial soon, and if you do not want to loose him you will have to fight for him. When the time comes you will know what to do.

I will always be watching over you,

Samantha Nichole Micheals

As he finished the mist surrounded him once again and he screamed in frustration. Every time he came to something important he had to change scenes. He found himself in Snape's office in the middle of a row between Snape and Rinoa.

"I don't believe you!"

"You don't have to believe me, but it's true!" Rinoa grabbed Snape's face and forced him to look her in the eyes.

"You look at me in the eyes and tell me everything was a lie," she said quietly, her voice filled with emotion.

Snape stared her down for a moment and then said in a deathly quiet tone, "It was all a lie, you're nothing but a silly school girl with a crush on her teacher." Rinoa nodded her head and dropped her hand from his face.

"Very well," and with that she left the room. When the door closed behind her Harry turned to Snape, very much wishing he could beat the shit out of him. However, when he saw the man his thoughts changed. Snape had leaned his back against the wall and was slowly sliding down to the cold stone floor. He looked utterly defeated. His face was in his hands and his shoulders were slumped over. Harry walked through the door Rhin had just gone through and found her in much the same position. She was sitting on the ground with her back propped against the wall.

She looked up at him with sad eyes, then the mist came and took him away. He found himself in a room decorated similar to the Gryfindor common room. It looked like a dorm room but it only had one bed and the open window let a gentle breeze flow through. Rinoa was seated at the windowsill and had her hand pressed up against the window. She looked sadder, paler, and thinner than Harry had ever seen her, even in the first few weeks at Grimmauld Place.

The mist came again and this time left Harry in the infirmary for the second time. This was getting rather tiresome, if she wanted to tell him something why didn't she just say it instead of showing him all of this. He looked around for her, knowing she had to be here somewhere and found her on one of the farthest beds. To his surprise Snape was sitting next to her bed and playing with her right hand. Hadn't they just had a huge row and broken up? Harry looked at her and realized that this was not long ago, it was the quidditch accident where Snape had stayed with her to keep her awake.

"Don't ever do that again," Snape said as he pushed some red hair off of her face.

"Why do you even care?" she whispered. "It was just an act remember? Some stupid crush."

Snape had the decency to look ashamed at her words and opened his mouth a few times, not knowing what to say. Harry thought he looked like a fish. Rinoa spoke, relieving Snape of the duty of finding some excuse.

"Why did you lie to me Severus?"

"Malfoy found out. He wrote me a letter questioning my loyalty. I had no choice Rinoa, he would have killed you. I did it to protect you."

"Did he tell Voldemort?"

"I don't know, we'll find out soon I suppose."

"How did he know? I bet his little brat told him! I bet he's got Draco going all around the school spying!"

"Rinoa, I don't believe Draco would do that," she nodded in response and then reached up to touch his face.

"Quit trying to protect me, I can take care of myself."

"Oh sure," he said in a playful tone, one Harry had never heard before. "Like you did today." Snape suddenly became serious, "Rinoa, I don't know what I would do if I lost you."

Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his blue-eyed friend starring back at him.

"I'm showing you this moment for a reason, Harry."

"What's that, to justify the situation to me? You don't have to Rinoa. I don't hate you, not for any of this."

"You need to tell her Harry."

"Tell who what?"

"Harry Potter you know exactly what I'm talking about! Don't let her end up like me, heart broken."

When Harry's eyes focused again he found himself in Snape's office this time in a much more pleasant surroundings than the last time he was here. Rinoa was sitting on the edge of Snape's desk while he sat and graded papers. She was swinging her legs and trying to distract Snape, which Harry found very amusing.

"So did you have any nicknames in school?" she asked in a rather perky voice.

"No."

"No one ever called you anything but Severus?"

"Actually they usually called me Snape."

"No one ever called you Sevvie, or Russ, or I don't know the evil dark one?"

"No."

"Why not?" Snape finally put away his grading and looked up at her.

"I guess I just didn't get close enough to anyone in school."

"Well, I'm going to give you one."

"Whatever you want Rinoa."

"How about Sev?"

"Why are nick names always the first few letters of the person's name? Ronald is Ron, Ginny is Gin, and Rinoa is Rhin. I think you need an original nickname."

"Like what?"

"Noa."

The scene changed once again but it was coming in more of a flash now instead of the gradual misty one. He was still in Snape's office but this time Rinoa and Snape were standing on opposite ends of the room with wands at the ready, and if Harry were actually there he would have been unnerved by the glint in Rhin's eyes. She was smirking in what could only be identified as Snapelike, and her wand was held loosely and alert at her side.

"Legimens!" Snape shouted.

The spell hit Rhin but she managed to get out her response all the same.

"Protego!"

It was rather amusing really, like a battle of wills between two of the most stubborn people on the planet. Snape eventually won and walked over to help Rinoa off of the floor. When the two were seated on one of the work desks, feet hanging over the edge Snape spoke again.

"I remember her you know."

"I wish I could remember what she was like," Rinoa said sadly. Harry had no idea who they were talking about.

"We played together before Hogwarts, she was a bit older than me of course. She, Melissa, Evangeline and Lucius were all about four or five years ahead of me."

"Who's Evangeline?" Snape looked upset with himself for his slip, apparently it was a painful subject for him.

"My sister," he paused. "Evangeline, Melissa and your mother were quite the team, even when Vange and Sam went off to school."

Snape knew Rhin's mother? How weird was that? Harry could not quite understand Snape and Rinoa's relationship. He was old enough to be her father, hell, the man had known her mother!

"What happened to her...Evangeline I mean?" asked Rinoa timidly.

"She died and I became a spy."

"How did she die?"

"Our father murdered her for marrying a Gryfindor in the Order of the Phoenix."

This was all very interesting to Harry because never had anyone ever mentioned why Snape had deserted. He figured at least Sirius would have said something, this had to be so painful that even Sirius wouldn't touch it. Rinoa seemed to have picked up that this was a sensitive subject for Snape and had promptly dropped it. She was now seated on his desk, swinging her legs in the air while he scribbled away with his quill. Even Harry had to admit that they looked comfortable together, but he still didn't understand it.

It was at this moment that Snape did the one thing Harry had never expected to see form him for as long as he lived. He smiled.

"C'mon, I can finish these in my rooms and that way you can steal books from my library."

"Oh, Goody!" Rhin said with enthusiasm (Harry couldn't tell whether it was real or not) while jumping down from the desk. Harry followed them through the office and behind a bookcase to Snape's rooms.

"Do you think anyone has figured it out yet?" Harry could only assume she was talking about her and Snape, but he could defiantly say he'd had no clue.

"I was sure Granger would have figured it out by now, what with you coming back from your detentions with a big grin on your face."

Rinoa chuckled as she looked through Snape's bookcase, scanning all of the numerous titles. Snape had selected a book and was sprawled out on the large couch.

"Which book do you have Sev?"

"Queen of the Damned."

Rinoa growled at him, "Hey, you knew I was reading that!"

Snape let out a throaty chuckle and responded, "here, I'll share with you." With that Rinoa crawled into his lap on the couch and read while he held on to the book. Harry didn't like this scene, not because of Snape and Rhin, but because he felt like he was walking in on such a tender moment between the two. Rinoa had promptly fallen asleep on Snape's chest, and while his dislike of the situation continued he did have to admit that they made a cute couple.

There was a flash and Harry found himself again in Snape's chambers, they were a combination of dark woods and black, and Harry found himself getting depressed while actually looking around for the first time. Rinoa was seated on the couch and jumped to her feet the minute the door opened to reveal Snape.

"Don't go!" said Rinoa in a frantic voice. He walked to a dresser and removed a mask and robes.

"I have to."

"No, you don't! What if he's told? What if you're caught? Please Sev, I have a very bad feeling about this."

"I have to go, Noa," as he headed toward the door she grasped his arm and pulled him into a fierce kiss. "Please," she looked so desperate that Snape's expression softened.

He spoke very softly to her, "If it were you, and you had the chance to save those you loved you would go as well. I know you would, Noa. You're my little Gryfindor, you're brave and honorable. I'm not. But I will not abandon my duties."

She hugged him and clutched at him like it would be her last time. Snape took her hands from his neck and kissed them.

"Wait here for me."

The flashes came faster like lightning. Flash.

Rinoa was pacing around the living room.

Flash.

She was sitting on the windowsill smoking.

Flash.

She was asleep on the couch. Her uniform was rumpled and her Doc Martin clad feet were pulled under her body. Remus Lupin entered the room and shook her gently.

"C'mon Rhin, the headmaster wants to see you." Harry would never, for as long as he lived, forget the look of pure terror on her face at that moment.

Flash.

They were in the headmaster's office. Rinoa was curled up in a chair and wore a blank expression. To Harry's surprise Draco Malfoy was seated in the other chair with tears streaming down his pale cheeks. The headmaster handed them each a letter a spoke.

"He had these added to his will last week for the two of you in case something happened to him. I am afraid that there are several matters I must attend to at the moment with the ministry regarding Severus. Feel free to stay here as long as you like, but I must insist that you do not tell anyone of your financial or emotional connection to him yet."

The students nodded and when the headmaster left opened the letters. Harry stood behind Rhin so that he could read it over her shoulder and couldn't believe how sad he became.

Noa,

Words cannot express how sorry I am to write this to you. If Albus has given it to you then I've been discovered. I think it's rather funny that for twenty years I did not care if I survived, in fact I often wished for death, but when I finally found something to live for I get what I've been wishing for years. You are amazing Noa, don't let anyone tell you otherwise. It doesn't matter where we come from, but where we go. Albus said that to me when I was your age and I did not understand him until I deserted the Dark Lord. I have faith in you my little Gryfindor. You will survive, and you will win.
There isn't much I can leave for you, you already have a fortune to rival Potter, so, I've given you something else. I'm giving all of my money to Draco, if he accepts this I would like you to help him. He is going to have a rather trying year. He is a good boy and I have faith in the both of you. The two of you are the only things in my life that are pure, so please take care of each other.
To you my precious Noa, I've enclosed the only three things that own from my family. They are very important to me and I want you to have them now.
I do not know what else to write to you, Noa. I've never really been one to rattle on about my feelings. We Slytherin's are a more reserved lot in that sense. I do love you though. I know that I've never said it to you before, but you have made me happier than I ever was before. I'm sorry I waited until this moment to tell you, but Slytherin's have never been known for their courage. Be good, and look after my God-Son.

I'll love you always,
Sev.

When they were done reading Rinoa turned over the envelope the letter had been in to have three rings fall into her outstretched hand. Two were matching platinum bands with an intricate engraved design on them. One was smaller than the other, which led Harry to believe that they were wedding bands. Snape had given her his family's wedding bands. The other was a signature item of any pureblooded family, a signet ring with the Snape family crest. It was silver and black, with serpents coiling around the band. She toyed with the rings until Draco was finished with his letter and then turned her attention to him.

"I didn't tell him, you know. I don't know how he found out, but I didn't tell him," Rinoa nodded at him in understanding. When she put her letter into her pocket she finally spoke to Draco, "I didn't know he was you God- Father."

"More of a father than Lucius ever was."

Flash.

He was in a deserted corridor in the school, from the look of it he was somewhere in the labyrinth that was the dungeons. It was a dark and cool hall and there were two figures slumped on the floor next to each other and leaning on the stonewall for support. Rinoa and Draco Malfoy sat in silence for what seemed like (at least to Harry) hours until Malfoy finally spoke.

"Is it hard to teach his classes?"

"Yes. I'm surrounded by him all of the time. His class room, his lessons, his notes, his ingredients, and I'm always finding some new potions journal he was working on with all of his handwriting in it," she said sadly.

"Do you think the Dark Lord has killed him yet?"

"No."

"Why do you still have hope for him? I don't understand. Everyone thinks he's dead! He left me his fortune and you his heirlooms, how much more closure do you need," Malfoy said, desperately trying to understand the girl sitting next to him.

"I just believe. He's alive, I can feel him."

The conversation ended at that but the two remained where they were for a long time. Occasionally one would lay their head on the others shoulder or offer some kind of comfort, but both of them were very visibly destroyed by what had happened to the potions master.

Flash.

Harry was by the lake standing next to Rinoa. She was standing with her eyes closed and looked to be concentrating awfully hard on something. What Harry saw next seemed like he was watching two scenes at once, but it all made sense in his mind. When looking back later Harry would describe it as being similar to watching two T.V. screens at once and understanding both.

Flash.

Snape was chained in a room with his arms in manacles above his head. He looked barely conscious and his ribs stuck out on his bare chest.

Flash.

Lucius Malfoy was laughing.

"Time for our entertainment on this Halloween celebration!" Lucius raised his hand and backhanded Snape, his ring leaving a deep gash on the right side of the prisoners face.

Flash.

Rinoa was standing by the lake when a wound suddenly appeared on her cheek in the exact spot Lucius had struck Snape. At first Harry thought Lucius was with Rhin instead of Snape, but then it seemed to 'click'. In the letter from Rinoa's mother she had said that there was a connection between the heir and the steward. Her mother and Melissa were best friends, Snape and Rhin were together! But, did the like go deeper than that? Could Rinoa feel what Snape felt? Is that what had happened by the lake?
Harry didn't have any more time to think as he watched his friend. She had a look of triumph on her face, surprising when one has just been backhanded by a ring-clad hand. She began to close her eyes and suddenly her body was yanked into the same hanging position Snape's was in. He could see them both, Rinoa hanging from her invisible shackles and Snape, barely conscious in the dungeon.
Lucius Malfoy was standing over a table of what looked to be full of medieval torture devices, Harry could clearly see whips and knifes that all looked like they would be very painful if in contact with human flesh. Harry could hear every vile word that escaped Malfoy senior's lips and was disgusted by all of them.

"You see Severus, the Dark Lord has let me make an exception in your punishment. Since you decided to follow that muggle loving fool, you will die by muggle means. I think I rather like these contraptions, they'll keep you sane a lot longer than the Crutiatus will." He had picked up what Harry recognized as a whip and swung it across Snape's bare back.

Now used to the double vision Harry clearly saw both Snape and Rinoa receive the lash marks on their backs. He felt completely powerless as he watched every blow and heard every cry, his friend was in pain and there was nothing he could do. Rinoa had started to float into the air, calling out for Snape, and for all of the hate he still held for the man he wished that he were here right now. But, he wasn't, he was now curled inward as much as he could be with the shackles in his way and he was screaming as a number of fists and boots landed all over his body. Harry still did not understand what was happening, surely Rinoa didn't mean for this to happen. The Death Eaters seemed to be getting frustrated with the lack of information they were getting out of Snape so the resorted to different measures.

"Go get the brand out of the fire, McNair!" yelled one of them.

When he returned Harry saw a cattle brand in his glove clad hand, the shape was what startled Harry, it was the Dark Mark.

"They'll never take you back Snape! You'll be known to the world as a Death Eater no matter what you do now. This mark won't ever go away, and when they find your dead body on the gates of Hogwarts the wizarding world will always remember you as a Death Eater!" spat Malfoy as he brought the hot iron piece down on Snape's bare left forearm. When the sizzle of burning flesh could be heard both Rhin and Snape gave out great cries and Harry had to cover his ears from the sound.

He could now see himself and the others staring at Rinoa's bleeding form in the air. The shadows came and she was on the ground again, but instead of appearing back to where this had all started, with Rinoa touching him. He found himself still in the dungeon with the Death Eaters and Snape.

"He should be dead by now Lucius. What could be keeping him alive?" asked a masked man.

"He's probably ingested some potion. We will break him eventually and he will tell us all about the Order of the Phoenix, and his little Gryfindor whore." With that the men left the room and Harry was left looking at the broken man who had made him miserable for over five years.

"He would have died, you know...if I hadn't helped him."

Harry turned around to find Rinoa standing there, but she did not look like the girl he knew. She had scars covering her wrists and legs, and if one did not know her to the extent that Harry did she wouldn't be recognized by first glance. Her left eyebrow had multiple small scars dividing it and in addition to the gash on her lip and cheek, her right ear had a scar running from the lobe down to her neck.

"You did this? On purpose?" asked Harry, still taking in his surroundings.

Rinoa walked over to a barely conscious Snape, sat down beside him, and with his head in her lap began to stroke his blood soaked hair out of his face.

"He would have died today Harry. I don't think I could fight with out him. This month was hard enough with everyone saying he was dead. 'Lost to the Cause'. Dumbledore even tried to talk some sense into me, he said I needed to 'move on'." She said the last part with such an over exaderated roll of her eyes that Harry had to hold in his amusement, despite the situation.

"How did you do this?"

"Rather simple really. You read the letter from my mother?" at his nod she continued. "Well, we have a connection, Severus didn't even know the extent of it until a few days ago. I can feel him, that's how I knew he was alive."

"How did you do this though?" Harry was gesturing at the two on the floor rather wildly.

"The book I received from Sev in the box, it was the diary of Salazar Slytherin. I've been studying it for a while now and he went into detail about how he and his best friend could communicate during battle. They could speak into each other's heads. At first I just thought he was telepathic, but then he mentioned that his best friends name was Delacroix."
Harry had no idea how having a last name of Delacroix had anything to do with this situation, and it must have shown because Rinoa explained.

"Delecroix is Sev's mom's maiden name," still seeing a look of confusion she added, "the steward line."

At Harry's look of understanding Rinoa carried on with her story.

"So I thought if an heir and steward can mind speak then maybe I could get Sev to tell me where he was and we could rescue him. But, the stubborn old bat kept kicking me out every time I tried. I think tonight he finally got to weak and couldn't stop me, and when I saw what they were going to do it just happened."

"What do you mean 'it just happened!'" Harry was beginning to get annoyed and wanted answers.

"I just thought about how I wished I could take it for him, and it happened. I mean, obviously I couldn't take all of it, but I think I got a good half and now he has a chance."

"Why are you telling me all of this Rhin? N I don't understand why you chose me."

"I told you before, because I wanted you to see what could happen to her if you got hurt, or if you continued to push her away."

"WHO!"

"I have to go Harry, please don't tell anyone what's happened alright?"

Authors Notes: Well, did every one like it? Was it worth the wait? This is my favorite chapter so far. Next chapter we find out if Harry takes Rhin's advice and if she managed to save Sev. Please review it makes me dance about and sing a joyful song.