Disclaimer: I do NOT own these characters or this world. All credit goes to J.K. Rowling

Chapter Three:Bitter Truth

Severus Snape walked down the corridors until he was outside on the ground. Why had he let that stupid girl say all those things to him?

Because she was right, a voice in the back of his head spoke softly. He knew this was true. He hated himself for it every day since that night. It had only been a few weeks ago, but it felt like an eternity of suffering from knowing he was the cause of death for Albus Dumbledore: a man who had trusted and give him a second chance while others did not.

Upon reaching his manor, he headed straight to cellar and grabbed several bottles of the strongest fire-whisky he owned. Then he seated himself in a high armchair by the fire place. Opening up the bottle roughly and tossing the cap across the room where it hit the wall and landed with a soft thud on the stone floor.

He began to drink slowly at first as he stared into the crackling life of the fire. Soon empty bottles hit the floor and shattered. One after another until he fell into a deep sleep filled of horrible memories with screams of the dead ones.

This is the way Remus Lupin found him. Remus stared down with pity and hatred at the man asleep in the armchair before him. He had snuck into the manor when he was sure that Severus was sleeping or drunk well off his ass. He had come to talk to the man who had betrayed the Order to its doom.

A mess was all that could describe Remus. He still had mud and dried blood on him from the battle. There had been no time for him to clean himself. For he had been hiding from the Death Eaters, pretending to be one among the dead on the battlefield. He had greatly thought this idea would not work, but miraculously it had.

Voldemort had sent his Death Eaters to look for him because he was a werewolf. He wanted to gather all dark creatures to be under his commands, for his uses of building the strongest army the world would ever see. Remus vowed that he would die before he would help the Dark Lord in any way.

Remus moved toward the armchair and shook Severus slightly. He didn't even grunt. He was to drunk. Remus decided he could wait patiently until Severus awake. It wasn't like he was going anywhere anytime soon. In doing so, he seated himself in a chair and waited.

Hermione awake abruptly, her forehead all sweaty from her dream which had seemed so real, in the darkness of the Dark Lord's chambers. The fire had long since died out. Only the dark crimson glow gave any light. She breathed deeply to calm herself. The dream was slipping away like water through her hands. It had to do with her beloved Ron though that was all which could be remembered. She began to whimper silently. Whispering his name under her breath as though hoping he would hear her and come back to her like he always had.

"He is died. He can't come to save you." A cold hiss reached her ears. The sound of it made her shudder in horror. "You don't need him. He was never a match to your brilliant mind. He would only hold you back."

"Which one of your Death Eaters killed him?" She was determined to know so she could avenge his death.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes." She hissed back at him.

"You'll find out in due time. I will give you your revenge, when the time comes. You can kill them with the same spell that took your lover." His words hissed out in amusement against her ear. He was close to her now, to close to her likings. She shuddered slightly as his fingers went up and down her arms slowly. It shouldn't have felt so good, but it did, for both of them in a sick, twisted way that could not be understood. He had now turned her to face him while he continued on with what he was doing. Desire and lust.

"Why are you doing this?"

He didn't answer. Soon after he began to slowly stop the caressing, but he continued to stare at her with his deep crimson eyes. Then as strangely as it had all started he left the room. Hermione was glad of it. She didn't like the feelings she had felt.

When she was sure he would not return she went to the bed and fell into a dreamless, confused sleep.

Severus slowly lifted his head. His vision was fuzzy and hazy for he had a terrible hang over, he suffered from. He scolded himself for drinking more then he had drunk in quite some time. He felt very tired and weak. The words of Miss Granger still cut him deep.

"Ahh! So you have finally awakened, have you?" The voice startled him, making him jump mentally.

"What the bloody hell do you think you are doing here, Remus?" For Severus knew exactly who the voice belonged too.

"Why did you betray them?"

The question plagued him once more. He didn't reply. Glaring, Severus managed to stand up with out passing out.

"You've come to ask me out the wrong time, Remus, I am not drunk. It is only the hang over." He finally said in a sarcastic voice to cover up, trying to change the subject.

"That won't work, Severus. Just tell me why you did it and then I may go into hiding." Remus' voice shook with angrier.

"It was a mistake. An accident. I never meant for that to happen. Caught in the middle as a spy. You wouldn't understand."

"Perhaps not."

"I thought I had told them that it was an ambush and not to show up, but they all turned up anyways."

"You left us with no hope after Dumbledore was captured and killed by Voldermort." Severus flinched at the mention name.

"I never would have thought the thing possible myself." Severus' voice faded slowly at the memory of Dumbledore writhing under the Dark Lord's wand. Right before the Killing curse was set on him, his blue eyes had just enough strength to look up at Severus with a pity in his eye. Albus Dumbledore then lowered his eyes and smiled peacefully and spoke his last words: "Tom, rip me of my life for I am not afraid to die. I will find it quite a new interesting and new experience." The sound of Remus saying something jolted Severus back to the present.

"Well, I have nothing else I need to do here now, I must be off. Farewell," Remus disapperated. Severus had no idea where he would have gone. He knew Remus had believed him, but didn't trust him with whereabouts of the last of the Order members.

Suddenly a violent pain surged on his left arm. Lifting up his sleeve he saw that the Dark Mark glowed dull red. The Dark Mark only glowed red when it was only meant for one person to show up in the presents of the Dark Lord. Severus apperated immediately to the throne room of the Dark Lord, wondering what he could possibly be wanting. He felt himself land on the chilled stone floor. Opening his eyes, he saw the Dark Lord sitting in his high throne. He strode toward him, black robes billowing behind him, until he reached within a few feet of the Dark Lord, at which he stopped and bowed low to the ground in respect and fear.

"That's enough, Severus," Voldemort hissed out the command.

"Yes, my Lord." He stood up straight.

"I would like to set a task upon you, are you willing?"

"Yes, anything, my Lord."

"The girl, Miss Granger, possess an exceptional sharp-witted mind for a girl her age. You know this don't you Severus?"

"Yes, my Lord."

"I want you to begin teaching her you're talented gift of Potion making. Do you understand?"

Severus nodded solemnly. He understood perfectly well, though he didn't think much of spending long hours at a time, locked up in the dark dungeons of Lord Voldemort's fortress, brewing potions with Miss Know-it-all Gryffindor.

Remus approached the entrance to Grimmauld place. Looking around cautiously to make sure no one was watching, he entered quietly. He walked slowly down the many halls until he reached some of the rooms that were used for healing because St. Mungo's had been attacked only a few months ago. Inside one of the rooms he found Alastor Moody and Tonks helping some of the injured. Several had died in the last battle. The remaining Order of the Phoenix included: Moody, Tonks, Percy (who had finally come to his senses), Bill, Mundungus, Mrs. Figg, Seamus Finnigan, Ginny, and a few others.

"Not to great in numbers are we?"

"Remus! You're back!" Tonks rushed over hugging and kissing him. He kissed his wife back. He and Tonks had married only a year ago, it had been tough having such a large wedding and not having it targeted. Also Tonks had to deal with the once a month werewolf that Remus became.

"Has anyone found Hermione?" Ginny asked worriedly. Remus looked at her with weariness in his eyes.

"No one has found a body which makes us wonder if the enemy has taken her away alive, for as we all know she is the one who formed a lot of the plans for us." Remus said in what he could hope was a calming voice for the little red head. The whereabouts of Hermione was of great concern to him for she reminded him quite a bit of Lily. It saddened him deeply to think that she was possible dead or worse, looked in a secret dungeon being forced to help the Dark Lord.

"So did you have a chat with the fucking traitor?" Moody roared across the room.

"Yes I did."

"So what did the bastard have to say for himself?" asked Bill.

Hermione the Slayer: thank you for reading my story )

SevviesMistress: thanks! I'll be updating usually on the weekends.

"He didn't tell me the exact reason, but that he hadn't meant for it to turn into a trap…" Remus didn't know how to explain it. He didn't know for sure, but somehow he knew Severus wasn't lying. Tonks kissed him lightly on the lips.

"Everything will be fine, darling," Tonks said sweetly. "Now come to bed, darling, it's getting late."

Hermione the Slayer: thank you for reading my story.

SevviesMistress: thanks! I'll be updating usually on the weekends.