Thank you for reviewing! I know this last chapter was a a bit short and I apologize.
Disclaimer: I wish I was JK Rowlings OR Joss. Sadly I'm not. Don't sue. Unless you want to sue me for the rights to pay off my student loans.
Severus was in his most fearsome form as he swept down the stairs. Students scattered and held their breath until he passed feeling lucky a disdainful glare was all they recieved. Severus barely paid them any heed, he was too busy ranting to himself
"Yes of course Albus" He sneered to himself "Lets just tell everyone about me being a spy why don't we? Maybe Rita Skeeter isn't busy this afternoon and needs a story. Maybe the Dark Lord himself needs a letter sent to him with that information and a few suggestions on exactly HOW to kill me in the most painful way."
"Damn Albus" He muttered to himself "No doubt he manipulated me again. THIS time into telling a vampire and an X-Demon about me spying. Just the sort of people we normally trust with people's lives"
Having reached his private quarters he barked out the password and entered his rooms, quickly crossing the room to a cabinet and removing a rather large bottle of Firewhisky and pouring himself a glass. With a sign he sank into a battered old armchair and stared into the amber liquid as if it had the answers he so desperately wanted to hear.
"Why? Why did I tell them? Why is Albus so sure he can trust them? Does he trust them more than me? And why in Merlins name do I care?" He asked himself softly
"The answer to your third question is no, Severus" Came the soft voice of Albus Dumbledore as he stepped out of the fireplace. "There are very few I trust as I do you"
"Me?" Severus scoffed "Yes my sterling reputation usually makes people want to trust me" He finished sarcastically rubbing his arm at the spot of his dark mark
"It is because of your reputation, as you put it Severus, that I do trust you." Albus told him gently "You came to me twice remember? The first time I failed you and nearly lost you. I can't help but blame myself for your rather rash choices that came later"
"Why Albus" Severus asked, not meeting the headmasters eyes
"Because my boy, perhaps if I had taken you in as I should have, shown you the trust you deserved, you wouldn't have gone seeking it elsewhere. And" Dumbledore finished sternly "You wouldn't question when it IS given to you"
"My apologies Albus" Severus finished wearily "I am grateful for everything you do for me with what little information I bring back from the Dark Lord"
Albus sighed heavily "Severus, I could care less what information you bring back. Yes it is helpful and unfortunately we have no one else capable of infiltrating Voldemorts circle. Otherwise I'd have you confined to this castle."
"I beg your parden" Severus asked shocked
"You should!" Albus said angrily his voice slowly rising to a shout "Do you honestly believe I WANT you within 100 feet of that madman Severus? Do you think I see you in pain from your dark mark and look forward to you leaving? To come back tortured and injured and Merlin knows what else? Do you think I like seeing the pain in your eyes after a dark revel? Do you?"
Severus sat there silently staring at the headmaster in shock.
Albus softened his voice before continuing
"My dear boy, there are very few people in this world I care for more than you. Don't let the past rule your life Severus. Let the old grudges die and allow yourself some happiness.Thats all I ask."
"How do I do that Albus?" Severus whispered sounding lost and mournful "The past, the old grudges, those are what make me who I am. I can't let those go until The Dark Lord is finally gone forever. Even then, the mark on my arm will still be there. Reminding me. It's not just my arm that was marked you know? It was my soul. Thats what he wanted."
"Rubbish" Albus told him firmly, drawing surprised eyes to him "That's what he WANTS you to think. If your soul was as dark as you seem to think it is, I would have never let you near this school or spoke for you when they wanted to put you in Azkaban. You have a lot to learn about souls child. I suggest you talk to our new Vampire professor if you think there is something dark about yours"
"That's another thing Albus" Severus asked him hesitantly "Why them? Why do you trust them?"
"Ah that is something you will have to work out for yourself Severus" Albus said with his eyes shining again "I have my reasons, and good reasons at that, to trust them. I simply ask that you give them a chance. They have faced darkness, succomed to it on occasions, but in the end they stood firm against a force that is evil beyond comprehension for even me."
"The First" Severus said thinking back to the questioning in Albus' office. "they called it the First. But the First what? Vampire? Demon?"
"The First Evil" Albus told him hesitantly "The story is theirs to tell and I dare not say anymore lest I break a confidence I have not even recieved yet."
"Would they care?" Severus snorted "They seem to tell anyone anything even without even being asked.Or anyone wanting to hear"
"They seem that way, yes." Albus told him before adding "However I believe there are secrets and pain they guard inside themselves, perhaps even from each other."
"What makes you think that?" Severus asked quietly
"Their eyes" Albus said softly "They smile constantly however I've yet to see a real one on either of their faces. Their eyes are filled with pain and confusion. It almost hurts to look at them sometimes."
"I will not go out of my way to make them feel unwanted" Severus said grudgingly. "I'll try anyway. I'm not promising"
"I wouldn't dream of asking you to Severus" Albus chuckled before rising and heading towards the fireplace "And on that note I bid you goodnight"
When the flames died down and Albus was gone, Severus sat their silently before slamming his glass on the table and shouting
"Dammit, he manipulated me again!"
In his office Albus chuckled and stroked Fawkes feathers before telling the Pheonix
"It's for his own good you know. Perhaps I should change the passwords on my bedchamber again just in case though"
Fawkes let out a trill of assent as Albus chuckled again
Thank you for the reviews of my last chapter and I hope this one is OK for you all. I know there is no Spike or Anya in it but I needed to get this one out to explain a few things in the next couple of chapters.
Bob The Almighty- You may be right about me pushing too hard for the pairings. As such I've decided to take your advice and go with friendship for now. Maybe a bit of attraction...but nothing happening as of yet or in the next few chapters at least.
Coming in the next few chapters...Anya discovers not ALL of her demonic powers were taken back by D'Hoffren and Spike gets a bit twitchy about house rivalry's.
Thanks for reading - Selene
