Chapter Five: The Dilemma
A/N: Bigkihap, I've gotten rid of the italics for you, so hopefully this will be easier to read (it was getting distracting for me to write!). Sorry this took so long to post! FYI, they're at Grimmauld Place, and Severus is still having a flashback to three days ago.
Bigkihap and Lizella: Thanks for telling me about Shacklebolt. My apologies for schizophrenic!Shacklebolt; I really didn't know that Kingsley Shacklebolt was one person, so if I did characterization right, he should've been very schizophrenic. I only read OotP once, when it came out, and dislike Harry and Sirius dying so much that I never read it again. Will do so.
Thank you to all the nice people who took the time to review; you make my day!
Many, many, many thanks to my wonderful beta FlyingAuk, who has fixed so many plot issues, grammatical mistakes, and general idiocy it makes my head spin. She is the reason that I'm up at 11:27 PM posting this chapter, because after all she did for me, it's the least I can do, even if it means I end up doing biology homework into the early hours of the morning…
"You see the dilemma, then?" Aberforth asked. Their blank looks indicated otherwise: at the far end of the table, both twins had their heads cocked to the side and eyebrows raised comically.
Severus resisted the urge to growl, to get up and shake them until their teeth rattled. "Here, I'll spell it out for you in terms that you Gryffindors can understand," he spat angrily, feeling a sort of vicious satisfaction when the boys flinched instinctively. "We need to rescue Minerva, and we need to do it soon. We've got four days. We've got one shot at this, because if we fail on the first attempt or the Death Eaters get wind of what we're planning, they'll kill her without hesitation. Do you understand?"
The puzzled looks continued. Severus's jaw tightened painfully.
"What about Dumbledore?" William asked.
"Albus is not a consideration," Severus replied curtly.
"What do you mean?" Arthur asked, genuinely confused. Seated next to him, Molly looked even more lost than her husband. Her eyes had been glazed over since Aberforth's reading, and Severus had little doubt that the woman would walk into walls if she left the house without direction. The werewolf, interestingly enough, had remained silent and looked quite pale.
"He does not know about this meeting, nor will he find out about this until it's over." And that's only if we win, Severus added silently.
"Why?"
Severus glared at Tonks, who wilted after a few seconds. "Be charitable, Severus," Aberforth rebuked him lightly. "They don't know as much as you do." The younger man relaxed slightly, taking the words in both contexts as intended.
"Then you fill them in," he said shortly.
Aberforth nodded genially, looked around the table, and then sighed deeply. "As Voldemort intended, this is very hard for Albus. He cannot, and will not, surrender Potter, though I have no doubt that the notion plagues his every thought." Close your mouths, Severus snapped mentally. Are all Gryffindors equally imbecilic? "He will do nothing to risk Minerva's safety."
"He's just going to sit there?" Tonks squeaked.
"The Dark Lord has spies at Hogwarts." She looked at him, nonplussed. "Other spies, you idiot!" Severus snapped, exasperated.
"Severus!" It was Molly, but the tone was so classically Minerva in its indignation that Severus paused as something hard and tight in his chest clenched painfully.
Severus took a deep breath, suddenly furious with himself. "As I was saying," he continued tightly, "the Dark Lord has other spies at Hogwarts, and those spies are watching Albus very closely. For the main part, he has confined himself to his rooms these last few days, coming out only for meals. If he leaves Hogwarts, however, his absence will be noted, and likely taken the wrong way."
"Polyjuice," Lupin suggested neutrally.
"That is a possibility," Severus admitted, "but I'm not certain that we want him with us on this mission."
"What are you talking about?"
"Albus is…Minerva is very important to him." Aberforth stumbled trying to find the words. The three Aurors at the table were staring at the barkeeper as if he'd had one too many shots.
Severus solved the problem for him. "This is a bit too personal for him. Our primary objective is to rescue Minerva, of course, but our other objective is to get ourselves out of there alive. Albus does not have any such consideration. For that reason alone, he is too dangerous to take with us."
Arthur nodded slowly. "All right, Severus."
"I still think he should come with us," Shacklebolt disagreed, shaking his head. "Even in the worst case scenario, he'd be useful in getting us out of there." He turned to look at Tonks questioningly.
"I'm with Shacklebolt," Tonks said hesitantly. "Dumbledore would be a great asset to any mission, and I don't think that he'll be too happy that we went off without him."
"If this works, then Minerva will save us from his wrath. If this doesn't work, then we're all doomed anyway, so what's the difference?" Severus quipped. "And we have his tacit agreement to do this."
"I thought you didn't tell him about this meeting," George said.
"I didn't. But I did copy this note from his desk—no, not while he was watching!—but Albus knows that I have read it."
"And he knew that you would do this," Fred stated.
"Yes."
"I still think—"
"That we should take the great Albus Dumbledore with us, to cover our retreat if nothing else?"
Tonks nodded.
"No," Severus said flatly.
"Why not?" At some point in this series of small shocks, Tonks' appearance had reverted back to its natural state, and her dark eyes held a frustrated, stubborn glint.
The two Slytherins exchanged a long look.
"No," Aberforth seconded, equally emphatic.
"Why?"
Severus hesitated. "Absolutely not," Aberforth snapped, but he was looking at Severus, not Tonks. Legilimency did not always require a spell, especially between two willing and skilled participants.
Don't you dare, Snape!
Why not? He already knows most of it anyway.
You will not. The old man's voice thundered in Severus's head, power and anger giving it enough overtones of his brother that Severus weakened.
Dammit, Aberforth, they need to know!
That's not your decision to make. Severus glared at the seemingly-placid old man.
Damn you, Dumbledore. You're going to have to tell them something.
Why?
They're not just going to bloody "take my word for it!"
You're the First of the Order. They don't have to take your word for it; they just have to do it.
Severus shook his head and turned to face the table again. Gryffindors should leave the possession of secrets to the Slytherins; they caused fewer problems. "Enough discussion. Albus Dumbledore is not coming with us." Shacklebolt's face darkened. Severus met his gaze squarely, black eyes hard. "Drop by Hogwarts some time. If you want Dumbledore at your back, take him on one of your missions, not mine."
Tonks's dark eyes were flashing daggers at him. "Enough. We haven't got time for stupidity. Here's the plan…"
All argument ceased as everyone listened grimly while Severus outlined his plan. It was bold, risky, and incredibly brave—the antithesis of all things Slytherin—but they were there to rescue a Gryffindor, after all. And although Severus hated clichés, desperate times called for desperate measures.
After he was certain that everyone was clear on their roles, and that no mention of this meeting was to be made anywhere, Severus summarily dismissed everyone—except Aberforth.
Why didn't you let me tell them? he raged as the other Order members slowly left the table.
It's Albus's secret, not mine, Aberforth returned firmly, leaning back in his chair and calmly eyeing Severus.
It's our lives! The old man's face remained impassive. Dammit, Aberforth, they deserve to know!
No, they don't. Severus could feel Aberforth's disapproval; the old man hadn't approved of Minerva telling him in the first place.
They're not taking this seriously enough!
Telling them won't change anything, Severus. These are Gryffindors, not Slytherins. They care more for Minerva as a friend, a teacher…as a sister. Severus did not miss that last, faint thought. It will not matter to them.
Are you mad? Of course it would matter to them. They want to win this damned war just as much as we do. Tonks and the twins, at least, would have taken this far more seriously if they knew that this could mean the end of the war.
No, Severus—
No? If we lose Minerva, we will lose Albus.
Albus would not abandon Minerva's cause.
It wouldn't matter. Your ridiculously romantic brother bound his magic to her, remember? If Minerva dies, all of Albus's magic goes with her.
Then this had better work.
Damn you, Dumbledore.
A/N: So, what'd you think? Again, sorry for taking so long to post. Reviews are greatly appreciated!