A/N: Enter Monsieur Malfoy, stage right...

Chapter 20- A Surprising Turn of Events

On the outskirts of every agony sits some observant fellow who points.- Virginia Woolf

"That's Draco's owl," said Severus as he got up to get the letter.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Harry, staring at Samantha in shock. "Malfoy's grandfather had the chest!"

"Possibly. Possibly could have had the chest," said Severus as he broke the seal bearing the Malfoy crest on it. His eyes darted back and forth across the parchment. "Bloody hell."

"What is it?" asked Samantha. "More bad news for today?"

"Yes and no," said Severus shakily as he handed her the letter. She took it and started reading aloud.

"'Dear Severus, I am so sorry. I see now that you tried to tell me how it would be. You were right. You were so right and I was wrong. Severus, I don't want to do this anymore. I don't want to see any more pointless deaths. Mother was just the first. Aunt Bella won't even talk to me other than to say how she knew all along you weren't loyal to the Dark Lord. Please help me. I don't know what to do. I'll do anything you want, just get me out. If you want me to pass information, I will. If you want me to surrender to the Ministry, I will. Please. You're the only one who can help me now. I don't want to die bowing in front of him. Hope to talk to you soon. Your godson, Draco.'" She looked at Severus, who was standing rigid in front of the large bay window, a finger tapping his lips in thought.

"I don't know about this," said Hermione as she took the letter from Samantha. "How do we know this isn't some trap to get Professor Snape killed? This could be from anyone."

"It's Draco's handwriting," said Severus softly. "But it could still be a forgery. Or it could be genuine. I'm rather biased in my opinion on which I hope it is."

"I think it's genuine," said Harry. Ron and Hermione looked at him, appalled. "I don't think he would have really killed Dumbledore in the end. He had lowered his wand before the other Death Eaters arrived because Dumbledore had promised to hide him and his mother away from Voldemort. You could tell he wanted out."

"Harry, this is Malfoy we're talking about here," said Ron. "We've already talked about this. Malfoy's a Death Eater through and through."

"Draco never wanted to join," said Severus angrily, his voice intensely quiet. "He would have died had he not taken the Mark, after watching his mother being raped, tortured and or murdered slowly in front of him."

"And he could help us to defeat the wizard he's trying to escape from!" shouted Harry at Ron. "With his help, we could probably find out where Ravenclaw's chest is and if it's really a Horcrux. And we could get information to pass to the Order about future attacks, because right now, we are sitting ducks!"

"Alright, everyone," said Samantha as she put herself between the two dark-headed men and Ron and Hermione. "We're getting a little carried away here. Let's all just take a deep breath, calm down, and think about this for a moment. Let's go back through this letter again." Samantha picked up the parchment. "Now, Draco starts off the letter with an apology. From what I know of Malfoy men, they don't apologize for anything."

"Never," said Severus harshly. "They have always prided themselves on the nobility of their blood which, in their minds, covers all atrocities they might commit. This is the first time in recent memory he's ever apologized to me."

"Okay, so that's one thing," said Samantha. She read the next few lines. "He follows that up with telling Severus he was right." She paused for a moment, thinking. "If the Dark Lord were making him write this, would Draco say something like that?"

"It depends," said Severus, shrugging half-heartedly. "If he convinced Voldemort that the only way to get me out was to make me believe he truly regretted taking the Mark, he would have done so. But it's like the apology. It's very out of character for Draco to humble himself and say he was mistaken about something as important as swearing fealty to Voldemort unless he really meant it."

"Was Malfoy close to his mother?" asked Harry, as he started pacing to think. "Would her death have been the last straw so to speak, especially with his father in Azkaban and you on the run?"

"Despite Narcissa's many faults, she was a wonderful mother," said Severus. "She loved that boy with every fiber of her being, so much so that she willing risked Voldemort's wrath and came to me for help. Draco knew that. He would be much more upset over her death than Lucius being in jail. As for my turning, I don't really know how he viewed my betrayal. It may have been something he thought was weak or he might have seen it as just one more person leaving him alone in the hands of a madman."

"He mentions spying for the Order and turning himself over to the Aurors," said Samantha as she read the rest of the letter. "But it's this last line, the 'I don't want to die bowing before him' part that struck me. That's awfully bold for a letter meant as a trap."

"Voldemort would have never let Malfoy write something like that in a letter if he was ordered to write it," said Harry. "Voldemort gets off on having his minions bow before him and kiss the edge of his cloak. That line borders on betrayal and would have been removed before the letter was sent, even if it was sent as a lure."

"That's what I was thinking," said Samantha, nodding. "Now the decision is, what do we do?"

"We write him back," said Severus firmly, turning away from the window. "We see if he is truly genuine in his repentance and go from there."

"I don't think that's such a good idea," said Ron firmly. "This move has too much risk if you're wrong."

"Then we make sure that we still hold some of the cards until we are sure," growled Severus. "I'm not an idiot, Weasley. I'm not about to parade myself in front of Draco, waiting for whatever curse may hit me. However, if he is truly seeking guidance, I will not leave him with no one to turn to for help." He took a step towards Ron, towering menacingly over him. "I know what it feels like to have the entire world against you. Every poison looks like butterbeer and you're hoping that either the Dementors mistake you for prey or that Voldemort will torture you just past that point of no return." He looked murderously at Ron. "I will not sit here and do nothing."

"If that's what you have to do," said Hermione. She put a hand on Ron's arm to stop him arguing further. "But I agree with Ron. I don't think this is a good idea either, but if you're determined to do it, then do it." Ron shrugged off Hermione's hand and stormed out of the room. Hermione ran after him. Harry sighed.

"They'll come around eventually," said Harry softly. "Once they get something in their heads, it's pretty hard to get them to see things from your perspective." He grabbed some blank parchment, a quill and a bottle of ink, and set it down on the table. "Write the dragon back, Severus. And tell him the next time he decides to write a letter that I said to use a little discretion. I don't fancy Voldemort knowing where we live."

"Or we need to teach him the Patronus Messaging Charm," said Samantha.

"We would need to teach him a lot of things," said Severus wearily. He sighed as he sat heavily in the chair. He inked the quill and began to write.

Dear Draco-


I received the message that you sent with your owl. You must forgive me if it seems a little suspect. However, I would be willing to meet you to verify its contents. Be in Hogsmeade at the stile at the end of the road past Dervish and Banges a week from tomorrow at 2pm. Come alone or I will be forced to remedy the situation. You will meet a man with light brown hair who will address you by your middle name. You and he will discuss your options, as well as anything else that arises based on any decision you may make.

Until then,
SS

Severus attached his letter to the owl's leg. The bird took off back down the hall to the open window in the kitchen.

"How will you know if he's telling us the truth?" said Harry.

"I will do what Dumbledore did for me," said Severus. "To have someone's trust encourages one to be honest. We will see if my belief in him can save him."

A week later, Jacob Prince stood waiting at the deserted end of the high street in Hogsmeade, his black cloak billowing menacingly in the brisk September breeze. The other four were stationed around the outside of the stile, disillusioned and invisible save for the blue outline only visible to the other three. A hooded figure appeared near Dervish and Banges, walking quickly to the end of the road. He looked up and saw Jacob waiting for him. The figure slowed his pace and approached the tall man warily, keeping his hood up as he came to stand directly before Severus.

"Hello, Elias," said Severus. He looked behind Draco and back at the young man's grey eyes. "Are you alone?"

"Yes," said Draco quietly. "Did Severus send you?"

"He did," answered Severus. "He asked me to ascertain your feelings towards a certain Dark Lord. I will know one way or the other after we are through. If you have changed your mind since writing your godfather, you may leave and fear no repercussions."

"No, I will not change my mind," said Draco firmly. "My decision is made."

"Very well," said Severus. "I will ask that you allow me to perform Legilimency on you. If you have any Occlumency walls up for any reason, I will disapparate immediately, along with my companions who are watching us right now. I assure you that any memories or information that I retrieve will not be discussed with anyone unless you give express consent. Will you consent to the Legilimency?"

"Yes," said Draco immediately. He made the requisite eye contact with Severus as Severus lifted his wand.

"Legilimens!" cried Severus. He was bombarded with memories of Narcissa from when Draco was younger, Lucius's yelling at Draco for dishonoring the family, the beatings he had received after not achieving better grades, the envy of the Golden Trio's friendship. Severus found no walls anywhere, but continued his ruthless attack. Albus's tired face appeared, promising Draco protection if he agreed to lower his wand, Narcissa's lithe frame dropping to the ground after a flash of light, Bellatrix's angry face screaming about betrayal and vengeance. Finally, a memory rose to the surface. A young blond man hunched over a parchment, tears running down his face as he penned the words "You're the only one who can help me" and the surrounding hopelessness and despair.

Severus lifted the spell, trembling slightly from the effort of holding the spell for so long. Draco fell to his knees, shaking violently and gasping for breath. Severus knelt beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.

"If you have now changed your mind, you may go without harm," said Severus quietly. "I'm sorry it was painful, but you must understand that it was necessary if I am to protect your godfather and his friends from certain death."

Draco's breathing hitched as tears ran down his face. He looked up at Severus with haunted eyes.

"I understand," he said in a tremulous voice. "I want out. If this is what it takes, so be it. I am willing to do this and more if need be."

"That's my boy," said Severus softly. He lifted his wand and cancelled his disguise. Draco's eyes widened before he threw his arms around Severus. Severus held him and gave a hand signal in the direction where Samantha was hiding. She cancelled her charm and walked forward, placing a hand on Draco's back. The boy turned quickly to look at her. He gave her a small smile.

"Thank you," whispered Draco. "I didn't know what else to do."

Samantha brushed his tears away as she held his face in her hands. "You did the right thing, Draco. We will help you in any way we can."

"I must do some introductions," said Severus with a smile. "Samantha, this is my godson Draco. Draco, this is my fiancée Samantha Ives."

"Fiancée?" said Draco. He gaped at Samantha, his jaw dropping as she lifted her left hand, displaying the engagement ring. "You agreed to marry this old man?" Samantha laughed at Severus's frown.

"What is it with all the 'old man' remarks?" said Severus exasperated. "First it's Samantha, then it's Harry -"

"Harry?" cried Draco. "Surely you don't mean Harry as in Harry Potter?"

Severus sighed. "Yes, Draco. Harry Potter. As in the Harry Potter who has given Samantha and I a place to live where we won't be hunted down and murdered by my former associates. The same Harry Potter who you are now partnering with to bring down Voldemort." Draco shuttered at the name. "In fact, speaking of Harry," Severus gave a loud whistle. Harry, Ron and Hermione all appeared behind Severus, resheathing their wands. Ron and Hermione stared hard at Draco, their gaze unforgiving as they walked up to the others. Harry approached Draco and offered him a hand.

"Welcome to the light, Draco," said Harry as he pulled Draco to his feet. Draco eyed him suspiciously, glancing back and forth between him and the other two. Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione and frowned at them.

"Don't worry about them," said Harry quietly. "They just don't like to be proved wrong."

"They look about to murder me where I stand," said Draco softly. He eyed Harry carefully. "In fact, why aren't you trying to strangle me?"

Harry shrugged, casually brushing his nails on his shirt. "I've learned to be a bit more subtle in my strangling of people. Doing it in front of four witnesses is not a good move."

Harry gave him a sly grin. Draco smirked at him.

"Then I suppose I'd better think of another way to jinx them without you all finding out about it," said Draco. Harry chuckled and turned to Severus.

"Now what?" said Harry. "I'd like to get out of here before anyone in Hogsmeade spots us. We'd have a hard time trying to get you and Draco out of here alive."

"Indeed," said Severus. He looked at Draco. "Are you still living at the Manor?"

"No," said Draco bitterly. "I have a flat in London. I've been staying there since Mother died. The Ministry took over ownership of the Manor and everything in it. I did as you told me after we left Hogwarts and emptied the bank accounts into another vault under the guise of Morgan Lancaster, a young and handsome dark-haired man, with stunning good looks and bright blue eyes."

"And I thought Gryffindors were the overly arrogant ones," muttered Samantha with a grin. "Well. Good to know that you have some means to live on. However," she said as she turned to Severus. "If the Ministry has seized the Manor and its contents, we have a problem."

"A very big problem," added Harry. He glanced quickly at Draco, who was looking back and forth between the three of them.

"What's at the Manor?" asked Draco. Harry and Samantha looked at Severus, who rubbed a hand over his face.

"Draco, you must continue living at your apartment for now," said Severus, ignoring his question. "You will begin lessons with me in how to deceive Voldemort, beginning immediately."

"Start him out with written correspondence," said Harry smugly. Samantha hit his arm and glared at him.

"Where will we meet?" said Draco. "It's risky to meet at the apartment, but we can if we need to."

"Unfortunately, I cannot bring you into Order Headquarters until your Occlumency is a little better," said Severus. "Give me the address of your apartment. I will meet you there and we will work on some things. When I think that you are ready, we will bring you into the 12 for higher level training with all of us." Samantha conjured some parchment and an inked quill.

Draco nodded and wrote his address on the slip of paper and handed it to Severus.

"I will see you tomorrow at 10am," said Severus as he read the parchment. "Be ready."

"I will," said Draco. He left the stile with a loud crack.

Samantha took Severus's hand. "Let's go home."

Five pops sounded at the end of the high road, leaving the stile silent once again.

After a late dinner, the five of them sat around the kitchen table, discussing where Ravenclaw's chest might be.

"I have no clue as to where they keep the things they confiscate during raids," said Ron. "Dad's never mentioned it. It's got to be somewhere in the Ministry."

"Most likely it's connected in some way to MLE," said Samantha, "since most of the stuff they confiscate is illegal or Dark."

"Can't we just ask Mr. Weasley what they do with it?" asked Hermione. "Is he allowed to tell us?"

"We would be incredibly fortunate if he could," said Severus. "Weasley, Patronus him and ask."

"I've never done the charm before," said Ron hesitantly. "I don't know if it'll work."

"Nothing like the present to find out," said Severus, staring hard at Ron. Ron sighed and left the room. He returned a few minutes later and sat back down.

"It's sent," said Ron. "We should get something back anytime now."

The minutes passed in silence before a white light shot through a wall directly towards Ron. Ron touched the patronus with his wand and pulled the message off, unrolling the parchment to read.

"He says he has no idea where they put that stuff," said Ron, reading the parchment. "He hands anything that looks suspicious over to the Aurors to handle." He vanished the parchment with a tap of his wand.

Severus sighed loudly. He got up out of his chair and walked to the mantle. He braced himself against the fireplace, hanging his head and thinking.

"Then we have to go after the snake," he said softly. He turned back around to the table.

"Exactly how are we going to do that?" asked Hermione. "If we kill the snake, then Voldemort will know that we're out to destroy the Horcruxes and will attempt to steal the chest before we can get to it."

"We just need a little time before the snake is dead so that we can find the chest and bring it here," said Samantha. She thought for a moment. "Since the snake is alive, we can't use the potion we used for the others, right Severus?"

"That's right," he answered. "That potion won't work for living things. We should just be able to kill the snake and have the soul be destroyed. It's the same way with Voldemort once we destroy all the Horcruxes. He'll become just a man with one soul and can therefore be killed with something as simple as a well-placed Killing Curse. The snake is no different."

"Aren't there poisons that can be modified with a time-release charm, where the potion's effects are delayed after you administer it?" asked Harry. Severus grinned at him.

"Been doing a little potions reading, have we, Harry?" he smirked. Harry rolled his eyes.

"Just the stuff you made me read when we were doing antidotes," said Harry. "Not anything else. That's Hermione's job."

"There are a ton of poisons that fit that description," said Hermione. "Once we get close enough to the snake itself, we would then have to figure out a way to get the poison into the snake without Voldemort finding out about it or being able to detect it."

"All we need is the potion, then," said Harry. "We can have Draco give it to Nagini." Ron shook his head, giving Harry a skeptical look.

"Would Malfoy be able to get close enough during a meeting?" asked Ron. "It would be fairly obvious if he just went up to it and fed it something."

"I am going to have to look through some books," said Severus. He looked at his watch. "It's late and it's been a long day. We can continue this discussion at a later time. I will be at Draco's for most of the day tomorrow, so I'm going to go to bed. Goodnight, all." He left the kitchen, giving Samantha a kiss.

"I don't trust him," said Ron as soon as Severus left the room. "Malfoy can't seriously be thinking about joining us to fight against You-Know-Who."

"Severus trusts him," said Samantha as she rose from the table. "I trust him. Do you think we're wrong?"

"I don't know," said Ron. "I honestly can't say for certain that he's telling the truth. And that's what keeps me from trusting him."

"I, for one, am keeping a close eye on him," said Hermione. "He can't have just given up all the ideas that he's been brought up with."

"So you're holding his past against him, is that it?" asked Harry. Samantha noticed his hands shaking under the table and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Because he took the Mark, that automatically cancels out anything he says or if he changes his mind?"

"Yes," said Ron harshly. "He made his choice. If he couldn't stick it out, he shouldn't have made the choice in the first place."

"Ron's got a point, Harry," said Hermione. "Malfoy knew what went on inside Voldemort's circle. His father's been a Death Eater since before Draco was born. He would have talked about it with him, knowing that someday Malfoy would take the Mark."

"Then that begs the question," said Samantha, her voice deceptively calm, "do either of you trust Severus at all? Because he most certainly took the Mark under the same circumstances as Draco."

"That's different," said Ron quickly. "He turned a long time ago and has been spying and helping the Order for longer than we've been alive."

"We've been around Professor Snape long enough to know he's on our side," said Hermione. "We haven't had that same time to observe Malfoy. He could be fooling us right now and we wouldn't know it until it was too late."

"So you will trust the murderer of the greatest wizard of the age, but not a boy who made a bad decision and has changed his mind?" said Samantha, her temper rising.

"Yes," said Hermione. "The circumstances are different." Ron nodded in agreement.

Samantha ground her teeth together while Harry stood up slowly from the table.

"It is not different," said Harry softly. "You didn't see Draco standing before Dumbledore. He was so scared. He'd gone to all that trouble to get the Death Eaters into the castle, to try and kill Dumbledore with the necklace and the mead. But he's just like us. Forced into something that he doesn't want to do in order to save the people he loves. We have something the Death Eaters don't have and will never have."

"Yeah, a bloody conscience," said Ron angrily.

"No!" shouted Harry, pounding a fist on the table. "We have hope! We believe that someday we will live in a world free from fear and Voldemort, free from the terror of that goddamn green light and of the Dark Mark. We have hope that we will live to see our children grow up and go to Hogwarts and be married and have kids of their own. That is what I am fighting for! That's what I want to accomplish in killing that bastard! I want the life that was stolen from me when my parents died!" Harry pushed roughly past Ron and left the room, slamming the kitchen door behind him.

"I will not discuss this again with either of you," said Samantha in a low tone. "I refuse to listen to this anymore and advise you not to speak of this in front of Severus, lest you be cursed six ways from Sunday. If you two are so stubborn that you will not help Draco, then so be it. Just remember who is risking their life to save people who hate them." Samantha stormed out of the room and up the stairs to Severus's room. She threw open the door and almost slammed it closed, before remembering that Severus had already gone to bed. She shut the door with a soft click and saw Severus turn towards her.

"Sorry," whispered Samantha. "I didn't mean to wake you."

"I wasn't asleep yet," said Severus. "There were these awfully rude people downstairs yelling at each other."

"I'm sorry," said Samantha as she took off her jumper. "We have some reluctant Gryffindors who are not thinking logically about things."

"It is to be expected," sighed Severus. "There's too much history between them all for it to just go away. Although I must say, I'm rather proud of Harry. I thought him accepting me was quick."

"I thought so too," said Samantha as she let her hair down. "But Harry has had much more to deal with in his life than both Ron and Hermione combined. He understands what's at stake." She slipped between the covers and lay next to Severus. "And besides, he trusts you wholeheartedly. He would follow you anywhere, even to death."

"I know," whispered Severus. "Damn Gryffindor loyalty." He pulled Samantha closer to him, wrapping his arm around her waist. "It scares me, Sam. He looks at me like he did Black or Lupin."

"Or Albus," said Samantha softly.

"That's even worse," said Severus. "I can't be to him or Draco what Albus was to me. No one could live up to that kind of standard."

"Severus, you're missing the point," said Samantha. "You don't have to be like Albus. In fact, I daresay that if you started treating Harry the way Albus did, Harry would hex you into next week. He looks up to you for who you are. He doesn't try to make you fill anybody's shoes - not Remus's, not Sirius's, and certainly not Albus's. You believe in him and enable him to fight. You don't keep him back because he's young and he loves you for that. You have given him the courage to keep fighting. You can give that kind of courage to Draco too."

"I just don't want to let either of them down," whispered Severus, hugging Samantha tighter. "Albus never let me down."

"But Albus was just as fallible as you are, Severus," said Samantha. "He made mistakes and made you angry and upset. But you still loved him with everything you had. Love doesn't remember all the bad times and all the times you were disappointed. Love remembers the laughter and the joy of the other person, and how much that person gave to you of themselves." She leaned up and kissed him. "Go to sleep, love. Quit worrying about it. They're going to love you no matter what, so you had best just get used to it."

"I love you, Samantha," whispered Severus as he closed his eyes.

Samantha smiled in the darkness.

"I love you too."

A/N2: Gold star to you if you spotted the LOTR quote...