Disclaimer:  They aren't mine.  Not now…not ever.  Anything recognizable belongs to JKR and Company.  Anything else is simply me having a bit of fun!

A Tense Situation

~Chapter Six~

"Harry!" the red-haired young man exclaimed upon seeing his friend enter the Great Hall. "Hermione and I were just talking about you.  We just finished saying that we were going to check the Infirmary if you didn't turn up soon."

The Boy-Who-Lived bid a polite good morning to his friends and grimaced ever so slightly when he saw his best friend shove a burgeoning fork full of eggs into his mouth.  The all too familiar scene comforted him somewhat due to the sheer normality of it all.  A wistful expression crossed his face as he looked at his friends.  'No.  I will not let Voldemort have them.  They are my family!'   

"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked. The disapproval on her face as she watched Ron Weasley sloppily shoveling food into his mouth changed instantly to a look of concern as she gazed at her dark-haired friend. 

The softly spoken question was enough to pull him out of his reverie and he quickly pasted a smile on his face.  It wouldn't do to alert his friends to the potential danger until after he had spoken with Dumbledore.  "Yes I'm fine, Hermione.  I guess I just had too much sleep." He hurriedly sat down and began filling the empty plate that magically appeared on the table in front of him with the hope of diverting any further questions.

"How can you have too much sleep?" Ron asked perplexed, taking a moment to look up from his plate. 

A short peal of laughter from Harry and a glare fierce enough to petrify a Basilisk from Hermione, were his only answers.

"What did I say?" the confused boy questioned, looking back and forth between his two friends.

His question was to remain unanswered as Minerva McGonagall chose that precise moment to address the trio.  "Mr. Potter, the Headmaster would like to speak with you, in his office, directly after supper this evening."

"Yes, Professor McGonagall," the young man replied, making it a point to keep his voice low so the other students wouldn't overhear their conversation.  He could tell by the look on the woman's face that whatever the Headmaster wanted to speak with him about would be of a serious nature.  'Snape must have already spoken with him about Voldemort's plan,' he thought, casting a quick glance to the Head Table where the Potions Master was seated.  

"He would also like to speak with the both of you as well, Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley," she continued and watched as they nodded their heads in confirmation.  "Very well then.  Have a good day."

The trio watched as their Head of House pivoted abruptly and exited the dining room before they returned their attention to one another. 

"What was that all about?" Ron questioned, his near empty plate of food now forgotten.

"I'm not sure," Harry stammered reluctantly, suddenly finding his own plate of food to be especially interesting. 

However, Hermione had not gained the reputation of being the Gryffindor Know-It-All for nothing.  It had not been exceptionally difficult to add two and two together to deduce that the Headmaster probably wanted to talk to them about Harry's experience of the previous day.  She was almost positive her friend had not told Dumbledore everything he had unwillingly witnessed, and now, after watching his reaction to Professor McGonagall's words and following his brief glance toward Professor Snape, she was certain that her suspicions were correct.  Sensing this was neither the time nor the place to further interrogate the reticent young man, she quietly returned her attention to her own breakfast.  It didn't take an expert in Divination to realize that something was seriously amiss and Hermione, non-believer in the subject though she was, found herself facing the upcoming meeting with more than a little trepidation.

/^\^/^\^/^\

Two pairs of eyes had intently watched the exchange between the Transfigurations Professor and the three Gryffindors.  One pair of eyes was the color of pure steel and held a look within their depths that was just as unyielding. While most of Hogwart's populace assumed the stern Professor was conferring with her students about House business, Draco Malfoy knew better.  Or at least he thought he did. Even though he had been unable to hear their conversation, the Slytherin had noted the trio's tense expressions and terse nods. Try as he might to observe more of the impromptu gathering, he was unable to discern much of anything else thanks to the hulking forms of Crabbe and Goyle, whose massive bodies unwittingly obstructed his view. 

'So… Saint Potter has returned just as the Weasel predicted and now McGonagall has made it a point to stop and talk specifically with them,' he jeered, cognizant of the fact that she had not made an effort to speak with any of the other Gryffindors.  'And I seriously doubt she was simply welcoming Potter back.' A grim smile settled over his face.  No, things seemed quite tense at the Gryffindor table and Draco was willing to bet that it had something to do with Potter's mysterious stay in the Infirmary and his own Head of House's disappearance the previous day. 

'What in Merlin's name is going on?' he wondered, irritated that he was still no closer to solving the puzzle than he was the previous evening.  Unfortunately, his musings would have to be shelved for a later time or he would be late to his first class of the day.  Picking up his books, he graced Crabbe and Goyle with a condescending nod and exited the Great Hall. 

/^\^/^\^/^\

A second pair of eyes, dark and brooding, watched quietly as the three Gryffindors left the Great Hall. Recalling his most recent conversation with Albus Dumbledore, the Potions Master was willing to bet that Minerva had informed the troublesome students of the upcoming meeting.  It simply irritated him to no end that he was being forced to work with Weasley and Granger, especially concerning a matter as important as this.  After all, should they bungle the mission, and he had no doubt that they would, it would be his life that would be forfeited. 

'Blast Albus and his unfailing faith in those meddlesome dunderheads!'   

Letting loose a sigh of exasperation, he meticulously wiped his mouth with the linen napkin and slowly rose from his chair.  His muscles ached from the strain of the Unforgivable he had been subjected to and if it weren't for the ample supply of Pepper-Up Potion, which he kept in his quarters, it would have been almost impossible to get out of bed, let alone put in an appearance at breakfast. He was not looking forward to tonight's meeting either as the thought of having to deal with Potter and his sidekicks threatened to make his headache return full force.  Potter would undoubtedly sit and glare as if this whole fiasco was somehow his fault; Weasley's childish temper would automatically stifle any modicum of sense he might possess; and Granger… Severus sighed as his thoughts turned to the bookworm of the infamous trio.  As much as he hated to admit it, and Merlin knew he would never verbally admit such a thing to anyone, the girl possessed a fair amount of intelligence and common sense. She was probably the only one of the thankless brats that could be counted on to retain any reasonable level of maturity while the Headmaster disclosed his plans. 

'And then those damnable questions will follow.' 

Truth be known, that was Snape's only problem with the girl. The never-ending stream of questions coupled with her obviously poor taste in friends was more than enough to place the annoying young woman in his bad graces for life.  Privately, he felt compelled to grudgingly acknowledge a deep respect for her unwavering intelligence and the way in which she methodically considered all data before tackling a complex problem.  'What could a Witch with so much potential possibly see in Potter and Weasley?'

Realizing that he was wasting time thinking about the Gryffindors, the Potions Master snarled and stormed out of the Great Hall, deducting house points from several students as he made his way to the dungeons to prepare for his first class of the day.  No, he was not looking forward to this evening's meeting, and if such a concept as justice existed in the Wizarding World, then Harry Potter and his bothersome friends wouldn't be either.

/^\^/^\^/^\

Lucius Malfoy was less than amused as he read the letter delivered only moments before by a non-descript post owl.  A frown marred his forehead as his eyes traversed the final paragraph a second time. 

'So it would seem the Dark Lord is of the opinion that Severus may actually follow through with his orders to whisk those wretched children from Dumbledore's grasp,' he thought with displeasure. His fingers involuntarily tightened around the parchment in response to the burst of anger that surged through his body, causing the delicate piece of paper to become irreparably wrinkled.  'I have waited too long and planned too carefully for this opportunity to gain that which should rightfully be mine and I will not allow my plans to be thwarted by anyone.  Least of all him!'  

A look of steely resolve shone vividly in his cold gray eyes and his lips curved upwards to form the beginnings of a small, but sinister smile.  Overall, it was a daunting effect and the tiny House-Elf that had just entered the Study quivered with fear.  She was all too familiar with her Master's abrupt change of moods as well as the physical abuse that usually accompanied them. Hoping to avoid such a fate, Mitzy quickly deposited the heavily laden breakfast tray onto the oval coffee table and Apparated quickly from the room.

Lucius glared momentarily at the spot in which the creature had stood.  He hated House-Elves with every fiber of his being.  They were peculiar, offensive, sniveling little wretches that barely deserved the honor of serving a Wizard of his nobility.  "Filthy beast," he muttered, lifting a steaming mug of Earl Grey to his lips.  His brow furrowed in thought as he turned his attention back to his recently delivered correspondence.

He had chosen the perfect person to play the part of the puppet in his grandiose scheme to rid the Wizarding World of Severus Snape so that he might assume the man's position at Voldemort's side; A puppet that most wouldn't suspect given its past history and personality.  Another smile graced his features as he imagined the thoughts currently racing through the Potions Master's mind.  Would he choose to follow the Master he had professed to serve for so many years? Or, would he choose to throw it all away for the sake of an aging Wizard and a few meddlesome students? Ah yes, it was a dilemma and his puppet had done well in laying the proverbial seeds of doubt at the Dark Lord's feet. Now it was up to Lucius to maneuver the strings and ensure that everything went according to plan.      

The elder Malfoy sat down at his desk and pulled two sheets of heavy, expensive parchment from the top drawer. Picking up the delicate feather quill that rested in its holder, he dipped the nib into the inkwell and began writing.  Someone would need to keep an eye on Snape during the remainder of the week just in case the Wizard did actually decide to carry out the Dark Lord's instructions.  Lucius briefly entertained the notion of charging his son with the task but quickly decided against the idea as past experience had taught him that there were too many variables when dealing with the Boy-Who-Lived and his errant playmates. In the event that something should go wrong, it was better to let someone else take the fall so as not to sully the Malfoy name.  Merlin knew it had been scrutinized enough during the past two years as a direct result of Harry Potter and his disgustingly loyal friends!   

Placing the finishing touches on the first piece of parchment, Lucius raised his wand and lightly tapped it against the completed letter.  After murmuring the words to a relatively simple incantation, he touched the wand to the blank parchment and watched with satisfaction as the original letter duplicated itself.  Picking up the quill, he neatly filled in the addressee's name, sealed both letters and called for his owl. Yes, it would be better to walk on the side of caution where Potter was concerned and fortunately, Lucius Malfoy had friends that remained loyal to him.  Even more fortunate was the fact that those friends had children at Hogwarts that would be all too happy to monitor the suspect actions of Slytherin's Head of House.   

An energetic peel of laughter escaped Malfoy's lips as the owl flew away to deliver his requests.  Perhaps the Dark Lord was correct in his belief that Severus would deliver Weasley and Granger into his reptilian-like hands? Though he still doubted the Potions Master's loyalty, not to mention his resolve in accomplishing such a task under the interfering nose of Albus Dumbledore, it didn't hurt to be prepared; and a Malfoy was always prepared!

He sat down on the sofa and relaxed against the soft leather upholstery. Lost in thought, his eyes absently followed the path the owl had taken.  'Regardless of your decision, Severus, you will not succeed in maintaining favor with the Master,' he vowed, biting into a buttery scone from the highly polished breakfast tray. 'I give you my word as a Malfoy that I will personally see to it that you fail in such a task.'

/^\^/^\^/^\

Severus stormed through the hallways with a vengeance that sent the nearby students hastily scattering in all directions.  Everyone, including the First Years, knew of the Potions Master's legendary temper and his penchant for deducting house points merely for glancing in his direction.  Even the Slytherins, who normally delighted in standing by and jeering as their Head of House deducted points from their fellow students, quickly decided they had other places to be. "Five points from Slytherin, Miss Parkinson, for being in a part of the castle in which you have no place being," he snapped at the gaping girl.  It was with grim satisfaction that he watched her hurriedly storm off towards the Slytherin Common Room. 

'Two days of the Dark Lord's antics and unwanted gifts of Crucio followed by an entire day filled with exploding cauldrons and dunderheaded children. As if that isn't enough to constitute a truly heinous day and nearly send me to an early death, I must now endure a fun-filled evening with Albus and the Fantastic Three. Will these atrocities never cease?' he privately wondered.

Arriving at the stone Gargoyle, Snape snapped out the password and stepped onto the spiraling stairway.  His first sight as he entered the Headmaster's office was of three Gryffindor students.  Each sat quietly and wore a look of apprehension on their face.  Although, at a closer glance, he would have to say that the look on Weasley's face seemed to be one of confusion rather than worry.

The Slytherin glared at Harry and his friends a few seconds longer than was his usual custom and mentally cheered when he saw Hermione squirm ever so slightly.  He didn't fail to notice the small spark of anger, which blazed in her honey-colored eyes just before she lowered them to study the intricate designs of the Persian carpet covering the stone floor.

'Honey-colored eyes?' he reflected, silently panicking at the direction his thoughts had traveled. The strain of the past forty-eight hours must have exacted a greater toll on him than he originally thought if he was now noticing the physical attributes of his students.   He absently shook his head in protest of such a notion. 'There is no other explanation as to why I would indulge in these thoughts about such an annoying young woman! Where in Merlin's name did such an idea come from?'   

"Ah, Severus, it's good of you to join us," Dumbledore spoke from where he was seated behind his desk.  His blue eyes twinkled brightly as he turned his gaze upon the perplexed man. It was almost as if he was privy to a secret that was yet to be shared. 

"It's not as if you gave me a choice, Headmaster," Snape sneered, reverting to the older Wizard's title rather than the familiarity of his first name, on account of the students presence.

"That is true," he acknowledged with a friendly smile. Suddenly, the twinkling of his eyes dimmed to be replaced by a more serious expression as he redirected the group's attention. "However, now that we are all here, I think it best to discuss the matter at hand."  

Harry glanced nervously at Ron and Hermione and noted that they also looked more than a little apprehensive. The feelings of guilt he had carried with him since the previous day returned full force and his mouth suddenly detected a distinct metallic flavor.  It was the taste of nausea and he couldn't help but also notice the knot of fear that had taken up residence in the pit of his stomach.  'This will not do.  Not now,' he thought, fighting against the physical sensations that gripped his body. Returning his attention to the Headmaster, he was surprised to see the Wizard staring intently at him with a look of understanding shining from the depths of his kindly eyes. 

"Perhaps it would be best to begin by stating that of which you are all already aware," Dumbledore said quietly, peering into the face of each person present.  "As you all know, Professor Snape is a most valued member of the Order of the Phoenix."

The students nodded their heads in confirmation and Hermione dared a quick glance in the Potions Master's direction.  She was startled to find herself staring directly into the depths of his obsidian eyes and felt a momentary sense of loss as he averted his own gaze the moment their eyes met. The young woman was shocked by the intensity of the emotion she had witnessed, though she couldn't put a specific name to it.  Daring one final glance in the Wizard's direction, she noticed that he had assumed a more familiar position; that of arms crossed directly in front of him with a customary scowl settled firmly on his face.  'Yes, that's better,' she thought, disconcerted by their brief interaction. Deciding to reflect on the strange encounter at a later time, she returned her attention to the Headmaster.

"As you have already gathered, Professor Snape has been using his connections to spy on the Death Eaters and obtain valuable information for the Order.  This information is vital to our survival and will hopefully enable us to find a way in which to defeat Lord Voldemort once and for all." The elderly Wizard paused, allowing the impact of his words to settle.  "Professor Snape accomplishes this by posing as a loyal Death Eater and has achieved the status of one of Voldemort's most valued members within the Inner Circle.  He maintains this status by appearing to follow Voldemort's instructions as well as reporting back with bits and pieces of information regarding the activities of myself and the resistance."

Ron visibly flinched at the Wizard's continued use of the Dark Lord's name.  Although he had been told many times that 'fear of a name only increases the fear of the thing itself', he still felt a thread of superstition weave its way through his heart and mind.  'It's not as if we're talking about Filch here. This is He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named,' he argued silently.  

Dumbledore paused briefly and offered Ron an encouraging smile, as if he could hear the young man's thoughts and fears. Comforted by the answering nod from the red-haired student, he continued his explanations of the situation with which they currently found themselves confronted.  "Yesterday, shortly after your potions class, Professor Snape was summoned to Voldemort's side. This is, of course, a fact that you became aware of when Harry shared his visions with the both of you, as well as Professor McGonagall and myself, in the Gryffindor Common Room. At that time, Harry informed us that Voldemort had issued orders to Professor Snape.  Orders that, if carried out as instructed, would prove the nature of his loyalties once and for all."

"But he didn't know what those orders were," Ron said, recalling the conversation of the previous day between Harry and the Headmaster.

A red flush quickly crept up Harry's face as he looked guiltily at his friend of nearly seven years.  "I lied, Ron," he confessed, his words so softly spoken that everyone in the room had to strain their ears to hear them.  He hurriedly continued with his admission when he saw the look on his friend's face change from shock to anger.  "Really, Ron, I didn't want to lie but I needed time to think and I didn't want the two of you to panic or worry or anything like that." His voice trailed off and he cast his eyes downward, ashamed of his own cowardice.

"Why would we panic?" Ron asked, bewildered.

"Because Professor Snape's orders had something to do with one of us," Hermione stated flatly, looking to the Potions Master for confirmation. A calculating stare was his only reply. Her hopes plummeted as she realized his failure to utter a sarcastic rejoinder spoke as clearly as any words might have done. She knew from his actions, or lack thereof, that her theory was correct. 

Harry's head jerked upward and his eyes traveled to her face. Aside from the determined set of her jaw, she showed no expression to indicate her thoughts on the matter at hand.  After all these years, he should not be surprised either by her intellect or her uncanny ability to draw the correct conclusions from a handful of facts, but he always was. This time was no exception.

The Boy-Who-Lived turned his attention to his other friend and nearly laughed at the predictability he found in the young man's expression.  Ron currently sat staring at him, mouth opening and closing in a fair imitation of a fish. Further words were unnecessary, as Hermione had already pointed out the gruesome truth of the situation.

"You are partially correct, Miss Granger," Dumbledore answered gravely.  "It would appear that Voldemort has found a new means of trying to hurt Harry."

"Which one of us does he want?" Ron asked, worried that the Dark Lord would want him but just as afraid for Hermione as well. As fearful as he was of coming face to face with the creature Harry had told them so much about, Ron knew that he would willingly take Hermione's place if Snape had been ordered to bring her to the Death Eaters. 'Sometimes life just isn't fair.'

"Me." It was a softly spoken feminine voice that answered the question and although she had only uttered one single word, it seemed to hang in the air like a layer of heavy fog. 

"Why would you say that, Miss Granger?"  Snape spoke for the first time since Albus had begun his little soiree. 

"Because it's the most likely answer," she replied, staring directly at him.  "I mean it's quite obvious really. I'm Harry's friend, Muggleborn, top of my class and Head Girl. How much more reason would he need?"

A slight incline of his head was his only answer as he contemplated the young woman sitting across from him.  He had always found her constant questions annoying and her insight into matters vexing, as she always seemed to reach the correct conclusion with very little effort.  This situation was obviously no different from any other instance in the past and Snape felt his opinion of the Know-It-All raise another notch. 

"As I said," the Headmaster interrupted, "you are partially correct, Miss Granger.  Unfortunately, Voldemort has decided that the best way to wound Harry would be to remove both yours and Mr. Weasley's presence from his life."

"He wants us both?" Ron all but shouted in complete disbelief, waking Fawkes in the process. "Bloody Hell!"

Fawkes let out a shrill squawk as if agreeing with the hot-tempered student.

Harry shot his friend and apologetic look before turning his attention to Hermione.  She had remained silent during Ron's characteristic outburst and had yet to voice her own opinion on the subject.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," the Headmaster answered quietly, casting a concerned look at the other students.  "Professor Snape has been ordered to deliver you both directly to Voldemort no later than midnight Saturday."

"And if he doesn't?" Hermione asked, her worried eyes resting momentarily on the silent Potions Master before settling on Dumbledore.

Snape shifted in his chair and cast a quick look at Dumbledore as if asking permission to answer the young woman's question.  After receiving the briefest of nods from the older Wizard, the Potions Master turned his attention to the Gryffindor trio.  "Should I fail to carry out the Dark Lord's instructions, Miss Granger, I will face execution."

A tangible silence settled over the room and Ron's eyes took on an almost bug-like appearance, growing large and round as a result of the shock he felt at his Professor's proclamation.  Harry began to nervously fidget while Hermione steadfastly held the Slytherin's gaze for what seemed to be an interminable amount of time.

It was Albus Dumbledore that finally broke the uneasy silence.  "I am certain that none of you would like to see this situation result in such an unhappy ending."

"How are we going to save Professor Snape without giving up Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked, a grim determination entering his eyes.

"I can think of only one way to solve the dilemma we currently face," the Headmaster answered slowly, an expression of resignation settling on his bearded facial features. "We are going to have to follow Voldemort's instructions."

It took a full ten seconds for the impact of Dumbledore's words to filter through the student's shocked minds.  After that, chaos erupted in the forms of Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, who had both risen from their seats to adopt an angry stance in front of the Headmaster's desk. 

"What?" Ron exclaimed, looking as if he might lose the contents of the dinner he had so recently consumed.  He couldn't believe that Albus Dumbledore, the Wizard he had looked up to for so many years, had just calmly announced that he was going to willingly allow two of his students to be handed over to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.  'All of this just to save Snape,' he thought bitterly, casting a malicious glance at the Potions Master.  'What about us?' 

"There is absolutely no way that you are going to let…HIM…take them to Voldemort!" Harry announced, glaring at Snape as if he were somehow responsible for their current situation. 

"Potter, Weasley, sit down and stop behaving like the undisciplined simpletons I have credited you with being these past seven years," the Potions Master snapped, having risen so that he had the further advantage of his impressive height to lend emphasis to his harshly spoken words.

Harry and Ron immediately turned their attention to the irritated Wizard, their expressions full of animosity. 

"Please," the Headmaster pleaded quietly, gesturing to their vacant seats, "This demonstration will not solve the problem at hand."

Casting one final hate filled look in Snape's direction, Harry returned to his seat followed immediately by Ron. 

"You've remained awfully quiet, Miss Granger," the Potions Master jeered.  "Don't you wish to take a turn at placing the blame and throwing a temper tantrum?"

"Professor Snape," she responded, speaking so softly that her words belied the barely contained fury that rested behind her eyes. "Believe me when I say that if I thought such actions would help in even the smallest of ways, that I would certainly be more than happy to oblige.  However, seeing that I do not believe such a thing, my silence will have to suffice."

Albus Dumbledore watched as the seething Professor and the furious young woman faced one another.  Neither participant seemed willing to be the first to back down from their verbal sparring and he quickly bit back a smile at the mule-like stubbornness both displayed.  Deciding that such acts of defiance, amusing though they were, would not currently aid them, he cleared his throat in an effort to attract the attention of everyone present.

"Now, as I was saying," the Headmaster continued once he had regained the attention of all present, "it would seem that we are forced to follow Voldemort's orders in this instance, but it does not mean that we have to allow him to carry out his plans."

"But you are going to let him take us to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?" Ron asked with more than a touch of defiance in both his voice and posture.

"Unfortunately, Mr. Weasley, it seems to be our only chance of protecting Professor Snape's cover," Dumbledore answered softly. "Sometimes war can be an unfair and unpleasant experience and I fear, given the times we live in, that all too many of the younger generation will be forced to discover this dismaying fact much sooner than those who have already experienced it, would wish."  

"So you're going to sacrifice them for him?" Harry asked bitterly, his eyes continuing to glare daggers at the silent Slytherin.

"No, Harry, that's not my intention at all," the Headmaster assured him.  "However, we do have to make it appear that Professor Snape is following orders."

"Couldn't the Professor tell He-Who… Him… that he was unable to get us away from Hogwarts because there were too many people around?" Ron wondered. 

"It wouldn't work, Mr. Weasley" Snape said, entering the conversation.  "The Dark Lord has other spies within the castle that will be following my every move for the remainder of the week.  He will know whether or not I attempt to abduct the two of you."

Dumbledore shook his head in confirmation of the Potions Master's words.  It pained him to remember that the spies Severus referred to were nothing more than young students, trapped within the intricate web of deceit Voldemort had woven.  He listened for another moment to the heated words being exchanged between the Slytherin, Harry, and Ron before raising his hand to indicate that the discussion would cease.  They had more important matters to discuss and arrangements that needed to be made.  There simply was not enough time to allow them to air their grievances with one another.

"Professor Snape is correct," the Wizard declared. "There is little doubt that if he does not follow through with his orders to remove you from Hogwarts, that someone else will."

An uncomfortable silence descended over the room once again and Ron and Harry looked to one another with fear and apprehension.  Hermione, with the exception of her earlier confrontation with irritable Slytherin, remained quiet.  She was absently staring at one of the magical gadgets on the Headmaster's desk. Her narrowed eyes and pursed lips gave her the appearance of an individual that was mentally working through a very complex problem.

"What does the rest of the Order have to say about this?" Harry questioned, turning his attention back to the Headmaster.  "Do they want to just hand Ron and Hermione over too?"

"The Order is not aware of our current dilemma," Dumbledore responded, almost reluctantly.  "There is another matter that you were not made privy to during your link with Voldemort.  It would seem that there was a third person present during Professor Snape's summons."

"I never saw a third person," Harry muttered, casting a suspicious look towards Snape.

"That is because the Dark Lord never looked directly at the person in question," the Potions Master snarled. 

"Who is it?" Ron asked, wondering how the presence of another person made a difference in regards to the orders given by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.

"We do not know, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore answered.  "However, it is this unknown person that has come forward and accused Professor Snape of being a traitor to Voldemort's cause.  That is why he has been instructed to bring the two of you before him. By doing such a thing, Professor Snape will be thwarting my own instructions to protect the students within these walls and thereby risking his own safety. However, should he fail to carry out this task then he will be labeled as a traitor by Voldemort.  The Order will lose their only connection within Voldemort's Inner Circle and Professor Snape will lose his life.  I would say that these are very dire consequences indeed and let me assure you that the stakes in this game of war are very high."

"How does this person know about Professor Snape's involvement with the Order of the Phoenix?" Hermione asked, looking questioningly between the Headmaster and the Head of Slytherin. "Wouldn't they have to be connected with the Order to be privy to such information?"

'Leave it to the girl to bypass everything and head straight to the most important question of all,' Snape grimaced, though he was impressed by such an astute observation.

"Very good, Miss Granger," the Headmaster praised, "that is a question that we have been unable to answer ourselves thus far.  It is also the reason that I have not involved anyone from the Order in this particular matter.  We cannot risk our plans being divulged to Voldemort."

"And if you were to call a meeting and the spy is someone within the Order, then they would be able to report back to Voldemort," Hermione reasoned, thinking out loud.  "Even if they weren't part of the meeting and didn't know the details, the fact that a meeting was called so soon after Professor Snape's return to Hogwarts would be suspect and Voldemort's suspicions would be confirmed.  We would be walking into a trap on Saturday and all three of us would probably end up dead… or worse!"

"And now you understand the gravity of the situation, Miss Granger," Dumbledore intoned softly, staring at the young woman with a look of pride.

"Gosh, 'Mione!" Ron whistled, his expression somewhat dumbfounded.  "I never thought of it like that."

Snape let out a sound that was something between a derisive snort and a cough at the young man's comment. However, the remaining occupants of the room remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

"Okay, so you want to let Professor Snape take them to Voldemort," Harry stated, turning his attention back to his most immediate concern.  "How do you plan on getting them out of there once he's seen them and is convinced that Professor Snape hasn't betrayed him?"

"We could use the Polyjuice Potion!" Ron announced, his eyes full of hope.

"I'm afraid that such a thing will not be possible, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore answered with an apologetic look on his wrinkled face. 

"Why not?" Harry demanded.  "I think it's a great idea.  You could get two Aurors to take the Polyjuice Potion and disguise themselves as Ron and Hermione. The potion is only good for an hour but that should be enough time for them to convince Voldemort that Snape is still on his side."

"It won't work, Potter, because the Dark Lord can smell a lie," Snape said with an authoritative voice, choosing to ignore the young man's disregard of his professional title.

"But you lie to him all of the time and he hasn't suspected you until now. And that's only because someone ratted you out, " Ron argued.

"That is different, Weasley," Snape spat. "The Dark Lord has suspected me of such a thing on numerous occasions.  However, I have been able to assuage his suspicions through the use of Occlumency; a skill that has taken many years to master."  

"Professor Snape is correct," Dumbledore interjected in an attempt to maintain peace. "Even though many of the Aurors have had training in such matters, it is basic at best.  They would not be able to sustain the illusion for more than a few moments at most, as Voldemort is far too skilled at Legilimency.  They would not be able to buy Professor Snape enough time to convince Lord Voldemort of his allegiance and everyone would end up dead… or worse."

The students grimaced, recognizing the Headmaster's deliberate use of Hermione's own words.  It was a tactic that emphasized the gravity of the situation in a way that nothing else would. 

"He's right, Ron," Hermione said, laying a gentle hand on her friend's knee in a gesture of support.  "There is no other way to convince Voldemort.  It has to be us."

Ron looked closely at his long-time friend and saw the seriousness within her eyes.  She truly believed this was the best option for all concerned and he believed in her.  After all, her levelheaded thinking had saved them on more than one occasion.  It was at that moment that he knew what he had to do.  He was a Gryffindor and even though he didn't like the thought of everything that might go wrong with this particular scenario, he would stand up and face it for the sake of his friends.  Harry needed protecting, Hermione needed the comfort of knowing she was not alone, and the Order needed their most valuable spy.  'But why did it have to be Snape?' he wondered, convinced beyond all doubt that the Gods were currently enjoying a great laugh at his expense.  

"Alright, we'll do it," the red-haired young man muttered resolutely to no one in particular. 

His proclamation brought a smile to the Headmaster's face while earning him a raised eyebrow from Snape and a gentle hug from Hermione.  Harry's look of concern never faltered, but he did offer an abrupt nod of his head before returning his attention to the Headmaster.  It was time to work out the remaining details of Dumbledore's plan now that his friends had committed themselves to such potential danger.

/^\^/^\^/^\

TBC

 Author's Note:  A special 'thank you' (as always) to OzRatbag2 for taking the time to beta this chapter for me.  I really appreciate it!  For those of you who have not checked out her stories here at FF.Net, please do so.  They are excellent and you will not be disappointed!  For my readers and reviewers:  Thank you for your continued support.  I did have one reader ask me if I was aware that FF.Net has this story is listed under Snape/Hermione. I don't want to give too much away for other readers so I'll simply say that I am aware of the pairing that the story listed under.  smile 

~Jules