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 Seven~

"I can't believe he actually deducted House Points!" Pansy Parkinson whined. She looked at the young man sitting next to her, with a childish pout on her face that was intended to gain his sympathy. Cuddling next to him, she intertwined her fingers with his and continued her self-induced pity party. "He never deducts points from us."

"Relax, love," Blaise soothed, giving the distraught girl a quick kiss on the forehead. He rested his head on top of her own and grinned at her obvious ploys to gain his attention. "Right now, we have more important things to worry about."

"What could be more important than our own Head of House treating us as if we were no better than those goody Gryffindors?" she wailed, giving an indignant gasp when he pulled his hand away from her own to pull two identical pieces of parchment from the pocket of his school robes.  "What are those?"

"These are letters from Lucius Malfoy," he told her, knowing that his statement would pique her interest.  A devious expression momentarily flitted across his facial features as he continued to tell her about his find.  "They were waiting for us in our rooms when I returned from dinner this evening.  After reading mine, I took the liberty of sneaking into your room to check if you had received one also.  Good thing too as we wouldn't want these to fall into the wrong hands."

Pansy's tears dried up as quickly as they had begun and she greedily snatched one of the parchments from her lover's hand.  After reading the neatly scripted words, she turned her attention back to Blaise and shook her head in disbelief.  "He wants us to spy on our Head of House?" she questioned incredulously.

"It would appear so," he answered frowning.  "He seems to think that Professor Snape has turned against the Dark Lord and sided with Dumbledore."

"Blaise Zabini, nowhere in this letter does Draco's father say that he thinks Professor Snape has turned his back on us," she admonished, thankful they were the only Slytherins in the boys dormitory.  The senior Malfoy would be less than pleased if news of his correspondence were to reach the wrong ears and Pansy was smart enough to know that in Hogwart's, the wrong ears were everywhere.  'Thank Merlin, they didn't put one of those nosy, gossiping portraits in here!' 

"No, he doesn't actually say it, but he may as well have," the Slytherin answered with an impatient shake of his head.  "Think about it. He orders us to watch Professor Snape and report back in dealings he has with Weasley and Granger.  Obviously, the Dark Lord has given the Professor some sort of order explicitly pertaining to the two of them.  If Draco's dad trusted Professor Snape, then he wouldn't have told us to watch him."

"Or Lucius Malfoy wasn't informed of the details of Professor Snape's orders and is trying to find out what is going on," Pansy argued.

"Possibly," Blaise conceded.  "But given the fact that the Head of Slytherin just deducted points from his own House, something that he never does, it does seem rather suspect."

"Now you're imagining things," she argued, becoming irritated with the entire conversation in general and the bald reminder of the recently lost points.

"Am I?" her Slytherin counterpart asked.  "Maybe the Professor's loyalties have changed and he's gone soft.  Maybe he'll start trying to protect Harry Potter and the other Gryffindors and forget about his commitment to us."

"Or maybe he just had a headache or he was busy thinking about whatever orders the Dark Lord gave him and snapped at the first person available," she argued, enjoying her role as Devil's Advocate.  "It's not like he's the most sociable person you know. Either way, I don't think he would turn on us in favor of a Weasley and an ugly Mudblood.  He hates them.  Lucius Malfoy is probably just trying to dig up information.  You know how he prides himself on knowing every little thing that happens if it involves the Dark Lord."

"Perhaps," the young man replied, obviously unconvinced by Pansy's argument. He pulled out his wand and grabbed both parchments, laying them on a nearby table. "Incendio," he murmured, destroying any indication of their instructions. It wouldn't be prudent to leave evidence of their relationship with the older Malfoy or the Dark Lord lying around.  In truth, he was surprised no one had said anything so far about their allegiance to the Master although he theorized that perhaps they had their Head of House to thank for that.  Only time would tell if Lucius Malfoy was correct in his suspicions about the brooding Slytherin, but until then he and Pansy would have to follow orders and maintain a discreet eye on Professor Severus Snape.

/^\^/^\^/^\

"Okay, so they'll have to accompany Professor Snape," Harry acquiesced. "But what if Voldemort tries to use Legilimency on them? If trained Aurors are unable to withstand his methods then how are they supposed to do so?  They've had no training whatsoever in Occlumency and they could very easily end up confirming Voldemort's suspicions about Snape working for the Order.  They'd all be killed."

Dumbledore was just about to correct the careless manner in which Harry had referred to the Potions Master when the man himself began to speak.

"They will have to be Obliviated prior to leaving Hogwarts," Snape replied, casting a look toward the young man as if such an answer should have been obvious even to a first year student.  

"Obliviated?" Ron screeched and looked at the Headmaster, silently asking if he would actually allow such a travesty.  He remembered all to well how a poorly delivered Obliviate could backfire thanks to the events of his second year.  Although he didn't think either Dumbledore or Snape were anywhere near the level of incompetence that Gilderoy Lockhart lay claim to, he still wasn't comfortable with the thought of anyone messing around with his memories.

"If you were to be Obliviated of any memories you have concerning the Order and my association with the Dark Lord, then there would be no danger of him discovering information that would be detrimental to our Cause," the Potions Master stated in a bored tone of voice. 

The Headmaster glanced at Hermione and frowned when he noticed the sickly pallor her skin had taken on. He knew that she was a young woman that prided herself on her mental faculties and he had no doubt that she would see an Obliviate as a form of mind invasion.  "Perhaps a less potent memory charm would do just as well."

"Headmaster, with all due respect, I don't see how we can risk such information to a lesser memory charm…" Snape began but was cut off by a sharp look from Dumbledore and an almost imperceptible nod of his bearded head toward the Head Girl.

Severus allowed his eyes to follow the direction indicated by the Wizard and realized why he was suddenly advocating the use of a less powerful charm.  Of course, the Know-It-All wouldn't want anyone tampering with her mind.  He was almost offended that she seemed to think so little of his abilities to cast a proper Obliviate when some small portion of his conscience spoke up to remind him that he would not like the thought of having such a spell cast upon himself either. 

"Will our memories be returned once this is over?" Hermione asked. She had been so caught up in her own inner struggle at the news that she was completely unaware of the silent exchange that had just taken place between the Headmaster and her Potions Professor.

"I don't see why not, although it can be an uncomfortable process," Dumbledore assured her in a kindly manner.  

"Uncomfortable?" Harry questioned, noticing the wary expression on Ron's face.  "Why would it be uncomfortable?"

"It all depends upon the amount of memories that must be removed," the Headmaster explained, glad to see that the question, being of an academic interest, had served to focus Hermione's attention on the conversation at hand rather than her fears.  "The more memories that are taken, the more difficult it is for the Wizard or Witch in question to readjust once they are replaced."

"Sort of like having everything thrown at you all at once then?" Ron asked.

"Exactly, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore replied with a smile.  "Rest assured, we will replace the memories just as soon as it is safe to do so."

"I don't like it," Harry announced, a grim expression on his face.

"Perhaps you would prefer the Dark Lord knowing the location of the Order's headquarters, Mr. Potter?" Snape suggested, the timbre of his voice deep and silky.  "Or perhaps you would prefer that he discover the identities of its members? Members such as Molly and Arthur Weasley and Remus Lupin."

"Severus, that will be enough!" the Headmaster warned, his eyes flashing with anger. 

"They need to know what they are risking if they fail to follow orders!" Snape exclaimed.  "This is not one of their jaunts around the castle in which they huddle under an Invisibility Cloak and raid my stores!  The information they hold within those senseless heads of theirs could cost many people their lives and ultimately be used to turn the tide of this war to the Dark Lord's favor.  We have passed the point of childish games. Too much is riding on their abilities and I, for one, do not intend to sit here and placate them by telling them that everything will turn out just fine, regardless of their actions."

His tirade resulted in an outburst of indignation from both Ron and Harry that took several minutes for the Headmaster to appease. Finally, it was Hermione that spoke up, moving the meeting past the petty squabbling with her quiet words of acceptance. 

"You can be certain, Professor, that neither Ron nor myself would wish to cause harm to the Order or its members or anyone else for that matter. In addition, however childish you may think us to be, we will do our best to counter any suspicions Voldemort has regarding your loyalties to him," the young Witch said softly, glaring darkly at the Potions Master with a vehement look that could easily rival his own on one of his best days.  "However, just because we choose to participate, does not mean that we are mindless simpletons that have no opinion on the matters at hand.  We realize the severity of the situation but you cannot expect us to just calmly accept everything that we have heard thus far this evening without concern or question.  As far as removing our memories, we will allow a partial Obliviate on the express condition that they be returned to us, in their entirety, upon our return."

Snape, who was incredulous at her impertinent behavior and inwardly seething in response to being addressed in the manner of an errant child, opened his mouth to deliver a scathing reply but never had a chance to utter the words that reached his lips before Hermione interrupted him.  "I do not mean that our memories will be replaced when 'it is safe to do so' as that could be construed to be at any given point in the future which you deem best.  I am not prepared to wait indefinitely.  Invading our minds and removing our memories is a courtesy, which we are extending for the sake of yourself and the Order. You will extend the same courtesy to us by being mature enough to grant this request. Do I make myself clear?"

"I think we all understand one another, do we not?" Dumbledore interjected, sensing that the Potions Master was teetering on the brink of hexing the Witch.  Looking at the man in question, Albus was chagrined to find Snape locked in a heated staring match with the young woman, neither one seeming to want to be the first to back down.  Under different circumstances he would have laughed at the scene playing out before him as very few people dared risk angering the Slytherin and even fewer risked his wrath by speaking back to him.  Miss Granger, it seemed, had no qualms about doing either and Dumbledore wondered, if the stakes were high enough, which one of their tempers would win out over the other.  'This is not the time for frivolous musings,' he sternly admonished his inner child.  Still, the elderly Wizard felt a sadistic twinge of humor in the fact that someone dared give back to Severus that which he so easily dished out.

"Okay," Harry interrupted, worried for his friend and sensing the need to turn everyone's attention back to the problem at hand.  "We know that Professor Snape will take them to Voldemort, and that a memory charm will be cast on each of them before they go.  How do you plan on getting them out of there without giving away the Professor's cover?"

"That is indeed a most excellent question, Harry," Dumbledore answered.  "Professor Snape will unobtrusively leave the grounds with Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley directly after dinner on Saturday.  At that time, he will deliver them to Voldemort thereby maintaining his cover as that of a loyal Death Eater.  Once Voldemort is secure in his beliefs that Professor Snape has followed his instructions, a diversion will be created allowing Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley an opportunity to escape."

"And how exactly are we supposed to escape?" Ron questioned doubtfully.  "Even if there aren't any other Death Eaters, we still have to get away from He-Who… Oh never mind.  We still have to get away from You Know Who!"

"Quite right, Mr. Weasley," the Headmaster acknowledged, trying not to laugh at the young man's timidity at murmuring Voldemort's name.  "You will each be given small Portkeys that will be kept on your person at all times. These devices will be activated at the appropriate time and deliver you directly to Grimmauld Place as you may not be safe here at Hogwarts."

"But if Voldemort uses Legilimency on us, isn't it possible that he will find out about the Portkeys?" Hermione asked, voicing concern at the Headmaster's plan.

"Yes, it is," the Wizard replied, shaking his head approvingly of her question.  "That is why we have a decision to make in regards to how we want to utilize the Portkeys to avoid such an occurrence. First, we could cast a memory charm and then plant the memory that Harry gave them to you with strict instructions that you were not to tell anyone.  This however, would not allow you much time to speak the incantation to get yourselves out of there should he discover this option."

"And the second option?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"We use the memory charm to erase their memories of the Portkeys and Professor Snape will have to cast the incantation at the appropriate time," Dumbledore finished softly.

"What if something happens to Professor Snape before he can cast the incantation?" Hermione wanted to know.

"Then you will be trapped in the Dark Lord's grasp," the Potions Master replied, gaining a certain sense of childish satisfaction in watching the blood drain from her face as comprehension dawned. 

"Severus!" Dumbledore admonished.

"I was merely answering Miss Granger's rather astute question, Headmaster," Snape replied calmly, allowing a placating smile to grace his lips.  "After all, she has a right to know and she did ask."

"Thank you, Professor Snape," Hermione replied bitingly, glaring daggers at the smirking man. "It's nice to know that you will always have our best interests at heart."

"Of that you need not have any doubt, Miss Granger," Severus replied easily enough.

"Hmmmf."

The group turned their attention to Ron, who was trying to mask the grunt of disbelief behind a trembling hand.  "Sorry," he offered, looking anything but apologetic at his outburst.

"What do you plan on using as a distraction, Headmaster?" Hermione asked, hoping that at least this part of the Wizard's plan was better thought out than their escape route.

Albus looked a little uncomfortable, a state Hermione and Ron had never expected to see of the Headmaster.  Harry remembered a similar event at the end of their fifth year when he spoke with the Wizard after the confrontation at the Ministry with Voldemort's Death Eaters. Seeing the same expressions on the Wizard's face now, didn't fill him with confidence. 

"That part of the plan is still to be decided," the Headmaster answered.

"Still to be decided?" Ron screeched, unimpressed by the entire discussion.  After all, this was Albus Dumbledore, Wizard Extraordinaire, who was famed for his previous encounters with Grindelwald. 'Maybe the history books got it all wrong? At the rate this plan is coming together, we'd have a better shot listening to Fred and George.' 

"What do you mean this part of the plan is still to be decided?" Harry demanded, standing up once again as a blind rage swept through him.  "These are my friends, Headmaster, and they are in this situation because of me. I don't want them to do this but you've already stated your case as to how important it is that they do so.  The least you could do is come up with a solid plan for getting them out of there."

"Please, Harry" Dumbledore pleaded with the irate Gryffindor, "sit down and we will further discuss this." 

"Discuss what?" the Boy-Who-Lived demanded, refusing to be placated.  "It doesn't sound like there's much of anything to discuss.  You've already decided to send Ron and Hermione into the snake pit in order to protect Snape's cover for the Order.  Fine.  I hate it but as Hermione said, there doesn't seem to be a way out of it. Now you tell us that they are going to be sent in, under the disadvantage of a memory charm, and most likely end up relying on Snape to get them safely out of there.  But what happens if he can't get them safely out of there?  What happens if he doesn't get a chance to discretely activate the Portkey?  What if it's a trap and Voldemort kills him anyway leaving Ron and Hermione completely at the mercy of the Death Eaters?  Have you thought about any of that, Headmaster? Have you really thought about what you're asking of them? You could very well be sending them to their deaths and I, for one, am not just going to stand by and watch it happen!"

"That's enough, Potter!" Snape bellowed, rising to his full height and towering over the boy with a thunderous expression on his face.

"It is alright, Severus," Dumbledore said wearily, motioning for them both to sit back down. "He has a right to be concerned."

Ron and Hermione looked to one another, feeling decidedly uncomfortable.  Neither one liked the thought of what lay ahead at the end of the week but there really was no other choice in the matter.  The Order of the Phoenix had to be protected and they all knew enough to be a threat to its existence if this scenario didn't play out correctly. 

Dumbledore removed his glasses and took a deep breath before continuing.  He hated the fact that he had to place anyone in danger, but the thought of possibly sending innocent students to their deaths was taking its toll.  He knew that Harry was right when he pointed out the potential dangers to his friends and the truly terrible part of it all was that his list had only contained a few of the things that could go wrong.  The truth of the matter was that there were many more potentially disastrous and fatal scenarios that could become a reality on Saturday evening; scenarios that he hoped the young man and his friends didn't think of in the few remaining days allotted to them, lest they spend their time in the clutches of fear.  Returning the half-moon spectacles to his face, he addressed the students once again.

"You are correct and perfectly justified in your concerns, Harry, and I would be quite worried at this point if you were anything less, considering the gravity of the situation we are now faced with. "However, while it is true that I have yet to determine a suitable distraction to allow Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley to escape, I do have a 'Plan B' as the Muggles say, should it be necessary. 

"That's more like it," Ron sighed with relief and leaned back in his seat.

"And what exactly does 'Plan B' entail?" Hermione inquired, deciding to speak before Harry's usually mild manner was replaced once again by his need to protect his friends.

"There is an old spell, Miss Granger, that, if cast properly, will allow a person to summon another to them," Dumbledore explained and smiled momentarily as he saw her eyes light up with obvious interest.  "This spell borders on the side of Dark Magic and requires an extreme amount of concentration and control, but it would override Voldemort's anti-Apparition wards and deliver the person being summoned directly to the caster."  

"Headmaster, you can't be referring to the Perattrahere Spell?" Snape questioned in surprise.

"I've read about that spell!" Hermione exclaimed, shrinking back slightly at the four people suddenly staring her way in response to her outburst. "Well, I have…"

"Why am I not surprised, Miss Granger, that even a spell that is practically classified as Dark Magic, would not be beyond your reading?" the Potions Master sneered, his facial expression particularly menacing as he glared at the girl.

"What's so dangerous about this spell that makes it Dark Magic?" Harry asked, turning his attention from Hermione, who was once again glaring at Snape, to the Headmaster.

"It is a very difficult spell, Harry.  If the caster is weak or does not concentrate solely on the spell itself, then he could cause irreparable harm to both himself and the person that he or she is summoning," Dumbledore answered gravely.

"Headmaster," Severus protested, all too familiar with the spell in question though he had never had cause to cast it.  "It is dangerous enough to attempt to summon one person but to summon both Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley at once would be sheer folly."

"Three people, Severus," the Headmaster replied quietly. Sensing that the Potions Master was getting ready to protest, he held up his hand to forestall any objections. "I will not debate this with you.  I would only cast the spell as a last resort but, should the need arise to do so, I will have to summon the three of you simultaneously as Voldemort will immediately guess your part in all of this.  He is no fool."

"How does the spell work?" Ron asked, not liking all of the talk about irreparable damage that was being brandished about. 'Still, it has to be better than staying with Voldemort if things go bad,' a voice argued from somewhere inside his head. 

Hermione was eager to answer the question having recalled her reading earlier in the year from one of the Restricted Section's darker books.  Biting back her response, lest Professor Snape cause her any further embarrassment in regards to her Know-It-All attitude, she folded her hands in her lap and sat quietly, waiting for the forthcoming explanation.

"It involves an exchange between the caster and the person to be summoned, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore began, trying not to smile at Hermione's obvious frustration.  "Miss Granger and Professor Snape, along with yourself, will each donate a few strands of hair that I will keep in my possession. In return, I will provide each of you with a talisman that you will keep hidden on your person.  This talisman will contain a piece of my own considerably gray hair.  The caster then begins the incantation, causing a bridge or connection to be formed between himself and the person to be summoned.  Once this link is established, the person is instantaneously Apparated to the caster's location."

"And this would pull them all away from Voldemort?" Harry asked, a bit skeptically.

"We would set a time limit beforehand.  If the deadline is reached and I have yet to hear from either Professor Snape, Miss Granger or Mr. Weasley, then I will cast the spell and summon them to me."

"How will you know if they need to be summoned earlier than the deadline?" the Boy-Who-Lived pressed on in an effort to assure himself that his friends would be all right.

"I won't," Dumbledore replied softly, staring intently at the agitated young man.  "It will be up to them to do what they must, prior to the deadline."

"But…"

"There are no 'buts', Potter," Snape interrupted, obviously exasperated by the boy's pushing for a guarantee that could not be given. "There are risks involved no matter how much planning we do.  The best we can hope for is that things run smoothly and that Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley will take advantage of whatever distraction may come their way, so that they may Portkey safely to headquarters."

"He's right, Harry," Albus said with a sad smile.  "I wish I could guarantee that everything will go according to plan, but you and I both know that such a thing is simply not possible.  I can promise you however, that Professor Snape and I will do everything within our power to protect your friends."

"It will be fine, Harry," Hermione assured him, softly patting his back.  "We'll be alright."

"Right," Ron chimed in attempting to be supportive even though his words were a little less sure than Hermione's.

"Well then," Dumbledore said, standing from behind the desk, "It is getting late and I'm certain that you all still have homework for tomorrow's classes. We will meet again toward the end of the week to finalize our plans but, until then, please try to go about your business as you normally would. Also, I must ask that you refrain from discussing this matter in places that you may be overheard. We cannot risk anyone discovering what we have discussed."

"Yes, Headmaster," the three students agreed, before leaving the office to head back to their Common Room.

"I don't like it, Albus," Snape said once the students had vacated the room. The tension brewing in the depths of his dark eyes clearly visible and the Headmaster could see just how worried the younger man was.

"Neither do I, Severus, but what choice is there?  Voldemort has quite effectively sandwiched us between the proverbial rock and a hard place and there are very few options remaining to us," the tired Wizard replied.

"We could forego the plan entirely and move Granger and Weasley to a safe location on Saturday morning, or even after classes on Friday afternoon," the Potions Master replied, knowing that it would assure the Gryffindors remained free from the Dark Lord's clutches. 

"That would be signing your death warrant, Severus, and I am not prepared to do such a thing," Dumbledore answered, looking to his friend with a hint of sadness. "Besides, you know as well as I how critical the information is that you have been providing us with.  We need to try and keep that source of information available as long as possible. Too much depends upon it."

"There is still too much that could go wrong and too much left to chance," Snape argued.  "Potter's emotional status would all but render him useless if something were to happen to his side-kicks and the Dark Lord would have achieved his goal.  Their deaths would have been in vain, were the worst to happen."

"Then we will have to see to it that the worst does not happen to either you or Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore remarked with a touch of finality, knowing that his decision could be nothing else.  "Besides, Harry might just surprise you.  Sometimes, the worst calamities create the strongest of men."

"Let us just hope that we need not test that piece of wisdom in the near future," the Potions Master replied darkly before bidding the Headmaster a brief good night and exiting the office.

"Let us hope not…" Dumbledore agreed, now alone in the room with the fiery colored Phoenix that now slept peacefully on its perch.

/^\^/^\^/^\

TBC

Author's Note:  Thank you so much to all of those who reviewed the last chapter (and to Rosmerta for pointing out a few errors that have now been corrected J  ).  I am glad to hear that people enjoyed it.  A special thank you goes out to OzRatbag2 for taking the time to beta this chapter.  As always, she has managed to correct the things that I have missed and keep me from humiliating myself too terribly. G  I would also like to take a moment to extend a heartfelt word of thanks to Pigwidgeon for coming up with a proper Latin name (Perattrahere Spell) for the summoning spell that Dumbledore speaks of towards the end of the chapter.

A final note:  This will probably be the last update for several weeks as I have jumped off the deep end and entered myself in the NaNoWriMo challenge (National Novelists Month).  This challenge calls for writers to write at least 50,000 words of a story between November 1st and November 30th.  The writer cannot begin actually writing the story any earlier than November 1st  so I'm sure you all can imagine how those off us that entered are frantically typing away at our keyboards!  Rest assured that I plan to update on a fairly regular basis as soon as this challenge is over.

And now I will step back and try to avoid the rotten produce section that I foresee being tossed my way as a result of that last announcement VBG  As always, thanks for reading and please kindly leave a review on your way out.

~Jules