Hey Everybody! Sorry it took a bit to get the chappie up! My beta was a little slow, had some other work to do!
Excessivelyperky: I'm so glad you liked it, I didn't think about that. Hmmm maybe I need to have AD's portrait come into play, as soon as I read it an idea popped into my head about how to do that. So thanks!
Barb8: I know, I always feel bad for poor Sevvy, he became my fav and know I can't boot him out of my heart.
Kate: I so know what you mean! It's like HELLO! Snape has so much potential and then you go and ruin him! That's why I'm fixing it right here, right now. I'm going to convert all non-believers! (Is suddenly bludgeoned to death by my sister who hates Snape).
Black Triforce: As I said, sorry it took a little bit, hope you like this chappie
Duj: It was my own poem
Born2BeInSlytherin: I'm glad I have caught your attention, please...read on!
Standard disclaimers apply
Chapter 3
(Severus)
It was a wonderful thing to be able to stand on your own feet. In front of me, Draco sat on top of a short wall. His blond hair was longer than it had been at school; he was now able to club it back in a short ponytail. The lack of hair about his face brought out the sharp contours that had appeared in the past year. He was watching me, his silver gaze steady as he easily twirled his wand between his fingers.
"The Dark Lord gave me very specific instructions on how to train you, Draco," I reminded him as I fingered my own wand. "As you may well be aware of, I have dabbled in Occlumency and am rather decent at it." I said little as there was no need to brag about how good I really was..
"Yeah?"
"Yes," I responded. "Though the Dark Lord has not specified my teaching you this art, I do believe that it will be of great use to you in the future. Do you know what Occlumency is?"
"The opposite of Legilimency," Draco answered. Over the month Draco and I had come to a truce, one might say. He asked nothing of me, and I did the same. We merely existed together. The close relationship that had been between us before his father had been taken was gone for good. I was no longer seen as his eyes as his infallible Godfather, but instead a murderer who was assigned to teach him the tricks of the trade.
"In short, yes, it's the ability to mask your true thoughts and feelings by shutting them off." I was reluctant to use the same examples I had with Potter. Obviously, what I had said had not impressed upon Potter the importance of Occlumency and the dangers of Legilimency. "It allows the one using it to cover up lies and guard secrets."
"How will this be useful?" Draco questioned, but I could already see the seed was planted in his mind. The idea of how this new-found power could assist him, how it might have helped me.
"In many different ways, powerful Wizards like the Dark Lord and the former headmaster of Hogwarts are usually strong Legilimens and can sift through your thoughts with ease. With Occlumency you will be protected, it will make you less vulnerable and empower you." I waited until he nodded and slipped off the wall to rest in front of me.
The past month had changed him in more ways than looks. His eyes no longer held the glimmer of innocence that had once possessed. He was quieter and more thoughtful about what he said, how he said it, and to whom it was directed. Like many of the other Death Eaters, he no longer made sound when he walked, and he was constantly aware of his surroundings. The way he carried himself was different as well; he no longer swaggered, but instead moved in a manner that conserved energy and made him less noticeable.
"I am going to attempt to break into your thoughts, what you need to do is repel me with your mind." I instructed as I drew my wand up. "On the count of three…one – two – three – Legilimens!"
There was a slight resistance, but not much as I pushed my way into Draco's mind. Flashes of his past surfaced, begging to be acknowledged.
"I cannot believe that you allow a Mudblood to best you in everything!" Lucius' voice boomed, and I received a glimpse of a face twisted by disappointment.
"I can't do this! Oh, God, why do I have to do this?" Malfoy gasped from the corner of a grimy bathroom. "He'll kill me!"
"Your father's been taken, Draco."
"Expelliarmus!" Someone yelled.
Abruptly my wand snapped out of my hand, and I was flung backwards.
"Did you mean to disarm me?" I demanded as I got back to my feet and retrieved my wand.
"Yes and no," Draco answered. "I wanted you to stop, so I tried to repel you."
"You need to wipe your mind clean of any emotion," I told him. "No emotions, no thoughts. You have to be in control. Get ready. Legilimens!"
X-X-X-X-X
"How is Draco doing?" Narcissa questioned me. I was sitting in the study, looking over some texts I had discovered.
"He's doing very well." I flipped a page in one of the books. "He strives very hard to be as good as his father." Narcissa nodded her head, her eyes sad as she thought about her beloved husband who had, last week, been condemned to death for numerous crimes. I had known Lucius since childhood. I don't think I could count him as a friend, but he was someone had always been there. The Dark Lord had yet to give any hint of a plan to save Lucius, and I don't think he will try to save him. He was still very angry with the mistake that the fool had made, if he had only been more conscientious of what he had been doing…
"Well, I'll leave you be." Narcissa stood up and made to leave, turning to say one more thing. "Thank you, Severus, thank you so much."
When she was out of sight, I looked up from the words on the page before me to gaze at the wall. All that I could teach Draco in the short period of time allotted to me I had done. Tomorrow he would go before the Dark Lord to be judged. Tomorrow would define everything that was to come.
X-X-X-X-X
"Congratulations," I said softly to Draco who was sitting in front of me, a drink in hand. "You passed the test."
He said nothing as he sipped his drink and watched me. It was slightly disconcerting to have those piercing silver eyes focused on just you. It was easy to tell from his facial expression, or lack there of, that he was debating whether or not to ask me something. It was in the way his left eyebrow was barely furrowed and his lips ever so slightly compressed.
"How did you become a spy for the Dark Lord?" He finally asked and I observed how he set down the cup, the sound of it rang with the tones of finality. His hands folded in his lap; he was fingering the wooden length of his wand. He was waiting for my answer and ready to get rid of the evidence of it.
"He noticed my aptitude for blending and staying quiet," I told him. "I don't think you'd make a good spy; you're too noticeable." He was very good at hiding his emotions, but for me, one who had been with him his whole life, it was easy to see he was angry.
"Do you think so?" He was too casual; it was easy to look right through him.
"That is, unless you were thinking of being a spy for the Order of the Phoenix," I stated this and watched the shock and surprise flit through his eyes. Ahh, my little charge really was going to follow in my shoes. Taking each step into a world that no one else can ever understand. A place where you are alone, where there is only one person you can trust. You.
"You suggest treason," Draco deflected me coolly and if I had been anyone else, I would have been fooled. "Even speaking of it is enough to earn you death."
"Death is a reprieve from such a burden as spying," I remarked casually. "Spying is fraught with danger, betrayal and trauma, especially when you're double agent."
"Must be nice to finally be where you belong." He shrugged nonchalantly as he took a sip from his glass, making sure to keep one hand hidden in the folds of his robes.
"Don't you mean back here in the enemy's lair, do you?" I drawled and Draco twitched slightly, the only clue that he had been taken by surprise.
"You were a spy for the other side?" He demanded rather harshly, and his eyes revealed he was sorry for the slip-up. "I could turn you in for this."
"So you would become infallible and turn around and help Potter?" I arched an eyebrow as I set my cup down. "It's a sound plan, but what remains to be seen is if the Dark Lord will believe you and if the Order will accept you. I have been here much longer than you, and there is a much better way to go about this."
"Like what?" Draco scoffed and I felt rather than saw his fingers, convulsively grip around his wand.
"I am no longer trusted by the Order so it would be best if we got another person in there as soon as possible. They will be running very low on information; you will be the emissary and I will get the information." I stared right into his eyes as I said this and picked up every thought that crossed his mind about it to make sure I was doing the right thing. Not a single traitorous thought crossed his mind; he was against the Death Eaters completely, he didn't want to have to kill anyone, and he hoped I wasn't trying to trick him.
"How could it work?" Draco asked suspiciously.
"You need to get in contact with them, and then you need to give them a valuable piece of information," I explained.
"What kind of information?"
"Before I tell you that, you must make a blood compact; you must swear to tell no one."
I drew from my robes a decorated knife.
"Fine."
"Do you take this oath to not reveal what has passed here? To keep hidden in your heart all that I have said to you and will help you do? Will you not tell of any of it unless it is to the Order of the Phoenix and then you shall not mention me?"
"I swear this on my blood."
Draco slashed his palm.
"Do you swear to not reveal me to my enemies and to help me aid the opposite side?"
"I do swear so on my blood."
I cut open my palm.
We placed out bleeding palms together and uttered the spell to bind us.
"Dumbledore, I need to speak with you." I approached the be-whiskered man who was sitting behind his desk.
"What is it, Severus?" He looked at me and it didn't get past me that his blue eyes were serious, their usual twinkle gone.
"First you must swear to not tell anyone about what I am going to say." I held myself with as much pride as I could, unblinking and ready to fight.
"Of course, Severus," Dumbledore assured me; his tone was weary and I knew he was fighting a very hard battle.
"You probably already know that I'm a Death Eater--" I began.
"Oh Severus," he sighed, and I felt the band of guilt around my heart tighten.
"And I want to right that wrong, the only way I can think to do such is to offer my services as a spy to you." I waited for some sound of disbelief or a rejection.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" Dumbledore asked. "It's a hard and straining job; you will be forced to make decisions that will affect every aspect of your life."
"I am positive, I have someone – and I want to do this for them. They deserve a good person, not someone who's in league with evil," I told him.
"Then, I do believe we need your services," Dumbledore accepted my offer and a small smile that lacked any happiness turned up the edges of his mouth.
"I meant what I said Dumbledore; this must be spoken of to no one. Not even those who are on our side, no one can ever know of this meeting."
"I have given my word that is all you need."
"So young, so foolish," I muttered later on that night as I sat in front of the fire. That is what I had been, unknowing of the horrendous future that I was to bear, unknowing of all the mistakes I would make. Indeed, the only thing that I had been certain of at that time was that I had wanted to show that someone, that there was something good in me.
That had been before Potter re-entered my life.
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