Chief Warlock Greene: Miss Hanuschak, for clarification purposes, I believe I will take some time away from your story for questions. Were you, or are you aware of the circumstances surrounding your cousin's turning from the Dark Lord?
Maria Hanuschak: Are you asking if I came to know when or how he turned?
Chief Warlock Greene: Yes.
Maria Hanuschak: That is something that has never been discussed. Sometimes there are things that are just not asked. Had Severus not allowed me access to his memories, I would have never known what happened to him when he turned. I'm sorry if this answer is disappointing, sir.
Chief Warlock Greene: No, it will be satisfactory for the court. Another question; did you have any prior suspicions of Severus Snape working against the Dark Lord?
Maria Hanuschak: I never questioned his loyalties directly. He had some odd behavior, but I accepted it as personality quirks. He never left the grounds as far as I knew. The only partially incriminating signs could have been his inability to concentrate on creating destructive potions while antidotes, which are considerably harder to make, posed little trouble for him. No, he had a way of just being Severus that allowed him some room to maneuver his activities around each other and keep above notable suspicion.
Chief Warlock Greene: Notable suspicion? Could you elucidate upon that?
Maria Hanuschak: Every Death Eater is constantly under scrutiny by every other Death Eater for signs of disloyalty to the Dark Lord. Everyone is under suspicion; however, Severus was never under anything more than the general suspicion shared by all Death Eaters.
Chief Warlock Greene: Thank you. Please, continue with your story.
Maria Hanuschak: Several days later I was summoned. I had recovered well, but was nervous that the Dark Lord had somehow found out about the three of us.
"Maria, you look so tired, have you been sleeping well?" The Dark Lord asked when I arrived.
"I had bit too much to drink after celebrating the last escapade," I told him before the meeting commenced.
This meeting covered more strategies about how to kill Harry Potter, and where presumed locations of the Order were. Severus kept throwing some false leads to them. I sat passively and listened as I could not think of anything to contribute to either of the dialogues. When everyone was dismissed, the Dark Lord held me back and asked about Draco and Severus.
"Are they doing well, cooperating with the rules laid out for them?"
"Yes, Uncle."
"Good," he said lightly. "I know how both of them hate to br caged, but I cannot have them out in the main world. They are too easily recognizable. Severus isn't being too much of a handful is he? He tends to be rather grumpy when things don't go his way. He sulks at times, but is brilliant and I need that." He was practically joking in his speech. He was my Uncle Tom then, watching the rain through the library window. He did not know of our betrayal to him. I had known him for years and it is evident in his eyes when he knows things.
"Have you ever thought of settling down, Maria? Finding a husband and raising a family?" he asked as we walked.
I was rather startled at these words. Marriages and families aren't the usual tsubjects for the Dark Lord.
"I'm afraid I haven't, Uncle Tom. I have yet to find someone whom I would consider marrying."
"Always looking for the highest standard I suppose?" I couldn't help but laugh then, and he laughed with me.
"I suppose so," I said.
He sighed then, "Maria, this war is taking a toll on all of us. That impertinent little boy may complicate my plans, but once he is out of the way, everything will be as it should be. Our numbers are waning, but I am confident we will win. We have powers and minds that they don't. It would be a relief, though, to know that you had found someone with whom you will be happy. I believe Severus may be a worthy consideration."
I was rather shocked at this statement. When did the Dark Lord become a matchmaker? He didn't actually, but I will get to that. I felt guilt about betraying him, giving his secrets to the Order, but I knew that as relatively kind he could be to me, he was cruel and ruthless to others. The killing had to stop, no matter how much I felt for my Uncle. He was waiting for a response though.
"I didn't know that he was interested in me," I said, which was the truth.
"I caught a glimpse of it when last I read him. He has some Occlumency skill and I don't pry into the personal lives of my followers if I don't feel it is necessary."
"Well, I suppose I could talk to him."
"You only live with him, my dear."
We both laughed before I Apparated back to the cottage. I had a whole new idea on who Severus Snape, the man, was.