Disclaimer: In no way do I own or claim to own Harry Potter. That is the original work of JKR and I'm not stupid enough to attempt to steal it.

The Enlightenment

"Every improvement in communication makes the bore more terrible." - Frank Moore Colby

Chapter 6: Intermission

Severus Snape scowled, crumbled up the morning paper, and threw it as hard as he could towards the other side of the room. He put his head in his hands, closing his eyes tightly, trying to will away the world.

It had been twenty years. Twenty long, dark years, and now she was back. He hadn't seen her since that night, hadn't heard anything from her. She had vanished, and he hadn't minded as much as he probably should have. She was a liability; she could've gotten him killed. Then she was gone, and no one knew where she was, and he felt safer. But now…the danger was here all over again, even worse than before as everyone opposing Voldemort and his followers wouldn't hesitate to kill him.

But Lexi was smart. She knew enough about the magical world, and him, to create theories about what was happening and know what not to tell. She would have kept herself up to date on the happenings of his world. At least, he hoped so. It had been twenty years, though; the Lexi he knew so well might not be there anymore. God that thought scared him…

Why did she have to show up now, of all times? Couldn't it have waited another year? And what had she been doing all that time? He needed answers, and he needed them soon. His life could depend on it. What he wouldn't give to be able to go talk to her…

Snape stood abruptly and went into his bedroom. He dressed quickly, and then strode into his bathroom. He opened the medicine cabinet, revealing shelves of vials upon vials of potions, each labeled carefully and perfectly organized. He picked up a vial on the third shelf down, labeled Herbert Arlington, and gulped it down quickly, grimacing at the disgusting taste. He gripped the sides of the sink, leaning forward slightly as the pain started and the potion began to take effect. He watched in the mirror as his hair shortened and became frizzy and white, a large bald patch appearing on the top of his head, his ears grew larger, his nose smaller, though no less hooked. His eyes grew wider and changed from black to an ugly hazel, wrinkles appearing on his face. He shrank a few inches and his posture slouched, then the transformation was complete.

Snape rolled his shoulders, straightened his robes, and made his way back into his sitting room with a shuffling gait, much like an old man. He forced himself to look more cheerful, assuming the personality of Herbert Arlington, as he got a pinch of Floo Powder and tossed it into the fire, which turned an emerald green. He stepped into it and said his destination clearly, "Borgin and Burkes."

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Caractacus Burke stared thoughtfully at the fireplace that the strange old man had left through only moments before. A very intriguing request had been made, for a particular scrying mirror. Very few wizards used scrying mirrors anymore, or even did anything similar to scrying. Ignoring, of course, the few nutters who stared into crystal balls and said they saw things, but even they thought the idea of using a mirror was ludicrous.

This particular mirror, however, called Atrum Visum, had been made hundreds of years ago by a Dark wizard, and was allegedly capable of very clear visions into any time, past, present, or future. With a price, of course; blood from the user. In this way, the mirror had been given Dark magic by many wizards in the past, as only Dark wizards used it, ensuring that it would be a very powerful artifact indeed.

It would be hard to get it, but Burke would manage it. He had been offered a very large sum of money for it, in as short a time possible, and he was practically drooling at the thought of all that cash.

Burke left the shop then, putting a "closed" sign in the window, and strode off. He needed to contact a few...acquaintances for this job.

A/N: Atrum Visum is Latin for dark vision. I apologize if that's completely wrong, but I have next tono knowledge of Latin.

Constructive criticism is very welcome. Please, if you see any way in which this can be improved, don't hesitate to inform me. However, I ask that you do it in a helpful manner, and that you don't just say, "This is terrible." Thank you!