All Systems Go

"Anna?" Once again, I woke to a voice. This one was just as deep, but not as fluid. I cast my half-asleep brain around for a match. "Anna? I'm coming through." Through? I patted myself down under the covers. Good. Flannel pants and a camisole. That's close enough to street clothes. I sat up, dislodging Byron from his perch near my chin. He squeaked in protest, and I stared at him blearily.

"Some guard dog you are." I said, patting his tiny paws. He lifted his head and licked at my hand before collapsing back into the covers.

"Anna?" There was the voice again.

"Coming." I called. I yanked on a sweatshirt and wandered into my study. To my chagrin, Harry was standing there, tidy in his Auror's robes. "Harry?"

"Morning." He smiled at my bedraggled appearance.

"Same to you," I muttered.

"Any news about Hermione and Snape?" He asked.

"Nothing yet," I said, just before cracking a gigantic yawn. "But it is obscenely early."

"It really isn't," he said, watching me fumble with the small muggle coffee pot I'd forgot to set to brew. "Sit," he commanded. Within moments he had a mug full of coffee in my hands.

"Thanks," I muttered, sinking into a chair. I gestured vaguely in the direction of the other one, and he sat. "You know, you and your friends show up earlier in the morning…" I began, stopping to crack a huge yawn. It was true. Over the last two months I'd been awakened by more people invading my room than I wanted to think about. I failed to finish my sentence, my mind wandering. Byron had rousted himself from the bed after all the commotion, and now sat looking expectantly up at Harry. Harry scooped him up into his lap, where Byron began attempting to lick Harry's nose. "I've got to get him to stop that," I observed.

"He is persistent." Harry mumbled, dodging Byron's advances.

"At least he sits now." I felt the need to defend the little dog, whose exuberance was understandable, considering his age. As I thought of a better rejoinder, Hermione's head appeared in the flames.

"Anna?" She called.

"Right here." I answered.

"Morning Hermione," Harry said. I could see Hermione's face shift to surprise, then back to neutrality.

"Good morning Harry." She said. "May I come through?"

"Course," I nodded. She came shooting gracelessly out of the fireplace moments later. "You all right?" I asked.

"Yes," she said curtly. "And—I have some news."

"Well have a seat and tell us," I said, gesturing to a third chair I'd just added to my study. "And there's coffee if you want."

"Thanks," Hermione said. Harry handed her a mug after doctoring it with sugar and cream. She nodded and smiled at him. "I think you know that Severus proposed to me last night."

"We do." Harry confirmed. Hermione paused, appearing to consider her words.

"Well?" I urged.

"I accepted." Hermione said. I shot to my feet, spilling my coffee.

"Fabulous!" I crowed. Hermione shook her head at my enthusiasm, but smiled broadly. Much to my relief, Harry smiled as well. I caught Hermione trying to gauge his reaction out of the corner of her eye, and barely saw her appear to let out a relieved breath.

"That's great, Hermione," Harry said. He stood and hugged her. I was surprised to feel my eyes water. I blinked hard, but I think Hermione noticed when she turned to hug me.

"I'm so happy for you," I said, squeezing her shoulders.

"I know you helped us." Hermione looked me dead in the eyes. "Severus told me. Thank you."

"It was the least I could do," I demurred. "Really." She clutched at me again with a strength that surprised me. As we held onto each other a tear squeezed out the corner of my eye and ran down my cheek. I slashed it away from my face before she could see it. I backed away and took a drink of coffee to clear my throat. "Now both of you get out so I can get ready for work." I locked eyes with Harry and Hermione both in turn. "Shoo," I commanded, smiling.

When they were both gone I set my coffee cup on my bedside table and stared out my window toward the forbidden forest. I ran my fingertips along my scalp from my hairline and down the length of my hair, slowly, and let two more tears run the length of my face. One for the situation, and one for myself.

The Snape engagement party was bigger and fancier than I thought it would be. But I also didn't think Hermione would take the Snape name. Shows what I know about purebloods in this country. Much of my nervousness had melted after the first cocktail Sirius handed me, however, and I'd not really minded the inane conversation after that. I'd met enough unwed rich men to stock a fancy gentlemen's club. All of them were well groomed if not especially attractive, and all of them had the same impeccable manners. I suspected the combined talents of Severus and Hermione at work.

"Seen anything you like?" A male voice, attached to an arm thrown quickly around my shoulders, startled me out of my judgments. I turned my head just in time for an identical arm to snake around my waist from the other side. The twins.

"Good to see you, boys." I grinned.

"I believe Miss Arthur is not answering the question, Fred," George teased.

"I believe you're right, George." Fred replied. They looked in at me from each side. I shook my head.

"And I'm not going to answer." I smiled. "At least, not right here in the same room." They chuckled slightly and started to walk me toward the bar, where we joined Sirius, Remus and Harry. Sirius especially seemed amused by our arrival.

"Any luck, Anna?" Sirius asked, straightening from a languid slouch against the bar. Harry and Remus looked at me attentively.

"I can't just…" I trailed off, glancing at the bartender. Remus followed my gaze and nodded.

"Have you seen the charm work outside, Anna? I think you'd enjoy it." Remus said in a rush, cutting off a curious Sirius. I turned to Remus.

"I haven't. Join me?" I swept my eyes over all of them. We made our way to the garden, the twins clowning the entire way. While the charm work was impressive—and utterly Hermione-inspired—we didn't spend long looking at it. The twins quieted and we snuck into a niche in a stone wall where benches had been chiseled into the masonry. We sat, and Remus cast a silencing spell over the opening in the wall. Once he was finished, Sirius cast a complex do-not-notice charm. I leaned back and sighed.

"Okay—here's your answer." I turned to the twins. "I can't tell any of those guys apart." Sirius snickered; Remus winced. The twins and Harry went quiet. I sighed again. "I think the game's up."

"Surely there's something…" Remus began.

"There's got to be…" George cut in.

"You're quitting." Sirius finished. I leaned back against the stone wall.

"Yeah." I confirmed, my voice flat. "I mean, I'll keep at it, but it's time to plan for failure."

"Exactly how long do you have?" Harry spoke up. I cast my mind back to the original letter.

"I don't remember the date." I concluded. "I think it was the second week of April." I pondered, looking up. "Yeah. It was mid-April. It's the April issue of PlayWizard, and the shoot they offered me was in the first week of March."

"So you still have February, no matter what happens." Sirius concluded, looking me in the eye.

"We're done with the film," Fred contributed.

"So I agree to the shoot at the first of March. I have all of February to keep trying to get someone to marry me. If I fail, I do the shoot and try to help Harry and Tonks."

"And if you find someone, you back out." Harry cut in. I nodded.

"Then I find my replacement at Hogwarts and go home." I finished, trying to keep my voice neutral.

"That's not going to happen," Fred insisted.

"Then what will?" I snapped. "It's not like of you'd marry me." I silenced myself, then shook my head slightly trying to control my anger. "Sorry, Fred."

"Don't worry about it," Fred muttered, looking pained.

"We do still have some time, Anna." Harry said, looking at me earnestly. I let out a breath.

"I know." I looked at each of them in turn. "And thanks for trying to help me." Silence descended, and I watched one of the wizards from the party pass the niche, a flat look on his face. This was it. The plan was on.