A/N: So touched with the response to this story. Thank you to all my reviewers.
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Thorfinn knocked firmly on the door to the Headmaster's office, before stepping in and seeing the form of Severus Snape seated in an armchair by the fire. He'd been a handful of years behind the man in school, though they'd had a similar circle of friends. He was paler than usual, which for Severus was rather impressive. He could see everything that had passed this last year weighing on him. "Snape." He said as he strode through the room.
"Rowle." Severus said, lifting an eyebrow. "To what do I owe this rare pleasure?" His tone left no illusions that he was actually pleased to see him. "Has the Dark Lord seen fit to replace the Carrows with someone marginally more suited to teaching children?"
"Hardly." He snorted. "I stumbled across something rather intriguing. Something I need to show you in the utmost privacy." He said quietly, not wasting time with verbal sparring.
Severus' face was perfectly emotionless, a mask he had perfected over the years. He lifted his wand and cast a powerful privacy spell. "Place the memory you wish me to see in the pensieve." He rose and walked across the room to stand in front of the silver bowl.
Thorfinn touched his temple and drew out two memories for Snape, sending them spinning into the bowl.
Severus leaned forward and fell into the memory. The first caught him off guard. A younger version of himself walked across a darkened field and cast a patronus. The silvery doe came to his hand as he whispered to it and sent it off. The memory faded into Ron, Hermione, and Harry talking about the doe patronus that had led them to the sword of Gryffindor. Severus felt a chilling thread of fear run through him as he came out of the memory and looked at Rowle. "Who did you take this memory from?" There was a fuzziness to the memory that only came when it was something extracted through Legilimency. Panic gripped his throat. If the Dark Lord had Potter…
"Ronald Weasley. The Dark Lord captured him last night in the Forest of Dean." He said. "I was put in charge of the interrogation, though the Dark Lord is currently ignorant of what I've learned. Potter escaped, and is safe for the moment."
"Will you tell our Master what you know?" Severus gripped his wand, preparing to fight.
"No. There's a better alternative now, I spent the morning negotiating it." He said. "We have a way out, to be free of him." It was a great risk to come to him, the man that the Dark Lord considered one of his most faithful, but Rowle knew him, knew how much he had loved Lily Evans. The doe patronus gave him hope.
Severus met his eyes. "You have others all ready?" He asked carefully.
"I've gotten fifteen others, sworn to secrecy and held by oaths. I go to meet with the Order tonight, to gain amnesty for all those involved." He said. "We'll continue as we are, until the opportune moment to strike."
Severus nodded and ran a hand through his hair. "You may depend on my assistance when the time comes. There is one person who needs to be made aware of the arrangement tonight, however." He said.
"Who?" Thorfinn's eyes narrowed.
"Minerva McGonagall, she's been preparing to oust me for some time. If she is made aware things will go easier on this end." He said. "She can be trusted, and bound with oaths as you see fit."
He nodded. "Call her then. I can't remain much longer, it wouldn't do for the Carrows to discover me here." He repressed a shudder. Those two made his skin crawl. "And there is much left to do before the day is done."
Severus nodded and threw floo powder into his fireplace, leaning into the green flames to call Minerva through. The older witch regarded them both with barely veiled contempt but she nodded to Severus. "There is something you need to see Minerva." He said quietly. "And it will explain much of why Mr. Rowle is here."
"Very well…what do you need to show me Headmaster?" Her tone was stiff and Thorfinn could clearly see her hand itching to draw her wand.
"Come to the pensieve." He motioned her over and after casting Rowle's memories out, he drew some of his own and added them to the swirling liquid. "Take whatever time you require."
Minerva frowned but leaned in, curiosity rising above contempt for the men in the room with her. She fell into a swirl of memory.
She watched Severus tending to Albus in this very office. Trying to halt the decay consuming him. She heard Albus ordering him to strike the fatal blow when the time came, saw Severus refusal and his tears and then finally his acceptance. She felt tears rising in her eyes as she watched the promise break the younger man. She was pulled into another memory, she saw the Death Eaters, Draco, and Albus…heard his plea to Severus. A plea for mercy…but not to spare his life. To end it. She understood everything then. Then she saw Severus moving like a piece of shadow through a forest, the Sorting Hat in his hand. She watched him draw the sword of Gryffindor from the hat and toss it into the lake. A whispered charm froze the surface, sealing the sword safely within. He cast his patronus and whispered something to it, too softly to be heard and then he disapparated as the creature darted deeper into the woods.
She came out of the memory and looked at Severus as though she had never really seen him before. "My poor boy…" She whispered.
Severus shook his head. "I made my choices Minerva. I do not want, nor deserve your pity." He said shortly. "However Mr. Rowle has convinced a good number of the Dark Lord's best followers to defect to our side. The cause for his sudden change of heart I cannot say…" He trailed off, wondering what would have been the catalyst for this bold strike, but not entirely sure he wanted to know. Rowle had always been ambitious, but cautious to a fault. He never acted until he was certain of every possible outcome.
"Have you already been in contact with the Order?" Minerva asked.
He nodded. "I spoke to Remus Lupin this morning, with Miss Granger. He was taking the offer to the others. I'm to return tonight with names and then we shall start to prepare."
Severus nodded. "Then I swear, on my magic, to not reveal this plan to any that are not currently in this room." He narrowed his eyes speculatively as the other Death Eater mentioned Miss Granger.
"As do I." Minerva said. "All will continue as it has been until we receive word."
Thorfinn nodded. "Sign your name." He handed Severus a paper. "This is to ensure that we receive what was promised by Remus." He said.
Severus' eyebrows rose at the names on the list. While not large in number, all of the names on the list were wizards of exceptional talent. "Impressive Thorfinn, very impressive." He signed his name. "Guard that with care."
"I intend to." He slipped it away and headed out of the Headmaster's tower. He moved quickly out of the castle, hoping that no one had spotted him. Once past the gates he focused on the safe house and apparated there.
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Thorfinn could smell the blood the instant he popped through and resisted the urge to gag. He was going to kill that mangy creature. He moved quickly through the house and into the basement. He had to resist the urge to vomit, the stench was even worse down here. The Weasley boy, or what was left of him, was tied over the table. There was the shocking gleam of bone visible in the deep wounds, and the lad's breathing was laboured and sounded wet. He stepped off the bottom step and approached. The boy was near death, there was too much blood on the floor for him to survive. He reached out and checked the boy's pulse, it was so very faint just fluttering there beneath his fingers. He swore and stripped off his jacket, tossing it over the back of a chair. Where the hell was Fenrir?
He untied the boy's wrists and ankles then he picked him up, carrying him into the cell and laying him down on the simple cot. He gently covered his form with a blanket, as he shook his head. He could bring him back, healing charms, and blood replenishing potions would work a treat, but he wasn't certain he should. He knew Fenrir liked the youngsters, and was rarely choosey about them being male or female. He wasn't sure the boy would want to remember what had happened. He put a hand over the boy's nose and mouth, clamping his nostrils shut and preventing him from breathing in. The teen on the cot weakly struggled, but soon he stilled. Thorfinn closed his eyes and waited a while longer before moving his hand. "I'm sorry lad." He whispered and checked his pulse again, finding nothing. He heard the slam of a door upstairs and he drew his wand, rage simmering below the surface.
"Greyback!" He shouted and stepped out of the little cell and waited in the midst of all that blood and filth, waiting for the werewolf to come downstairs. He pulled on his jacket, mentally making a face at the feel of the liner sticking to the tacky blood on his skin.
"Where's the boy…I was just coming to continue." Fenrir grinned darkly.
"You killed him you IDIOT! CRUCIO!" He cast, taking some dark pleasure as the man fell down the stairs, body contorting in agony. He cut off the curse and looked down at the wolf, lying at the base of the stairs in a pool of his victim's blood. "The Dark Lord will hear of this," Thorfinn strode past him, grabbed hold of the dead Weasley boy, and apparated himself to Malfoy Manor. He was covered in blood and the ferocious look on his face was enough to move everyone out of his way as he headed for the drawing room.
The Dark Lord was standing in front of the fireplace, and he turned as Thorfinn entered. "What has happened?"
"Greyback killed the Weasley boy. I'd left to check on some information he'd given me and when I returned I found the boy lying in a pool of his own blood…dead. I told him to leave the boy alive, and he has destroyed our best chance of finding Potter." He all but snarled.
Voldemort went deathly still and looked at Rowle, seeing the blood all over him. "Show me the body." He said and followed Rowle to the entryway. One look at the Weasley boy's body was enough to confirm Rowle's claims. Fenrir Greyback had a most distinctive style, and his touch was written all over the dead boy's body. "Bellatrix, Rudolphus…find Greyback and bring him to me." He said in a quiet voice. "What leads did the Weasley boy give you?"
"Potter was looking for something, but the boy wasn't making sense. The Deathly Hallows are a myth, they certainly aren't real. Maybe all those months alone have unhinged his mind. I'll keep looking, see if there's anything else I can find." He growled.
"Go. Do not return until you have better news. I will deal with Greyback's disobedience." He said, dismissing the blonde Death Eater.
Thorfinn bowed deeply. "My Lord." He said before disappearing with a crack. He took a moment, standing on the shore outside the little cottage where his little witch was waiting to compose himself. He was covered in blood, and his temper was frayed. It had been a very long day. He heard the door open behind him and he turned a little, seeing her come outside. He stripped off his jacket and cast a quick scourgify on it. He stripped off the saturated shirt and tossed it away, banishing it with a casual flick of his wand. He knelt just in the surf and began to scrub the worst of the blood off of his skin. He didn't need Remus able to smell the Weasley boy's blood all over him.
"Who's blood is that?" She asked as she approached, seeing the blood on his hands and a careless smear on his face.
"You don't need to know." He said quietly, not having the heart to tell her that it was her friend's. "Some horrors you don't need in your head." He knew very well that it could have just as easily been her body in the cellar of that disgusting safe house. He dunked his head into the water and scrubbed the blood off his face.
"Tell me." She said forcefully, gripping her wand.
Thorfinn stood and straightened up to his full height, his exhaustion gone in an instant as he turned to face her fully. "No. Didn't anyone ever tell you not to draw your wand unless you mean to use it?" He said. "What'll it be then, little witch, going to hex me or put that damn thing away?" He narrowed his blue eyes. His wand was in his jacket, he could summon it but she'd get the first blow in.
She gritted her teeth and then put her wand away, itching to do just that…hex his ass until she felt better. "Damn you."
"I've been damned a long time, Hermione." He said and grabbed his clean jacket, fishing his wand out and casting a cleaning and drying charm on his pants. "Are your friends here?" He asked her, wondering if their presence had been what stayed her hand. A part of him wanted her to let loose on him, see if that little dark sparkle he'd seen the other night was still there.
She nodded. "Come inside. There's a bathroom if you need to clean up more…"
"No point…after we talk we'll head back to my place and I can get a shower and some clean clothes."
"I'm not going back there." Hermione said.
"Yes, you are." He stepped closer, making her tip her head back to keep his gaze. "We have a deal, remember little witch?" He didn't touch her, but as he watched the blush rush up her neck and into her cheeks, he realized that he didn't need to. Elements he needed to find out if she dueled like she kissed…it might almost be worth her killing him to find out.
Hermione swallowed past the sudden tightness in her throat. Again she was hit by the sheer size of him. Her head barely reached his chest, making her feel incredibly small. His very naked chest, naked tattooed chest. She stepped back first, and simply turned her back on him and retreated inside.
Remus was sitting at the table with Arthur and Kingsley. When he saw Rowle come in, he narrowed his eyes. He could smell the faint traces of old blood on him, but not enough to place who it had belonged to. "Well…did you meet with your 'friends'?" He asked.
Thorfinn nodded, watching Hermione as she sat by the fireplace…her back to him. "Yeah." He pulled out the paper and laid it in front of the men. "Sixteen names, seventeen including myself. Every one of them is bound by magical oath to secrecy. We'll need to devise a way to pass the word that it's time to move, but they'll be on our side when it's time." The Averys, Malfoys, and Notts had been the hardest to wrangle, and the riskiest, but they had been chaffing under the Dark Lord's growing mania for a while now. Lucius was not the same man he'd been before Azkaban, and Narcissa had pledged to get both her husband and son on board. She knew they had no future if the Dark lord prevailed. Antony Mulciber was a friend and had agreed without question. They'd gotten the younger, newer Death Eaters on side together. McNaire, Wilde, Malborne, Keene, and a smattering of others that had joined recently and were shocked by the reality they were facing. Severus had rounded out the group, and having him involved actually eased Thorfinn's mind somewhat. He knew just how deadly Snape could be.
"I can help you with devising a signal." Hermione spoke up softly. "I'll tell you about it later."
Arthur read over the paper, in shock at the names on it. "All of them agreed to switch sides?"
"Every last one." He said, rather proud of the accomplishment.
"We discussed it at length, and we can agree to the terms you've offered. Amnesty for all of them, including yourself." Arthur said. "Even Snape."
"It's probably little consolation, but he was operating under Albus' orders that night. The old man was dying anyway, and he wanted to spare Draco from having to do it." He said. "Minerva's aware." Thorfinn was aware it took a special kind of monster to look Arthur Weasley in the eye when only hours ago he'd killed his son. If the Dark Lord had his way, Arthur would know of his son's death soon enough, and these negotiations were too delicate to risk any messy emotions getting in the way.
Arthur nodded. "Do you have any word about my son?" He asked the Death Eater.
Thorfinn shook his head. "I'm sorry." He said simply. "I don't know where he is." And at the moment he didn't. He'd left the body at Malfoy Manor, but he knew it was likely he would have been moved. Something to showcase to their enemies.
Arthur nodded, pain written on his face. "Can you return tomorrow night? We can keep you informed of things and try to co-ordinate our efforts."
"I'll return tomorrow night, but I cannot promise when. I will try to be here just after sunset, but I could be late." He warned. His time was not purely his own.
"We'll have someone here to meet you then. Hermione? We should go, Harry's eager to see you." Arthur stood.
"I can't Arthur." Hermione stood. "Tell Harry I'll see him soon."
Arthur frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Leave it be Arthur." Remus said. "Hermione has an agreement with Mr. Rowle. I do not think he trusts her safety to us."
"What manner of agreement?" Kingsley spoke up, his deep voice rumbling through the room.
"The kind that is not your concern, Kingsley." Hermione stood and looked at them. "I'm in no danger, and Mr. Rowle has been a complete gentleman." She reassured them, even if it was a bit of a lie. "We needed his help. What I did to secure it is a private matter between us. I ask you all to respect that." She looked at the three men, her eyes lingering the longest on Remus. "Just tell Harry I am safe and leave it that."
Kingsley nodded. "Very well, but be very clear on this Rowle…if you hurt that girl when all this is said and done, you'll answer for it to me." He growled.
Thorfinn merely quirked his lips in a smirk. "If I tried hurting that witch, she's more than capable of holding me to account herself." He chuckled a bit. "I doubt very much she has need of anyone to fight her battles for her."
Hermione was surprised by the praise, and didn't resist as he placed a hand on the small of her back and guided her out of the little seaside cottage. He pulled her in close and concentrated a moment before apparating them to his cottage.
The waves were crashing against the shore as they popped through with a crack. Thorfinn released her and watched as she regained her equilibrium. "Have you eaten yet?" He asked her, seeing how pale she was.
She shook her head. "Remus tried to get me to eat but…I just couldn't." She said softly.
"Come inside, I'll make us something." He said and motioned for her to walk ahead of him. A flick of his wand got a fire starting in the grate and he took off his jacket and tossed it over a chair as he walked, shirtless into the kitchen and got the fire going in the old fashioned wood-fired stove.
"I'm just going to grab a quick shower while that heats up. Can you peel a few potatoes and clean some mushrooms?" He asked her, putting what she'd need on the counter.
Hermione nodded, a little off balance with how normal a task that was. In the middle of a magical war and he wanted her to prep some vegetables for dinner? She pushed up her sleeves and put some water in a bowl and then using a paring knife she peeled the potatoes and left them whole, not sure that he wanted. Then she went to the sink and started cleaning the button mushrooms. That finished, she dried her hands on a tea towel and then filled the kettle and put it on to boil.
She sat down, half dozing off when the bathroom door opened and he came out. She nearly fell off her chair. He was just wearing a towel around his hips as he crossed the kitchen and tossed his clothes into the laundry room. She closed her eyes and dropped her head down onto the table with a dull thunk. She was marrying a fucking god. She didn't WANT to appreciate the view, but she'd have to be blind, dead, and buried to not drool. He was muscular, but not overly so. The long lines of his body carried the muscle well and only a smattering of old scars marred his skin. A beautiful tattoo of two ravens adorned his right pec, the black ink vivid against his pale skin. Other than the towel the only thing he wore was the amulet around his neck.
"Are you all right over there, little witch?" His tone was amused as he moved around the kitchen.
"Please put some clothes on." She muttered.
He laughed heartily. "Sweetheart, I usually cook in the nude. The towel was a concession for you." He smirked and put some oil in the frying pan and started searing off a couple of chicken breasts before adding the mushrooms, some onion, garlic and red wine and getting it to reduce. He chopped the potatoes into smaller pieces and then put them on to boil. He grabbed himself a beer out of the fridge and came to sit down at the table.
"So, tell me about this idea of yours to help co-ordinate my friends." He asked her, enjoying her discomfort immensely.
Hermione lifted her head, cheeks very red. "During our fifth year we had a secret Defence group, because Umbridge wasn't teaching us anything. I used a protean charm to inform the holders of the next time and date that we'd be meeting. The coins also would heat up to let people know that they had updated." She said.
"A Protean Charm, in fifth year?" His eyebrows rose. "That's a clever bit of magic." He looked duly impressed. "That would be simple enough. Even just charming the coins to heat up, and change colour would be sufficient for a signal."
She nodded. "I'd make yours the master coin, so you can signal the attack at the right moment." She said.
"How long will you need to enchant twenty coins?" He asked, wanting her and at least two other order members to have them as well so they'd be aware of WHEN they'd be getting their reinforcements.
"Maybe a couple hours, at most." She said.
"Good, you can work on that in the morning. I have an errand to run." He said and stood, adjusting his towel.
Hermione averted her eyes. "Sure." She said quietly.
Thorfinn went to check on their meal and stirred the sauce a bit and then made her a cup of tea. "Here…I'll be right back." He said and headed upstairs to put on a pair of boxers for her consideration. Poor girl looked like she was going to pass out. He pulled on a black T-shirt as well and then headed back down stairs. "Better?" He asked her and went to finish off their food.
"Thank you." She said and took a deep breath. "I'm not really used to…"
"It's ok, little witch." He said and set the plates out and started dishing it up. He brought it over and poured her a glass of wine to go with it.
"Your tattoo, are those Odin's ravens?" She asked, trying to find something to talk about.
He nodded. "Yes, Munnin and Huginn." He smiled. "The two sides of true knowledge, thought and memory."
She smiled, pleased that she'd been right. She cut a piece of her chicken and nearly moaned. It was so good. "This is delicious."
He grinned. "My father told me that every wizard should know how to cook, because it's fastest way to a witch's heart." He winked at her.
She blushed a little and tried some of the wine. "Well, it certainly doesn't hurt your cause." She admitted. It was a further reminder that he was not some boy from school, he was older…experienced, and likely had expectations. She chewed on her bottom lip a bit as she focused on eating. She was grateful when he didn't push for any more conversation, clearly just as hungry as she was. As she finished her meal she shook her head a little as he topped up her wine. "I still don't know why you'd want to marry me." She said, sitting back in her chair and sipping the wine.
He nodded and stood, offering her a hand. "Come with me." He said.
Hermione slipped a hand into his and let him draw her up to her feet. She took her wine with her as he led her through the main floor to a small study. He grabbed a book off the desk and tugged her down to sit in the little loveseat in front of the fireplace.
"This is my family tree, going back all the way to the Norman Conquest." He flipped through the pages. The various names were coded, in red, blue, and purple ink. He flipped to the very front where his family's crest was, in bold gold and black. 'Quod ea facultas utrum magis sanguis.' He read and looked at her.
"Blood matters, but ability matters more." She translated and looked at him.
"In essence, yes." He flipped through. "The names in red are Muggleborn witches, and wizards. Our family has always accepted that while blood and heritage is important, to remain strong and vital we needed to bring new blood in when the opportunity presents itself." His grandfather had told him when he was a lad to look outside the box when choosing his future wife. "Do you have any idea how difficult it is to cast an unforgiveable successfully?" He looked at her.
"I'm guessing that you're going to tell me." She said, raising an eyebrow.
"Dark spells function of pure intent, and are fueled by the power of the caster. Anyone can say the words, and make the wand movements, but if you don't have power combined with pure intent, it will fail. To use the killing curse, you have to do more than just hate…you have to desire their life to be snuffed out forever. You pull the darkest part of your soul to the forefront, and surrender to it. You never hesitated, you didn't waver, and it was beautiful." Thorfinn said softly and reached up to touch her face, his thumb stroking against her bottom lip.
Hermione shivered, suddenly cold, and tried to shift away but he slipped his hand back into her hair and kissed her. The kiss was hard and demanding. He released her lips after a moment, but didn't let her move away from him. "Don't hide from that part of yourself because that is what's going to keep you alive, little witch. That part of you is the only reason I didn't hand you over to my master that night. I got a glimpse of what you could be, and I wanted to be the one to shape you."
"I'm not like you." She protested, struggling a little.
"Dolores might beg to differ sweetheart." He shifted, pinning her to the cushions. "The sooner you admit that to yourself, the better off you'll be. It's easy to pretend, and ignore the things that make you uncomfortable, but the truth is that those parts of yourself are there, and if you ignore them they tend to rear up at the worst times."
Hermione nodded, not so much because she agreed with him, but because she wanted him to let go of her. She was NOT like him. "Let go of me." She said firmly and let out a breath as he released her. She handed him back the book and stood. "It's late."
He nodded. "It is." He set the book aside and came to his feet, moving into her personal space again. "My room is just across the hall from yours, you can borrow a t-shirt for bed if you want. They're in the second drawer from the top. I'm just going to tidy up the kitchen." He said and gave her a smile before turning and leaving the room.
Hermione took a deep breath and then headed upstairs quickly. She hesitated at the top of the stairs and went into his bedroom, going to the dresser and taking a t-shirt for bed. Harry still had her little beaded bag with all her clothes in it, and she didn't relish the thought of sleeping in her clothes. She took a soft blue t-shirt and quickly went back across the hall. She shut and locked the bedroom door. She undressed and slipped on the large T-shirt. She flopped down on the bed, her mind spinning.
Everything was so confusing, emotions just twisting and roiling around inside of her. He was magnetic, aggressive, and dangerous, but when he touched her it was like sparks travelling across her skin. It had never been like that with Ron. God…Ron. She felt tears welling up as she thought about him. She grabbed a pillow and hugged it to her, crying into it. He'd been taken because of her. If she'd just resisted a little while he and Harry would have moved on without her. She'd just been so afraid for her parents. Thorfinn had known just where to apply the pressure, and she had buckled. She hated him for that, but not any more than she hated herself.
