CHAPTER 16 - Fair is Foul
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Snape disappeared into the Black family library a room away, still seething at Sirius' remarks. He was furious and humiliated (though not entirely suprised) that the mongrel had degraded him in front of the entire group. That name... Severus wasn't one to let insults and namecalling get to him...after so many years of teaching, he grew used to being called a "greasy git" or "ugly bat" behind his back. But that name held so many memories behind it. Memories he tried to put behind him and forget.
And he had used that name in front of her...It always had to be her.
It always came back to her.
That girl was becoming a nuisance. Everywhere he turned, there she was. In the Entrance Hall in his way, out by the Forbidden Forest, in his quarters, in his memories, in his chair, in his personal space. Never, save Dumbledore, had anyone learned so much about him in such a short amount of time. It was unnerving. She was unnerving...disarming. He was a spy, and so far, he had learned nothing about her which she didn't offer freely.
Snape looked around the bookshelves crammed with contraband, dark, and discontinued tomes. A few regulars were found here and there, such as 'Hogwarts: A History,' and 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.' As he skulked around the shadows of the room, his eyes fell upon another book. Its title was familiar, and he recognized it as being from the Hogwarts library. 'A History of the Paranormal World As We Know It' by Claude S. Plume, M.A. Up until now, Severus had passed by this book many times without giving it second thought. Now, however, he was drawn to it with buried excitement.
His long, spidery fingers shot out and pulled the volume from its place on the shelf, quickly opening it and flipping to the index in the back. The book was fifteen years old, but there still might be some useful information. Snape's black eyes darted through the letters to 'R.' Finding nothing useful, he snorted in frustration as he tried 'D' for demon. Multiple entries were found, and he tried out the first one. Again, nothing helpful. He tried the second listing. It was simply a definition. He was met with a clue on the third try. It referenced how demons have affected the world in the past, and near the end, mentioned the name "Trigon."
Flipping back to the index, he looked up 'T.' There it was. Trigon, pg. 286. One listing.
In a flash, he was there and he read.
'The demon Trigon was perhaps the most powerful source of evil ever in the history of the paranormal world, spreading death and destruction in his wake. Trigon was second to none, answering only to Satan himself, and even demons of the highest rank bowed down and worshipped him from fear and reverence. After an eternity of reign in multiple dimensions, Trigon was finally defeated some three years ago, the same year that You Know Who also took his downfall.
While Trigon is thought to be dead, it is believed by some that he foresaw his downfall and raped a human woman to bear his child. He could use his child's mind as a gateway to return to the world and regain his lost power. While his child is only half demon, it has the blood of Trigon running through its veins, giving it immense power and the ability to rule the demons as its father did. If Trigon were returned, nothing would be strong enough to stand in the way as father and child together destroy worlds and enslave trillions.
Severus stopped reading there; the book continued on to tell of Trigon's crimes and then to talk about the lesser demons that served him, but there was nothing more on his child - nothing more on Raven. With an exasperated growl, he slammed the tome back on the shelf.
Five excruciating minutes later, the door to the kitchen opened and a weary Albus Dumbledore framed himself in the doorway. At once, the crowd in the living room were silent as they waited for news. His bespeckled eyes swept the room until they fell on Raven, sitting cross-legged in an armchair off in the corner. "So glad you could join us, Miss Roth. I know you must have a lot of questions, as do the rest of you, I'm sure, but I must ask your patience yet again, as I'd like to call all members into the dining room for a conference. Your questions will be answered there, and Raven, yours will be answered as soon as we've finished."
"To what end, Headmaster?" Raven asked.
"Introduce you to our band, and perhaps even make you a member, my dear."
She straightened in her seat. "I'm honored, to be sure...I'd be even more humbled if I knew what exactly I was being considered for."
"That is also what we will be discussing." Dumbledore refocused his attention on the rest of the people in the room. "Where is Severus?"
"Here, Headmaster," the low voice answered from the shadows in the hall.
Albus addressed the entire room once more. "If you will," he said, nodding towards the dining room. All the adults slowly shuffled past the double doors, last of all Snape, leaving Raven, the main trio, the twins, and Ginny in the living room.
For a while, no one dared break the silence...the twins were sitting serenely in each other's laps as they tried to share one seat, and the Golden Trio looked slightly uncomfortable, sitting rigidly next to one another. Ginny had sat down in one of the vacated seats and looked around, nervously bouncing her knee while Raven continued to stare at the floor in front of her. A minute must have gone by before one of the redheaded twins spoke up. "Right then! Extendable Ear time!" He dug in his pocket while the other twin got up and crouched at the base of the double doors.
Raven raised an eyebrow when a life-like ear was pulled from the pocket sporting a long string. Harry, Ron, and Ginny joined the pair on the floor. "Well?" George asked, looking over his shoulder at Raven. "Don't you want to know what they're talking about?"
"Really, George!" Hermione scorned, "How do you expect to be initiated into the Order when they find out you're an untrustworthy eavesdropper!"
The redhead sniffed in mock pompousness. "They'll be impressed at my ingenuity and dedication to sneakiness! My updated Extendable Ears can penetrate Silencing Charms as well as twelve other charms meant to keep out spies...I've even added a recorder device!"
"Are you serious?" Hermione asked curiously, all tone of disapproval gone from her voice, "You've discovered how to circumnavigate Silencing Charms?"
Raven crossed the room to join them, lowering herself to her knees. "Here," Fred said, giving her one end of the string, "just listen." With that, he slid the ear halfway underneath the door. Muffled voices soon became clear, and the sorceress didn't even need to hold it up to her own ear. The volume was high enough so that all of the teens could circle up and hear everything that was said.
The quiet voice of Dumbledore commanded the room. "Alastor if you please. We will get to your questions, but I would prefer you withhold judgement until adequate information is presented. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss the initiation of Raven Roth into the Order of the Phoenix. Each of your opinions shall be considered once I've shared what I deem appropriate about her."
Raven's breath caught in her throat. Surely he wouldn't break his promise to her? Her attention refocused on the string, because a new voice had started speaking.
"And what about the information you deem inappropriate to share with us?" asked a male voice.
Albus looked at Remus squarely. "Portions of information kept from you today, I may, later down the road deem suitable and safe...and subsequently dispense them to you. Other portions I shall withhold. And in this, I shall be answerable exclusively to my own conscious and judgment. These are deep waters, and I ask that you trust me."
"Is she a threat, Albus?" Moody inquired with a growl.
The old wizard shook his head tiredly. "Only to our enemies, Alastor. She is a being of immense power - I doubt even she knows the extent of it, herself. But like so many of you here, she is an outcast in society. She requires purpose and direction. I invited her here as a means of perhaps finding a family, of sorts."
A snort of amusement was heard from a dark corner. "You're almost as good a liar as I, Headmaster."
"Severus," Dumbledore sighed. "The Order of the Phoenix is a family, and she is in desperate need of one. It is true this is not the only motive I have -" Snape's lip twitched in triumph, and Dumbledore's eyes darkened at the response "- for bringing her here. She has already sworn her allegience to me, and I believe you deserve to know who is on our side." It was the closest the old wizard would come to offering an apology for keeping Percy's espionage a secret from the Order. "I talked with her at length during the Sorting Ceremony, and I believe we can trust her."
"You believe we can trust her, Albus?" Moody mocked derisively. "You believed you could trust Crouch juiced up like me. You believed you could trust that worm Quirrell. And you still believe you can trust this bastard Snape! How do you expect us to trust your judgment on people's character?"
"I see you haven't lost your touch for being the paranoid imbecile," Severus replied with an acerbic sneer.
"Silence your trap, Snape," Mad-Eye growled menacingly, both his wild eyes fixed on the tall man standing in the opposite corner of the room.
"He's not worth it, Alastor," Sirius said, trying to defuse the situation.
The dark wizard raised an evil eyebrow. "I feel disinclined to take orders from someone who allowed himself to be stuffed in a trunk by a weakened, half-crazed child. Surely they train Aurors better than to allow scrawny boys with a foreign wand to overpower them."
The enraged Moody flew to his feet, sending his wooden chair tumbling backwards on the floor. "You traitorous scum!"
"SILENCE." Dumbledore's voice swept the room. "The issue at hand is a serious one, and we must be united. I cannot allow petty differences to threaten the integrity of the decision we must make this evening. Now, as I said, I have had a lengthy discussion with Miss Roth in the presence of Professor Snape, and I deem her trustworthy. I have already gotten an oath of loyalty from her, and it's time she meets the rest of the players."
Remus cleared his throat. "Albus, it seems to me as though the decision has already been made. If she is already here, why this meeting?"
Dumbledore's eyes narrowed behind his half-moon glasses. "I value each of your opinions...but a decision must be made whether to swear Raven in as a full-fledged member. Now, I received word from Severus that she has already made contact with the Death Eaters. Therefore we must decide in haste before Tom reaches her. Raven has witnessed him through a Pensive memory, but she is still unaware of how he interacts with those he regards highly. She may underestimate him and his followers. It is for this reason, among others, that she must be trained and educated among allies in the ways of magic and the Dark Arts."
"She's American, sir," Sirius spoke up. "How long has she been here?"
"She arrived yesterday after I granted her request for a meeting."
Tonks asked the inevitable follow-up question. "Then how can we expect her to take this war as seriously as the rest of us? She has no prior experience with wizards like You-Know-Who. Why would she work for us?"
"It is a mistake to assume that simply because she's never suffered at the hands of Tom that she's never suffered at the hands of beings more powerful than herself. Any information beyond that I cannot share at the risk of betraying her trust. Suffice it to say, I believe she realizes the severity of evil we are fighting."
"If I may, Headmaster," Severus asked from his shadows, "What role do you plan for her to play?"
Dumbledore bowed his head as he spoke. "Considering our recent losses, and how I know you need assistance in the field, Severus, I was hoping I could enlist her as a spy - "
The old wizard made it no further. Snape had swept from his concealed location and violently kicked his empty chair out of his way. "Spy." His voice was eerily calm and quiet...this was Snape at his most dangerous. The waves of barely-restrained magic radiated off his enraged form as the bottom of his robes swirled unnaturally around his ankles. "Never, Albus," he spat with contempt as he slowly stalked towards Dumbledore, "will I knowingly allow you to condemn an innocent to the life you've thrust upon me!"
"Severus..." It was a warning.
Snape paid it no heed. "She doesn't understand, Albus! Treat her like the being of immense power you recognized her to be, and she will respect you. Treat her like the insignificant, expendable pawn you do the rest of us and she'll have justified contempt for your position of authority. Raven may be naiive enough to miss the chessmaster in you, but I - "
With a speed and strength incongruent with his age, Dumbledore shot forward and dragged the angry Slytherin into the kitchen.
"Dammit! What's going on?" Harry cursed at the loss of reception.
"They must have left the dining room," Fred whispered.
Harry groaned. "But it was really getting good...I want to hear Dumbledore tear that bastard apart!"
"Ronald, it's not polite to stare!" Hermione chastized.
Raven sighed...the other teens couldn't stop stealing glances at her. She wished she could hear in the kitchen.
"Severus," the elderly wizard looked over his specktacles seriously at the younger Slytherin, "we will accomplish this. I will not allow morally outraged displays to slow it down. Every member will come to see it or they will be stung. As I'm sure you know, there are no shortages of nooses to hang enemies of the Light. You know in time this operation will eventually come under inspection by the Ministry. And as the war goes on, the Aurors will become more and more intrusive into our business and put marks against the names of those who are less than cooperative. You have a choice to make."
Black eyes slowly grew wider. "Headmaster, you of all people know that I've always respected - "
"You will still have to make a choice. Do not let your righteous indignation make the decision for you. I do not wish to see the bullies in the Ministry, and I admit they have more than their fair share of them, take too much of an interest in you."
"Their interest in me, Headmaster, beyond what they have already?"
"And all I wanted is unity...no trouble getting what has to be done, done. And with your cooperation, so much is possible..."
Snape's lower jaw worked soundlessly.
"Back at the table, I will call for a vote...and I will expect your support. Do you understand?"
A moment passed before Snape made eye-contact with the old wizard. "Perfectly, Headmaster."
Dumbledore's face brightened and a familiar twinkle returned to his eyes as he smiled warmly at Severus. He wrapped a fatherly arm around the tall man's shoulders and escorted him back into the dining room, ushing Snape back to his seat. The silent Slytherin, for once, sat in the wooden chair at the table and said nothing. Smiling at the members sitting around the table, the head of the Order broke the awkward silence. "Now then. Back to business. Where were we?"
"You said you'd like her to spy for us," Sirius offered.
"Ah yes, thank you. With one of our valued spies out of the picture, we cannot leave Severus to shoulder the responsibility entirely himself. I feel it would benefit the Order and our remaining spy to supply him with an ally behind enemy lines."
"May I make a comment, Albus?"
"By all means, Remus."
"I was speaking to Harry earlier, and he mentioned the fact that he believes her to be dark. Not evil, he specified, but he stated quite emphatically that something seemed off about her. I thought it best to bring this up before we come to a consensus. Is it wise having a such a dangerous spy privy to our secrets when even Harry Potter distrusts her? Can you enlighten us, or is this news to you?"
"I didn't mean it that way! Honest! I don't think you're dark!" Harry whispered frantically once the group of teenagers had heard. Raven hadn't said a word, or even looked in his direction, but Harry felt guilty nonetheless.
The demonness turned her head and looked the Boy Wonder in the eyes. "Then you're wrong."
The small group gasped, but didn't react much more due to the fact that Raven simply returned her attention to the string. "What? What do you mean?" Ron whispered.
Raven simply nodded towards the Extendable Ear.
Dumbledore rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It seems Harry is more perceptive than I'd like. Raven Roth is not a witch, nor does she possess an ounce of magic in her body, nevertheless she harbors a great many supernatural power. Their source is Dark, but I know you can appreciate the fact that simply because Darkness inhabits someone, that does not make them Dark."
Lupin's brows furrowed consideringly. "Do you know what that Darkness is, Albus? Is she in control of it?"
"I am not at liberty to discuss the nature of the Darkness with you, however - "
"Then forgive me, Albus, but shouldn't we take that into account when making a decision? As someone acquainted with Darkness, I must say that it is a matter of the utmost urgency, and I cannot give my full approval until I fully understand what we are dealing with."
The stern gaze of Dumbledore bore into Lupin's eyes. "Would you have preferred, Remus, that I announced to all of Hogwarts what you were when you were employed as a professor? It is enough that you know that Raven is in control. Her powers are operated by her mind and will, but controled by her emotions...she must remain calm in order to harness and keep them under control. This is a warning to those she talks with...keep things civil and do not risk her wrath. I was not exaggerating when I said she is a being of immense power."
Mad-Eye coughed to get Dumbledore's attention. "Uh, so would she find it objectionable that we're discussing her like this if she happened to know?"
"I am aware, Alastor, that our meeting is not private...and that it hasn't been since it began. I am also aware that you knew as such, and yet failed to report it as soon as you saw them through the door."
Moody's disfigured face flushed in embarassment. "Oh...Headmaster...I didn't realize..."
Dumbledore held up his hand. "We will discuss your motives later. To the rest of you, do we have any disputes left to face here either with my authority or with what we have agreed? Remus?"
The cowed wizard shook his head. "I defer to your judgement, Albus."
Dumbledore looked over at Mad-Eye. "Alastor?"
"We are discussing the inevitable and bringing it about in an organized way. I have no dispute with that and understand the realities we're facing. You can indeed count on my support."
Tonks raised her glass. "Let us take You-Know-Who by surprise!"
Sirius raised his in the air in agreement. "I second the notion...this is too important a war."
"By all means," Arthur offered, his wife nodding.
There was a moment of silence when the circle of agreement halted when it reached Snape. Realizing everyone was looking at him, Severus looked up. "...Oh yes. What can I say? My enthusiasm is boundless."
"And I'm all for adding a new face," Bill finalized.
The circle was complete.
With a gaze that swept the entire table, Dumbledore smiled. "Excellent. You may come in now, Raven."
A/N: Credit for some lines during the Order meeting goes to the movie Conspiracy...an excellent drama that I highly recommend.
