Chapter Four
Snape walked in as Harry and Ron were bent over the table. They immediately stopped talking and waited for him to seat himself at the table.
"Where is Nadya, Professor?" Harry asked, keeping his voice even and calm. "You are her secret keeper."
"Actually Potter, I am not," Snape replied, looking mildly chagrined. "I made Hermione Granger her secret keeper."
Harry stared at him and then stood, slamming his chair to the ground. "What!"
Snape's eyes narrowed and yet he remained silent and motionless.
Harry raged around the kitchen throwing things to the ground as he went. "If…if I ever get a chance," he shouted to the walls. "I am going to make the Fidelius Charm illegal to use!" It was the second time in his life a switch had taken place resulting in potential disaster. The first was with his parents and it had gotten them killed when their secret-keeper turned out to be a spy, Peter Pettigrew.
"What did she tell you?" Ron asked Snape, stopping Harry in his tracks. "What did Harry's aunt tell you?"
"She was willing to talk," Snape said, calmly. "I will tell you right now she does not know Nadya's or Miss Granger's whereabouts. She does, however, know more than she's willing to discuss about our world. As a matter of fact, she attended Hogwarts for a year before being dismissed for lack of, shall we say, ability…."
Harry stared at him and blurted, "Aunt Petunia is a squib? She went to Hogwarts?!"
"Yes." Snape answered and waved a his wand, a cup of tea set steaming before him. "She says both she and her sister, your mother," he hesitated for a moment and then went on without looking at either of them directly, "received letters from Hogwarts. Petunia Evans attended one year and it was discovered she had very little magical ability. She was told it would be best if she not continue; as are many squibs." He sipped the hot brew and seemed to stare in the distance reflecting on some memory as he spoke, "She was very jealous of her sister and maintained contacts in the wizarding world up to the present." Snape glanced over to Harry, "I think the reason she disliked you, Mr. Potter, had something to do with the fact you began to show magical qualities almost from the beginning. "
"Disliked!" Harry snickered, " I'd hardly use that word...hated is more like it."
Snape shrugged.
"Well?" Ron was leaning forward, "What's the rest?"
Snape studied the contents of his cup before continuing, "She spied on her sister all the time she was at Hogwarts and then on her and her new husband, James Potter. Your aunt was much more involved in this world than she is willing to disclose. It's clear she has a network of people, or has had people who keep her well informed. She did mention she overheard something she wasn't suppose to have heard, in a Inn about seventeen years ago, Mr. Potter. She told someone what she heard, a person she shouldn't have told."
Harry gasped, "She overheard the prophecy?"
Snape's eyebrows once again rose and he started to say something to Harry. "Mr. Weasley…"
"Knows, about the prophecy," Ron interrupted. " Harry doesn't keep secrets from his friends. So she told He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named?"
"Not precisely, but it did reach his ears, obviously," Snape answered. "She knows quite a bit that goes beyond childish spying and pranks. For instance, I was not aware and I'm sure you weren't Mr. Potter, your mother was not a true muggle. Lily Evans was half-blood. One of your grandparents was pureblood." Snape watched him and Harry could see he was considering the information. "She also recognized that she was partially responsible for her own sister's death. Her feelings of guilt forced her into accepting Dumbledore's request in taking care of you and swearing an oath to it."
"How did she learn about Nadya?" Harry asked in frustration.
"That we don't know," he said and sipped at his tea. "You're aunt is a very clever woman. She's been living in two worlds for most of her life, and has fooled a great number of people."
Harry thought about the act his aunt had been putting on all the years he had been with her. It made him furious.
"Professor," Ron began softly, "It's my understanding Harry's aunt was just a year younger then his mother when Lily Potter attended Hogwarts. Don't you remember her?"
Harry glanced at Ron in surprise and then looked at Snape. It was a good question, he thought.
Snape always seemed to ignore Ron whenever he was around and this time he was forced to respond to him since they were the only ones in the room. "Actually, I have been searching my mind for memories of Petunia Evans. She was there only a year and possibly for less time then that and I don't remember her. I will ask Dumbledore about it when I see him."
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "How are we going to find them?" Harry asked.
At that moment, Lupin joined them in the kitchen. He was looking upset and wouldn't speak to them or look at them until he sat a cup of tea on the table and dropped into a chair. "She's asleep upstairs. I gave her a sleeping draught." He ignored the tea and put a finger to his lip as if thinking something through. He finally turned to Harry. "Harry?"
"Yes," Harry answered. He had dropped into and chair staring at the table and feeling gloomy when Lupin addressed him. He was thinking this was the worst he'd ever felt and he didn't know what to do.
"Who did you kill?" Remus asked, looking into his eyes, his own gray eyes filled with sadness.
"Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry answered. "She was torturing Professor Snape to death." He said it quietly. No one spoke for a minute and Harry could hear the distant chime of the hallway clock.
Remus shook his head and covered his eyes with one hand. It took a minute before he was able to lift his head and speak. When he did his voice was hoarse with emotion. "You must not do it again at all costs."
Snape looked at him and for the first time Harry saw a look of genuine concern also cross his face.
"What aren't you two telling me?" he yowled, going from mildly angry to furious in a heartbeat. "I absolutely demand to know. I cannot abide secrets anymore." His voice was husky and he was half out of his chair.
"Mr. Potter, calm yourself," Snape began, he had a small catch in his voice which caught Harry by surprise. He lowered himself back in his chair and Snape continued, "Each time you kill, you take one step towards the dark world. It will become an attraction for you over time anyway. Dumbledore believes you share a number of powers with the Dark Lord. He…we... are not sure what that may mean, but there is a sense if you kill someone it makes you vulnerable and perhaps makes him stronger."
Snape wasn't looking at him. Harry had heard this before in a number of ways. He also believed not only Snape but other people worried he would become a dark wizard; something he could neither prove or disprove to anyone. "I'm not attracted to killing," he said in protest. "Honestly, I was threatening my aunt but I wouldn't have killed her."
Snape and Lupin glanced at each other and Lupin nodded, "Good. That's good, Harry." He acted as if he didn't believe his own words. "Still, it is one of the reasons why we guard you and try and protect you. Should you be confronted by... by a Death Eater or one of Voldemort's associates, for instance, you would be inclined to protect yourself. It's better if one of us step up to do that for you."
Harry nodded, not quite sure if he understood the explanation.
"How are we going to find Hermione and Nadya?" Ron asked interrupting Harry's thinking.
Snape shook free of his own thoughts and pursed his lips and said, "I think we will have to have some help with that Mr. Weasley. Potter, I think you need to contact Jolie. He will know where we can find a High Senseve or at least an Adept."
"A what?" Harry asked, frowning.
Lupin nodded, and added, "They are very rare, Severus."
"The sooner we have one searching the better off we will be," Snape replied. He stood and made his cup vanish with one wave of his hand. "Will you do me the favor of taking care of Mrs. Dursley, Lupin?"
"She shouldn't give Harry any more trouble. She really was just the messenger," Lupin said.
"I hope you're right," Snape said.
"The messenger? With what message?" Harry asked rising to his feet. It appeared their impromptu meeting was about to end and he knew nothing. "What are we going to do now? What's a Senseve?" he asked and reached for Snape's arm as he turned to leave the room.
"Mr. Potter," Snape began and stopped, stepping away from his outstretched hand. "First, we will make the arrangements at Gringott's as quickly as possible, tomorrow morning, to sign over the money to her and then she can return home. Lupin will do a small memory charm. We don't want her informant to have too much information, about this house, about Lupin and or other things…. I think we can also add to her memories so she can provide the kind of information we want them to know, should she continue to pass information on."
"You can do that?" Ron asked softly and in surprise.
Snape glanced at him and continued, "We can protect Nadya and Miss Granger by feeding your aunt information, which I have already done to some degree and we will see what happens next."
Lupin rose and said, "I'll stay here with the boys and Mrs. Dursley tonight."
"Will you go with Mr. Potter in the morning, Lupin?" Snape asked.
"Yes, I'll take care of it." Lupin replied.
"Very well. I need to make some inquiries. Potter," Snape addressed Harry as he turned to leave, "Stay here and DON"T DO ANYTHING. I will send your crow to you and you can send a message to Jolie."
It's a Raven, Snape. Dante is a raven, Harry thought as he watched the man leave. You're the old Crow, remember?
"Remus would you tell me what you meant when you said she was the messenger?" Harry asked after he left.
"First things first. I think I will see what there is to eat around here." Lupin began opening cupboards and pulling things out. "It's time we had a little supper and then we can talk. Ron, can you cook?"
Harry sat at the table watching Ron and Remus putting together a meal. He still felt miserable. They ate in silence, Harry barely touching the food. Ron wasn't faring much better. Lupin noticed and shoved his plate back. He poured some wine into three glasses and handed one each to them.
"Your aunt is being manipulated by a very powerful wizard, Harry. We can only guess who that might be. It's true she has lived a double life to some degree but she doesn't really understand the consequences of her actions." Lupin swirled his wine, staring into its rosy depths without tasting it and continued, "She was dabbling in things what should not have been dabbled in. No," he said, thoughtfully, "she really did not understand what it was she was playing at. Voldemort is a very sophisticated foe."
"Professor Snape said she was really clever for having lived in both our worlds," Ron said.
"Oh, I'd have to disagree there, Ron," Lupin argued. " She managed to keep her double life a secret all of these years, but she failed to recognize the danger in the information she was passing around. It got your mother and father killed Harry and it's made you a target of Voldemort. It was just jealousy and stupidity on her part!" Lupin raised his glass and drank it in one swallow. "The sad thing is… she knows what's she done now and someone is manipulating or holding her hostage. Her own family is in danger, so…" he tilted his head back and forth, "she is once again, unwillingly this time, involved in subterfuge."
"Someone is threatening her… Uncle Vernon and Dudley?" Harry asked.
"Yes. She says she is afraid they mean to kill them if she doesn't comply." Lupin nodded and said, "Going to Hogwarts was an attempt to draw you out and away from the protection of the school. That's what she believes or was told was the purpose of her visit. But I doubt… and Severus doesn't believe it is the central motive and we don't know what the central motive is yet."
"Why Nadya?" Harry asked. He could feel the anger and hatred rising like a sour taste in his mouth. His aunt had purposefully agree to a plan that would get him killed. She had been partly responsible for her own sister's death and for his father's death and he struggled to not let the information interfere with the current situation.
"Why do it this way? If it was Voldemort's plan, then it worked even if he didn't get me and got Hermione instead. What's Nadya got to do with it? Did he think if my aunt couldn't accomplish it then he'd use my wife to get me out in the open? Remus, how did he ever find out she was pregnant? I didn't even know!"
Lupin's eyes were slightly closed and he turned a gentle face towards Harry, "I don't know, Harry, I've only just arrived here this morning. Severus doesn't know if the secret of Nadya's pregnancy and your aunt showing up at Hogwarts is even connected." Lupin shook his head. "But Voldemort delights in his little machinations. Severus believes your aunt's arrival at Hogwarts represents a covert message. We don't know the sender nor can we decipher the contents of the message yet. Anyway, we can only hope Nadya is not in Voldemort's clutches."
"Or Hermione," Ron added grimly.
"Yes," Lupin acknowledged. "But you should remember one thing, both of you. Hermione and Nadya are formidable witches. If anyone can take care of themselves, it is the two of them."
Harry and Ron stole a glance at each other. Harry felt slightly less panicked. He was remembering what Hermione had told him on the train, that his aunt's visit was a trail of bread crumbs.
"By the way Harry, I offer you my congratulations on becoming a father," Lupin said and patted his hand. "It will be all right. I trust Hermione, I think she is quite a brilliant witch. Let's hope she figured this out and has gone to Nadya. Snape made her secret-keeper and must have believed in her abilities or he would not have done it." He smiled and went on, "He, along with the two of us, understands how a betrayal of that kind of trust can hurt. Hermione would never reveal Nadya's whereabouts. Just remember Harry, they are better off together than apart, and stronger; keep that in mind."
Hermione knew how I would feel., She is the secret-keeper, he thought, and she has gone to her. The thought was comforting. He agreed with Remus. If anyone could protect Nadya it would be Hermione.
"Remus would you tell us what a Senseve is?" Ron asked taking a bite of food and interrupting the gloomy direction of the conversation.
"Ah, yes, the Senseve," Lupin sighed and filled his wine glass. "That's something you should have heard about at Hogwarts in your lessons." He took a sip and continued, "Well maybe not. At least you will hear of them sometime, you in particular Harry since you are now a part of the Roma family. There are Roma who are born with very special gifts or talents, shall we say. These children are raised and trained by the same kind of wizards with similar gifts. They are the most talented, and trained, Rom witches and wizards of our kind. The experts are called High Senseve. The next level are Adepts. Believe me, if we can't find a High Senseve, we are just as lucky to find an Adept. There are probably a handful of High Senseve in the world and they are all Roma."
"What are their gifts?" Ron asked. Harry listened intently.
Lupin sat with his glass in his hand and thought for a minute. "They are like a human bloodhounds," he said softly. " It is so hard to describe. They have the most sensitive senses; sight, hearing, touch, taste and others." He smiled. "I have a very good sense of smell myself and my eyesight is very sensitive, too. Obviously these are a result of...who I am. However, what I experience cannot compare to their exquisite abilities.
He shrugged and continued, "They are trained to use these senses to look at the world like a puzzle which needs to be solved." Lupin smiled slightly. "They can detect the differences in human beings by their smell alone. They can see in the dark, follow the trail an ant takes to its' nest," he laughed. " That's what I've heard anyway and I don't doubt it. They are phenomenal and I'm not sure I'm eloquent enough to describe everything they can do.
"They are very strange people, too. Well… perhaps I'm being biased, I don't know. I've only met two and they were odd. But then they are very special people. Both of the ones I met knew I was a werewolf before they had come within ten feet of me."
Harry and Ron listened in fascination and remained silent.
"They are very powerful wizards as well. I think you know Harry, or have a sense that the Roma use different magic than we do; they have a nature-based magic. They use no wands. " Lupin took a sip of wine and said, "Imagine putting such a talent together with a very bright, cunning, well-trained, highly sensitive, perhaps supernatural person and viola! a Senseve." He raised his index finger and continued, "That isn't even an Adept Senseve or a High Senseve. That, boys, is a trainee; an apprentice, if you will."
"Wow!" Ron exclaimed and sat back in his chair.
Harry studied Lupin. He had lived with the Roma for only a few short months but he had never heard of a Senseve. "You're saying a Senseve could track Hermione and could lead us to Nadya."
"That's what Snape is saying Harry," Lupin said and sat his glass aside.
"What do you suppose the real reason was for getting my aunt involved?" Harry asked returning to the topic that pressed on his mind.
Lupin leaned in and said, "Think about this. If someone wanted to draw you away from the protection of Hogwarts by using your aunt, then it was a poorly planned piece of work. Dumbledore would not have been fooled for a minute- and wasn't. I've been giving this a little thought. Both he and Snape were immediately on guard when a 'muggle' found their way to Hogwarts."
Harry was listening and nodding, "Yeah!" he muttered, "Yeah, that's right!"
Lupin continued, "Did the people who helped her do it, were they interested only in money? I don't think so. That may have been what she was told but that was not why someone went to the trouble of getting her inside Hogwarts. I'm saying 'they' although I'm sure we can trace this all back to Voldemort." Lupin shrugged and went on, "'But why bring your aunt out into the open?' was my next thought. Whoever it was would know that we would use Legilimency on her to search her mind. Her double life would end as well as her usefulness. Remember this, there was no guarantee she could get you away from Hogwarts."
"It sure looked like she could from where I stood," Harry said.
"Dumbledore would never have agreed to let you leave Hogwarts and put you in real danger," Lupin replied. "She was in our world Harry. She had no recourse if Dumbledore refused. And," he raised a finger for emphasis, "when he did let you leave it was under the full protection of a number of wizards from the Order including Snape."
"I apparated and didn't stay on the train," Harry answered. "If they were plotting to take me maybe that fooled them."
Lupin shook his head and replied, "They would have kidnapped you the minute you stepped off Hogwarts grounds and before you could apparate. The Death Eaters have their ways. Besides, Severus has kept an eye on you every minute of every day. As I said, he and Dumbledore were immediately on their guard. They allowed you to escort your aunt on the train with the hopes of finding out who was behind all of this."
"What do you mean he kept an eye on me?" Harry asked, thinking back on his words.
"Snape told me you stood watch on Petunia while she was at the Inn." Lupin broke into a grin, and added, "He even followed you, while you followed the cat… Mrs. Norris.. Filches cat; if I remember right that was her name."
Harry was the second one to sit back and look stunned. "He did… he does? He's watched me all this time?" He was thinking of the times he had to crawl though mud and thorns and climbs over rocks and brush. It had been difficult for him. If Snape had followed then it would have been worse for him.
Lupin was still smiling. "You might say Severus has a few Senseve gifts himself, cunning old devil. But he is getting older Harry. It's hard keeping up with a young man your age." The smile deepened and his eyes twinkled. "I have to give him credit, Harry. Snape is determined nothing will happen to you on his watch and I, for one, appreciate it."
Harry stared at him and thought about what he was saying. He was stunned by the information. "Remus, what did Snape learn when he did Legilimency on Aunt Petunia?"
The smile faded and Remus smoothed the table with the palms of his hands. " I believe it's time to let Snape use his abilities and the information he got in the best way possible. Let's leave it at that for the moment. When he's ready he will tell you. Until then, let's clean up and then you can join me in the study. We need to write a letter to Jolie. Snape will have already sent your bird to us."
Harry and Ron worked in the kitchen taking their time so they could talk.
"You know, Ron," Harry said, "what bothers me the most is how they knew I was married."
"Har-ry," Ron groaned, waving his wand over the dishes. They were cleaned and stacked neatly in the open cupboard in a matter of minutes. "You had a wedding. There were people there."
"Everyone I trusted," Harry responded.
Ron nodded and shrugged. "It's not as if it were hidden Harry. I mean you didn't go out of your way to advertise but just having your name mentioned would be enough."
Harry continued to think out-loud, "The Roma are really good about keeping things private. It's almost their first rule of living. No one in the Kumpania would reveal to an outsider anything about one of their own."
Ron added, "It had to be an insider. Someone who knows you. It could have been one of OUR own, you know Hogwarts students or teachers. There were quite a few there. It's sad, but what's the use, we'll never know."
"Why can't we know, Ron?" Harry asked. "Snape's been teaching me Occlumency and Legilimency. Why can't I go upstairs and use it on Aunt Petunia and find out?"
They looked at each other.
"I don't know, Harry," Ron said. He looked nervous. "Can you do it?"
"I think so," Harry said, slowly. He'd only ever been in Dumbledore's mind with the help of Snape and once briefly when he had invaded Snape's mind without knowing what he was doing during their ill-fated lessons.
"Tonight," Ron suggested, "when Lupin is asleep?"
Harry agreed, "We're not going to have another chance."
They joined Lupin in the sitting room. Dante arrived soon after.
11