Chapter 3
A dark haired man crept through the floo and stalked towards the man. He ignored Koli completely but that was probably because he hadn't noticed him.
"Satoshi, a pleasure as always" Snape drawled, "I suggest you unhand me – now". The man, Satoshi, dropped his hands from around Snape's neck.
"Thank you, what do you want this time?"
The man stared blankly at Snape before sitting down. Koli had scuttled into a shadowed corner of the room and watched with interest. Satoshi was one of Voldemort's most prized Death Eaters and so far undetected in wizarding society. No one knew what his real name was, only that he was loyal to a fault. Koli knew of course; Koli had made it his business to know everything about the Dark Lord's forces.
"I have been sent, Snape, to interrogate you". He chuckled. "It does make a change doesn't it? No matter, our lord is anxious to learn the whereabouts of the boy. He doubts that he would have left of his own accord and that naturally leads to the assumption that Dumbledore was involved. We know there was a raid on Hogsmeade and that he was there, and then he vanished. What has Dumbledore said of him?"
Snape scowled angry at the implication that he was withholding information. "The Headmaster is unsure who Orfeo is. He is very paranoid and suspicious. He is asking a lot of questions. He wants answers that I do not provide."
Snape began to pace the room wondering where Koli actually was because he couldn't see him, but the doors had not opened. He must be in there somewhere.
"There was a confrontation in Hogsmeade as you know. It seems Orfeo has comic timing and made quite an impression on Dumbledore. All that I know is that a dark clothed man came and collected the boy. Orfeo addressed him as 'Father'. Dumbledore has not said more; I do not believe he knows anymore than this. He is trying his hardest to pry information from me. Orfeo has a reputation from the raids and Dumbledore is at a loss as to how such vital information is not accessible to him. It really is quite amusing seeing him in such a state."
Satoshi sat in thought for a few more minutes. "This is good Severus. Even the Lord himself does not know all there is to about the boy. He appeared with a man a few months before he was introduced to the ranks. There was a deal of some description. I am not privy to the details. It appears that Orfeo has left without fulfilling his side of the bargain. The boy has guts but apparently no brain. Where I come from he would already be dead and here is not much less brutal. Magic is the same all over. It corrupts the powerful. Orfeo would have become a master of magic. Our Lord was anxious to be the one to train him so that he could sway his loyalties. It is a shame but it appears the future will hold many surprises. I had hoped to discover that he had been taken by the Order. Then, at least, it would be a simple rescue mission and reassuring. This complicates matters."
He rose and pulled parchment from his robes.
"If you learn anything, anything at all, write it down on this and I will see it. Goodnight Severus" and Satoshi stepped back into the flames. They tickled his robes before he disappeared.
"Well, that was interesting", remarked Koli who reappeared from his shadow.
"How did you disappear?" Snape questioned angrily.
"Certain skills are acquired when you join the Fallen. Controlling shadows happens to be one of them."
"What else can you do?"
"Where is the sense in telling you all I can do?" Harry said mockingly. "You know it's better to keep your secrets close to your chest. The element of surprise works wonders on a battlefield. I will also bid you goodnight, Sir. I was going to leave anyway. Thank you for not telling Satoshi of my whereabouts. It would have made things difficult for me."
"Wait!" Snape grimaced at how pathetic he sounded." What deal did you make with the Dark Lord?"
"Five years of honourable service, an entry into the libraries of my kin and immortality. The poor sod will do anything to evade death".
"Could you have granted him that?"
"Perhaps, if my kin permitted it; I would do nothing against the wishes of my kin. We work better as a community than a wizarding one. Goodnight Sir"
Koli walked back to his rooms thinking it over. He already knew that Snape was a spy but passed information to both sides freely. He didn't appear to have true loyalty to either. Perhaps he would prefer the third, he wondered. Koli decided he would put Snape to the test.
A/N: Please review!!! I'm a needy author lol. Ok, well, I hope people are enjoying this, even if you don't review. I hope someone's liking it.