Severus
Grimmauld Place London.

He really hated being here; he hated this house, so dreary and baleful that it made his own hovel seem welcoming. He hated sitting here waiting amongst the other order members, with their judging eyes and suspicious glances. It didn't matter what he did, some of them would never trust him, but in truth that was something he cared very little about. He hated waiting; it was just like Dumbledore to tell him there was an emergency and have him rush over here, just to be left waiting for the old man to show up. He hated the fact that he'd had to admit Potter may not have been in the wrong tonight, those words tasted as sweet as vomit rolling off his tongue. Most of all he hated Black, with his perpetual smug look and his typical arrogant demeanour. His hatred for Black was no secret as it had existed for over half of his life, and it was not like to change anytime soon. Over the years he'd listened to many reproves about letting go of school boy grudges, but that was useless twaddle that fell on deaf ears. It had ceased being a mere grudge and school boy misdeeds on that night in the Whomping Willow, when Black's actions nearly resulted in his death. Something that, twenty years later, Black had never apologised or even taken responsibility for.

Not long ago he'd taken his seat at the far end of the long kitchen table realising that the wait for Dumbledore was going to be a long one. The amount of patients he possessed was already thin and sitting idle with this group did nothing to improve upon it. Arthur Weasley was incessantly drumming his fingers on the table top, Lupin kept shifting in his seat, and Black had given up on sitting in favour of pacing back and forth. The only person not annoying him at the moment was Molly Weasley, who was running franticly about the kitchen and baking something at the moment. Although he could see no possible use for any sort of baked goods at this time of night, he understood this was her attempt at keeping her mind off the matter at hand. A bit odd as far as coping mechanisms go, but to each their own he supposed, at least she wasn't tapping or pacing.

He drew his eyes away from the rest of the people in the room and back to the bottom edge of the door and sure enough the tell-tale bit of flesh coloured string was still there protruding slightly into the room. He'd noticed them appear and disappear at the start and finish of every Order meeting so far. Doubtless they were some sort of listening device, the handy work Weasley twins he'd guess. Those two came up with some of the most ridiculous yet ingenious things, not that he'd ever admit that out loud. He could probably write a book about the countless things he'd confiscated from them over the years, and although most were frivolous joke items their level of creative thinking and ingenuity had impressed him on several occasions. Again, not something he'd ever admit to. He found himself thinking that whoever was listening in must be severely disappointed, not one in the kitchen had said a word for over twenty minutes. None the less, they were obviously dedicated to finding out what was being said. More than once he'd deliberated the idea of letting the presences of the eavesdropping string slip to the others, deciding instead to keep it to himself. Miss Farley had noticed as well and she mentioned it to him after a meeting a few days prior. She'd indicated that she had no intention on telling anyone else and that she was apt to let them continue listening in. Because as she put it; 'this particular group of Gryffindor's are prone to meddling and if they are going to meddle anyway, it's best that they are well informed.' As much as he wanted to disagree he had to concede that she had a fair point as he had been hesitant about keeping everything from them for just that reason. And right now he was convinced that as soon as Miss Granger had been ushered out of the kitchen she'd run to wake the four other teenagers in the house, and they were all gathered somewhere, listening to nothing, at the other end of that string. Much to his displeasure though, that silence was about to end.

"What is taking Dumbledore so long?" questioned Black as he abruptly stopped pacing.

"Black, the Headmaster is attempting to talk some sense into the Minister. Surely even you can understand that it is bound to be a lengthy endeavour," he sneered.

"Severus is right, with everything that Fudge has been saying about Dumbledore, he's not going to be easily persuaded to listen to him," Lupin added.

"But Harry's been attacked by Dementors and we're all just sitting around doing nothing," said Black.

"Sirius, we don't know that he's been attacked, that's just speculation on our parts," Arthur interjected.

"You heard what Snape said Arthur, and if it wasn't Dementors why would Harry pick that spell out of all the spells he knows?"

"That is true Black," he intoned, "but Arthur is right, at this point we're just speculating. It's decent speculation on our parts, that is true, but still speculation."

"Does You-Know-Who have control of the Dementors Severus?" Molly asked from the other side of the kitchen.

"Not yet as far as I know, but he has not called me in several days so that could have changed. However, at the last meeting the Dark Lord indicated that Dementors are not a high priority for the time being and that he has no plans for them in the near future. He can make no use of them at this time as he would prefer the Ministry continue to deny his existence, something that is not likely to continue if he takes the Dementors from their control," he said and no one else spoke he continued. "I do not believe this was the Dark Lord's doing."

"Why not?" probed Black.

"For several reasons, first as I said he has no plans for the Dementors at this time, second it seems far too subtle… in case it escaped your notice, the Dark Lord has a bit of a flair for the dramatic, and lastly it seems far too convenient."

"What do you mean?" interrupted Lupin.

"Well, for the last month the Ministry has been working tirelessly to discredit Potter along with Dumbledore. Then he is attacked by Dementors, something he will have hard time proving, and as a result they have him on charges of using magic outside of school. When all is said and done he will have no proof other than his word, which they are not inclined to believe, and they will have the chance to tell the world that he really is an attention seeking liar," he answered.

"That's a fair point, I'll give you that Snape," started Black as he resumed his pacing. "But what I'd really like to know is why the person guarding Harry couldn't cast a proper Patronus herself."

"We've already been over this Black..."

"Yes, yes I know," said Black waving off his comment. "She's a genius with charms, very bright and a highly skilled witch. Blah – blah – blah, but she couldn't use the one charm she really needed could she?"

"She has been working diligently on mastering that particular spell, and the need for it was not seen as critical at this point. Of the innumerable things that could be seen as a threat to Potter, Dementors were not among the list considered probable," he countered.

"No considered probable by whom? Surely, not you? That's laughable, you couldn't care less what happens to Harry," Black retorted.

"By the Headmaster you idiot!" he snapped. "And I have done more to look out for that ungrateful boy in the last four years than you ever have, you insipid mongrel. As far as I am concerned this conversation is at its end. If you think I am going to sit here and argue with you, your solitary time on the run has further addled your already paltry brain."

"You listen to me Snivellus, you have no right…" Black started to report, but he was out of his chair and half way to the door before the other man could finish. He'd just felt the tell-tale burning sensation in his left arm.

"Lupin, Arthur," he called as he was walking. "Tell Dumbledore that I have been summoned, I will make my report to him first thing in the morning."

He apparated to the Dark Lord's side as soon as he was out of the house appearing on the drive to the Riddle House in Little Hangleton. When he saw no one else making their way up the drive he realised that this was not a mass summons, but he was still slightly bemused upon entering to find that Lucius Malfoy was the only other Death Eater present. After approaching where the Dark Lord sat he bent to one knee and bowed his head.

"My Lord," he said in greeting.

"Severus, you came quickly," the snake like man replied.

"I aim to please, My Lord," he responded automatically.

"Tell me Severus, did you know that this evening Harry Potter was expelled from Hogwarts by the Ministry?" the Dark Lord asked. It was not unlike him to get straight to the point, a quality that was very un-Slytherin.

"No My Lord I had not heard," he lied.

"Is Dumbledore begun keeping things from you Severus?"

"No My Lord, if I was to hazard a guess, I would say that Dumbledore will attempt to change the Ministry's mind before he informs the Order about this," he lied again, that was not guess work on his part, Dumbledore was doing just that as they were speaking.

"Lucius?" the Dark Lord questioned, looking to the other man in the room.

"Dumbledore was already at the Ministry by the time I received word of Potters expulsion My Lord," Lucius drawled.

"Is he likely to succeed?" the Dark Lord hissed.

"It is hard to say My Lord, the Minister is unlikely to listen, but Dumbledore will have the law on his side. As it stands only the Headmaster has the authority to expel students from Hogwarts," Lucius responded.

"I see… I see… What a shame then, having no wand and nowhere to hide would have made Potter so much easier to eliminate," the Dark Lord paused in thought then continued. "Tell me Lucius, what did Potter do to earn the Ministry's ire?"

"A Patronus Charm, My Lord, and in the presence of a Muggle."

"Did he really? Surely the boy is not that stupid? Severus?" the Dark Lord asked with a sinister smile.

"My Lord, while Potter is exceedingly arrogant and not overtly intelligent even I am reluctant to believe he would do something so imprudent, and My Lord knows how much I despise the ingrate."

"Yes," the Dark Lord smiled again. "Your hatred for the boy is well known, Severus, explain."

"My Lord," he said with a slight nod. "Potter has been previously warned about the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery; apparently during the summer before his second year he used a hover charm to drop a pudding on the head of his Uncles, Muggle guest at dinner."

"Oh that is rich," snorted Lucius. "Dumbledore's golden boy in trouble for assaulting a Muggle with a pudding." Even the Dark Lord laughed, letting out a high pitched, blood chilling chuckle.

"So because of this warning you think that Potter is unlikely to use magic outside of school?"

"Yes, My Lord," he said before explaining his theory that it may have been a Dementor attack and that the Ministry was inadvertently doing the Death Eater's work for them.

The Dark Lord seemed to concur with his conjecture, and the thought that the Ministry may be unknowingly cooperating pleased him very much.

"And Lucius, what of your sources at the Ministry? Do you think Severus has the right of it?" the Dark Lord asked.

"My Lord, there are many in the Ministry that are working for your cause, and there are others that, while they may not know it, they are helping you greatly as the tirelessly deny your glorious return and work to discredit Potter and Dumbledore. What Severus said may very well be entirely accurate. I will attempt to find out whatever I can without drawing to much attention to my inquiry," Lucius said with a bow.

"Very well, and Severus I want to hear what Dumbledore had to say when I call you next."

"Yes My Lord," he and Lucius echoed. Both of them dropping to one knee and bowing before making their exit. As he planned before leaving Grimmauld Place he went to Manchester directly to his home in Cokeworth, rather than returning to The Order headquarters in London.