Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize from the Harry Potter books.

---------------------

Chapter Four: Trust and Deceit

Severus Snape was pacing his office when he felt the burn on his forearm, letting him know he was being called. He sent a quick message to the headmaster while hurriedly grabbing his mask and robe, and then he hurried to the apparition point.

When he arrived before the Dark Lord, he stood in the circle as the Dark Lord explained all about the capture of Hope. Voldemort also explained his plan to convert the girl to the Dark Side. Finally, after he was done rambling, he dismissed all the death eaters except Severus, whom he called up.

Severus bowed low to the Dark Lord. "Yes, my Lord?" He asked in just the right tone.

"I need you to go to the Collins girl. You will be unable to participate in the tortures due to your duties at Hogwarts. Get the girl to trust you, make sure that she is not extensively harmed. Give her potions to make the pain less horrible. Show her the advantages of being on our side, Severus."

Severus kept his eyes down so the Dark Lord wouldn't see the gleam in them while he answered, "Yes, my Lord. When shall I start this task?"

"Tonight. Go to her now. She's in the largest cell downstairs. Do not fail, Severus, or you know the consequences."

Severus bowed lower before straightening and heading toward Hope's cell.

Snape entered the cell noiselessly and frowned when he heard the sobs coming from the girl across from him. He walked over and kneeled down so he was level with her.

"Hope." He said quietly to get the girl's attention. Unfortunately it worked too well because Hope jumped up and backed away from him with a wince at the pain it caused.

"Shh…it's okay, I won't hurt you," he said, reaching in the pocket of his robe to remove a potion. "Drink this," he offered, handing her a new potion he had developed to remove even the worse pain.

Hope eyed the contents warily before deciding it didn't matter if it caused her more pain, especially considering who she had to spend the days with. After she gulped the disgusting potion, she sighed in relief as the pain left her body.

"Better?" Snape asked with a smirk.

Hope nodded but didn't say anything, causing Snape to sigh.

"I'm really not going to hurt you. I'm actually here to help you."

"Are you one of them?" She asked, not looking up to meet his eyes.

"Not really."

This earned a shocked look from her. He leaned closer incase they were being overhead. "I'm a spy for the light, Hope. The side that's working to get you out of here. Until they find a way, I'm here to make it easier for you."

Hope shook her head. "Why do you even care? You could risk everything."

Snape sighed and forced her to look at him with a finger under her chin. "Because Hope, before your real parents were murdered, they made me your godfather."

"What!" Hope exclaimed. "You have got to be kidding me."

"No, I'm dead serious. I'm Severus Snape, you're godfather, and the one who saved your life fourteen and a half years ago."

"Well Severus Snape, I don't care who the bloody hell you are, you're wearing the same robes as them and they just put me through more pain than I've experienced in my whole life. So if you don't mind, get the hell out of here."

Snape's shoulders dropped a little. "Hope, I wasn't here when they did that, and I'd kill myself before hurting you. I'm here to help you, and I am sure you'd like some of those bruises and cuts healed. If I do that, will you trust me?"

She eyed him warily. "Go get the water and bring it over her. I might as well let you fix what those idiots did. While you are at it, explain to me why I'm in this place."

Snape smirked. "You are so much like your mother."

She glared at him as he returned with the bucket and stared at the clear water in shock before shrugging it off. He healed her while he explained. "You are here because there was a prophecy made about you when you were a baby. Your father and I were friends and I was able to warn him of the danger you were in, and we took every step necessary to ensure you were safe. In the end, it worked, because I was able to bring you to Dumbledore, who found a good home for you."

Hope nodded and looked at her newly healed arms. "What is this prophecy? I mean, what does it say?"

Snape sighed. "It says you will determine the end of the war. Somehow in the final battle, you will make the decision leading to the killing blow. The Dark Lord hopes that by showing you how people on the light are treated by people on the dark, you would change sides."

Hope laughed. "Yes, I sat through their torture and didn't even scream, yet now they expect me to come crawling to them, wanting to join them. They're mental if they believe that."

Snape laughed for the first time in a long time. "Yes, Hope, that they are. I must go now though, I shall return each Wednesday and on the weekends. But first…" He said pulling something out of his pocket. A tiny ring glittered but as he slid it on her finger, it became invisible. "…this matches the one I wear. If you need me, just switch the ring to your left hand and say my name. I'll come as soon as I can get away without raising suspicion."

Hope nodded, her eyes showing that she wasn't completely sure she could trust him, even though she had no reason not to. She watched, still pondering, as Snape left her cell, his robes billowing dramatically behind him.

---------------

A/N: Thanks to anyone who reviewed. If you have any questions, let me know.

Thanks also to my wonderful beta, Nita.