When the sun set, the inhabitants of the stationary army camp in M'bwa, South Africa retreated into their tents. There were two rows of six tents, and the general's domicile at the Southern end. The plain wasflickering with heat and only the occasional sound of footsteps assured the people inside that there was still someone watching out for potential intruders.
Rodney Robertson was lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling of his one-man tent - the only one in the camp - pretending that there was someone he could talk to.
'Insufferable,' he stated quietly, not taking his eyes off a little fly that was buzzing in one of the top corners. 'This is completely annoying. I mean, honestly - what do they join the army for if they aren't prepared to do a little work.'
'Very true,' came a voice from the door, and Rodney sat up with a start.
'Sir!'
He made to stand to attention, but the visitor raised his hand, motioning him to remain sitting. It was the camp's colonel and only Snape currently in the service of the wizarding army, apart from the Field Marshal himself, as Rodney knew.
'Quiet, Sergeant,' said the colonel calmly. 'Sneak Alarm 246 and utmost caution are the order. Everyone be alert now.'
'Again?' said Rodney sourly. 'That would be the seventh drill this month. What is going on?'
'A safety measure,' explained the colonel, sitting down at one end of Rodney's bed. 'It is not a drill.' The bed swayed dangerously and then inclined to one side. Rodney leaned back.
'What then?' he said. 'Is there an attack?'
'Not as such,' said the colonel darkly. 'But there is a safety leak somewhere in the camp. A person has entered square 447 without permission and now we seem unable to locate him.'
'Doesn't that mean everyone ought to be out there looking for the intruder?' said Rodney, marvelling at the Snape's apparent composure, and then stopped, realisation dawning. 'You know who it is, right? You have been worried all afternoon.'
'I have a feeling that I know who is out there,' confirmed the colonel, not quite meeting Rodney's eyes. 'That is the reason I am here.'
The young Sergeant felt an icy shiver run down his spine. He could hardly breathe, trying not to think of what the colonel was openly implying.
'V-Vim...' he said in the end, feeling that all his body had turned so cold that no limb would move now.
'He broke out of Azkaban this morning,' said Colonel Snape quietly. 'It is just a theory, but I think it is highly likely that he will want to see you.'
Rodney did not move for some time, then nodded with difficulty. 'Of course. But...' It seemed so unlikely. 'Wasn't today when they swapped... you know...'
'The Dementors have arrived at the prison today,' replied the Snape darkly. 'And that is the exact moment he chose to disappear. Knew that it was his last chance, most probably. Once the Dementors are in place, no one will ever break out of Azkaban again.'
Rodney nodded. It seemed logical. 'But... how did he do it?'
'You know he can apparate better than anyone around,' said the colonel. 'That is also why I suspect him to be our intruder. No one else could have invaded 447 just like that.'
'L-logically,' said Rodney weakly. 'And... and he is coming for me?'
'I would expect it,' said the colonel. 'After what he said at Mull... you still haven't given me the details, by the way. As in time and place of the incident.'
'You must excuse me,' said Rodney quickly.
'It might have been important to have the information when we were charging him,' said Colonel Snape quietly. 'You and your pride, Rodney. It has got you into trouble more than once.'
'It's not pride,' replied the Sergeant, realising that he was reluctant about this conversation. 'It's just... I don't want to talk about it.'
'There is things one has to talk about,' said Colonel Snape firmly. 'And this is one that might have got Viminal into the ground level. Where I am sure he could not have escaped so easily.'
Rodney nodded again, as weakly. He was not sure what the colonel was aiming at, but got the feeling that now, if ever, was the moment to speak about what had happened at the Isle of Mull so many years ago.
'You think it is important,' he thus said after a small while, 'don't you?'
'I think it is bound to be,' replied the Snape. 'It was your first encounter with my brother - this one, that is. And it clearly made him approach your grandmother a few years later. So, yes, I believe it is important.'
'I hardly remember anything,' said Rodney after a small while. 'No, seriously. I was only a child, after all. Eleven or twelve, or so. No, younger. I hadn't entered Hogwarts. Anyway, I seem to think there was this incident involving Lupin and his ridiculous...'
'It was the time when Lupin entered the army's service,' said Colonel Snape calmly. 'Is that what you mean?'
Rodney gave him a brief glare before grudgingly averting his eyes. 'Yes, sir.'
'Continue,' said the colonel simply. Rodney sighed.
'I remember,' he mused, 'being there because my step-grandfather was...'
The colonel interrupted.
'How come you call Palatine by his correct title, whereas you address Viminal as though he was your real father?'
Rodney was at a loss.
'Anyway,' said the Snape quickly, apparently regretting his inconsiderate interruption, 'continue.'
'My step-grandfather was doing some investigation up there with some of the lads,' said Rodney pensively. 'Concerning the ancient runes, you remember? The old markings of...'
'I remember,' said the Snape. 'What then?'
'Well, I was fascinated by this person they kept locked in the cage,' went Rodney on. 'Do you remember him? One of the barbarians. He was black, and at first I thought that was the reason they'd locked him in and...' He broke off watching the colonel's face, which did not move an inch.
'You visited Thaibary?'
'Every day,' said Rodney. 'I just felt so sorry for him. But he didn't speak our language, of course, so he couldn't tell me the reason why he was sitting in that cage day and night, and why people were so cautious approaching him, and constantly going on about what food he would like. I think he wasn't happy about it.'
'What happened?' said Colonel Snape impatiently. 'I am well aware they were keeping him at the time. He was supposed to be a weapon. Without my approval, I must say. But thanks to your... is he your uncle?'
'Who?'
'Richard Robertson, of course,' said the colonel impatiently. 'The person I risked my head for.'
'They say he is my uncle, yes,' replied Rodney, not without hesitation. The Snape frowned.
'What are you talking about?'
'Well, I keep thinking that there has to be a person out there who, biologically speaking, would be my father,' said Rodney coldly. 'You said he didn't die, the army records don't mention any recent Robertson deaths, except for Rusticus, who wasn't old enough for...'
'I know what you mean,' said the Snape, clearly intending to avoid this topic. 'You were telling me about Vim.'
'Well,' said Rodney uneasily, 'it was in front of the barbarian's cage where I met him first. He was... just suddenly there and we talked.' He hesitated. This was the bit he did not like to tell. 'Well, he did things. You know what he is like. And then suddenly my uncle appeared and they were having a fight...'
'Verbally?' interrupted the Snape.
'With wands,' said Rodney quietly. 'It was the night when the barbarian got out. A stray spell. Nothing too surprising, really. It just broke the lock.'
Colonel Snape seemed surprised. 'You mean none of you let it out on purpose?'
'No,' said Rodney. 'Did they tell you otherwise?'
'Your uncle told me it was you who did it,' replied the colonel. 'That is, he seemed to be protecting you, so I made some more enquiries. When realising that he could blame you for everything, however, he was happy to change his course.' His gaze had darkened considerably. 'I should have known. And it is young Lupin, of course, who is bearing the consequences now.'
Rodney blushed. Hesitated, and then sighed. 'It was father who cast the spell in question,' he said quietly. 'So you might want to consider whether you trust my statement considering the purpose behind it.'
The Snape stared at him. 'What do you mean?'
'I am a Snape,' whispered Rodney. 'There is many things you can say against that, but I have never had any fathers but for Snapes. And that leaves a mark.'
'I suppose,' said the colonel pensively, not wanting to explore the topic any further. 'I shall investigate on the matter then. Anything else I need to be told?'
There was the sound of footsteps, and suddenly a person appeared at the entrance of the tent.
'Colonel Snape,' said a man's voice, who was standing in the shade and thus hardly visible, 'the intruder escaped. The general wants you in his tent.'
Rodney observed distinct changes on the colonel's face, not a specific reaction, however.
'Very well,' he said. 'I shall be taking the Sergeant, however. Security measure.'
The man nodded and vanished. Colonel Snape rose.
'Well then,' he said, 'we will have to continue this at a later point, Sergeant. Duty calls.'
'Yes, sir,' said Rodney happily, knowing that it would be a long time until they got the chance for a conversation like this one again. He rose. 'Let's see what the general has to say.'
The lights had been shut down about half an hour ago. Lucius felt that staying inside the deserted library at this time of the night might cost him the shiny Head Boy badge he had received with his Hogwarts letter before the start of term this year. The library was out of bounds at night, even for privileged students, and thus protected by some very effective security curses, which Lucius simply refused to believe could kill. He knew that as long as he did not touch any of the books he would be safe, but he was not quite sure if Severus had received the same intelligence.
Now, where to look for the boy? Lucius had not seen him in here since his last encounter with James Potter, where he had come off with a lot more than just a few bruises again, for the first time in months. Lucius sighed. He had hoped Potter and his friends would have lost their interest in bullying his little friend by now. They were, after all, in their third year now. An age in which he, Lucius, had actually started growing up. At least he thought he had. It was hard to remember, as these days had long passed. Lucius glanced at his Head Boy badge and smiled.
And then he saw him. Curled up in a corner, clutching a huge, black book (how had he managed to get it off the shelf?) against his chest was Severus Snape, fast asleep. His breathing was flat but even and a small bunch of hair was fluttering against his face with every breath he took. He looked so peaceful and innocent that Lucius hesitated for a second. The last few months had been rough for the boy. He remembered the funeral of Severus's mother (his aunt, as it happened) and, more importantly, the look on the Colonel's (his uncle's) face when they let her into the grave. Lucius was used to unpleasant people, having his mother around twenty-four hours a day during the holidays, but his uncle, he though, had suffered so greatly from the loss of his wife that his usual grumpy mood had given way to a look of general menace whenever he looked at you. Whenever he looked at his son.
Lucius did know that Severus and his father were having a somewhat difficult time. It was traditional in the Snape family, his own father had informed him, that at some point during the teenage of a Snape son he had to be reminded of traditions and values. All Snape fathers had to deal with a short period of time in which their son questioned everyone and everything that was good and traditional.
Lucius was sure that, if any such time was about to come to pass, this would be a rather inconvenient moment for it, as Colonel Snape clearly needed some time for himself now, to get over the death of his wife. Then again, Lucius thought, Severus was at Hogwarts now and other people's responsibility. His, for example, in his function as the Head Boy. He bent down and took a curious look at the book Severus was holding.
'Why It Cannot Be Called Mind-Reading,' he read aloud and Severus woke with a start.
'What -'
'You're out of bounds again,' Lucius whispered, fighting a small smile that threatened to be playing around his lips. 'I should put you in detention.'
'I was reading,' Severus muttered. 'And I fell asleep.'
'I thought you had an accident or something.'
'I - wasn't aware that you were looking for me.'
'You're never aware of anything, Severus,' said Lucius angrily. 'You never notice when someone really cares about you.'
'You care about Slytherin,' Severus retorted. 'And you 'look after' me, because you promised it to your father. You hate it. Don't think I don't know.'
Lucius stopped to consider about how much truth lay in these words.
'You had another fight today,' he finally stated, looking slightly uncomfortable. 'Naturally I was worried.'
'You thought I was hiding, didn't you?' Severus spat. 'You thought I was crying my eyes out, feeling sorry for myself.'
Lucius stopped again, this time in surprise. Then, deciding to stick to the truth, he nodded. Severus glared at him.
'Well, I am not.'
The subsequent silence was unnerving.
'Why are you reading books about Legilimency?' Lucius enquired after a short while to put an end to the embarrassment of the situation. 'And where did you find it?'
'Down here,' said Severus, pointing vaguely at one of the bookshelves. 'I find it rather interestingly written.'
'A waste of time,' said Lucius derisively. 'You will never be able to do Legilimency. Only the greatest of our kind have ever mastered it.'
Severus shrugged. 'It doesn't say how you do it, anyway,' he replied thoughtfully. 'There's no book about that in here.'
'That would be because it is classified as Dark Magic,' Lucius remarked. 'There is probably some material about it in the Restricted Section. Why do you care anyway? It is one of the most obscure branches of magic. As far as I know, there's only two wizards alive who have a full understanding of it - and make use of this knowledge. Dumbledore and one you wouldn't have heard about.'
Severus gave him a blank stare. Lucius considered for a while if it had been a mistake to mention the second person to a third-year in the middle of the Hogwarts library, but fortunately it did not seem to be him Severus seemed to be interested in.
'What do you mean Dumbledore - you mean he can break into people's minds?'
'I am not sure he does it very often, to be honest,' Lucius said, 'but I know he can. People have seen him do it. As a demonstration. He has been known to teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. But again, what's it to you?'
Severus shrugged. 'It's... fascinating.'
'I bet,' muttered Lucius. 'Well, don't you think we should get out of here before a teacher does come and put you in detention?'
Severus did not reply. He got up, straightened his robes and carefully put the book back into the shelf.
'Why didn't it scream or bite your hand off anyway?' Lucius said curiously. 'Do you know how to overcome the spells in here?'
'No,' said Severus casually, 'but there's a simple trick to it. Nothing startling, really. If you take the book out in the afternoon and read it well into the night, nothing happens. Though you have got to be careful not to touch any other books when putting it back into its shelf.'
Lucius grinned and shook his head. 'You are so clever, mate. Why do you keep getting into trouble?'
Severus did not reply. When they were walking down the stairs to the dungeons and Slytherin house, however, he suddenly stopped and turned to look straight into Lucius's eyes. The elder wizard was startled at first, then, taking in the seriousness of Severus's expression, gave him a smack on the back of his black-haired head.
'I said you were clever, not a genius. Stop it, Severus! It is no use.'
'It can't be that difficult,' Severus said defensively, rubbing his head. 'If Dumbledore can do it...'
'...why not an ickle third-year you mean?' snorted Lucius. 'Well, maybe because Dumbledore is one of the most powerful wizards on earth? Really, Severus, I like you. But you tend to hilariously overestimate yourself. You will never be able to read anyone's mind.'
Severus scowled. 'You would say that. But you don't know anything,' he mumbled.
There was a short silence. When they had reached the Slytherin common room (deserted, of course, as everyone was in bed at this time of the night) Lucius turned to bid the small boy goodnight. Severus, however, seemed to have something else in mind.
'Lucius,' he said, very quietly as if afraid that anyone would overhear their conversation, 'who... you know something about the Knights, don't you?'
Lucius was surprised to say the least about this sudden very rational question of the small boy, who usually seemed so distract about things that might be of importance. So instead of dismissing this question as too dangerous for being discussed inside Hogwarts walls, not considering the consequences of this statement, he said quietly, conspiratorially: 'What do you want to know?'