This segment requires that you have your Snape/Lily history fresh in mind. Seeing that you're a member of this site you probably can recite the lines referring to them off by heart, but if you don't really remember, it might be a good idea to take out your books…

"What I'm going to tell you I'm not sure you're ready to hear. So I want to give you the choice to hear it or not. You know, there is a limit to the quantity of information a single head can contain, and I believe this you deserve to know. And the fact that you know such information might also help the determine the issue of the war."

Dumbledore's traits were grave, serious. Harry knew he was not kidding. He also guessed that the information he would be given would concern Thalia and Snape and his father. Which made him not want to hear a word of it. But seeing Dumbledore rag on about knowing, and knowing and knowing again made him want to know so badly. He hated being held in ignorance, and he thought that Dumbledore might have used this distinctive trait of his to push him to say yes.

"Yes," he therefore said. "I'm ready to know."

"Alright," the Headmaster replied, smiling.

"When you asked why I invited Miss Beauregard to teach in this school, I didn't give out the answer in it's totality. I chose to deny certain parts of it because I thought, at that time, that such information you didn't need to hear about. I realize now I was wrong. So, here is the answer I should have given out two days ago. I brought Thalia here hoping that if she managed to find herself a knew family on our side, she might refuse to go back to… the other side."

"Join Voldemort again?"

"Yes." The old man smiled. "I'm glad to see you can still talk about what you fear. It seems as though I'm losing this capacity."

Harry gave out an encouraging smile, which was tinted with a sad edge. "But, didn't she leave his ranks years ago? That's what you said, at the Order reunion, no?"

"That's what I said, and it was true, yes. But Voldemort is trying to put his hand on her again." Harry's eyes widened with surprise, and he slowly nodded, pushing the Headmaster to continue. "So I invited her to fill in the role of Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. Role, that, I also must admit, very few wanted to fill." A small giggle escaped from Harry's lips. Dumbledore starting reciting.

"These last years, her only link with us had been the Order, of which she was member though she never participated to any of the reunions since Voldermort's fall. Then, one night, as usual, I must sadly say, a fight exploded between Snape and Sirius… and she was mentioned." He paused for a few seconds, apparently remembering the events of that particular evening. "That's when her existence came back in my mind. Tormenting me. I hadn't seen her since the last war, and suddenly I was worried. She had arrived to us one night, maybe five years before Snape had, seven before our victory, as Voldemort's assaults became more and more frequent. She went back to Remus first, and then he brought her to me. Only a few others were there that night, with us. Your parents and Sirius were absent, and that's probably why she felt so at ease. It was not long the she accepted to give us all the information she knew on the Death Eaters…"

"Except?" Harry asked, guessing his teacher was being reluctant.

"Except the one concerning a few people. Miss Lestrange, Mister Malfoy… and Snape. Many refused to accept her in the Order for such a reason. They had been greatly disappointed by her enrollment in Voldemort's army, and they believe that her return by our side was a way of erasing her mistakes, a way of showing her friends and family she hated everything of Voldemort and his supporters."

Dumbledore's words brought back in Harry's mind the things George had told him and his friends the last night, about what Molly and Arthur had said about Thalia, and about Lupin…

"You still let her in?" Harry asked, already knowing the answer to his question.

"Of course. We had to. She had turned her back to the Dark Lord for us, well… probably not for us, but she had been kind enough to furnish us with precious details about upcoming attacks and gathering places. We couldn't take all that information and send her to her death."

"But they didn't want to kill her. Somehow, she… she survived."

"Yes, but I did not know that at the time. I still don't understand how she managed to keep her heart beating. And even if I had known… the rejection of an ally would have tarnished the Order's image."

"That's why she chose not to show her alliances to most of the Order members, such a Sirius, for instance," Dumbledore continued. "She was too weak to endure the comments that were muttered the first time she refused to tell us where Snape was to be found on a certain night. The attacks had been… harsh, at the very least."

Harry gulped, and Dumbledore understood why. "Don't worry. Your parents were very encouraging. They influenced a few others into accepting her, and none dared to speak ill of the woman in their presence. They understood how hard it must have been for her. Of course, when they weren't there…"

"Then why didn't she want to expose herself? If the ones she hated the most were actually on her side…"

"The fact that they were on her side, defending her, didn't weigh for much in the balance. And to be honest, I doubt she was ever aware of their generous gesture. So when, well, when your parents passed away," he said gingerly, "she decided she'd be strong enough to support the evil looks and angry whispers. Of course, the Order was dissolved shortly after this tragic event… So I let her go in the wild, not really thinking of the consequences."

"Consequences?"

"Well obviously she didn't stay in touch with any of the members of the Order, and for some reasons I will not unveil she was not back with Snape."

"But… she was still with him when he was with Voldemort and she, in the Order, these five entire years?"

"Yes."

"But when he joined her, they broke up?"

The bearded man nodded silently.

"Wow. That's special."

Dumbledore smiled but as promised remained speechless on the subject. He nevertheless pursued his explanation, that greatly resembled a confession.

"Having no one to turn to, I realize it was simply logic that she turned towards friends like Malfoy… who had been entirely washed of all suspicions by the general public."

"I thought you said… when you met her she was only starting to go back towards old friends."

"Yes, well right after the fall she only kept contact with a few of these friends. One, particularly. But then, she returned to Snape when you were probably around six or seven years old."

Harry flinched. He hated being mixed up to this story.

"It was fine for a while. They were both under control, as they had both already left Voldemort's ranks. They weren't friends with anyone in the Order, but I knew they were safe and would not cause any trouble, Snape already working with me at Hogwarts. But then, as you know, last year… Trouble came again."

Dumbledore laughed at his own words. "Trouble, what am I saying. Voldemort came back to flesh and bone. And Snape's services were needed, once again."

"He had to work undercover as a Death Eater."

"Exactly. Now, Snape's duties within the Order requiring him to participate in each and every one of our enemies' councils, Thalia took the habit of following him to these reunions. Not joining in them, of course – the Dark Lord could never admit a traitor at his table – but joining with the Death Eaters after such reunions. And renewing with old friends."

"But she only went to those… reunions (Harry shrugged, convinced that these 'reunions' were probably the stage to some of the world's worst horrors) because of Snape? It was Snape she followed the entire time, no?"

"Yes."

"Then if she followed Snape… didn't his allegiances push her towards you?"

"You've just uttered the question that has tormented my mind ever since Snape has mentioned her during that fight a year ago. Why didn't she follow the love of her life?"

Dumbledore stood silent for so long that Harry though for a moment he actually wanted him to find an answer to that unsolvable question.

"I found many answers, and one of hem was this: she did not see the link between the Order and Snape. From Thalia's point of view, Snape's position was the same as hers. Neutral. Not an actual Death Eater, but a man who still hated our side. It is true, sadly, that he profoundly hates us, but he still stands on our side in the event of a war… like now.

Harry' mouth was filled with a bitter taste as he realized he did not share the man's blind confidence in Snape's positions. He never had.

"So by inviting her to join the Order once again, actively this time, I hoped she would see that Snape works with us, and that if she wants to be with him, she has to chose our side."

"I don't think sides really matter to those two," Harry pointed out.

"You're absolutely right, and I wish I had known such a fact at the time."

There was a silence.

"Sadly, that's when I made my biggest error."

"What was it?"

"I pushed her too quickly to act. You remember the announcement I had made during the Order's reunion? How she had eliminated many enemies? That was an error. She hated herself after the, well, the killing, and regretted her choice. She said that she had crossed a line she never wanted to cross."

"Weren't you happy she had crossed that line?"

"Yes, but she wasn't, and that could have meant her departure. And probably her death."

"So what was your solution?"

"Inviting her here, offering her shelter, and time with Snape. At the same time, the association between Snape and our side might have the time to grow if she saw him act day and night under this roof."

"Did it work?"

"That part did."

"Then, it's fine no? Anyways, didn't you say Voldemort would never accept a traitor at his table?"

"Yes, and it was true at the time. But not anymore. He saw the guilt she felt when she attacked her old family, he heard the tales of the good times she passed with Malfoy and all their friends, he guessed her smiles when she finally got to saw them. And decided it was time to get her back, lure her back into his ranks. Luckily I brought her under my protection first."

"That was the purpose of the battle. Simply bringing her to see her… family once again."

"Exactly. Of course, that was only a part of the invasion. What Malfoy and his acolytes have done in the dungeons, we know for sure Voldemort hadn't planned. But very few understood why three of them simply wandered in the corridors… You're a clever boy Harry."

The clever boy in question did not know how to react.

"Yes, if it hadn't been of Malfoy's ridiculous assault, there would have been no battle. Simply a little incursion within Hogwarts' walls. We are lucky he did so though. That way we are assured that the only feelings that invade Thalia's mind when she thinks of her old way of life will be rage and distress."

"Thalia said something about you wanting her to lock herself up to make sure she wouldn't do anything stupid. You only wanted it to be impossible for her to meet with these people."

"A clever assumption, once again. A right one, too."

"And Snape was locked in with her because…?"

"Well, firstly because I knew that would make her happy. Having them together was probably the best way for them to reconcile, and make her smile and see life on a bright side once again. Which would have helped her appreciate Hogwarts and all the people in it. His very presence could have also pushed her to stay in the common room in the event of a mutiny… which I knew in advance would happen."

"So why give out the orders to lock herself up, then? Or pretend you thought they were in a fight?"

"So she could believe she had control, and so I could reunite them by providing them with –"

"A common enemy," Harry finished in his place.

"Exactly."

"You use way to much psychology."

"I know. I sometimes feel guilty because of that. Anyways…"

"That's why you were angry at Snape. That's why you punished him by sending him to the dungeons to directly attack his friends, thing he probably hates as much as Thalia. He let her leave. He was supposed to keep her inside the castle walls, but he let her leave."

"Yes. He disobeyed to direct orders I had given him. Which caused me a great surprise. You see, I thought Snape would be glad to bring Thalia back on my side, on our side actually. That way he could finally be with her openly, without hiding. But something strange happened this year… My plan backfired in a way I could have never predicted."

"What happened?"

"The exact opposite of what I had planned."

"You see," he explained, "in this relationship… I feel terrible exposing things such way, but I believe I have to… Snape is the "leader", one might say. Thalia is the one depending on him, hoping he will not leave her but having no guarantee. She's the one that gets jealous and fears day and night he might disappear."

Harry nearly choked to death in his saliva, too surprised at first to talk. "Are you kidding? Thalia can get anyone, ANYONE" he emphasized, "she wants. All I keep hearing are stories about those who wanted to date her. Whereas Snape… well before I knew he had Thalia, I strongly believed he had nobody. And that no other scenario was possible."

Dumbledore laughed, a frank, honest laugh that echoed in his office.

"I understand your reaction. To, frankly, anyone who does not know their story, such a fact may seem impossible to be believed, but it still remains the truth. When they were students, she fell in love with him first, and then patiently waited until he finally fell in love too."

Harry remembered her admitting that she was desperately in love with him, while he wasn't at first.

"Seeing this situation, I thought Thalia would be the one following Snape to our side. But I've started to realize that maybe I did a huge error. It seems that Snape has started following Thalia instead, back into the Dark Lord's arms…"

"Ouch."

"Yes. You cannot understand what a catastrophe his departure from our ranks would be."

"What's pushing him away?"

"Thalia. In two very different, but very effective ways. Unwittingly of course."

"Can you tell me… exactly how?" Harry dared to ask.

"Firstly by creating a more friendly link with the people he sees regularly, and also by… cutting the most vital link he had with the Order."

"Erm… what?"

"It's the most I can tell you Harry."

(Please understand that means he's forgetting Lily)

"Alright. So why are you telling me all this?" Harry asked, slightly annoyed.

"Mostly because I'm aware of your unquenchable thirst for information and, lets be honest, secrets. But also because I need you to do me a huge favor."

"What is it?"

"I would like you to observe Thalia, especially this Christmas. These two weeks could become a turning point in this struggle between me and Voldemort. A turn in my favor. Make sure she is happy, check her reactions, what she tells everyone, how she acts. See if there is something wrong in her behavior. Of course," he added, "don't overdo it. You have the right to enjoy your vacations like any other student. She'll also be very worried by Snape's state, so of course her face will be almost permanently clouded by fear and concern."

"I think I get it... Observe once in a while, try and notice any strange behavior."

"Exactly."

"I'll do it."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome. I take from such a demand that you won't be joining us for Christmas?"

"No, sadly, I have other business to attend to. But thank Molly for me, if you don't mind. I appreciate the vest."

Harry looked around and caught sight of the knitted sweater vest that rested folded on a chair. It was a clear cyan, the exact shade of the man's eyes, and on it was knit an elegant, golden A. Harry gave a short though to the bottle green sweater that rested at the bottom of his suitcase, and then set his attention back on reality.

"It'll be my pleasure," he said, grinning. "But… how am I to get there? I think they just left…"

"They left about half-an-hour ago, actually. But you'll leave tonight, by train."

"Like the other students," Harry said.

"No, actually, you'll leave a bit later. And you'll have company."

"Who?" the boy asked, knowing that the Headmaster would utter the name that had occupied his life for the last months.

"Thalia," the man replied. "Snape will be transferred at St-Mungos in only a few moments, and she'll then get ready to leave with you in about an hour or so. You don't have to talk to her the entire way. You can decide to sleep in a private cabin if you want to."

"Alright. Thanks."

"I just don't want to leave her alone in the train. At least you'll be two."

Harry smiled. He did not mind spending the trip with Thalia. He knew that if she was to fill his mind with things he did not want to hear, the FireWhiskey that would great him once at the Order Headquarters would easily wash them off his mind.

On this last note - it's the almost birthday of my story, or it's online part, anyways.